Well it's too bad you can't appreciate some of the best talent you'll ever see on ice, Fire. Also, you completely missed the point of that game. It wasn't a fuck you to the other franchises, it was a push to get US viewers. And, I might add, it worked. Highest ratings on an NBC hockey game in a long time.

Also, Pittsburgh won't make the finals. Look, I like the dream as much as anyone. I'd like nothing better than to see my boy, big Georges Laraque hoisting a cup alongside some of the best young talent in a long time, but without goal tending, defense and a sudden return from Jordan Staal, it's not going to happen. We all know :gonk:lin is a flash in the pan, and he'll slow down. They're fun, and they'll be a power for a long time, but they're not finals bound this year.

Oh I can appreciate his playing, I just don't LIKE him. Yeah, I was probably blinded by all the Crosby hype. So I heard about the ratings, most viewers on a sporting event in over a decade. I guess it pays to wear powder blue?

Well It's a fairly young team, right? Their time won't come for another two or three years. The rest of the NHL is going to have to face the music eventually. I'm content my franchise being in their prime though, very reluctant to give it up anytime soon.

You're already on the cusp of it. Internal strife, no real goaltender. Even as it stands now, I'd take Detroit over Ottawa. And I'm a Sens fan. I love boys like McGrattan, Neil, Spezza and Fisher. But there is a LOT of inconsistency in that team, from top to bottom. And with Emery being a fucking joke, and Gerber being streaky, I can't see a cup this year. Deep run? Probably. But not a cup. You need goaltending for that.

I know, they've always had goalie problems. It's been forever since they actually had a goalie we could for sure rely on. Even if they don't get a cup this year (or ever :gonk:) I'd still say this is their prime. They've got a great range of players who are all in the right age group and most are at the height of their careers or close to it. I'd say we have this season, maybe the next too before things take a nosedive and we settle back into obscurity.

Also, poor Volchenkov :(

Volchenkov is an underrated player. Very Perreault-like in his role playing for that team.

And yeah, now is definitely the Sens time to shine.

I'll ignore how dumb it is to put any serious faith into cup final predictions halfway through the season based on how a team is currently playing, let alone predictions made before the season even begins.

Come on though, the Devils always choke? Are you serious, or just 14? They won the cup three times in a decade not that long ago.

The devils probably had Scott Neids all three times. And Rafalski is with us now -- Detroit.

The devils always choke? You realise the reason the Devils won championships was overall team defense and one of the greatest goalies of all time. Not because of any individual player. Jesus, Borg, you're as fucking useless at hockey talk as you are at talking video games. How old are you, like, 14?

I will concede that Niedermayer is an fantastic defenseman. There really isn't any debating that. Rafalski is excellent as well, though pretty underrated until recently. However, two good defensemen aren't going to make a team win cups.

As already mentioned, Jersey has had a long-time commitment to defensive-first play which, coupled with one of the greatest goalies to ever play the game, has made them a good playoff team. They're a team built on everyone knowing and accepting their role on the ice.

Awww did I pinch a nerve?

I find it pathetic that people have to resort to "Oh, oh! You're 14 years old!" instead of actually say something.

At least Diss posted *something* in reply after being angry.

Diss just echoed what I'd already said, you putz. That's why he said the following:

Look, I even highlighted it for you, since you're apparently unable to read and comprehend.

And you haven't hit a nerve, you lackwit. I hate the devils. I've always hated the devils. You just clearly have no idea what you're talking about. You're sitting here, trying to argue against what is common knowledge to any hockey fan. You're just an idiot. Which is why I accused you of being 14 and not having the experience with the game. It's either that you're too young, or it's that you're too stupid. Either way, go slam your head in a door until you knock some sense into yourself.

I'm not really sure what nerve you think you hit, and I'm not really sure who's getting angry. You can insult the Devils all you like, I don't care. I think they're a boring team to watch and their style of play is bad for hockey.

I brought up your age because for all I know you're young and weren't really around to see the Devils win all their cups. Am I wrong?

Nevermind, I just checked your profile and I see that, somehow, you're 25 years old. I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, man.

I'd assume that's pretty obvious. Because you don't.

It doesn't really matter, because no matter what you meant by choke, you were painfully, painfully wrong. Which is why I went after you for it. Because you were, you know, wrong.

Maybe you shouldn't have sent an insulting message in private like a backbiting bitch, expecting me to let it slide. You're wrong, son. Sorry that bothers you.

You're absolutely right. I failed to let you make a completely idiotic statement without it being refuted. What you mean is: "You could have let me just have my horribly flawed opinion without comment" and yes, I could have. But I didn't, because there is a difference between an opinion and an informed opinion.

No, you choose to only pay attention to my personal attacks, and completely ignore the points I made. You know, the ones you lauded Diss for making. Not my fault you got butthurt. And you know what, someone, in fact, one of the two of us, was stupid enough to say they were chokers. And it wasn't me. So it must be you. Don't get upset with me because you lack the clarity of thought, point, and precision of language necessary to make a decent point with other people. I refuse to apologise for your having no grasp of what you're talking about, or being unable to get your point across in an intelligent manner.

You're a complete fucking moron. But don't reply. You'll just prove my point.

To reply strictly to the point at hand, the NJD's have had very good seeds in the last 4 years and have failed to go past either round 1 or 2 every time despite that. This year, I have a gut feeling that the Flyers could put them away (If Flyers face them)... or a few other teams. They will likely end up with #2 seed again but IMO won't make the conf finals. If I end up being wrong it won't matter to me one bit who makes the finals in the east.

As for the Penguins situation that was brought up... obviously they'd have worse odds to go to the finals (check sports odds sites) than Ottawa or NJD but if they can exploit Ottawa's weaknesses or if NJD chokes before the conf finals again, the long shot could come true.

It's fun to speculate.

So, basically, you're just using the word "choke" to describe any team that doesn't win the Stanley Cup?

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

I'll be surprised if the Pens can ride :gonk:lin any actual distance in the playoffs, or even TO the playoffs. It's like the golden age of the Pens. They could get by with a shoddy goalie because they could produce the sort of offense necessary to overpower other teams. But Crosby and Malkin do not equal Francis, Lemeiux, Jagr, Trottier, etc. They need some defense, and man, is it ever not there. Though, god would I love the Cinderella story of a team carried by role players like Laraque and Roberts supporting the youth brigade on a cup run. I'd be giddy if it happened. Just very, very doubtful.

See how much the world is a greener place when you actually explain your position in a coherent way?

conklin c o n k l i n .... Are smilies on or something?

Doing that on purpose I guess?

Yeah, I know what his name is, champ. GONKlin would be a running joke about the guy.

: gonk :

:gonk:

:gonk:lin

Ty :gonk:lin.

Indeed.

Again, worse odds for the Pens to win. Let me go look it up. I'll edit this post when I'm done.

Edit: The odds are closer than I thought. They give Pens 8/1 to win the conf finals and NJD 7/1 and Ottawa 5/3.

I went to the game against the Panthers yesterday.


I dont care what you guys say :gonk:lin is fucking awesome. He shut them out like it was his job......oh right.

Just so we're clear on the reference, here's a video summary of Game 1 of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals between the Oilers and Hurricanes, a game Ty Conklin played in net for the Oilers for.

YouTube Video

So :gonk:lin is an accurate nickname.

More Youtube yumminess, this time from a Russian hockey game.

YouTube Video

If this EVER happens in the NHL, it would be the most viewed hockey video on Youtube of all time.

I saw this on tv the other night and can't say I was really that impressed by it. There were a few flurries of activity - though none of them were good fights, really - but the majority of the time spent was just everyone standing around hugging each other. I can't really blame the video too much for that 'cause that's what always happens in bench-clearers, but I can think of a lot of hockey videos I'd rather watch.

Diss....Vancouver just picked up the ULTIMATE NEXT ONE

Kris Beech!

Almost as good a pickup as Samsonov being claimed by the CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANES!

:gonk:lin is now 9-0-0. WHAT HAS SCIENCE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE