Maybe then they get Kunitz for the knee to knee later as well? No idea it's hockey.

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Elections have consequences.

Now that the Blackhawks are irrelevant and the post-2008 newbie fans are exchanging their Toews jerseys for Federowicz sweaters, how long til this site reverts to not having a separate hockey section.

Idk

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Elections have consequences.

The 20 something crowd won't care in a bit but I think there is a good number of kids that like hockey now.

these numbers were prior to Bishop's injury tonight.

If Bishop's out, I don't see either of these teams beating St Louis in the Finals.

No idea why they have SJ above the Blues in likelihood of winning %:




As long as the Blues stay healthy and Elliott keeps playing well, and Bishop isn't available? Blues win the Cup.

I missed a few predictions but was right on both Dallas and the Capitals.
St. Louis has to be the favorite...I can't see them losing.

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Ben Bishop is a huge pussy

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I'm hoping for Pitt vs SJ in the cup final, but this Blues team has been impressive and may be the best team in hockey right now.

Blues did get a bit of help in the Dallas series. Game 2, OT, Blues got not just 1 rare-in-OT power play but 2 PP's in the first 10 minutes of OT; neither of which were delay of game or too-many-men on the ice, automatic call type penalties. Blues converted on the 2nd of those rare-in-OT PP to avoid going down 0-2 in the series.

more typical of OT hockey, esp in the playoffs: in the 3 OT periods the Blues-Blackhawks played in the 1st round this year, there was only 1 penalty/PP: a too obvious, gotta call it, puck in the stands delay of game penalty.

Blues getting outta town with a split made it a series; and the Stars shaky goaltending failed to get them through to the conference finals.

Surprised the Stars didn't at least roll out Seguin for the 1st period in Game 7--even if Seguin gets re-injured and he's out for the rest of the season, there's a good chance the Stars could get by the Sharks without him. But his presence on the ice in game 7 could've helped the Stars get on the board first and that might've allowed them to play more defense instead of take chances in trying to catch up and get lit up for six goals by the end.

he was injured for the Finals last year too. maybe being 6'9" or whatever and trying to squeeze down in front of the
net isn't the best thing for these tall goalies health-wise.

Pittsburgh fan running graphics for ESPN today:

if Bishop's mostly healthy and the Lightning get Stamkos back for the Finals, Lighting should beat either the Blues or Sharks (provided they get by Pittsburgh).

Lighting have the best GAA by half a goal of any team left in the playoffs (1.8 vs 2.3 or so for SJS/STL) and the best PK%: killing off almost 9 out of 10 PPs.

Penguins were up 2-0, late in the 1st and on the PP...went to take the garbage out, came back in and the game is tied, 2-2. end of 1st

Pretty much back and forth. Appears to me TB had better skaters.

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Elections have consequences.

Blues have bested 2 skill/finesse/speed teams in the Hawks and even more so the Stars. But neither of those teams had Bishop and his sub 2.0 GAA. if it ends up being Blues/Bolts.

Jon Cooper's looking like last year wasn't a fluke; he's managed to get his team this far despite injuries and talk of a toxic locker room. After Yzerman extended Cooper (2 more years after this season) in December, Stamkos and Drouin, I think were agitating for trades.

Wonder if the 2 years thing was what Yzerman offered or all Cooper would agree to. He probably wants to go some place more hockey friendly; tho Tampa's not the worst hockey town around.

Wings rookie coach got schooled by Cooper in the first round--Detroit only converted 2 out of 25 PP attempts in the series vs Cooper's Lightning. Getting a team's power play going is something a hockey coach can change and make an impact in the course of a series. Blashill wasn't able to do that, despite having a roster loaded with scorers; both younger players and veterans. As a result, his team dropped 3 one goal games on the way to losing 4-1 in the series.

Could see the Wings going for Cooper, who has Michigan ties, in a couple years, if Blashill continues to prove less than ideal.

I seem to recall similar things said last year about the Hawks and Bolts series. Yet the Hawks won.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Bishop wasn't healthy last year, he missed more than a game in the Finals. And the games he played in you could tell he wasn't moving easily.

Dunno what Bishop's situation is now. But it sounds like it won't be a lingering injury, the way his pulled groin was last season.

Killorn beat Murray glove side, but drew iron on the 2 on 1.

Penguins seemingly have had nothing but quality scoring chances this period. Have yet to convert again.

Why'd Palat scoot the puck into Murray's glove? Murray was so far out of the crease, Palat could've skated around him and walked the puck into the net.

Pens win right away in OT. Lightning goalie screened by his own guy on the winning shot. Crosby.

Penguins haven't lost 2 games in a row since January.

Interesting.

They can maintain that streak and still lose this series.

Goalie didn't even see Crosby's shot at the end. Crosby bird-dogged him a bit. Hid behind the tree-like Lightning player and then shot it out of nowhere.

Prior to that Crosby hasn't scored in a while. Malkin has been shit.

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Elections have consequences.

It's taking the Pens too much work to put these guys away. Little worried. Tampa is like four deep at goalie, too.

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You are right. For once just kidding. Tampa has challenged everything. Speed and size of defense and fore check like all get out. I have been impressed and I think they will win this series.

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Elections have consequences.

San Jose looks like they've figured out that St Louis can't skate or pass that well.

So when the Blues go on the PP, Sharks are running a trap on the puck handler. 1 Shark hangs back by the goalie as a sort of safety while 3 Sharks converge on the puck handler. Blues puck-handler usually dumps back, and the Sharks end up with the puck in the Blues zone. Happened over and over last Blues PP.

Sharks would be up at least 4-0; but for Elliott bailing out his team. Sharks were camped in front of the Blues net last Sharks PP. Troy Brouwer in the box after a totally unnecessary slash at center ice; maybe Brouwer's the guy who clears out the Sharks from in front of the goalie on the PP.

Man, Brouwer sure takes a lot of pointless penalties.

That didn't take long. Sharks convert Brouwer's hi-stick into a goal. 3-0 Sharks. Sharks made that look easy.

Blues can take heart in that the Sharks only burned about 30 seconds off the clock with that PP goal.

Yea but he's been good in the playoffs this year.

Brower just hit the post from the paint.