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  • Demographic Shift wrote: View Post
    Game 7... .in Nashville...
    Going to be a good one...Two of the best 3 teams in the league look to get out of the conference semis to the West final.

    Can the Jets score first and force the Preds out of their left wing lock ... If they do the Jets win.... If Nashville scores first it will be a clinic in clogging up centre ice.

    Go Jets Go.
    The Jets have been consistently playing tighter at home in the Nashville series - as if they are afraid to let down their fans. I think that this has been a particular factor in their early play; they've let in a goal within the first two minutes at home twice as I recall.

    On the Nashville side, I think Pekka Rinne tends to play a little tighter at home as well, possibly for the same reasons.

    None of this guarantees anything for the Jets, who still have to play their game confidently and aggressively in Nashville to make a game 7 win happen - but it probably means that Winnipeg fans have at least a little reason for optimism heading into game 7.

    Comment


    • Really evenly matched series...Johansen and Schiffle. Forsberg and Laine. Arvidson and Ehelers..Fiala and Wheeler..Turis and Little..damn they are both good up front.
      both blue lines can really skate and make you pay physically....
      Shame one of them goes home.....

      Think the jets are a smidge more talented up front..jets going to test the miracle that are the Vegas golden knights..
      There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
      - TGO

      Comment


      • Pardon me while let out a deep sigh of satisfaction.

        I feel a little bad for Pekka Rinne, who is going to have a really, really, really long summer, but the way the Jets were playing their style of game - using their speed (beating the Predators to pucks a lot tonight), forechecking tenaciously and defensively keeping Nashville from getting chances up close to the net - Rinne might have needed to actually pitch the shutout to win.

        Vegas/Winnipeg feels like it should be another hugely entertaining series, if perhaps a slightly less epic one.

        Comment


        • Amen brother... Huge win for the Jets. They crushed them. Great crowd in Nashville to boot... but the Jets just showed they were the team.

          I really like them against the Knights. The Knights are going to have to figure out how to get the puck up in the face of some pretty fierce forechecking from the Jets. The Knights so far haven't seen the combination of size and speed the Jets bring but Gerald Gallant will be ready.... Jets with just to much firepower up front and some seriously physical play up front and from the blue line finally take the Knights in 6. Its going to be chippy from the puck drop. Old tyme hockey.

          Ovie and Tampa... For me I can't lose this one.... I like Tampa as they play firewagon hockey and they just keep coming. Tamap leaves vapour trails as they go up and down the ice. Stammer and Kutcherov are two of the best offensive players in the league and they have a really solid defense. My head is with Tampa ....but...... my heart is with Ovie....
          This guy never gets hurt and if he does get nicked up he plays through it.....he plays his ass off every single game and he never beaks off...Dude just loves the game and would give his left testicle to win the cup......I would be happy if Ovie got at least a shot at the cup in what might be his last chance.
          There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
          - TGO

          Comment


          • I got to see all except the first five minutes or so of Saturday's Game 1, at which point (of course) the Jets were already up 1-0. Even at that point, watching the teams play, it somehow felt like the outcome was never in doubt. It didn't even feel like the Golden Knights were playing particularly poorly; indeed, it looked like they were doing all the right things. Instead, it felt like the Jets were firmly in control of the game and the Golden Knights were not entirely sure about how to take control of the game themselves.

            There was a lot of talk in the post-game about why the Golden Knights did not perform as well as may have been expected, at least in the first period. Marc-Andre Fleury suggested it was the long layoff, while Gerard Gallant suggested that they simply didn't work hard enough; both factors may have been at least partly true.

            I think there are different factors at work here, however, one of which is the different paths through the playoffs for these two teams. Neither Anaheim nor San Jose presented much of a challenge (even though an injured San Jose team gamely put up a fight and won 2 of the 6), and in both cases, it kind of felt like the Golden Knights hit the snooze button at the end of each series. The Jets, on the other hand, are battle-tested after two hard-fought series, and yes, while they beat Minnesota in 5 in the first round, it was still a hard-ought series. Because the Knights have had a couple of creampuff series to start off their playoffs, they have not yet had to ask themselves how badly they want it yet, and I'm not sure, even after game one, they are ready to play like they want it as badly as the Jets do yet. If they don't wake up until after the end of game two, they are going to be in serious trouble.

            The other factor which has not really been discussed is team chemistry. The Jets have good team chemistry in spades - everybody likes each other, they know each other well on the ice (as befits a team where a lot of the players have been playing together for three years or more), and they know how to work and play together. They played like a team for the entire sixty minutes out there. Vegas won a whole lot of games by being fast and talented and by gelling well enough to be able to maximize the impact of that during the regular season, where there are limits to how well a team can scout and game plan for you. Now that Vegas is meeting a team that's their equal in the conference finals, it looks a little like Vegas is a team where the players are still getting to know each other, still bonding, and still not always clear on how to play together as a team. I think it's way too early to call this series a sweep - Vegas is simply too talented of a team to count out completely - but I'm a little astonished to be admitting to myself that it's considerably more possible than I thought.
            Last edited by TheWaterboy; Sun May 13, 2018, 09:46 AM. Reason: Which game? Saturday's game 1.

            Comment


            • TheWaterboy wrote: View Post
              I got to see all except the first five minutes or so of Saturday's Game 1, at which point (of course) the Jets were already up 1-0. Even at that point, watching the teams play, it somehow felt like the outcome was never in doubt. It didn't even feel like the Golden Knights were playing particularly poorly; indeed, it looked like they were doing all the right things. Instead, it felt like the Jets were firmly in control of the game and the Golden Knights were not entirely sure about how to take control of the game themselves.

              There was a lot of talk in the post-game about why the Golden Knights did not perform as well as may have been expected, at least in the first period. Marc-Andre Fleury suggested it was the long layoff, while Gerard Gallant suggested that they simply didn't work hard enough; both factors may have been at least partly true.

              I think there are different factors at work here, however, one of which is the different paths through the playoffs for these two teams. Neither Anaheim nor San Jose presented much of a challenge (even though an injured San Jose team gamely put up a fight and won 2 of the 6), and in both cases, it kind of felt like the Golden Knights hit the snooze button at the end of each series. The Jets, on the other hand, are battle-tested after two hard-fought series, and yes, while they beat Minnesota in 5 in the first round, it was still a hard-ought series. Because the Knights have had a couple of creampuff series to start off their playoffs, they have not yet had to ask themselves how badly they want it yet, and I'm not sure, even after game one, they are ready to play like they want it as badly as the Jets do yet. If they don't wake up until after the end of game two, they are going to be in serious trouble.

              The other factor which has not really been discussed is team chemistry. The Jets have good team chemistry in spades - everybody likes each other, they know each other well on the ice (as befits a team where a lot of the players have been playing together for three years or more), and they know how to work and play together. They played like a team for the entire sixty minutes out there. Vegas won a whole lot of games by being fast and talented and by gelling well enough to be able to maximize the impact of that during the regular season, where there are limits to how well a team can scout and game plan for you. Now that Vegas is meeting a team that's their equal in the conference finals, it looks a little like Vegas is a team where the players are still getting to know each other, still bonding, and still not always clear on how to play together as a team. I think it's way too early to call this series a sweep - Vegas is simply too talented of a team to count out completely - but I'm a little astonished to be admitting to myself that it's considerably more possible than I thought.
              Everyone is astonished at just how good the Knights are. If they go up a couple it’s like playing against the Jacues Lemaie coached Jersey Devils..They just lock down the middle of the ice and you can’t get going.....Jets had a big lunch bag letdown last night..Get the split in Vegas in the next two ..win 5 at home and close it out on the road....
              There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
              - TGO

              Comment


              • OK, I have to admit that that opening with the knight and the ice-projected recognizable-as-a-jet was not nearly as tacky as "Smashville"'s fans smashing that Cessna-presented-as-a-so-called-Jet, but it was still pretty tacky.

                Now that that's off my chest: Games 2 and 3 were more than a little frustrating to me (and other Jets fans), where the Jets played very well at times but had lapses in focus and intensity. It's the lapses in focus which have been particularly deadly to the Jets, with the offensive talent of the Golden Knights scoring opportunistically off of the resulting errors and turnovers. Hopefully the Jets can clean things up tonight and come out with the win.

