NHL Playoffs

[John K]

I can't understand why hockey isn't more popular in the U.S. I'm a lifelong Bruins fan, and their game last night against the Pens was amazing. The B's finally won it with about 4 minutes left in the 2nd OT, to take a 3-0 lead in the series. They scored on their very 1st shot a minute into the game, and then again on their very last shot, after being shut out for about 95 minutes in between. Nothing keeps you on the edge of your seat like an OT playoff game in hockey. And the excitement and tension just keeps building and building, the longer they go in OT.

So for the other hockey fans out there, who are you picking to win the Cup, now that the pre-playoffs favorite is on the brink of elimination? I'd love to see Boston against Chicago in the finals, which would be the first time two Original 6 teams met in the finals since 1979.

[WeedKillinCat]

I love hockey especially the playoffs. They say the NHL playoffs are a totally different realm than the regular season. You could be a favorite #1 seed but watch out the other teams can beat you. That is what I like about it. Last nights game was great, the overtimes were fast paced up and down the ice, with plenty of shots and posts hit by the pucks. I am rooting for the Bruins in the Eastern finals, because I don't care for the Penguins and Crosby. Crosby is a great player but I don't like how he is the "face" of the NHL. Also the Pens loaded up on high priced talent and looked like they could take the cup but look where they are at now, down 0-3.

Not sure how I feel on the Western finals. I was hoping my young upstart Wings could have finished off the Blackhawks, but their youth and lack of solid depth caught up to them. The Hawks are very deep and I would probably like to see the Hawks play for the Cup. It would do the NHL a lot of good having 2 Original 6 teams battle it out. Definitely good TV ratings. Heck even, the Wings Hawks (Original 6 Teams) series generated some of the better TV ratings in over a decade.

[John K]

It pisses me off that ESPN devotes hours and hours and hours to coverage of the NBA playoffs, while the NHL playoffs barely get a mention. I understand that basketball is far more popular than hockey nationally, so I wouldn't expect the coverage to be equal, but I also don't think it should be quite so one-sided. Late in regulation and/or OT is so much more exciting in hockey than in any other sport, partially because there aren't all the timeouts like there are in basketball and football. It's just non-stop excitement and tension, even if you don't have a dog in the hunt, and it's even better when your favorite team is involved.

[WeedKillinCat]

I agree that ESPN over devotes their time to the NBA and they don't even broadcast the NBA. To me the NBA is not a challenge for most of the players so I have no interest in that. ESPN used to broadcast NHL games and the playoffs but not any more. NBC Sports has the rights now. I don't care for Milbury but no one calls a game like Emerick.

[WeedKillinCat]

Here is a great article from Sports Illustrated

http://nhl.si.com/2013/06/05/the-20-rea ... =uk_t12_a5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[John K]

Here is a great article from Sports Illustrated

http://nhl.si.com/2013/06/05/the-20-rea ... =uk_t12_a5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for posting that link...that was an awesome piece!!

[grizzh8r]

Love this commercial that has been playing for a couple of months now:

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Makes me laugh every time, especially that look by the Nashville Pred's player at the end.

Didn't watch the OT periods last night, but the 3rd period was great hockey. Up and down, no breaks. Good stuff. B's versus Hawks would be cool for the sport, but there's something about LA that I like (don't normally say that about any So. Cal. team, any sport). Just a physical, gritty, defensive team. Johnny Quick is so good, though TUUUUUUUka may be even better. Playoff hockey is boss.

[WeedKillinCat]

Nice sweep by the Bruins over Pittsburg. Sound like the Penguins coach could be let go....

[gtapp]

It's hockey which means it's about a small step above WWE! Its boring!!! I went to a Wild game and couldn't wait to get the hell out of there. They need to double the size of the nets and get rid of the blue line/icing crap! But then look who they have to chose from. How many colleges even have hockey any more (6, 8?) How many High Schools? We are America! We love football and base ball and tolerate basketball. Everything else we can let the Europeans keep!

[John K]

Nice sweep by the Bruins over Pittsburg. Sound like the Penguins coach could be let go....

What an amazing defensive performance by the Bruins in that series. Holding the highest scoring team in the league to a total of 2 goals in 4 games...wow!! I'm tired of hearing about how crappy the Pens played, while the B's get no credit for playing great. They've now gone 9-1 in their last 10 games (and the one loss was in OT), starting with their incredible 3rd period comeback in game 7 against the Leafs in the 1st round. I can't wait for the Finals to start...should be a great series.

[WeedKillinCat]

What a crazy ending in Game 6. Boston had the momentum with a 2-1 lead and it was looking like it was going to Game 7. I was stunned that Chicago scored 17 seconds apart to win the Cup.

[John K]

What a crazy ending in Game 6. Boston had the momentum with a 2-1 lead and it was looking like it was going to Game 7. I was stunned that Chicago scored 17 seconds apart to win the Cup.

That was a crushing loss for us Bruins fans. It was eerily similar, except in an opposite way of course, to when Boston came back to win, after being down 4-1 midway through the 3rd period, and 4-2 with only 1:20 left, in Game 7 against Toronto in the 1st round. After the way Boston had dominated Pittsburgh in the Conference Finals, I was really confident that they'd also beat Chicago for the Cup, but the Black Hawks are a very good team.