Stanley Cup Playoffs discussion thread — 2023 edition

[C-Man 27183]

Florida face fucks Vegas in 5. The east was likely always going to win this year. I don't see that changing now.

They might. Panthers have run the gauntlet and have been able to sit back and relax for 10 days or so between games.

[shadow_operative2.0 15942]

No one around here cares with baseball on, but still can't believe this shit didn't start until tonight. 

[MNLonghornFUKM 8817]

LmfaonJFC these Vegas home games a trip. The PA song guy can’t shut the fuck up and just started blaring stone cold Steve Austin’s intro song


Just transitioned that to prodigy’s smack my bitch up lmao

[shadow_operative2.0 15942]

Vegas takes the opener. 

[Firemans4Horn 18034]

That defensive play by Stone on Tkachuk was amazing. Hill has been unbeliveable in these playoffs. 

[C-Man 27183]

That defensive play by Stone on Tkachuk was amazing. Hill has been unbeliveable in these playoffs. 

They did as well as could be expected on McDavid and Draisatl in Round 2 too. I’ve said it before, maybe on the Stars thread, maybe here but Vegas is

[Beau Vine 54203]

Bob turning into a pumpkin?

[hookemATL 11701]

This is an asskicking. 

[jetsfan76 710]

That was a clean ass hit, and Tkachuk gets a 10? What the fuck?!

[C-Man 27183]

That was a clean ass hit, and Tkachuk gets a 10? What the fuck?!

For fighting after, I’m sure.

[jetsfan76 710]

This officiating is OSU level bad.

[cactusflinthead 27598]

 

[cactusflinthead 27598]

Not done yet.

Bonus hockey looming

[Beau Vine 54203]

Unreal.

[shadow_operative2.0 15942]

What the fuck, Tkachuk didn’t win it. 

Edited June 9, 2023 by shadow_operative2.0

[Longhorn_Fan68 33859]

13 hours ago, shadow_operative2.0 said:

What the fuck, Tkachuk didn’t win it. 

he was close to tipping it in

[shadow_operative2.0 15942]

Vegas gonna be a game away. 

[C-Man 27183]

I haven't seen a single second of the last two games but it certainly appears that Vegas has this all but over. I doubt the Knights fiddle-fuck around in this Game 5 like they did in the WCF and they'll skate the Cup at home tomorrow night.

[Lurch 5922]

Florida 0 for 13 on power plays

[Lurch 5922]

And now Vegas is 1 for 14 on Florida power plays

[Longhorn_Fan68 33859]

I think this is where Florida's overachieving streak ends.

[Lurch 5922]

Yep. There’s no hint of magic left for Florida.

[C-Man 27183]

I think this is where Florida's overachieving streak ends.

Tkachuk is their mojo too.

Vegas is rolling now.

[Vertuzzi 1368]

The swamp cats are done. Vegas is just too big, too skilled, and disciplined. 

[Longboard Horn 40284]

5-1 Vegas with 3 minutes to go in the 2nd period. Game, series, cup. Florida is done. 

[C-Man 27183]

[C-Man 27183]

Who wins Conn Smythe? Marchesseault? Eichel? He hasn’t scored a goal since the second round but is a playmaker. Stone or Stephenson? Maybe Karlsson? Wasn’t he an OG Knight? Hill? I feel like their defense won the last round. Who would you single out there?

[Longhorn_Fan68 33859]

2 minutes ago, C-Man said:

Who wins Conn Smythe? Marchesseault? Eichel? He hasn’t scored a goal since the second round but is a playmaker. Stone or Stephenson? Maybe Karlsson? Wasn’t he an OG Knight? Hill? I feel like their defense won the last round. Who would you single out there?

Hill would get my vote. He's the most unexpected player in that lineup.

[shadow_operative2.0 15942]

Clearly Lindell. 

[C-Man 27183]

Hill would get my vote. He's the most unexpected player in that lineup.

Gretzky says Eichel.

[cactusflinthead 27598]

Vegas fans. Starting to think they don't deserve it.

They earned it though 

[shadow_operative2.0 15942]

Sure that's not the 2nd intermission exodus? 

[cactusflinthead 27598]

It better be. 

[Vertuzzi 1368]

42 minutes ago, C-Man said:

Who wins Conn Smythe? Marchesseault? Eichel? He hasn’t scored a goal since the second round but is a playmaker. Stone or Stephenson? Maybe Karlsson? Wasn’t he an OG Knight? Hill? I feel like their defense won the last round. Who would you single out there?

Eichel. He’s made tons of plays tonight and throughout the playoffs in the defensive zone. He also has 23 points in 21 games. He’s played unbelievably. 

[AUS-97HORN 11756]

cheap bastard that I am, all I can see with all those hats is $35+ being thrown away.   

[cactusflinthead 27598]

Welp. That's a wrap.

[cactusflinthead 27598]

 

Edited June 14, 2023 by cactusflinthead

[C-Man 27183]

Marchesseault wins Conn Smythe. First undrafted player to win the award since …. Wayne Gretzky.

[dcar00 14148]

On 5/30/2023 at 1:04 PM, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

Florida face fucks Vegas in 5. The east was likely always going to win this year. I don't see that changing now.

this was spot on...if you reverse the teams.

Stars Vegas was the real cup final.

[Hornstrader 179]

Tkachuk out for game 5  meant Florida was done. 

It was announced post game 5 that Tkachuk suffered a fractured sternum in game 3...and still played 16+ minutes in game 4. Maurice said there was just too much pain for Tkachuk to  go in game 5. 

[cactusflinthead 27598]

Kessel gets salty

 

[Beau Vine 54203]

I guess last year was an exception, but it seems like lately the Stanley Cup just goes to the team that is least decimated by injuries and the Finals are really kind of anti-climactic.  

[C-Man 27183]

7 hours ago, cactusflinthead said:

Kessel gets salty

 

Hell, I’d forgotten Kessel was even on the Vegas roster this season.

[C-Man 27183]

5 hours ago, Beau Vine said:

I guess last year was an exception, but it seems like lately the Stanley Cup just goes to the team that is least decimated by injuries and the Finals are really kind of anti-climactic.  

I don’t know about that necessarily. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are certainly a grind and key injuries can definitely doom a team’s chances but the last batch of champions includes Vegas, Colorado, Tampa X 2, St. Louis, Washington, Pittsburgh X 2, Chicago, the Kings, Chicago, Boston, etc. Now some of their opponents were not expected to get there — the Stars, for one — and I think the Kings won their first Cup coming from the #8 seed.

[Longhorn_Fan68 33859]

no hockey sucks. non-horns baseball is not an option. summer sports lull is for the birds

[Longhorn_Fan68 33859]

basically this I stole from the lol thread

[Skipper 6127]

On 6/14/2023 at 4:59 PM, C-Man said:

I don’t know about that necessarily. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are certainly a grind and key injuries can definitely doom a team’s chances but the last batch of champions includes Vegas, Colorado, Tampa X 2, St. Louis, Washington, Pittsburgh X 2, Chicago, the Kings, Chicago, Boston, etc. Now some of their opponents were not expected to get there — the Stars, for one — and I think the Kings won their first Cup coming from the #8 seed.

Yeah, I think Vegas was very much a deserving Champion.   I saw them 3 times lives against Dallas (Game 2, 4 and 6) and even though I thought we outplayed them overall in games 2 and 4 I still felt they were the better team walking out of the arena both games.  Obviously game 6 they left no doubt.  And hard to say they weren't impacted with injuries considering they were playing a 3rd string goalie the entire playoff run.  That would destroy most teams but the Vegas defense was elite.  Hill played out of his mind at times and probably made himself some money but the Vegas D made it relatively easy on him.  If, for example, Hill would have been playing for the Stars, we probably don't make it out of the first round.