And away we go NHL thread!!!!

[atomic charvel guy]

mike green was nowhere to be found the whole series.

[Spivonious]

I think Boudreau will be looking for a new job this summer.

[goodwood]

Caps were the first #1 seed EVER to lose a series up 3-1. Epic choke job.

How do you call it a 'choke job'? If they didn't put forth the effort or didn't get shots on net then sure but the Montreal Canadiens deserve full credit for the wins. The Capitals were just as good as they were all season but Montreal's defensive plan/strategy along with STELLAR netminding came out on top. If you get outplayed while still performing at a high level then it isn't a choke. Put anyone else in the Montreal net and even with the blocked shots that series would have been finished up quick.

mike green was nowhere to be found the whole series.

I saw him plain as day throw a cross-check to give Montreal the power play that gave them their first goal and again misplay the Montreal attack which led to their second goal.

[Hellbat]

mike green was nowhere to be found the whole series.

Not true! He was found when he inexplicably crosschecked someone in the face and the Habs scored on the PP.

[Shawn Lutz]

I think that was a Bettman fix lol. Now his love child Sidney Crosby can have the media attention and possibly an easier time advancing, plus it removes his lover form possibly getting injured by a big hit from Ovechkin if they had to face each other again in a 7 game series. Bettman thinks Ovechkin is a big meanie....

[Shawn Lutz]

mike green was nowhere to be found the whole series.

and he's a up for a Norris and can't defend. He's all O. At least a aging, slowin Nick Lidstrom can defend...the position is Defense, tackle that first before focusing on offense

[atomic charvel guy]

i think Lidstrom read his critics in the press and stuffed it in their face in game 7.

[Rupe]

I think that was a Bettman fix lol. Now his love child Sidney Crosby can have the media attention and possibly an easier time advancing, plus it removes his lover form possibly getting injured by a big hit from Ovechkin if they had to face each other again in a 7 game series. Bettman thinks Ovechkin is a big meanie....

This is the single dumbest post that I've ever seen...anywhere

Seriously. you know Bettman was dreaming of a Caps/Pens conferance final...it would have been ratings/PR gold.

As for the arguement on whether that Caps choked or not, I say it was a chake job. Not to take anything away from Montreal, but the Caps didn't adjust to the style of game that Montreal was playing. Way too many shots were taken without clear lanes, leading to a huge number of blocks...the Caps needed to work for more quality scoring opportunities and they simply didn't do that. OV seems to look to shoot the puck anytime he crosses the blue line with ease rather than set up a play. He's an amazing player but presses too hard IMO.

The biggest difference between Sid and OV is one of them shows up when his team needs him, and the other can't seem to rise to the occassion.

And Tommy, you're a disgrace to gamblers everywhere.

[atomic charvel guy]

Anyway you slice it the caps tanked, they had their skates on their necks up 3 games to1 and didn't
get it done.
I'm a disgrace, but not to gamblers, you never came back to confirm the wager, so it was not official.
So that makes me an upstanding gambler abiding by the rules, yet still a disgrace on every other front, ironic ain't it?

[Rupe]

Those must be west coast rules...back east you get your kneecaps broken and they do sick things to your sister if you try to back out of a bet like that

[Endrik]

that's why fruitbat and other east coasters are on the west, they use the east coast protection for themselves while doing monkey business with the locals

[Shawn Lutz]

This is the single dumbest post that I've ever seen...anywhere

Seriously. you know Bettman was dreaming of a Caps/Pens conferance final...it would have been ratings/PR gold.

As for the arguement on whether that Caps choked or not, I say it was a chake job. Not to take anything away from Montreal, but the Caps didn't adjust to the style of game that Montreal was playing. Way too many shots were taken without clear lanes, leading to a huge number of blocks...the Caps needed to work for more quality scoring opportunities and they simply didn't do that. OV seems to look to shoot the puck anytime he crosses the blue line with ease rather than set up a play. He's an amazing player but presses too hard IMO.

