Rite of Spring '14: Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?

[masterchaoss]

Last year's final four was the past four champs, right? So that same four would represent a playoff of the last five champs now. I don't see how that's a bad thing. Any other league would eat that up.

The other matchups mentioned provide compelling storylines as well.

yeah its not a bad thing and aside from Montreal, Minnesota and New York all of these teams have won a title withen the last ten years. it also shows that there is never going to be true parity in sports no mater how hard you try, and if you look at it the only sport with any real parity is the one without a cap.

Edit: thanks McCarty i knew it was somthing close but i couldnt think of it when typing.

[Sport]

Last year's final four was the past four champs, right? So that same four would represent a playoff of the last five champs now. I don't see how that's a bad thing. Any other league would eat that up.

The other matchups mentioned provide compelling storylines as well.

yeah its not a bad thing and aside from Montreal, Minnesota and New York all of these teams have won a title withen the last ten years. it also shows that there is never going to be true parody in sports no mater how hard you try, and if you look at it the only sport with any real parody is the one without a cap.

parity.

I already listed the reasons why I don't want to see Chicago, Boston, LA, and Pittsburgh in the conference finals again. Here's another reason: the conference finals were a snooze last year and I'd rather not see that again.

[Cosmic]

The NHL is full of parody and parity.

You really think baseball is more even than hockey?!?

[sportstar1212]

If there was any possibility that the Bruins would pull of some miracle comeback, that's been killed.

[ninersdd]

Seven straight years with a game 7 for the Bruins!

[Lights Out]

How can anyone truly respect Subban's game? Yeah he's loaded with talent but he plays like such a little bastard. Off the ice he seems to be mild mannered and well spoken, very respectful. On the ice he loses his mind and turns into a 12 year old who didn't get the present he wanted on Christmas.

Now I'm not saying there aren't players on the Bruins who are just as childish, but PK truely is the king of the castle.

His game is so, so, so good, if only he cut out this act - he doesn't need it.

FWIW, I find Lucic and Marchand FAR more annoying than Subban.

[Brass]

That was just an embarrassing display of "hockey." Bruins reverted to their 2010 Eastern Conference Semi Finals Game 4-7 mentality of going for just "highlight-reel" goals. The problem with that is that they are just not a finesse team, so why try acting like it? Brad Marchand is insanely guilty of this. Every shot he took seemed like he was aiming to knock the water bottle off the net. It's also games like this that make me scratch my head as to how people can call Lucic-Krejci-Iginla the "first line." I'm trying to stay positive going into game 7, but when your favorite team played this awful during game six, it's hard to be one-hundred percent optimistic. I know they'll come out fighting during game 7, but this team has a real problem with never going for the kill when it's easiest for them.

[wonderbread]

That was just an embarrassing display of "hockey." Bruins reverted to their 2010 Eastern Conference Semi Finals Game 4-7 mentality of going for just "highlight-reel" goals. The problem with that is that they are just not a finesse team, so why try acting like it? Brad Marchand is insanely guilty of this. Every shot he took seemed like he was aiming to knock the water bottle off the net. It's also games like this that make me scratch my head as to how people can call Lucic-Krejci-Iginla the "first line." I'm trying to stay positive going into game 7, but when your favorite team played this awful during game six, it's hard to be one-hundred percent optimistic. I know they'll come out fighting during game 7, but this team has a real problem with never going for the kill when it's easiest for them.

nah it was just not getting a lot of luck on easy opportunities. It happens, just wasn't our day

[Morgan33]

How can anyone truly respect Subban's game? Yeah he's loaded with talent but he plays like such a little bastard. Off the ice he seems to be mild mannered and well spoken, very respectful. On the ice he loses his mind and turns into a 12 year old who didn't get the present he wanted on Christmas.

Now I'm not saying there aren't players on the Bruins who are just as childish, but PK truely is the king of the castle.

His game is so, so, so good, if only he cut out this act - he doesn't need it.

I respect his game and don't think he's been playing like a bastard in the slightest... He's been incredible in this series and good part of why it's going the distance.

[NEW.ERA]

That was just an embarrassing display of "hockey." Bruins reverted to their 2010 Eastern Conference Semi Finals Game 4-7 mentality of going for just "highlight-reel" goals. The problem with that is that they are just not a finesse team, so why try acting like it? Brad Marchand is insanely guilty of this. Every shot he took seemed like he was aiming to knock the water bottle off the net. It's also games like this that make me scratch my head as to how people can call Lucic-Krejci-Iginla the "first line." I'm trying to stay positive going into game 7, but when your favorite team played this awful during game six, it's hard to be one-hundred percent optimistic. I know they'll come out fighting during game 7, but this team has a real problem with never going for the kill when it's easiest for them.

Now you're getting the Iginla of 2008 till now.

[spartacat_12]

For the people complaining about the possibility of a repeat final-4 you have to realize that the NHL typically goes through phases like this. Remember that between 1995 and 2003 the Stanley Cup was won by either Detroit, New Jersey, Colorado, or Dallas, with one of those teams losing in the Final a lot of the time. I'm the type of person who likes to see the best teams do well in the playoffs, rather than see a cinderella story go on a miracle run. When things like the 2010 ECF (7 seed vs. 8 seed) or 2006 WCF (6 seed vs 8 seed) happen I never get caught up in the romance of it all, I'm just upset that the best players aren't playing. I know it's sport and the element of randomness is what makes it exciting, but CHI, LA, BOS, & PIT are all model franchises that represent what every team should strive for. In NHL.com's Bracket Challenge I picked an LA/BOS Final, but I definitely wouldn't mind seeing Crosby and Toews go head to head for the Stanley Cup.

[Cujo]

Aaaand the Kings are in the process of Sharking this series away.

[zpqmaowl]

[CS85]

Over Anaheim right now:

[Cujo]

Make shift jersey looking sharper than the Kings tonight.

[zpqmaowl]

[Alex Houston]

For the people complaining about the possibility of a repeat final-4 you have to realize that the NHL typically goes through phases like this. Remember that between 1995 and 2003 the Stanley Cup was won by either Detroit, New Jersey, Colorado, or Dallas, with one of those teams losing in the Final a lot of the time. I'm the type of person who likes to see the best teams do well in the playoffs, rather than see a cinderella story go on a miracle run. When things like the 2010 ECF (7 seed vs. 8 seed) or 2006 WCF (6 seed vs 8 seed) happen I never get caught up in the romance of it all, I'm just upset that the best players aren't playing. I know it's sport and the element of randomness is what makes it exciting, but CHI, LA, BOS, & PIT are all model franchises that represent what every team should strive for. In NHL.com's Bracket Challenge I picked an LA/BOS Final, but I definitely wouldn't mind seeing Crosby and Toews go head to head for the Stanley Cup.

Regular season success doesn't automatically mean they were the best team though, otherwise they would've won when it mattered. That's part of the problem when sports use a playoff format. Teams are allowed to keep up with the Joneses and then simply execute enough at the right time to win. The older I get, the more I like the round robin way of scheduling to decide a champion.

[Still MIGHTY]

Awesome.

[Kramerica Industries]

Look, I get that people are a bit apprehensive about the idea of there being Conference Final repeats in the NHL 2013 to 2014, but what exactly do you prefer, the suffocating parity that has overwhelmed MLB and plunged it well into the pits of despair?

--

I have to say, rooting for Martin St. Louis these past couple of games has been a welcoming feeling that I had missed. I feel sorry for what happened to the guy and I'm willing to go as far as to cut him a full reprieve if his urgent desire to get out of Tampa was borne out of some need to be close to his purportedly ailing mother; when family problems are evident, we all are prone to doing some rash things and not handling them as well as we are capable of. Seeing him score the opening goal in Game 6 was fantastic.

The last time Martin St. Louis (and Dominic Moore) faced the Penguins in the playoffs was in 2011, and the parallels between that series and this current series have been pretty remarkable. I'll be interested to see if this continues into Game 7 as well.

--

LA's season might end with a three game skid, six game streak, and four game skid. Given how they've played since 2014 began, it's only appropriate if it does. They're also 0-4 vs. Anaheim at Staples this season. I don't get it.

That said, I'm seeing Game 7 looming in this series myself on Friday night. I think, at this point, we're seeing Game 7's for everyone because Minnesota's fine form at Xcel bodes well for a Game 6 victory.

[The_Admiral]

Hawks have never lost a Game 6 that could put away the series in the Toews/Kane era. Let's see if they can courageously overcome the other coach putting his guys out for a faceoff after they put their own guys out for a faceoff.