NHL 2016 Playoffs

Can't believe they'd trade him, maybe get him to work more on his skating in off season or something. Good to hear it's not anything serious. I remember when I did the same, there was a big pop, and I thought for sure my ACL was toast. Totally understand why he was expecting the worst.

Another 8.5 hours to game time. Looks like Vasi will be in net... Will we see Strolman tonight?

What a crazy week for the Lightning... It will be a 6 game series now with odds on it going 7 games... Which goalies are we going to see tomorrow? Vasy has kept Tampa in it, but if Bishop is healthyI think he goes back in.

I can't believe the Blues are at the point where they are outright switching goalies...

At this point, I'd like to see TB and SJ battle it out for the Cup.

What a crazy week for the Lightning... It will be a 6 game series now with odds on it going 7 games... Which goalies are we going to see tomorrow? Vasy has kept Tampa in it, but if Bishop is healthyI think he goes back in.

I can't believe the Blues are at the point where they are outright switching goalies...

Originally Posted by Fshguy

Sign of desperation from Blues. Should have been Elliott's to run with unless he stunk the joint out. Can't win games if you don't score any goals. And if Bishop says he's healthy and ready to go, he's got to go back in, he's the clear #1. Just have to make sure he's actually ready so he doesn't make anything worse.

At this point, I'd like to see TB and SJ battle it out for the Cup.

Originally Posted by porschephiliac

That'd be fun... my company has a branch in San Jose, although as far as I know, none of them are hockey fans... Obviously I'm biased towards the Lightning, but neither West team has won the Stanley cup so either team would be great. If St. Louis makes it in, it will be likely be playing the maximum amount of games to get to the finals...

West is just such a weird series. One team will dominate, the next game the other will. Almost like whichever team gets going first, just takes over. Seems like if Blues play hard and clean, they can do it...but if they don't skate and take dumb penalties, they get owned.

At this point, I'd like to see TB and SJ battle it out for the Cup.

Originally Posted by porschephiliac

On second thought, a TB vs SJ would be better... If STL is in, everybody in the tri-state area will come to Tampa for "vacation" much less the Blues fans that already live here... So many Chicago people were down here last year, the cheap nose-bleed tickets were like $400+ each...

I'm ok with all the teams left as well. My preferred order of Finals would be thus:
Pens vs Blues
Pens vs Sharks
TB vs Blues
TB vs Sharks

But that's also showing my bias just a little bit. Also, I wonder what the Pens will do in net Sunday night. They played like shit in game 4. Do they go back to Fleury since he's their #1 anyway, or stick with Murray who got them this far?

I'm ok with all the teams left as well. My preferred order of Finals would be thus:
Pens vs Blues
Pens vs Sharks
TB vs Blues
TB vs Sharks

But that's also showing my bias just a little bit. Also, I wonder what the Pens will do in net Sunday night. They played like shit in game 4. Do they go back to Fleury since he's their #1 anyway, or stick with Murray who got them this far?

Originally Posted by Dacoto

Must be fun as a coach to have millions of people second guess your decision which will only be validated if the Pens win... I'm just glad the Lightning have done enough to make it even a question.

Tougher call for the Pens than TB with Bishop. Fleury's been out for quite awhile, but is (was?) the clear #1 goalie. Murray hasn't played badly though. I'd be tempted to keep going with Murray unless he completely crashes, for fear of Fleury struggling to get going after so long off. Young goalies just seem so fragile confidence wise, might be hard to go back to Murray if he does. If they could somehow win a cup with Murray, good chance you'd see Fleury traded in the offseason, since their other back up is really good too, and it would free up a lot of cap space.

Still think if Bishop's ready, he plays.

Definitely want to see SJ in the final, kind of want them to play against the Pens so when (ok, if) they win the cup it's against Crosby/Malkin/etc., just to beat the guys who've done it before. Big Joe deserves one, time's running out. Would be kind of a shame if they won it and he doesn't get to hoist it first, since he's not captain anymore.

You raise good points. It' not like Murray let in garbage goals. Those were all high quality shots from TB. And putting Fleury in for the 3rd period to try to get some change in momentum and motivate the guys made sense. Hell, it almost worked! I don't think they trade Fleury since they just signed him to another extension during the offseason. I'd venture either they take a king's bounty for Murray, or they shop Zatkoff around and keep Murray. (I hope they keep Murray). I don't want them to do what Philly did when they had a rookie goalie play out of his mind.

Tonight should be an interesting game. Back in Pittsburgh. Now a best of 3 series. Pens haven't lost B2B games this entire post season. Both teams with goalie choices.

You raise good points. It' not like Murray let in garbage goals. Those were all high quality shots from TB. And putting Fleury in for the 3rd period to try to get some change in momentum and motivate the guys made sense. Hell, it almost worked! I don't think they trade Fleury since they just signed him to another extension during the offseason. I'd venture either they take a king's bounty for Murray, or they shop Zatkoff around and keep Murray. (I hope they keep Murray). I don't want them to do what Philly did when they had a rookie goalie play out of his mind.

Tonight should be an interesting game. Back in Pittsburgh. Now a best of 3 series. Pens haven't lost B2B games this entire post season. Both teams with goalie choices.

Originally Posted by Dacoto

Yeah, always good to have a veteran goalie. Although if he just signed a contract, it might make him more appealing to other teams, depending on no-trade clause. Don't think they'd trade Murray regardless, have to reward his play with at least a backup role. Same as we did with Hamburglar last year.

Well, no more discussion and speculation. The Flower is in net tonight. Hope it goes well. Wonder if that means Bishop will be in net.

Well, no more discussion and speculation. The Flower is in net tonight. Hope it goes well. Wonder if that means Bishop will be in net.

Originally Posted by Dacoto

Based on official TB twitter it will be Vasy...

I really hate that between this and Game of Thrones that I'm anxious for the next 7 hours to go by quickly on a weekend...

At least I've got the IIHF World finals to watch until then. Canada vs. Finland, Fins beat us 4-0 in prelim round. They also could become first team to win Under-18's, World Juniors and Worlds in the same year. They're probably the team that plays the closest to a Canadian style of hockey too, which is why I usually like them. Just not today.

Woot! 2-0 Canada. Hard to beat us twice in the same tournament.

Happy for the win... I really looked bad coming out of game 3. Looked bad on the scoreboard early in this game.

Looked like Fluery got everything he should have got.

That was the ugliest game so far. I know the refs are letting a lot go, but I think they should have called a bit more that game. It was getting bad with the no calls. I can't believe all the high sticks and trips they let go for both teams. I also think TB kinda got screwed with that double minor. Not that it mattered, they won anyway.

Sigh...

Now Pens have the issue I was talking about; who starts next game. Even though Fleury is the #1, they're talking about going back to Murray. Gotta wonder about STL now too and do they go back to Elliott? I'm guessing no, which is lame since he's the one who got them there, and was winning games with little to no goal support. First time in a long time all 8 goalies have played in the conference finals.