2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs (predictions and discussions)

This one has to really, really, really hurt for Blues' fan. I mean you lead the conference and the league for a good part of the season, make a trade for the goaltender you think will put you over the top. Then you lose six straight at the end of the regular season to fall into a playoff matchup against an arch-rival that doesn't favor you. Win the first two games in OT and then lose four straight to the team you hate the most.

Blackhawks-Blues is the reverse of Cardinals-Cubs, it seems. Blues never seem to get the upper hand when it matters.

Not sure where they go from here. Do you tear up the nucleus? Add a part here and there? Stand pat and sleep it off? Going to be an offseason of angst and soul searching.

 

Seems like every night somebody is forcing OT after pulling the goalie. Feels like a LOT of extra-attacker goals ... or is it just me?

 

You're stupid if you tear it apart and start over. The core is all real young. They still have one of the best defensive units in the league. They are really just a top scorer away and maybe a goalie if they can't keep Miller. There should be a few game breakers available this year like Vanek that could put them over the top. Despite the first round loss, they really are not that far off. Chicago also played better than I thought they would this round, thought Toews and Kane would be slowed down more due to their late season injuries. Clearly that wasn't the case.

 

Anaheim scored twice tonight with the goalie out. First one with 2:10 left to make it 4-3. Second with 24 seconds left to tie. They actually used the old Oilers trick of trying to get coincidental minor penalties to make it four skaters aside, then pulled the goal for a five-on-four. It worked.
edit: Ducks win early in OT.

 

Same Duck, which is probably why Garbutt did what he did.

Poor wounded Duck managed to make it back out for the ensuing power play, though. Miraculous recovery.

Which was probably noted in determining Garbutt's punishment - a $1,474.36 fine. Seriously.

 

Epic collapse by Dallas. Up 4-2 with three minutes left in regulation and you give up three goals in the span of six minutes to lose ..... and kiss your season good bye.

I know Dallas is a real young team, so maybe it's part of the growing process. Not sure who hurts worse today, Stars or Blues.

 

Great start by the Wild in Game 6 at a rocking Xcel Center. Goals by Parise and Granlund in the first 10 minutes.

But Wild failed to capitalize on a 5-on-3 and then Paul Stastny scores short-handed to cut the lead to 2-1. Score is 2-2 at the second intermission in a really good game.

 

San Jose starting Alec Stalock in goal in Game 6 against Los Angeles. Gutsy move, not sure I would have done that, but we'll see how it pans out.

 

The wheels appear to have come off San Jose's cart.

 

The Sharks are remembering they're the Sharks and they're ready for another choke job.

 

The Stars did well to make the playoffs. The Blues, as usual, were supposed to contend for the Cup, plus they had the defending champs down 2-0, with one of Chicago's top defencemen unavailable for Games 3, 4 and 5. Who do you think hurts worse?