NHL Playoffs thread...

[Cornerville]

Heart ALWAYS beats talent? :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :

 

Go look at the SC winners...heart teams get on runs..generally talent takes home the Cup.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Congrats, Habs! You guys earned it last night--what a drubbing.... Now, just make sure you don't let the flyers get to the finals...

[thebug]

Congrats to the Habs!

 

to the hooligans.

[CountDorkula]

Congrats, Habs! You guys earned it last night--what a drubbing.... Now, just make sure you don't let the flyers get to the finals...

 

 

What happened to Fleury last nigh his game was awful.

 

I dont care what people say, you need good goaltending to win in this league, and Fleury was not good last night.

[ExiledInIllinois]

I could be wrong about this, but I know I'm close. Didn't Montreal back into the playoffs because the Rangers lost on the final day of the season? Where was their heart when they were backing in to the playoffs? Did they just develop it? Washington and Pittsburgh both peppered Halak with shots, sometimes frantically. Without heart, how did Pittsburgh and Washington muster up the strength to throw everything at Halak (crazily outshooting Montreal most of both series), only to be beaten back by a smokin goaltender?

 

Hypothetically speaking, if Halak wasn't so hot, and Fluery wasn't so awful in most games, would Pittsburgh all of a sudden have heart again? It's not out of the question to think if Fluery was anything even approaching average (his save pct was in the 80's and he didn't face a lot of shots), the Pens would have won one more game in this series. Would that mean that the Pens then, had all the heart?

 

Cmon. Jeez. Montreal's system and goalie totally confused Pitt and Washington.

 

Look at EDM's run in 2006... They were number 8 right? Wasn't Spacek on that team? Bit of a help with motivation... CAR took EDM early, didn't EDM force game 7?

[ExiledInIllinois]

What happened to Fleury last nigh his game was awful.

 

I dont care what people say, you need good goaltending to win in this league, and Fleury was not good last night.

 

Amazing part about the whole heart-talent debate... Look at PITT, WASH, and say the 'Hawks... Lots of number one overalls there... Point is that Fluery was a number one pitck overall too.

 

Just saying.

[C.Biscuit97]

Is there a more worthless regular season than the NHL? Half of the teams make it and every year, several low seeds go on huge runs.

 

Playoff hockey is great but it pretty much confirms why I don't watch hockey during the regular season. It is completely pointless. The NHL should cut the season in half.

[Lv-Bills]

Amazing part about the whole heart-talent debate... Look at PITT, WASH, and say the 'Hawks... Lots of number one overalls there... Point is that Fluery was a number one pitck overall too.

 

Just saying.

This is beginning to get borderline stupid. That #1 pick of Fluery won the Stanley Cup LAST YEAR. And again, Detroit and Pittsbugh were in the cup the last two years. Probably with the most talent, arguably, in each conference. I guess no one had heart those last two years right?

 

Also, again, where was Montreal's heart all year? If it wasn't for the Rangers, they wouldn't even be in the playoffs. Any explanations for that?

[Lv-Bills]

Is there a more worthless regular season than the NHL? Half of the teams make it and every year, several low seeds go on huge runs.

 

Playoff hockey is great but it pretty much confirms why I don't watch hockey during the regular season. It is completely pointless. The NHL should cut the season in half.

You mean kinda like the wildcards in making, and sometimes winning the Superbowl right? Same thing, correct?

[Cornerville]

This is beginning to get borderline stupid. That #1 pick of Fluery won the Stanley Cup LAST YEAR. And again, Detroit and Pittsbugh were in the cup the last two years. Probably with the most talent, arguably, in each conference. I guess no one had heart those last two years right?

 

Also, again, where was Montreal's heart all year? If it wasn't for the Rangers, they wouldn't even be in the playoffs. Any explanations for that?

 

 

Let's not bring logic into this debate. I find it amazing how fans can so accurately judge a team's heart and character just by watching the games and not being inside the players heads, locker rooms, homes, practices, etc.

 

It is pretty simple: You win, your heart isn't questioned, and it is inflated. When you lose, it is questioned. It is a lame excuse for a team that loses. End of story.

