NHL and other ice hockey discussion

[Godfather]

Holtby is too good... I've been playing NHL 16 online and everyone uses him like he's a cheat :lol:

Here's hoping either the Pens or the Rangers can still knock out the Caps. I'd hate to see them win a cup.

[Godfather]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CgXz4vwVIAMtmqe.jpg:large

[deebakes]

is that florida? :-k

[DemonGeminiX]

Yay!!! We got one!!! :cheerlead:


Thank you, boys.

[Godfather]

This Hawks-Blues OT is intense. Hoping Hawks can extend this series, fuck the Blues.

[DemonGeminiX]

Tampa Bay sends Detroit home packing.

[DemonGeminiX]

Wow, that was a nail biter.

We live to fight another day. On to game 6.

[DemonGeminiX]

Nice comeback, Chicago. There will be a game 7.

[Godfather]

Great game for the Hawks... 4 unanswered goals, wow.

[DemonGeminiX]

:sad2:

[DemonGeminiX]

Well, at least they made it a series.

[deebakes]

fingers crossed for the wild to push it another game...

[DemonGeminiX]

4 goals in one period. If they win this game... yeah. :lol:

[deebakes]

holy crap, was it over the line? :shock:

[DemonGeminiX]

Not completely.

I'm sorry, Dee. They certainly made it entertaining.

[DemonGeminiX]

I can't believe Jagr's still playing. :lol:

[RBP]

I can't believe Jagr's still playing. :lol:

He's an immortal.

[DemonGeminiX]

He's an immortal playing golf. The Islanders just beat the Panthers in 2OT to win their series.

[FBD]

I can't believe Jagr's still playing. :lol:

at 45?? holy shit. that's some impressive stuff right there. (I'm pretty sure he's 45, because I remember him being my older brother's age)

[DemonGeminiX]

Sorry, RBP.

[RBP]

Eh. They have been on an every other year dealio. Still proud of the success of the franchise of late.

[DemonGeminiX]

Yeah, it's kinda nice having a franchise that keeps winning, isn't it? It really is too bad that Philly doesn't know anything about that.

:lol:


The Preds and Ducks are going to a game 7. It's been a pretty wild first round. I hope it remains that way throughout the rest of the playoffs.

[Godfather]

Fuck Hawks lost! Terrible

So the Hawks, Wings, Flyers and Panthers are all gone... all four team I was pulling for. Each one got down in their series and played hard to fight back but no good upsets, shame.

[Godfather]

Love seeing new fans discover hockey during the playoffs :lol:

http://i.imgur.com/H7vYTuo.png

[FBD]

:lol: that was hilarious. now homes gets to find out how other sports are like watching paint dry when compared to the greatest game on earth :cheerlead:



I always get excited when the playoffs get here. its when I actually remember to start trying to catch some games here and there...this year is extra special since I actually caught some of the first round. and holy shit, 2 games in a row on, sunday! how's about that! and then the nbc sn screwjob. but I refuse to pay to watch tv. there's actually a tv in my house these days, since we vacated the studio and I brought the 55" that was over the mixing board home. its been on twice :lol:

[Godfather]

That's awesome FBD! Who you pulling for?

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:yawn:

[FBD]

That's awesome FBD! Who you pulling for?

I'm pulling for HOCKEY! I want every series to go OT in every game right to game fuggin 7, so there is more and more and more hockey.

I really dont give a shit about teams or who wins, just so long as they win nice and evenly so that there's the maximum amount hockey to be watched. I usually decide who I want to win as a game progresses. So while I was glad to see Dallas come back and send the game into OT yesterday (and its always nice to hear cowboys from hell jammin every time they score....actually the dallas stars theme is also present in the Rebel Meets Rebel disc they did with david allen coe, with hank williams III in on the backing vocals for "Get outta my life")....I was also glad to see the blues win because that ties the series, which always leads to MOAR HOCKEY!!!

[Godfather]

I'm pulling for HOCKEY! I want every series to go OT in every game right to game fuggin 7, so there is more and more and more hockey.

I really dont give a shit about teams or who wins, just so long as they win nice and evenly so that there's the maximum amount hockey to be watched. I usually decide who I want to win as a game progresses. So while I was glad to see Dallas come back and send the game into OT yesterday (and its always nice to hear cowboys from hell jammin every time they score....actually the dallas stars theme is also present in the Rebel Meets Rebel disc they did with david allen coe, with hank williams III in on the backing vocals for "Get outta my life")....I was also glad to see the blues win because that ties the series, which always leads to MOAR HOCKEY!!!

Ya agreed... I'm used to my home team not being in it, so I end up just watching and cheering for good hockey. Usually by the third round I'm pulling for one or two teams :lol: This year I'm just happy to see some different teams in the mix.

[FBD]

:tup: I grew up with a lake within two stones throw, so I was skating and playing hockey with my brothers plenty often until we moved away from there....but it definitely gave me a huge love for the game. that, and the lady that was stealing money from pops' firm when I was younger always spread the whalers season tickets around

[DemonGeminiX]

Something tells me that the Blues are going to the conference finals. End of 2nd period, 5 - 0. I gotta pretty good feeling about this.

[DemonGeminiX]

Sharks and Blues in the West finals.

Penguins and Lightning in the East.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:yawn:

[DemonGeminiX]

When you're a true fan of the sport, it doesn't matter who's playing.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Yeah, okay :rolleyes:

[DemonGeminiX]

[-(

Poser.





































8-[

:poke:

:lol:

[FBD]

from the little bits of hockey that I've seen, seems like it will be blues vs lightning

[FBD]

out of a potential 14 conference final games,

THIRTEEN are on fuggin nbcsn

fuck. you. people.

:hitler:

[FBD]

thank the hockey gods that there are streams available to watch. good game last night, I cant believe that sharks guy fanned that wide open shot that would have tied it. sharks looked like they dominated the second period, and the blues were helped out a couple times with some whistles that came so fast the puck was still in motion when it blew. the look on that sharks guy's face on that one that hit the back of elliot's stick and wound up going in....but only after the ref blew that thing so fast. that was crap, imho. but the blues held it down well in the 3rd period.

[FBD]

yeah, I dont see the blues coming out on top of this series

[FBD]

If the lightning keeps playing like they did last night, they're done for. Good first period then it was like they were completely out of gas after that. Felt bad for the goalie, lazy bad passes and poor coverage, there's only so much a goalie can do.

[Godfather]

Ya Pitt was just flyyying out there, unreal. I think Tampa can come back and make it a series still, but I'm betting against them winning (my best bud and I have bet dinner on it :lol)

[FBD]

heh...it was deadlocked in the first period when tampa bay was doing their job....then into the second, they started making lackadaisical passes, there was a distinct lack of hustle. 2:40+ and having to call a timeout just to give your line a break - that's the team failing, imho

[FBD]

after the behavior of the refs last night, I'm now rooting for the lightning. refs gotta call penalties, and letting stuff go is just bullshit and arbitrary. that 3rd period penalty was just a disgrace, how they did not call that trip that would have made it a 5 on 3 for the lightning is beyond me, but then to right after, watch some penguins idiot take an obvious dive and they made it a 4 on 4.....that was the most bulllllllshittiest thing I have ever seen in all my years of watching hockey.

I was very glad to see the lightning come back and win it in OT after that.

(granted, they didnt calla couple obvious ones on the lightning...but those were damn near hot off the heels of missing a big call against the penguins)

[Godfather]

Lightning fans not too happy with reffing again in this one... can't blame them really. Bad penalty on that open-ice hit.

This off-side shit needs to be tweaked big-time too. I'm all for the coach's challenge if a play is off-side, but if it's a lift of foot rather I think it's BS we still call that off-side now that we have cameras. Once you cross the plane then that should be off-side, but if your leg is still hovering over the line... come on, what's the 'cheat' there?

[FBD]

eh, that's a slippery slope on that one...I can understand the contact aspect of it

[DemonGeminiX]

San Jose gets to their first Stanley Cup finals in the history of their team.

[deebakes]

:rip:

[FBD]

they dominated the blues last night, its good to see a team hustle like that and not play conservatively

I think I will be rooting for 'em in the stanley cup

(definitely, if the penguins win :lol: )

[DemonGeminiX]

It's the Penguins vs the Sharks. The Cup finals starts on Monday.

