Ice Hockey: Stanley Cup 2006

As someone who watches about 10 or 15 hockey playoff games a year, I know so little about what to watch for. But tonight, the ending was one which any idiot knew to sit up and watch very vigilantly. I mean, you KNEW it could happen right there, right then. It was high drama, even for a hockey idiot like me.

BHN

Well I've closely watched these playoffs and Carolina probably has been the best all around team so far. (Minus the first 2 games against my beloved Habs) But I would like to think the Oilers deserve it more. Have you ever seen a team block more shots? A teams leading scorer throwing his head in front of the puck? Edmonton is doing it on a regular basis. If they were to come back from 3-1 down to win the Finals, after losing Roloson in the first game of the series would be remarkable.

The 'Canes lost Doug Weight & Aaron Ward last night to injuries so that will take away their depth. Both are key contributors and eat up some solid ice time.

The Oilers remind me of the Flames of '04. I lived in Calgary during their run, and watched every second of every game. They made it to the finals on hard work and pure grit while putting the name on the front of the jersey ahead of the one on the back. The Oilers are a mirror of that team.

(Blue Mile... Red Mile)

Hey guys, what happened last night

Originally posted by Gibbs Baby!!!
Hey guys, what happened last night

Oilers won in overtime. I didn't see the game but maybe they must have figured out the old 70's Canadiens defence. Collapse 4 men around the net and if a shot can get through that the netminder will stops it. They can't dump it in and give the Canes the chance to set that up. Carry it in.

To win the Oilers must carry the puck in, continue to take the body and CHILL, your goaltender will be OK. They win Sat. they win the series. I wouldn't bet against this.

Jussi is playing amazing isn't he. He was very strong throughout the season but flaked at times. Glad to see him peaking at this time of the season, not an easy situation to be tossed into.

I believe its going to come down to 3 things:

1. Special Teams. - Edmonton needs to stay out of the box, and start scoring on the PP. They are making life alot harder for themselves by not improving here.

2. Pure Hard Work. - Edmonton does not win its games by scoring hilight reel goals. They muck it up in the corners, they screen/block shots, tip or sweep in the garbage. (Smyths winner in Game 3) When they stop moving their legs, it gets ugly. (Games 1 & 2) Look at Torres in Game 4, he was a complete wrecking machine. This is the Oilers that everyone has come to love.

3. Chris Pronger. - People can preach Jussi this and that, and without him they can't win. Well thats true, they really do need him to play great, but he can play as good as he wants.. if Pronger does not be the anchor he is and has been all along, this team folds. He is doing so much that is not being noticed, its amazing. He simply does not lose battles in the corner, goaltending is that much easier with him because you can see every shot and if by chance you cough up a rebound, well there is nobody there to bang it in.

Win or Lose, I vote Pronger as Conn Smythe!

When it comes to coaching, I think Laviolette is amazing! Great coach and has tremendous respect from the players. But as great as he is, I really think McTavish tops him. If you watch clips from Oilers practice, you see him hitting the ice like he did during his career to show these guys how they should block shots. Or other little things that has the players respecting him and actually listening to what he is saying. These guys trust him and are willing to change their style of game, its due to this that Edmonton is where they are.

Like Sutter was with Calgary, hard-nosed & pure grit, he respected each player as much as they respected him. But did not hesistate for a second to call anyone out.

Man I hope the cup comes north of the border this year.

It's REAL rare for ME to try and describe anything in hockey, but here goes:

Game went to overtime, tied at 3. Carolina got a power play. Tried to set up some kind of offensive play while on the Vancouver side of the ice. One of them made a pass... a lazy pass. TOO lazy.

Vancouver player made a gamble and it paid off. He went for the pass, picked it off, and there was nobody left between him and the goalie. He picked a specific part of the net, and the goalie didn't cover it. Game over, on a short-handed overtime goal!

BHN

4-0 Oilers. They must check out Sportztawk because they did just what I said in my last post. They totally dominated the game in every aspect. By midway in the second period you could see that the Canes were beaten, it was on their faces. Game 7 in Carolina Monday night. The Canes better be pumped because the Oilers will be and ready to put some more smack on the opposition and they have terrific momentum.

So.... Shall I take it, from the deafening silence, that my debut as a hockey newscaster was something less than a smash success?

BHN

Yeah its Edmonton, not Vancouver.

Game 7 is set for Monday night. If the Oilers play half the game they played last night, they should come out alright.

Erik Cole made a return, I was really shocked by that. He filled in good for the injured Weight.

I haven't seen any of the finals, but this must be one exciting series. Heck of a comeback by the Oilers!

Gibbs, Ben and other longtime forum members,

You may have noted these have been my first-ever hockey posts. There's a reason for that. I never watch hockey until the playoffs, and generally--including this year--don't watch the playoffs until the finals or (maybe) the semis.

But I always pray for a Game 7. And we've got it.

One other thing: When talking to other people who are even more negative about hockey than I am--i.e., I don't care for it; they HATE it--I always say this: But there is nothing in sports more exciting than when Game 7 of any hockey series goes into sudden-death overtime. You cannot take your eyes off the puck, because the end could come at any time.

EXHIBIT A: That short-handed goal the other night. Who would have dreamed the OILERS were going to win during that power play? (Obviously not the lazy guy who made that pass. :lol

I just hope this is a great game. And if it goes OT, well, only a tsunami or a nuclear attack could take me away from my screen, and even both of those are "maybe's".

BHN

For all the marbles tonight. The Canes will come out flyin. 1-0 1st period. 2-0 by mid-point. 2-1 at the end of the 2nd. As the punishing physical play of the Oilers continues to take it's toll 2-2 at the end of the 3rd. Oilers in overtime.

Mind you, don't be making any bets on this, I'm better at football than hockey.

Well that was pretty dead on.

Canes led 1-0 after 1, 2-0 after 2. Oilers made it 2-1 but failed to tie it up. So you were pretty close.

All in all it was a great game, Oilers just fell short.

Yeah, if the Oilers had shown up in the 1st instead of the 3rd it would probably be different. No clue why that happened. Hats off to the Canes, a well played game and series.

reply to post by crayon


Hossa is just unbelievable they both are Marcel and Marian