2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

[kola]

The game has changed over the years, I preferred the 60's and 70's era. Same goes for football.

 

[jpmcwjr]

And basketball, when traveling was called before five steps with the ball, and charging was seen more than once a game. And there was a call called palming. Anyone remember?
Though the one thing that has vastly improved: TV coverage. Not just quantity, but quality. First color, then better resolution, then HD, and now even some UHD. You can actually see the puck!

 

[ashdigger]

Double OT for the Bruins and Blue Jackets. Both of my new teams won today (Dallas and Blue Jackets).

 

[mikethompson]

Short digression: I have an extended family member, a young college senior majoring in statistics at Rutgers, who wants to take statistical analysis to professional hockey the way it's been used in baseball, to get better results from players based on intense use of stats. He played league hockey in high school, and though I don't think he's aspiring to play, I think he may have the statistics chops to explore this dream of his.

Tom, it sounds like your family member is getting into analytics. That's been used extensively by more than a few teams for a few years. I think Edmonton experimented with it too.

 

[ssjones]

I can't watch older hockey, from the 60's or 70's (even 80's). Half the team couldn't skate and only a few players per team had any real puck handling skills. Now, if you can't skake, puck handle and score, you won't even make a fourth line.
Tom Wilson from the Caps is a good example. He's seen as a modern age NHL tough guy, perhaps like Dave Semenko in the past. In 2018, Wilson had 14 goals and 187 penalty minutes. Semenko had 65 goals in his 13 season career and 1175 penalty minutes. Shocking to me, Semenko only averaged 90 penalty minutes per season. 153 career points for Semenko, but Wilson already has 118 points in only six seasons. Semenko probably wouldn't make a modern NHL team.

 

[mso489]

When I was boasting about the Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup a few years after they moved to Raleigh, N.C., someone chided me commenting that the coaches and team were predominantly Canadian, which was sure a strong contingent, it's true. However I don't think it was Canadians driving down from Montreal and Edmundson to fill the parking lot acres around the stadium. There are still some ardent hockey fans in these parts, Stanley Cup or not.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Funny: if you told a hockey fan 50 years ago there'd be teams- good teams- in LV, FLA, Carolina, etc, they'd roll their eyes and laugh.

 

[ashdigger]

John, some currently still do. I never watched hockey prior to Vegas getting a pro team. Now I'm consumed by it. I get a kick out "band wagon" banter. So what. I would think everyone (except San Jose :mrgreen would be happy Vegas has hockey and another fan.
I'm actually very happy San Jose and Vegas are considered rivals. I'd hate to have a shitty team as a rival.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Actually for me, it's cool that a near by team has popped up with excellence, and making a great rival.
I had season tickets with my then young son for the Sharks inaugural season- it was in the Cow Palace! 90% of the fans had no idea what icing was, or offsides, etc. but now are pretty much in to what hockey rules are and great play is about.

 

[mso489]

Sports rise and fade over time. Baseball is struggling with its fan base right now. Football has plateaued, maybe, depending on how you look at it. Basketball is strong. Horse racing, if that's a sport, is in a kind of crisis. Hey, I love the horses and their brave jockeys, exercise riders, etc., but the following has diminished. Soccer/football ... worldwide, the number one sport, in the U.S. somewhat struggling as a spectator sport while it thrives as a youth sport. Hockey came alive in the last decade or two, from a Canadian and Northeastern U.S. sport to a national one in the U.S. and its homeplace Canada. Cricket has more reach than U.S. people think, but isn't here much yet.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Then there's lacrosse, slowly gaining in overall popularity, but gaining rapidly among kids who have teams/clubs/schools where it's played. At least that's the story in California.

 

[ashdigger]

My other two playoff teams won today. The Hurricanes and the Avalanche both won on away Ice. The Bunch of Jerks won both away games in New York and the Avalanche split in San Jose.

 

[mikethompson]

I can't believe the bunch of jerks are up 2-0. What a crazy playoff year.

 

[ssjones]

I didn't see Carolina up 2-0, wow.

 

[dare66]

Yes this playoff year has been turned upside down!

 

[skydog]

How about them Canes! The two empty netters at the end may make the final score seem like they didn't have to fight as hard as they did but it was a tough game. Hope they can keep this energy up!

 

[ssjones]

With their back-up goalie to boot! No way the Islanders can come back now, history is definitely not on their side.

 

[mikethompson]

Boy it is hard not to root for Carolina now. Never thought I'd type that!

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

Yeah, my boss is a huge fan and was at the Carolina game last night. He could barely hear me this morning. I mean, those guys are so wrought with injuries it's kind of hard to believe. Rooting for the home team hard! This town is in a bit of a Hurricane fever right now and it's great!

 

[chilllucky]

Let's go Blues!