[deebakes]

go san jose and fuck that sidney crosby bastard :x

[FBD]

yep, cant be passing like that and eek out a win when you NEED a goal

[DemonGeminiX]

If it keeps going on like this, then it's going to be a very short and boring Stanley Cup finals. C'mon, San Jose. Pick it up.

[DemonGeminiX]

Well at least they made it interesting.

[DemonGeminiX]

Pittsburgh's up 2 games to 0 with the OT winner.

[FBD]

aside from hitting the goalposts 6 times, san jose's game was rather lackluster

[Godfather]

Sid is playing unbelievable hockey right now. His points don't do justice to it. 70% in the faceoff circle? Wow.

The Sharks are whining about this and that, Thorton is looking upset... which just tells me the Pens are in their heads. They better toughen up and play their own game or this'll be over quick.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:yawn:

[FBD]

:snapout:

[FBD]

about time, sharks!


cant believe I watched murray get beat in the 5 and it still went off the post, smh

[FBD]

when the sharks play intensely, they're excellent, but they only do it for so long before they're on their heels having a heck of a time recovering.


doesnt look like they've got it in 'em






good performance of the anthem my james hetfield & kirk hammett, but kirk shouldnt have blazed before going out on the ice :lol: I was going to kill those two if they didnt play it in time, thankfully they did.

[DemonGeminiX]

Sharks take game 5. The Penguins lead 3 - 2.

[FBD]

that was an awesome first period of hockey (and I cant believe how many times the penguins DIDNT score last night)

[Godfather]

Always fun watching the Cup get lifted (unless they just beat your own team). Happy for Sid, and really happy for Phil! Great to see some faces on that team who were cast aside by other organizations win a big cup.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:yawn:

[FBD]

too much shoddy passing from the sharks

[DemonGeminiX]

:yawn:

:wah:

[FBD]

Always fun watching the Cup get lifted (unless they just beat your own team). Happy for Sid, and really happy for Phil! Great to see some faces on that team who were cast aside by other organizations win a big cup.
funny, cuz I'm out the door by the time the cup's getting lifted pretty much no matter who wins. I'm there for the fight, not watch grown men cry, losers or winners.




if I were the sharks coach, those MFers would be doing passing drills until next year's playoffs start

[Godfather]

Sharks had no business even winning two games that series. They played like absolute shit.

[DemonGeminiX]

The NHL is ready to roll the dice on Las Vegas.

A person with direct knowledge of the NHL's decision says the league has settled on Las Vegas as the home for its next expansion franchise, provided organizers can come up with a $500 million fee.

The person spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity because details of the plans have not been released by the league ahead of its Board of Governors meeting on June 22 in Las Vegas. Quebec City was also strongly considered for expansion.

A second person who had been briefed on the decision said Las Vegas was a "done deal" following the recommendation of the NHL's executive committee.

The Vegas franchise is expected to begin play in the 2017-18 season, which is the earliest the league could expand, according to a third person who has been briefed on the decision.

The franchise would be the NHL's 31st team and the first major professional sports franchise in Las Vegas, the rapidly growing gambling center of the American West.

The NHL hasn't expanded since 2000, when Minnesota and Columbus paid $80 million each to join the league. Prospective Vegas owner Bill Foley is a wealthy businessman who isn't likely to blink at the elevated price tag previously proposed by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman as an expansion fee.

The Las Vegas bid says it has secured more than 14,000 season-ticket deposits for the new team, which will play in T-Mobile Arena, the sparkling new multipurpose building on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip. The arena, which seats 17,500 for hockey, was built entirely with private money by MGM Resorts International and Anschutz Entertainment Group, the owners of the Los Angeles Kings.

The Las Vegas area had nearly 2.2 million people in the 2010 census, making it the largest population center in the U.S. without a major pro sports franchise. Public support for Foley's bid has been robust, and the NHL has noticed the appeal of being the only major sports show in a town that loves a big event.

"This could be a watershed moment for our community and sports in Southern Nevada," said Jonas Peterson, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance. "Having a professional hockey team will not only boost our economy, but also our sense of community pride."

Mayor Carolyn Goodman said she couldn't confirm the expansion, but said she senses a "great probability" for the decision because of a shift in the conversation in the last two weeks.

"H-E double-hockey-sticks yes!" said Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak, the first person to make a deposit on season tickets. "I'm excited, but I'm waiting for the official announcement from the NHL. Las Vegas has been waiting for this for decades. We're a major league city. We deserve major league sports. I can't wait to see that first championship parade down the Las Vegas Strip!"

The days when sports leagues were wary of the potential corruption in Vegas' massive sports betting scene are apparently finished, making the growing, multicultural city an attractive candidate for sports looking to get in on the market.

The Oakland Raiders have held serious discussions with Vegas leaders in recent months about a move to Nevada, with owner Mark Davis suggesting that he and his partners, including casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, could build a $1.4 billion domed stadium near the Strip with substantial public money. David Beckham met with the group in April, and the English soccer superstar suggested Vegas would be a candidate for an MLS team with that new field.

But Foley and the NHL have been working much longer to bring hockey to the city -- with the enormous advantage of an NHL-ready building freshly opened in town. T-Mobile Arena had its grand opening April 6 with a concert featuring Wayne Newton and the Killers, and Canelo Alvarez knocked out Amir Khan in a middleweight title bout on May 7 in its first competitive sporting event.

The NHL has debated expansion for a few years, with Seattle and the Toronto suburbs also generating interest for another team. Foley has always been the leader, with the league accepting a $2 million deposit and thoroughly vetting his financial plans last year.

Quebec City still has a strong bid for expansion, but owners have expressed concerns about the strength of the Canadian dollar and a geographical imbalance if they add another team to the Eastern Conference, which currently has 16 teams to the West's 14.
Bettman has said he doesn't worry about the league's product suffering from dilution.

Even with the serious financial woes of the Arizona Coyotes, who were owned by the league for four years while losing money and struggling to find permanent ownership, the NHL remains opposed to relocation of any franchise, and confident in its belief that hockey can thrive in a non-traditional Southwest market.

Vegas is in the middle of the Mojave Desert, but it has grown as a hockey town over the past 20 years since local youngsters like Jason Zucker, now with the Minnesota Wild, had to practice on one of the three rinks in town.

The IHL's Las Vegas Thunder attracted large crowds in the 1990s when they played at the Thomas and Mack Center, and the ECHL's Las Vegas Wranglers took the Thunder's place until 2014 while playing at the Orleans Arena.

Foley hasn't said what he will call his new team, but the bid is run by a company named Black Knight Sports and Entertainment, the same name as his financial services company. Foley graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

[Godfather]

I'm fairly sure it'll fail. Especially if Vegas gets other leagues like NBA or NFL teams that will cast a huge shadow over any NHL team there.

That said... I wouldn't be opposed to the league trying something new in Vegas.... but what I really object to is going up to 31 teams. There are several teams failing to fill their stadiums and make money. Please just move one of them. The league doesn't need to be diluted by another 20-25 NHL'ers from the minors, and it doesn't need another embarrassingly ill-attended franchise.

Hell my vote would be eliminating the 1-2 worst performing teams improving the quality of existing teams, and then move the next 2-3 worst performers to Vegas, Seattle, Quebec City, maybe even another in the Greater Toronto Area.

[DemonGeminiX]

You should be able to drop a team, new or relocated, back into Quebec and make a killing there.

[Godfather]

Agreed, and I think they're building a new stadium there too.... maybe once the Canadian dollar recovers a bit (presuming it ever does).

[DemonGeminiX]

And the NHL has approved an expansion team for Las Vegas.

[Godfather]

Good for Kaner coming back huge this year and winning the Hart, Ross and Ted Lindsay. Some piece of shit tried to ruin his life and he incredibly came back to have the season of his career. Gave a really nice little speech tonight, I think he's really grown up since the Taxi incident.

And man he has an unbelievable trophy case now, 3 cup rings, Smythe, Art Ross, Lindsay. Pretty impressive.... for an American :P

[Godfather]

Lance I think the Avs made an incredible pick with Tyson Jost... seems like a fantastic kid. Heard people say that he interviewed as one of the best young players at any combine ever.


