Rite of Spring 2013 (NHL Playoffs): "You have no fear of the underdog, that's why you will not survive."

[TorinK29]

at least in a week I can forget all about hockey and focus on the Confederations cup and the CFL

[Lights Out]

The Penguins have to fire Dan "Vinny Del Negro: NHL Edition" Bylsma now, right? He can't even coach a line change, his motivational skills don't seem to stretch beyond saying "we have to get to our game," he lost this series with his obsession with the stretch pass against the trap, and he's presided over yet another playoff meltdown with a very talented team.

[slapshot]

I think I heard the fans say We Want Chicago?

"We Want The Cup"

[dbadefense1990]

If Chicago wins tomorrow, can we all agree that (relative to our pre-series predictions) both of these conference final series have been major duds (in terms of hostility, closeness in the series score, late-game drama)?

[GriffinM6]

The Penguins have to fire Dan "Vinny Del Negro: NHL Edition" Bylsma now, right? He can't even coach a line change, his motivational skills don't seem to stretch beyond saying "we have to get to our game," he lost this series with his obsession with the stretch pass against the trap, and he's presided over yet another playoff meltdown with a very talented team.

He reminds me of Larry Drew in a sense.

[The Six]

The Penguins have to fire Dan "Vinny Del Negro: NHL Edition" Bylsma now, right?

Vinny never won a chip, though.

[Brass]

Don't worry, Iginla, hindsight is 20/20.

Still a long way to go, but very proud to be a Boston fan.

[maz]

You can say "if they'd played anyone else they would've won" but the simple reality is that a champion will beat anyone no matter what. They put themselves in a hole, and when they tried to crawl out the Bruins did everything necessary to hold them down and shovel in the dirt. In the end, it just wasn't meant to be.

Lots of important contracts are up or with a year left on them, many from the still-remaining core of the 09 team. The system has been exposed as one that can and will not win a championship. This is the end of the Penguins as we know them, and frankly, it's time for change. Time to build a real winner, not an all-star team.

But first, Go Hawks Go

[fouhy12]

Haha, glove save by Chara!

[slapshot]

Major duds? Are you on crack or something?

Only one of the Boston-Pittsburgh games was a blowout. The first game was 3-0. Game 3 went Double OT. Game 4 was 1-0. The Bruins may have dominated, but only the scores of one game, maybe two of them reflected this.

Tons of heat between Boston and Pittsburgh. Remember Matt Cooke?

[nash61]

TRADE ALERT: Multiple sources have confirmed, the Bruins have sent Iginla and the Penguins to the golf course.

[dbadefense1990]

Major duds? Are you on crack or something?

Only one of the Boston-Pittsburgh games was a blowout. The first game was 3-0. Game 3 went Double OT. Game 4 was 1-0. The Bruins may have dominated, but only the scores of one game, maybe two of them reflected this.

Tons of heat between Boston and Pittsburgh. Remember Matt Cooke?

Here's the thing: how many of us even dared to call the East Finals a sweep, let alone proclaiming the Bruins being the team who swept? A very fractional few.

And in the West, (let me phrase my question like this) how many of us stated that the Kings-Chicago series would need exactly the full 7? A whole lot.

While the outcomes for Boston and the Blackhawks have been magnificent, virtually none of us expected the Cup Final matchup to materialize so early in round 3.

[TorinK29]

Mario Lemieux and Ray Shero are now reporting that the 1980 jersey conundrum finally bowled over and the Penguins switched jerseys with the Bruins prior to the series.

[njmeadowlanders]

Damn Maple Leafs...

Anyway I'm now rooting for the Hawks. I hate the Bruins.

[BigEd76]

Back to back years the Penguins get eliminated by the team with Jagr

(Go Blackhawks)

[dbadefense1990]

Insane ending to this game. Bruins going back to the Cup Finals again!! Guess 2011 wasn't a fluke after all...

See, I hate this part of all sports; when having 1 or even 2 titles in such an era is still considered a "failure" to some people. In these conference finals, the last four champs still had a majority of their title core in tact, and were still in contention in their successive seasons after winning it all. Last year's Bruins just fell into the Game 7 OT trap which has a 50/50 chance of working out favorably. The Kings relied too much on home ice, and now their lack of road success will kill them. Chicago fell into such Game 7 OT trap the year after their cup win, and fell victim to Torres' scumbaggery last year. Anyone calling one cup win a "fluke" is an ignorant person who doesn't truly understand how hard a Stanley Cup is to win.

Maybe this is why I wanted another LA cup this season to validate last year's "lucky run" to some people. But (in highly likelyhood) 2 of 3 isn't that bad either...hey, just like the Bruins this year.

[dbadefense1990]

Back to back years the Penguins get eliminated by the team with Jagr.

If that's not complete irony, then...

[Lights Out]

The Penguins have to fire Dan "Vinny Del Negro: NHL Edition" Bylsma now, right?

Vinny never won a chip, though.

It's amazing Bylsma ever won one.

[nash61]

[Unocal]

You had one job, Leafs.

Claude Julien could have been the new coach of the Dallas Stars if Bergeron doesn't save their bacon.