The NHL Thread.....

[Bentley's Absurd Gait]

Following on from ESB's NBA thread which has sparked off a lively debate, are there any other NHL fans out there? I have Canadian ancestry and lived there for 5 years so I had no choice but to love the game, and I am delighted to see the Montreal Canadiens topping the Eastern Conference with only a few games left in the season. Despite their glorious history (24 Stanley Cups, twice as many as their closest contender), the Canadiens (or Habs as they are known) were not considered a likely playoff team at the start of the season, let alone a Cup Contender.

The Western Conference is stronger at the top and will probably produce the eventual Champion, with Detroit, Dallas, San Jose and Anaheim the lead players. However, the Habs have a great shot at getting to the Finals, and with a rabid Quebecois crowd roaring them on, anything is possible.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Mighty Ducks, Quack, Quack.

 

[Alexis_SUFC]

I've got family in Toronto so follow the Leafs, my dads cousin used to be pretty handy at ice hockey as a youngster and used to play for them and Canada schoolboys, badly ****ed his knees up though.

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

I'm a Leafs fan, but tend to root for all of the Canadian teams against US opposition. Given that Montreal and Ottawa are in Toronto's division that does tend to seem a little bizarre at times.

Most of the best teams this year are in the West, no doubt, but I think that Pittsburgh could be dark horses. If Crosby can stay healthy through the playoffs then write them off at your own risk.

 

[Bentley's Absurd Gait]

The Leafs? Never heard of them. Oh yeah, Canada's second team, it's coming back to me. :-)

And good shout on the Pens, it's them who I fear most in the East.

 

[Bentley's Absurd Gait]

Canadiens blank Senators to win first division title in 16 years

http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280401014

Allez Les Glorieux!

 

[Pubey]

The only place ive been to in canada is Calgary so by virtue i'm a die-hard Flames fan!!

do like watching it when it's on, but to be honest the coverage in the UK is terrible!

 

[Bentley's Absurd Gait]

The only place ive been to in canada is Calgary so by virtue i'm a die-hard Flames fan!!

do like watching it when it's on, but to be honest the coverage in the UK is terrible!

Couldn't agree more about the coverage, when they do show a game on 5, they seem to pick the most random, meaningless match up available. I used to subscribe to NASN which showed 'Hockey Night in Canada' every Saturday (or 'Leafs TV' as Habs Fans call it), but cancelled when Setanta bought it, and jacked up the price by £5 a month whilst adding their other channels - it wasn't a terrible deal but I felt there was a principle at stake. And now Setanta has got football, boxing etc and not just hurling and racing, I realise that principles are overrated.

As for Calgary, I lived there for a couple of years and it's a great city. But the Flames? They really blow.

 

[chaco27saf]

The Avs clinched a playoff birth against Vancouver on Tuesday with Forsberg scoring his first goal for the team in nearly four years.

 

[Bentley's Absurd Gait]

The Avs clinched a playoff birth against Vancouver on Tuesday with Forsberg scoring his first goal for the team in nearly four years.

How's Theodore looking? He was so great for a couple of years, I can't believe what happened to him. Those Avs like to pick up a Montreal Goalie, what was his name, that Patrick fella? :D

 

[chaco27saf]

How's Theodore looking? He was so great for a couple of years, I can't believe what happened to him. Those Avs like to pick up a Montreal Goalie, what was his name, that Patrick fella? :D

Theodore has looked alright this season, but he is still not at the level he was in Montreal. I don't think the Avs will get very far with him in goal, but I hope I'm wrong. As for Roy, did you see the story a few days ago about him getting suspended from coaching for a few games after he goaded his son into fighting the other team's goalie? Classic Patty Roy!! :D

And on that note, I feel I must post this link.

EDIT: And this.

 

[Bentley's Absurd Gait]

Yeah, great stuff from St Patrick, there was a load of self-righteous tosh in the Canadian press about how he should know better, but I thought it was sheer class. His fight with Osgood is the stuff of legend.

 

[sufcintheprem]

The Avs clinched a playoff birth against Vancouver ...

... dealing a severe setback to the Canucks' ambitions of their own. From what iv'e read and what little I've seen, I wonder if it's even worth the Canucks competing in the playoffs this time around. Last year, they were almost as bad but managed to get such a good break but still blew it.

Not sure the decision to build a team around the Sedins was wise but I suppose it's easy to say as much after the event.

 

[Bentley's Absurd Gait]

The regular season is over and the play-off match ups are set. So who will be playing for Lord Stanley's mug? In the East, although I'm biased, I pick the Number One ranked Canadiens as the team to beat, though the streaking Washington Capitals may be the surprise package. In the West, it's between Detroit, San Jose, Anaheim and Dallas. The last two play each other in the first round, and a tough seven game series may leave the winner out on their feet and easy prey for the red hot Sharks in the second round. I'm picking Montreal vs San Jose for the final, with the Habs winning in six. Carey Price to win the Conn Smythe trophy and establish himself as the new Patrick Roy.

 

[Bluetonic]

BAG - Sign up for the biggest fight of the year; Joe Calzaghe vs Bernard Hopkins plus Clinton Woods vs Antonio Tarver this weekend. Subscribe for £5 per month for the next three months (£9.99 thereafter) quoting offer code 1904 before Friday 10th April at midnight.

http://www.setanta.com/boxing/

 

[KrustyTheKray]

Toronto Maple Leafs.

Went to see them play The New Jersey Devils while on holiday out there.

What a superb experience.

Go Leafs, GO!!!

 

[chaco27saf]

What a game between the Avs and Wild tonight, Avs score twice in the second, the Wild respond with two in the third, and Super Joe Sakic wins it in overtime with his 8th playoff OT goal. Both Backstrom and Theodore looked great, this will be an amazing series.

 

[Bentley's Absurd Gait]

The Habs opened up with a 4-1 whupping of the Bruins, meaning 9 straight wins over the Beantown jokers. Brothers Sergei and Andrei Kostitsyn scored 1:28 apart in the opening minutes of their playoff debuts, and you would have thought that might be a record. But incredibly, it was only the third quickest pair of goals by brothers in an NHL play-off game. Pass me my anorak.

 

[chaco27saf]

Too bad Montreal couldn't knock off the Bruins yesterday, but hopefully that series and the Avs-Wild series won't go past game six.

 

[Bentley's Absurd Gait]

Too bad Montreal couldn't knock off the Bruins yesterday, but hopefully that series and the Avs-Wild series won't go past game six.

I really hope so, but that 5-1 beating was rough. I don't think I could take a game 7. The Pens looked sharp but the Sens were awful. I can't believe how their season turned from wonderful to shambolic. How the Rockies looking this year Chaco?