2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs

[JACK IS CONSTRUCTION]

At least they're not as nasty as that girl in your avatar.

Leighton looks like a second string goalie, and that is not a bad sign.

[rams80]

Great performance from Montreal tonight.

I have to complain about Pronger and how he punched Plekanec while being tied up by Coburn. What a cheap shot. Not that I had any respect for Pronger before...but now, there's no chance I will ever respect him.

And there was one before how precisely?

[Cujo]

Aside from one bad period, Michael Leighton has been virtually unbeatable in the 4.5 games he's played. He hasn't played as much as Halak, Nabakov, and Niemi....he's simply the freshest starting goalie right now, and that could possibly do wonders for the Flyers.

All you need in the playoffs is a goalie on a hot streak. I'm convinced that the Flyers will win the Cup this year.

And if the Flyers win it all, it'll make their series with Boston seem a little less embarrassing for Bruins fans.

And if the Flyers win it all, it'll make them the worst Stanely Cup champion in years.

Probably since 2000. IIRC, New Jersey was a 6 seed in the East that year.

[Breakwood]

Great performance from Montreal tonight.

I have to complain about Pronger and how he punched Plekanec while being tied up by Coburn. What a cheap shot. Not that I had any respect for Pronger before...but now, there's no chance I will ever respect him.

And there was one before how precisely?

I was gonna giving him the benefit of the doubt

[CC97]

Aside from one bad period, Michael Leighton has been virtually unbeatable in the 4.5 games he's played. He hasn't played as much as Halak, Nabakov, and Niemi....he's simply the freshest starting goalie right now, and that could possibly do wonders for the Flyers.

All you need in the playoffs is a goalie on a hot streak. I'm convinced that the Flyers will win the Cup this year.

And if the Flyers win it all, it'll make their series with Boston seem a little less embarrassing for Bruins fans.

And if the Flyers win it all, it'll make them the worst Stanely Cup champion in years.

Probably since 2000. IIRC, New Jersey was a 6 seed in the East that year.

If Jersey was the #6 seed then it would be prior than 2000 then, no? Seeing how Philly's #7. I remember the '95 Devils were extreme underdogs throughout the post-season, can't recall what their seed was though.

In 1993 the final four was all #3 (of 4) seeds battling each other

[Cujo]

Aside from one bad period, Michael Leighton has been virtually unbeatable in the 4.5 games he's played. He hasn't played as much as Halak, Nabakov, and Niemi....he's simply the freshest starting goalie right now, and that could possibly do wonders for the Flyers.

All you need in the playoffs is a goalie on a hot streak. I'm convinced that the Flyers will win the Cup this year.

And if the Flyers win it all, it'll make their series with Boston seem a little less embarrassing for Bruins fans.

And if the Flyers win it all, it'll make them the worst Stanely Cup champion in years.

Probably since 2000. IIRC, New Jersey was a 6 seed in the East that year.

If Jersey was the #6 seed then it would be prior than 2000 then, no? Seeing how Philly's #7. I remember the '95 Devils were extreme underdogs throughout the post-season, can't recall what their seed was though.

I wanna say the Devils were a 3 or 4 seed in 1995. They were just a massive 'dogs in the SC Final because the Wings rolled through the entire league that year.

[DelayedPenalty]

Funny how all the talk I heard around my office before last night was about how Philly was going to wipe the floor with the Canadiens...then after last night's game it's "Oh Montreal has this one now!"

I see it going 7 games, but it's definitely going to be a home ice advantage series.

[habsfan1]

Another choke job for the Sharks. Chicago is up 3-nil.

[Still MIGHTY]

It's truly nice to see that the Sharks have finally realized it's the playoffs and are going away nice and quietly.

Oh and the Blackhawks are pretty good too

[The_Admiral]

I hope that was entertaining enough for everyone who thought it looked like the regular season quarterfinals [sic]. I can't believe it's 3-0. This is just something else.

ToewsWatch: 7 goals, 18 assists, 25 points, +5, a hat trick, three game-winners. Smythe?

[WJMorris3]

If the Eastern Conference team wins the Stanley Cup, it'll be the first time since 1949 (!) that a team that didn't win more games than they lost will win the trophy.

[The_Admiral]

well then let's hope they don't!

[Breakwood]

If the Eastern Conference team wins the Stanley Cup, it'll be the first time since 1949 (!) that a team that didn't win more games than they lost will win the trophy.

I thought you said that the Stanley Cup Final was the Western Conference Final. Make up your mind.

[STL FANATIC]

I still think the Sharks could do it.

But just to be prepared... anybody got a spare Flyers jersey/shirt laying around? (If it's the Canadiens they'll get my support, but I dunno if I wanna wear it.)

[CS85]

Niemi is just absolutely ridiculous. 46 saves? 8 whistles on the hawks and the sharks still couldn't nail the door shut. Let's complete the sweep on sunday.

[STL FANATIC]

Niemi is just absolutely ridiculous. 46 saves? 8 whistles on the hawks and the sharks still couldn't nail the door shut. Let's complete the sweep on sunday.

Something's ridiculous anyways.

I'm writing an email to him right now to let him know he's not actually any good. Someone needs to.

[The_Admiral]

I know you hate the Blackhawks and all but I really don't know what more he has to do for you to concede that he's at least sorta good. You're veering into the realm of the imaginary here.

[STL FANATIC]

I know you hate the Blackhawks and all but I really don't know what more he has to do for you to concede that he's at least sorta good. You're veering into the realm of the imaginary here.

I think he's in the 10-20 range of starting goaltenders. I think 15-20, really.

Any goalie can get hot, even for an extended period. Chris Mason was one of the best goalies in the league when the Blues went on their playoff run (run to get in that is) last season. But he's just in that range, too.

Now I could be wrong. Niemi hasn't been in the NHL long enough to say either way. But I think as he is, his decentness (and nothing more, but maybe less) will bare itself out.

He's not gonna shut teams our or allow just one or two in a bad game on a frequent basis. Not even on a team like the Hawks.

The only upside to this hot streak of his is that the Hawks may be forced to pay him (or someone else will) to a contract that's far too big and far too long. They of course have no room to do so, but they always seem to find a way to take on a bad contract. (I'm waiting for it to hurt them. I think it's coming soon. All the more reason I don't want them to win in this year. I hate when teams make lots of terrible financial decisions only to be able to defend it by saying they won it all once by doing so.)

To recap. Eff the Hawks.

[The_Admiral]

He's not gonna shut teams out or allow just one or two in a bad game on a frequent basis.

He has seven shutouts in 35 starts and two in 15 playoff games, and he's won his share of bailout games too.

Look, I'm not saying he's a great goaltender. He's a pretty good one who has gotten hot and lucky at the right time while backstopping the league's deepest team. Is some of his success a function of his team? Of course it is; whose isn't? (Well maybe Ryan Miller.) But to refuse him any credit and write him off as a piss-poor goaltender just sounds like you haven't watched the games. He's been doing proverbial headstands for quite some time now, outperforming much more heralded peers, and absolutely deserves credit for the Blackhawks being five wins away. 44/45 and 44/46 against the West's best team isn't something a piss-poor goaltender does.

[LightningRide75]

Another choke job for the Sharks. Chicago is up 3-nil.

I wouldn't call the Sharks chokers but huge massive underachievers. Blowing a 3 games to 0 lead. That's a choke job.