Your NHL Semi-Final Preview #1 & Monday Evening Open Thread

NFL Nuggets:

  • All quiet on the NFL front today, so let’s take a look at why athletes should stay off social media:
    • Le’Veon Bell aired some laundry about his feelings for Andy Reid.
      • “I’d never play for Andy Reid again … I’d retire first.”
      • That then led to current Chiefs piling on to Bell.
        • For example, the Honey Badger:
          • “These fellas will blame everybody for their lack of success. That’s how I know I’m built different.”
    • Russell Wilson was disappointed that all the Seahawks drama played out in the press & on social media.
      • “Obviously I love Seattle, I love playing here. I’ve had a great career here so far. I’ve always wanted to play here for my full career, obviously. I think there was some unfortunate frustrations after the season… and I think, unfortunately, I think it got a little blown out of proportion a little bit.”
    • Von Miller would like everyone to ignore social media, because the Broncos have Drew Lock! Until they don’t!
      • “[Y]ou don’t want to get too emotionally attached to the rumors. . . . You start thinking, ‘Oh, we’re going to get Aaron Rodgers or Deshaun Watson. But hold on, wait a minute, we’ve got Drew Lock. That’s who we’re running with. That’s who we’re going into the season with until anything changes.”

NHL Semi-Finals Preview: Montreal vs. Vegas

Look, I’m the first to admit that this is not what I expected. The whole isolated divisions thing made the playoffs harder to predict. I wrote off Montreal twice in my North previews, and I picked Colorado to come out of the West. The only picks I had right from this conference were Vegas & Colorado winning their first-round matchups. This is why I write on the internet instead of live in Vegas & eat at the sports books.

The hat makes me look sophisticated.

So, it’s with that amount of humility

Montreal has every conceivable disadvantage up against them. They are a defensive team, which plays best when counterpunching. Their leading regular season scorer, Tyler Toffoli, finished 20 points behind Vegas’ leader, Mark Stone. On average, Montreal’s top-6 finished 16 points behind Vegas’ best players. Mind you, it hasn’t mattered as much in the playoffs since the Habs defence has been lights out since they started mounting their comeback halfway through Game 5 versus the Leafs. Shea Weber has been ridiculous since the playoffs began, finally justifying the decision to part ways with PK Subban three years ago. Third-line guys like Brett Kulak & Erik Gustafsson have contributed valuable third period minutes, keeping Montreal’s backline from breaking down late in games. And there’s nothing that can’t be said about what Carey Price has done. The man has carried this team further than their talent pool had any right going. I’ve said it before – when Dryden won, he had guys like Lafleur & Robinson to help him win six; Patrick Roy might have been a rookie in 1986, but he still had crafty vets like Larry Robinson & Bob Gainey to help drag a young team across the finish line. Carey Price has literally no one who could crack Vegas’ top-9, and yet here they are. This has been Hall of Fame worthy netminding at exactly the right time.

Coming at him will be the buzzsaw that beat down the Avalanche, most people’s consensus pick to take the Cup. Stone, Marchessault & former Hab Max Pacioretty just kept going at the Avalanche, eventually giving Grubauer the case of the yips people expected Fleury to have had by that point. Throw in William Karlsson and you have four quality forwards that keep their foot on the gas the full 60 minutes. Vegas also has the luxury of three solid defensive pairings, led by Alex Pietrangelo & Shea Theodore, who proved more than capable of keeping Nathan MacKinnon & company out of their end. And that was helpful, because the lack of pressure kept Marc-Andre Fleury from losing his marbles during the second round. Robin Lehner was the one who took that 7-1 beatdown in Game 1 versus Colorado, so the needle is still at 100 – for now.

It looks like a no-brainer on paper, but the way things have gone so far you can’t assume anything will go according to plan.

Prediction: Vegas in five.


Tonight’s sports:

  • NHL:
    • Montreal at Vegas – 9:00pm | NBCSN / Sportsnet / CBC
  • NBA:
    • Philadelphia at Atlanta – 7:30pm | TNT / TSN4
    • Utah at LA Clippers – 10:00pm | TNT / TSN4
  • MLB:
    • Cubs vs. Mets – 7:00pm | ESPN / TSN2
    • Blue Jays vs. Red Sox – 7:00pm | Sportsnet1
  • Futbol:
    • Copa America 2021:
      • Paraguay vs. Bolivia – 8:00pm | FS1 / TSN3 / UniMas
  • WWE:
    • Monday Night Raw – 8:00pm | USA / Sportsnet360

That is a good sporting lineup. Enjoy!

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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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Senor Weaselo

He can’t wear it when he jets off to Cancun.

Don T

Oh, FLag Day. Whew!
-K. Hart

Gumbygirl

Ugh, Ted

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Doktor Zymm

Real time horn!

Doktor Zymm

Its loud baby!

ballsofsteelandfury

Are you inside??

Doktor Zymm

Nah. but I can see the feed from my window

Doktor Zymm

Real time!

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Doktor Zymm

Knights have it

SonOfSpam

Good for them. Been a while.
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BrettFavresColonoscopy

Everyone says they party at New York New York if you want to talk to some bar flies about their life choices

Doktor Zymm

Real time horn

Brick Meathook

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Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

The Clippers should cruise to an easy win here, but I’m not going to turn it off because the Clippers have proven more than capable of blowing these.

Senor Weaselo

It is the second round after all…

rockingdog
Sharkbait

That is an excellent read.

ballsofsteelandfury

Great article!

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

– Thomas Jefferson, sarcastically reacting to a section written by John Jay

herodotus450

I haven’t seen a Canadian Defense collapse like like since the 1778!

herodotus450

In fact checking this joke (it might not be 100% accurate) I found a Canadian site referring to the righteous future American good guy army as “rebel forces.” Just who do you think you are, Cananada?

Brick Meathook

When in Vegas, be sure to order “Elvis French Toast” with bananas and bacon:

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litre_cola

That looks fucking amazing.

Sharkbait

I feel like the PTSD dog meme every time I hear Alec Martinez

Sharkbait

There it goes again

SonOfSpam

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Sharkbait

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herodotus450

“Martinez to Suzuki” that’s how you know it’s a hockey game youre watching.

Doktor Zymm

He’s probably not a big goal scorer or Chiariot of Fire would be a thing

herodotus450

Showing some shriveled up old raisins in attendance at the Vegas game… Oh wait, those were famous celebrities apparently.

Doktor Zymm

I’m super out of touch, when did they decide that icing wasn’t a penalty for shorthanded teams?

Doktor Zymm

It was a while ago I think, but I def remember it being called all the damn time in the early 90s

Dunstan

Nope, it’s been allowed ever since the icing rule was created, like the 1920s or so.

Doktor Zymm

Well fuck, maybe I am misremembering but it does seem like it is called far less often than it was. I thought it was due to a rules tweak, but maybe teams just don’t do as much?

Doktor Zymm

Granted, I am pretty sure that many of my memories from 7the grade are significantly off

Mr. Ayo

There was some tweaks with the goalie handling the puck but no, short handed teams can always ice the pick without penalty.

herodotus450

Offsides was different for a while back in the 90s, no tagging up.

Doktor Zymm

The first season I really followed hockey was when the Rangers broke their curse, and I do remember they had an offsides call that wasn’t but no more detail than that

herodotus450

Well back then they also had the Mullet Rule, where every time you didn’t have a mullet it was a penalty. Luckily that’s gone now.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

There was also the “helmet rule” where if you wore a helmet they called you a…um, word that people other than Kobe Bryant don’t say much anymore. And he’s dead.

Doktor Zymm

At that point there might have been one guy who was still grandfathered in to no helmet. Sorry had to look up cause real time horn

Sharkbait

Craig MacTavish!

Doktor Zymm

I guess we’re watching on a delay cause the horn went off well before we saw the goal on tv

Sharkbait

You’ve got (presumably) cheaper beer. Worth the delay.

Doktor Zymm

9.75 for a local but not great lager…Yeah, assuming that is better than in stadium

Doktor Zymm

But not entirely reconciled to the real time horn…Less exciting when they’re attacking the net but I know it’s not a goal in the next 20 seconds or so

Brick Meathook

Ask if they have Missouri-Style lager

litre_cola

More like Para-Yay! 2 goals may salvage the day. Chase. That. Dragon.

Mr. Ayo

Just like Spain except they can actually finish.

Viva La Tabula Raza

Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear and Grand Tour has a new series on Amazon Prime about his attempt to farm his thousand acres in the Cotswolds. I’m only halfway through the first of eight episodes and I have had a few laughs, probably will stick with it.

Sharkbait

I was curious about that series. I enjoyed James May’s cooking show

Viva La Tabula Raza

Looks like they dropped the entire first season late last week. His lack of mechanical aptitude has featured heavily thus far.
I watched a couple of episodes of Oh Cook, but I am not a foodie and it just didn’t set the hook in me. I’ve watched his Japan show three times, though.

Last edited 3 years ago by Viva La Tabula Raza
Sharkbait

Loved our man in Japan. I hope they do more

Mr. Ayo

I’ve heard great things about it. Going to try it tonite after all the great sportsing.

Doktor Zymm

Fuck, should have carped more diem. That looks awesome

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Are any of the scalpers getting desperate?

Sharkbait

Check back with scalpers/online places after the midway point of the 1st. I’ve had limited luck getting in that way

Sharkbait

I will say watching sports on the west coast, in Vegas in particular is far superior than anywhere else

TheRevanchist

Red card is my favorite colored card!

herodotus450

Shhhh, not so loud or else Andrew Jackson might hear you.

Dunstan

LET’S DO THAT HOCKEY!

Doktor Zymm

ICE AND STICKS AND PUCKS

Sharkbait

Pucks deep!

Doktor Zymm

Damn I miss skating. Def heading out to the rink when I get home

Doktor Zymm

I wonder if there’s a local hockey league for middle aged women who only know how to figure skate?

Game Time Decision

Toe pick

Doktor Zymm

I loved that movie when I was a tween

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

I’m going to make a blind bet that D.B. Sweeney has gone full Q.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

NOPE! He seems quite normal, in fact.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

“Ooh! Haven’t heard of that one before, sounds like something to add to my repertoire!” – Nathan Peterman

Last edited 3 years ago by Rikki-Tikki-Deadly
Dunstan

“I have some videos I can send you.” — Rex Ryan

Doktor Zymm

Female staff have shirts that say “Our cup size is Stanley”

Mr. Ayo

Good day for Stanley.

Doktor Zymm

I would be extra impressed if they made athletic supportive undergarments for men with the same message

Mr. Ayo

Sure, but we’d want it customized. Mine would say “My cup size is Mayo”.

I’m sure that would go over well.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

If people gave you shit about it you could say you had testicular cancer.

Doktor Zymm

All the people with tickets are heading in so I snagged a bar seat. Drinking a Vegas BIg dog lager

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Sharkbait

Is it bad that I recognize that bar from the one time I made it out for a Vegas-NYR game?

Doktor Zymm

It’s the only place nearby that’s allowed to be open during games apparently, so you good

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Someone named “Ivory Hecker” is trending on twitter and if people weren’t making “ivory pecker” jokes about her throughout her entire life I will be tremendously disappointed in the youth of today.

Sharkbait

Oh god it’s a project veritas “expose”. Twitter should be fun tomorrow

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

It sounds like they got her to mortgage her entire future in broadcasting for one of their nonsense productions.

Sharkbait

Also, for the idiots in the back, local Fox affiliates do not equal Newscorp and Fox news.

Last edited 3 years ago by Sharkbait
Doktor Zymm

“DEEZ KNIGHTS”
Lol

Doktor Zymm

Philosophical objections to exorbitant resale fees are being severely challenged by my desire to go in the stadium and join the main party

Mr. Ayo

If it makes you feel any better, my regular season ice tickets average out to 341 per game.

litre_cola

Every one of my bets was wrong today. Huzzah.

Brick Meathook

I just discovered that “Missouri-American-Style Lager” exists:

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Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

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Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Hey! How the heck are other people getting these to post? Are you just uploading them directly?

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ballsofsteelandfury

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Doktor Zymm

Overheard: guy speculating on how horrible it must be to be a Leafs fan

scotchnaut

If you could hook that comment to my veins that would be wonderful!

Doktor Zymm

Respect to the dudes in the gold lame‘ sport coats in this heat!

litre_cola

Dry heat.

Doktor Zymm

Just like an EZ Bake oven!

Dunstan

“Oooh, where did he get it?” — Marc Bergevin

Senor Weaselo

I smell a Dok Boots on the Ground! Or that’s the rubber melting off the tires.

Game Time Decision

Vegas in 3
Habs forfeit a game to go party in Lv
/Habs fan

Doktor Zymm

I think its time to find a cold beer and a spot in the shade

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scotchnaut

It took all of 2 minutes and 35 seconds for the first (not) career-threatening injury to manifest itself.

Last edited 3 years ago by scotchnaut
Doktor Zymm

I think I might get the shirt with the font that looks like ‘Degas’ I am in favor of IMpressionist hockey

Doktor Zymm

Seriously though, how is it 110/43.3 and there’s an ice game about to be played? Surreal

scotchnaut

One thing about this ESPN crew is that they’re all having a “Popping Bicep” contest yet the female host is the only one that can wear a sleeveless dress. She’s winning.

Doktor Zymm

Pregame atmosphere woo!

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ballsofsteelandfury

One thing that bothers me about the Spanish Copa Male announcers and panelists: They wear nice suits but they wear black sneakers with a very bright white stripe in the sole. They may be sponsored because they wear the same shoes.

C’est très gauche!

Doktor Zymm

People starting to congregate in front of the stadium. I’m gonna go loiter!

Doktor Zymm

Scratch that, it is way too hot to loiter outside