NHL: 2015-2016 Season

[JohnBM01]

I'd be surprised if Chicago gets knocked out. Because unless Dallas or somebody advances to the next round, the West is going to be wide open. I don't have a real favorite on the Eastern side of the Playoffs. I do have Florida as a sleeper.


As of the time of this post, it may be time to bid the New York Rangers farewell because Pittsburgh is covering NYR like a blanket. Like, 6-2 covering after two periods of play. Pittsburgh's going to the next round unless they become (in the words of Tony Kornheiser) choking dogs in the final 20 minutes of play.

 

[JohnBM01]

And... the New York Rangers are DONE. It was a 6-3 beating in Pittsburgh today as the Rangers get 86ed from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Your bracket is screwed if you had the Rangers advancing, and even more so if you had them as champions.

 

[prousonhairy]

3-1 Blues so far in the first period. I'll take 2 more goals just to be safe, I've seen the Blackhawks come back on us too many times. It was real close to being 2-0 Hawks, then 3 quick goals by the blues, including one by Tarasenko.

 

[MSZ]

I think the Hawks are done. Good to see a team other than LA/Chi win the Stanley Mud.

 

[prousonhairy]

Well 🤬 me now it's tied.

Edit: now it's 4-3 Hawks. I don't even know why I get excited anymore it's the same 🤬 every year in the playoffs with the Blues. I know it's only game six, there will be a seventh game regardless if they lose tonight, I just have heard this broken record too many times now.

 

[JohnBM01]

Let me interest you in some hockey. Not just ANY hockey, though... playoff hockey! Here's the schedule for today and tonight:

* DAL Stars at MIN Wild (DAL leads series 3-2)
* WAS Capital at PHI Flyers (WAS leads series 3-2)
* FLA Panthers at NYI Islanders (NYI leads series 3-2)

Three games, three teams facing elimination. All three teams on the wrong side of 3-2 could be eliminated today/tonight. Then again, all three teams on the wrong side of 3-2 could force Game 7. Will there be elimination, or will these teams' seasons last one more day?

Last night was maybe supposed to be St. Louis advancing and knocking off the defending champions. However, the Chicago Blackhawks were more like, "screw it." They woke up like you won't believe and just went bonkers scoring goals in the 3rd Period. If Chicago plays in St. Louis like they did in the 3rd Period last night, St. Louis may get knocked out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

If the New York Islanders win their series against the Florida Panthers, it will snap a 23-year playoff drought. Omnis's Florida Panthers surely hope that doesn't happen, as the cats from Sunrise, FL try to take this series the seven-game distance. We still have our little GTPlanet rivalry with the likes of Sanji Himura's Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild beloved by RedDragon and Northstar.


Enjoy some hockey today and tonight.

 

[JohnBM01]

You can't win if you don't score. 1-0 was the score in Philadelphia as Washington knocked the Philadelphia Flyers out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in six games. The next series will be Washington vs. Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia Flyers = "CONTENDER ELIMINATED!"

 

[Valkyr1313]

Congrats on needing 2 extra games and a lot of ref intervention to beat the worst and most short-handed team in the playoffs Dallas. Can't wait to see you get absolutely destroyed next round.

 

[JohnBM01]

Did any of you see that Dallas at Minnesota game? Tremendous comeback by the Wild... almost. The Dallas Stars survived with a 5-4 victory. Or should I say, the team formerly known as the Minnesota North Stars, won this series in six games over Minnesota's current team. Unfortunately, Minnesota's season is done.

Rightfully so, the Wild fans gave a standing ovation after having been down 4-0 heading into the Third Period. To paraphrase House of Pain, the Wild weren't going out like punks. The Wild went down fighting. There is no prize for second place here. Yet still, that 3rd Period was exciting.


Anyhow, Sanji Himura's Dallas Stars advances to the next round.

 

[JohnBM01]

Three teams faced elimination today... and all three were eliminated. Here's the rundown:

* You can't win if you don't score. 1-0 was the score in Philadelphia as the Washington Capitals took down the Philadelphia Flyers. They won their series in six games. I think the big story for Philadelphia this season was S. Gostisbehere. At least having the Flyers in the playoffs gave me chances to practice spelling and pronouncing "Gostisbehere." The Capitals, meanwhile, inch closer to having a chance to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup.

