1st Round Puck Talk

@bold27

 Congrats Bold

@GASportsDoc

Nice writeup Doc.  Im rooting for Game7 in a couple of these.  Isles and Wild.

AVS have struggled this whole series and Seattle looks like the AVS should. 

Tough one! Would love a game 7 but not convinced….Nathan MacKinnon needs to stop thinking about everything and start doing. Take care DOC. Thanks for your time and quality efforts.

@crazy1464

 Not the man in anything in regards to gambling. I am sprinkling on the Stars tonight in the JR. League. First game in round 2 so just dipping the toes in the water. 

Good Morning Gentlemen and Jules 

Well, well, well....big bad Bear facing adveristy, Isles and Wild say goodbye and Avs fight to see another day. 

Anything can go in Game 7's, one bad bounce, one bad penalty and on top of that, it is the Florida Panthers and Tkachuk. Although I won both my bets, I didn't predict that outcome. So who will the Leafs be pulling for? Paint drying series was just that. Put on one layer, leave for 48 hours to let dry and come back and repeat. No need to watch it dry. While I do like the Caniacs, I don't see how that can score enough to advance past the next round. Watched the first 2P's of Bruiser series and went to bed after that third goal. So Wild is at home, facing an elimination and only manage 13 shots in the first 2 periods? Where was that urgency? Yep, for the 6th straight time, the Kracken has scored the opening goal, that is a crazy stat. 

So we have an entire Saturday but yet, Gary decides to play one game at 7:00, one at 8:00 and then the night cap? Sometimes stupid is as stupid does. Rant over. 

How good you feeling today Leaf boys? Personally torn. I have no dog at all in this fight (or the entire playoffs for that matter). On one hand, I want the Leafs to finally win a series but I also want a Game 7 to see the pucker factor at Scotiabank come Monday night. It really is something as simple and Bolts staying out of the box and Vas showing up and it goes to Toronto. Don't have them in front of me, but 5 v 5, Bolts have dominated the Leafs. No play for me. 

How pumped will the Devils be tonight? To win and advance AT MSG in front of all those Ranger fans. I still can't figure out if the Devils are playing that good or the Rangers are just playing that bad. Can Akira continue? Well, it really isn't Akira, hell the Rangers only put 3 SOG in the 3P the other night. If I play anything in the game, it might be Rangers 1P ML. If they don't come out making a statement, the Devils could be advancing. 

Word is Connor is not 100% with a possible LBI. Kings are gritty, at home and rested. Might be a good doggie tonight. If anything, maybe an over? 

While in the Jr. League, The baby Bears had nearly two weeks off and it showed last night. I look for a bounce back night from them. 

Time to play in the yard. What do you want to talk about? 

On Comets ml

+100

Almost pulled out 1st game, think they beat marlies today … running around today wanted to get this one in.

Leaning TB in Leaf game just haven’t pulled trigger yet.

Nice on Stars yesterday..

@B Lugosi

 Nice call on Utica B 

Tonight's fade material: over at MSG. Haven't had an over yet in this series, bout time. 

 Baby Bruins first time all season they have lost 2 consecutive games in regulation this year. My post-season struggles continue. 

How are the Leaf boys holding up???????? Let's go to OT. 

^^^^ at home that is. Edit button disappeared

It's late but I had to return to say 

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S

to all you Leaf boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hopefully Rustie didn't have any coronary issues. 

Good Morning Gentlemen and Jules 

$1.45 gas a gallon, $3.23 gallon of milk, $24,365 a new supercab F150 and Usher w/Ludacris with "Yeah" topped the charts. Yep, the year was 2004. Had a call from a friend in Toronto this morning at 5:00 a.m., he was just getting in from celebrating. Stated for the first hour following the game, he sat in shock before he was able to go out. Again, congrats to ALL Leaf fans and who knows what can that will open. Samsonov was the difference. Earlier in this thread, I stated Vas > Samsonov but when I am wrong, I admit it. In Game 7, Samsonov was better than Vas. 

Didn't watch the Rangers/Devils game but we get a game 7 out of this series. Did see a stat that Igor has allowed 3 goals or less in the last 22 playoff games he has played. It will be interesting to see if we see the "young and inexperienced" Devils in game 7. I think Lindy goes back to Schmid. 

LA Kings, your biggest problem was you ran into a better team. After watching the playoffs, I would put the Kings just behind the Oil, Stars and Vegas. The Oil still need to improve on D/G. But I am looking, who can slow that offense down? Looking at you Stars, ranked 3rd in the league in PK and Otter in net, but that is for a later discussion. 

3 out of 8. Number of Game 7s we get to watch. First out of the gate, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom match-up: Bears vs Panthers. As previously stated, 10 games this year and each team won 5. So far in this series, Florida has scored 22 goals vs 24 for the Bruins. Pressure, squarely on the Bruins. Florida will be playing loose with nothing to lose. Which Ullmark will show up or do we see Swayman? Saw where Ullmark only started 4 consecutive games once this year. Maybe Montegomery should have gone to Swayman in Game 4 but that's water under the bridge. I've road with Boston tt and game over the last 2 in this series and will once again go back to that same bet. 

I didn't see the Avs being pushed to a Game 7 in the first round. Colorado loses another starter in Cogliano but they still have a 3 headed monster in Nate, Cale and Mikko which "should" be enough. BTW, what is the story behind Nichushkin? I see a possible story but Strange. I am not seeing any news on McCann. In the meantime, the Stars sit and wait. 

Enjoy the games. What do you want to talk about? 

Sprinkling on jr. league CV as well.  

Hey Doc,

Boston beat writer for Herald tweeted Swayman was first goalie off the ice this morning.  Very interesting..

Tonight’s expected lineup (the athletic beat writer):

Marchand-Bergeron-DeBrusk

Zacha-Krejci-Pastrnak

Hall-Coyle-Bertuzzi

Frederic-Nosek-Hathaway

Grzelcyk-McAvoy

Lindholm-Carlo

Forbort-Orlov

Swayman

I was more worried about round 1 against Kings than what will follow.  I think Skinner will get back to way he was playing at end of season.  I don’t think much of Vegas.    I do agree Dallas is a team I could see getting to final.

I am more surprised Boston is in game 7 than Avs.  I hate them changing goalies.

@GASportsDoc

 Hey doc...by sprinkling on Jr. League "cv"  your talking about coachella valley right on the ML?

GL Doc 

@handycat

 Sorry for not seeing this in time but yes, Coachella Valley. 

Good morning Gentlemen and Jules 

Nothing in sports compared to a Game 7 that goes to OT. For the most part, Round 1 has been entertaining, unpredictable and EXPENSIVE. The number of road teams winning has been unbelievable. I could have sworn I heard yelling and clapping from Toronto and Dallas last night. 

So where do you start with Boston/Florida? I have said all along, anything can and will happen in a Game 7 and why the favorites don't really need to go there. I saw an open net during a scramble in the 1P and Bob (don't think it was intentional) get a blocker to deflect a sure goal. I saw a Bruin hit a post late in the 3P that would have put them up 4-2 and in OT, I saw a puck heading for the open net, hit the butt end of Bob's stick. President's Trophy jinx? Oh, it is real. The last team to win both, Chicago Blackhawks 2013. So the last 11 winners of the regular season has lost. The next question I see is was this the biggest upset in first round? I still say the 2019 Tampa/Columbus was bigger. Columbus swept, SWEPT the President Trophy winners. In fact, after Game 1, Columbus NEVER trailed in Games 2-4. Anyone know who the goalie was for Columbus in 2019? Yep, the same guy that was in net for Florida last night in Boston. Finally, I thought Maurice said what I thought last night, "we are not your normal 8th seeded team". The last month of the season, Florida was probably one of the better teams in the league. Don't get too excited Leafs. 2012 LA Kings repeat? To be determined. 

