# 2009 NHL Playoffs Thread



## mikebarry (Apr 12, 2009)

Boston in 4
Rangers in 6
Devils in 6
Flyers in 7


----------



## JT3_Jon (Apr 12, 2009)

no love for the west?


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Apr 12, 2009)

I'd like to see Chicago against San Jose or Detroit. Then, the battle of youth: Boston against Chicago in the final! 8)


----------



## MacQ (Apr 12, 2009)

<cough>CALGARY FLAMES<cough>

=o


----------



## JT3_Jon (Apr 12, 2009)

MacQ @ Sun Apr 12 said:


> <choke>CALGARY FLAMES<choke>
> 
> =o



Fixed it for you. 

Just kidding. The Flames have a great lineup and if they can put it all together, especially in the defensive end, they are a real threat.

Should be a great playoffs! So many teams have a shot IMO. But of course whoever comes out of the west will win the cup. 8)


----------



## rgames (Apr 12, 2009)

The playoffs are underway? Hadn't heard. :shock: 

Last time I saw a hockey game was about 10 years ago. Played in a roller hockey league for a couple years...

I guess you're a big Sarah Palin fan - hockey moms. Right?

Golf - now there's a real sport. =o 

Crazy Canadians...

rgames


----------



## mikebarry (Apr 12, 2009)

Golf is not a sport!!!!!!
(Sorry i have been arguing this with my family all day)

Anyone who is not a Rangers fan is now my mortal enemy until playoffs are over.

I don't care about the west, there is much less talent there. But I pick the red wings to win the west.


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Apr 13, 2009)

If all works out according to my plans, the Ruins will meet the Rags very soon... :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


----------



## JT3_Jon (Apr 13, 2009)

mikebarry @ Sun Apr 12 said:


> I don't care about the west, there is much less talent there. But I pick the red wings to win the west.



Hmmm...thats odd. Because the west won 57% of the points available vs east coast teams this year. I guess teams trump talent.


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Apr 13, 2009)

I think there's not more talent in the East, just more media outlets that cover/care about hockey.


----------



## JT3_Jon (Apr 13, 2009)

I am so jellous of B's! What a great turnaround they've had in such a short amount of time. I remember Boston changing GM's just a few years ago (at the same time my lowly Kings changed GM's) and you guys are already contending for the cup! Congrats on the great regular season and heres to a great playoffs! 

BTW Mike, what are your feelings on Sean Avery. As a Kings fan, I cant tell you how HAPPY I was when we got rid of him & actually got something in return! He has shown that when he wants to, he can be a good NHL player, but can he keep it together long enough to have a decent NHL career?


----------



## Aaron Dirk (Apr 13, 2009)

It's going to be a Red Wings repeat =o


----------



## mikebarry (Apr 13, 2009)

Guys I will just admit I have an extreme Rangers bias, so my opinions are tainted even though I do my best to un-taint them. I have been a loyal rangers fan since the late 80's missing only 2-3 games a season.


There is way more talent in the East:
Ovechkin
Malkin
Crosby

there are no tier 1 stars in the west, these are the three guys.

that should just be enough to prove that point 

Now also we do have the worst teams in the Islanders and the Thrashers, but I think the style of play in the eastern conference is more gritty and there are more and older extreme rivalries. I wish I could watch more of the west though, but the NHL scheduling is crap so I cannot really comment upon the Canucks after seeing the twins play 2-3 times a year at best.

PS I love Avery, I have an Avery jersey (and Marc Stall, Dubinsky, Lundqvist and Giradi) the guy plays the game like a new yorker (excpet for the diving, which I hate)

Anyway good luck to everyone except who the Rangers play.


----------



## Thonex (Apr 13, 2009)

mikebarry @ Mon Apr 13 said:


> There is way more talent in the East:
> Ovechkin
> Malkin
> Crosby
> ...



Yeah... too bad it's a team sport. :mrgreen: You're theory would be great if we were talking about a sport like Tennis :lol: 

My brother is a huge Rags fan... has season tickets etc... so just by association.. I'm routing for the Rags on the east coast.. but let's get real... the west coast will smoke the east in the finals. Period :wink:


----------



## choc0thrax (Apr 13, 2009)

They play hockey in the west?


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Apr 13, 2009)

Since before you were born actually:


----------



## Thonex (Apr 13, 2009)

choc0thrax @ Mon Apr 13 said:


> They play hockey in the west?


Look at the Western Conference in this East vs West chart... pretty telling. The west smokes the east 8) 


http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/expanded? ... ce=eastern


----------



## mikebarry (Apr 13, 2009)

well its pretty telling that most of the playoff teams in the east are over 500 verses the west. We cant help it that we have Tampa Bay, The Islanders, The Panthers and The Thrashers. But look who are over 500:

Rangers
Bruins
Devils
Cap
Flyers
Penguins
Canadians 

So all the playoff teams except the caps (who really sucked till the all star break) are over 500.


----------



## choc0thrax (Apr 13, 2009)

Ovechkin was amazing at the all star skills competition. Putting on those sunglasses and skating with two sticks.


----------



## Thonex (Apr 13, 2009)

mikebarry @ Mon Apr 13 said:


> well its pretty telling that most of the playoff teams in the east are over 500 verses the west. We cant help it that we have Tampa Bay, The Islanders, The Panthers and The Thrashers. But look who are over 500:
> 
> Rangers
> Bruins
> ...



heh... even my team... the lowly Kings SMOKED the east.... :lol:


----------



## Thonex (Apr 13, 2009)

Also... 12 of the West teams are over .500 (meaning over 82 points) so I guess that means they made up their points in the East :D


----------



## mikebarry (Apr 13, 2009)

I honestly think the West is slightly easier then the East - I mean in terms of an 80 game season the east coast style of play really grinds the teams down more so then the western style. And there are about 10 guys in the league who can actually win a series by themselves and most of them are in the east and are the snipers and goalies. Even though perhaps on paper the west has better goaltenders? Thats because they don't face the east shooters. But Giguere and Luongo have proven their amazing skills. I think Tim Thomas is going to choke, he is just too all over the place. Lundqvist always has played well in the playoffs too. And Marty is usually just insane and the most dominate player in the playoffs when he is on fire.


----------



## Thonex (Apr 13, 2009)

mikebarry @ Mon Apr 13 said:


> I honestly think the West is slightly easier then the East - I mean in terms of an 80 game season the east coast style of play really grinds the teams down more so then the western style.



I would somewhat agree with that statement.. although the Ducks of recent years were very physical. I think the west plays more of a possession and speed style.. maybe more overall skill type hockey... where yeah... the east plays more of a grinding checking game.

But at the end of the day... the possession/skill teams win more often than not... unless they really have no physicality... yeah... then they'll get knocked around.

BTW.... Avery is a locker room cancer... but he sure is fun to have on a team from a spectator's viewpoint.


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Apr 13, 2009)

mikebarry @ 13/4/2009 said:


> I think Tim Thomas is going to choke, he is just too all over the place.



Right... :roll: That's why he's got the best save percentage. He's going to kick major ass! :twisted: 

But I don't see how anybody can argue with the Red Wings winning. They're just too balanced and experienced. They make me think of men playing with boys (the rest of the league).


----------



## Thonex (Apr 13, 2009)

Ned Bouhalassa @ Mon Apr 13 said:


> mikebarry @ 13/4/2009 said:
> 
> 
> > I think Tim Thomas is going to choke, he is just too all over the place.
> ...



Yeah... they're s good at possession style hockey it makes me pissed!!! It makes the Kings look like high school kids.. even when we win... it just feel like we got lucky.... which we did.

Funny thing is we do pretty well against San Jose. I tell you... Calgary looks pretty darn good. This will be an interesting playoffs.


----------



## choc0thrax (Apr 13, 2009)

The best is when someone scores and Tim Thomas cries.


----------



## mikebarry (Apr 17, 2009)

some great hockey so far.