                Comment


                • lol jets.

                  don't see other GMs quietly accepting the current expansion draft rules after this year. Of course, none of this happens if Pittsburgh doesn't just happen to have 2 superstar goalies.

                  Comment


                  • The Miracle in the Desert continues on to the cup finals. Simply amazing. The Jets couldn’t get a few by Fleury especially early in games and it killed them. The cup isn’t coming home again this year.

                    Jets just have to accept that it didn’t go their way in this series. They are still an incredibly solid lineup top to bottom with a really good coach. It will be a long NHL summer but they will be back.

                    If you were to transpose this to a Raptor induced posting frenzy you might see the following after bowing out in the playoffs.

                    Calls for Paul Maurice to be fired and the hunt begins for his replacement. Leading candidates would be a really good minor midget coach in an obscure Northern New Brunswick house league followed up by an “intriguing” choice from the Finnish women's national team.

                    The Jets should trade any of Dustin Byfuglien, Blake Wheeler or Patrick Laine after sub par playoff performances against the Knights to the Ottawa Senators for their number 6 defense man and the 4th pick in the draft. The 4th pick will get you a player who might help in 3 or 4 years even if media contributors who have never played the game at any competitive level in their lives gush said player is a “transcendent” talent and has so far dominated other 16 and 17 year olds in junior. A solid knee jerk look to the future. supported by guys who have never played the game. What could go wrong ?

                    The other option is to simply quit and give up as per the purported fans of Los Raptors. Yes you lost to a team, that on balance wasn’t as good the Jets were, with the one player who could tip the series doing just that by standing on his head in goal and pretty much stealing the series on his own. Everything went right for the Knights but that’s no reason not to go scorched earth and burn it all to the ground. Viewed through the RR Lens which is incredidibly myopic and has the attention span of a 7 month old child, the clear solution is to just gut the team that you have built for years and start over. After all you could be relevant again in as little as 7 years.

                    The likelihood of this happening is of course nil. Which gives some context to the tripe posted on the Hyde Park version of speakers corner on the Eveything Raptors threads all the more ...laughable.

                    As for the Jets... some downtime is in order..shit happens and the team as constructed is still a serious threat to win it all. Take a month off..go up north..fish..bbq..have a few beers and get ready for next season.
                    Last edited by Demographic Shift; Mon May 21, 2018, 09:52 AM.
                    There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                    - TGO

                    Comment


                    • Ovie and Tampa... game 7. As good as it gets.
                      Its possible for the Caps to get to the finals.... but have to like the Lightning at home.... To much speed and skill up front.
                      Both goalies are playing really well.

                      Both defense corps aren't getting hemmed in in their own end and are able to move the puck up and out most times. Both sides are handing out some organ bruising hits. My teeth hurt after watching Girardi line up Ovie at centre ice and stand him up.

                      Looks like Nick Backstrom is still hurting. Oshie is playing great. EVERYONE on TB knows when Wilson is on and Ovie as always.. gives everything he has ... Stammer and Kutcherov need to play like the stars they are on Wednesday and the former triplets Johnson and Palatt also have to play well... The difference maker is going to be Brayden Point.....a guy picked in the 3rd round.

                      Breaks my heart to see Ovie join the ranks of players like Brad Park... Marcel Dionne....Dale Hawerchuck.... Pat Lafontaine great great players who never got their name on the Cup....

                      Hope it goes to OT...
                      There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                      - TGO

                      Comment


                      • So the truly biggest deal in town just shook up their front office over the past 10 days. This is a seismic shift in approach. Gone are the old time hockey guys in Lou and Hunter and getting the big job is Kyle Dubas.

                        Losing Hunter, who probably spent more time in rinks than Zamboni's, is a big hole to fill on the scouting and talent assessment front but there wasn't room for both he and Dubas. Lou will be missed for his ability to keep Babcock in check and negotiate contracts.

                        The last team to go all in on analytics was the Florida Panthers when they put in Tom Rowe to run Hockey Ops and pushed Dale Tallon to the parking lot and fired Gerrard Gallant and made him order a taxi from the parking lot.