The biggest difference between Sid and OV is one of them shows up when his team needs him, and the other can't seem to rise to the occassion.

And Tommy, you're a disgrace to gamblers everywhere.

LOL, that was not a serious post Bill so your reply is equally as dumb . I don't buy into Bettman conspiracys but a lot of uninformed peple do.

The reason the caps lost a from my point of view. Halak being a stud, espeically the last 2 games which were elimination games for them. You don't win in the playoffs with a run and gun approach that Washington plays. The name of the game when it comes to the NHL playoffs is defense (and goaltending). Washington has no team d concept. They have Alex Ovechkin with a one track mind, get the puck, take it down the ice and fire a shot off. He is too selfish of a player. He over extend his shfts, gets tunnel vison and doesnt use his teammates much. Montreal had a good defensive scheme gong on, the blocked an ass load of shots and you are right, the Caps didnt adjust. They take a shoot first approach and try to be too cutesy...thats fine and dandy in the regular season but the playoffs is all about gettin traffic in front of the net and picking up the garbage. Washington never tried to get ugly type of goals. They need to have a different approach and look at other teams who had success once establishign balanced game, tried run an d gun and failed (Detroit/Pittsburgh).

Montreal may be able to contain Pittsburgh for a while but Halak needs to stay in that zone and hope that he evetually gets in the heads of the Pens players. Pittsburgh is a much better defensive minded team compared to Washington. They can tighten it up when they need to, run and gun with you as well. But goals are going to be hard to come by for Montreal. Playing a better defensive team with better goaltending (in my opinion anyway) than Washingtons is going to be tough for the Habs to hit the back of the net.

[goodwood]

The biggest difference between Sid and OV is one of them shows up when his team needs him, and the other can't seem to rise to the occassion.

That's ridiculous. OV's team needed him all season and he scored 50 goals in ten less games than Sid to help give his team the best record that they could have. Maybe the Habs 'rose to the occasion' because they knew that they were playing the best team in the NHL...not to mention that the goal that was called back last night that Ovechkin scored probably should have counted because the defense obstructed (or pushed/nudged) the Washington player into Halak's foot. There have been MUCH worse goaltender infractions that haven't been called. Semin is the real mystery. How he could have so many shots and no production is unreal.

Ovechkin is a freakin' race horse. When the right harness gets put on him he'll be even more effective than he is now - and that's scary...as I said, 10 games less than Sid and Sedin and still was right there until the last game.

It seems like everyone forgets that hockey is the ultimate team sport when they get talking about individual players.

[atomic charvel guy]

that's why fruitbat and other east coasters are on the west, they use the east coast protection for themselves while doing monkey business with the locals

and that my friends is called a bullseye, one must work whatever system they can. Rupert, I did admit to being a disgrace, sometimes that
holds water with the woodchipper and kneecap breaking enthusiasts, just not often.

[Rupe]

That's ridiculous. OV's team needed him all season and he scored 50 goals in ten less games than Sid to help give his team the best record that they could have. Maybe the Habs 'rose to the occasion' because they knew that they were playing the best team in the NHL...not to mention that the goal that was called back last night that Ovechkin scored probably should have counted because the defense obstructed (or pushed/nudged) the Washington player into Halak's foot. There have been MUCH worse goaltender infractions that haven't been called. Semin is the real mystery. How he could have so many shots and no production is unreal.

Ovechkin is a freakin' race horse. When the right harness gets put on him he'll be even more effective than he is now - and that's scary...as I said, 10 games less than Sid and Sedin and still was right there until the last game.

It seems like everyone forgets that hockey is the ultimate team sport when they get talking about individual players.

You've had OV blinders on for a couple of years now. He's an awesome player but he continually FAILS in the big game, whether it be two first round playoff ousters in the past three years (and a second round exit after a 2 game lead last year) or a failure to show up in the Olympics. I agree with you about hockey being a team sport...OV seems to lose sight of that when the going gets tough and tries to do it all on his own. I love watching the guy...nobody works harder, but there are others who play much smarter than him.