Canucks on the other hand, I think fucked up. It all stems from bad ownership. You don't use a 5th overall pick because you need a #2 D-man to win now... How fucking stupid.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Lance I think the Avs made an incredible pick with Tyson Jost... seems like a fantastic kid. Heard people say that he interviewed as one of the best young players at any combine ever.


Canucks on the other hand, I think fucked up. It all stems from bad ownership. You don't use a 5th overall pick because you need a #2 D-man to win now... How fucking stupid.

The Avs have drafted a lot of good players lately, look where it has gotten them :lol: :thumbsdown:

[Godfather]

Ayyee they'll be alright

[Teh One Who Knocks]

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:28.1018518519% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAA pWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY 9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wO HiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GP T6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90G Sy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAA AElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BIfonuShZe8/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Буллит Ткачева</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A video posted by HC &#34;Ak Bars&#34; Kazan (@hcakbars) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-07-30T17:38:48+00:00">Jul 30, 2016 at 10:38am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

[DemonGeminiX]

:lol:

C'mon! That's cheating!

[Godfather]

Only in Russia eh :lol:

[FBD]

<blockquote

that's fuggin hilarious :rofl:

[Godfather]

Evander Kane is the NHL's Ray Rice... just a lovely human.

[Godfather]

Interesting article by Gabriel Landeskog on concussions

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/we-need-to-talk-about-concussions-right-now/

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Wow, Patrick Roy just abruptly up and quite as head coach of the Avs :-k

[Godfather]

That's for sure strange... but so is Roy. Great team on paper, just needs a bit more work. Can't see any reason he'd want to quit!

Maybe a better offer elsewhere?

[Teh One Who Knocks]

A better offer? Doubtful, he's missed the playoffs the last 2 years in a row :lol:

[Godfather]

Ya you're right :lol:

Apparently released a statement basically saying his vision for the team didn't match the rest of the group.

With Roy you have to wonder if he just stormed off in a fit of rage, or if this had actually been brewing for a while :lol: My understanding was he may have wanted a few guys like Landeskog gone.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Ya you're right :lol:

Apparently released a statement basically saying his vision for the team didn't match the rest of the group.

With Roy you have to wonder if he just stormed off in a fit of rage, or if this had actually been brewing for a while :lol: My understanding was he may have wanted a few guys like Landeskog gone.

I'm guessing fit of rage :lol: Remember how he left the Habs?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH2k-GW21co

[Godfather]

:lol: Absolutely, that's a classic.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

In all fairness to Roy, Tremblay should have pulled him MUCH earlier in that game. What he did was leave him in to purposely embarrass Roy when it was obvious he wasn't on his game that day.

[Godfather]

Anyone watching the World Cup of hockey?

The quality of hockey is undeniably great, but it's a bit hard for me to care given there's really no history. The team North America and Europe thing makes it feel pretty gimmicky too.

You know for these players, winning this thing must be a very distant 3rd, 4th or 5th on the list of their career goals :lol: I'm sure most see the Stanley Cup first, then probably Olympic gold, maybe World Championship for the Europeans or World Juniors for those who competed for it when they were younger...

[DemonGeminiX]

I've seen it on, but I'm not actively watching it.

[RBP]

Baseball finishes, football finishes, then I pay attention to hockey.

[Godfather]

US team got crushed this tourney. They made terrible decisions using Torts as coach and leaving off Phil Kessel. Really foolish. Hope US Hockey shakes things up after this to rebound, it's always less fun to watch when they're not a contender.

[Godfather]

Wowwwww

Auson Matthews with 4 goals in his NHL debut... a hatty halfway though his first game. Unreal. Hard to cheer for the leafs but I'll be cheering for Matthews for sure.

[deebakes]

did "real" hockey start again already? :shock:

[DemonGeminiX]

One game has been played between several teams. I suppose the rest play their first tonight or tomorrow. The Flyer's first game is at LA Kings tomorrow night.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

http://i.imgur.com/kVoHMY4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/UDTcHmk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ioaZfcm.jpg

Boss gave me and the wife tix to the hockey game this past Saturday, fantastic seats, finally got to experience how the other half lives :lol: Fancy private club before the game with fancy buffet and drinks (all free) and of course the amazing seats.

Best part of the game, this hit:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jALjwT6kfc

Plus, the Avalanche broke their 9 game losing streak, so we got to be there for a rare win (they've lost 26 of 31 games, worst team in the NHL).

[Godfather]

Thats awesome man! Looks like great seats

[DemonGeminiX]

He got up from that? I remember back in the day Scott Stevens put a hit like that on Eric Lindros and it pretty much ended Lindros's season... and career.

I guess Lindros was a pussy.

[deebakes]

whoa :shock:

nice lance :tup:

[Godfather]

Lance any thoughts on the Julien firing/Habs hiring?

[Jezter]

Patrik Laine is quite something, huh? Other rookie Finns doing well too, but Laine is the stand out.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Lance any thoughts on the Julien firing/Habs hiring?

I dunno, the Bruins are an enigma this year. The coach always is the one to take the blame, but there's not much better than Julien. Not sure what direction the B's are going to go in at this point, especially considering how popular he was with all the players.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Patrik Laine is quite something, huh? Other rookie Finns doing well too, but Laine is the stand out.

I saw him play when I went to the Avalanche game a couple of weeks ago, fairly disappointed because he didn't do anything.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Avs were shut out for the 11th time last night, one more and they tie the team record :woot:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Blake Comeau is a professional hockey player and a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Based on the following clip, you’d think he was a player in a hockey video game being controlled by someone who doesn’t know what button shoots the puck on goal.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi_eGSHViNM

:facepalm:

[deebakes]

:wtf:

[Godfather]

:lol: I'm betting the Jets player was calling for a pass like a team-mate. Works 1 out of 10 times in beer league, shouldn't work in the pros though. :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:lol: I'm betting the Jets player was calling for a pass like a team-mate. Works 1 out of 10 times in beer league, shouldn't work in the pros though. :lol:

It should never ever work on a breakaway, not in any level of competition :facepalm:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMWrKQ_pNk4

[DemonGeminiX]

I didn't even realize the playoffs had started. Canada representing. They've got 5 teams in the playoffs. When's the last time the Maple Leafs, Oilers, and Flames made a run at the Cup?

[Godfather]

Been a while! Crazy turnaround after having no teams in last year... I'm rooting for any one of them to win :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Been a while! Crazy turnaround after having no teams in last year... I'm rooting for any one of them to win :lol:

Even Toronto? :-s

[Godfather]

Even Toronto? :-s

Toronto isn't part of Canada as far as I'm concerned :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">You don&#39;t often hear Pierre McGuire get this fired up, but he&#39;s not wrong <a href="https://t.co/f1UjENtvhM">pic.twitter.com/f1UjENtvhM</a></p>&mdash; Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteBlackburn/status/854163024550256640">April 18, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So the Bruins got shafted by a bad officiating call last night....in OT of a playoff game :meh:

[Godfather]

That uppercut was perfect :lol: I would've done the same... can't believe the Sens got no call there.

[DemonGeminiX]

:empathy: RBP

[Godfather]

Can't believe the Hawks are done already! Damn shame but I guess Nashville had a great year.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Boston's not far behind being down 3-1 :wha:

[DemonGeminiX]

The Oilers knock off the Sharks. The times, they are a-changin'.

[Godfather]

Ya what the hell is going on this year! The oilers win their first round in over a decade, Hawks swept, Carey Prices is healthy but loses to the Rangers... we're in an alternate timeline.

[deebakes]

:hand: no we're not, wild are out of the playoffs early like normal :shrug:

[DemonGeminiX]

Like normal? When did the Wild making the playoffs become normal?

[DemonGeminiX]

The Senators knock off the Bruins.

[RBP]

Like normal? When did the Wild making the playoffs become normal?

:giggle:

[deebakes]

the last five seasons believe it or not :shrug:

[DemonGeminiX]

The Capitals knock off the Maple Leafs.

[DemonGeminiX]

Ottawa and Nashville have moved on to their respective conference finals.

[deebakes]

who ya got tonight? :?

[DemonGeminiX]

Pittsburgh and Anaheim move on to the conference finals.

It's the Ducks vs the Predators in the west (which kind of makes me chuckle), and the Penguins vs the Senators in the east.

There's still one Canuckian team representing.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Is this still going on? :yawn:

[deebakes]

go ottawa i guess :shrug:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

FOX 32 Chicago


http://i.imgur.com/NdODk7e.jpg

CHICAGO (Fox 32 News) - Blackhawks right winger Patrick Kane has proven that he is a first-class citizen when it comes to showing support for the military.

Kane was traveling first class on a recent American Airlines flight when he noticed a military member flying in coach. Kane offered to switch seats with him. The man later came back to thank Kane for the gesture.

Flight attendant Teri Truss shared the story on Twitter, calling Kane "a class act."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Patrick Kane from The BLACKHAWKS gave up his 1st Class seat to a SOLDIER...what a class act... <a href="https://t.co/NKTDWXWdZA">pic.twitter.com/NKTDWXWdZA</a></p>&mdash; Teri Truss (@TeriTruss) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeriTruss/status/862471982658531328">May 11, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[deebakes]

did he rape him first or was it consensual afterwards? :-k

[DemonGeminiX]

Nashville @ Pittsburgh

Oh joy. Pittsburgh made the Stanley Cup Finals again. :roll:

[RBP]

Nashville @ Pittsburgh

Oh joy. Pittsburgh made the Stanley Cup Finals again. :roll:

:usa:

[Godfather]

Rinne was god awful tonight wow.... 4 goals on 11 shots.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

So the Preds are gonna make a series out of it after all :-k

[Godfather]

Pretty awesome! Glad to see this is turning out to be a series.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

by James Dator - SB Nation


One Predators fan ended up with an impressive bar tab after Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, and it’s something else.

http://i.imgur.com/UBs5Wug.jpg

93 Coors Lights

This HAD to be buying a round for the entire bar, otherwise everyone in this party of eight had 18.6 beers each, judging from the check.

1 short sleeve t-shirt

Maybe it’s just me, but I think when you drop $900 at a single table they should just throw the shirt in for free.

No ribs anywhere

You’re at a place called “Rippy’s Ribs” and nobody ordered ribs? What’s up with that?

That “Sausage and cheese platter” sounds good though ...

I like these things.

One $7 Blue Moon

That is a lot for a Blue Moon. I don’t have any other commentary.

An 18.2 percent tip.

This is an oddly specific number, because the tip amount was oddly specific. This is someone who clearly used a calculator to wind up at $169.73, and yet they went for 18.2 percent instead of 18.

I caught up with David Hudson, who ran up this impressive bar tab, who told me more about how it came about.


“I flew in from Madison, WI, and I met a buddy that flew in from Brooklyn, NY. We both moved away from Nashville about 12 years ago, and we have remained loyal Predators fans. Even though we didn't have tickets to the game, we wanted to be in Nashville for the first Stanley Cup Final. We met up with our buddies who still live in town. Wanting to watch the game in a bar downtown, we got to Rippys at 11 am, and stayed until it ended.”

Five people primarily contributed to the incredible bar tab, but really it took a village to drink it all.


“We drank the majority. The guy who posted the Reddit account introduced himself as Chuggy Bear, Chuggy for short. We got tagged with someone else's Yazoo Pale Ale and Blue Moon.The Patron shots were shared with the table next to us. We never ordered a round for another group, but since we had been getting buckets of Coors Light, we were more than happy to share.”

Of course the big question: How did he feel the morning after their big night?


“I felt pretty good Sunday morning, and I feel great today after another Predators win.”

That’s living your best life.

[Godfather]

What a champ. Preds games sound like an absolute riot, I'd love to get to one sometime.

[DemonGeminiX]

Fuckin' bullshit. :meh:

[Godfather]

That disallowed Nashville goal was BS...

[Teh One Who Knocks]

4th time they've won the Stanley Cup in the last 9 years now

[Godfather]

Some of these new jerseys are shit, Adidas shouldn't be making NHL jerseys. The Preds' looks like a practice jersey, and the gold sleeve on the new Vegas Golden Knights looks like it's off traditional Indian formal wear...

[RBP]

The NHL draft and a porn convention the same weekend. What could go wrong?

[Godfather]

Some of these kids are so young now, you could probably make a game of cropping out their hair and asking 'Entry Draftee or Porn Star'

[RBP]

Some of these kids are so young now, you could probably make a game of cropping out their hair and asking 'Entry Draftee or Porn Star'

I would suggest playing before fucking.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Season started last night, both Boston and Colorado are undefeated :cheers:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Chicago beat the Pens 10-1 :shock:

[Godfather]

:shock:

[Godfather]

It's really early but Vegas is op in the west at 5-1-0! Good goaltending is helping a lot, as is Neal.

[DemonGeminiX]

They have to win. They've gotta draw all of the drunk gamblers away from the tables. Seriously, Vegas is a horrible place for a sport's team. Way too many distractions in that town.

[deebakes]

and transients :shrug:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Blackhawks are going to host the Bruins in the 2019 Winter Classic at Notre Dame stadium

[Godfather]

That 3-way trade sure was interesting eh lance?

[Teh One Who Knocks]

That 3-way trade sure was interesting eh lance?

I don't remember now :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Josh Luckenbaugh - The Washington Times


https://i.imgur.com/7snXD2b.jpg

On Wednesday the Department of the Army filed a formal opposition against the Vegas Golden Knights’ ownership group, Black Knight Sports and Entertainment, with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office over the NHL expansion team’s use of the name Golden Knights.

The Army lists three grounds of opposition in the complaint, per USA Today: dilution, false suggestion of connection and the possibility of being brought into disrepute.

Vegas’ black-and-gold uniform color scheme resembles the uniforms worn by Army’s athletic teams. And while most Army teams are nicknamed the Black Knights, the U.S. Army Parachute Team is known as the Golden Knights. According to the filing, the Army “believes it will be damaged” by these similarities with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Additionally, Vegas general manager George McPhee has said in the past that the team’s name and colors were inspired by the Army, according to SportsLogos.net. Golden Knights owner Bill Foley is a West Point graduate, and reportedly wanted the name and colors of his NHL team to resemble that of his alma mater’s athletic teams.

Vegas released a statement on Army’s charge Thursday, saying that they “are not aware of a single complaint from anyone attending our games that they were expecting to see the parachute team and not a professional hockey game.”
951484599095513088
The Golden Knights have until February 19 to respond to the Army’s filing, and failure to respond could result in forfeiture of the trademark.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

It's really early but Vegas is op in the west at 5-1-0! Good goaltending is helping a lot, as is Neal.

2nd most points in the NHL right now.

[Godfather]

That response from the Golden Knights is perfect :lol:

[Godfather]

Anyone have a look at the Olympic rosters? It's going to be a shit tier tourny... such a shame. You can't even say it's back to its roots of being amateur because they're still pros... just not the best pros by any stretch. Lame

[DemonGeminiX]

:-s

So somebody else besides Canada has a shot at winning the gold medal?

[Godfather]

:-s

So somebody else besides Canada has a shot at winning the gold medal?

No :mad:

[DemonGeminiX]

The entire Russian league is supposedly playing. What is it? The KHL? Those are pros.

[Godfather]

The entire Russian league is supposedly playing. What is it? The KHL? Those are pros.

Ya that's my point basically, it's pros but not the best pros. Guys from the KHL, European leagues, the AHL, etc. are all still going, so we're definitely not back to the old amateur roots the Olympics were supposed to be, just somewhere in the middle with these rinkie-dink teams. I still favor pros for hockey in the Olympics, but if they're going to allow professionals I want to see the NHL there or it's really not a meaningful tourny to me :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Ya that's my point basically, it's pros but not the best pros. Guys from the KHL, European leagues, the AHL, etc. are all still going, so we're definitely not back to the old amateur roots the Olympics were supposed to be, just somewhere in the middle with these rinkie-dink teams. I still favor pros for hockey in the Olympics, but if they're going to allow professionals I want to see the NHL there or it's really not a meaningful tourny to me :lol:

As far as sports in the Olympics, was hockey ever truly just amateurs? Sure, countries like the United States and Canada honored the fact that it was supposed to be an amateur tournament, but the USSR and the Soviet Bloc European countries basically sent pros over to compete, even if they claimed they were amateurs. That's how the Soviets dominated when they were winning 8 gold medals in the span of 10 Olympics.

[Godfather]

As far as sports in the Olympics, was hockey ever truly just amateurs? Sure, countries like the United States and Canada honored the fact that it was supposed to be an amateur tournament, but the USSR and the Soviet Bloc European countries basically sent pros over to compete, even if they claimed they were amateurs. That's how the Soviets dominated when they were winning 8 gold medals in the span of 10 Olympics.


I'm sure you're right, that was before my time.


The one cool thing will be seeing the stories of the guys going. I'm not sure what US broadcasting is like, but Canadian Olympic shows do a really cool job featuring stories and neat little pieces on Olympians. It's the same old story for hockey usually... we all know who Crosby is. But some of these guys this year will have some interesting backstories about their passion for the game, continuing to play after their time in the NHL has come and gone.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

We get too much backstory on Olympions on US broadcasts. It's ridiculous and why I rarely, if ever, watch the Olympics. They will show 5 minutes of the actual sport and then cut away to do a 25 minute segment on the athlete(s).

And a fun fact about the Soviet gold medal domination that I mentioned above. The only 2 times the Soviets didn't win the gold medal in that 10 year stretch, the United States took the gold (1960 and 1980).

[Godfather]

This is quite long, but a very very good read. I couldn't stop.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/kevin-stevens-addiction-struggles-second-chance-pittsburgh/

[Godfather]

All Star Weekend :yawn:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Was watching a thing on TV over the weekend about goaltenders and made me think/reminisce...was there a better time for goaltending than the period of the mid 90's into the early 2000's? Eddie Belfour, Felix Potvin, Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, Curtis Joseph, Mike Richter, Dominik Hasek, Chris Osgood, Roberto Luongo....and I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting.

[Godfather]

Was watching a thing on TV over the weekend about goaltenders and made me think/reminisce...was there a better time for goaltending than the period of the mid 90's into the early 2000's? Eddie Belfour, Felix Potvin, Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, Curtis Joseph, Mike Richter, Dominik Hasek, Chris Osgood, Roberto Luongo....and I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting.

That's a really good question. When I was growing up I had goalie posters on my wall, they were so fun to watch. Now everyone just plays the same hybrid goaltending style and it's not as fun to watch. Could that be part of it?

It also seems like now in the Salary Cap era is that you can't win with a top paid goalie anymore. Carrie Price, Pekka Rinne, Lundqvist... not winning many cups, seems to take away from the rest of the roster too much. I guess the Kings won a couple with Quick and Crawford is pretty damn good, but it's not the same.

[Godfather]

Sedins announced their retirement after 17 seasons with the Canucks :(

Great careers. I wish they'd won a cup and hoped they'd come back for one more year - but class acts on and off the ice all the way. I do respect how late they announced it in the season too, avoiding all the silly hoopla of a big drawn out victory lap.

An Art Ross trophy each, a Hart, Lindsay and Clancy, six all star appearances and Olympics Golds. For guys who people liked to call The Sisters, they played a shit load of hockey (over 1200 games each) and rarely missed a game despite being some of the hardest guys to knock off a puck ever to play (Henrik's Ironman streak was 679 games at one point!). The city will never forget that they donated $3M personally to our local Children's Hospital either.

Canucks won't be the same without them.

[Godfather]

Sedins won their last home game with an OT goal, pass from Hank to Daniel who ripped it home. Great way to say goodbye. Little emotional too.

Intro vid to tonight's game was great


https://youtu.be/LDPNSI6lSZw

[DemonGeminiX]

The Flyers made the playoffs. Yay!

[Godfather]

The Flyers made the playoffs. Yay!

Hell ya. I've really enjoyed Giroux making such a huge come-back this year. I'll be cheering for Philly too just because I love their style, and Jordan Weal is a local guy.

Personally, my contribution was dropping G from my hockey pool as my carry-over player after declining the past 3 years :lol: You're welcome.

[Godfather]

Pumped for the first round of the playoffs!! Some great series coming up.

Excited to see the Bruins thump the Leafs hopefully.

The Pit-Philly series should be a brawl

Also just judging by the first game, the Kings-Golden Knights series should be great as well.

[DemonGeminiX]

:no:

[deebakes]

i'm sure the wild will exit early :|

[DemonGeminiX]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the Flyers lost to the Penguins last night. They dropped all four regular season games to them as well.

I guess it was cool that they made the playoffs, but I think they'll be going home in 3 or 4 more games.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Even though the B's won last night, I'm not gonna breathe easy until this series is over. The Leafs were 3-1 against Boston this year in the regular season.

[DemonGeminiX]

The Flyers even the series

[Godfather]

The Flyers even the series

They won 5-1 no less... was it 2 or 3 years ago they had a series like this where it just went back and forth with blowouts? What a strange and awesome rivalry.

[Godfather]

David Pastrnak is the youngest player to score 6 points in a playoff game. Unreal.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

David Pastrnak is the youngest player to score 6 points in a playoff game. Unreal.

Broke the record held by none other than The Great One himself. And I believe he's tied the record for most points (9) in the opening two games of a playoff series.

985350926188929024
985313511969566720
985350249504964609

And that's an amazing team stat considering the B's are an Original Six team and that they've had some great players on that team.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

https://i.imgur.com/nzcTMs6.gif

This made me laugh :rofl:

[Godfather]

:lol:


The Marchand - Bergeron - Pasternack line is so stupidly good right now it's mind boggling :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I'm so glad that Marchand is a Bruin because I'm pretty sure I'd hate his guts if he was on any other team. :lol: But love the way he plays because he's in Boston.

[Godfather]

I'm so glad that Marchand is a Bruin because I'm pretty sure I'd hate his guts if he was on any other team. :lol: But love the way he plays because he's in Boston.

You're absolutely right you would :lol: If he hadn't been unreal for Team Canada in the 2014 Olympics I'd want him dead, but now I just seriously dislike him :lol: He turned out to be way more of a hockey player than I'd thought of him in 2010/2011.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

You're absolutely right you would :lol: If he hadn't been unreal for Team Canada in the 2014 Olympics I'd want him dead, but now I just seriously dislike him :lol: He turned out to be way more of a hockey player than I'd thought of him in 2010/2011.

The NHL needs players like Brad Marchand, even if it won’t admit it (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/article-the-nhl-needs-players-like-brad-marchand-even-if-it-wont-admit-it/)

[Godfather]

The NHL needs players like Brad Marchand, even if it won’t admit it (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/article-the-nhl-needs-players-like-brad-marchand-even-if-it-wont-admit-it/)

So true. We need more characters in the league overall, I've been saying that for a while. Like them or hate them, how many guys can you name in the NHL that actually seem to have a mind of their own in their playing style and interviews? Thorton, PK Subban, Brad Marchand, Kevin Bieksa.... the list is pretty short.

I don't doubt a ton of them are hilarious and have huge personalities, but we don't see that because the NHL and twitter/media/society in general seem to attack anyone who doesn't stick to the script on and off the ice and acts like their own person/player. I've heard McDavid is beloved by his team and he's truly one of the boys, but you just see this one-dimensional stone-faced dude on camera and it makes you yawn.

Anyways, rant over :lol:

[Godfather]

Knights beat the Kings with 7 goals... that's a new record for a best of 7 series :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Looks like the Avs are gonna be toast. Didn't really expect much against the Preds TBH. MacKinnon is a beast though.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Built for Boston by Brad Marchand (for The Players Tribune) (https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/brad-marchand-built-for-boston-bruins)

Great read and gives a lot of insight into Marchand.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

987129649305149440
Sick goal last night, Pastrnak to Marchand, turned out to be the game winner.

[Godfather]

How do you not love that effort by the Avs tonight? And with their third string goalie no less.

Dirty dangled from McKinnon too.

How do you not root for this team?

[Hugh_Janus]

who was that guy in AS that went to play hockey... or at least said he went to play hockey?

