The Rite of Spring

[IceCap]

So, basically, Florida wasn't good enough to be top half of the conference because they lost more of the carnival games than other teams?

They got the points they needed, they won their division. In so far as that goes, they deserved the #3 seed. I'm not denying that.

I'm simply pointing out that a team that relied so heavily on OTL points in the regular season could potentially have problems in the playoffs. Which they did.

[BigBubba]

So, basically, Florida wasn't good enough to be top half of the conference because they lost more of the carnival games than other teams?

Fixed.

[-kj]

So, basically, Florida wasn't good enough to be top half of the conference because they lost more of the carnival games than other teams?

Fixed.

So, then, you see a three-player shootout as a legitimate way to determine a winner and a loser outright? Should that then be applied to the playoffs? (To me, if that's good enough, then why play the entire game?)

The teams that overly rely on overtime wins are just as vulnerable in my mind; it's just that the generic standings don't show that for everyone to see.

[WSU151]

Let's clear a few things up:

• [*]I never said the Panthers were going to 100% without-a-doubt going to get swept. I actually expected them to come away with one, maybe two wins.

So you never said this in the NHL 2011-2012 thread:

Admiral won't need to pick up a knife anytime soon considering they'll (the Panthers, clarified by WSU151) be done in 4 games.

Oh...ok. Revisionist history is a bitch.

I also never said the Leafs had a tougher time because two other of their divisional rivals made the playoffs. Boston absolutely embarrassed the Leafs in their 6-0 season sweep. That's why.[*][

Didn't you just say your division is tougher because of Boston and Ottawa? The weird thing is I think the Leafs had worse records against Buffalo and Montreal than Ottawa. The division isn't super tough. The Leafs are just bad, which we all agree on (and the Avs are terrible too, and I'm not pretending they're world-beaters). I would bring up the Leafs' record against Florida this year, but you don't want to see that...

What does the Leafs having a lot of money have to do with being good?

Seriously? You don't think teams with more money should generally do better than teams who struggle to get advertisers?

[IceCap]

What does the Leafs having a lot of money have to do with being good?

Seriously? You don't think teams with more money should generally do better than teams who struggle to get advertisers?

Salary cap, man.

[WSU151]

I just hate people who bash other teams even though their own team didn't get in. It's quite douchebaggery. I don't hate the Leafs.

I don't think there's anything wrong with saying "hey this team isn't as good as the other teams in the playoffs" even if your team didn't make it in. The Panthers' reliance on OTL points this season was cause for concern going forward. And as it just so happened they blew two chances to put the Devils away at the end, losing both games in OT. I'd say that justified people's concerns about the Panthers going into this post-season. Simply pointing that out, even if the team BigBubba and myself follows sucks hard, isn't in and of itself wrong in any way.

The system has helped other teams in the past, pre and post lockout, and suddenly it's an issue because a team where there is no dreary weather finally made the playoffs.

No team in recent memory did it to the extant that the Panthers did.

I get the hate on the Coyotes, because the city coughs up too much money to keep a team that few people care about. The Panthers, on the other hand, just plain struggle to get fans, and they're quite aware of the fact, but at least they're not receiving government subsidies. As far as I know, they're just trying to get out of the hellhole they've been in for the last 12 years and start doing things the right way. That's admirable, to me, at least. The greatest stories in sports are about the underdogs making noise.

The Panthers don't bug me. Sure, the tarps on the upper bowl and wiliness to sell ad-space to anyone anywhere are funny, but you're right. They're not killing their city financially. That, and the rats are some of my earliest hockey memories. I wouldn't be opposed to rooting for the Florida Panthers in certain match-ups. Plus I still love their original uniforms. Those were nice.

That being said, I rooted against them for two primary reasons. The first was that I like Marty Brodeur. He's probably the best goal tender of his generation, and I'd like to see him on one more deep post-season run. The second reason was that while the Panthers themselves don't bug me the way some of their supporters here acted during the NJ series really made me want to see them come up short. I'm sorry, rat nostalgia cannot overcome the self righteous attitude of Panthers fans who use their team's success to cheerlead for southern hockey solidarity, as if the Panthers making it to round two will somehow make the Coyotes less of a financial black hole.

Some American fans get annoyed when most of Canada latches onto the last Canadian team in the playoffs? I guess it works both ways.

And again...they made the playoffs and my local team did not. I haven't entered this thread saying "Man, the Kings". You know what I mean? Who does that?? I don't hate playoff teams because they did something that my team, with all the resources in the world, didn't do.

I don't hate any team in the playoffs for simply making the playoffs while the Leafs didn't. I thought the Panthers were in trouble because of their habit for collecting OTL points in the regular season. I wanted to see them loose to the Devils because I like the Devils' goalie and some Panthers bandwagon jumpers and fans annoyed me.

None of it had anything to do with with the Panthers managing to make it in while the Leafs couldn't. If I hated every team that made the playoffs while the Leafs fell short I'd hate most of the NHL.

All of your points are valid and very good, and I agree with pretty much everything. My initial angst wasn't directed to you, per se, but more towards BigBubba because it seems to me, anyway, that his one focus so far this playoff season was to make sure the Panthers lost. It just struck me the wrong way to see someone root for a non-rival's demise, even as his team was out. It was weird.

[Magnus]

Can't believe I have to wait until Sunday for my Flyers fix. I'd also like to know how Philly will get through the Rangers if they both make it to the Conference Final. Also, did anyone notice that there are still seeds 1-8 alive in the playoffs?

[WSU151]

So, basically, Florida wasn't good enough to be top half of the conference because they lost more of the carnival games than other teams?

Fixed.

So, then, you see a three-player shootout as a legitimate way to determine a winner and a loser outright? Should that then be applied to the playoffs? (To me, if that's good enough, then why play the entire game?)

The teams that overly rely on overtime wins are just as vulnerable in my mind; it's just that the generic standings don't show that for everyone to see.

This is a good point, and to take it further...it's not that the Panthers were a horrible team this season, they just sucked in a 5-minute OTs and the shootouts.

Salary cap, man.

Yes and no. It's more bad management than the actual salary cap. Every team has to deal with the salary cap and yet the Leafs can't find a way to make it happen. As plenty of people on here have said, it's bad management.

[Still MIGHTY]

Got my white on and I'm off to the Jobberdome for Game 1.

Kind of interested to see how this all goes. How many people will be there at puck drop (there's still tickets available on ticketmaster and stubhub... gulp), will any Nashville fans show up, and will ANY goals are scored in this thing? I'm ready for a 12 OT thriller.

[Don]

I think itll be a good series. Nashvilles only been to the 2nd rd once and Phoenix ever, those guys will be amped up. Im excited to watch this series.

[BigBubba]

So, basically, Florida wasn't good enough to be top half of the conference because they lost more of the carnival games than other teams?

Fixed.

So, then, you see a three-player shootout as a legitimate way to determine a winner and a loser outright? Should that then be applied to the playoffs? (To me, if that's good enough, then why play the entire game?)

The teams that overly rely on overtime wins are just as vulnerable in my mind; it's just that the generic standings don't show that for everyone to see.

What? My whole point was saying that they lost more total games than anyone in the playoffs, i.e. not just shootouts.

OT, but I was watching highlights and I just remembered how sharp those *new* Florida homes are.

Let's clear a few things up:

• [*]I never said the Panthers were going to 100% without-a-doubt going to get swept. I actually expected them to come away with one, maybe two wins.

So you never said this in the NHL 2011-2012 thread:

Admiral won't need to pick up a knife anytime soon considering they'll (the Panthers, clarified by WSU151) be done in 4 games.

Oh...ok. Revisionist history is a bitch.

I fail to see where I said that without a doubt, they'll 100% not win a game.

I only said "in 4 games" to enhance my point about them not being good and how they wouldn't go far. Which provides more emphasis?

"Admiral won't need to pick up a knife anytime soon considering they'll be done in 4 games."

OR

"Admiral won't need to pick up a knife anytime soon considering they'll be done in possibly 4 games, although I will admit that they have a pretty good chance of taking one, perhaps two away from the Devils during this series, thereby extending it to a fifth or even a sixth game, with a seven also a possibility."

Point is, I never made an official, thought-out prediction. A rash, near-hyperbole of a comment I made to stress a point doesn't cut the mustard.

That quote was also taken from before the seedings were set in stone.

[zpqmaowl]

Happened in 2010 too.

[Raymie]

In re the Stamkos infographic on page 105: Never knew that the Tampa Bay Times Forum HAD a Tesla coil. That's cool.

[sportstar1212]

My Round 2 Predictions:

Blues in 6

Preds in 5

Rangers in 6

Flyers in 7

[-kj]

So, basically, Florida wasn't good enough to be top half of the conference because they lost more of the carnival games than other teams?

Fixed.

So, then, you see a three-player shootout as a legitimate way to determine a winner and a loser outright? Should that then be applied to the playoffs? (To me, if that's good enough, then why play the entire game?)

The teams that overly rely on overtime wins are just as vulnerable in my mind; it's just that the generic standings don't show that for everyone to see.

What? My whole point was saying that they lost more total games than anyone in the playoffs, i.e. not just shootouts.

Then you're saying that a shootout loss and a regulation loss are and should be considered the same type of loss. As someone who sees the shootout as nothing more than a glorified carnival game, I disagree.

[ninersdd]

That was VERY close to being a penalty shot for Phoenix, but it's just a power play for them.

[BigMac12]

First goal of Semifinals to the Coyotes.

[sportstar1212]

Yes Nashville!

[-kj]

Totally unlucky bounce for Phoenix, good hustle by Yip.

[ninersdd]

This is actually a pretty fun game so far. Boedker picks the corner to put the Yotes up 3-2. Let's go Phoenix!