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Looked all over and couldn't find a thread for current hockey. So here it is. It's an abbreviated season and damned if it isnt almost half over already. What do you hosers out there think? Can the Kings repeat? How good is San Jose? Can ANYONE beat the Blackhawks?

Right now, I've never seen anything like Chicago. They added a couple defensive players in the off-season, got Dan Carcillo and Marion Hossa back from injury and suddenly they're reminding us all of another utterly dominant Chicago sports team (DAAAAAAA Bears). Can they hit the record of 35 games without a regulation loss? I don't know, but it's pretty exciting right now!

Seeing how the Eastern Conference is a virtual lock (unless if this weekend's games would affect the standings):

As of 27 April 2013, 3:09 AM Pacific

1 Pittsburgh Penguins
2 Boston Bruins
3 Washington Capitals
4 Montreal Canadiens
5 Toronto Maple Leafs
6 New York Islanders
7 Ottawa Senators
8 New York Rangers

If this were the final standings, going to the playoffs:

1st Round

Penguins sweep Rangers
Boston in 5
Islanders in 6
Montreal sweeps Toronto

B4ULoveShine wrote:Seeing how the Eastern Conference is a virtual lock (unless if this weekend's games would affect the standings):

As of 27 April 2013, 3:09 AM Pacific

1 Pittsburgh Penguins
2 Boston Bruins
3 Washington Capitals
4 Montreal Canadiens
5 Toronto Maple Leafs
6 New York Islanders
7 Ottawa Senators
8 New York Rangers

If this were the final standings, going to the playoffs:

1st Round

Penguins sweep Rangers
Boston in 5
Islanders in 6
Montreal sweeps Toronto

I agree with your winners, but I think Toronto is scrappier than most people realize and won't get swept. Washington is a one player team so if you can lock him down, they will not advance. As the Western conference has not been completely decided, I guess we can't predict too much yet. You can assume that Chicago will beat whoever they end up playing. I honestly don't know if anyone can beat them in a 7 game series.

Man, is it just I or the Eastern Conference is that wildly fluctuating?

Eastern Conference, as of 10:52PM Pacific 27 April 2013:

1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Montreal Canadiens
3. Washington Capitals
4. Boston Bruins
5. Toronto Maple Leafs
6. New York Rangers
7. New York Islanders
8. Ottawa Senators

1 vs 8
Penguins sweep Senators

2 vs 7
Islanders upset Canadiens in 5

3 vs 6
Rangers sweep Capitals

4 vs 5
Toronto upsets Boston in 6

The Western Conference, on the other hand, is a guaranteed deal.

1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. Anaheim Ducks
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. St. Louis Blues
5. Los Angeles Kings
6. San Jose Sharks
7. Detroit Red Wings
8. Minnesota Wild

1 vs 8
Minnesota upsets Chicago in 7

2 vs 7
Ducks halt Redwings in 5

3 vs 6
Free Willy Canucks dominate Jaws Sharks in 5

4 vs 5
L.A. sweeps St. Louis

Washington is playing well as a team in the last month. They're the team that nobody wants to face. I really don't think Nabokov or whichever goalie is playing against them can be hot enough to handle the Capitals.

Blurrz wrote:Washington is playing well as a team in the last month. They're the team that nobody wants to face. I really don't think Nabokov or whichever goalie is playing against them can be hot enough to handle the Capitals.

By everyone's understanding, shut down Ovechkin, and you'll shut down the Capitals. Last playoffs, the Rangers capitalized on that.

With that said, that shall be an interesting challenge for the Islanders, if they aim to upset DC.

Just can't agree with Minnesota beating Chicago. Chicago was 2-0-1 against them this year, and the Wild only managed a meager 3 goals total in those three games (not counting the goal for winning the shootout) and were shut out once. Outside of Emery, the Hawks are pretty much health. Crawford and Emery were BOTH top 5 goalies this year. And Toews, Kane, Hossa, and Sharp are all completely healthy. I just don't see a way Minnesota can win this. Chicago is just too good.

First-Aid wrote:Just can't agree with Minnesota beating Chicago. Chicago was 2-0-1 against them this year, and the Wild only managed a meager 3 goals total in those three games (not counting the goal for winning the shootout) and were shut out once. Outside of Emery, the Hawks are pretty much health. Crawford and Emery were BOTH top 5 goalies this year. And Toews, Kane, Hossa, and Sharp are all completely healthy. I just don't see a way Minnesota can win this. Chicago is just too good.

I believe the Wild shall be capable of pulling off an upset, especially when the Western Conference alone had three examples.

