Running Stanley Cup Playoff Thread

Best dman in the league, at least he's in the conversation.

 

Where you at TigerVols? It's party time!

 

Shea Weber. Another dude no one talks about because NBC only shows a continuous loop of WSH-PIT-NYR-BOS-CHI-DET. (Yes, I'm a Caps fanboi, but I don't need NBC. I'm in the footprint. I can see every friggin game on CSN.)

Shea Weber is a god damn fine hockey player. And go Preds.

 

That was playoff hockey.
Some big hits, not a lot of penalties, great plays, clutch goals.
Great victory for Predators.
If the Ducks had held on, Selanne's legend would have grown even more. One helluva play on the third goal. After being plowed into the boards, he whipped the puck at Rinne while on his ass behind the goal line. Puck hit Rinne and deflected into the slot, where Jason Blake put it in.

 

Odd thing is, I've seen three Preds-Ducks games on TV this past week, and only tomorrow will I see the Pens on for the first time during the playoffs. I know some of that is Crosby and Malkin being out, and I know some of that is TV markets -- Caps-Rangers have played on the same night several times -- but it's just kind of funny.

 

Indeed!

Due to family obligations...I only just now watched the 3rd and OT on DVR, having avoided the Net...fortunately, Shea Bygod Webber didn't avoid the net!

5:30 in the morning is not too early for a couple of celebratory shots of Jack Daniels, I should note!

 

Replace Boston with Philadelphia, and you're pretty spot on.

NBC only thinks there are six teams in the NHL. Heaven help me if my son grows up a Penguins or Flyers fan because they're the only two teams he sees.

 

Haven't you considered that those six teams are the ones that also produce the highest TV ratings in the U.S.?

All but Pittsburgh are large media markets. Pittsburgh is a small market but has (until they got hurt this year) two of the league's marquee players. Washington also has one of the league's marquee players. Detroit has the league's biggest fanbase.

If/When NBC feels the league's other teams can bring in TV ratings in the U.S. to match those aforementioned six teams, you'll see them on national TV more often. Unless/Until such a time comes, you won't.

 

So the Kings and Sharks play in Podunk?

 

Chicken & egg thing. I've been following hockey pretty much since USA Network started showing games on cable in the early 1980s. Even then, you almost never saw a game outside the Patrick Division. When ESPN got the rights a few years later, their love affair with the Rangers was beyond ridiculous. At least with Fox, there was an attempt to show a few different teams.

The Blackhawks have forced themselves into the mix in the last couple of years, but even if the Flyers/Rangers/Penguins royally sucked (and the Rangers have for much of the past, oh, decade), NBC still crams them down our throats, much like they do with the NFC East on SNF.

So, who are people of my generation going to root for? The teams they grew up watching on TV (there's a reason why the Cubs and Braves have such enormous fanbases in baseball). Well, the people of my generation basically only saw the Patrick Division on TV for years and years.

Boston is an Original Six team, huge fanbase, draws really good ratings, and only gets on NBC if it's playing the Rangers or Red Wings. Chicago got the same treatment until it won a Stanley Cup last year. They're the only two teams besides the six teams that are always on the NBC continuous loop that ever get airtime. Steven Stamkos is a star, Los Angeles has a helluva team playing in a huge market, Shea Weber is pretty freaking good ... you'll never know they exist on U.S. TV. Now that they control Versus, it's going to get worse.

In the NBA, ABC might show the Lakers all the time, but you at least get to see them play more than three different teams. Fox's Saturday baseball GOTW will eventually feature most of the majors by the end of the year.

 

Nah ... they'll smoke a doob and everyone will be fine.

 

Strong douchebag move by Avery after the Rangers scored.