The Official MERB 2011-2012 NHL Playoffs thread

[Gentle]

So what were u saying? Learn the game before u make any sweeping statements.

Here were the odds for the 2012 stanley cup going into playoffs (that means before any game of the playoffs).

Boston 19.7%
St-Louis 16%
Vancouver 13.1%
Pittsburgh 11.7 %
Rangers 10.4 %
Detroit 6.5%
Flyers 4.5%
Nashville 4.2%
Phoenix 2.9%
New Jersey 2.8%
Kings 2.3%
Chicago 1.8%
San Jose 1.7%
Ottawa 1.2 %
Caps 0.5%
Panthers 0.4%

As you can see Both Pittsburgh and Vancouver were at better odds than Flyers (twice as much).

But so far both team offensive was stopped short from doing what they did during regular season.
Flyers shut down Malkin's trio and Daniel Sedin is kept out.

This is what's called an 'upset' and this year we already have those 2 major ones so far.

This is how you normaly read the game + you have to add the one factor that changes everything during playoffs which is 'Team spirit'.
Or how 'hungry' a team is or how much they really want the cup.

And this is the major factor that keeps bringing the excitement to the playoffs.

That's were both Flyers and Kings are doing fine.


So as much as you can luv Flyers Lovemaker; they weren't favored nor Kings.
They had to battle this first one up and so far they did pretty well as much as they were lucky a bit.

So I have to say that Iggy had the best gut feeling on the Kings so far.

For the Preds, we'll have to see since Detroit is known for never giving up.

Myself, I'm still holding on both St-Louis and Boston.
For the purpose of my bet vs. odds.

But since Flyers really came out strong like this, I'd like to see them reach the finals to play against whoever will make it out west.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Here were the odds for the 2012 stanley cup going into playoffs (that means before any game of the playoffs).

What are these odds based on? Probability of victory based on statistical analysis? Or based on dollars waged on any given team? That is to say, are these Las Vegas odds, which have little basis in reality?

 

[Lovemaker]

But so far both team offensive was stopped short from doing what they did during regular season. This is what's called an 'upset' and this year we already have those 2 major ones so far.

Season means nothing. Playoff hockey is entirely different.
When u got these players on your team during playoff hockey you are not expected to lose, and in no way is it considered an "upset" when you do end up winning:

Danny Briere
Claude Giroux
Jaromir Jagr
Scott Hartnell

In no way is it deemed an upset when these guys beat you at hockey LMAO:amen:

Myself, I'm still holding on both St-Louis and Boston.
For the purpose of my bet vs. odds.

You lost.

 

[Gentle]

...in no way is it considered an "upset" when you do end up winning:

Danny Briere
Claude Giroux
Jaromir Jagr
Scott Hartnell

In no way is it deemed an upset when these guys beat you at hockey
You lost.

Lost what ? Dear dear...it's the playoffs thread... not the free for all one :smile:

Now other than Read who got 2 goals out of 3 SOG, maybe if you'd mention :
Talbot, Coburn, Couturier and Timonen who are +5, +4, +3 and +3 but...

Briere is 0
Jagr is -2
Hartnell is -1

So although Briere has been playing good (as he was expected) out of 4 you mentionned only Giroux is +5.

All the while for Pens :
Kunitz -3
Crosby -1
Malkin -4
Neal -2

The sport definition of 'upset' is : "An unexpected victory of a competitor that was not favored".

So please don't come to me that it isn't... like these guys (out here) who tried so hard to distort the definition of 'choking'.
There's an official NHL rule book (223 pages) you can download free on the nhl.com if you want to.

Anyway have fun !

Tonight I'll be rooting for Detroit, Chicago and Florida.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Hello Boyz.... :lol:

It pains me to say this, but I have to agree with Lovemaker when he says:

Season means nothing. Playoff hockey is entirely different.

That statement could not be any more true. Look no further than the 1993 Montreal Canadiens for proof. They were not even close to being the best talent wise, yet they won the whole shebang. Last year, the Canucks were favored and they did not win even tho they had the better talent as a whole. (Tim Thomas was simply the best player on the ice and stole the Cup for his team, a hot goalie can make a bad team good or a good team great, and he did just that all season and in the playoffs)

With that said, it could very easily be Pitt up 3-0 as they have as good a talent as do the Flyers... Crosby (who I think is still not 100%), Malkin, Neal, Letang...... Now if Philly had a healthy Pronger, then yes, nobody would be surprised at the 3-0 lead.

 

[Gentle]

That season means nothing vs playoffs... is no news to anyone.
Specially if you have been following hockey for more than 30 years at least.

Yet as I stated before, to make the above statement the only reason, the players that Lovemaker is refering too, aren't the ones that really are playing different than the regular season, aside from Giroux .

So one issue here between Flyers and Pens is not 'only' that some Flyers are playing a lot better than expected but it is also that key players for the Pens aren't producing what was expected from them.

It seem as if they came in this series with the intentions of playing physical while loosing the talent they were good for which was to score goals.
Heck even Crosby is acting as if he wanted to make a statement by playing physical. The fool.

And this is surely a result from their last games in the regular season.

Anyway unless Flyers do one of them choke (which they did before - and that I doubt this time) this one will be for the books a real "Upset".

