Your Monday Evening Open Thread & Partial Remaining NHL Second Round Preview

NFL Nuggets:

It’s Memorial Day in Canada’s pants today, so it’s a very slow news day. To wit:

  • ESPN is guestimating what it would take to make Aaron Rodgers a Bronco.
    • Hint: June 1st, John Elway meddling in things he knows nothing about (i.e. – talent), and a whole bunch of draft picks.
  • nfl.com put clips of the Pat Tillman “A Football Life” across its web page.
    • Not the part about how he died, however.
  • Peter King gets our hopes up about a potential departure scenario for Roger Goodell.
    • Shockingly, he surmises we will miss him when he’s gone.
      • King thinks Goodell will stick around through the 2024 or 2025 season.
        • And that international expansion of the game will be his legacy.
          • Please ignore all the concussions & CTE deaths, please.
    • Once a chili buddy; always a chili buddy.

Central Division Final: Boston Bruins (2) vs. NY Islanders (4)

Even though this series started on Saturday, given how the Islanders hung around & disposed of the Penguins (sorry WCS) a preview still seems current.

The Bruins have the advantage this year of a Tuukka Rask that wants to be in the playoffs. Last season, Rask got a case of the Dad Panics and essentially bailed during the first round. The Bruins still advanced, but didn’t have the back end to be able to hang around for long. This season, they have a dialed-in Rask, and a defence that isn’t reliant on an old Slovak with declining mobility. Brandon Carlo & Charlie McAvoy anchor a back-6 that has more weapons now that they have more money to spread around without Big-Z. Mike Reilly has been a fantastic addition since being freed from the Senators, and Charlestown local Matt Grzelcyk has been playing an average of 15 valuable minutes per game. Throw in the Perfection Line and another fantastic acquisition in Taylor Hall and you have a pretty unstoppable team.

That’s not to say the Islanders don’t know what it’s like playing the underdog. They treated the Penguins pretty badly (sorry WCS), and were full-measure for their Round One victory. On paper, there’s a lot to like about this team. They have grinders like Casey Cizikas & Cal Clutterbuck and puck hounds like Matthew Barzal & I-can’t-believe-he’s-30-already Jordan Eberle, both groups which combine to produce a Voltron of scoring & checking that keeps them in almost every game, and was what allowed them to keep Pittsburgh close until the inevitable Malkin Meltdown allowed them to beat a better team. That’s what they will be hoping for this series too, as their efforts in Game One appeared to be directed at shutting down the Perfection Line. (It didn’t work, but it looked like a solid strategy.) The defence & net are where they are shining for the second year in a row, as Barry Trotz has sold these guys on a defence-first, counter-punching strategy. Anchored by the 23 minutes/game played by Nick Leddy & Ryan Pulock, the Islanders have put up a formidable wall in front of Ilya Sorokin & Semyon Varlamov. Given that the Islanders (even before Game 1) are letting in one extra goal per game than the Bruins, they will need to solidify their defence against a team that can hit harder than the Penguins could, and did.

It shouldn’t be close, but the Islanders have a nasty habit of sticking around too long to be dismissed.

Prediction: Bruins in five.


Tonight’s sports:

  • NHL:
    • Habs at Leafs – 7:00pm | CNBC / CBC / Sportsnet
      • GAME 7, BAY-BAY!
    • Islanders at Bruins – 7:30pm | NBCSN / Sportsnet1
  • NBA:
    • 76ers at Wizards – 7:00pm | TNT / TSN3
      • Game 4 – Sixers lead 3-0
    • Jazz at Grizzlies – 9:30pm | TNT / TSN3
      • Game 4 – Jazz lead 2-1
  • MLB:
    • Pirates vs. Royals – 7:00pm | ESPN / TNT
  • WWE:
    • Monday Night Raw – 8:00pm | USA / Sportsnet360

The media bias up here in favour of the Leafs has been ridiculous. It’s like all the corporate parents in Toronto wrote ad copy for their regional divisions to read during every sports & culture broadcast. Yet they wonder why the rest of the country hates their little burgh.

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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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Gumbygirl

We just had some excellent fireworks here, in honour of the fallen leaves. Woohoo!

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Ja Morant wants that dunk on Gobert SO BAD.

TheRevanchist

So, turns out you feel these things much better when you don’t eat. Go figure!

This cider only has 3 grams of sugar but is 6.9% abv. I enjoy that so much more than Angry Orchard that has a shit ton of sugar and is too sweet.

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BrettFavresColonoscopy

Both their pear and pineapple variants are quite solid as well.

TheRevanchist

I’m not a fan of the pear, but only because I don’t like pears, so it’s just my personal preference.

The pineapple one is funky fresh, yo! Word up, 4 realz.

yeah right

Just watched Sorcerer 1977 William Friedkin. Great watch. Totally intense. Tangerine Dream soundtrack.

Should have drafted this for the desert island movie draft.

This movie is fantastic. I watched it on consecutive nights in the theater and I didn’t even have a job back then.

Easter egg when Roy Scheider was wearing the Popeye Doyle pork pie hat.

yeah right

I’ll elaborate. This is the first time I remember that the vehicles were characters. They lived, breathed, snarled and roared. I will go out on a limb and say Stephen King got his idea for Christine from this movie.

Gumbygirl

I vaguely remember that. If it came out in ’77, I saw it, but I was high as hell.

yeah right

That’s why I saw it twice.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

I do not believe Kia’s claim that they performed a flat 360° jump with the K5. It looks like they only made it – at most – 270°. Who do I sue?

Mr. Ayo

South Korea because we don’t have enough enemies.

Mr. Ayo

Wait, those look promising. Does that mean they ended up cooked?

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

THIS GUY BEERGUYROB I CALL HIM RED BULL CAUSE HE GIVES YOU WINGS.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

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Dunstan

Sometimes I think that nobody hates the Leafs as much as the Toronto Sun:

https://twitter.com/StuCowan1/status/1399560467056582661

Brick Meathook

It’s just like any of Rupert Murdoch’s Sun newspapers: they are all about the hate.

Mr. Ayo

FAHK YOU! IT’S NAWT FAHR!

NO ONE DENIES THIS!

Dunstan

Boston loses, too?

Stop — I can only get so erect!

Dunstan

Leafs already traded away their 1st, 3rd, and 7th round picks in this year’s draft.

Mr. Ayo

Leafs already lost their 1st, 5th, 6th, and 7th games in this year’s playoff.

Last edited 3 years ago by Mr. Ayo
Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

I prefer ice in every kind of soda except for root beer. Am I unusual in this regard?

Brick Meathook

Ice cream in root beer

Game Time Decision

Team no ice

Mr. Ayo

Nice qualifier. So no.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

I am absolutely loving the Leaf-roasting that is going on.

Game Time Decision

Needs the Krieger gif about being erect

Dunstan

The internet is doing a fantastic job with this.

LOLeafs.jpg
litre_cola

We haz game in Bahstahn?

Sharkbait

Being friends with all Bruins fans is interesting at times

Fronkenshteen

Is SN590 the go-to Toronto station?

Mr. Ayo

On this week’s very special Canada Reacts Reasonably!

litre_cola

Nawt Canadia my internet friend just LeavesNation

Mr. Ayo

Oh, sorry, eh?

litre_cola

Certainly is. That is where I be headed.

ArmedandHammered

Thanks for showing me where to go for my freshly minted schadenfreude by listening to Leaf’s sadness.

ArmedandHammered

Canadians are too nice, where is the inarticulate rage, the whiny screaming hate, the tears? Actual rational complaining is not satisfying my desire, my need for Leaf fans pain and agony.

herodotus450

Mapplethorpe Leafs losing is nice and all, but imagine Boston losing.

Mr. Ayo

Doesn’t resonate with TBFiftyIsTheNew12 still around as champion.

Brick Meathook

For $10/year you can rent a locket and keep your own booze bottles:

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herodotus450

I think we all know the real winner in all of this: Mike Babcock.

Sharkbait

Can we get a wellness check on Steve Dangle?

Game Time Decision

Excellent timing for the Leafs as the golf courses are open again. Gotta work on that handicap

WCS

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King Hippo

the post-empty net hockey point somehow makes it sadder/funnier

Mr. Ayo

Leaves gonna leave.

Fronkenshteen

Leafs PA playing Metallica’s “Battery”. Smart ass.

WCS

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Dunstan

Canada is declaring a state of emergency. Dangerously high levels of schadenfreude are being recorded throughout 90% of the country.

litre_cola

Bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha suck it Leaves Nation!

Game Time Decision

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

Mr. Ayo

The Price Is Right!

herodotus450

These Canadiens I call them that one guy you know who lives out in The County because they gathered all these Leafs into a pile and set them on fire.

Dunstan

These Leafs must be from southern hemisphere trees, because they always fall in May or June.

ballsofsteelandfury

I’d say I’m surprised, but it’s Latin America. NOTHING having to do with greed surprises me out of Latin America.

litre_cola

Well if there is any head of state I trust in this world it’s Bolso.

ArmedandHammered

Man, I thought the mango shit gibbon was the absolute worst about pandemic response, amazingly he now has competition.

ballsofsteelandfury

The announcer keeps calling out Reilly and I’m wondering where Jonesy is.

King Hippo
ballsofsteelandfury

That penalty call was so soft, I had to order it on Amazon at the beginning of the pandemic because all the local stores ran out.

litre_cola

Balls these takis are muy fuego.

ballsofsteelandfury

Hee hee hee… Wait until you get the next batch…

litre_cola

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King Hippo

That Auston Mathews cat has TOTES offered kids candy out of his panel van

litre_cola

Just know the rest of Canada wants French people to feel joy before Leaf fans.

King Hippo

and given how any riTe thinking person feels about them dirty French ,, smgdh

Sharkbait

Ex Thrashers in 6?

litre_cola

I can only get so erect.

Sharkbait

There are 550 front line healthcare workers at the Leafs game tonight. Not one of them is stopping them from choking.

litre_cola

They are used to this.

ballsofsteelandfury

Already done.

Just like the Leafs.

Last edited 3 years ago by ballsofsteelandfury
King Hippo

As a Son of the South who is watching his first hockey match in like 2-3 years? I feel 100% without any doubt that Les Habs have broken their will.

Fronkenshteen

This is fantastic.

Brick Meathook

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Viva La Tabula Raza

Thought that was Dover AFB for a second there…

scotchnaut

Lemme guess. A pic of the annual meeting of the “Brick Meathook Fan Club”?

Brick Meathook

The Pope is presiding with a Capitals jersey.

Mr. Ayo

Veteran’s Day rehearsal?

King Hippo

Number of Toronto hockey points = number of Geographically Misaligned Whalers’ players that Raleigh (suburbs) resident Hippo can name.

King Hippo

Methinks this CNBC feed is piggybacking Hockey Nite in Canadia. It seems funereal for the natioUn’s beloved Leafs, eh?

litre_cola

It is delicious.

herodotus450

Is Corey Perry gonna be the mvp of this series?

litre_cola

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Game Time Decision

No. Just his knee

litre_cola

Where the hell is WCS with that It’s Happening GIF

WCS

Patience, grasshopper.

scotchnaut

A. Matthews: “Snatch the pebble from my hand.”

Price: [snatches pebble from Matthews’ hand]

A. Matthews: “Wait! No. That wasn’t supposed to happen! I WANT A DO-OVER! I’M NOT A SNOWFLAKE! SHUTUP!”

scotchnaut

HABS SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr. Ayo

Just gaped Campbell.

Game Time Decision

As someone that lives near Toronto, it’s like that all year around here. And part of the reason I hate the Leafs. The other reason would be Harold Ballard and his cheapness. Even younger GTD knew those teams suuuuuucked

Last edited 3 years ago by Game Time Decision
Brick Meathook

Where am I on Memorial Day? In the best bar in Arlington VA!

The Clarendon neighborhood has been developed into the highest price hipster shithole on earth. But Billy Mitchell Post 85 survives as a members only club. As a war hero, I’m a member.

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And true to my beer draft, I got a Bud in a can. Two bucks, all night long.

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“Thirty Days in the Hole” by Humble Pie is playing on the juke box. I’m in a time machine.

Last edited 3 years ago by Brick Meathook
Brick Meathook

People are allowed to smoke in here! I’m in the 70s!

Mr. Ayo

Wait. Pole, weed, or nicotine?

Brick Meathook

Marlboros! But it was only one lady, and she left. No one else is smoking, but there are ashtrays on the bar.

herodotus450

Unfortunately, due to the slow pace at which the government changes, you are still not allowed to Memorialize soldiers who were ever POWs.

Last edited 3 years ago by herodotus450
herodotus450

Hockey talking guy: “30 years ago Montreal won a lot of OT games, which somehow means anything about this years’ team.”

scotchnaut

“We Disagree!”

-The Patrick Raw Podcast

scotchnaut

Thinking that the Hab’s goalie is gonna get caught stealing Game 7. Hopefully.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrwjiO1MCVs&ab_channel=WarnerRecordsVault

Mr. Ayo

GAME. FUCKING. SEVEN!

scotchnaut

“PFFFTT! Amateur!”*

-Houston

*with potential, gotta admit