NHL Discussion

[swankymodes]

Yes, but Philly winning the cup is infinitely worse than watching Hossa lose a 3rd straight trying to hop to front-running teams.

Do you individually hate the Flyers or are they considered a major rivalry for Buffalo (assuming Buffalo is your squad)?

[brad]

As a flyers fan I don't like the sabres very much.

That's also because I want to college in upstate NY.

[swankymodes]

I know there's a history, like back in the 70s, between the Sabres and Flyers... but it's kind of like our rivalry with the Bruins. It doesn't have the same impact with me like the Devils and Rangers do.

[brad]

True, it was and older rivalry. Growing up I knew a sabres fan and he sucked. Then other sabres fans in college were annoying when they beat the flyers in the playoffs, then briere went to the flyers. ... Etc etc, so that's how I'm "in it"

[mcm1610]

A shit-ton of Buffalo fans hate Philly, but so does the rest of the country. I just think our hatred is a little more intense. With Toronto being embarrassing lately, our main rivalry is dead. There was a solid Bruins rivalry in the 80s and 90s but that's been nothing lately. Our favorite enemies over here are now Ottawa and Philly (and some will say Carolina, but that's only because Carolina hates people from Buffalo so much, which doesn't make sense because 90% of them ARE from Buffalo - It's Buffalo-South down there).

It's not even a conscious decision, but, for me, players are RUINED when they throw on the orange sweater. That whole 1990s team - Recchi, Lindros, Brindamour, Desjardins, Hextall... whoever else.. I just hated them all, and I still can't find it in me to cheer for them. To see Biron go there and then recruit Briere was a disaster. I'll never be able to stand Carcillo or a lot of the other guys on the team now. I've never liked Progner, but this year solidified him on my hated list.

[brad]

Speaking of rivals.

I hope the leafs get good again, and they are in good hands.

The leafs flyers playoff series were awesome. Especially the one in 2004.

I'd love another one like that again, but on the other hand they were such beat downs the winner just couldn't move on

[mcm1610]

I think a lot of the Philly animosity comes from some of the playoff series between the two over the years. I can't remember what year, but there was a 7-game series that was BRUTAL for the first 6 games, then somehow Buffalo came out and slaughtered them in game 7. But the games were just so tough, so close, so physical.

[brad]

Oh god don't remind me. Wasn't it like 8-0 in game 7. Checkmanek lost his mind

[thesupervillain]

Speaking of rivals.

I hope the leafs get good again, and they are in good hands.

The leafs flyers playoff series were awesome. Especially the one in 2004.

I'd love another one like that again, but on the other hand they were such beat downs the winner just couldn't move on

The first NHL game I ever saw in my life was in that series. I think it was Game 6 in Philly when the Flyers won like 7-2 and McCabe was the goat for being directly responsible for 3 or 4 goals.

I got told off by a Philly cop before the game and chased to my car as I exited the game (early of course).

Philly fans are awesome. I wish Toronto fans cared that much about their teams.

edit: Looking at the Wiki, it was Game 5. I also somehow forgot that for my first NHL game, I got the (mis)pleasure of seeing the incredible Trevor Kidd in action. sigh.

[forgeagain]

Can we all agree on Hawks in 6?

[mcm1610]

Yes.

[brad]

No

[sgoodcore]

Can we all agree on Hawks in 6?

I think it'll take 7. I think Philly is the only team with the right mix of skill and defense to match up at all with Chicago.

[brad]

I think it's going 7 as well.

Or atleast 1-2 OT games

[100resolutions]

Yes. The Hawks are just way too hot right now.

[brad]

Not to be too much of a homer but have the hawks played a top four D like the flyers?

The Canuacks had Bieska, Ehrhoff, and Elder?

The Sharks had Boyle and Blake and Huskins?

The top two dmen alone do not match Pronger and Timmonen.

[drabley]

Bowed out of this thread because I frankly didn't give a shit about the playoffs this season. I watched the majority of the games, however. No sport compares to playoff hockey.

I must say, hats of to Philly.

I've eaten my words.

[sgoodcore]

Bowed out of this thread because I frankly didn't give a shit about the playoffs this season. I watched the majority of the games, however. No sport compares to playoff hockey.

I must say, hats of to Philly.

I've eaten my words.

In regards to them, everyone has.

[forgeagain]

Not to be too much of a homer but have the hawks played a top four D like the flyers?

The Canuacks had Bieska, Ehrhoff, and Elder?

The Sharks had Boyle and Blake and Huskins?

The top two dmen alone do not match Pronger and Timmonen.

Have the Flyers played a team as offensively gifted as the Blackhawks in the playoffs?

Have the Flyers played a team with defense even coming close to the Hawks top two pairings of Keith/Seabrook and Campbell/Hjalmarsson?

The Hawks are the better team by a LOT. If they lose this series, it's because they beat themselves, plain and simple. It's certainly possible, because anything can happen, but if someone put a gun to your head and told you to pick the winner and your life depended on it, nobody sane would pick the Flyers.

[brad]

No, chara is as higly rated but as a top 4 no,

Campbell isn't that great devensivly is he?

I'm not disputing that the hawks are the favorites but it's not by a long shot.

On paper the teams match up. Both top three lines can score. The gagne Richards Carter line is on fire and are also great defensively. I'm going to say on home ice they flyers will try to match that line against Kane toews buff.

Hartnell is playing well finally and briere and leino are on fire. Hossa and sharp is a good pair as well. The second flyers line isn't as defensivly strong as the flyers 1st line but they are scoring.

Giroux is a force. Versteg and holland are good players as well.

Both teams have good pkers with lappy and betts and madden for the hawks.

Defensively the flyers 3rd pair is useless, but they are only on the ice for under 5 mins anyway.

Keith is a special player but pronger is the best of the bunch and kimo is such an underrated force back there. I like seabrook a lot as well of course and in a few years those top two might be better than the flyers top two but not right now.

Goalie - toss up.

Overall I'd give a slight edge in forward depth to Chicago. Slight defensive edge to Philly and a slight goaltending edge to Chicago but again leighton is what - 6-1 in the playoffs with 3 shutouts and bounced back in game 7 vs Boston to pitch anshutout for 2 1/2 periods.

Coaching - have to give the flyers an edge there.

It's going to be a fantastic and hard fought series. It's going to come down to matchups and special teams and the diffence in the series might be a guy like giroux or bolland. Maybe even briere or hossa, who both have a shot to win a cup and can put up big numbers.

It sucks having to wait for Saturday. I'd love to go to a game but nosebleeds are on sale in Philly for over 400, which is way too much

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

lets go chicago! I didnt believe that Niemi, as a rookie, would take the Hawks to the Finals, but he proved me wrong! the hawks are my team of the west, the closest NHL team to Milwaukee (GO ADMIRALS!), it would be awesome to see them win! only 3 rookie goalies have ever won the cup, right? Dryden, Ward and Roy, im not missing anyone, am i?

[tonyregret]

Flyers in 6

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

wait, brad, you think Laviolette is a better head coach than Quintenville?

[swankymodes]

I've been looking for tix for game 3 or 4. The shit seats in the rafters start at $350. Damn.

[brad]

Considering what he's done with the team, Yes