[Cornerville]

Look at EDM's run in 2006... They were number 8 right? Wasn't Spacek on that team? Bit of a help with motivation... CAR took EDM early, didn't EDM force game 7?

 

 

These are exceptions and generally not the rules.

 

 

1995 Panthers: Low Seed made a run to the Finals

1999 Sabres: Made a run as a low seed, made it to the Finals

2003 Ducks: Lower seed team made a run, made it to the Finals

2006 Oilers: Low seed, made a run to the Finals.

 

Notice a trend here? The run is made, but they generally don't win.

 

And don't give me the Devils as a 4 or 5 seed: The 1995 Cup was a strike shortened year and the other year they won as a 4 seed we all pretty much knew they were a top level team anyway.

[C.Biscuit97]

You mean kinda like the wildcards in making, and sometimes winning the Superbowl right? Same thing, correct?

 

 

Nope. 12 of 32 NFL teams make the playoffs or 38%. 16 of 30 NHL teams make it or 53%. Also, the wildcard teams have to play an extra game and mostly will play all of their games on the road. In the NFL, homefield is a huge advantage.

 

In the NHL, you play 82 games and get no real advantage except an extra home game, which really doesn't mean that much. I think the league could benefit from cutting it's regular season schedule and pretending like it means something. Start teh playoffs when's it's cold out and you don't have to go head to head with the NBA playoffs, NFL draft, warm weather, and baseball. But of course that would make too much sense.

[Cornerville]

Nope. 12 of 32 NFL teams make the playoffs or 38%. 16 of 30 NHL teams make it or 53%. Also, the wildcard teams have to play an extra game and mostly will play all of their games on the road. In the NFL, homefield is a huge advantage.

 

In the NHL, you play 82 games and get no real advantage except an extra home game, which really doesn't mean that much. I think the league could benefit from cutting it's regular season schedule and pretending like it means something. Start teh playoffs when's it's cold out and you don't have to go head to head with the NBA playoffs, NFL draft, warm weather, and baseball. But of course that would make too much sense.

 

 

Well I somewhat agree with you to a point. The Western Conference does have the 1 and 2 seeds playing, so what happened there?

[Lv-Bills]

These are exceptions and generally not the rules.

 

1995 Panthers: Low Seed made a run to the Finals

1999 Sabres: Made a run as a low seed, made it to the Finals

2006 Oilers: Low seed, made a run to the Finals.

 

Notice a trend here? The run is made, but they generally don't win.

 

And don't give me the Devils as a 4 or 5 seed: The 1995 Cup was a strike shortened year and the other year they won as a 4 seed we all pretty much knew they were a top level team anyway.

And to boot, the #4 usually gets dumped there because of how the seedings work. A lot of times, I.E. last year and this year, everyone knew Pittsburgh was either the best or second best team in the conference.

[Lv-Bills]

Nope. 12 of 32 NFL teams make the playoffs or 38%. 16 of 30 NHL teams make it or 53%. Also, the wildcard teams have to play an extra game and mostly will play all of their games on the road. In the NFL, homefield is a huge advantage.

 

In the NHL, you play 82 games and get no real advantage except an extra home game, which really doesn't mean that much. I think the league could benefit from cutting it's regular season schedule and pretending like it means something. Start teh playoffs when's it's cold out and you don't have to go head to head with the NBA playoffs, NFL draft, warm weather, and baseball. But of course that would make too much sense.

The New York Jets backed in to the NFL playoffs because of teams resting starters. The Canadiens backed in playoffs because the Rangers lost their last game of the season. Both teams made it to the conference finals. The Western Conference has the #1 seed playing the #2. Sounds a ton familiar to me. I don't care how many teams make it. The Jets were 9-7, and beat teams resting their roster to get in.

 

Minnesota - New Orleans is equivalent to SJ and Chicago.

 

Not to mention, again, wild card teams have won the Super Bowl before as the lowest seed in the playoffs. Same thing.

 

Maybe the NFL should shorten it's season to 12 games so that teams won't be resting starters, giving teams like the Jets chances to make runs.