Which will fit pretty well in my pocket :thumb:

 

[Lovemaker]

Hello Boyz.... :lol:

It pains me to say this, but I have to agree with Lovemaker when he says:

A sign of greater things to come

or could it be a bad omen for worse things to come

Regardless of what it is, we must take this opportunity to hug, what do u say?

 

[Gentle]

Well tonight we could see Pens and Vancouver elimination while Friday it could be Detroit already.

That sucks !

Hope they battle for it at least 1 more game each of them.

2 more games would be super or one choke by either Pens or Vancouver would be incredible to watch.

But it's not Christmas !

 

[Lovemaker]

Flyers got rocked 10-3 on home ice. WOW

 

[Gentle]

Flyers got rocked 10-3 on home ice. WOW

Finally Malkin and Crosby were able to concentrate in getting the job done along with Staal who played very good.

BTW this is what the term 'Meltdown' means in Hockey (for the Flyers that is). :smile:

 

[Gentle]

Wouha ! Detroit could lose aganst Preds tonight !

Doesn't look good !

Shoot !

Can anyone get Preds to change the color of their jersey ?
Their logo is ok but the yellow mustard color looks like ....

 

[Gentle]

Well Wings are out already !
Too bad !

Pens are boucing back ! hey hey ! it's not finished !
Who know maybe Flyers will choke ?
That would make one of the wackiest series I've seen.

Other than that, it's fun to see that all hockey threads are clean from all the negative whining :smile:

 

[Merlot]

Sorry but Merlot was ok on this.

Knowing the games between both team in regular season it was expected to get a real match-up but not a 3-0 lead for Flyers.

At least not by so many goals for Flyers.
They already got 4 guys with 3 goals and more in 3 games.

Correct,

The simple explanation now becoming very clear, which anyone should have considered by the kind of blowouts that were happening, was that Fleury was way off his game. He had given up 6 goals in 28 shots in game 3, and 17 in 3 games. Of course there's more to it than that, but, such a gross aberration for Fleury should have pointed to the key difference in the reasonable expectations described above by Gentle immediately, if game analysis was the real goal. When a good goalie goes from 2.36 to 5.67 it's not just a matter of the overall quality of each teams play. Certainly the Flyers didn't just go from indomitable to sucking in game 4, and losing game 5, for no reason. Fleury's play made a lot of the difference; if you saw the game you knew that.

Cheers,

Merlot

 

[Gentle]

Correct,

The simple explanation now becoming very clear, which anyone should have considered by the kind of blowouts that were happening, was that Fleury was way off his game.

Yeah ! this is a major factor if not the most important one. :nod:

An looks like we might see a 7th game in this one now.

These playoffs are getting one of the wackiest one I've seen for a long time.

So many goals between Flyers and Pens.
Vancouver going down now getting back up.
Wings getting eliminated that fast.
Sens still in the race.

And now even Bruins have lost their lead.
The game between Caps and Bruins was very exciting to see.

The only two that make sense to me so far is Blues against Sharks and Devils against Panthers.

This is why I luv it :smile:

 

[Gentle]

What the....Now even Rangers lost their lead !

The NHL is starting to look like the stock market ! :smile:

 

[lgna69xxx]

Bout time he actually does something to help his team win a game. He now has 4 goals in 19 playoff games playing with excellent linemates. And before you go there, Kessel has 9 goals and is a ppg player in 15 career p/o games. Had the Bruins kept Phil the Thrill, they would likely already have back to back cups and going for a third in a row. Tom, you should come by more ofton and talk sports, not just when the bruins or red sox are good and winning games, just saying.

Is there any doubt that Tyler Seguin was the top pick in the draft 2 years ago???

He is fuckinphenonomonal.

 

[Gentle]

Tom, you should come by more ofton and talk sports, not just when the bruins or red sox are good and winning games, just saying

Oh ! c'mon Iggy... why pick on Tom ? :smile:

Anyway... now we have Preds, Blues and Flyers moving on...

Who knows ? might have Kings also tonight !

At least we got a game 7th between the Bruins and Caps + we had an orgy of goals (56) with the Pens and Flyers series !

 

[Merlot]

Hello Playoff Team Fans,

Is there any doubt that Tyler Seguin was the top pick in the draft 2 years ago???

He is fuckinphenonomonal.

Great move by Seguin off of a stolen pass by Krejci to take advantage of the rookie goaltender Holtby. Damn tight tense game, the kind that makes one run for antacids or shots of Jack. They're exciting to win if you don't get an ulcer watching.

Anyway... now we have Preds, Blues and Flyers moving on...

Who knows ? might have Kings also tonight !

At least we got a game 7th between the Bruins and Caps + we had an orgy of goals (56) with the Pens and Flyers series !

I knew the Senators could be a real pain, but I didn't think they would have the Rangers down and on the edge of elimination, and having done so at New York.

Hopefully the Bruins will pull it of at home, but I sure wish Horton was healthy and Bergeron was at full strength.

Cheers,

Merlot

 

[Gentle]

Watching the Canucks vs. Kings and Quick just made 2 big serves.
One against Daniel Sedin.

The series is surely more exciting to watch since this guy's back.

Hope Vancouver win, to get another game between those two teams.

 

[Gentle]

He is fuckinphenonomonal.

With a quote like that, I'd say come back out here as often as possible !
It's fun and I like it !:nod: