Random 2021 Playoff Talk

[Portland Blues]

Guess I'm rooting for Vegas tonight. Got tired of hearing all season about how the Avalanche were just about the greatest team to ever hit the ice.

[Portland Blues]

Guessing that was not the start Vegas was looking for.

[Portland Blues]

And then Colorado gives up a terrible one.

[Portland Blues]

Nice goal by that Pietrangelo guy. He'd look great in a Blues uniform.

[Portland Blues]

Colorado Avalanche summer vacation starts...now.

[theohall]

Colorado Avalanche summer vacation starts...now.

Such a shame
The experts, who normally count playoff experience beyond the 2nd round as important, keep forgetting the Avs lack playoff experience beyond the 2nd round. I think it was Mike Rupp who brought this up during the pre-season when everyone was all-in on the Avs winning the Cup.

[glen a richter]

Going with Vegas in 5, Isles in 7

[gaijin]

Going with Vegas in 5, Isles in 7

A Knights-Islanders Cup Final? I wonder how many people would have predicted that when the season started?

[theohall]

No games until Sunday? Guess it's alright. Guess it's time to do something else this weekend.

[Portland Blues]

No games until Sunday? Guess it's alright. Guess it's time to do something else this weekend.

Always a bit odd as the season winds down. We're out and the teams I wanted to lose are out so it's not very exciting going forward. Go Stanley Cup "favored to win" team!

[WaukeeBlues]

I'm cheering for Islanders & Montreal.

Lightning just won, the Golden Knights fans haven't felt any pain yet. I judge these things off of whose fan base I want to win more

[Portland Blues]

Vegas didn't have much trouble taking game 1.

[theohall]

Montreal fighting back in Game 2. (yes, I'm way behind watching a replay)

Tampa looked like Tampa in Game 2 vs the Isles. Game 1, the Isles played perfectly defending cross-ice passes and the Lightning didn't work enough at North/South skating and lost.

[WaukeeBlues]

Montreal fighting back in Game 2. (yes, I'm way behind watching a replay)

Tampa looked like Tampa in Game 2 vs the Isles. Game 1, the Isles played perfectly defending cross-ice passes and the Lightning didn't work enough at North/South skating and lost.

Yea I'm getting the distinct takeaway that for the Isles and Canadiens to win a game they have to play almost perfect hockey and their goalie has to virtually stand on his head. Any breakdowns for significant stretches and Vegas & Tampa are rolling away with it.

I'm having a hard time seeing how the Isles and Canadiens can do that three more times out of five. Tough sledding for them for sure.

Just the Canadiens last night: the amount of effort and intensity they had to expend to barely hang on and win a tight one 3-2... woof. Vegas hasn't started on time yet this series, allowing Montreal to dictate early before turning it on and taking over.

[theohall]

The one kind of huge statistic for Tampa - they haven't lost back-to-back playoff games since they got swept in 2019 by the Blue Jackets. In other words, if the Isles don't win Game 3 and Tampa continues doing that, the Bolts win. That being said - Tampa sometimes tries to force their style of play (Game 1) even when they know it isn't working. Game 2 Tampa listened to what Cooper preached about playing the simple game, not the fancy game and they got the win. All depends on which Tampa team shows up - the one which thinks they can play their way, regardless of the opponent, or the the one which actually thinks and takes what their opponent is giving up. The Islanders don't give up hardly anything in 5-on-5 play. You have to make their defense turn and grind out opportunities.

Montreal has some very good young skill which should benefit them immensely in the coming seasons - even if they don't get by Vegas this year.

[theohall]

Kinda surprised how little Cole Caufield played in OT. I don't think he had a shift until Perry got hurt.

[glen a richter]

It's a damn good thing Montreal won that game given the horrible missed call on that obvious high stick on Perry.

[theohall]

'Tampa started good then got impatient. About 8 minutes into the 1st, there was a shift with Cirelli, Killorn and Stamkos on the ice. They kept going behind the net back and forth to each wing forcing the Islanders to turn, turn, and turn again. Then Cirelli got impatient and tried to force a pass across to Stamkos just inside the blueline - the problem, the Islanders 1-2-2 hadn't collapsed, the forward intercepts the pass and from that point on in the game, Tampa would play a few good shifts, then get impatient trying to force passes through the Islanders high defending forward... it cost them that game. The Islanders are damn good at maintaining their structure and the only way to beat them is to tire them out to get them out of position and/or taking penalties - which was what games 2 and 3 were. Game 4 - Tampa just didn't stick with their game plan and played into the Islanders hands.

Interesting with Vegas going with Lehner tonight.

[Portland Blues]

I didn't get much of a chance to watch Montreal this season but they've been a bit of a surprise for me so far in this series. I thought Vegas would just walk right past them.

[theohall]

I don't know WTF these refs are doing in this 2nd period. Weber pretty clearly got boarded, no call - led to 4-on-4. During the 4-on-4, Stone commits blatant interference - no call. On the same, 4-on-4, there was a pretty clear slash/hook by Vegas - no call. Then Montreal doesn't even hook Tuch, the stick touches his waist - never turned him, never delayed him, never touched his stick - and hooking gets called on Montreal. Don't get it at all...

Vegas is missing one of their key centers in Chandler Stephenson.

And justice is served with Montreal scoring just after the Vegas PP ends.