The official HCAF NHL playoffs thread...

[iff]

This Phi/Pitt game is ridiculous.

[DARKMETL/]

This Phi/Pitt game is ridiculous.

 

Even more ridiculous now! CRAZY.

[Ovid9]

As a casual hockey watching person....fighting in hockey is moronic. This is just stupid. Pittsburgh, you've lost. Deal with it. Good grief, just play the freaking game.

[MrVisual]

Someone needs to destroy Neal. Crosby too while we're at it. Ok not as much but the guy's an ass.

[DARKMETL/]

 

Someone needs to destroy Neal. Crosby too while we're at it. Ok not as much but the guy's an ass.

 

 

Yeah not sure what was up with Neal, he was out of control, that's not usually his game I don't think, I mean he scored a couple of their goals.

[***1776***]

As a casual hockey watching person....fighting in hockey is moronic. This is just stupid. Pittsburgh, you've lost. Deal with it. Good grief, just play the freaking game.

wat?




SHADDUPPPP and stop watching the game then! :poke:

[Ovid9]

wat? SHADDUPPPP and stop watching the game then! :poke:

 

Oh i know, I saw the most recent poll on how much hockey fans love their fighting.

 

But its dumb. It breaks up the flow of a game that's hard enough for casual fans to learn anyway. Add to the fact its not an overly TV friendly sport (tough to follow the puck AND show everything else that's going on at the same time), throw in breaks for random pointless fights, and then the lip service the sport (like football) are giving to player safety its just had its time and its time to move on. Or allow the fighting but don't let it go on for a minute before the refs do anything. Its just cheesy.

 

IMO.

 

Go Hawks.

 

[Mermph]

Its not something that can be controlled. You're on skates, at a high rate of speed, smashing into one another, the reptile part of the brain takes over.

[scuff]

 

Its not something that can be controlled. You're on skates, at a high rate of speed, smashing into one another, the reptile part of the brain takes over.

 

 

Tha's the part where nothing is happening, right?

[Ovid9]

Its not something that can be controlled. You're on skates, at a high rate of speed, smashing into one another, the reptile part of the brain takes over.

 

Throwing fists cannot be controlled? O.o

 

I'm thinking it could if there were real penalties for it like in other sports.

 

However, this will be my last post on the topic as I didn't intend to derail the thread with comments about fighting in hockey. Sorry.

 

Go hawks!

[HRM]

This Phi/Pitt game is ridiculous.

 

Looks like I couldn't have been MORE wrong about this series

[chris_d]

There is nothing wrong with "normal" hockey fighting, but in my opinion, what is going down in the flyers/penguins games is weak. For a dood with a weak noggin, Crosby sure seems to like to start some {censored}. I don't see how he can avoid getting his bell rung again when he and his teammates are carrying on this way.

 

It actually reminds me a bit of the Vancouver/Boston final last year in one aspect. Some teams, evidently Pittsburgh included, just don't seem to know the difference between "hard" and "dirty". Maybe it is difficult to tell when you are getting shoved around like they are and you are losing games, but the {censored}ing cross checks and elbows to the head bull{censored} has NO {censored}ing place in hockey, playoffs or not.

 

I will be very happy if Pittsburgh gets swept out of this thing, too many of those assholes are dangerous cheapshotting scumbags for me to want to watch them pull that {censored} on any other team. For sure there was {censored} flying both ways today, but it was clear that Pittsburgh was just trying to knock Philadelphia players off the roster, all over the place.

 

If Brendan Shanahan has any brains at all, he is going to start making the bull{censored} cheapshots hurt, and hurt a lot, via multigame suspensions. Multiple games in multiple series have had multiple bull{censored} cheapshots the last couple days. Players are acting crazy, and there need to be some suspensions to snap them out of it.

 

If i wanted to watch WWF bull{censored}, crosschecks to the face(or back of the head), and hairpulling sissyfighting, i wouldn't be {censored}ing watching hockey. One great big epic linebrawl is fine, occasionally, but these are supposed to be some of the best teams around, and they can't {censored}ing pull themselves together long enough to actually play correctly? It is just kind of silly.

 

I also hope that the so far hard hitting but mostly clean Bruins/Caps series keeps going like it has been, as far as this stuff goes. It might not, because games three and four are where folks are going to start getting frustrated with pucks not going in, but i hope they can keep it as good hockey as it has been so far.

[ENdtime]

Oh i know, I saw the most recent poll on how much hockey fans love their fighting. But its dumb. It breaks up the flow of a game that's hard enough for casual fans to learn anyway. Add to the fact its not an overly TV friendly sport (tough to follow the puck AND show everything else that's going on at the same time), throw in breaks for random pointless fights, and then the lip service the sport (like football) are giving to player safety its just had its time and its time to move on. Or allow the fighting but don't let it go on for a minute before the refs do anything. Its just cheesy. IMO. Go Hawks.

 

SO you're the guy Bettman has changed the game for.. ;-)

 

Here is the thing the casual fan may not really understand about fighting and it's point..

 

You mentioned it slows or disrupts the game.. Sometimes that is the entire point.. It's used to slow the roll of the team with momentum.. It's a great tool, because you are right about one thing, the players are in control of their fists.. Sometimes it takes discipline of the guy on the team with momentum to swallow his pride and take a few cheap shots and not get baited into a fight or penalty.. Many times tho, it's hard to just take another guy jabbing ya in the face..

 

The other main reason, although that line us getting blurred in the Philly/Pitt series, it's used to kind of police the game amongst the players themselves.. In most cases a fight or maybe two usually solves the squabble for the game.. But come playoffs, everything is ratcheted up twenty notches.. And truth be told, this is Pitts fault.. This isn't their game.. They have come completely unhinged and are triggering many of these melees themselves.. These is why they are down 3-0.. So for the dedicated fan, as I am, this is just another aspect of trying to win a7 game series.. And it's playing into Philly's strength.. If Pitt was smart and disciplined this series wouldn't be as crazy as it's been and they prolly would have won a game or two.

