NHL playoffs start now. It's the most wonderful time of year

[MegoMark71]

I can understand how sometimes a live game can look different than on tv. There were a couple questionable calls for sure. But honestly the devils defense was to blame in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, there were some moments i thought the refs were looking at a different game but Jersey did take their foot off the gas and Florida scored some goals were the D for Jersey just seemed to ease off a bit. I missed the disallowed goal so i can't say anything there. And this is my opinion but the fans that tossed stuff on the ice should never be allowed to attend another game. There is never a reason a fan should throw something on the ice, no matter how they feel. That helped in taking your team out of the game.
So Asham got 4 games, maybe should have been 3 since he has no history. Neal gets just one. And he has been suspended before, fined before, and warned before. I felt he should have gotten 2 because he was head hunting twice in the same shift. He said he was bracing himself on the first one yet he launched himself the same way against Giroux. Someone needs to fire Shanahan for not knowing what the heck he is doing. There is no consistency in his rulings.

[spacecaps]

I've watched the replay since coming home and you can't call something that you wouldn't normally call especially in a big spot like that. But it goes beyond that call. Several offsides on Florida were missed but every one on the Devils was whistled. There was a play earlier in the game where Broudeur was absolutely mugged. His helmet came flying off so I'm sure they replayed it a few times on the tube but nothing happened. Parise took a stick right to the face and nothing happened. Kovy had a stick go right through his legs and did a face plant on the ice and nothing happened. Yet when Berneir takes a tumble at the net in the middle of a scrum, they negate a crucial goal. I could go on but to call off the game tying goal on a questionable penalty....that's inexcusable. They didn't even review it. I'm not trying to come off as a whiney fan cause just getting to go was an awesome experience (so awesome I may have to go again Thursday!) and you know if your the Panthers, your glad you got those breaks. My brother-in-law is an Orioles fan and the guy will still not shut up about the Jeter/Jeffrey Maier home run in '96. 16 years later, he hasn't gotten over it. To him, the Orioles were a team destined for the World Series and were robbed by a bad call, to me the baseball gods smiled on the Bronx, and the Yankees got a break and were able to make the most of it so it all falls based on what team you root for.

[toys2cool]

I've watched the replay since coming home and you can't call something that you wouldn't normally call especially in a big spot like that. But it goes beyond that call. Several offsides on Florida were missed but every one on the Devils was whistled. There was a play earlier in the game where Broudeur was absolutely mugged. His helmet came flying off so I'm sure they replayed it a few times on the tube but nothing happened. Parise took a stick right to the face and nothing happened. Kovy had a stick go right through his legs and did a face plant on the ice and nothing happened. Yet when Berneir takes a tumble at the net in the middle of a scrum, they negate a crucial goal. I could go on but to call off the game tying goal on a questionable penalty....that's inexcusable. They didn't even review it. I'm not trying to come off as a whiney fan cause just getting to go was an awesome experience (so awesome I may have to go again Thursday!) and you know if your the Panthers, your glad you got those breaks. My brother-in-law is an Orioles fan and the guy will still not shut up about the Jeter/Jeffrey Maier home run in '96. 16 years later, he hasn't gotten over it. To him, the Orioles were team destined for the World Series and were robbed by a bad call, to me the baseball gods smiled on the Bronx, and the Yankees got a break and were able to make the most of it so it all falls based on what team you root for.

[spacecaps]

But honestly the devils defense was to blame in my opinion.....but Jersey did take their foot off the gas and Florida scored some goals were the D for Jersey just seemed to ease off a bit. The fans that tossed stuff on the ice should never be allowed to attend another game. There is never a reason a fan should throw something on the ice, no matter how they feel. That helped in taking your team out of the game.

The Devils certainly did have trouble on defense and part of that had to do with some of the calls. Florida is so good on the power play and the Panthers had I think 5 Power Plays in the game and scored on 3 of them. The one Florida got towards the end of the 1st was off one of those calls they shouldn't have gotten. Meanwhile the Devils were the best in the NHL this year on Power Play kills but they just didn't do it tonight. The big problem for the Devils tonight was winning face offs. They just couldn't do it in the crucial spot and towards the end it felt like there was no urgency. One guy sitting by me yelled out "Play like there's 5 minutes left!" which was a perfect line cause there wasn't any hustle by then.

As for the throwing things on the ice, it wasn't like a hail storm or anything. It was maybe two beer bottles and a few of the rally towels they handed out at the entrance. I'm not sure how other teams do it but whenever they have a promotional night (like Puck night or water bottle night) you always get it at the end when your leaving the arena probably to avoid that exact scenario. I did see a few of those fans that tossed whatever over the glass getting an escort out the door and the clean-up took all of 30 seconds so they did handle it well.

[Duncan]

So Asham got 4 games, maybe should have been 3 since he has no history. Neal gets just one. And he has been suspended before, fined before, and warned before. I felt he should have gotten 2 because he was head hunting twice in the same shift. He said he was bracing himself on the first one yet he launched himself the same way against Giroux. Someone needs to fire Shanahan for not knowing what the heck he is doing. There is no consistency in his rulings.

Agree. Shanahan must use a random number generator, or something. I'm still bitter about the 12 games he gave Wisniewski at the start of the season. Shanahan is incompetent. 'nuff said.

I see that Raffi is suspended indefinitely. I'm guessing 20 games. Or 1. Who knows?

[spacecaps]

I watched the Red Wings/Predators game last night and really wasn't impressed with the officiating in that game and afterwards I saw the hit on Hossa. How there wasn't a penalty on that is criminal. Half the teams in the playoffs have had some terrible calls on them so I guess its contagious.

Tonight, everything and anything is getting called on both teams in the Ranger game and it looks like Philly/Pitt forgot how to play defense. I'm really hoping the Flyers & Kings win but some of these 2-1 series need to get knotted up to generate more juice in these games. The deeper a series goes, the more compelling the games get but right now the series everyone is mostly buzzing about is the Flyers/Penguins which is on the brink of ending. Of course if Philly keeps taking stupid penalties and Read keeps playing like he's somewhere else they' re gonna go at least one more game. But if these playoffs have shown anything it's that no lead is safe untill the clock gets to zero in the 3rd. I mentioned this earlier but I wish NBC staggered these games even a little. I'm trying to watch both games but they started exactly at the same time so my attention is divided. Even if they had one start at 7 and the other at 7:30, it would be much more enjoyable instead of flipping back and forth during every stoppage in play.

[4NDR01D]

Ottawa just tied the series with an OT win!!! Whoo-Hoo!!!

[spacecaps]

How many times have we seen a team put so much pressure in the zone only to have the puck get taken down the other way and end up in the back of the net. That's what I'm talking about Ottawa! Go, Sens go indeed.

[spacecaps]

How many times have we seen a team put so much pressure in the zone only to have the puck get taken down the other way and end up in the back of the net.

The Kings must be reading my posts.....All that pressure by the Canucks and they're down 1-0 on a one timer.

[spacecaps]

I guess time travel is possible cause Marty just turned back the clock. As bad as he was in game three, the dude just put on a clinic tonight. Even though the score was 4-0, that game was a much closer game early and he made some big time saves. He even had an assist (almost two) Good to see Kovy put one in the net too. Devils played their game tonight and looked sharp and most importantly they got back to their penalty kill. Best of 3 series now...it's must see TV on Saturday!

[Duncan]

I see that Raffi is suspended indefinitely. I'm guessing 20 games. Or 1. Who knows?

...and it turns out to be 25 games. Wow. Can't say I disagree; that's about $400K he'll lose.

[toys2cool]

[Duncan]

As a Blue Jackets fan, I have mixed feelings about St. Louis' series win over San Jose. I like Hitch, and I'm happy to see him succeed, but I'm bitter that it's in St. Louis and not Columbus. Nice job, Howson.

[4NDR01D]

Ottawa leads the series (3-2) with a shutout win in NY tonight.

[Adam West]

D.C. is going crazy over the Caps win. 3-2 over the Bruins and we can finish them off tomorrow.