Let the Puck Drop! Official NHL Playoff Thread

[JPL]

Just for the record I do like Biron. I met him a few times and he is a class guy probably the best Goalie the Flyers have had since they last won the Cup in 75.

[Mackflava99]

So you are basically saying Bernie Parent was their best goalie of all time-
I actually agree

[Ian]

Maybe some day the Flyers will have a real goalie and their fans will understand

Don't get me wrong, Jeff. I realize Brodeur is a fantastic goaltender ... one of the best ever, no doubt.

But I've never been a fan, in any sport, of the whole "preferential treatment from the refs for superstars" thing. I think it damages the integrity of the game and undermines people's confidence in the league.

[MMouse6937]

After Chelios comments about Nashville fans....I really want to see the Preds win and Tootoo check him so hard he flies down the ice.

Unfortunately, I seriously doubt it. 22 is young enough to be Cheli's kid and he's one bad you know what.

It's the playoffs, he said what he said to irritate people, it's what he does best

I agree with Ian's beef about Marty but I'm sorry, the man still is amazing to watch, nobody does it better. Avery would be wise to close his mouth and open his eyes and learn from one of the masters. I say this even though I actually despise the Devils, but goaltender is my favorite position and I can appreciate greatness.

I really don't think the ref's "star" treatment of Marty could do anymore to tarnish the league. It's already seen as a joke in most of the country. Our city's high school baseball team gets more coverage on the news than the NHL. Shame.

[JPL]

Don't get me wrong, Jeff. I realize Brodeur is a fantastic goaltender ... one of the best ever, no doubt.

But I've never been a fan, in any sport, of the whole "preferential treatment from the refs for superstars" thing. I think it damages the integrity of the game and undermines people's confidence in the league.

Brodeur gets far from preferential treatment from the league as a matter of fact they added the trapezoid to stop his style of play. When he won his 500th game this year he barely got a mention on the NHL website. Bettman and the league only give preferential treatment to their superstar scorers ie. Crosby, Malkin & Ovechkin. The league also has it's favorite teams that get similair treatment like Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Anaheim and just about any Canada based team.

[Ian]

The league also has it's favorite teams that get similair treatment like Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Anaheim and just about any Canada based team.

I'll certainly agree with you on the Canada based teams. Some of the games between the Flyers and Leafs have been among the worst officiated sporting contests I've ever seen.

I'll never forget back in the 2004 2nd round playoff matchup between the Flyers and Leafs ... you remember Jeff, after we ousted the Devils? .... I swore we were playing two teams and not just one. We had to combat the Leafs on the ice and the litanny of bad calls from the refs.

[Mackflava99]

the NHL website. Bettman and the league only give preferential treatment to their superstar scorers ie. Crosby, Malkin & Ovechkin. The league also has it's favorite teams that get similair treatment like Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Anaheim and just about any Canada based team.

I totally agree with JPL's quote- the NHL has a strange marketing plan, because they really need to publicize the real stars - Even when Brenden shanahan scored milestone goals , noone seemed to care-
They are trying to find the NEXT-Gretsky- and are lissing the point that the game itself sells itself as long as the people actually give it a chance.
Bettman is a terrible commish- he doesnt even know the game.
I cannot understand why they wanted washington in so badly ? ok they get a primetime scorer, but actually they are not a great team at all. No real history- the old Caps were never a dynasty, they were always good but not good enough.

[Rosanne]

If Avery was on any other team, I'd probably hate him too. But he's on my team. He gets results. He gets attention. What he did the other night was not against the rules. It was within the rules and frankly, I thought it was brilliant. What Marty did (slap him with the stick) was against the rules.

Now here comes the NHL with the "Avery rule".

Was there a rule in place when Ulf Samuelsson played defense and tipped the back of the player's helmets so it would cover their eyes in the front? Isn't that unsportsmanlike?

My point- Marty is a brilliant goaltender. So much so that it makes me sick . But all he ever does is complain and he always gets his way. If a player other than Avery did that to any other goaltender, it would have been on a highlight reel and that's about it. He does get preferential treatment. He does. And if he screws up, or doesn't get his way, it's always someone elses fault. Never his own. I'm just glad I don't have him on my team, because I would find that very hard to stomach.

Meanwhile, this is turning out to be a classic series. Both teams are finally playing with that playoff desperation that I love. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I wasn't expecting an easy series... the never make it easy for us.

I'll be screaming tonight.
LETS GO RANGERS!

[Ian]

Well the good news is the Flyers are doing their best to ensure that Bettman does not get his way.

Honestly, if not for that one bad period, this series wouldn't even be close. The Flyers have completely and totally dominated this team through 8 out of the 9 periods.

I mean yeah, the Caps were within one goal last night, but the Flyers immediately struck back and blew the game wide open.

I honestly think this series is going to end in 5. I think the Caps are done.

Oh and by the way ... I lost any modicum of respect for Ovechkin that I might have had last night. He took one of the worst dives I have ever seen in my life last night. Seriously ... it was pathetic. If you missed it, go dig up the video. He touched skates with one of the Flyers and literally leaped into the air, twisting his body around like some kind of figure skater. It was so pathetically obvious that I figured he was getting an unsportsmanlike for sure.

Nope ...... tripping called on the Flyers, no unsportsmanlike called. It was so clearly a favorable call because he's Ovechkin. Anyone who thinks the refs don't favor the stars needs to check this video and then come back and tell me that.

[Rosanne]

Well the good news is the Flyers are doing their best to ensure that Bettman does not get his way.

Honestly, if not for that one bad period, this series wouldn't even be close. The Flyers have completely and totally dominated this team through 8 out of the 9 periods.

I mean yeah, the Caps were within one goal last night, but the Flyers immediately struck back and blew the game wide open.

I honestly think this series is going to end in 5. I think the Caps are done.

Oh and by the way ... I lost any modicum of respect for Ovechkin that I might have had last night. He took one of the worst dives I have ever seen in my life last night. Seriously ... it was pathetic. If you missed it, go dig up the video. He touched skates with one of the Flyers and literally leaped into the air, twisting his body around like some kind of figure skater. It was so pathetically obvious that I figured he was getting an unsportsmanlike for sure.

Nope ...... tripping called on the Flyers, no unsportsmanlike called. It was so clearly a favorable call because he's Ovechkin. Anyone who thinks the refs don't favor the stars needs to check this video and then come back and tell me that.

Exactly why I can't stand Crosby. Or Brodeur.

These guys are so incredibly talented. WHY? WHY dive?

Then again, who could really blame them if the refs fall for it every single time. Grrr.

[JPL]

I still don't see how when the league puts in a where the goalie play the puck rule is giving Brodeur preferrential treatment they took away a big part of his game and style in doing so. Actually I think all goalies are getting the shaft since all Bettman wants to see is more scoring he wants 8-7 hockey games every night with the last goal being scored in the final minutes of the 3rd. He is falling into the same trap that MLB and NBA fell into with the scoring. MLB thought People wanted more homeruns turned their backs on the steroids and became a joke. The NBA is still looking for the next Jordan to score 100 points a night with no defense. The most exciting Hockey game I ever witnessed was a 0-0 game with Hasek and Brodeur putting a show all the way through overtime.

[Rosanne]

JPL- Here's what I don't understand about the goalie argument.

Brodeur is arguably the best puck-handling goaltender ever. When he plays the puck, he's better than 90% of your defensemen. However, when he handles the puck, most of the time it requires him to leave the crease (whether it be behind the net or out to the blue line). If someone goes as far as taping him while he is out of the crease, he flails about like he was hit with a Mac truck.

I STRONGLY believe (my goalies included) that if a goalie is out of the crease to play the puck, he should be treated like ANY OTHER SKATER on the ice. He can be hit (legally of course).

I think the trapezoid rule discourages goalies from playing the puck like Brodeur does. But I think part of the reason for this is to protect goalies.

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

Unfortunately, I seriously doubt it. 22 is young enough to be Cheli's kid and he's one bad you know what.

You might doubt it but they did win 5 to 3 and Tootoo gave Chelios a couple of hits. At 25 he might be young enough to be his kid but what does that have to do with anything? Here's hoping to another win against Detroit tonight!