 

Also not every series is going down with that much fighting and violence.. And typically the first round is when you'll see the most fighting and undisciplined play.. Cause as the teams advance, it's no mistake most of the time they have some good discipline and don't shoot themselves in the foot taking stupid penalties..

[Harvest]

Philly are hardly the Broad Street Bullies of yesteryear either, it's not like they're manhandling the Penguins

 

Pittsburg are where they're at because of terrible game management, bad D and questionable goaltending.

[ENdtime]

How many guys did they get thrown out? If Letang doesn't act like a tough guy they have one of their best defensemen.. Crosby getting fighting major and getting caught up in all the extracurricular {censored}.? That's them not playing their game.. Bad goaltending is definitely a big reason too, but they are off their game because of how much {censored} they are participating in.. Pens coach essentially said the same thing... It's not about who's physically winning the fights, it's who loses the most when they play that way and lose guys to penalty minutes or game misconducts.. If Pens play from whistle to whistle they are the better team..

[grungehack]

Philly are hardly the Broad Street Bullies of yesteryear either, it's not like they're manhandling the Penguins Pittsburg are where they're at because of terrible game management, bad D and questionable goaltending.

 

It's a complete role reversal (stereotypical).. Flyers are better at hockey while the Pens are better at being goons. The refs totally lost control of this game as well. I'm truly {censored}ing embarrassed to be a Pens fan right now. Honestly, the Flyers are a likeable team, especially Giroux. I've seen them (the Pens) goon it up in frustration during other games but there will be some fines & suspensions after this. Dan Bylsma is getting owned completely by Peter Laviolette's coaching.

[Zeppelin Rules]

Aaannnnd the Canucks are doing the Vancouver choke. :smacksownheadonglass:

[superflyinmonke]

I still laugh out loud at the sell on the Mike Smith hit. It's comical.

 

I agree that the Penns aren't playing their game. They may be a little chippy, but they're really letting Philly get under their skin and Philly's coach is really pleased by it. That's the way Peter Laviolette likes hockey to be seen and Philly had the most regular season penalty minutes, so they're used to it and it really shows in their special teams.

[rccCrawler]

I agree that the pens aren't playing their game, but basically that all boils down to one thing: Fluery. He has been simply horrible from the start of the series. Everything else is basically part and parcel of that same thing.

I know those that don't play/coach might not understand, but yes, bad goaltending kills your offense. It is directly related. This is because:

90% of hockey comes down to who gets there first. The difference between getting there first and getting there second is 1/10 of a second, all of which takes place in a players brain - reaction/anticipation time. I tell my players this all the time. When you get there second, you still WANTED to get there, you still WORKED HARD to get there, and you still GOT THERE FAST. The difference was in the 1/10th of a second longer it took you to react/anticipate as compared to your opponent, and in that 1/10th of a second is the game - the difference between winning and losing.

You think having a goalie that can't make a save doesn't cause every single player to hesitate for 1/10th of a second on most plays? You bet it does. Bad goaltending affects EVERYTHING. Besides giving up more goals, it also kills your offense and makes good players look slow and bad. The pens D has looked slow, and like poor judges and making bad decisions, and can't seem to clear the puck even 10 feet. Why? Because they are getting there second. Why? Because their goalie can't stop a puck, and that is causing them to hesitate and second guess. Even 1/10th of a second of hesitation will cause them to get there second, and then they don't have the time they need to make good decisions and plays. Malkin and Crosby not doing as well as expected? Yes, goaltending is causing that too because their entire game is dependant on getting there first, and they are instead hesitating, second guessing, and getting there second. It is extremely difficult to generate offense or to buy the time you need to make good defensive decisions and plays if you are hesitating, second guessing, and therfore getting to the puck second all the time.

Bad goaltending causes hesitation, which affects ALL aspects of a teams game. I've seen it over and over again when I play and especially when coaching teams. You need your goalie to be solid, or nothing else works.

0 - 3 rests squarely on Fluery's shoulders.

[rccCrawler]

Vancouver can't survive without the twins - sometimes even with them - because in the end they have little offensive depth. There are few players who can generate offense on that team once you get past the twins and kessler.

I hope Jersey beats Florida, because that might line up the Bruins with the Flyers. THAT is going to be a really intense series!

[The Anomaly]

As a Flyers fan, that was one of the best games I've ever seen. I'm mad that I have to wait until Wednesday to see some more!

[Reauchambeau]

yeah the Philly Pens series is intense, the Flyers are getting it done.

[Rampage]

Very disappointed by the performance of the Penguins, but I am not shocked. Philly plays them well, plus both Fleury and the defense are cold. The mental meltdown was embarrassing, though. Bylsma really let his team go.

[***1776***]

As a Flyers fan, that was one of the best games I've ever seen. I'm mad that I have to wait until Wednesday to see some more!

INTENSE game and series so far and the Pens "D" is terrible and Fluery in net for the Pens has been terrible, long rebounds, bad positioning, etc - hes been AWFULL!


Just wondering how its playing out with the local media and talk shows? fans like the rough stuff in philly, so im guessing they are liking it as well as being up 3-0 in the series but still wondering how its going in the philly market



This has been the best NHL playoffs so far since the 04 lockout, hands down GREAT for hockey fans

[iff]

This has been the best NHL playoffs so far since the 04 lockout, hands down GREAT for hockey fans

 

Yep.

 

Loving all the match-ups this year. Other than Florida/NJ, I actually want to watch every single game...and this is only the first round. VERY bad for my exam studying.