[meazza]

This is beginning to get borderline stupid. That #1 pick of Fluery won the Stanley Cup LAST YEAR. And again, Detroit and Pittsbugh were in the cup the last two years. Probably with the most talent, arguably, in each conference. I guess no one had heart those last two years right?

 

Also, again, where was Montreal's heart all year? If it wasn't for the Rangers, they wouldn't even be in the playoffs. Any explanations for that?

 

Actually that's incorrect.

 

Montreal needed a tie to make it to the playoffs against Toronto and that's what they did.

 

Had they NOT at least tied, then the Rangers would have had to lose, which they did, for the Habs to make the playoffs.

 

Therefore, they showed enough heart to tie a road game against the Leafs

[meazza]

These are exceptions and generally not the rules.

 

 

1995 Panthers: Low Seed made a run to the Finals

1999 Sabres: Made a run as a low seed, made it to the Finals

2003 Ducks: Lower seed team made a run, made it to the Finals

2006 Oilers: Low seed, made a run to the Finals.

 

Notice a trend here? The run is made, but they generally don't win.

 

And don't give me the Devils as a 4 or 5 seed: The 1995 Cup was a strike shortened year and the other year they won as a 4 seed we all pretty much knew they were a top level team anyway.

 

2005 Flames : Made it to the finals to lose to the Lightning.

 

Generally no, the lower seed doesn't end up winning, but we'll see if that is to change this year.

 

To me the most impressive run was the Flames that year. Detroit, San Jose, Vancouver all knocked out. Tampa was just too good that year.

[Lv-Bills]

Actually that's incorrect.

 

Montreal needed a tie to make it to the playoffs against Toronto and that's what they did.

 

Had they NOT at least tied, then the Rangers would have had to lose, which they did, for the Habs to make the playoffs.

 

Therefore, they showed enough heart to tie a road game against the Leafs

Heart of a lion those Habs have. Pittsburgh's meanwhile, no heart at all. I think, but I'm not sure that Pittsburgh had heart though, when they beat Detroit last year, but only because Detroit had more points during the year than Pittsburgh. I think that's how it works.

 

What makes me sick about MOntreal in the conference finals is that all of "experts" who don't watch all year can pick it apart and criticize without knowing what they are talking about. They don't know that Montreal has the leading goal scorer in the playoffs. Or that they have the best goaltender. Or, arguably, the best coach. Or, that they have multiple Stanley Cup players on their roster that have won it before, giving them invaluable talent and experience. None of that matters. It's just that, in the NHL, teams that have heart, and a low seed advance once a year..................even though that's pretty much been proven false. Oh, and when that happens in the NFL, well, that's different........lol. Yeah, ok.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

What happened to Fleury last nigh his game was awful.

 

I dont care what people say, you need good goaltending to win in this league, and Fleury was not good last night.

 

That's why I was worried going into the game; Halak has been playing lights out.

 

To defend Fleury, he's at his best when he's under constant attack. When he's playing a team like Montreal, which takes 15 shots a game, he doesn't seem to get into the flow of the game, and lets a lot of gimmes in. His best game of the series was the one where Montreal came right out of the gate and challenged him (think it was the one where Montreal had its most shots).

[meazza]

Heart of a lion those Habs have. Pittsburgh's meanwhile, no heart at all. I think, but I'm not sure that Pittsburgh had heart though, when they beat Detroit last year, but only because Detroit had more points during the year than Pittsburgh. I think that's how it works.

 

What makes me sick about MOntreal in the conference finals is that all of "experts" who don't watch all year can pick it apart and criticize without knowing what they are talking about. They don't know that Montreal has the leading goal scorer in the playoffs. Or that they have the best goaltender. Or, arguably, the best coach. Or, that they have multiple Stanley Cup players on their roster that have won it before, giving them invaluable talent and experience. None of that matters. It's just that, in the NHL, teams that have heart, and a low seed advance once a year..................even though that's pretty much been proven false. Oh, and when that happens in the NFL, well, that's different........lol. Yeah, ok.

 

It's not about heart, it's about swagger and confidence.

 

Right now, LE CH has it.