MUNSON'S PUCK DOGS

[NoNewbieca]

Habs lose another one last night (Price was terrible) and the Flyers have made the most of their chances. The do however keep trying to give the games away by taking stupid penalties. Habs have hit so many posts, and been unlucky on some chances. Biron has easily outplayed Price so far.

Tonight we see if the Rangers, Sharks and Avs can make series in their games and win being down two. I hope that they all can as the second round should not be very easy. Hopefully MSG will be rocking and the Rangers score the first goal!! Sharks will need to win on the road which will not be easy. They bounced back well against the Flames though on the road.

[winkyduck]

Sharkey's Machine wins tonite to make it 2-1

[SSI]

Munson, i sent you a pretty lengthy email about 2 days ago, did you get it?

if not, you mentioned an interest in the R/L Chase: final info for 2007 is posted in my thread.. (95-0) on the season with only 1 chase, going to a final game 6.

good luck tonight, im Chasing (redwings/avs Under 5)..

[munson15]

Originally Posted by SSI

Munson, i sent you a pretty lengthy email about 2 days ago, did you get it?

if not, you mentioned an interest in the R/L Chase: final info for 2007 is posted in my thread.. (95-0) on the season with only 1 chase, going to a final game 6.

good luck tonight, im Chasing (redwings/avs Under 5)..

Sorry I didn't get to all my emails from the weekend yet, lots going on at work. I will certainly look at it, I know you had a winner with the Snakes last night.

[munson15]

Originally Posted by NoNewbieca

Habs lose another one last night (Price was terrible) and the Flyers have made the most of their chances. The do however keep trying to give the games away by taking stupid penalties. Habs have hit so many posts, and been unlucky on some chances. Biron has easily outplayed Price so far.

Tonight we see if the Rangers, Sharks and Avs can make series in their games and win being down two. I hope that they all can as the second round should not be very easy. Hopefully MSG will be rocking and the Rangers score the first goal!! Sharks will need to win on the road which will not be easy. They bounced back well against the Flames though on the road.

Gotta say, Newbie, I didn't like the lack of defensive intensity the Rangers showed tonight. Lots of running around, bad penalties, etc. Still, if Gomez scores on that shot that hit off the inside of the post when it was 3-3 and we had them on their heels, it might have been a series. As it is, I am forced to wave the white flag. Gonna lose my Rangers futures bet at WSEX, and unfortunately, looks like the same fate awaits Winky in this round with the Sharks. Once we are eliminated, I will root for the Wings and the Canadiens (if they are still alive) as I always go for Original Six teams after the Blueshirts bow out.

P.S. Where DO you find these women for your avatars, Newbie?

[winkyduck]

Keeley Hazell is his pic now

Ron Wilson - get your resume ready - you are gonna need it. weird thing is Sharkey's Machine could very easily be UP 3-0 not down. lose G1 and G3 in OT and led 2-1 headed to 3P on G2. then again why should they change their stripes now - the biggest underachieving team in the NHL for some time needs to play with 2 hands on the stick and not 2 hands around their necks

[NoNewbieca]

Could have been a nice little parlay last night if you chose all three teams with 2-0 leads to go up 3-0. It's too bad really, because I felt that each of these series could be exciting. As it turns out, the second round could be one of the shortest ever. I can't recall a second round ending with so many sweeps. I cannot believe that no one can beat the Pens. Weird. They have won 7 in a row. The Sharks seem to have this mental block now, and where has Joe Thornton been when you need him..?!!! Game 3 was some of the hardest hitting I have seen in a long time. Guys got smoked all over the place. I went to bed when the Avs were down 2-1, as it looked to me as though these banged up Avs just can't skate with the Red Wings. The Wings could have been up 4-1 very early in the game and I needed some sleep.

As for the avatar, Winky is right that this is Keeley once again. Keeley and Denise Milani are favorites, but I throw in a couple others as well from time to time. I need to keep up with my repuation now... ;-)

Enjoy the next round of the playoffs. I still am cheering for Philly although I wonder whether they can keep up with the Pens. If Montreal hits fewer posts tonight and can finish, then we go back tied to Montreal. Sharks should be done tonight.

[munson15]

Can't disagree with anything you said. I thought the Rangers had the goalie, the smarts, the scoring from different lines and the discipline to go a long way. The tough losses in Pittsburgh seemed to take a little out of them, they are skating with the mentality of 'what will go wrong next' and that is a recipe for disaster.

I hope the Flyers lose and we see Montreal and Pittsburgh skating rings around the defense in the next round. Philadelphia would have to employ a more plodding style to stick with the Pens, I think it would be less entertaining hockey, so I want the Habs to advance. Wings are going to face a Dallas team they should be able to handle.

Thanks for all the great avatars, I personally think you took down the previous one a tad too soon!

[munson15]

Originally Posted by winkyduck

Keeley Hazell is his pic now

Ron Wilson - get your resume ready - you are gonna need it. weird thing is Sharkey's Machine could very easily be UP 3-0 not down. lose G1 and G3 in OT and led 2-1 headed to 3P on G2. then again why should they change their stripes now - the biggest underachieving team in the NHL for some time needs to play with 2 hands on the stick and not 2 hands around their necks

I feel the same way about the Rangers, to a lesser extent. They have been a very disciplined defensive team, I can't believe they got caught up in some pond hockey in game 1 to blow the big lead. Game 2, they were robbed by a quick whistle, and last night they had the Pens running around, taking penalties, came back from 3-1 down. Then Gomez hit the post at 3-3 when the Rangers had all the momentum and could have gone ahead. Not good enough I guess. I'm disappointed in the Sharks, I suppose they were lucky to get past Calgary.

[boomerbust]

Originally Posted by winkyduck

Keeley Hazell is his pic now

Ron Wilson - get your resume ready - you are gonna need it. weird thing is Sharkey's Machine could very easily be UP 3-0 not down. lose G1 and G3 in OT and led 2-1 headed to 3P on G2. then again why should they change their stripes now - the biggest underachieving team in the NHL for some time needs to play with 2 hands on the stick and not 2 hands around their necks

Hopefully we wont have to see wilson as coach for 5 to 10 years! Game 3 performance was putrid!! It looked like they played the WHOLE 3rd period shorthanded,and I blame the coach for letting them come out on their heels. If they werent playing not to lose,the D guy probably doesnt fall and gift wrap game 2. Spot screams seals tonite in B2B, but I've taken too much of a beating this series. If they couldnt solve the rookie blueliners in 3 games, i don't see them doing it tonite. What a bunch of LAZY STIFFS!

[NoNewbieca]

Good to see the Sharks live for another day with a more solid effort in Game 4. Now they go back home to see what can transpire there. As a hockey fan, it bothers me when teams with a single goal lead play the third like it's a 20 minute penalty kill. As they showed last night with the Sharks, in Game 3 with the lead, the puck was in their end for 12+ minutes. That's unacceptable. On the winning goal they had the Grier line out against Modano and Ribiero and they were 5 on 5 but they wouldn't hit anyone or skate. Pick a man, put him down after he touches the puck. It's simple.

The Flyers almost blew another one last night (like Game 1) with a 30 second brain cramp where they give up 2 goals. With a 2-0 lead, you have to be aggressive and keep checking and skating (see note above). Biron has been brilliant and Habs reliance on young goalies has hurt them. Do you think Gainey wishes he had Huet back now??? I bet!

Wings should polish off injured Avs tonight. I think that Dallas will be a tough test for the Wings. I am beginning to appreciate Brendan Morrow a great deal more now watching him play. He's not flashy, but he is a solid contributor and makes things happen. And he's tough.

[munson15]

Montreal's goaltending is killing them. Halak couldn't even find the puck in mild traffic on the last Flyer goal. And when he did pick it up, he reacted very slowly. I believe their chance was gone when Price didn't show up for this series, come to think of it, Fleury has severely outplayed Lundqvist in the Ranger series.

[winkyduck]

I know what I said about Sharkey's Machine recently but something tells me this series is NOT over yet and in all honesty it WON'T shock me if they actually come back and win it

And I am being dead honest here - I really do think Sharkey is not dead

[boomerbust]

If the seals had any stones they would have shown them in game 3, for all 3 periods. Last night was an abberation, hard to sweep especially in that situation. If that shot goes an inch to the right the seals, down 2-0, fold right then.I've got some seals series opener -150 for sale cheap for anyone interested.

[munson15]

Originally Posted by boomerbust

If the seals had any stones they would have shown them in game 3, for all 3 periods. Last night was an abberation, hard to sweep especially in that situation. If that shot goes an inch to the right the seals, down 2-0, fold right then.I've got some seals series opener -150 for sale cheap for anyone interested.

You calling them the Seals in deference to the old Oakland Seals?

[NoNewbieca]

Sweep for the Wings as they down a battered and bruised Avs team. Franzen is on fire! Theodore just lost all the goodwill be gained back in the regular season. He'll be done. Nice to see the Rangers show up and give a quality veteran effort. We'll see if the Sharks can win a game at home here and extend another day. I hope that you're right Winky. I would prefer a Sharks-Wings Western Final, as I think that they were the best two teams all season.

[munson15]

Newbie, I caught a little of the Wings game last night, and they look awesome! They toyed with the Avs on the road, I know the Avs were dispirited, but since the switch to Osgood, they have been phenomenal. I'd hate to face them next with the Wings being rested and red hot. Only team that has the firepower to give them a run is probably the Penguins. I was very proud of my Rangers making a stand on home ice.

[boomerbust]

Originally Posted by munson15

You calling them the Seals in deference to the old Oakland Seals?

Yes, although it could be said that I'm referring to the Stars, as the Oakland Seals became moved to Cleveland(Barons), then merged with Minnesota(North Stars), before moving to the slush in Dallas. I was mostly calling them out for their effort in the third periods of two, must win and should win at least one, games.

[munson15]

Originally Posted by boomerbust

Yes, although it could be said that I'm referring to the Stars, as the Oakland Seals became moved to Cleveland(Barons), then merged with Minnesota(North Stars), before moving to the slush in Dallas. I was mostly calling them out for their effort in the third periods of two, must win and should win at least one, games.

I agree that they have been short on guts.

[boomerbust]

That 33 year between teams coming back from 3-0 deal is getting spooky. If SJ would have shown the guts they did last night in just ONE of their othr home games they probably move on. That was a horseshit overturn of the goal(first one).If they dont look at slomo, no way they overturn it. Kicking motiom my ass. I need to bet stars for 20$ in gm 6. i have been wrong on every side this series except gm 4, which I didn't bet. That way my Sharks series bet would still be live! I am going to hit the under hard though. Crappy ice and defensive precedent are telling me 2-1.