Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread...

Actually, I think it was BYH that was mistaken, with the "fuck Karmanos for operating a minor league team called the Whalers."

 

And then the draft is Saturday so I guess next season officially begins.

 

And then there's the free agent movment which should have Kypreos et al something to chew on for a few weeks and then there's the pre-season analysis which will start in oh, end of July and then Mr. Miler's new book will come out so that will keep us all busy and then it will be announced that Mats has decided to retire, marry Eddie Belfour and move to Winkler, Manitoba.

Lots of hockey talk before September.

 

I call bullshit. Everyone knows that it's Tie Domi who's gay.

 

Yeah, because the atmosphere there last night was sooo terrible. Tailgaiting all freaking day. 18,000+ in the arena going nuts all night long. Thousands more partying and watching the game on bigscreens outside the arena. Give me a break.

Going to that game last night was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So keep shitting on the South and Raleigh and the anthem singer (although I'll have to admit you're all right on that one) or whatever else you want to bitch about.

As for me, I'd love to post a full report, but I'm already too far behind today. Great finish to a great season. Congrats, folks that were cheering for Carolina. And to the Edmonton fans for a great season and a spectacular series.

 

You forgot Lexington, Ky.

 

mustard,

according to our reporters out there, the atmosphere inside was tremendous. they were very impressed at how the fans stood the entire game. i hadnt heard of that before, and neither had they. harry neale mentioned it on the cbc broadcast. it was good stuff.

what was equally shocking was the post-game. after it was over -- again, according to our guys -- you couldnt tell the city had just won a championship. the parking lots were pretty empty -- our cameramen were looking for shots -- and 95 per cent of the people were gone.

i was in tampa when the lightning won. outside the building, it was impressive. but if you drove 15 minutes away, it looked like nothing special happened. thats what kind of hurts canadians about markets like tampa & raleigh. we really respect the people there who really care about hockey; they are good, passionate fans. but how many of them are there? 50,000/city?

if edmonton had won last night, people wouldnt have gone home until saturday.

 

Can't argue with much of that. Although when I was outside (after about an hour or 90 mins of celebrating inside) it was still pretty wild outside near where the band and tents were set up. Also, at that point, I'd say the parking lot (at least around where I was) was about 50 percent full.

No doubt Edmonton, on the whole, would have appreciated it much, much more. Gotta be honest, though -- there's very little I'd trade last night for. And that's coming from a Penguins fan. From going to many regular season games in Raleigh, I'll suggest there are still many fans like me -- people who cheer for the Hurricanes because they're the local team, but still have some strong ties to the team they grew up with.

 

I was standing all game long in the upper reaches of section 332 on the top row, along with everyone else in our section. I have nothing new to say, just that it was incredibly special to see the cup get raised in person. When Brindy touched it for the first time, taking it away from the meandering sloth that is Gary Bettman, I shed a tear or two.

 

If they really wanted to do something for old time's sake, they'd have it at the Hartford Civic Center.

 

Sherry Ross is quite good: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/story/428282p-361149c.html

 

Mr Dad,

Standing all game long is a standard way of doing games in some European rinks. (From my experience, I'd say Euro rinks of a certain vintage.)

The first time I saw it was in Oslo during a world championships. Behind the glass, ice level, at one end of the rink, there was a terrace, four or five rows rising about six inches. No seats. The fans (that game they were facepainted Viking-costumed Swedes with, apparently, enlarged livers and bladders) stood shoulder to shoulder, wedged in, while consuming about a half a keg each, beers passed along the rows. I never saw anyone break rank for a bathroom break, which, when you get down to it, is more amazing than standing all game. How they managed that I don't want to know.

YHS, etc