I hope they show the Rangers game Saturday in LA on NBC or I am coming over to someone's house with center ice.


----------



## c0mp0ser (Apr 17, 2009)

Rangers game is on NBC tomorrow here in LA. You're covered. We'll watch it while printing and taping parts.

I don't follow hockey, but I'll be a Rangers fan for you sweetie.


----------



## Farkle (Apr 17, 2009)

Augh! I think I'm the only one in this group representing the Flyers!

Don't forget, my team has Jeff Carter, 2nd in NHL with regular season goals (46, 2nd only to Ovechkin).

And, Mike, Rangers are cool, and I like their new coach... but god help you if you play us! 

Mike


----------



## mikebarry (Apr 18, 2009)

No No I am rooting for the Flyers also!!
I hate that Crosby fella.

www.hfboards.com 
is this best possible hockey forum if you are not there you should be


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Apr 18, 2009)

You mean Cindy? :lol:


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Apr 18, 2009)

Hey Mike, hfboards, funny... I never see you on the Bruins forum! :wink:


----------



## SergeD (Apr 18, 2009)

Hum...

I could not say on the West side but in East side Pittsburg is already heading to the finale. Flyers look like turtles against them. Boston is very solid too 

Detroit vs Pittsburg and like last year the team concept will win against the individual talents.

SergeD


----------



## Aaron Dirk (May 28, 2009)

Aaron Dirk @ Mon Apr 13 said:


> It's going to be a Red Wings repeat =o



=o


----------



## choc0thrax (May 28, 2009)

Go Penguins!


----------



## Thonex (May 28, 2009)

Aaron Dirk @ Thu May 28 said:


> Aaron Dirk @ Mon Apr 13 said:
> 
> 
> > It's going to be a Red Wings repeat =o
> ...









unfortunately, you're probably right.


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (May 28, 2009)

Aaron Dirk @ 28/5/2009 said:


> Aaron Dirk @ Mon Apr 13 said:
> 
> 
> > It's going to be a Red Wings repeat =o
> ...



I and 37,000,000 hockey fans called it in September!  In fact, I'm predicting the cup for the Wings in 09 and 10. They are an incredible hockey machine (I mean, they're missing the best defenceman of the past 10 years, their best forward, etc, and they still kick ass like nobody's business). Cindy and Gino are done in 5, IMO.


----------



## mikebarry (May 28, 2009)

Having the pens lose is not enough for me, I want every single one of them to be hurt except Bill Guerin who I like.


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (May 28, 2009)

mikebarry @ 28/5/2009 said:


> I want every single one of them to be hurt except Bill Guerin who I like.



Don't you know Mike? They already are! The way players hit these days, there's not a single one who isn't full of scars/bruises by now.


----------



## mikebarry (May 28, 2009)

No I mean really hurt!!

PS I dont think Malkin can even grow a beard yet.


----------



## choc0thrax (Jun 12, 2009)

BWAHAHAHA WOOOOO!!! o-[][]-o


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Jun 12, 2009)

Me thinks it was rigged by Gary Bettman. :cry:


----------



## tgfoo (Jun 12, 2009)

Ned Bouhalassa @ Sat Jun 13 said:


> Me thinks it was rigged by Gary Bettman. :cry:



It's great publicity for the league if Cindy Crosby raises the cup. I mean, it he is God's gift the the hockey. (Except he's not even the best player on his own team...)


----------



## dcoscina (Jun 12, 2009)

this was the biggest bullshit finals i have ever seen. THe Wings couldn't score because they would get hooked, slashed, checked without having the puck, I mean, the non-calls were the worst I have ever seen. I knew after the last POS game that they would not raise the cup this year. Damn straight it was fixed and Crosby being the whinny little b*(%#% even had the nerve to complain about watching the Cup victory from the bench, he hardly took any time to shake the Wings hands and barely acknowledged Franzen who came over after the game to apologize for the hit. Crosby ain't no Yzerman that's for damn sure.


----------

