Hockey Playoffs 2009!

[JDR13]

Poor Corwin, by now you must be seeing the Red Wings in your nightmares.

 

[dteowner]

Corwin will be OK...another decade or two and the Laffs are bound to be competitive again.

 

[Toaster]

Reading the papers here you would think Detroit consists of a bunch of Swedes and a goalie pretty much. Even if that isn't the case Lidström, Zetterberg & co seem to be more than good enough at their job to someone uninitiated like me, I hope they win.

 

[Lucky Day]

I was hoping to see Detroit play Vancouver. The winner would get the SEL Championship trophy.

As for Corwin, Toronto should get a championship as soon as Phoenix moves their team there.

 

[Corwin]

Finally got to watch a game live on TV. What a GREAT result!!

 

[JDR13]

I knew you would be the first one here after that game Corwin.

 

[dteowner]

Well, that kinda blew chunks, but I had a bad feeling about this one. Between the home crowd and some whispers from Bettman, there was no doubt the zebras were going to have some influence. Like Babcock said after the game, though, we probably caught a break in one of the first two games, so we can't really complain if they catch one here. The Pens are playing in the finals for a reason.

My thought all along was that we'd win 1 and 2, lose 3, and then close it out in 5. I'm sticking with that. Good news is that I'll get games 5 thru 7 on TV, so I'll get to see the Wings skate the cup, which wouldn't have been the case with a sweep (the cable company here in the Bustling Metropolis doesn't carry Versus network).

 

[JDR13]

Game 3 was the first one not be on NBC wasn't it? I watched it on CBC tonight.

 

[txa1265]

I'm not even sure what channel it was on here, but it was nice to watch. My friend from Pitt will be thrilled, she's been very quiet for the last week ...

 

[dteowner]

Game 3 was the first one not be on NBC wasn't it? I watched it on CBC tonight.

Yep. 1, 2, and 5-7 are on NBC. 3 and 4 are Versus only, at least for folks that can't get Canadian stations.

 

[JDR13]

3 and 4 are Versus only, at least for folks that can't get Canadian stations.

Wow...that's ridiculous, and hockey fans wonder why the sport is losing popularity here.

 

[Corwin]

It's a typical Catch 22 situation. Hey, I'm usually lucky to get a 90 min highlight package once a week!!

 

[Lucky Day]

Bettman interviewed on Vs last night and said the ratings on NBC were the highest the NHL has had in a decade and game 3 on Vs was the highest rated show in the network's history. Vs is such an obscure network I had to think their highest rated show was probably a Tour de France with Lance Armstrong when they were still the OLN. That was the sport that put them on the map.

I think the ratings are going to go down now thanks to the NBA finals. For the life of me I can not think of why the NHL lets the two championship tournaments coincide!

Regardless, fantastic game last night. Did you see those two amazing, amazing goals by Pittsburgh? That'll be on the highlight reel for years, especially as its Sid.

The Pen's offense is so dangerous it got Doc Emerick and Eddy Olcyck speculating that Detroit are unable get their own D into the offense. I saw the same thing happen to my Canucks against Chicago.

I'm also still saying that Lidstrom hasn't fully recovered.

Now let's see the Pens win one in Detroit with (in the words of of one of the Pens players) those springboards behind the net. So you talk about Bettman cheating, huh with that arena?

Please, methinks the league is going to crackdown on those kind of boards. It reminds me of the old Boston Gardens.

 

[dteowner]

Why would the boards be a problem? They're the same for everyone on the ice.

I have absolutely no doubt that Bettman would prefer if Cindy Crosby hoists the cup. Obviously, he's not going to stoop to "coaching" the refs, but there's no question the sudden change to the finals schedule after we finished off Chicago and the compressed schedule was no accident and not completely driven by NBC.

 

[Corwin]

Sorry I wasn't able to see that game, sounds like I missed a good one.

 

[JDR13]

Now let's see the Pens win one in Detroit with (in the words of of one of the Pens players) those springboards behind the net. So you talk about Bettman cheating, huh with that arena?

Please, methinks the league is going to crackdown on those kind of boards. It reminds me of the old Boston Gardens.

Are you trying to claim Detroit has some kind of advantage because of those boards? As if a completely unpredictable bounce would somehow benefit them?

 

[JDR13]

WOO-HOO 5-0 beatdown by Detroit. 1 win away from hoisting the Cup for the 2nd straight year!

 

[GothicGothicness]

Why would the boards be a problem? They're the same for everyone on the ice.

If a team has it in their home arena they have a lot of time to get used to it, however the away team would just play there a few times each year, and they are not so used to it. Yes it definetely gives a (even if it is small) advantage.

 

[txa1265]

WOO-HOO 5-0 beatdown by Detroit. 1 win away from hoisting the Cup for the 2nd straight year!

I didn't see the whole thing, but from what I saw 'beatdown' is the correct word ...

 

[JDR13]

If a team has it in their home arena they have a lot of time to get used to it, however the away team would just play there a few times each year, and they are not so used to it. Yes it definetely gives a (even if it is small) advantage.

No...it doesn't. The difference between the boards at other arenas is not significant. If it was, I'm pretty sure the players would be making a stink about it. Instead you have tv commentators talking out their ass about something they don't fully understand, while the players aren't saying a thing.