                        That didn't turn out quite the way the panthers ownership hoped it would. Lots of pressure on Shanahan and Dubas to make the next step .... Think Dubas is up to the job..... we will find out in a couple years time.
                        There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                        - TGO

                        Comment


                        • Ovie

                          the only Russian you can cheer for.


                          The cup final... the apex of the hardest trophy to win in North American Sports starts in a few days.. Monday to be exact.

                          The Caps are slower than the Knights.. but then they were slower than Tampa. They play a smart physical game...and aside from the trite mano a mano comparisons of Reeves vs Wilson they will lay the body on the Knights all game long. Hope the Knights have loaded up on Mercurochrome, circle needles and .08 gauge surgical thread. The Caps defense is first rate and their goaltending has been stellar, as it has to be, to get this far. They have the best two players in the series with Ovie and Backstrom and Barry Trotz is a hell of a coach.

                          The Knights too have a great coach in Gallant. They are faster than the Caps and have beaten teams who play a "heavy" game in the Kings and Jets. They too have ienjoyed incredible goaltending with MA Fleury and their defense is solid. Carlson and Marchesaault are top drawer scorers... No one saw this but these guys are that effing good.

                          So this comes down to a couple things...

                          First and foremost whoever gets the best otherworldly goaltending has the edge.... Seeing that both teams are getting that......

                          Caps win if they can score early and make Gallant abandon the trap and open it up. Caps are stronger down the middle than the Knights with Backstrom and Kuznetsov and Ovie will get chances to bang away from the top of the circle if the puck stays low on the cycle.

                          Knights win if they can score early ... play the trap and flumox Ovie by keeping the game between the blue lines.

                          The Pick ... The Caps...
                          Last edited by Demographic Shift; Fri May 25, 2018, 12:01 PM.
                          There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                          - TGO

                          Comment


                          • RIP Ray Emery ... I remember that dude when he was on the Sens. Drowned on Sunday in Hamilton .. terrible way to go.

                            Comment


                            • Training camps and preseason games have already started, but it's been awfully quiet in the NHL thread. Must be the Kawhi effect.

                              It's going to be a fantastic season for Canadian hockey fans - well, some of them, anyways. The championship window is fully open for the next couple of years for the Leafs and Jets before Salary Cap restrictions will necessitate some hard choices. Montreal and Vancouver are in rebuild mode while Ottawa pretends it isn't. Calgary and Edmonton may be able to jump into playoff contention this year - Edmonton more so than Calgary due to the McDavid effect - but should not be consider possible finalists; both teams will have to grow and display more talent than last year just to make it to round 1.

                              I'm kind of hoping that Winnipeg meets Toronto in the finals, though it would be a nightmare for Bettman's hope for high ratings in the US.

                              And you?

                              Comment


                              • TheWaterboy wrote: View Post
                                Training camps and preseason games have already started, but it's been awfully quiet in the NHL thread. Must be the Kawhi effect.

                                It's going to be a fantastic season for Canadian hockey fans - well, some of them, anyways. The championship window is fully open for the next couple of years for the Leafs and Jets before Salary Cap restrictions will necessitate some hard choices. Montreal and Vancouver are in rebuild mode while Ottawa pretends it isn't. Calgary and Edmonton may be able to jump into playoff contention this year - Edmonton more so than Calgary due to the McDavid effect - but should not be consider possible finalists; both teams will have to grow and display more talent than last year just to make it to round 1.

                                I'm kind of hoping that Winnipeg meets Toronto in the finals, though it would be a nightmare for Bettman's hope for high ratings in the US.

                                And you?
                                Just hoping we get as much CanCon as we can come April...Think 3 make the show.

                                The Jets and Leafs are pretty solid bets to make the post season. The Jets are a powerhouse. Calgary is better than 50/50.

                                Edmonton.. wow.. best player on skates but he has his work cut out for him. Its going to be tough and not sure Edmonton has the horses beyond McDavid to get it done.
                                Montreal and Ottawa .. well the rebuilds are full on... not to much hope
                                Vancouver .. a tier above Montreal and Ottawa...
                                There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                                - TGO

                                Comment

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