NHL playoffs - year of the underdog?

Did I miss another tread for this?

Anyhow, when the 'Canes were going to play the 'Caps in the first round, I thought, "Well, they made it to the playoffs." I was happy with that, especially since I was in the arena when they won the game that got them there. Then, they took the series. They were playing well, but I really didn't expect that.

Now the 'Canes are up in the second round of the series 3-0, and they're playing pretty well. They're still making mistakes, but they are fighting for every puck and really battling.

Meanwhile the other wild card team in the East, the Blue Jackets, are giving the Bruins a bit of trouble in the second round. It's far from over.

Out West, Dallas, much like the 'Canes, bumped off the number one seed in their division and has advanced to the second round.

Same thing with the Avalanche.

It looks like any team still in it after this round is a contender to win.

Enjoyed the Avs making it to the second round. They are not looking at hot as they did against Calgary. Once again, the lack of Canadian teams has to be a bummer for the folks from the great white north. 

Funny thing is I had my Avs sweatshirt on while here in Minneapolis and one of the guys I know was giving me a little crap and I just asked how the Wild golf game was coming along.

It's ok.

All of the decent players are from Canada, Russia, Sweden or Finland anyway. 

Still rooting for the Sharks.  My house is 6 miles from the tank, and when they won game 7 in overtime I swear I could hear the cheering. :)

NHL playoff season is my favorite time of the year!! Hockey is the only sport I fully embrace. This playoff season has been strange. I'm a huge lifelong Bruins fan. I think they'll win tonight, and then it's a best of 3 with two games in Boston if necessary. The crowds in Carolina, and Columbus have been incredible! The crowd in the first round in Uniondale was amazing. I feel the NHL did the Islanders dirty making them play the second round in Brooklyn. The Islanders are my second team. Generally I didn't hate the Bunch of Jerks before this season, but I'm a traditional NHL fan, and didn't like their "celebrations" this season. They're a heck of a story though. If my Bruins can't get by the BJ's then I'll probably just root for a Western team as I don't see the Islanders coming back from 3-0 down. I can't root for that fraud in net in Dallas. What a flopper. He's been a tool since his days in Tampa. The Sharks just seem like a chocking dog that shouldn't even be in the second round. They are maybe one of the most talented teams remaining though. I don't trust their (former Bruin) goalie Martin Jones. The Avs are a good young team, but I just don't really care about them. They're like the team I always forget is in the league.

So, I say go Bruins/Isles, and beyond that probably the Blues. They deserve a cup, and have great longtime fans, not a bunch of bandwagon jumpers. I'm most happy that the Penguins, and Lightning got swept. Especially the Pens, I hate that team!!

Yay, Skatey-Punchy!  

It would be interesting, although not enough for me to actually research it, to find out how well a wild card team does in the playoffs.  I know baseball has sure had some upsets.  

It was before wild card time, but I'm still a bit irked by the Mariners losing the year they won 118? games.  And then, there is the 90's Braves.  Has anybody ever done a study taking performance in the last month of the regular season, compared to playoff performance?  Logic might suggest that's more important.

I'm Blue Jackets all the way, my office is a couple hundred feet from their arena so I go to games whenever I can and this year has been nuts. I haven't gone to any of the games due to lack of child care, but man the energy before games is palpable. I know everyone wants a playoff win, but we've been the underdogs for so long that we could really use the win.

When I was in Dublin, OH for work there were people down from Honda Canada.  They had all gotten tickets and rented the bus way in advance to see the Leafs play the Jackets while they were in town. I think the Leafs lost, but they were all still over the moon they even got to see a game.


Mazdax605- lots of people outside the market didn't like the post-game celebrations, but people in-market did. While there are a lot of hockey fans in the area that migrated in from hockey markets (myself included) the team has to attract and keep fans here. Also, I found it the height of hypocrisy that Don Cherry called the team jerks. I guess it takes one to know one.
 

Brett_Murphy said:

When I was in Dublin, OH for work there were people down from Honda Canada.  They had all gotten tickets and rented the bus way in advance to see the Leafs play the Jackets while they were in town. I think the Leafs lost, but they were all still over the moon they even got to see a game.


Mazdax605- lots of people outside the market didn't like the post-game celebrations, but people in-market did. While there are a lot of hockey fans in the area that migrated in from hockey markets (myself included) the team has to attract and keep fans here. Also, I found it the height of hypocrisy that Don Cherry called the team jerks. I guess it takes one to know one.
 

Say what you want about Don Cherry, but the guy is a legend, and has forgotten more about hockey than most other people will ever know. I also understand the whole attract and keep fans thing, but the "Storm Surge" thing was just so amateur hockey that I just couldn't get behind it as a life long fan of the game. Heck even my kids Pee-Wee team wouldn't do something like that. Just act like you've been there before. Also if it was so cool, why didn't they keep it up in the playoffs? Honestly I don't really mid that team, and I actually love the way they play, and the story, but that celebration thing really bothered me. I really like Justin Williams too. Maybe I'm just old now.

Streetwiseguy said:

Yay, Skatey-Punchy!  

It would be interesting, although not enough for me to actually research it, to find out how well a wild card team does in the playoffs.  I know baseball has sure had some upsets.  

It was before wild card time, but I'm still a bit irked by the Mariners losing the year they won 118? games.  And then, there is the 90's Braves.  Has anybody ever done a study taking performance in the last month of the regular season, compared to playoff performance?  Logic might suggest that's more important.