LET'S GO PREDATORS!

[JPL]

If someone goes as far as taping him while he is out of the crease, he flails about like he was hit with a Mac truck.

I don't what games you have been watching but even in Sunday's game Avery him him behind the net and he simply skated back to his crease with no reaction at all. You also have to remember goalie equipment is very cumbersome so a hit that might not throw a regular skater off balance can easily throw a goalie off balance.

As for other times it's a sad state in the league but if I a goalie doesn't react to contact in front of the net is never gets called. Every goalie in the league reacts to contact in front of the net for this simple reason if you get bumped nothing is called and a goal is scored you have no recourse. This is new trend ever since the rules were put in the by the league that limits the defense from clearing the crease like the old days which in turn lead to more contact with goaltenders.

The trapezoid rule was put into affect because Bettman thought by not letting the Goalies play the puck it would lead to more forechecking and scoring. When a team dumped the puck in too many goalies were copying the style of Brodeur and even before him Hextall and clearing the puck out to center. It has absolutely nothing to do with protecting the goalies.

[Ian]

Actually, the trapezoid rule was put into play to remedy exactly what Rosanne said it was ... the fact that goalies could play the puck with impugnity behind their net and it gave a HUGE advantage to teams that had puck-handling goalies.

You basically had an untouchable third defenseman on the ice which, anyone would have to agree, is not really in the spirit of the game.

I think it's a good rule and one that's still not enforced the way it could be.

[JPL]

I think it's a good rule and one that's still not enforced the way it could be.

I think if the Flyers had a good puck moving Goalie he would feel differently

[Ian]

I think if the Flyers had a good puck moving Goalie he would feel differently

I absolutely would not. Honestly, I feel the way about goalies that I do about quarterbacks ... if you're on the field/ice, take a hit like everyone else.

I always thought it was ridiculous that goalies were allowed to come out of the net to play the puck and no one could touch them. I mean I don't even understand how anyone could defend that for any reason. It's absurd to have a player on the ice that has all of the abilities of everyone else in terms of being able to make plays, but that's off limits to defend against.

Either a goalie is a goalie or he's a defenseman ... one means you should protect him and the other means he should be fair game. Wanting to have a goalie who handles the puck but can't be touched is like wanting to have your cake and eat it too.

[Rosanne]

Either a goalie is a goalie or he's a defenseman ... one means you should protect him and the other means he should be fair game. Wanting to have a goalie who handles the puck but can't be touched is like wanting to have your cake and eat it too.

Exactly. And at least if he was considered a defenseman, he would be called for diving OR slashing.

Personally, I would rather have a goalie who stopped the puck and passed it off to the defensemen to play it, rather than doing it himself. He'll become a household name if he keeps the puck out of the net, not for all the "extras". Brodeur's giveaway to Callahan earlier in this series is an example of this. I would much rather my goalie freeze that puck instead of play it. That's a superstar in my book.

I guess we agree to disagree JPL. Then again, I never actually expect us to agree on anything, since we are both very much set in our beliefs. I think we both love our teams very much

[Mackflava99]

JPL' explaination of the trapazoid rule is spot on correct-
And Hextall was one of the guys who used to do it prior to Martin ( though he wasnt half as good a goalie)
I played goalie in college and yes you are more likely to fall over if hit when you are not expecting it, though if you do have time to brace, you can take a pretty hard hit.
I never tolerated people in the crease and i would hit back, but i got in a few fights which got my coach mad at me for starting.


Avery was baiting him, but actually maybe it got him so enraged it woke him up a little...
Avery is no different than Claude Lemeiux was so Devil fans really are hypocritical to be so enraged. They can be upset, but they also have to have some memories....

The funniest thing about it is that not many Devils stood up for him and went after Avery. I was pretty surprised , he must not be well liked with his teammates. maybe i am wrong, but it seemed to me that if i was on the Devils and i saw a guy doing that he'd be flattened.

[Rosanne]

When the Devils "snowed" Lundqvist, there was a pileup afterwards.

And if I was Marty, I would have been a little upset that my team didn't try to move Avery away during his antics.