Hockey

[Tricycle Rider]

Egads!

And I'll just quote: As forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel skated toward the Avalanche to take a group photo holding the Stanley Cup, he fell to the ice and dented it.

Well, I never!

 

[PeterB]

Snow avalanche roars over sandy beaches of the stormy Tampa Bay coast! Woohoo!

What a difference a few years can make! Back in 2016/17, after not qualifying for the playoffs the previous two seasons, the Avalanche finished the season dead last in the entire league winning only 48 points in 82 games (the second worst team that year, Vancouver Canucks, scored 69 points!).

Even worse, they lost in the draft lottery, pushing them down to pick #4 of the 2017 draft. But who did they still select as their highest pick that year? Cale Makar, awarded as the MVP of the playoffs and the best defenceman of the league this year...

That 2016/17 season marked a turnaround in their history and in just a few years, the Avalanche quickly became one of the teams favoured to win the Cup. Yet something was still missing in the playoffs - one year both goaltenders got injured, next year they unbelievably blew the 2-0 lead in the series against Vegas. But this year, they were finally not to be denied.

The Cup is in the hands of a deserving team and nothing against the Bolts, they are undoubtedly a great team, too, but it's only good that also players from another team and their fans get to experience this feeling of victory. Go Avalanche!

 

[jmdirt]

TB only took two shots on goal in the third period until the final frantic attempts in the final 1:30.

I'm a casual hockey fan, and by no means an expert, but I have always contended that you need to take at least 10 shots on goal per period to keep the D and goalie honest. Even a few slop slap shots aren't a bad thing just to keep the keeper on his blades. Many will argue that that is too many, but TB only had two (I'm not going to count the desperation at the end) in the third, that certainly isn't enough. For reference, in their wins TB had 29 and 33 shots on goal, Colorado had more than 30 every game...so maybe 10 per period isn't so crazy.

Congrats CO!

 

[joe_papp]

Pens looked terrible in their pre-season game against Detroit's B-team last night, losing 6-2 and manifesting a truly awful power play. I still think they're a pretty safe bet to make the playoffs lol, and are probably 2nd best team in the Metro after the Hurricanes, but yuk - what a gross game last night!

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Pens looked terrible in their pre-season game against Detroit's B-team last night, losing 6-2 and manifesting a truly awful power play. I still think they're a pretty safe bet to make the playoffs lol, and are probably 2nd best team in the Metro after the Hurricanes, but yuk - what a gross game last night!

I see you are prepared to part with your money rather early this year?

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Early on in the season, my Bruins and the Golden Knights are looking revitalized with new coaches, and both look ready for a Stanley Cup run. Boston especially was a surprise, as McAvoy and Marchand were out for a bit and their core is on the older side.

 

[PeterB]

Past the first half of the season and the Bruins still in the league of their own. Golden Knights good but don't look like real SC contenders against the top teams from the East. In general the quality seems to be much more on the East this year, so winning the Eastern conference may prove more difficult than winning the Stanley Cup final.