The Rite of Spring (AKA 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread)

[habsfan1]

Islanders blew it.

[JerseyJimmy]

5 minutes ago, habsfan1 said:

Islanders blew it.

 

and what do you get out of pushing me even further, exactly

[Unocal]

If you told me TB/NYI game 7 would be 1-0 and the lone goal would be a shortie, I'd have bet a gallon of ice cream the Isles would win

 

But THAT'S why they play the games

[See Red]

25 minutes ago, ManillaToad said:

Losing 1-0 in game 7 on a shorthanded goal, grim

 

They were the only team that hadn't given up a short-handed goal this season.

[RyanMcD29]

I would greatly prefer to never play the Tampa Bay Lightning in the playoffs ever again after these past 6 seasons, but them's the breaks. The Islanders being the most successful team I root for sure as hell is a far cry from 10 or 25 years ago, that's for sure. Just hope they finally get that crack at the Cup in the next few years and this one hurts cause it felt a bit ripe for the taking given their style vis-a-vis Montreal's

 

The Lightning are the defending Cup champs for a reason, and although I would've liked a much better effort Game 7 those first 55 minutes, it is what it is. Time to jump onto the Habs bandwagon for the hilarious inexplicable run they're going on. Canadiens-Islanders would've made all of Hockey Twitter, Hockey Analytics, both ends of the hockey podcast spectrum between Ryan Lambert and Spittin Chiclets, probably all of NBC, ESPN, and Sportsnet (for English language purposes, TVA would be immune), and the city of Toronto melt down, but the Habs somehow winning it all would kinda suffice on the chaos end.

[habsfan1]

15 minutes ago, JerseyJimmy said:

and what do you get out of pushing me even further, exactly

 

I'm a little bummed cause Isles vs Habs would have been fun.

[TenaciousG]

I could really do without Tampa Bay winning another title in something. Go Habs.

[Crabcake]

21 minutes ago, Unocal said:

If you told me TB/NYI game 7 would be 1-0 and the lone goal would be a shortie, I'd have bet a gallon of ice cream the Isles would win

 

But THAT'S why they play the games

That’s a big bet to make man, if I were in your scenario I don’t think I could risk that much. Especially if we’re talking a gallon of cookies and cream. 

[habsfan1]

Montreal vs Tampa Bay it is.

 

I hope Price continues his winning ways and Cole Caufield remain dominant on offense.

[See Red]

3 minutes ago, habsfan1 said:

Montreal vs Tampa Bay it is.

 

I hope Price continues his winning ways and Cole Caufield remain dominant on offense.

 

Let's just keep it civil since we'll be sharing the Rays soon 

 

Price vs Vasi should be fun.  Is Montreal planning on increasing attendance at all?

[habsfan1]

1 minute ago, See Red said:

 

Let's just keep it civil since we'll be sharing the Rays soon 

 

Price vs Vasi should be fun.  Is Montreal planning on increasing attendance at all?

 

Np. I have TBL fans on my social media too. May the best team win, but I just hope Chris Lee doesn't officiate.

 

It's being discussed to add more fans at the Bell Centre. Nothing confirmed yet, but 5000 is the rumor.

[Unocal]

33 minutes ago, See Red said:

 

They were the only team that hadn't given up a short-handed goal this season.

 

bruh

[TBGKon]

13 minutes ago, habsfan1 said:

 

Np. I have TBL fans on my social media too. May the best team win, but I just hope Chris Lee doesn't officiate.

 

It's being discussed to add more fans at the Bell Centre. Nothing confirmed yet, but 5000 is the rumor.

I hope Chris Lee isn’t even a backup ref for the finals.

[the admiral]

35 minutes ago, RyanMcD29 said:

Canadiens-Islanders would've made all of Hockey Twitter, Hockey Analytics, both ends of the hockey podcast spectrum between Ryan Lambert and Spittin Chiclets

 

The Habs winning should still give Lambert a conniption fit. This never would have happened in the heckin' NBAarino nooooooooo!!!

[Unocal]

1 hour ago, RyanMcD29 said:

 Canadiens-Islanders would've made all of Hockey Twitter, Hockey Analytics, both ends of the hockey podcast spectrum between Ryan Lambert and Spittin Chiclets, probably all of NBC, ESPN, and Sportsnet (for English language purposes, TVA would be immune), and the city of Toronto melt down

 

Part of me wondered if a Habs/Islanders series might have possibly signaled another dead puck era on the horizon.

[the admiral]

I don't think that would happen, but the sloppy short-shift offenses the Golden Knights perfected need to be corrected a bit. Those great possession offenses that Chicago, Detroit, and Vancouver had would look downright plodding now, but I'd rather watch actual plays develop instead of just heckin' shotarinos

[Morgan33]

It would be unreal to see the Habs lift the Stanley Cup but the way things have gone for Canadian markets since 1993, I'm not expecting that to happen at all...  They will likely raise everyone's hopes only to dash them at the very last possible moment like the Flames in 04, the Oilers in 06 and the Canucks in 11.

[CS85]

2 hours ago, JerseyJimmy said:

I just want one. I just want one :censored:ing championship in ANY sport.

Keep the faith.  It’s worth the wait. 

[RyanMcD29]

8 hours ago, Unocal said:

 

Part of me wondered if a Habs/Islanders series might have possibly signaled another dead puck era on the horizon.

Eh, I'd say no. The list of things I put down having that meltdown are the ones parroting the dead puck line, but really

1. The Islanders actually attack a lot more than the first two years of the Trotz era. The Lightning's defense flew under the radar in being the difference maker in this series more than the Islanders being too defensive minded, first 50 minutes of Game 7 aside

2. The Canadiens are more a combo of their youth scoring breaking out come playoff time again, their dinosaurs in Perry and Staal showing up, and Carey Price finding the fountain of youth all of a sudden

 

The league didn't shift after the Blues and Bruins made it to the Cup Final with ramping up the physicality, and even your defensive minded teams still have a lot of speed and skill on the other end to avoid it being like mid-90s trapfests

[Cosmic]

12 hours ago, habsfan1 said:

It's being discussed to add more fans at the Bell Centre. Nothing confirmed yet, but 5000 is the rumor.

This is what struck me watching the highlights. I know it's outside, but it's kinda crazy to have thousands of people on top of each other outside when the end zones inside are still covered in ads. Can they not just require vaccinations to get in?