[DemonGeminiX]

Welp, the Flyers are done.

[Godfather]

who was that guy in AS that went to play hockey... or at least said he went to play hockey?

Doesn't ring a bell to be honest, maybe I was on hiatus then

[deebakes]

i thought dark humour owned several nhl franchises :shrug:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Excited to see the Bruins thump the Leafs hopefully.


Even though the B's won last night, I'm not gonna breathe easy until this series is over. The Leafs were 3-1 against Boston this year in the regular season.

See, I told you :|

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Well, the B's made it past Toronto but they made that series a lot harder than it should have been. Definitely didn't look like one of the elite teams in the playoffs over the last 3 games. I don't hold out much hope against the Lightning to be honest. They have home ice advantage in the series and they only needed 5 games to dispatch the Devils, so they're well rested. Boston will have to play MUCH better if they want at least a puncher's chance in this series.

[Godfather]

Marchand just keeps licking dudes lmao. Callahan now in game 4. What’s wrong with that boy.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Annnnnnnnnd the Bruins go out with a whimper. :|

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Audrey Ference - realtor.com


https://i.imgur.com/SyzuY5W.jpg

Next time you're drooling over a luxury home listing, ask yourself this: Does it come with a custom Zamboni?

If not, skip it, because it is not as awesome as this house. Owned by former Colorado Avalanche forward Milan Hejduk, this six-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion in Parker, CO, has all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a pro athlete's house, plus some you wouldn't.

Like an indoor ice rink.

Other amenities in the 16,873-square-foot palace include a wine room, seven fireplaces, a hot tub off the master bedroom, a home gym with a wet bar, 2.25 acres of land, an updated kitchen, parking for five vehicles, and a covered patio.

https://i.imgur.com/96FLsX2.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/kGt59AF.jpg

The ice rink is in a separate structure on the property and includes an awesome wood-paneled clubhouse with a fireplace, small kitchen, second-story living room, and sleeping loft. We see this guesthouse earning the Airbnb gold medal.

Not a big fan of lacing up ice skates? The ice rink could be dismantled and the space turned into a tennis court, garage, studio, or whatever tickles your fancy. But this would mean giving up the opportunity to operate a Zamboni owned by the three-time NHL All-Star.

https://i.imgur.com/KpEbqtV.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/h5XJaC1.jpg

The private lot has incredible views of the surrounding mountains, and there's a golf course located in the development for those times when you're tired of being checked into the boards.

The ice rink also offers a wealth of opportunities. Want to work on your slap shot? Ice dance rehearsal? Or Elvis Stojko cosplay meetup? At $5.2 million, it's hard to find a better deal on a place to skate that also sleeps 12. When you factor in what you're saving on ice rink fees, you're practically saving money.

Hejduk, a native of the Czech Republic, played 14 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche and scored 375 goals over the course of his career. He was also a member of the gold medal–winning Czech hockey team at the 1998 Winter Olympics.

https://i.imgur.com/mvGXUiN.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/d3yw5qj.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/aLusZ4x.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/14YU6L9.jpg

[DemonGeminiX]

:-k

Has an expansion team ever won the Stanley Cup in its first year?

[RBP]

:-k

Has an expansion team ever won the Stanley Cup in its first year?

No expansion team has ever won ANY major sport championship.

[Godfather]

People have been arguing about whether Vegas got gifted an overly generous expansion draft and this is all bullshit/luck, OR whether their management under George McPhee actually made the moves to deserve this.

I'm mostly in the latter camp... they fleeced teams at the draft to get better/more picks... they traded a 4th round for Reilly Smith, saw potentially in Alex Tuch and got him for a 3rd rounder, they found Erik Haula and with a bigger role he put up basically as many points as his previous two seasons combined. Other teams flat out fucked up and GIFTED them insanely good players like James Neal and William Karlsson - what were the Preds and Blue Jackets thinking? Along the same lines, the Panthers never should've fired Gerard Gallant last year. Vegas also made moves to get a few decent additions like Tatar at the deadline. They went in with a set goal of building a certain type of speed-based team and read the direction of the league this year just right.

I don't like this mentality people have that expansion teams need to absolutely blow for years to get better and 'let their fans suffer like us' (a particularly common feeling in Vancouver where we never win :lol: ).

Maybe at the next expansion teams should get to protect one more player each, but I still think that given the same exact expansion draft almost no GM's could do what George McPhee has done, nor Gerard Gallant.

[DemonGeminiX]

Well, the moves paid off. The Golden Knights are in the Stanley Cup finals and are waiting the outcome of the Lightning/Capitals series.

[RBP]

Well, the moves paid off. The Golden Knights are in the Stanley Cup finals and are waiting the outcome of the Lightning/Capitals series.

Amazing. I am hoping for long-suffering Capital's fans versus upstart Vegas fans.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:-k

Has an expansion team ever won the Stanley Cup in its first year?

The St Louis Blues made the Stanley Cup finals in their first year of existence. But, when the NHL expanded that year, all the expansion teams were dumped together into their own conference so one of those teams had to make the finals by default.


No expansion team has ever won ANY major sport championship.

:-s

Just off the top of my head, the Arizona Diamondbacks have won the World Series, the Florida Marlins have too, twice as well as the NY Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays winning the World Series twice. Not to mention the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA along with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL. The Pittsburgh Penguins have won 5 Stanley Cups and the LA Kings in the NHL won the Stanley Cup 3 times as have the New Jersey Devils (who started life as the expansion Colorado Rockies before relocating). The Philadelphia Flyers have won the Cup twice. And the Tampa Bay Lightning have also won the Stanley Cup. And if you want to count the MLS, the Chicago Fire won the championship in their first year of existence when the MLS expanded for the first time.

[RBP]

The St Louis Blues made the Stanley Cup finals in their first year of existence. But, when the NHL expanded that year, all the expansion teams were dumped together into their own conference so one of those teams had to make the finals by default.



:-s

Just off the top of my head, the Arizona Diamondbacks have won the World Series, the Florida Marlins have too, twice as well as the NY Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays winning the World Series twice. Not to mention the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA along with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL. The Pittsburgh Penguins have won 5 Stanley Cups and the LA Kings in the NHL won the Stanley Cup 3 times as have the New Jersey Devils (who started life as the expansion Colorado Rockies before relocating). The Philadelphia Flyers have won the Cup twice. And the Tampa Bay Lightning have also won the Stanley Cup. And if you want to count the MLS, the Chicago Fire won the championship in their first year of existence when the MLS expanded for the first time.

I was defining expansion team as first year of existence. So, yes, you'd have to count the Fire in MLS, which I wasn't counting.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I was defining expansion team as first year of existence. So, yes, you'd have to count the Fire in MLS, which I wasn't counting.

Oh :oops:





:-k


:beatdown: Be :beatdown: more :beatdown: clear :beatdown: next :beatdown: time! :beatdown:

[RBP]

Oh :oops:

:-k

:beatdown: Be :beatdown: more :beatdown: clear :beatdown: next :beatdown: time! :beatdown:

:shrug:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Don't you shrug at me! :x

[RBP]

:fu:

[Godfather]

Game 7 on now! Go Bolts :mrgreen:

[Godfather]

Well, damn.

Ovie and the Caps were lights out. This is the best Ovie I've ever seen, totally killed the 'not a clutch player' stigma the last two games.

[RBP]

So I get my wish. Long suffering fans and their cupless superstar VS expansion team. What story will be written....

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:yawn:

[Godfather]

Ovie and the boys are partying their dicks off. This is the greatest cup win bender I've ever seen, I love it :lol:


https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/ovi-loves-stanley-ovechkin-cup-inseparable-capitals-continue-party-233655365.html

https://twitter.com/ryanchirpz/status/1005184593706745856/photo/1

https://twitter.com/dcsportsbog/status/1005531052448845824/photo/1

[RBP]

Young, in shape, and endless cash.

[Godfather]

Young, in shape, and endless cash.

:lol: Yup... can you imagine being single too?