* Dallas felt like they could have won by more playing at the Minnesota Wild. However, a furious 3rd Period by the Wild (down 4-0) fell short. A late goal that was considered no goal was reviewed by the NHL center was upheld as a no goal. So the Wild were defeated 5-4 with Dallas moving on. I wasn't sure if the NHL crew were some of the replacement refs from the NFL that were NHL interns or something, but I think the Wild got hosed in this one. Regardless, Dallas (the artists formerly known as the Minnesota North Stars) will advance to the 2nd Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, while the Minnesota Wild will wonder what could have been. Actually, I thought Minnesota did extremely well even without some key players. The crowd in St. Paul were gutted their home team didn't complete what would be an improbable comeback, but they still gave a standing ovation to the Wild. Hell, I would have stood up and cheered myself even on a comeback that came up short.

* The New York Islanders haven't won a Playoff series since 1993. Unless you didn't notice my opening sentence to this post, you know who won this game. Florida and the New York Islanders couldn't settle their differences in sixty minutes. They couldn't settle it in eighty minutes, either. So Double Overtime was needed for the New York Islanders won 2-1 to put down the Florida Panthers. The Islanders won their first playoff series since 1993, when they defeated the (then) defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins in their series. The Panthers will have a sad trip back to Sunrise. Still a heck of a season by the Florida Panthers. The only Sunshine State representative now in this season's playoffs will be the Tampa Bay Lightning. Had Florida advanced, I think the next round would have assured a Florida team make the Eastern Conference Finals as it would be Florida vs. Tampa Bay. That won't happen thanks to the Islanders taking down the Panthers in six games.


More games, more eliminations. Congratulations to all winners.

 

[Omnis]

****ing Islanders.

 

[squadops]

I'm most looking forward to the caps and pens 👍 It should be very fun, old school big boys with some added speed and new rules.

Damn I love this sport.

 

[AnthonyD1993]

The rules for a goal state that the puck has to completely be across the line for it to count. Yes, you could argue that the puck was going to get completely across if his leg wasn't there, but it never completely crossed the line so therefore no goal.

 

[Valkyr1313]

Not across the line all the way? Hmmmmm.... Alright then. Anyway if this didn't count there should have been a penalty shot for the Dallas player closing his hand on the puck

 

[Patrick]

Not across the line all the way? Hmmmmm.... Alright then.

Still on the line, looking at it from an angle gives a false image.

 

[JohnBM01]

Happy Monday! A pair of games are on tonight, one of them a Game 7. The other game could mean a Game 7. Here is tonight's schedule:

* ANA Ducks at NSH Predators (ANA leads series 3-2)
* CHI Blackhawks at STL Blues (series tied 3-3)

Can the Ducks close out the Predators? Who between Chicago and St. Louis will meet the Dallas Stars in the next round of the playoffs? Enjoy this night of hockey if you'll be following tonight's games.

 

[Valkyr1313]

Still on the line, looking at it from an angle gives a false image.

There was another image after that which showed the puck all the way over the line from that angle though. I'm looking to try and find it from the depths of my newsfeed

 

[Swagger897]

I'm most looking forward to the caps and pens 👍 It should be very fun, old school big boys with some added speed and new rules.

Damn I love this sport.

Caps' play looked so damn slow in comparison to the rangers, so I don't have much fear with that.... However... I do have a few with hits. Plenty of top tier Pens are easy to hurt, just got back from healing, or are still out. This will be the first time since 2007 they've met in the cup, so things are bound to be good.

 

[Sanji Himura]

There was another image after that which showed the puck all the way over the line from that angle though. I'm looking to try and find it from the depths of my newsfeed

But the other angle (the one that @Patrick posted) was the one where Toronto was looking at. That camera was directly on the crossbar.

HOWEVER...

I do concede that there should have been a penalty shot as one of the Dallas players gloved the puck in the crease, but Kari's left pad was over the player's gloves. That no-call was not review-able.

 

[Valkyr1313]

Yes, and there was a frame after the one that Patrick posted which showed the puck fully across the line. Anyway bygones will be bygones. **** happens

Is anyone's team wanting a future top 2 d-man in exchange for a current or future top line centre or winger?

 

[squadops]

Caps' play looked so damn slow in comparison to the rangers, so I don't have much fear with that.... However... I do have a few with hits. Plenty of top tier Pens are easy to hurt, just got back from healing, or are still out. This will be the first time since 2007 they've met in the cup, so things are bound to be good.

The caps can get fast with the passing game through the neutral zone especially with ovi on the ice, the pens can play either way I feel and neither is lightning quick as the rangers lol.

Anyway it seems premier to me, couple of heavy weights, and I've always been a pens fan 👍

 

[Patrick]

HELL YEA

 

[squadops]

Blue's fan? boooooo

 

[prousonhairy]

About damn time the Blues make it out of the first round. Sigh of relief I guess. I would of lost money if I was a betting man tonight, I thought for sure Chicago was going to beat us.

Bring on Dallas I guess lol.

 

[JohnBM01]

Well... here's your roundup:

* Can the Anaheim Ducks close out the Nashville Predators in the Music City? Or is this one going the seven-game distance like Chicago and St. Louis has? Anaheim... failed. It was 3-1 in the Music City as this series is going back to Anaheim for the decisive Game 7.

* The defending champions, and the only remaining NHL Original Six team in this season's playoffs, got 86ed from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The beautiful blue and gold colors of the St. Louis Blues will advance to the next round to meet the Dallas Stars after defeating Chicago 3-2. So the GTP forum rivalry will now be... Sanji Himura's Dallas Stars against kolio's and prousonhairy's St. Louis Blues. Have at it, mates!


The big news here... Chicago is done. If "anybody but Chicago" was your wish, it was granted tonight. You're welcome. Congratulations to the winners of tonight's games.

 

[JohnBM01]

Sadly, no games are scheduled for tonight. So I figured I'd take this time to update how the brackets are going and how we've gotten to this point.


--- EASTERN CONFERENCE: review so far ---
* FLA Panthers vs. NYI Islanders: NYI wins series in 6 games (4-2), will face TB in next round
* TB Lightning vs. DET Red Wings: TB wins series in 5 games (4-1), will face NYI in next round
* WAS Capitals vs. PHI Flyers: WAS wins series in 6 games (4-2), will face PIT in next round
* PIT Penguins vs. NYR Rangers: PIT wins series in 5 games (4-1), will face WAS in next round

--- WESTERN CONFERENCE: review so far ---
* DAL Stars vs. MIN Wild: DAL wins series in 6 games (4-2)
* STL Blues vs. CHI Blackhawks: STL wins series in 7 games (4-3)
* ANA Ducks vs. NSH Predators: series currently tied 3-3
* LA Kings vs. SJ Sharks: SJ wins series in 5 games (4-1), will face (winner of ANA/NSH series) in next round


This is the schedule for tomorrow:
* NSH Predators at ANA Ducks (series tied 3-3)
* NYI Islanders at TB Lightning

And here are the 2nd Round matches:

--- EAST: 2ND ROUND ---
* NYI Islanders vs. TB Lightning
* WAS Capitals vs. PIT Penguins

--- WEST: 2ND ROUND ---
* DAL Stars vs. STL Blues
* SJ Sharks vs. (ANA/NSH winner)


Again- no games tonight. So get ready for tomorrow night. You can discuss who all you think will advance to the Conference Finals. If you want a look back at the different games played so far, here's a link from the NHL's official website: https://www.nhl.com/stanley-cup-playoffs .

 

[Swagger897]

Hoping the lightning can pull through. NYI has stopped the pens for the last few times they've made it to the playoffs.

 

[JohnBM01]

Heads up! NBCSN is set to show the 2nd Round match between the New York Islanders at the Tampa Bay Lightning. This should be a pretty good series.

AND... this game is GO as of the time of this post!

 

[Sanji Himura]

San Jose is the remaining team in the Pacific Division after Anaheim falls to Nashville 2-1 in Game 7 tonight.

 

[JohnBM01]

That's all she wrote. Here are tonight's results...

* In Tampa Bay, it was the New York Islanders who won 5-3. The Islanders already knocked off one Florida team, they COULD knock out the other Sunshine State hockey team, especially if Tampa Bay play this series like they did in this game.

* The Nashville Predators went into Anaheim, California and took out the Ducks 2-1. So we're not assured a California team will advance to the Western Conference Finals had Anaheim won. So your next round match here will be the San Jose Sharks and the Nashville Predators.


Congratulations to the winners. Round 1 is done. Bring on the 2nd Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs!