NHL Playoffs, the Quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup!

[Jimtown guy]

Hoping for no goal but no dice. Cats are rollin

[Hornets]

Another f'n team from FLORIDA advances to a Cup Finals....FLORIDA

[Justin Kase]

Sure looks like a good goal to me....

Yup, it was….. although I wanted it not to be.

And sure, you call that trip most times, but I’m not thinking it needed to be called there.

[Jimtown guy]

Tkachuk with 3 game winners in the 4 games. Unbelievable

[Jimtown guy]

Sure looks like a good goal to me....

Yup, it was….. although I wanted it not to be.

And sure, you call that trip most times, but I’m not thinking it needed to be called there.

Think they had to call it considering it happened in the Cats defensive zone

[Hornets]

Eric Staal goes to the Finals...congrats to him.

[Justin Kase]

3 game winners for MT

That’s a playoff player right there, huh?

[Jimtown guy]

3 game winners for MT

That’s a playoff player right there, huh?

I’d say they got the better end of that trade

[Justin Kase]

Sure looks like a good goal to me....

Yup, it was….. although I wanted it not to be.

And sure, you call that trip most times, but I’m not thinking it needed to be called there.

Think they had to call it considering it happened in the Cats defensive zone

They did, it’s just that we knew what would happen.

[Justin Kase]

They picked it up! I always thought the thing about not touching that trophy was both stupid and cool at the same time.

[Hornets]

Just sick of Minnesota sports mediocrity/failure. We've had professional hockey in the state for about 50 years and have only had a team advance to the finals twice. State of Hockey my azz.....

[Jimtown guy]

Just sick of Minnesota sports mediocrity/failure. We've had professional hockey in the state for about 50 years and have only had a team advance to the finals twice. State of Hockey my azz.....

Loserville USA

[Hornets]

Just sick of Minnesota sports mediocrity/failure. We've had professional hockey in the state for about 50 years and have only had a team advance to the finals twice. State of Hockey my azz.....

Loserville USA

And there's nobody even close....

[Hornets]

Knights lookin for the knockout punch tonight....

[Jimtown guy]

Knights lookin for the knockout punch tonight....

And I firmly believe they will get it

[weimy froob]

When the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Chicago Blackhawks on April 11, it looked like a consequential game but one with a near-certain outcome.

The Penguins needed a win for their playoff push, and the hollowed-out Blackhawks didn't figure to provide much resistance on the tail end of their tanking season.

Behind a 38-save performance from Petr Mrazek — a goaltender who posted an .894 save percentage in 2022-23 — Chicago pulled an upset. Six weeks later, the NHL is still reeling from those 60 minutes of inexplicable hockey.

That starts with the Florida Panthers, who just advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. If the Penguins had won that game, Pittsburgh's point total would've been 93 to Florida's 92, leaving the Panthers out of the postseason.

If all the fateful game on April 11 had done was launch Florida's playoff run, it would've been awfully influential, but Pittsburgh's surprising loss had a far greater effect on the NHL.

The Panthers' opponents: Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes
It's impossible to know how the Eastern Conference playoffs would've shaken out without Florida, but there are some inferences to be made. Boston is likely to have beaten Pittsburgh and would be the favorite to sit where the Panthers are now.

If that happened, the Bruins would have a "Last Dance" feel to them with top centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci's futures up in the air. Losing to a Boston team coming off a historic regular-season would've been less painful for the Maple Leafs or Hurricanes, possibly making them less inclined to question their current direction.

In a scenario where Boston went down, either the Maple Leafs or Hurricanes would have a chance to slay their respective postseason demons. In Toronto's case, a run to the Eastern Conference final would probably have been sufficient to change the narrative. Carolina likely would've needed to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

As it stands, things are already messy in Toronto. While Boston has been quieter, uncertainty abounds there and Carolina seems stable but a consistent failure to score in the playoffs could prompt a shakeup.

Pittsburgh also could've made the run Florida has, although that doesn't seem likely with the Penguins lacking the game-changing goaltending that's fuelled the Panthers.

[Hornets]

When the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Chicago Blackhawks on April 11, it looked like a consequential game but one with a near-certain outcome.

The Penguins needed a win for their playoff push, and the hollowed-out Blackhawks didn't figure to provide much resistance on the tail end of their tanking season.

Behind a 38-save performance from Petr Mrazek — a goaltender who posted an .894 save percentage in 2022-23 — Chicago pulled an upset. Six weeks later, the NHL is still reeling from those 60 minutes of inexplicable hockey.

That starts with the Florida Panthers, who just advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. If the Penguins had won that game, Pittsburgh's point total would've been 93 to Florida's 92, leaving the Panthers out of the postseason.

If all the fateful game on April 11 had done was launch Florida's playoff run, it would've been awfully influential, but Pittsburgh's surprising loss had a far greater effect on the NHL.

