haha jersey boy. Canes had the series swept until saturday when we didn’t play Ward. I think it was a tactical move by Maurice because he would rather face a struggling Jersey team than a red hot Pens team or a super physical Flyers team.
You could make a case for any of the 8 teams in the east to make the finals.[/QUOTE]
I disagree. Canadiens are a negative and I would love to see anyone argue the Rangers into the Stanley Cup Finals. If however the Rangers were playing the Bruins in the first round, I may see them knocking off them.
I am however looking forward to the Pens Flyers series. Those two teams hate each other and it makes for GREAT hockey.
haha jersey boy. Canes had the series swept until saturday when we didn't play Ward. I think it was a tactical move by Maurice because he would rather face a struggling Jersey team than a red hot Pens team or a super physical Flyers team.
That move could easily backfire, giving extra motivation to the Devils, who seemed to have needed some sort of kick start.
[QUOTE=shagg49er;401336]I disagree. Canadiens are a negative and I would love to see anyone argue the Rangers into the Stanley Cup Finals. If however the Rangers were playing the Bruins in the first round, I may see them knocking off them.
I am however looking forward to the Pens Flyers series. Those two teams hate each other and it makes for GREAT hockey.[/QUOTE]
That is why they play the games. Goaltending is the key in the playoffs- Lundquist can carry a team, just like Brodeur and Tim Thomas can. Washington can score but their goaltending is suspect at best. Pitt is playing very well. Do you really trust the two Philly has in the nets? I don’t. Carolina is very solid top to bottom- including Ward. Seeds 5-8 can all win their 1st round matchups.
If you watched Saturday’s game between Jersey and Carolina, the 1st2 goals scored by the Devils were total BS strange bounces.
Pucks off the boards/glass DO NOT regularly move like that.
The 2 teams played very even other than those goals.
With that said, it is part of the game and was far from the 1st time a team scored like that and it won’t be the last.
This should be a 6 or 7 game series – of course, I am biased because I am a WhalerCanes fan.
FACTS
2001 - Devils in 5 over the Canes in the East quarters
2002 - Canes over the Devils in the East quarters
2006 - Canes over the Devils in the East semis ( I was at the clincher)
PREDICTION
2009 - Canes over the Devils in the East quarters. I really don’t care how many games it takes. It is time for WHATEVER IT TAKES.
oh and if that doesn’t work ---- if the Devils happen to win, we will make sure that Coach Sutter’s son remains stuck in the minors a little bit longer
best news of the whole Stanley Cup playoffs, the fools from Buffalo have already hung up their skates. Again, it started in 2006 during the Eastern Conference Finals and I’ve seen it continue since then when I’ve attended Canes v. Sabres games in Raleigh. The Sabres fans I’ve met are the single most arrogant group of supporters I’ve met in any sport. Yes, that includes the Tar Hole fans I know.
[QUOTE=Charlotte2002;401337]That move could easily backfire, giving extra motivation to the Devils, who seemed to have needed some sort of kick start.[/QUOTE]
I got all the motivation I need today from the Raleigh NC newspaper
[QUOTE]Brodeur has been pulled from only a handful of games in his career, but it has happened three times against Carolina over the past four seasons, most famously in Game 1 of the 2006 Eastern Conference semifinals.[/QUOTE]
Enemy? I actually grew up a Devils fan. My first hockey game (only went to 2 total) was the Devils vs. the Minnesota North Stars. Pat Verbeek had a hat trick (actually 4 goals total that game) and became my favorite player. It was hockey stick day so I got a cool street hockey stick with all of the players autographs on it.
But I’ll be honest, I have not been into Hockey since around 98 when I went away to school.
i’m a diehard canes fan…but objectively, stupid to pick the devils. canes 3-1 with the devils lone win coming with brodeur against a rookie goalie with 2 of the devils goals scored of unlucky (or lucky, whichever side you’re on) bounces off the boards. you shouldn’t have to rely on 2 literally free goals to beat a rookie goalie over brodeur.
the devils could be a good team if they weren’t a bunch of idiots. if i was there coach, i would tell them to stop standing around watching brodeur be the best ever and do something to help him. having a goaltender play that well is supposed to motivate your team…not make them completely rely on that. devils go down. i’ll give em 6…i guess. if ward makes all the starts and you look at the season series…it’s questionable.