How hard is it to repeat as Cup Champions? Ask the Avs. I didn't see them in the finals but I didn't see them losing the 1st round either. Injuries, injuries, injuries but you know what, every team has them and has to deal with them. Again, that is what makes Tampa's run so impressive. The one thing in this series that caught my eye, Seattle scored first in every single game. IMO, I feel Grubauer has a personal vendetta in the series. It would not surprise me to see him come back to earth in the next series. 

One more Game 7 tonight. Will be interested to see if the young Devils come out like they did in Game 1 vs the veteran Rangers team. No word on who is in net for the Devils yet, but I expect Schmid. The Devils have scored only 13 goals in 6 games while the Rangers have scored 17 goals (they scored 15 of those 17 in 3 games). Igor has yet to allow more than 3 goals in 22 playoff games. Will be interested in reading thoughts on this one. 

No play for me tonight. B, I am done with Jr. League. Saturday night, Providence hasn't lost 2 consecutive regulation games at home all year and LOST. Sunday, Coachella Valley had not been shutout at home and year and guess what...they scored NADA. 

Round 1 in the bag after tonight and Round 2 begins tomorrow (along with Lippsman Split). What do you want to talk about? 

Wow.  Not surprised FLA wins it in 7, but the move to bench Linus and play J Sway was peculiar.  However, watching the fans at the TD Bank Center in OT after the final goal was a bit priceless...

Spot on with Grub-hub.  I think Kraken are a good fade next round.  Good read Doc.

Definitely a very interesting and surprising night last night. I couldn't even be mad at my series parlay ticket losing involving the Bs. BUT.. we all saw how hot Florida got toward the end of the season. They were far better than earlier in the year and when the Bs switched from playing the Isles to the Panthers, I thought uh oh this is a much worse match up. That said, they just looked off. Bergeron played with a herniated disc. AND YES Doc, hitting the post with 3-4 mins left to go up 4-2 would've done it or the one missed empty netter chance or that butt of the stick in OT. So close yet so far away. Florida got the far better chances in OT. 

I did not stay up for the Kraken/Avs. I watched the 1st period and it looked like the Avs dominated it but Grubauer stole that 1st period. and then I woke up to see the Kraken won. Incredible. A hockey capper in the community had 50K on the Avs to win the series. That must suck. 

Very curious how tonight goes. Feels like such a coin flip. The only thing I'll say is last game felt like the refs wanted a game 7 from reading about it. But I can't speak on it too much as I didnt watch it, just read about it. 

@GASportsDoc

 Bizarre stuff happening in Ahl for sure D… just might follow your lead… 

Not that I agree but just heard on radio that Florida is limiting next weekend tickets to US addresses only.  Wow, wth

All bias aside I think you hit the nail on the head in a prior post doc, at least I believe it was you who mentioned the young devils teams not being ready. Their goal output hasn’t been good even in their wins this series and honestly I prefer game 7 in Jersey. I think the devils won’t be able to to show up on the big stage at home tonight. Rangers ml for me but I’ll wait till close to puck drop to put it in with hopes that money shifts and I get a better price 

No one talking about Sutter getting canned? Maybe I am getting old (don't worry, it'll happen to you all) but these kids today can't handle to coaches of yester years. So Hubby and others complain and the GM and Coach gets fired. Well, boys, it is now on you to show next year that they were the problem and not you. You opened your pie hole now you have to produce or your the problem. Don't think it was Sutter's fault that Markstrom had like a .880 save percentage. 

Heard today, Boston's goalie tandem had a .930 save percentage during the regular season and a .880 in the playoffs. I still say, Swayman should have gotten the call in the 5th game and gave Ullmark a break. Hell, you rotated all year and was successful, so why the change? Boston had won the division and President's Trophy by January this year so did they take their foot off the gas while the Panthers had to keep that grind going? 

Bottom line to me tonight- IGOR.