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

[charger77]

http://www.sportsnet...w-toews-gif.gif

[The_Admiral]

Parade route is still in the works, but the rally will be in the softball fields in the south end of Grant Park, as opposed to the Petrillo Bandshell where the Bulls held their rallies.

Aw, I liked when it was at Michigan Avenue in 2010. I can't wait to take the train in. I bet it will be humanity at its bestworst.

I hope WGN America covers it for the rest of the country, even though Bettman won't let WGN America carry the games.

[Sport]

The TSN panel said it best. I can't remember the exact words but they were to the effect of, "Earlier this year we were outside the NHL offices talking about HRR and now we just had an original six Finals after a great season".

And remember all those internet and facebook "fans" saying they will never affiliate themselves with the NHL because of the lockout. I wonder where they are now?

You know, they only played 48 games regular season games and a normal postseason, but this season feels like it's been going on forever. It might be because I usually tune out for about two months after the draft and the first day of free agency, but this season I was reading lockout reports as soon as the Kings were handed the cup. I can't wait to get back to a normal 82 game, 6 and a half month regular season. I also can't wait for a taste of that sweet Eastern Conference.

The lockout days feel like an eternity ago. Imagine if they had cancelled the season again. Where would we be as hockey fans? How awful would this thread read?

[The_Admiral]

I'd have been done with hockey if we had lost a full season. I'd get back into baseball more or just outgrow sports. For me, the Blackhawks really did save hockey.

[Kramerica Industries]

My favourite team won the freakin' Cup before the '04-'05 lockout, but I didn't get back into hockey again until January of 2007. I probably didn't watch more than ten games in the '05-'06 season, I have only a vague recollection of how the Lightning did (truth be told, I probably watched more 2006 Olympic hockey games than NHL games). The lockout back then really had killed much of my NHL interest at the time, and it wasn't until an isolated listening to the end of a Lightning/Wild game in early January of '07 that my interest started to swell again.

If the lockout had continued, I imagine much of the same would've happened. I would've made it through all those nights of no hockey just fine, crafted a new November-March weeknight schedule routine, and it would've taken a considerable effort to, if you will, "force" hockey back into all of that. It was already hard enough getting back into the loop after a long layoff once before, I can't guarantee at all I would've done that to myself again.

The fact that we ended up having an outstanding playoff and an all-time classic Final between two O6 teams was the best thing the NHL could've asked for after this.

[DarkJourney]

Congrats to the Blackhawks and all their fans especially my cousin in Evanston who is a huge Hawks fan.

[Sport]

It definitely would've drained my interest in the NHL level of the sport. I was so ready to write this season off and the anger I felt towards the buffoons who run this league, I think it would've been awhile before I came back.

Playing this season and specifically the last 24 games playoff run saved my team's market. Another lockout would've killed Columbus off as an NHL city. I think now we might be in a better situation than we've ever been.

[dbadefense1990]

Parade route is still in the works, but the rally will be in the softball fields in the south end of Grant Park, as opposed to the Petrillo Bandshell where the Bulls held their rallies.

Let's hope Chicago's organizers can actually plan a parade route and take into account those low-lying bridges. Unlike in Miami...

[Sodboy13]

The double-deckers had no problem getting under the L tracks in 2010, and John Scott doesn't play here anymore, so all should be okay.

[ninersdd]

http://www.sportsnet...w-toews-gif.gif

I didn't know Ashton Kutcher played for the Hawks.

[Magnus]

Well, just my opinion, but more games were played during NHL seasons while WORLD WAR 2 was going on than this season, so yeah, this Cup gets an asterisk.*

This is why we need a dislike button!

Really. If you want to mention WWII on us, then all those Habs titles get *'s because the French Canadian players wanted no part in helping the Allies cause.

Yeah, I'd be okay with that as well. LOL

[Magnus]

The TSN panel said it best. I can't remember the exact words but they were to the effect of, "Earlier this year we were outside the NHL offices talking about HRR and now we just had an original six Finals after a great season".

And remember all those internet and facebook "fans" saying they will never affiliate themselves with the NHL because of the lockout. I wonder where they are now?

You know, they only played 48 games regular season games and a normal postseason, but this season feels like it's been going on forever. It might be because I usually tune out for about two months after the draft and the first day of free agency, but this season I was reading lockout reports as soon as the Kings were handed the cup. I can't wait to get back to a normal 82 game, 6 and a half month regular season. I also can't wait for a taste of that sweet Eastern Conference.

The lockout days feel like an eternity ago. Imagine if they had cancelled the season again. Where would we be as hockey fans? How awful would this thread read?

I agree that it did feel like the season dragged on forever. The Cup should be handed out in a month where there is snow on the ground in Canadian and Snow Belt USA cities, like April. Shortening the regular season to 60 games would do it - hell, even 72 games would lob about 3 weeks off the calendar. Pushing back the start of the campaign would also help. If they started the regular season in September, the season could end in February, and playoffs could wrap up by the end of April. That would also assure that the Finals would not have to go up against the NBA Playoffs on TV.

I realize that for the owners and players, it's all about money at this level, but there are other ways to recoup that potentially lost revenue. Holding exhibition tournaments like HC Davos does would be my proposal.

[Cosmic]

I was at nhl.com looking to watch the end of the game and some of the celebration again... apparently whoever decides the three stars of the game tried to beat the traffic on the way out. These are the official three stars:

1st: Milan Lucic - 1G, 0A

2nd: Duncan Keith - 0G, 1A

3rd: Tyler Seguin - 0G, 1A

[OMMF]

I was at nhl.com looking to watch the end of the game and some of the celebration again... apparently whoever decides the three stars of the game tried to beat the traffic on the way out. These are the official three stars:

1st: Milan Lucic - 1G, 0A

2nd: Duncan Keith - 0G, 1A

3rd: Tyler Seguin - 0G, 1A

Most 3 stars have to be decided with at least 5 minutes to go. I know the Conn Smythe votes had to be in by the 10:00 mark of the 3rd period.

[Cosmic]

I was at nhl.com looking to watch the end of the game and some of the celebration again... apparently whoever decides the three stars of the game tried to beat the traffic on the way out. These are the official three stars:

1st: Milan Lucic - 1G, 0A

2nd: Duncan Keith - 0G, 1A

3rd: Tyler Seguin - 0G, 1A

Most 3 stars have to be decided with at least 5 minutes to go. I know the Conn Smythe votes had to be in by the 10:00 mark of the 3rd period.

Did not know that. I figured the arena operations people just made up the three stars as they are pretty much meaningless; I'm not sure why it has to be decided so early like that. It really doesn't matter for the three stars, but for the Conn Smythe, they should be able to do something different in 2013. You know all of the hockey writers are watching the game, and there's normally about five minutes between the end of the game and the presentation of the Conn Smythe; that's enough time. It's not like they engrave it before they hand it out, right? All you have to do is hand Gary Bettman a name.

[RyanMcD29]

The TSN panel said it best. I can't remember the exact words but they were to the effect of, "Earlier this year we were outside the NHL offices talking about HRR and now we just had an original six Finals after a great season".

And remember all those internet and facebook "fans" saying they will never affiliate themselves with the NHL because of the lockout. I wonder where they are now?

You know, they only played 48 games regular season games and a normal postseason, but this season feels like it's been going on forever. It might be because I usually tune out for about two months after the draft and the first day of free agency, but this season I was reading lockout reports as soon as the Kings were handed the cup. I can't wait to get back to a normal 82 game, 6 and a half month regular season. I also can't wait for a taste of that sweet Eastern Conference.

The lockout days feel like an eternity ago. Imagine if they had cancelled the season again. Where would we be as hockey fans? How awful would this thread read?

I agree that it did feel like the season dragged on forever. The Cup should be handed out in a month where there is snow on the ground in Canadian and Snow Belt USA cities, like April. Shortening the regular season to 60 games would do it - hell, even 72 games would lob about 3 weeks off the calendar. Pushing back the start of the campaign would also help. If they started the regular season in September, the season could end in February, and playoffs could wrap up by the end of April. That would also assure that the Finals would not have to go up against the NBA Playoffs on TV.

Although I see where you're getting of wrapping up the season early, the entire March and April sports TV environments are totally dominated by the NCAA Tournament and The Masters, so you're going up against that for the vast majority of the playoffs in that scenario, plus the NBA Playoffs still for the Finals

[Funky Bunky]

I was at nhl.com looking to watch the end of the game and some of the celebration again... apparently whoever decides the three stars of the game tried to beat the traffic on the way out. These are the official three stars:

1st: Milan Lucic - 1G, 0A

2nd: Duncan Keith - 0G, 1A

3rd: Tyler Seguin - 0G, 1A

Most 3 stars have to be decided with at least 5 minutes to go. I know the Conn Smythe votes had to be in by the 10:00 mark of the 3rd period.

So if the Bruins forced game 7, would they have re-voted?

[Funky Bunky]

The TSN panel said it best. I can't remember the exact words but they were to the effect of, "Earlier this year we were outside the NHL offices talking about HRR and now we just had an original six Finals after a great season".

And remember all those internet and facebook "fans" saying they will never affiliate themselves with the NHL because of the lockout. I wonder where they are now?

You know, they only played 48 games regular season games and a normal postseason, but this season feels like it's been going on forever. It might be because I usually tune out for about two months after the draft and the first day of free agency, but this season I was reading lockout reports as soon as the Kings were handed the cup. I can't wait to get back to a normal 82 game, 6 and a half month regular season. I also can't wait for a taste of that sweet Eastern Conference.

The lockout days feel like an eternity ago. Imagine if they had cancelled the season again. Where would we be as hockey fans? How awful would this thread read?

Looking back, we probably could've avoided the entire lockout if they didn't play that BS bluff and wait game. IIRC, it only took a few days to agree on the new CBA once NBC/Comcast threatened them.

[cmm]

I was at nhl.com looking to watch the end of the game and some of the celebration again... apparently whoever decides the three stars of the game tried to beat the traffic on the way out. These are the official three stars:

1st: Milan Lucic - 1G, 0A

2nd: Duncan Keith - 0G, 1A

3rd: Tyler Seguin - 0G, 1A

Most 3 stars have to be decided with at least 5 minutes to go. I know the Conn Smythe votes had to be in by the 10:00 mark of the 3rd period.

So if the Bruins forced game 7, would they have re-voted?

Yes. Not the same sport, but Shea Stadium's scoreboard announced that Bruce Hurst was the 1986 World Series MVP during the 10th inning of game 6. Then Bob Stanley's wild pitch and the Bill Buckner play happened. Ray Knight won the game 7 re-vote.

Sorry Boston. Not trying to rub it in.

[TorinK92]

Anybody else find it comical that before the game HNIC was rambling on about all the coincidences about Boston, obviously implying that the would win.