Eastern and Western Conference Finals

Boston Brawler

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Jan 17, 2011
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Game 1 of the ECF kicks off tonight at 8 eastern in Tampa.

Game 1 of the WCF is Saturday at 7 eastern in Winnipeg.

Thoughts and predictions?
 

Monbo Jumbo

Hates the crockpot
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Dec 5, 2003
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the other Athens
I'm rooting for the expansion team.

Go Thrashers!

The Jets are down to four players who played in Atlanta, Little, Enstrom, Wheeler and Byfuglien. Chiarot was a Thrasher draft pick.
 

Salem's Lot

Andy Moog! Andy God Damn Moog!
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Jul 15, 2005
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My bet is Winnipeg and Tamp advance. The Peg in 6 or 7, and Tampa in 5 or 6. I have Tampa as the cup favorite. Their defense is just so good.
It would be the most Capitals thing ever to finally get by Pittsburgh and just get drilled by Tampa in 5 games wouldn't it?
 
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cshea

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Nov 15, 2006
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Yeah, I think the Jets are the team to beat. They are deep and loaded at forward, and have the best D left. Don’t have a top end guy like a Hedman, but but they are solid 1-6 on the backend.
 

TheRealness

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Feb 8, 2006
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The Dirty Shire
I'm really rooting against the Knights. I think it's somewhat embarrassing on a casual fan level that they are in the final four in their first year, and could make the finals. To other fans that don't follow hockey as much, it makes it seem like anyone can smash a team together and advance as far as they did. Sure, as hockey fans we understand the nuance and how this happened, but to the casual folks I think it's embarrassing they have gotten this far in their first year.

Just my personal opinion. I am rooting for Winnipeg to win it all. Their fans are awesome.
 

Greg29fan

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Jul 14, 2005
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Tampa looked like shit against Boston in game one and recovered well, so I'm not shoveling dirt on them yet or anything.
 

54thMA

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Aug 15, 2012
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Westwood MA
I'm really rooting against the Knights. I think it's somewhat embarrassing on a casual fan level that they are in the final four in their first year, and could make the finals. To other fans that don't follow hockey as much, it makes it seem like anyone can smash a team together and advance as far as they did. Sure, as hockey fans we understand the nuance and how this happened, but to the casual folks I think it's embarrassing they have gotten this far in their first year.

Just my personal opinion. I am rooting for Winnipeg to win it all. Their fans are awesome.
This.

Over and over.

I'm torn between Winnipeg and Washington; would like to see Winnipeg win as their fans are outstanding, but the Capitals and their fans have suffered long enough.
 

dcmissle

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Not if you are a Caps fan. They are a pretty snake bitten bunch. Think Red Sox pre-2004 levels of misery as a reference.
The Caps are the closest Red Sox comp I can think of in professional sports. Decades — maybe four in each case — of generally good to excellent teams coming up short and losing in every conceivable way, and some unimaginable. I remember moving here and the Penguin misery kicking off with 4-overtime game 7 loss in a game that began at 8:00 pm and wrapped up 2:00 am Easter Sunday.

The parallels are not perfect, but they are close enough. The eerie thing is the doom-and-gloom that settles over the town and, I’m convinced, the team with bad vibes reinforcing themselves. Logic tells you this is imagined and that, in any case, it cannot possibly span generations of players. Experience tells you different.

I am rooting for them. It’s a good loyal fan base.
 

MiracleOfO2704

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Jul 12, 2005
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Wouldn’t call a Buff bomb from the top of the circles a softie
Craig Simpson had a great read of what happened. Fleury initially read glove side high on the shot, so much so that he twitched that way. But the shot was really 6-hole, and once he realized it, there was no chance.
 

cshea

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Nov 15, 2006
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This works for Vegas, especially if the call stands. Lengthy break to slow it down without using a TO/Challenge.
 

Dummy Hoy

Angry Pissbum
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Jul 22, 2006
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Ouch. Brutal pass by Laine- not a traditional Buddy Pass (up the middle) but a set up just the same. Looked like Enstrom hit his head on the ice too.