The Panthers' opponents: Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes
It's impossible to know how the Eastern Conference playoffs would've shaken out without Florida, but there are some inferences to be made. Boston is likely to have beaten Pittsburgh and would be the favorite to sit where the Panthers are now.

If that happened, the Bruins would have a "Last Dance" feel to them with top centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci's futures up in the air. Losing to a Boston team coming off a historic regular-season would've been less painful for the Maple Leafs or Hurricanes, possibly making them less inclined to question their current direction.

In a scenario where Boston went down, either the Maple Leafs or Hurricanes would have a chance to slay their respective postseason demons. In Toronto's case, a run to the Eastern Conference final would probably have been sufficient to change the narrative. Carolina likely would've needed to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

As it stands, things are already messy in Toronto. While Boston has been quieter, uncertainty abounds there and Carolina seems stable but a consistent failure to score in the playoffs could prompt a shakeup.

Pittsburgh also could've made the run Florida has, although that doesn't seem likely with the Penguins lacking the game-changing goaltending that's fuelled the Panthers.

That's crazy Weimy....we in the business call that the ripple effect!

[weimy froob]

yep. this was the headline.

How one regular-season game is shaping the NHL landscape right now
A game between two teams that didn't make the playoffs six weeks ago is having a ripple effect throughout the league.

[Hornets]

Stars & Knights all knotted up at 1 after the first period. Dallas playing for their playoff lives.....

[Justin Kase]

Stars & Knights all knotted up at 1 after the first period. Dallas playing for their playoff lives.....

2-2 late in the third now….. next goal wins I think.

[Justin Kase]

When the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Chicago Blackhawks on April 11, it looked like a consequential game but one with a near-certain outcome.

The Penguins needed a win for their playoff push, and the hollowed-out Blackhawks didn't figure to provide much resistance on the tail end of their tanking season.

Behind a 38-save performance from Petr Mrazek — a goaltender who posted an .894 save percentage in 2022-23 — Chicago pulled an upset. Six weeks later, the NHL is still reeling from those 60 minutes of inexplicable hockey.

That starts with the Florida Panthers, who just advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. If the Penguins had won that game, Pittsburgh's point total would've been 93 to Florida's 92, leaving the Panthers out of the postseason.

If all the fateful game on April 11 had done was launch Florida's playoff run, it would've been awfully influential, but Pittsburgh's surprising loss had a far greater effect on the NHL.

The Panthers' opponents: Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes
It's impossible to know how the Eastern Conference playoffs would've shaken out without Florida, but there are some inferences to be made. Boston is likely to have beaten Pittsburgh and would be the favorite to sit where the Panthers are now.

If that happened, the Bruins would have a "Last Dance" feel to them with top centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci's futures up in the air. Losing to a Boston team coming off a historic regular-season would've been less painful for the Maple Leafs or Hurricanes, possibly making them less inclined to question their current direction.

In a scenario where Boston went down, either the Maple Leafs or Hurricanes would have a chance to slay their respective postseason demons. In Toronto's case, a run to the Eastern Conference final would probably have been sufficient to change the narrative. Carolina likely would've needed to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

As it stands, things are already messy in Toronto. While Boston has been quieter, uncertainty abounds there and Carolina seems stable but a consistent failure to score in the playoffs could prompt a shakeup.

Pittsburgh also could've made the run Florida has, although that doesn't seem likely with the Penguins lacking the game-changing goaltending that's fuelled the Panthers.

I know the grandmother of a Penguin’s player…. she’s a member of a small volunteer group that I am the Chairman of……. I laughed last night, she told me she was glad her grandson wasn’t still playing, it’s getting really tough out there she said! She’s so awesome!

[Jimtown guy]

Stars & Knights all knotted up at 1 after the first period. Dallas playing for their playoff lives.....

2-2 late in the third now….. next goal wins I think.

Yep next goal wins as we are headed to overtime

[Jimtown guy]

None other than Pavelski wins it for Dallas

[Hornets]

Pavelski with the ovahtime winnah and Dallas lives to see anotha day!

[Jimtown guy]

All Vegas in the first 20. 3-0 Knights

[Hornets]

All Vegas in the first 20. 3-0 Knights

Knight's apparently sayin "enough is enough"

[Jimtown guy]

All Vegas in the first 20. 3-0 Knights

Knight's apparently sayin "enough is enough"

Worse lead in hockey though Gus

[Hornets]

All Vegas in the first 20. 3-0 Knights

Knight's apparently sayin "enough is enough"

Worse lead in hockey though Gus

Especially if a Minnesota team has it....

[Jimtown guy]

Knight's apparently sayin "enough is enough"

Worse lead in hockey though Gus

Especially if a Minnesota team has it....

Unfortunately you are correct

[Jimtown guy]

4-0