The Rite of Spring

[tvko]

That game was so frustrating! There were some pretty bad calls. For example, on the first Caps goal, there were three things that should not have allowed the goal to happen:

1. Corvo was injured: In Game 4, a Capital got injured and they blew the whistle immediately even though the Bruins had the puck. When the exact same scenario was reversed, the refs were not consistent, and they let the play go on.

2. Zanon got crosschecked: The reason that Semin got open on that goal was that he had crosschecked Zanon seconds before. It was a blown call, plain and simple.

3. There was a Capital in the crease: When the shot went in, there was a Capital in the blue paint who was there without being pushed.

The third goal was also scored on a bogus powerplay.

Do the refs have a disciplinary history? Was there an apparent injury suffered on the play?

You sound like Shanahan. Gimme a break.

1. Corvo was up, skating around, and seemed to have shaken off his injury. You can't blow a whistle every time someone is a little bit hurt.

2. Zanon flopped, clearly. No disputing that. He took a dive.

3. Backstrom was being pushed in by Campbell and he never touched the puck.

[The_Admiral]

I'm not going to enjoy it because all the teams who play entertaining, uptempo hockey are getting run out by system teams, the same system that made the league so unwatchable that it had to go away for a year for repairs. This is perfectly reasonable. Jesus Christ, it's running THE NEW JERSEY DEVILS out. I mean, I'm sitting here lamenting the demise of the Red Wings and eventual demise of the Canucks. And the Devils! What does that say.

Shane Doan. There's a fresh new heartwarming story to ram down our throats. What has he ever done besides not be traded and bitch about Winnipeg? He's Petr Sykora or Rob Brind'Amour with a no-move clause. This is going to be worse than the time the 2004 Stanley Cup was subtitled History Can Wait No Longer For Dave Andreychuk.

[ninersdd]

Why did you include the Senators and Capitals players in your rant? They are both up 3-2(Except for Alfie, who has the concussion)

Also just saw Torts complaining about head shots after the loss tonight.

[-kj]

This is perfectly reasonable

:lol:

[TFoA]

In the end, no serious Cup contender loses out on the division title to the Phoenix Coyotes.

Kablam. That about sums it up for this year's Sharks. Granted, this wasn't exactly an upset considering how good the Blues have been this season, but you look up "underachievement" in the NHL dictionary and that logo Cujo posted will accompany the definition.

[CS85]

Tune into Blackhawks/Coyotes if you'd like to see a hockey team that's accepted it's fate and is simply skating the motions as it waits for 00:00 to hit.

[ninersdd]

Tune into Blackhawks/Coyotes if you'd like to see a hockey team that's accepted it's fate and is simply skating the motions as it waits for 00:00 to hit.

There's 1 goal

[The_Admiral]

So the Hawks in the Toews/Kane era have lost to the defending champions and eventual finalist, the President's Trophy winner and eventual finalist, and Kyle Chipchura. Where's the heart?

[Kevin W.]

So the Hawks in the Toews/Kane era have lost to the defending champions and eventual finalist, the President's Trophy winner and eventual finalist, and Kyle Chipchura. Where's the heart?

It got used up in 2010.

[knnhrvy16]

If we take the leaders in all the series, this is what the Semi-Finals will look like.

East

Florida v Ottawa

Philly v Washington

West

St Louis v Los Angeles

Phoenix v Nashville

One Stanley Cup champ among the eight, for a hockey fan they'll watch either way. Always love some new blood.

Okay, you Debbie Downers can say what you want to...but I'm giddy as all-get-out over the thought of this. Lots of fresh faces here, and that's always exciting. No matter what happens, there's been some great games so far and I'd expect nothing less down the stretch no matter who's playing.

[The_Admiral]

This is easily one of the biggest embarrassments in the history of the organization and people should probably be fired for it. Makes me sick, the way this has gone.

[Squeaks4]

I love watching Kane look to the ref after every time he is touched.

[BigBubba]

Of course, their over-achievers will go back to the norm next year and everyone who thought this was a remotely good team will realize that this year's team was an anomoly and they'll go back to picking top-10 next year. You can hold me to that.

Because the rest of your predictions of doom for the Panthers have come to fruition... let's see, you also predicted they weren't going to make the playoffs, then they were going to get swept, and now they'll be awful next year

Seriously, get some new material.

As did most other hockey fans. You're kidding yourself if you think this is a good team. They went 37-45 and fed off of loser points. You know what, I'll leave you to enjoy your false hope for now. Get all excited if they beat the Senaturds and move on to the conference finals. Pretend that Kris Versteeg and co are truly going to lead this team to glory. Just don't come crying to me when this joke of a team falls off a cliff next year. Just ask Lightning fans.

You see, it is a tough realization that Toronto is currently a puke of a franchise compared to the Panthers and Yotes.

I know, so much to envy. Proud histories, passionate fanbases, and spectacular teams filled with star talent. Mike Smith and Thomas Fleischmann - oh yeah!

[CS85]

It's embarrassing, but I mean I can't be surprised by it at all. The same mistakes that were exposed during that 9 game losing streak were the real meat of the Blackhawks current makeup.

Awkward talentless depth, god-awful puck handling, inability to bring the forecheck or establish any offensive presence, nonexistent special teams, and shoddy head-hanging goaltending. I wouldn't want to watch this team in the 2nd round. Who would want to? Who would want to see guys, despite the names on the sweaters, bleed and scrape with everything they've got only to score maybe 2 goals on a good night?

[Lights Out]

I'm officially Predwagoning, Pantherwagoning, and of course, Coyotewagoning. The butthurt about those teams is at an astronomical (and hilarious) level.

[The_Admiral]

I said at the beginning of the year that this team was just built to stay semi-relevant while the loaded farm system matured, so it's not like I had Cup aspirations. It's just so hard to stomach the ignominy of being shut down by Divey McWashout and a bunch of washed-up guys on a team that only exists because Gary Bettman wills it so. Oh, and our best player's career is in jeopardy. Were it a hard-fought loss to the Wings, I'd be cool with it. This is just such a sad, pathetic way to go.

I'm officially Predwagoning, Pantherwagoning, and of course, Coyotewagoning. The butthurt about those teams is at an astronomical (and hilarious) level.

You're not even a fan of the sport; no self-respecting fan roots for three trap teams at once. Do you want the NBA to run unopposed next season like 2005? That would be okay. I watched a ton of NBA in 2005 and kinda miss it.

[Drew22]

As a fan of a former Southern hockey fan, I'll be cheering for a Washington-Florida and Phoenix-Nashville conference finals. Can it happen? Maybe. I sure want it to. Just to watch Canada themselves similar to how BigBubba is now.

[-kj]

This is easily one of the biggest embarrassments in the history of the organization and people should probably be fired for it. Makes me sick, the way this has gone.

Dollar Bill's already dead; can't blame him for this one.

[BigEd76]

If we take the leaders in all the series, this is what the Semi-Finals will look like.

East

Florida v Ottawa

Philly v Washington

West

St Louis v Los Angeles

Phoenix v Nashville

One Stanley Cup champ among the eight

..and that one hasn't won the Cup since 1975

[njmeadowlanders]

This is easily one of the biggest embarrassments in the history of the organization and people should probably be fired for it. Makes me sick, the way this has gone.

Not even a 2 year grace period? Jeez, I can't imagine what you'd sound like if they didn't win in 2010.