2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread (Second Round is set, begins tomorrow)

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Who do the Rangers want to play in the playoffs? If they want to play the Sens, then they better let us beat them tonight!

Nash, Zuccarello, and Staal are all resting tonight.  I doubt the Rangers care too much about this game.  They'll sit back in their defensive structure but they are not going to press much.  I'm watching tonight's game with far more intrigue concerning the playoff race than how my team looks.  It's all about the Cup now. 

[Lambsbread]

Who do the Rangers want to play in the playoffs? If they want to play the Sens, then they better let us beat them tonight!

Personally, I'd prefer to avoid the Bruins, but we're the best team and it shouldn't matter.  Gotta take care of business.  

And, much akin to your beloved Mets, the business of arranging offseason workouts will begin shortly.

And who are you a fan of, Mr. Blue PA?

Much much less stress involved in giving up on my team halfway through the season than watching them crash and burn in a blaze of disappointment

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Who do the Rangers want to play in the playoffs? If they want to play the Sens, then they better let us beat them tonight!

Personally, I'd prefer to avoid the Bruins, but we're the best team and it shouldn't matter.  Gotta take care of business.  

And, much akin to your beloved Mets, the business of arranging offseason workouts will begin shortly.

And who are you a fan of, Mr. Blue PA?

Much much less stress involved in giving up on my team halfway through the season than watching them crash and burn in a blaze of disappointment

OMG... Flyers?  Really?  Feel free to start a 2015 draft thread, then. 

[Hatman 🍁]

Thank you Rangers!

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Boston is on the ropes.  Ottawa and Pittsburgh have a little work to do but not much.  They should both get in.  Los Angeles down 2-0 to Calgary.  Yikes.  Who would've thought to Kings and Bruins would miss out on the playoffs?  Last year's Stanley Cup champion and President's Trophy winners both missing with largely intact rosters. 

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Thank you Rangers!

You can have it.  Like I said... we didn't really care about this one.  Still played well.  Such is the luxury of wrapping up the regular season title. 

Rest easy, Rangers.  Let those boo-boo's get nice and healed. 

[patrick1]

too early.  hoping for Isles to clinch a home ice series. tonight did not help.

Isles fans have to brace themselves for the worst right now.  Pittsburgh and then a red-hot division foe to finish the season.  Ottawa comes in to play a Rangers team that has everything wrapped up and has already started letting guys sit for soreness and fatigue. 

If the Islanders were to somehow miss the postseason it would be worse to than the Mets in 2007.  I know there are quite a few Isles/Mets fans out there, and I would almost feel bad.  Key word being almost.  The Penguins missing out would also be utterly hilarious. 

Thank God, Isles absolute collapse averted.  Matt Harvey is healthy and dealing, and PC Friars hockey are in the NCAA title game.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

And after an absolutely insane night of hockey, the Kings are OUT and the we have 4 new participants.  

EASTERN CONFERENCE














WESTERN CONFERENCE

















Bruins, Penguins, and Senators to battle it out for the last two spots in the East.  The West is almost completely set.   All the teams have been determined, but home ice in the Vancouver/Calgary series is not set, and St. Louis and Anaheim are still fighting for the #1 overall seed in the West, who will play Winnipeg. 

[Lambsbread]

Let us pray that the Senators and Bruins get in.

[Hatman 🍁]

Let us pray that the Senators and Bruins get in.

Fairly unlikely, Pittsburgh has to lose both of their games.

Fabulous to see Winnipeg finally make it. I'll be cheering them on all the way, unless they play the Senators for the cup

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Let us pray that the Senators and Bruins get in.

Fairly unlikely, Pittsburgh has to lose both of their games.

Fabulous to see Winnipeg finally make it. I'll be cheering them on all the way, unless they play the Senators for the cup

I'm all over Winnipeg if the Rangers were to bow out... although if the Rangers were to get upset this year I'd probably need some time.  Usually it's one round until I can watch again. 

[Hatman 🍁]

If it's Anaheim vs Winnipeg, there will be even more reason for me to cheer for the Jets, as the only team I hate more than the Ducks is the Leafs. (And not just because of 2007; wtf does Anaheim have a hockey team?)

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

If it's Anaheim vs Winnipeg, there will be even more reason for me to cheer for the Jets, as the only team I hate more than the Ducks is the Leafs. (And not just because of 2007; wtf does Anaheim have a hockey team?)

SoCal can support multiple teams in any sport.  The Ducks have been a very successful franchise, honestly.  Plus, thanks to the Angels (and to an extent the Chargers), you had a built-in sports rivalry between Anaheim/Orange County and LA.  Before the Cup runs, when contraction/relocation was a pretty legitimate possibility, if you wanted to move a team out of California I would've argued it should be the Kings.  They'd never won a title, only played in one Final, and had never even gotten to the 3rd round in any other season.  A true sad sack franchise.  Washington was in the same boat until Ovechkin saved them. 

