Blackhawks in the cup

Which is why they play 82 regular season games, and a playoff series is best of seven. Very rarely does a goofy play determine the outcome of a season, or a series. Skaters, goalies, and coaches generally determine who wins.


It would be monumental, yes. But it might not even rate in the top ten of Hab's wins and comebacks.

1st to score = Win
 

Especially whitin the 1st minute... Than again what is it with goalies always want to come out.

Mtl 1 Phy 1 (Half way in the first)

Looks like we'll have an original 12 Final !

Philadelphia impressed, (and surprised) me with their coaching, determination, and mostly- depth.
They had a lot of key personnel injured, and the backup goalie had to take over.

Well done Flyers!

A lot of the same can be said for the Habs.
Seventh and eighth seeds in the conference finals shows that sometimes determination and talent can overcome less determined superstars.

Should be a great Stanley Cup final.

The shift by Flyers C Mike Richards, when he scored that first short handed goal, was as good as a shift of hockey can get. What an absolutely spectacular effort capped off by an absolutely awesome score. Richards is a big time shorthanded sniper, he has scored several goals even when the Flyers have been down 2 men.

The Habs played very hard, they just didn't have enough to compete with the Orange and Black.

As i said before, Goalie is the most important position in all of sports, and Leighton again showed us why.

He absolutely stole game 2, and totally shut Montreal out in games 1, 2, and 5.

Amazing.

I have barely seen Chicago play at all. I have no idea what to expect from them.

Yeah. Where does it rank now?

Chicago is relatively young, very fast, and very deep.
They finished one point behind San Jose for top spot in the regular season standings (and dispatched them in four straight in the conference finals)
All four lines are competent and dangerous (scoring threat).
The top scorers through the season have produced in the playoffs, and they seem to get secondary scoring from the entire line up at opportune times.
Their goalie, Antti Niemi has played very well.
(I am positive no one put money down in Vegas at the beginning of the season that it would be Niemi vs. Leighton in the Cup finals :) LOL )
Chicago's defense is deep, fast, and can make quick outlet passes. As fine as any in the league.

Maybe their strongest suit- quick transition- the Hawk's talent, speed, and ability make for a deadly transition game.

As Philadelphia, they seem to have a great bond. More of a 'team' than a collection of 'players' compared to some other franchises ... that are now on the golf course.

I am really looking forward to the series. Hoping for a long, hard, entertaining battle.

The Pronger vs 245 lb. Byfuglien battle in front of the Flyers' net should be a game in itself.


Interesting side notes:

Last time the Blackhawks won the Cup was 49 years ago (1961)

Last time the Flyers won was 35 years ago (1975)

In the interim, they have each lost the cup final five times !!
Chicago- 62, 65, 71, 73, 92.
Philadelphia- 76, 80, 85, 87, 97.

Chicago in 5

Time to settle bet...
 

TRADER220 pm me your address.

I'll see if any of the old Habs wants to give up one of their

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1274776990.jpg

Hopefully the Flyers will go all the way so I'll be able to say that the Habs lost to the Stanley Cup winner.

JJ your honor is intact and I appreciate your offer but nothing is necessary. I am glad the Flyers won and I am looking forward to the Finals. I make it to Montreal a couple times a year and perhaps we can meet up and you can buy me a beer sometime.

Finals Matchup:
The Hawks present a much different problem which the Flyers have not faced. They are a speed team who has a much higher flying offense and faster puck moving defense than any of the three teams the Flyers have faced. The Flyers absolutely have to slow them down in the neutral zone, they can’t let the Hawks move through the transition game with lightening speed. They Flyers rely on 4 defenseman and they will wear down quickly if they have the play a much more up tempo game. Goaltending is a pick’em in my view both are basically unknown entities. Will one of the two goalies crack under the pressure? On a positive note the Flyers are as cohesive a team as I have seen in a long time. They appear to literally be a single unit with a single purpose.

Like most of us in the East I have not seen the Hawks play a whole lot save for a few payoff games and parts of the Flyers victory over them a couple of months ago. I would not read too much into that Flyers win since the Flyers were outplayed in that game and squeaked out a win with 2 seconds left.

Looking forward to a long exciting series!

BY the way Richards has now established himself as a force and a fantastic captain. Looking at that goal he scored in the first period, it’s not just the hustle he had to create the play it’s that he was already on the ice for 30 or 40 seconds and then mustered the strength to make that play and stick with it through the collision. Anyone who has played the game knows how gassed you are after 30 or 40 seconds of going full throttle killing a penalty. The same can be said on the open net goal by Carter… Richards bulled his way through the defenseman at center ice and would not be denied. Almost reminds me of a young Bobby Clarke.

I see Clarke from time to time at the rink since I coach his grandson, he’s quiet and reserved and has that look of a warrior from long ago.

well done to Philly, they really played hard. I'm thinking the final goes 7 unless there's a serious injury. Yeah Pronger v Byfuglien = whack a mole.

Time worn but ready to try and go if he gets the chance? I think I know the feeling.

I already acquired a quite "à propos" pay out for you...:D and be glad to top with beer and talk hockey if we meet in Mtl or Ottawa.

I'm standing by for a PM.

Cheers

J.J.

Yeah, what worries me is that Chicago looks like the Pens with defense, and the Pens have had Philly's number now for a while.

Absolutely must crush them at the blue line-need Carcillo back in the mix.

Bobby Clarke was exactly who Richards reminded me of last night. He showed speed, determination, skill, finesse, brute strength toughness, and that nasty chippy edge that Clarke always played with as well.

Richards is the "C" that Lindros in many ways never was.

Whatever happened to...
 

I don't want to play for the Nordiques... sniff, sniff.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1274794793.jpg

I don't care if he didn't want to play for the Nordiques or not.

To me it is a total non-issue and non-factor in judging his career.

And honestly, as far as i'm concerned the reason those Flyers teams didn't win a cup or two has nothing to do with Lindros or his Legion of Doom line, it has to do with the fact that Clarke as GM never secured for them a top flight goaltender.

Shame.

Funny, when Lindros came here I was just a few years out of college and still in great shape and playing just about everyday of the week. I used to play pickup with a ton of the Flyers from the 80’s and 90’s.

I used to see him out partying and living it up, he hung with some pretty seedy characters in this town. He didn’t get it…. That was his problem, he had the world by the balls and he didn’t get it. He could have owned this town and he was not man enough to step out of his Mommy’s shadow and tell them eff –off.

He is not the first boy to have a mommy complex.

I don't know if I was a Flyer fan that I would be sitting too confident right now. The Flyers got to play the Devils who they own, just like we have owned the Flyers over the last few years. Then they get the Bruins who aren't that good to begin with and get spotted a 3 game lead from the Flyers. Credit due again to the Flyers but I would grant more to a monumental meltdown from the Bruins. Good teams don't get down 3-0, look at the stats. Next up the 8th seed Habs who just came off 2 7 games series with nothing left in the tank. I predict the Blackhawks in 5.