NHL

On the evidence of last night there is little chance of the Red Wings beating the Lightning. Tampa looked clearly the better team even without Stamkos and Stralman.

The St. Louis v Chicago series could be a beauty. Very tight stuff.

 

Lunqvist's injury could be massive in the Rangers/Pens series, vital they win game 2 heading back to MSG 2-0 down would be a nightmare

 

I think they could still come back from 2-0 down but yeah it definitely wouldn't be ideal for them. Lundqvist was lucky he didn't lose an eye last night, looked nasty when you saw the first replay and he was writhing about on the ice.

 

Tell me something ice hockey fans

What are the rules about the subs? Its all synchronised full teams coming on and off but a team were attacking and the player got to the half way and just knocked the puck into the corner and then went over to get subbed. Why did he not continue the attack?

 

I'm no expert but I assume it's all to do with tiredness. Ice hockey is such an end to end game that there's never an ideal time to substitute. You just have to get off the ice when your legs are going. Having fresh legs on the ice is of prime importance.

Someone on here who is far more knowledgable than I about ice hockey told me that players can usually go full tilt for around 45secs or so then the legs start to go. So when a line's shift time is done then they get off the ice as quick as they can. Or they may switch lines to counteract a switch of lines that the other team has made. It does seem odd to substitute when you have an attack going but if the legs are going, the other team gets the puck back and that same line has to defend for another 30secs to a minute, then they would be completely knackered.

 

The Pens have a real decent chance of making the SC final, they're definitely one of the in form teams going in to this.

Disagree a little bit about the Red Wings thought they were the better team for most of the first period last night just didn't take their chances when they came in. Think they will struggle to turn it around but didn't think Tampa were much better than them.

 

Overall results thus far.

East:

Florida 1-1 NY Islanders
Tampa Bay 2-0 Detroit
Washington 1-0 Philadelphia
Pittsburgh 1-0 NY Rangers

West:

Dallas 1-0 Minnesota
St Louis 1-1 Chicago
Anaheim 0-1 Nashville
Los Angeles 0-1 San Jose

 

East:

Florida 1-2 NY Islanders
Tampa Bay 2-1 Detroit
Washington 3-0 Philadelphia
Pittsburgh 1-1 NY Rangers

West:

Dallas 2-1 Minnesota
St Louis 2-1 Chicago
Anaheim 0-2 Nashville
Los Angeles 1-2 San Jose

 

Only match up not really going the way some people may have expected is Nashville Anaheim.

 

Good fightback by the Red Wings here. Get it up ye, Ben Bishop!

 

Did someone throw an octopus on the ice with about 15 seconds to go on the Red Wings game?

 

Aye it's a tradition at Red Wings home games.

 

What the *? Haha I've not watched many Red Wings games so don't know if you're taking the * or not.

 

Been an interesting start to the playoffs. With both the Hawks down 3-1 and the Kings down 2-1 it is very possible both go out in the first round allowing for a new champion to be crowned this year!

NY having their typical start to the playoffs and are struggling early. Will be interesting to see if they comeback again and win the series or if this is actually the year that they get bounced early.

Washington looks amazing. Good for them. If we can't win the cup, I would not mind seeing them getting it done finally.

 

Rangers just haven't looked as good this year as they were last year whenever I've seen them. The Penguins had them in their pocket for most of last nights game, I mean how many shots did NYR actually have, 16? I really don't like Washington, I love Ovechkin but Washington I just associate with politics and corruption :smiley-laughing002:

Would love to see The Wild pull it back against Dallas and hope The Pens smash Rangers. Other than that I'm not too bothered who wins where.

 

NY doesn't really play a high shot total type of game. I won't be worried until the Rangers lose their fourth game. Every year we come back from 3-1 down at some point. We have also knock the Pens out the last two years. So until that changes, we are fine.

To the bold, I have noticed that over the years a lot of people on this site seem associate things about American sports. I don't really get that to be honest. Maybe it is just a lack of spending time here in the States? The Washington Capital have absolutely nothing to do with the US Government :smiley-laughing002:. Just like the NY Rangers have nothing to do with the former team from Scotland.

 

It's just what I think of when I think of Washington or Rangers. I couldn't give a * about any American or Canadian city so I just go off association.

I watched the NY v Pens games last year and it is nothing like this year, NY looked comfortable last year, not at all this year.

 

:smiley-laughing002:

I'm not taking the *. It's tradition for an octopus to be thrown on to the ice during Red Wings play-off games.

 

ffs that's horrendous. Dirty *.

 

Although stranger things have happened I can't see NYR getting anything out of tonights game, Pens have been clearly the better team in the series and deserve what they are getting.