San Jose vs Detroit, 1994
Edmonton Oilers vs Red Wings, Sharks, Ducks, in a row; 2006
and yes, the Defending Stanley Cup Champions; 2012

From this point on, every game is a must-win for my hometown team, the LA Kings.

Meanwhile, if the Ducks win tonight, they shall be halfway into getting themselves some BBQ Red Wings; as of this post, Ducks-Red Wings are going to overtime!

I guess I can contribute next year. Go 'Canes!

Blurrz wrote:Canucks sucking it, is it 2004?

It's a shame that my hometown team will not get the privilege of humiliating the Canucks two years in a row, as San Jose Sharks just swept them out of the playoffs and awaits the winner of the L.A. Kings/St. Louis Blues series.

Also, the Penguins are placing a lockdown, 3rd Period, while the Senators are about to eliminate L'Empire du Mal.

News Flash

Luongo is unlikely to return to the Canucks, according to the team GM.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/blog/eye-o ... e-to-reset

I hope he lands in either Toronto or L'Empire du Mal.

At this point, Minnesota is about 20 minutes left in their hockey season.

As for the Canucks...

well...

What do the Vancouver Canucks, the Chicago Cubs, and the Miami Heat all have in common?...

...


...None of them can play hockey...

ScottyP wrote:I guess I can contribute next year. Go 'Canes!

So, how do you feel about always having to face Sidney Crosby, the Big Bad Apple Rangers, the re-emerging Islanders, the Joisey Devils...essentially the old Atlantic Division + Caps and #Lumbus regularly next season?

How's Westgarth doing over there in Carolina? Thanks for Stewart and draft picks, by the way.

Also, pardon the Gratuitous French...

Adieu, L'Empire du Mal.

Since Battle of Ontario isn't gonna happen for the ECF anytime this playoffs, I see Battle of New York for as the 2013 ECF Match.

And ouch. I feel bad for Zach Parise; he was so close yet so far last year, and same with the ending this season. On the bright side, at least he went home to Minnesota and even better is the fact he didn't land in Chicago or Detroit.

Hm, I wonder if the Wild would trade for Ilya and draft picks, just to compensate for their depleted goalie lineup.

Shameless bump alert!

Seeing how the NJ Devils lost Parise to free agency (after all, he was the team captain when they lost to my hometown team, the L.A. Kings), should they go after Miroslav?

Jokes aside, Boston spat out the Bad Apple Rangers out of the playoffs and it's gonna be Boston vs Pittsburgh in the 2013 ECF.

I am...sentimental right now.

A young man I met for the first time in 2007, when the Norfolk AHL team- and Chicago Blackhawks farm club- relocated to Rockford, IL, and joined a team that I was a member of the training staff of...a very fine, quiet, confident kid who I watched over the next few years blossom into a very solid, NHL-quality goalie...a kid I am proud to have known with many others from those years working in the AHL...led the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup victory tonite. I will freely admit that I had tears in my eyes when these youngsters...guys who were EASILY 15 years my junior (but I could still out-drink!), guys I called friends and colleagues and teammates...hoisted the most storied and magnificent trophy in professional sports tonite. Leds, Crow, Boller...Jelly, Bolly, Bicks, Shawsy (who I still have a scar from wrestling at the Halloween party two years ago)...the equipment guy Jimbo, Gapper, Pav...

...damn what a good feeling.

Chicago Blackhawks, sitting on top of the hockey world again.

So happy the bruins lost.

Rodimus Prime wrote:So happy the bruins lost.

Same with me, since I'm a die hard Leafs fan seeing them lose in the same way they beat the Leafs in their series brought the biggest smile to my face

viruscarnage wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:So happy the bruins lost.

Same with me, since I'm a die hard Leafs fan seeing them lose in the same way they beat the Leafs in their series brought the biggest smile to my face

I just hate boston, so anytime they get beat in anything I'm happy. F**king cheaters.

Rodimus Prime wrote:

viruscarnage wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:So happy the bruins lost.

Same with me, since I'm a die hard Leafs fan seeing them lose in the same way they beat the Leafs in their series brought the biggest smile to my face

I just hate boston, so anytime they get beat in anything I'm happy. F**king cheaters.

They are a dirty team not as dirty as some players on pittsburgh but they are probably the dirtiest team in the league

Like father, like son.

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/consol ... l:topheads

B4ULoveShine wrote:Like father, like son.

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/consol ... l:topheads

That's unreal, I never even knew about his son being eligible for this years draft, there was a lot of surprises this year its probably one of the better drafts in recent years.