Stanley Cup Bracket 2018

[beatnavy]

I thought the Caps were playing decent, but the Knights are exceptionally fast. Holtby wasn't getting as many lucky bounces as he did in game 6 / 7 of the last series, and he ended up looking human. In particular he looked slow moving side to side to adjust to their speed, including from the back of the net.

The Caps throw blanket is now washed. Assuming the dog doesn't barf on it again, we should be good

[Hawkeye's-911T]

If Wilson's hit on Marchessault was any later, he'd got him in the post game showers. I know the guy 'plays-on-the-edge',
but that was rubbish - fell just barely short of a hit requiring disciplinary action.
I am sure Ryan Reaves will be having an in-depth conversation regarding this matter with him next game.

Fleury & Holtby did not have the best of games but were good enough plus some luck to keep their respective squads in the game.
It's gonna be fun!

Cheers
JB

[Por_sha911]

The first goal that Holtby let in should have been stopped. Since it was basically a 1 goal game (put aside the empty netter), that could be what cost them the game.

Both teams were playing in warp speed. When Vegas plays that fast and can go side to side there is nothing any goalie can do unless he gets help from his D. Tampa did that to the Bruins in the 2nd round. Both teams went full out offense. Exciting game for the fans. A trainwreck for the coaches.

I think that the Caps have plenty to be encouraged by:
-they didn't crush under being behind most of the game.
-they proved that Fleury can be beaten (interesting stat: although the Pens have killed the Caps every post season since the Clinton administration, Fleury's save percentage and GAA with the Caps and Ovi in particular are really fair to poor. The only reason the Pens kept winning is cause the Caps didn't have a goalie.
-they kept it a one goal game even though they were the away team.

Caps main concern: Holtby rebounds!

Based on last night's game, I'll make one of my world famously low accuracy predictions and say this will be a 6 or 7 game series and either team will take it. I also expect the next game to be the opposite of Monday night and be a 1-0 or 2-1 game. If the Caps can take game 2 they will have cleared the mental hurdle of Vegas being unbeatable and they will have home ice last change.

p.s. If Wilson keeps going they way he has, he will end up getting more reputation penalties and be in the doghouse like Marchand.

[Por_sha911]

Side question: I thought that Vegas' opening presentations were a little cheesy and appealed to 10 year old video gamers but I give them credit for doing something different that fits the atmosphere of the city. My wife said it was just plain goofy.
What say ye?

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by beatnavy

The Caps throw blanket is now washed. Assuming the HOLTBY doesn't barf UP MORE SOFT GOALS again, we should be good

fixed it for you.

[VincentVega]

Side question: I thought that Vegas' opening presentations were a little cheesy and appealed to 10 year old video gamers but I give them credit for doing something different that fits the atmosphere of the city. My wife said it was just plain goofy.
What say ye?

goofy, I turned it off

If Wilson keeps going they way he has

Really dislike the way he plays. I thought that BS was out of NHL? Oh well, hope he gets whats coming to him and rides the pine.

Exciting hockey, looking forward to the next game, I hope they can maintain this level.

[beatnavy]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Side question: I thought that Vegas' opening presentations were a little cheesy and appealed to 10 year old video gamers but I give them credit for doing something different that fits the atmosphere of the city. My wife said it was just plain goofy.
What say ye?

Amen. Their opening show is way over the top for me. It is "Vegas" in so many ways (although the female "extras" weren't too shabby ).

But hey, it's their house. They can do all the cheese they want.

Wilson is a paradox. He's got talent, he can score, and he's not really a meathead. His "heavy play" (as long as it's legal) is a big part of the Cap's physical play - the other team knows when he's on the ice. But then he'll step too far over the line and put his team in a bind. Or as Joe says he may just get close to the line and get a reputation penalty, fairly or not. As of now I don't see any NHL news about DPOS reviewing that hit last night, which surprises me, frankly.

[911boost]

The cross check right in front of Holtby by Reeves was complete crap. He doesn't score if the Cap's D isn't laying on his face on the ice.

I also agree that Wilson's hit was bad.

I'd like to see Reeves and Wilson fight and get booted, they are both borderline dirty players.

I doubt however, that either of them will lick anyone's face....

[beatnavy]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Worse still, Holtby barfed up that first soft goal.

Louis, who will now be referred to as "Holtby" for the duration of the series, has been sufficiently chastened and agrees to stop barfing up soft goals.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Side question: I thought that Vegas' opening presentations were a little cheesy and appealed to 10 year old video gamers but I give them credit for doing something different that fits the atmosphere of the city. My wife said it was just plain goofy.
What say ye?

Waaay goofy. Then again if they bring show girls out they'll get slammed. Save the show for the fan parties.

I guarantee that Wilson and Reeves are on a watch list.

I don't think there'll be a sweep even if Vegas wins tomorrow.

Also, the goalies are now both washed in blood, they will play better. Which may translate to cleaner play in front of the crease...maybe.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by BSiple

I doubt however, that either of them will lick anyone's face....

Hmmm, I wonder what he means by that.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye's-911T

If Wilson's hit on Marchessault was any later, he'd got him in the post game showers.

I thought the exact same thing until I looked at this 5 minute video:
https://www.nhl.com/video/nhl-now-tom-wilsons-hit/t-282785066/c-60490303

The league allows up to .6 seconds after the puck leaves the stick. The hit (start at the 2:15 mark) was .68 seconds after the puck left the stick.
It was less than 9/100ths of a second late. Seemed like longer but watch the video.

[1990C4S]

The 0.6 second rule is a liberal number intended to allow late contact when players are facing, and prepared to engage ach other.

What Wilson did was way way way too late, anyone who knows hockey can watch that at full speed and immediately know it's late. It should have been a minor penalty. It's not debatable. Suspension? Probably not, but worthy of a review. Twenty years ago the only response would have been 'stop admiring your pass'.

The solution in the modern day NHL is for Ryan Reeves to take similar liberties with the Capital's more fragile players. Fighting accomplished very little, and will probably come with an instigator penalty. Far better to hurt TJ Oshie, Kuznetzov, Orlov, etc.

The missed call on Reeves prior to his goal was atrocious. Hard to believe the referee, who was clearly looking at the play, missed it. Second rate refereeing. And this comment is coming from a Wes McCauley fan.

The opening show? The fans apparently loved it, who are we to judge? In a non-hockey market you need to sell more than hockey. Good for Vegas for selling what people (appear to) want.

[911boost]

I completely agree with you

[Hawkeye's-911T]

I too have to agree with 1990 on the Wilson hit & checking out your passing skills.
It is drilled into you pretty much from "day one" in your hockey playing life;
keep your head up & be aware, especially for the possibility of an opposition
'cement-head' (to wit: 'heavy player') having you in his sights.
I still feel Wilson had enough time to bail on the hit & it should have
been called an interference penalty at the very least.

Reaves gets called for his obvious cross check(?) - who knows & can
state unequivocally if it would have had a direct impact on the game's outcome.

The best answer I can come up with is a "definite maybe"

I look to both net-minders to recover their playoff mojo thus a low scoring
game although with two high-octane offences, there should be plenty of scoring chances.

Caps 2-1 & throw in the empty-netter.

Cheers
JB

[Por_sha911]

Nice to have 1990 make a cameo appearance. I always respect your opinion although I don't always agree.

Legally, .6 seconds. Not sorta kinda. .6 seconds by the letter of the law. The sorta kinda days were when we didn't have the technology to go back and see it immediately. By the letter of the law the hit was late. I disagree that it was "way way too late". Again, look at the video posted. That said, I think that the penalty was appropriate. Anything more? No. It was to the shoulder and not the head and was just good hard hockey.

(edit) one more thing: "sorta kinda" is the problem we have with goalie interference. Unfortunately there is no way to fix that since it is a judgement call but we need to get the variables out of the game that causes one hit to be O.K. and another that is identical to be a penalty. Examples besides the Reaves missed call:
Poor Start and Missed Call Doom the Caps in Game Five | We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports

Referees Wes McCauley and Mark Joannette plus linesmen Johnny Murray and Matt McPherson had a terrible night. On Tampa’s second goal, an Ondrej Palat shot from the slot that Niskanen screened Holtby on, Steven Stamkos CLEARLY trips Orlov at the Washington defensive blue line before the tally and there is no call. As a result the game was 2-0 where it should’ve been 1-0 with a Capitals power play coming. NBC’s Mike Milbury was adamant that the trip should’ve been called and it was at a crucial point in the game. There is NO EXCUSE for missing such a critical infraction that leads to a scoring chance.

I forget which game it was but there a boarding that was totally missed by the stripes in the Tampa/Caps series? It was so bad I was expecting a game misconduct but nothing was called.

(I am not a Wes McCauley fan. He has 20/20 vision to see and call penalties with some players and other players dirt seems to be missed by him even when the guy with a seeing eye dog saw the penalty). IMO, he has personal bias.

As 1990 alluded to, I sure do miss the "good old days" when things were a lot tougher but I respect that the players don't want to risk being crippled each time they play. The good old days were only good for the fans. Fortunately the NHL hasn't turned the game into no contact powder puff hockey (yet). You still need to have situational awareness when you are by the boards or have the puck. It is funny to see rookies get a welcome call to the league (or some whining players) with some good hard legal hits.

[rfuerst911sc]

Anyone expect a blowout tonight ? Or do you think the teams have settled down after game one and this will be a more defensive game ? I have to think both goal tenders will be sharper than game one .

[Por_sha911]

I predicted tonight will be 1-0 or 2-1

[1990C4S]

Do a freeze frame on the hit. As Jonathan Marchessault is bouncing off Wilson's shoulder the puck is already on the next players stick. He has received the pass when JM gets hit.

The hit is late. Period. The vast majority of knowledgeable hockey people would call 0.5 seconds late. At least it was a body shot.

Late, like this (this hit is also boarding and from behind, unlike Monday's hit):

And, the 0.6 second rule is for suspension and video review purposes only, on the ice the call is at the referees discretion. I called it a penalty,I did not mention a suspension. I could even support a five minute major for that hit.

Furthermore, don't go looking for 'late hit' in the rulebook. It is not codified. Nor is 'blind-side' hit. The appropriate rule is Interference:

The last player to touch the puck, other than the goalkeeper, shall be considered the player in possession. The player deemed in possession of the puck may be checked legally, provided the check is rendered immediately following his loss of possession.

The Referee, at his discretion, may assess a major penalty, based on the degree of violence, to a player guilty of interfering with an opponent

The concept of 'immediately following' eludes Mr. Wilson. And perhaps the referees.

In the end, that is not a hit the league should want in the game.

[1990C4S]

....