There are two teams I want moved.  Get the Panthers out of Florida and stick them in Quebec.  It's absurd to see 5,000 people in that arena every night.  No one cares.  Then take Arizona and put them in Southern Ontario or Seattle.  I'd like to see Carolina returned to Hartford and resurrect the Whalers, too, if only to bring back that fan-*******-TASTIC goal song... "Brass Bonanza"!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDKSpEfPOTo

[Lambsbread]

I'm rooting for the Jets in the west and the Capitals in the east. Love old NHL teams (I'd love to see the Nordiques and Whalers return) and the Jets just have a fun team. I love Alexander Ovechkin, too. He's my favorite non-Devils player in the league. What a freak of nature.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

I'm rooting for the Jets in the west and the Capitals in the east. Love old NHL teams (I'd love to see the Nordiques and Whalers return) and the Jets just have a fun team. I love Alexander Ovechkin, too. He's my favorite non-Devils player in the league. What a freak of nature.

Oh so you're a Devils guy, eh?  That is just no bueno.  No bueno at all. 

[Hatman 🍁]

I watched the final period of the Panthers vs. Bruins game yesterday (for obvious reasons), and yeah, there was no one in the stands in South Florida, except for a bunch of New England snowbirds decked out in black and gold.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

I watched the final period of the Panthers vs. Bruins game yesterday (for obvious reasons), and yeah, there was no one in the stands in South Florida, except for a bunch of New England snowbirds decked out in black and gold.

It's irritating to me as a hockey fan to see the nonsense in Florida while Quebec City fans of all people twittle their thumbs without a team and a hockey-ready arena sitting there.  And all the time the only city the NHL is getting serious about expanding to is ******* LAS VEGAS!  VEGAS! 

[Hatman 🍁]

Preaching to the choir, man.

[© tweed]

@HockeyDude: today's the day for the Isles fan to root for the Rangers.  Isles get 1st round home ice with a Rangers win and an Isles win tonight.  currently NYR 3, WAS 1 2nd period

[© tweed]

I watched the final period of the Panthers vs. Bruins game yesterday (for obvious reasons), and yeah, there was no one in the stands in South Florida, except for a bunch of New England snowbirds decked out in black and gold.

It's irritating to me as a hockey fan to see the nonsense in Florida while Quebec City fans of all people twittle their thumbs without a team and a hockey-ready arena sitting there.  And all the time the only city the NHL is getting serious about expanding to is ******* LAS VEGAS!  VEGAS! 

Quebec will get a team by the end of the decade.  that arena won't even be functional until Sept 2015.

[Hatman 🍁]

We're in! Woohoo!

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

@HockeyDude: today's the day for the Isles fan to root for the Rangers.  Isles get 1st round home ice with a Rangers win and an Isles win tonight.  currently NYR 3, WAS 1 2nd period

You're welcome. 

@Hatman: Congrats on the incredible run.  I think St. Louis was the last team to come from more than 6 pts back in January and still make it.  You guys were 14 back in mid-Feb.  That's outstanding.  Glad to avoid you for the first two rounds.

Hate this scheduling by the NHL.  These games should be played this afternoon.  Have to wait all the way until late tonight to get the final Stanley Cup bracket. 

OFFICIAL PREDICTION COMING SOON!  Can you guess who I have winning it all regardless?

[Hatman 🍁]

Bring on the Habs! Where's RogueBeaver? He needs to feel my wrath.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

And for my predictions!

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Metropolitan Division
(1) New York Rangers def. (W2) Pittsburgh Penguins in 4
(2) Washington Capitals def. (3) New York Islanders in 7

(1) New York Rangers def. (2) Washington Capitals in 5

Atlantic Division
(W1) Ottawa Senators def. (1) Montreal Canadiens in 7
(2) Tampa Bay Lightning def. (3) Detroit Red Wings in 5

(2) Tampa Bay Lightning def. (W1) Ottawa Senators in 7

Eastern Conference Final
New York Rangers def. Tampa Bay Lightning in 6


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Central Division
(W1) Minnesota Wild def. (1) St. Louis Blues in 6
(3) Chicago Blackhawks def. (2) Nashville Predators in 6

(W1) Minnesota Wild def. (3) Chicago Blackhawks in 7

Pacific Division
(1) Anaheim Ducks def. (W2) Winnipeg Jets in 7
(2) Vancouver Canucks def. (3) Calgary Flames in 7

(1) Anaheim Ducks def. (2) Vancouver Canucks in 6

Western Conference Final
Minnesota Wild def. Anaheim Ducks in 6


STANLEY CUP FINAL
New York Rangers

def.

Minnesota Wild

in 5 games

[dead0man]

The Blues are healthy going into the playoffs this year, Tarshenko is going to tear it up.