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

[FGM13]

I'll say Chicago in 7

[Kramerica Industries]

I'm still baffled as to why the Oakland A's went into a full-bore celebration after beating Texas in their 161st game of the season last year. Yes, it clinched their spot, at worst, in the AL play-in game. The flip side? If they won their final game, they would win the division outright. Why not hold off on a celebration until after the 162nd game? Win, and you win the division, lose, and you still "clinched" a play-in game for the playoffs.

That was just stupid in a number of levels.

[Billy B]

Like I said after Game 7 of the Leafs-Bruins series, this thread is hilarious to read through after a game is over. So many overreactions. But Go Hawks.

[CS85]

I'm still baffled as to why the Oakland A's went into a full-bore celebration after beating Texas in their 161st game of the season last year. Yes, it clinched their spot, at worst, in the AL play-in game. The flip side? If they won their final game, they would win the division outright. Why not hold off on a celebration until after the 162nd game? Win, and you win the division, lose, and you still "clinched" a play-in game for the playoffs.

That was just stupid in a number of levels.

[Stampman]

I'm actually looking forward to the first Original Six finals matchup in over 30 years (It was back in 1979) Before some of the members here were born.

(1979 was the Canadiens over the Rangers)

[dbadefense1990]

Now that I've cleared my head and have gotten over the OT loss (my anger and sadness was heading towards Broxton-Stairs proportions), I can now conjugate this: the Blackhawks were simply the better team, all throughout. They were too powerful for the eventual tired legs of Los Angeles, as Kane raced to the Campbell trophy finish line and placed the last bit of dirt on LA's casket hole.

Detroit pissed them off too much, so Chicago went on a romp ever since Game 4 of their Semis, piling up the points, catching their foes off guard in line changes, and out hustling them (Stalberg, Sharp, Kane) in all accounts. All their lines played wonderfully, clamping Brown, Kopitar and Doughty to relatively minuscule performances. LA relied too much on their home ice to make up for their failures on the road, and the Blackhawks finally bit them to cancel the 2-month-long-winning Staples Center crowd for the summer. And when LA sought to get up and try walking, Chicago applied the crusher at the UC, relentlessly showing their sheer talents and sawing the Kings and their bloody guts into fractions, while directing their eyes at the Boston Bruins for their final playoff series encounter.

After a summer and fall full of a lockout, a slow start, a disastrous ending in Edmonton in late January, all those thrilling and key wins at home all year long and in the last two months, and tonight's tease, the Los Angeles Stanley Cup reign ends after 362 days. It was a helluva fun to finally reign as defending champs, but all good things have to come to an end. Just get Richards and Carter fully healthy along with all the other scratches (Martinez, Fraser), retool Quick's goaltending, a possible trade here and there, and they'll be playing again next year for Lord Stanley.

Thank you LA. Thanks for the ride, Kings! Thank you for all the wonderful memories!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoKzJRvdDXg

And with that (though I don't really hate Chicago)...go Bruins! Go get your 2nd cup in 3 years, just like we will next year.

Damn, I hate it when hockey season ends. *tears*

[ninersdd]

This will be the defining image for me from these playoffs:

Anyway, my prediction is Bruins in 7. This should a fun and close series.

[zpqmaowl]

Pavelski needs some Viagra so he can elevate it more often.

[FiddySicks]

This will be the defining image for me from these playoffs:

Anyway, my prediction is Bruins in 7. This should a fun and close series.

I really don't know why. It's not like San jose would've done any better. They would've done the Sharkiest thing to do and lost in a sweep.

[LMU]

As a Kings fan that actually remembers where he was when McSorley got his stick curvature penalty, you can't be that upset here. The team that, when making the playoffs, was a first round washout year after year with a revolving door at goal and with the only decent players year after year bolting or being traded, winning a freaking cup and being a series away from defending it the next is absolutely fantastic. And considering that Scuderi and Penner are the only UFAs next seaon, and Bernier and Voynov are RFAs, it's possible to keep the core of the team intact, go after another scorer, and come back next year rested up, healed up, and with Willie Mitchell back out there. And quite frankly, I can't say anything negative about the Blackhawks. They were the better team.

[dbadefense1990]

Before I catch the zzz's for tonight, let me be the first to post the Stanley Cup Final series schedule:

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Boston Bruins

Game 1: Wednesday, June 12, United Center, Chicago, IL, NBC

Game 2: Saturday, June 15, United Center, Chicago, IL, NBCSN

Game 3: Monday, June 17, TD Garden, Boston, MA, NBCSN

Game 4: Wednesday, June 19, TD Garden, Boston, MA, NBC

*Game 5: Saturday, June 22, United Center, Chicago, IL, NBC

*Game 6: Monday, June 24, TD Garden, Boston, MA, NBC

*Game 7: Wednesday, June 26, United Center, Chicago, IL, NBC

*if necessary

All games start at 8pm ET/7pm CT.

All Canadian broadcasts on CBC.

Series played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format.

[Sport]

Hattrick Kane.

This is going to be a really fun series. I can't wait to get started. I hope it's as good as I think it could be.

I don't have a dog in the fight so it'll be fun to sit back and enjoy what should be some thrilling hockey.

I say Chicago in 7 in overtime.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

This is for the Pens and Kings ousting. Couldn't be happier.

[Magnus]

Someone correct me if I 'm wrong, but I think this is the first time since 1979 that 2 original 6 teams are playing each other in the Stanley Cup Finals.

It's gonna be an awesome series!

Apparently also the first time that these two Original Six teams have ever met in the Cup Final. Just how the hell did that take so long? Damn Habs.

[charger77]

This is for the Pens and Kings ousting. Couldn't be happier.

Damn, I love me some AJ!

[sportstar1212]

Bruins and Blackhawks will be a fantastic series, and a Canucks fan's worst nightmare.

[HedleyLamarr]

This is why I rarely watch games and post on this site at the same time. Most of you are so pessimistic that it takes away from the fun of watching games.

That's why you can't lose draws. Game 6 Monday barring an unlikely resurgence. LA just ripped out some hearts.

Please get blown out. Don't halt the Hawks, score one late in the second, and pressure for the next 19 minutes before allowing an empty net goal to Brian Bickell.

No tripping call -> goal for the Hawks. The officiating in these playoffs continues to be atrocious.

The Kings didn't deserve to win the series anyway on their own merits, but that doesn't excuse yet another screw-up at a critical moment by the refs.

Congrats to the Blackhawks and their fans - I'm pulling for you in the Finals!

EDIT: LOLWUT.

I know many of you get hard-ons for making these quick-to-judgment statements just to be able to say, "You heard it from me first!!!!!!!!", but you really should let the games play out. There's a reason why you're at home watching these big games and posting at the same time....because no one wants to hang out and watch a game with your whiny, doom-and-gloom asses.

Your team will score points, their team will score points....that's sports. Don't get worked up so easily.

[The Giant Pacific Octopus]

*Game 7: Wednesday, June 26, United Center, Chicago, IL, NBC

*if necessary

Man. The weather will be like 43 degrees Celsius. (Thats 109 degrees Fahrenheit for you Americans). I wonder if they will be skating on slush?

[Lee.]

So it'll be the same as if they were playing at Staples.

[Cosmic]

*Game 7: Wednesday, June 26, United Center, Chicago, IL, NBC

*if necessary

Man. The weather will be like 43 degrees Celsius. (Thats 109 degrees Fahrenheit for you Americans). I wonder if they will be skating on slush?

Shouldn't you have citizenship, since your territorial range includes Alaska and some of the West Coast?