Let's Talk Hockey

[LamarCheeks]

Got no dog in this fight -- I'm a Blackhawks fan, and our glory years were a good while back (in fact, our last Cup came at the Lightning's expense). 

But I live a few minutes from Norfolk, and watched some of those Lightning kids cut their teeth in the AHL with the Admirals. There used to be a good number of former Ads on the Bolts roster, but these days, I think we're down to Killorn, Palat and Maroon (although Maroon played for Norfolk after its affiliation with TB). 

And Cooper coached here. Led the Ads to 28 straight wins (a pro hockey record) and the Calder Cup title. 

So I say -- Go Bolts!  

[Josh]

2 hours ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Tampa fan checking in here too.  Stamkos and Kucherov have been amazing.  Should be a great final.  Lots of talent.

 

[Josh]

25 minutes ago, LamarCheeks said:

Got no dog in this fight -- I'm a Blackhawks fan, and our glory years were a good while back (in fact, our last Cup came at the Lightning's expense). 

Yeah, that was a heck of a team you had.  2015 was the first of four Stanley Cup Finals appearances the Bolts have had in 8 years.  It's been one hell of a run

[Josh]

Game one of the Stanley Cup Final starts tonight at 8:00

 

[Banksyrules]

Congrats to the Colorado Avalanche for winning Lord Stanley’s cup. 

[LamarCheeks]

Caps and 'Canes are playing outdoors tonight at N.C. State's football stadium. This was from this morning. 

The Durham Bulls' bat dog greeting the Carolina players. Pretty cool! 
 

 

[Josh]

The Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023 start tonight.  Get your primer for the playoffs here:

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/36158620/stanley-cup-playoffs-picture-preview-2023-all-16-teams

 

 

[mamasa]

13 minutes ago, Josh said:

The Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023 start tonight.  Get your primer for the playoffs here:

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/36158620/stanley-cup-playoffs-picture-preview-2023-all-16-teams

 

 

Someday the Blackhawks will be relevant again

[Josh]

It was one hell of a run but I guess all good things must come to an end.  For the first time in 4 years, the Tampa Bay Lightning will not be in the Stanley Cup Final.  Also for the first time in two decades, the Toronto Maple Leaves advanced past the first round.  Sports is cyclical.

[Josh]

On 4/17/2023 at 7:38 PM, mamasa said:

Someday the Blackhawks will be relevant again

Who?

[WayneFleekHoosier]

It was one hell of a run but I guess all good things must come to an end.  For the first time in 4 years, the Tampa Bay Lightning will not be in the Stanley Cup Final.  Also for the first time in two decades, the Toronto Maple Leaves advanced past the first round.  Sports is cyclical.

Cheated from a game 7.


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[Josh]

1 minute ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Cheated from a game 7.


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I assume you're talking about the clear high sticking at the end of regulation?  Yeah that was BS.  Braden Poin's disallowed goal in game 3 was BS too.  The fix was in on this series

[Josh]

Allow me to rant here....I'm going to make a point.

I love the one and done format of college basketball and the NFL.  It's the playoffs, bring your A game or go home.  Yet, I've heard many people (to be fair, not on here) tell me that best of 7 like NBA or MLB always shows the best team in the end.

In the NHL, the team with the best overall record in the regular season has not won the title in 11 years.  They almost never do.  NHL plays best of 7 formats in the playoffs.

In the NFL, the one seed wins the Super Bowl 52% of the time.  A one and done format.

What does this mean?  Does a One and Done format truly allow the greatest team to win it all?  I would argue yes.  Does a best of seven format give the lesser teams a better chance of advancing?  This experiment says so.  But I'm sure I'm missing something.  Or am I?

One and done is where it's at in the playoffs.  

[LIHoosier]

On 4/30/2023 at 10:00 PM, Josh said:

Allow me to rant here....I'm going to make a point.

I love the one and done format of college basketball and the NFL.  It's the playoffs, bring your A game or go home.  Yet, I've heard many people (to be fair, not on here) tell me that best of 7 like NBA or MLB always shows the best team in the end.

In the NHL, the team with the best overall record in the regular season has not won the title in 11 years.  They almost never do.  NHL plays best of 7 formats in the playoffs.

In the NFL, the one seed wins the Super Bowl 52% of the time.  A one and done format.

What does this mean?  Does a One and Done format truly allow the greatest team to win it all?  I would argue yes.  Does a best of seven format give the lesser teams a better chance of advancing?  This experiment says so.  But I'm sure I'm missing something.  Or am I?

One and done is where it's at in the playoffs.  

The recent additions of the NBA play-in where the higher seeds need one win whereas the lower seeds need to win twice and the new MLB wild card where all 3 games are played at the higher seed's field gave me this mashup idea. The rounds leading to the Finals/World Series should be 6 games; 2-2-2 where the first and last two are hosted by the higher seed. On top of that, the higher seed only has to win 3 of a possible six while the lower seed has to win 4. Keep the finals the traditional best of 7. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would make the regular season more important and give real incentive for the teams(fewer wins needed) and the brass(more home games/revenue).

[TheWatShot]

Fort Wayne Komets got screwed beyond belief in a 1-0 loss in Game 7 at Cincinnati tonight. Scored the tying goal with 1:11 to play, only to have it waved off after a lengthy review for interference. Absolutely atrocious call. It always amazes me how bad minor league officials are, regardless of the sport. 

[WayneFleekHoosier]

Fort Wayne Komets got screwed beyond belief in a 1-0 loss in Game 7 at Cincinnati tonight. Scored the tying goal with 1:11 to play, only to have it waved off after a lengthy review for interference. Absolutely atrocious call. It always amazes me how bad minor league officials are, regardless of the sport. 

Wow.


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[Josh]

The Stanley Cup Final is set to begin Saturday 6/3 at 8:00 between the Florida Panthers and the Las Vegas Golden Knights.  A few notes:

• Las Vegas was the 1 seed in the West this year.  They are in only their 6th year of existence as a team and are in the Final for the 2nd time, losing in 2018 to the Washington Capitals
• Florida was the last team in the playoffs this year, only making it in on the last day as the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to put the Panthers in
• Florida has been the most impressive team in these playoffs so far, proving that getting hot at the right time means more than playoff seeding.  Vegas will have home ice advantage in this best of 7 series.
• For the first time in 4 years the Tampa Bay Lightning will not be in the Stanley Cup Final but Sunshine Staters will still obviously be represented by the Florida Panthers
• A Canadian team has not won the Stanley Cup in 30 years, dating back to the Montreal Canadiens in 1993

[Josh]

Stanley Cup Final starts tonight

[LIHoosier]

Gary Bettman's dream, a Stanley Cup Final where the Heat Index never dips below 100

[Dave from Dayton]

17 minutes ago, LIHoosier said:

Gary Bettman's dream, a Stanley Cup Final where the Heat Index never dips below 100

A great idea!  Kind of a cross between water polo and underwater hockey: