Wheat From the Chaff: Your NHL Round 2 Previews and Evening Open Thread

First off, a song:

That’s cathartic. Now, on to the matches.

Western Conference:

St. Louis versus Nashville

Both teams looked really good in the first round.St. Louis came out and handed defeat to a declining North Stars Wild team that looked ready for golf season before the round started. Nashville answered all Hawk-haters dreams in four games, a scenario no one could have predicted given the firepower Chicago possesses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BYHDueg16Q

The most telling stat from this series is that “Chelsea Dagger” didn’t play once, because Chicago scored all three of their goals on the road.

The second round brings us a match-up of a team that’s failed to live up to their talent in previous seasons versus a team with an all-star goalie and a lot of youthful exuberance that punched way-above weight in the first-round.

St. Louis has the edge in scoring talent. The WHA-era list of names is formidable: Stastny, Tarasenko, Steen, Sobotka, Paajarvi and Lehtera. It’s like looking at an old Winnipeg Jets roster from 1973. Given enough room, talent like this should be able to fill any net, no matter how well protected. Nashville has some fun up front with Forsberg & Fiala, but not enough overall firepower to hold the Blues in check.

Both teams have pretty equivalent defences. St. Louis has gotten far despite having their best defenceman – Kevin Shattenkirk – now playing for the Capitals. The solid combination of Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo will see the majority of icetime during this round, especially if penalties start telling the story. Nashville counters with a 1A & 1B combination of Josi & Ellis and Webber & Ekholm, which really showed effectiveness on both the PP and PK.

Goaltending is clearly in Nashville’s corner. Jake Allen is perfectly serviceable, but this series hangs on Pekka Rinne’s ability to keep St. Louis’ stars from filling the net. Tie-games going into the third will favour the Predators.

It’s going to be a tight series, but I’ve got to give this one to the team supported by Internet Dad.

Prediction: Blues in 6.


Edmonton versus Anaheim

On paper, this is your classic “team of steady veterans” versus “how far can these rookies go on just talent” match-up.

Anaheim are the steady hands here. They have four deep lines, with a favourable combination of Ducks lifers – Getzlaf, Silfverberg, Perry, Cogliano – and guys they’ve successfully brought into their fold – Kesler, Vermette, Eaves – all combining to help them ace the Flames in four straight. They play a solid, consistent game that borders on boring, but serves to get them their victories. The Oilers are run & gun – if their stars are hot, then the net is full; if the opponents defence can tie them up, they can be easily blown out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PJ03MS2etY

Defence is also on the Ducks side. Anaheim has three consistent pairings they can throw out at any time, and their size should be an impediment to the Oilers’ speed. The Oilers are young & efficient up front, but their back end won’t be able to handle the pounding of Anaheim’s big men.

There was lots of combination-juggling during the season, and the mixing continued in the playoffs; only victory ensured consistency.

Goaltending is pretty equivalent. John Gibson of Anaheim looked shaky at times in the Calgary series, and can develop a case of the yips pretty quick if the Oilers can find a way through the Anaheim defence. Meanwhile, Cam Talbot found a way to stymie the Sharks in Games 5&6, allowing the Oilers to find enough holes to beat the Sharks. He’s going to have to be better here, because Anaheim has fewer weaknesses than San Jose.

As you can see, the brain says one thing, but everything else says “Fuck Ryan Kesler”.

Prediction: Oilers in 6.


Eastern Conference:

Washington versus Pittsburgh

These two teams meet again in the NHL’s marquee match-up of this round. Let’s flash back to how that went in 2016:

I see.

There’s not much that needs to be said about the respective offences. Both teams have immense firepower and personalities up front. They pretty much cancel each other out.

On defence, the most important Penguin is injured. Kris Letang is out until training camp due to a herniated disc, and his lack of presence on the blue line will hurt the Pens in a shortened series. Everyone else they have is satisfactory, although Olli Maatta dives like a Peruvian soccer player. Plus, this is where Washington’s acquisition of Kevin Shattenkirk will hopefully pay dividends, as they have someone who can help kill the penalties Brooks Orpik is likely to pick up.

The Caps have the clear goaltending advantage. Future Canadian Olympic goalie Braden Holtby is going to be the Vezina Trophy winner. While he does tend to take a nap during some games, the tight window of the playoffs should allow him to keep focus. The Penguins have to rely on notorious head-case Marc-Andre Fleury, since Matt Murray got hurt in first-round Game-1 warm-ups. Fleury was able to hold it together in the first-round because they started at home; God help him during the first two games in Washington.

Everything seems to come up Capitals, but lets go to the memes:

    

I don’t know if it holds true this year. Another sign of the locals’ fear is that this

was on the Capitals website this morning. How the hell are there any tickets left? Have Caps fans turned into 90s Braves fans?

Game 2 will be the key; if Pittsburgh can get a split, it might start another round of nightmares. But I want to lean towards the team that did Canada a favour by getting rid of the Leafs.

Prediction: Capitals in 7.


Ottawa versus New York

I want to just type “Fuck the Rangers” 50 times, but I already used my “Fuck” quota up on Anaheim.

On paper, this is a mismatch. The Rangers were a better team during the regular season than Ottawa – they got more points; scored 40 more goals; have a Hall of Fame smoothie machine goalie. Yet Ottawa won two of the three meetings this year, and outscored the Rangers 8-5, with one shutout.

The forwards are where the two teams divide. Ottawa doesn’t have someone who can take over a game. They have four lines of role players. Bobby Ryan & Kyle Turris are the closest the Sens have to a “threat”. On the Rangers, the law firm of Kreider, Stepan & Zuccarello is as good as you’ll find outside the Pittsburgh-Washington series. Ageing wooden stick relic Rick Nash seems to have legs enough for one final run at a Cup, and the youth around him is carrying him along. The Rangers just need to be able to pierce the Sens defence.

The defence on both teams is fairly consistent. Perennial Norris candidate Erik Karlsson anchors a solid 6-man team in front of the Ottawa net. The Rangers seem like they’ve had the same 6 guys playing in front of Lundqvist since 2012, that’s how well they seem to mesh. It’ll come down to which team can hold up the opponent’s rush better.

In net, you’ve got The King versus the heartwarming story. Henrik is the poster boy for 21st century goalies. That he doesn’t have a Cup by now is Glen Sather’s fault, not his. Craig Anderson’s year has been marked by his wife’s battle with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a rare nose, head & neck cancer linked to Epstein-Barr virus, that led to him taking leave during the season while she started a radiation & chemotherapy regimen of 36 total treatments. She looked great during Game 6, as the cameras couldn’t help but keep using that narrative.

Neither keeper has looked bad, but Anderson has faced more shots & overtime games – if that means anything.

Ottawa is a good team, but the Rangers are a better team.

Prediction: Rangers in 6.


There you have it. Make sure to point out my wrongness where applicable.

The Western Conference gets going tonight (8:00; 10:30) and the East starts Thursday (complete schedule here), so we’ll have something to turn to between picks when avoiding the needless, relentless “DRAFT DESK BANTER”.

Tonights sports:

– NHL:

– Nashville at St. Louis – 8:00 | NBCSN / Sportsnet

– Edmonton at Anaheim – 10:30 | NBCSN / CBC

– NBA:

– something’s on TNT & TSN.

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Beerguyrob
A Canadian man-child of indeterminate age, he stays young by selling alcohol at sporting events and yelling at the patrons he serves. Their rage nourishes his soul, and their tips pay for his numerous trips to various sporting events.
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Brick Meathook

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Unsurprised

You can never go wrong with Blazing Saddles.

Senor Weaselo

Ice Eskimos-Ice Chargers seems to have manys of goals. 4-3 Oilers now on what the shit was that?

Brick Meathook

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Unsurprised

Fuck it.
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Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

RIP

Unsurprised

Mmmm
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Senor Weaselo

Done and done, shirt.

litre_cola

I really hope this is televised.

Unsurprised

WWE pay-per-view

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

He just tells you he knows how to use a computer then shows up a week later claiming he never said it.

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

I am not even joking at this point. Have you met a 70 old man. He has no idea what is going on.

Brick Meathook

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Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

This seems like a lie. I assume this happens daily.

Unsurprised

“Flying bear.” I didn’t know Buddy was a pilot. Congratulations on two bandits splashed, Tailgunner.

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Unsurprised

Great. Now I have two reasons to envy a baby.

Unsurprised

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Marc Trestmans Windowless Van
Moose -The End Is Well Nigh
Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

@tWBS I also had a weird update. I am there now in poker

Unsurprised

I already used my “Fuck” quota up on Anaheim.

We have a fuck quota?

MOTHERFUCKER!

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

FUCK YOU GOD DAMN ASSHOLE THAT LOVE ANTI ABORTION SHIT BUT HAD ONE. AND DENY SCIENCE EVEN IF YOUR DAY JOB IS SCIENTIST. FUCK, FUCK FUCK. DID I HIT MY QUOTA?

Senor Weaselo

Fiddler? Solid name, I approve.

Wakezilla

holy shit! Check out this wonderful piece of internet memes: An election by county-off!

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Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

I know those Wisconsin counties he won! Every single one is super racist and the guy that will try to fight me about that will be in a tank top. Also try to buy week off Wakezilla after

Unsurprised

Fun fact – those are all the emptiest counties in America. Fuck them. No one lives there because they suck. The people who do live in them suck. Causation goes both ways because it’s a vicious whirlpool of shit.

Senor Weaselo

You mean we don’t vote by the square mile?

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

“You know what they say. Today is a good day to to die”

“Permission to speak freely sir. Fuck that”

Senor Weaselo

Ice BFIB have scored two goals to tie it.

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

And is no one up for poker again?

Wakezilla

So, I’ve been binge watching Lucha Underground and I no longer can watch Raw or Smackdown because it’s garbage compared to the majestic beast of lucha.

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

I said I was going back to S1 Red vs Blue. I instead watched clips from the newer seasons. I am thinking of starting at 11 assuming Netflix hasn’t purged them.

Wakezilla

I went out of my way to help my students do well in their AP US History class by making everything up to par with how the test will be administered. With 2 weeks left, this shit has caught up to me. I’m not drowning in a pile of work from all my classes and it’s report card deadline in two days. Fuck.

/Is teaching a class now

Unsurprised

That’s awesome. You can do it.

Wakezilla

NHL Predictions:

Nashville in 6
Anaheim in 6
Washington in 7 (For the sake of my pool)
Rangers in 6.

herodotus450

haHA Suppan with two goals?

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

End of Red vs Blue Season 13

You don’t really need the backstory. Bunch of idiot assholes getting shit done in space. So every action/space movie ever

https://youtu.be/7DOxqOnSWCE?list=PL2vBnPCQT4WJ9kqmb37valsHZ-TsRxSta&t=239

Wakezilla

Is that the newest one? Or last season, when Epsilon gave his speech to end the season?

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

Yeah, that clip is Churches speech

“They will never know if their sacrifice made a difference, in the end they will just have to have faith. …. Aint that a bitch?”

Wakezilla

That speech man. Fuck. That speech. . . So good. It made up for a season that I thought was underwhelming for Red v Blue.

When is 14 coming out?

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

14 was a random collection from the shows universe. 15 looks like it just came out and might be more stories

Wakezilla

Random collection? So, like a highlight reel as to what has happened so far?

Hopefully 15 tells more stories. If they’re running out of story, I’d be cool with them ending it. 15 seasons is a lot.

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

They took a year off from telling the story of the main guys. I watched some of it but not all of it. I wanted to know what happened with Epsilon/Church and the main guys so I didn’t keep up.

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

I can and have watched that last ep of season 13 100 times.

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

I am going back to watch the first season of Red vs Blue. I was gonna watch the new Arrow but if we are honest with ourselves it is gonna be terrible.

LemonJello

Please tell me that there’s someone in the NHL with Kurgan for a last name.

herodotus450
LemonJello

John Wick is the movie of the evening tonight.

Wakezilla

TBF, that could be the movie of every evening

WCS

Vengeance for Falia’s tibia.

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

I just was watching the end of Red vs. Blue season 13 again. It has one of my favorite quotes.

“Out of everyone I met. I hate you all the least”

Wakezilla

That speech. . . . all the feels. He’s gotta come back right? Just like poppa after he went to the store to pick up a pack of cigarettes.

Shogun Marcus

Let’s see what this Handmaids Tale fuss is all about…

Marc Trestmans Windowless Van

I am confused. The site is saying it is 2 pages of comments but only 18 of them

theeWeeBabySeamus

Only showing one page for me.
Also if I can ever get poker stars to dload the frigging software update, I’ll be in.

Oh shit what I missin’? Who ded in hockey?

Sharkbait

I should be on in a bit. gonna do some old school left 4 dead online first

WCS

Kevin Falia’s left leg.

theeWeeBabySeamus

Worst part is prolly having to listen to that fucking organ while they wheel him off.

Senor Weaselo

Is it to Baby Elephant Walk?
https://vimeo.com/98177083

theeWeeBabySeamus

Nah some Beatles love song.

herodotus450

Apparently all you need to do to get nominated for the Jack Adams trophy is leave your current coaching job because it’s too hard and go to a decrepit franchise which is about to draft a generational talent. Or win in Columbus.

Senor Weaselo

In fairness, it’s hard to win any professional sports championship in Ohio.

Wakezilla

I mean, it has to be Torts for the Adams, right?

JustStopDude

I’ve tuned and commissioned some of the most complex, difficult, and expensive shit on the planet.

It never fucking fails that when I am trying to give training to customers on our low voltage inverters in my training lab, I fucking struggle like fucking crazy.

JustStopDude

My day of class in gif form…

http://i.imgur.com/7DoVWGh.gif

WCS

Ouchie.

Gratliff

oh sweet jesus fuck

BrettFavresColonoscopy

I’m at a conference that is about to pour into a networking reception. How long do I have to stay?

Sharkbait

2 drinks.

WCS

Suppan’s slapshot would have literally punched a hole through Jake Allen had it hit him.

herodotus450

And I didn’t know Suppan even still played hockey.
http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/San+Francisco+Giants+Photo+Day+8DZVzJHyUIFm.jpg

WCS

De facto night thread?

litre_cola

Bettman angry OTT EDM final.
Litre Cola angry EDM in the final and EDM music in general.

WCS

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litre_cola

Don’t get me wrong, I like the drugs. Just that time high should be spent listening to better music.

WCS

It’s not music, it’s noise pollution.

Moose -The End Is Well Nigh
Senor Weaselo

Aaron Judge is a large man and it is a small wall in RF foul territory at Fenway.

King Hippo

OTT/PIT – Hippo watches happily, Bettman has stroke

NYR/WAS – Hippo declares fatwa on Ice FOOTBAW, Bettman masturbates furiously

Sharkbait

I agree with the Rangers-Sens writeup. There’s always potential for this though:

https://imgur.com/eh1CZXp

BrettFavresColonoscopy

I see Fozz’s post from yesterday has a part two.