2008-2009 Stanley Cup Thread

[Valdez]

So, I'm sure I'm not the only hockey fan here. This thread is admittedly a bit late, but at least it's here before the first round is completed!

For those who don't know, teams are split into two conferences depending on their location, and the top 8 of 15 teams in each conference make the playoffs. The highest seed plays against the lowest seed through each of the four rounds, and whichever team wins four of a possible seven games moves on to the next round where they do it all over again. The Stanley Cup final, the championship, is the fourth round and features the winner of the West vs. the winner of the East.

So let's spill; which team do you want to win, and which team do you think will win?

Conference finals

Western Conference

2. Detroit Red Wings
4. Chicago Blackhawks

Eastern Conference

4. Pittsburg Penguins
6. Carolina Hurricanes

Second Round

Western Conference

2. Detroit Red Wings
8. Anaheim Ducks
(Detroit wins 4-3)

3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
(Chicago wins 4-2)

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Bruins
6. Carolina Hurricanes
(Carolina leads 3-2)

2. Washington Capitals
4. Pittsburg Penguins
(Pittsburg wins 4-3)


First round

Western Conference

1. San Jose Sharks
8. Anaheim Ducks
(Anaheim wins 4-2)

2. Detroit Red Wings
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
(Detroit wins 4-0)

3. Vancouver Canucks
6. St. Louis Blues
(Vancouver wins 4-0)

4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Calgary Flames
(Chicago wins 4-2)


Eastern Conference

1. Boston Bruins
8. Montreal Canadiens
(Boston wins 4-0)

2. Washington Capitals
7. New York Rangers
(Washington wins 4-3)

3. New Jersey Devils
6. Carolina Hurricanes
(Carolina wins 4-3)

4. Pittsburg Penguins
5. Philadelphia Flyers
(Pittsburg wins 4-2)

 

[Legacy]

So, I'm sure I'm not the only hockey fan here. This thread is admittedly a bit late, but at least it's here before the first round is completed!

For those who don't know, teams are split into two conferences depending on their location, and the top 8 of 15 teams in each conference make the playoffs. The highest seed plays against the lowest seed through each of the four rounds, and whichever team wins four of a possible seven games moves on to the next round where they do it all over again. The Stanley Cup final, the championship, is the fourth round and features the winner of the West vs. the winner of the East.

So let's spill; which team do you want to win, and which team do you think will win?


First round

Western Conference

1. San Jose Sharks
8. Anaheim Ducks
(Anaheim leads 2-0)

I really wish my Minnesota Wild would have snuck into the playoffs because year after year the Sharks choke! Ducks will get Guiggy with it and win!

2. Detroit Red Wings
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
(Detroit leads 2-0)

Detroit will win it all again if Osgood keeps playing well. Although its cool to finally see the Jackets in the playoffs.

3. Vancouver Canucks
6. St. Louis Blues
(Vancouver leads 3-0)

Not a competitive series so far, but I hate the Canucks so I hope for a miracle.

4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Calgary Flames
(Chicago leads 2-1)

Chicago is also a candidate to win it all, but they are very young. I hate Jerome Iginla.

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Bruins
8. Montreal Canadiens
(Boston leads 3-0)

I am a big Phil Kessell fan cuz I live in Minnesota, and he and the Bruins haven't disappointed.

2. Washington Capitals
7. New York Rangers
(New York leads 2-1)

Epic 1-0 game the other night...Ovetchkin is a beast!

3. New Jersey Devils
6. Carolina Hurricanes
(New Jersey leads 2-1)

Martin Broudeur is my favorite goalie of all time and he will once again lead his team to a series victory

4. Pittsburg Penguins
5. Philadelphia Flyers
(Pittsburg leads 2-1)
Sid and Malkin are too good for Flyers

In the end I think Detroit beats Boston in 6 games to win the cup

 

[evkl]

*points to Entertainment, Inc.*

*moves*

 

[Valdez]

I think it'll be a Canucks-Bruins final, with the Canucks taking it 4-2.

At least I hope so.

 

[Legacy]

I love the Bruins, I'm glad they have returned to prominence.

 

[birdboy2000]

Go Bruins!

 

[System Error]

The Canucks just swept St. Louis' sorry ass. Even through horribly biased officiating (St. Louis got away with around 32 INFRACTIONS IN A ROW, including a headbutt and calling the ice scrapers without going to a 30 second commercial break (which could've gotten them fined); and they even called a phantom penalty on Vancouver), they still won the series. Poetic justice at its finest. Now, if only the refs responsible got injured...

I just hope they can keep it up. I'd love to see them take the cup. They're the best defensive team in the league, but like I just said, the officials keep screwing them over. Their offense leaves a little to be desired at time too, but it's mostly the officials.

 

[dukeburger]

Epic 1-0 game the other night...Ovetchkin is a beast!

If by beast you mean asshole who should have been suspended for spying on the Ranger's practice. Seriously. I'd say the same thing if a Ranger did that to the Capitals.

And Rangers are leading 3-1 now.

But do I think they'll get very far in the play-offs? No.

 

[The Big Al]

The Wings dispatched the Blue Jackets in a sweep. This was a thriller with a literally last minute goal being the decider. Detroit is the first defending champion to advance beyond the first round since the Avs in 2002.

Next up will be the Ducks or Canucks depending on the outcome in California.

 

[Valdez]

Second Round

Western Conference

2. Detroit Red Wings
8. Anaheim Ducks
(Series tied 0-0)

3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
(Vancouver leads 1-0)

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Bruins
6. Carolina Hurricanes
(Series tied 0-0)

2. Washington Capitals
4. Pittsburg Penguins
(Series tied 0-0)

 

[PokemonHero]

And Rangers are leading 3-1 now.

But do I think they'll get very far in the play-offs? No.

Pity it didn't last...Captials played pretty well to take back the last three games.

So yeah, there's Caps/Pens next. That has the potential to be pretty epic. I wish I could get out to the Verizon Center, but my parents aren't into hockey.

 

[Valdez]

So Vancouver got beaten by Chicago tonight, meaning that every Canadian team has now been eliminated from the playoffs.

Damn.

 

[System Error]

Luongo just choked harder than some inexplicably sexual analogy. It makes the Patriots' loss to the Giants, and the Cubs coming so close to the World Series yet failing look good. Sadly, he's the one who brought his team down; the rest of the team was working their asses off to win. Chicago scored 7 GOALS, and Vancouver scored 5. It should've been an easy win with that number of goals for the Canucks, but Luongo performed like shit.

He may be a great goalie at times, but when he sucks, he sucks hard.

 

[The Big Al]

WINGS ADVANCE TO THE FINALS!!!

What a game!?

 

[Valdez]

Conference finals

Western Conference

2. Detroit Red Wings
4. Chicago Blackhawks

Eastern Conference

4. Pittsburg Penguins
6. Carolina Hurricanes

 

[The Big Al]

The Stanley Cup Finals will be a rematch between the Red Wings and the Penguins.

Everyone is saying this is the Penguins series because they have two hot players and the Wings have a lot of injuries and their first line hasn't been all that great.

 

[Valdez]

Can't discount that the Wings won last year though, and they breezed past Chicago. I'm rooting for Pittsburg, but I think it will be Detroit.

 

[The Big Al]

The Wings takes Game 1 3-1 and keep Crosby pointless. They go at it again tomorrow night. Although not the shutout of last year, I think the Wings sent the message they intend to win the cup again.

EDIT: Another night, another Detroit win, another 3-1 game, another pointless Crosby, and unknown Adelkader as many points as superstar Malkin who could be out next game for taking a major in the closing seconds.