I was listening to a podcast and one of the ex-NHL'ers was saying when the Bruins won the cup the young guys went on an absolute bender for a month before one of the veterans finally called the boys in and said 'alright, that's it, shut'er down' :rofl:

[Godfather]

Anyone following this shit out of Ottawa? If that team wasn’t already the biggest shit show in sports - they are now. One players wife needed a restraining order against another... jeeze

[Godfather]

Tavares is a leaf... GROSS

[DemonGeminiX]

What about the rest of the shenanigans? I'm pretty happy that JVR is coming back to Philly.

[Godfather]

What about the rest of the shenanigans? I'm pretty happy that JVR is coming back to Philly.

Ya that's awesome for you guys. You know why I love that in particular? Because JVR signed a well deserved $35MM contract, whereas the guy you traded him for (L. Schenn) is signed for $800k... a wrong was undone there big time!

I think your first pick Joel Fabree is a great one too... anyone from the US NTDP is a great choice, but he looks particularly good at 14th to me (76 points/33 goals in 62 games as Captain of the USDP... wow) even if he plays at BU for a year or two before jumping to the league.

[Godfather]

Sounds like Karlsson is going from OTT to the Bolts. I don't think I've ever seen a team implode both on and off the ice as hard as the Sens have the last 12 months. It's actually surreal. THe shit with their assistant GM, their Owner being a cheap pile of trash, the apparent bullying and need for a restraining order by Karlsson's wife from another player's wife (Hoffman), who had to be shipped out of town as a result for a bag of pucks, and now their star playing wanting out too.... It's kind of hilarious, but real weird. The joke around Ottawa is calling GM Melnyk a 'terrorist' :lol: I'm curious to see who even shows up to the Sens game on opening night...

[DemonGeminiX]

Now what the hell happened with this woman being engulfed in flames at an Ottawa player's house?

[Godfather]

Now what the hell happened with this woman being engulfed in flames at an Ottawa player's house?

Unreal. Hope she's doing ok now, sounds awful...

Honestly I can't think of any sports team that's had more weird, terrible and seemingly unrelated bad stories come out of it in such a short period of time.

[DemonGeminiX]

Former goaltender Ray Emery has died. Apparently, he drowned in a club swimming pool.

[Godfather]

Really sad news :(

[RBP]

2013 Hawks Cup team if I recall. Backup goalie.

[Godfather]

Ya he absolutely tore it up for the games he played that year, he was a beast, started 10-0

[Godfather]

How about this golden moment from sports :lol:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=rSMuzYxukrc

[Godfather]

https://suntimesmedia.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/mikita_203876-1-e1533672272301.jpg?w=763&h=571


Stan Mikita’s legacy always has been more than the gaudy numbers he put up or the trophies he racked up, the No. 21 hanging from the United Center rafters or the statue out front. It was the way he carried himself, the way he treated teammates and strangers alike — like you mattered, like you were important, like you were family.

“You don’t feel the privilege to play for the Hawks if it’s not for people and players like Stan Mikita,” Jonathan Toews said in 2015. “Long after his playing days, he’s still a humble, down-to-earth person who takes the time to talk to everybody. He found ways to make other people feel good about themselves and feel special, and I think that says more about him than anything else. We all look up to him and what he accomplished in the game of hockey.”

He was arguably the greatest Blackhawks player of all time — the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, a two-time MVP, an eight-time All-Star, his grace on the ice only matched by his grace off of it, a Blackhawks Ambassador in title and in deed.

Mikita died Tuesday at the age of 78. His family said he was “surrounded by his loving family whom he fiercely loved.” He had been diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia, which was revealed in 2015. It’s a cruel disease which robbed him of his memories, including the ones that are forever etched in the minds of so many Chicagoans and hockey fans around the world.

Stan Mikita is the Blackhawks franchise leader in games played (1,394), assists (926) and points (1,467). (Sun-Times file photo)

“Stan is from the neck up, completely gone, and from the neck down, he is as strong as a horse,” his daughter, Jane Mikita Gneiser, said in April.

His statue stands alongside Hull’s outside of the United Center, his legacy untarnished and secure more than five decades after he hoisted his lone Stanley Cup in 1961.

“There are no words to describe our sadness over Stan’s passing. He meant so much to the Chicago Blackhawks, to the game of hockey, and to all of Chicago,” Hawks owner Rocky Wirtz said in a released statement. “He left an imprint that will forever be etched in the hearts of fans — past, present and future. Stan made everyone he touched a better person. My wife Marilyn and I, joined by the entire Wirtz family, extend our prayers and thoughts to Jill and the Mikita family. ‘Stosh’ will be deeply missed, but never, ever forgotten.”

Mikita, who escaped communist rule in his native Czechoslovakia as an 8-year-old by moving to Ontario with his aunt and uncle in 1948, spent all of his 22-year career with the Blackhawks. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (1,394), assists (926) and points (1,467). He’s second all-time in goals (541), and won the Stanley Cup in 1961. He won the league scoring title four times, and won back-to-back Hart (MVP) and Lady Byng (gentlemanly play) trophies in 1966-68. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. His No. 21 was the first number to be retired by the Hawks.

He started his career as a chippy player and a frequent visitor to the penalty box, topping 100 penalty minutes in four of his first six seasons, but evolved into one of the game’s great sportsmen, a two-time Lady Byng Trophy winner. He’s credited with inventing the curved stick blade, a bit of serendipity he stumbled upon after his stick was caught in the boards and bent. He also was one of the first players to wear a helmet. Late in his career, he founded a hockey school for hearing-impaired children that is still going strong 45 years later, having evolved into the the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association.

He never left the Chicago area, marrying his wife, Jill, and raising four children — Meg, Scott, Jane and Christopher. Team historian Bob Verdi, who covered Mikita during his playing days with the Chicago Tribune, wrote that Mikita was “the least pretentious, most accommodating icon imaginable.” Nobody ever had a bad word to say about him, the rare legend who lived up to the billing in every way.

“Everybody that I see talks about my grandfather,” said his 13-year-old grandson, Billy Gneiser, in April. “They said, ‘Oh, I used to watch your grandfather, he was a great man off the ice, a great man on the ice.’”

But it was on the ice where Mikita made his mark. On multiple occasions, Bobby Hull called the 5-9, 169-pound Mikita “pound for pound” the greatest player ever. He played in five Stanley Cup finals, winning the Cup in his second full season, having just turned 21. He and Hull were the Toews and Patrick Kane of their era, a fact not lost on the duo as they watched the Hawks win the Cup for the first time in 49 seasons in 2010, then again in 2013.

“The fact that Jonathan Toews is the leader of this team at 22 and Patrick Kane being one of the goal scorers they depend on, it was very much the same kind of deal in ’61 when we won the Cup,” Hull said during the 2010 championship run. “Mikita was young and a future Hall of Famer at that age. I was 22 and I could skate all night. They had to rope me down to stop me.”

It was always Hull and Mikita. Never Mikita and Hull.

But it never bothered Mikita. Few things ever did.

“People love that slap shot,” Mikita once said. “I never publicly thought of myself as better than Bobby Hull. But deep down, I said, ‘I’m just as good as he is.”

As it did for so many other Hawks icons, things broke badly with management after his career. But after many years of being ignored by the team he helped raise to new heights, Mikita was welcomed back into the fold by owner Rocky Wirtz, president John McDonough and coach Denis Savard following Bill Wirtz’s death in 2007.

“Some of the millions of coaches they had would ask me if I’d come down and say hi to the guys, but then I’d come down and things would be kind of cool,” Mikita said in 2008. “I’m not sure where that was coming from, but basically we were not wanted. Then to get a call from John McDonough asking me to come back and be part of the Blackhawks, I almost cried.”

The statues for Mikita and Hull were unveiled in 2011, a fitting permanent reminder of their grand legacy.

“I don’t know how to explain the euphoria,” Mikita said about his statue. “It’s just a grand gesture. … It will take 100 years to take the smile off my face.”


https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/blackhawks-legend-stan-mikita-dead-78/

[Godfather]

https://suntimesmedia.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/mikita_203876-1-e1533672272301.jpg?w=763&h=571


Stan Mikita’s legacy always has been more than the gaudy numbers he put up or the trophies he racked up, the No. 21 hanging from the United Center rafters or the statue out front. It was the way he carried himself, the way he treated teammates and strangers alike — like you mattered, like you were important, like you were family.

“You don’t feel the privilege to play for the Hawks if it’s not for people and players like Stan Mikita,” Jonathan Toews said in 2015. “Long after his playing days, he’s still a humble, down-to-earth person who takes the time to talk to everybody. He found ways to make other people feel good about themselves and feel special, and I think that says more about him than anything else. We all look up to him and what he accomplished in the game of hockey.”

He was arguably the greatest Blackhawks player of all time — the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, a two-time MVP, an eight-time All-Star, his grace on the ice only matched by his grace off of it, a Blackhawks Ambassador in title and in deed.

Mikita died Tuesday at the age of 78. His family said he was “surrounded by his loving family whom he fiercely loved.” He had been diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia, which was revealed in 2015. It’s a cruel disease which robbed him of his memories, including the ones that are forever etched in the minds of so many Chicagoans and hockey fans around the world.

Stan Mikita is the Blackhawks franchise leader in games played (1,394), assists (926) and points (1,467). (Sun-Times file photo)

“Stan is from the neck up, completely gone, and from the neck down, he is as strong as a horse,” his daughter, Jane Mikita Gneiser, said in April.

His statue stands alongside Hull’s outside of the United Center, his legacy untarnished and secure more than five decades after he hoisted his lone Stanley Cup in 1961.

“There are no words to describe our sadness over Stan’s passing. He meant so much to the Chicago Blackhawks, to the game of hockey, and to all of Chicago,” Hawks owner Rocky Wirtz said in a released statement. “He left an imprint that will forever be etched in the hearts of fans — past, present and future. Stan made everyone he touched a better person. My wife Marilyn and I, joined by the entire Wirtz family, extend our prayers and thoughts to Jill and the Mikita family. ‘Stosh’ will be deeply missed, but never, ever forgotten.”

Mikita, who escaped communist rule in his native Czechoslovakia as an 8-year-old by moving to Ontario with his aunt and uncle in 1948, spent all of his 22-year career with the Blackhawks. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (1,394), assists (926) and points (1,467). He’s second all-time in goals (541), and won the Stanley Cup in 1961. He won the league scoring title four times, and won back-to-back Hart (MVP) and Lady Byng (gentlemanly play) trophies in 1966-68. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. His No. 21 was the first number to be retired by the Hawks.

He started his career as a chippy player and a frequent visitor to the penalty box, topping 100 penalty minutes in four of his first six seasons, but evolved into one of the game’s great sportsmen, a two-time Lady Byng Trophy winner. He’s credited with inventing the curved stick blade, a bit of serendipity he stumbled upon after his stick was caught in the boards and bent. He also was one of the first players to wear a helmet. Late in his career, he founded a hockey school for hearing-impaired children that is still going strong 45 years later, having evolved into the the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association.

He never left the Chicago area, marrying his wife, Jill, and raising four children — Meg, Scott, Jane and Christopher. Team historian Bob Verdi, who covered Mikita during his playing days with the Chicago Tribune, wrote that Mikita was “the least pretentious, most accommodating icon imaginable.” Nobody ever had a bad word to say about him, the rare legend who lived up to the billing in every way.

“Everybody that I see talks about my grandfather,” said his 13-year-old grandson, Billy Gneiser, in April. “They said, ‘Oh, I used to watch your grandfather, he was a great man off the ice, a great man on the ice.’”

But it was on the ice where Mikita made his mark. On multiple occasions, Bobby Hull called the 5-9, 169-pound Mikita “pound for pound” the greatest player ever. He played in five Stanley Cup finals, winning the Cup in his second full season, having just turned 21. He and Hull were the Toews and Patrick Kane of their era, a fact not lost on the duo as they watched the Hawks win the Cup for the first time in 49 seasons in 2010, then again in 2013.

“The fact that Jonathan Toews is the leader of this team at 22 and Patrick Kane being one of the goal scorers they depend on, it was very much the same kind of deal in ’61 when we won the Cup,” Hull said during the 2010 championship run. “Mikita was young and a future Hall of Famer at that age. I was 22 and I could skate all night. They had to rope me down to stop me.”

It was always Hull and Mikita. Never Mikita and Hull.

But it never bothered Mikita. Few things ever did.

“People love that slap shot,” Mikita once said. “I never publicly thought of myself as better than Bobby Hull. But deep down, I said, ‘I’m just as good as he is.”

As it did for so many other Hawks icons, things broke badly with management after his career. But after many years of being ignored by the team he helped raise to new heights, Mikita was welcomed back into the fold by owner Rocky Wirtz, president John McDonough and coach Denis Savard following Bill Wirtz’s death in 2007.

“Some of the millions of coaches they had would ask me if I’d come down and say hi to the guys, but then I’d come down and things would be kind of cool,” Mikita said in 2008. “I’m not sure where that was coming from, but basically we were not wanted. Then to get a call from John McDonough asking me to come back and be part of the Blackhawks, I almost cried.”

The statues for Mikita and Hull were unveiled in 2011, a fitting permanent reminder of their grand legacy.

“I don’t know how to explain the euphoria,” Mikita said about his statue. “It’s just a grand gesture. … It will take 100 years to take the smile off my face.”


https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/blackhawks-legend-stan-mikita-dead-78/

[RBP]

Always always a class act. I got to watch him play at the old Chicago stadium. But just as impressive was what he was off the ice. As the article mentioned, so many things changed after old man Wirtz died. Rocky took the team to television, and rightfully honored the heroes. RIP Stan, you are a legend, but you also lived a life as an amazing person we should all strive to be.

Tidbit... it is lore that the reason he was considered a dirty player and often in the penalty box as a young player is because that is how he was raised. Suffering in Czechoslovakia, when challenged... you fight.

[Godfather]

I was just reading something about that too. It’s so interesting how he reinvented himself - early on won Art Ross’ and PIM’s leader... later in his career he still won Art Ross’ but also Lady Byngs and Hart’s too... that unheard of anymore, absolutely incredible.

Ive heard his autobiography is fantastic, I’ll be picking it up soon.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

1027007211925643265
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1027227698656108544
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1026930071892910080

[Godfather]

I've been dying laughing at every episode of the Spittin' Chiclets Podcast from barstool sports - highly highly recommend even if you're not super into hockey or even podcasts right now.

Hosted by hilarious ex-NHL'ers Ryan Whitney and Paul Bisonnette, and Rear Admiral from Barstool. The behind the scenes hockey stories just have me howling.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

BarDown Staff


http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/9277/mkwLIR.jpg

Over the past few years, multiple NHL teams have switched up the way they deliver season tickets to the rightful owners by sending players on the roster out to deliver them.

One of the teams that have made this an annual thing is the Pittsburgh Penguins. With the regular season less than one month away, Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, Matt Murray and Jimmy Hayes were some of the players who made the rounds this year, and you can bet every single fan was excited to see them.
1039286636767535104
The fans got a chance to interact with the player(s) who showed up on their doorstep and most of them even got to play some puck with the players.
1039279381183717376
1039275579659493376
1039208268290244609
Since school is now underway, some of the young Penguins fans had to choose between playing hockey with Sidney Crosby or going to class and the Penguins captain played a role in helping them get out of a day of school.
1039287165061148673
Looks pretty legit to us.

p/BnkGcyGFgCE
https://i.imgur.com/0RfjgFb.png

The Penguins will open their 2018-19 season on October 4 at home against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals.

[RBP]

Corey Crawford showed up at Blackhawks camp and briefly got on the ice this morning, but will not be practicing with the team. Still no explanation or timetable. He's supposed to meet with media today.

:tinfoil:

[Godfather]

DGX you guys officially have the greatest mascot in hockey, perhaps all of sports

Meet Gritty :rofl:

https://i.imgur.com/lJndAL3.jpg

[Godfather]

https://twitter.com/GrittyNHL/status/1044258341017587713

https://twitter.com/orangeandsass/status/1044372945802588166

https://twitter.com/GrittyNHL/status/1044410535037620225

[DemonGeminiX]

:facepalm:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/9157/nKu5yH.jpg

[Teh One Who Knocks]

The Bruins might have been shutout in their season opener last night, but at least they held the Caps to just one touchdown :tup:


:|