2016 NHL Playoffs, Rite of Spring: "You thought God was an architect"

[BeerGuyJordan]

16 hours ago, Alex Houston said:

 

Let's let them actually choke first before we start to 'ol doom and gloom narrative. We're better than that.

 

So some food for thought: Blues are 1-2 against San Jose this season. Interesting note there being outscored 9-4 at St. Louis. So yes, this team is strong, but not invincible. 

 

On the other side, Blues have dominated the Preds, going 4-1 in their 5 meetings, though 3 of those games were by one goal. The last meeting was the sole spot of life for Nashville, clobbering the Blues 5-0 that time.

 

Needless to say, the Gateway to the West would be stupid to root for California tomorrow. 

Nashville's turn-around started mid-Jan. During the 2 times the Blues faced them since then, Blues won 1-0 and got blown out 0-5. It doesn't invalidate the other wins, but it is worth considering. Who to root for isn't quite as clear-cut for St. Louis fans as you make it sound.

[SFGiants58]

4 hours ago, Alex Houston said:

As for the Sharks, considering they weren't even in the playoffs last year, I won't consider it a major letdown should Nashville pull the upset. Yes, I still think the Sharks are better on paper but I'm not going to double down on the "this year feels different" narrative that undid the Caps this year. They've already hit rock bottom, so any finish closer to a Cup is a small victory. I believe Thornton and Marleau have deals expiring next year, so maybe that'll be there swan song (see: Bettis, Jerome/Manning, Peyton).

 

Even if they win, the Blues, along with the Pens, seem to be getting the lucky bounces when they need them and despite the facts I posted last night, I'd be clenching every minute of every game should San Jose advance.

 

Remember the whole "rotten core" idea? I hold that the rebuilding project should have started in 2014, with Thornton, Marleau, and most the starters getting offloaded to restock the farm system. However, what the Sharks got was more complacency and more fans darting for other Bay Area sports/other hockey teams. Even if they win tonight, they need to blow up what they have and start fresh as an organization.

[The_Admiral]

Sharks should have been in on McDavid and Eichel. Cute that DeBoer has them trapping and shelling their way this far but it's not built to last.

[KittSmith_95]

I wanna see a Smashville- St. Louis WCF.

 

Why doesn't anyone else see how close these two teams are on paper? Both have great bluelines, great goaltenders, and underrated top 6 players. Both teams have great coaches as well who've made it far before in other cities.

 

Plus, the Sharks making to the WCF? LOL.

 

[mcj882000]

1 hour ago, KittSmith_95 said:

I wanna see a Smashville- St. Louis WCF.

 

Why doesn't anyone else see how close these two teams are on paper? Both have great bluelines, great goaltenders, and underrated top 6 players. Both teams have great coaches as well who've made it far before in other cities.

 

Plus, the Sharks making to the WCF? LOL.

 

 

[FiddySicks]

OMG. They actually showed up! 

[Walter Sobchak]

The Sharks or Blues are gonna make the Stanley Cup Finals. Are we sure end times aren't near?

[SFGiants58]

Just now, Walter Sobchak said:

The Sharks or Blues are gonna make the Stanley Cup Finals. Are we sure end times aren't near?

No, it's simply that the loss of the Rams made the St. Louis Witch Doctor show mercy on the Blues. That, and maybe the last bit of the Cleveland Barons has escaped the Sharks' bloodstream. I assume they went to the same exorcist that treated the Ravens after they arrived in Baltimore.

[ninersdd]

Rinne just had a massive meltdown!

[teddthebucfan]

 

[AHcreative]

On May 10, 2016 at 11:07 PM, SabresRule7361 said:

The Predators just won't die.

 

They ONLY play great it seems when their backs are against the wall.

 

Up 2-0 against Anaheim? Meh. Down 3-2 and 2-0? Play like their hair is on fire.

LOL. 

[The_Admiral]

You know, you would think YouTube would have a lot more videos of people farting than they actually do, and the ones they do have tend to be nine-minute fart montages. I don't want to have to rustle up nine minutes' worth of SabresRule posts just to reply with commensurate farting. 

[Cosmic]

Go Blue Sharks!

[FiddySicks]

This is probably just my hockey PTSD rearing its ugly head, but I'm still not comfortable with this lead. 

[The_Admiral]

How do you take 50 shots and only put 12 on net? Either the Sharks are playing with eight skaters in a shell or the Perds are piss-drunk out there.

[mcj882000]

On 06/05/2016 at 11:33 PM, SabresRule7361 said:

If Nashville pulls this game out.... they're going to the Stanley Cup Finals.

 

On 06/05/2016 at 0:06 AM, SabresRule7361 said:

Pens-Preds Cup Final.

 

You heard it here first.

 

Nashville. Just. Won't. Die.

 

On 06/05/2016 at 0:44 AM, SabresRule7361 said:

There is NO WAY the Sharks recover from this.

 

Seriously, as far as I'm concerned, Nashville's won this series.

Yeah, so, um, about that...

[Sport]

The perds could've used Seth Jones this series. 

[teddthebucfan]

7 minutes ago, the admiral said:

You know, you would think YouTube would have a lot more videos of people farting than they actually do, and the ones they do have tend to be nine-minute fart montages. I don't want to have to rustle up nine minutes' worth of SabresRule posts just to reply with commensurate farting. 

For my montages of failure I always use "The Gonk." That's only 39 seconds before it starts repeating.

[Alex Houston]

Well, I, for one, am excited to hear Sabres expert analysis and insight into the upcoming series between Saint Joseph and Saint Louis.

[Kramerica Industries]

One of the Sharks or the Blues is going to be in the Stanley Cup Final.

 

I'd be over the moon excited for this development if the team I root for wasn't still playing as well. As it is, I hope the Lightning beat whichever of those two teams it is in the Final, but, back to the main point, we're going to get the Sharks or the Blues in the Final! This is the best thing that has ever happened in the history of the NHL. It's truly too good to be true.