NHL Second Round Thoughts

So with the second round coming to a close, I am left with a few thoughts on what transpired in both the Eastern and Western conferences.


Peter Forsberg- Mr. Me
Honestly, I don’t care if Forsberg is one of the best players in recent years, retire already. All series long we heard how he may play tonight or not, how his ankle was still bothering him etc. Honestly, enough. I’m sick of the press conferences he calls to say “I don’t know what I’m going to do.” It’s all about Forsberg. And notice how I have yet to mention the actual series yet? That’s because Forsberg’s health got more attention than the damn series. It’s ridiculous.


The Avs get Pwned
Injury riddled, which seems to be a recurring theme in recent years for this team, the Avs just couldn’t overpower the Red Wings with a depleted lineup, being swept away by the President’s Trophy winners. Of course it doesn’t help when you’re starting goalie keeps getting chased from the net, but regardless there was just too many key parts missing to keep the engine running and the Avs never really stood a chance.


Where the Hell do the Red Wings Keep Finding these Guys?
Zetterberg was a seventh round pick and is an all star tearing up the playoffs. Johan Franzen came out of nowhere and completely shit on the Avalanche. And they have two goalies and two defenseman that age seems to have little affect on. How does this team keep doing it? Honestly, how?



Confident Teams are Dangerous
And that is exactly what the Dallas Stars are. Despite having problems meshing all year they finally got themselves together and have eliminated the reigning cup champs Anaheim and the second seeded team San Jose (more on them later). Brendan Morrow is earning his captaincy being a major force in every game, and scoring the overtime winner to clinch the series. Do not count this team out against the Red Wings.


4 OT’s and Still a Full House
This is another thing I love about hockey: you play until someone wins, and sometimes it just isn’t quick. The final game between the Stars and Sharks went ten minutes into the fourth overtime, taking over five hours to finish the game, and the whole arena was still there when it happened (well, I’m sure some people took little kids home, but you get the point). I’m not saying fans in other sports wouldn’t do this, but it’s always nice to see people stick it out for such a long time.


Only Sharks from San Jose Lay Eggs
Like I said in my series prediction (which by the way I got right with Dallas in six), the Sharks committed their second round playoff choke in spectacular fashion. Nabokov wasn't in the form that is most likely going to win him a Vezina and he didn’t get much help from the team in front of him, the high powered offense again fizzling. Below you can see a picture of Joe Thornton, once again invisible in the playoffs, in this picture taken after the series ended.



The Canadiens Beat Themselves
A caller into XM radio summed it up best when he said the Montreal media and fans kept saying “well if so and so started playing well we’ll be fine” said about five times over. Listen, if your entire team isn’t clicking, it’s a big fricken problem. The goalie sucked, the offense couldn’t get anything going, the defense under achieved and the power play, Montreal’s greatest strength, was a non factor. Pretty much everything sputtered like a Geo going uphill and the Canadiens lost in five.


You Didn’t Lose Because of the Refs, so Stop You’re God Damned Whining
The ref’s have sucked in the playoffs for every series, and it’s about the only thing all the fans will agree on. Missed calls, bad calls, you name it. But sadly it’s been partial, which is the only kind of consistency that the refs have shown. But it is absurd that the Rangers fans are crying that they lost the series because they think the NHL actually is rigging things for Crosby to win a cup. You know, I thought like this at one time to, but then I turned twelve and realized it was bullshit and I was being an idiot. Yet some Rangers fans seem to think this is truly the reason they lost. Yeah, the high stick on Drury should have been called, but you know what? That high stick on Jordan Staal in game two where he got cut should have too. You win some, you lose some. Welcome to life.

This mode of thinking is juvenile and outright pathetic. If you honestly think this than 1) you’re a homer who is just too angry to allow them self to see the truth that your team got outplayed, or 2) you’re just a damned idiot and have no real clue what is going on. I get you want someone to blame, but it’s not the refs who despite being god awful for both teams, who cost the Rangers the series (hint: look at the players performances).

Here is the list of teams that have been eliminated from the playoffs: Predators, Capitals, Senators, Canadiens, Sharks, Ducks, Rangers, Bruins, Devils, Avalanche, Flames and Wild.

This is the list of teams crying they lost because the refs screwed them: Rangers

If you truly think it is rigged, really, grow up and stop embarrassing the other Ranger fans.





I Still Don’t Have Faith in the Pens
Yeah, I’m a Pens fan, and despite being 8-1 I still have little faith this team can keep winning. Maybe I don’t want to get caught up in the hype, maybe I don’t want to be disappointed if they do lose, or I’m just too pessimistic, but I just don’t feel like this team can really outplay any other team left, or for that matter any other team that was ever in it. 8-1 and still counting them out with little doubt I am wrong, and I’ve been proven wrong two series in a row. That’s not a very good impression.