I think it was 114 games the Mariners won that season. I was at win 100, and 101 that season. I love the Mariners from back in the days of Ken Griffey Jr. That team was so good that season, and I was disappointed that they didn't even make the World Series let alone win it. That organization just can't seem to get it done.

Mazdax605 said:

Streetwiseguy said:

Yay, Skatey-Punchy!  

It would be interesting, although not enough for me to actually research it, to find out how well a wild card team does in the playoffs.  I know baseball has sure had some upsets.  

It was before wild card time, but I'm still a bit irked by the Mariners losing the year they won 118? games.  And then, there is the 90's Braves.  Has anybody ever done a study taking performance in the last month of the regular season, compared to playoff performance?  Logic might suggest that's more important.

I think it was 114 games the Mariners won that season. I was at win 100, and 101 that season. I love the Mariners from back in the days of Ken Griffey Jr. That team was so good that season, and I was disappointed that they didn't even make the World Series let alone win it. That organization just can't seem to get it done.

116 wins. 

Just a note, Lou Pinella needs to have a TV show where he's sitting in a pool on a floaty with sunglasses, huge belly sticking out, talking about... well, theoretically baseball, but realistically anything. One camera angle, if he drifts out of the picture "Hey, someone give me a push back into the fram"... I'd pay to watch that.

Mazdax605 said:

Brett_Murphy said:

When I was in Dublin, OH for work there were people down from Honda Canada.  They had all gotten tickets and rented the bus way in advance to see the Leafs play the Jackets while they were in town. I think the Leafs lost, but they were all still over the moon they even got to see a game.


Mazdax605- lots of people outside the market didn't like the post-game celebrations, but people in-market did. While there are a lot of hockey fans in the area that migrated in from hockey markets (myself included) the team has to attract and keep fans here. Also, I found it the height of hypocrisy that Don Cherry called the team jerks. I guess it takes one to know one.
 

Say what you want about Don Cherry, but the guy is a legend, and has forgotten more about hockey than most other people will ever know. I also understand the whole attract and keep fans thing, but the "Storm Surge" thing was just so amateur hockey that I just couldn't get behind it as a life long fan of the game. Heck even my kids Pee-Wee team wouldn't do something like that. Just act like you've been there before. Also if it was so cool, why didn't they keep it up in the playoffs? Honestly I don't really mid that team, and I actually love the way they play, and the story, but that celebration thing really bothered me. I really like Justin Williams too. Maybe I'm just old now.

Don Cherry is past his time. He's good for entertainment only at this point. Extremely entertaining though. 

I'm a 'Canes fan for this playoffs. 'Canes and anyone who is playing the Blues. I'm a huge Turbo fan (Teuvo Teravainen). I was super upset when the Hawks traded him. Would be cheering for the BJ's, but I hate Tortorella. 

mtn said:

I'm a 'Canes fan for this playoffs. 'Canes and anyone who is playing the Blues. I'm a huge Turbo fan (Teuvo Teravainen). I was super upset when the Hawks traded him. Would be cheering for the BJ's, but I hate Tortorella. 

Torts is a local guy, so I like him, but he's tough to like, and being the coach playing against my team I'm not pulling for him. He's a certified dingus though, no doubt. Heck of a coach, but will burn out every team he coaches with that style.

Cherry might be past his time, but he knows a ton about the game, and you're correct, he's very entertaining. I love Grapes!!

Mazdax605 said:

Just act like you've been there before. Also if it was so cool, why didn't they keep it up in the playoffs? 

It had already done its job and run its course. 

RE: Cherry

When I was growing up, there used to be a guy in a locally owned sporting goods store that knew almost everything there was to know about tying flies. That didn't mean he wasn't a first rate bigoted shiny happy person, though. I might have bought his flies from time to time in a pinch, but I wouldn't interact with the guy if I could help it, much less listen to his views on a great number of other topics beyond flies.

Excellent game tonight between the Bruins and the Blue Jackets!! Unbelievable that 4 officials miss the puck hitting the spectator netting behind the goal and then it resulting in a goal for the BJ's!! Best 2 out of 3 now. 

Can the 'Canes sweep tonight? I've got three beers in the fridge and no plans during game time.

2 Islander goals so far!! Doh!! 

The Blue Jackets game was well fought. That push where they went from 0-2 to 3-3 was incredible. I can't believe they came so close to being robbed of another goal in the playoffs! Sadly they couldn't close the deal on this one. Here's hoping. They still show promise.

In reply to dculberson :

I was stunned when Boston put that puck in the net so late.  Especially since it came after a great chance for Columbus.  That was a heck of an ending to a game.

alfadriver said:

In reply to dculberson :

I was stunned when Boston put that puck in the net so late.  Especially since it came after a great chance for Columbus.  That was a heck of an ending to a game.

That was one of the craziest 10 minutes of hockey I've seen in a long time. I think only the Bruins amazing comeback from 4-1 down in the 3rd period of game 7 against the Leafs in 2013 is the only better 10 minutes, but that was all one sided. I hope the Bruins can close it out tomorrow, but I don't think they will. 

Wooo!! 

Deflated! Stupid Boston. ;-)

dculberson said:

Deflated! Stupid Boston. ;-)

Your coach is from Boston. I wonder if he's coming to Boston for game 7?