2017 NHL Playoffs Thread

Grimmlokk said:

What an unfortunate coincidence that the Pens best player who has been dominating stretches of the series and creating all the scoring got taken out immediately. Super unlucky that...





But really that just sucked. Ovie slash was really the most intentional/egregious part of the play and even that was just normal front of the net stuff. Just all the speed they had going in and Niskanen going for the push at the wrong(right) time added up.




Fuck me. I expect him to miss a few years like the last time a Caps player broke his head.

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They confirmed he has a concussion, which just sucks and he's not playing tomorrow night. Don't want that, especially with his history, and I want him in if we're to win the series. We can disagree on creating all the scoring chances (4 points on 9 goals scored by his team in first 2 games versus say...Ovechkin's 3 points on our 4 goals in first 2 games). He was playing extremely well, there is no question, but I think the major factor of the series has been Fleury v. Holtby so far (and despite the loss last night, I think Fleury still played as good or better than Holtby did last night...that stick save reaching back was ridiculous).

Hopefully the concussion isn't major and the extra day off between Games 4 and 5 will give him a chance to suit up by then.

Still think it's weird our least territory and possession dominating game of the series is the one we win (only a 45-35 edge in shot attempts at 5v5, first two games were much worse in our favor), but I guess Holtby actually looking like Holtby for the first 58 minutes of the game helped some. We have to figure out how to score more than 2 against Fleury in regulation though, or it won't matter whether Sid is in or not.

Grimmlokk said:

If he's in you don't win the series. Catch-22 there. So congrats on having a real chance now. Here's hoping Geno goes all GENO.

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This is what every Penguins fan will say. Every metric and statistic points to the fact that the goaltending was the real "win" for the Penguins in Games 1 and 2, and the major problem for us. If Holtby from the first 58 minutes last night shows up in Games 1 and 2, it's likely 2-1 Caps right now, Sid or no Sid last night.

Also I find it weird how much media and even you were ignoring Geno up till now. He was leading the playoffs in scoring before last night, not Sid. That one timer to make it 2-1 last night was a missile, even if I think Holtby should save that every time. No idea why he keeps giving up so much net short side (just like Pens 3rd goal in Game 2, although that was a far weaker shot and just a terrible goal against).

Grimmlokk said:

I mentioned him multiple times in the last page...more than I mentioned Sid.

I'm not in here breaking down games and trying to be a fucking NHL analyst like you. I'm not sure what you expect from me, a post-game recap of every player's individual performance by possession? I'm a fan, I tells ya whats I sees. Usually in like 3 sentence posts. Exactly how many times should I mention Geno per 100 words to not get lumped in with these filthy media scumbags?

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Fair enough, you've given him more time than the media guys. I'm not going to break down every moment either, but from what I've seen, the Caps have been the better team overall in all 3 games, with the game Sid missed most of being the one we dominated the least. Holtby was fucking terrible in Games 1 and 2, while Fleury has been excellent in all 3 games. To my eyes, Fleury has been the Pens most important player and the guy winning his "match up" against his opposite on the Caps by a large margin so far.

It's a stone cold lock that one of the guys Pens called up in light of Sid and Sheary injuries will score a goal tomorrow night.

Grimmlokk said:

What about the guys they call up when the Caps oopsie Geno and Kessel out of the series next!?!?!?!? HUHWHATHEN!?

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From what I hear, we have to hold a players only meeting for those plans to be hatched

Nashville v. whoever wins the Anaheim/Edmonton series is going to be an awesome WCF. Maybe not ratings wise for NBC, but the hockey should be pretty damn good.

lurkingdirk said:

Caps not playing desperate enough tonight.

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Guess it depends on the narrative. Our own D man kicked the puck straight into our net. Shots 17-5 in 2nd period, 29-14 for the game. Desperation is there, keeping goals out of our net and putting more in theirs we're still working on.