22 Play-offs.

[sleepn0t]

Zibanejad is a great player. I'm betting on the steak to continue though..... I think the Canes win tonight. I don't really have much of a rooting interest though - but I do enjoy being correct. I had TB / CAR / EDM / TB as the final four when I filled out my playoff brackett.

If you listen to the tinfoil hats, it's going to be an Oilers / Rangers Stanley Cup final.... Bettman has rigged things, and that's what he wants.

Congrats on your bracket! It's really impressive to get the four final teams correct. You say Bettman rigged things, so I'm not the only 1 to think there might be something going on, and that sometimes the NHL prefers seeing certain teams (playing longer) rather than some others?! Can it explain why there are certain teams that are more often shorthanded in a game? And could all that somehow influence the work of the referees in charge? True that some teams are more disciplined than others, but there are other times when the calls are really doubtful. And sometimes, man that I find their work awful!!!

[RGM81]

Congrats on your brackett! It's really impressive to get the four final teams correct. You say Bettman rigged things, so I'm not the only 1 to think there might be something going on, and that sometimes the NHL prefers seeing certain teams (playing longer) rather than some others?! Can it explain why there are certain teams that are more often shorthanded in a game? And could all that somehow influence the work of the referees in charge? True that some teams are more disciplined than others, but there are other times when the calls are really doubtful. And sometimes, man that I find their work awful!!!

It's not rigged, just incompetence. I know, I know, it's a fast game blah blah blah. But the amount of blown & missed calls is getting out of hand.

[Devlin]

of course it's not rigged. You really think the NHL wants TB, Edm, Carolina in over huge markets, Toronto,NY, Boston, LA, Pitt?

[30ranfordfan]

Congrats on your brackett! It's really impressive to get the four final teams correct. You say Bettman rigged things, so I'm not the only 1 to think there might be something going on, and that sometimes the NHL prefers seeing certain teams (playing longer) rather than some others?! Can it explain why there are certain teams that are more often shorthanded in a game? And could all that somehow influence the work of the referees in charge? True that some teams are more disciplined than others, but there are other times when the calls are really doubtful. And sometimes, man that I find their work awful!!!

Don't get me wrong. I don't believe for a second anything is rigged. It's something that malcontents in Canada often say (Bettman doesn't want a Canadian team to win, it should have happened more recently than 1993 based on odds, blah, blah, blah). When a big market (NY) gets through, it's because the league wants them to. When a sunshine belt team does well (TB) it's because the league wants them to. When the league's marquee player (McDavid, EDM) does well, it's because the league wants them to.

Is officiating bad? Often, yes. Is it inconsistent? It's an epidemic in the NHL. Is it because the league is trying to cherry pick the finalists? Not a chance.

[30ranfordfan]

It's not rigged, just incompetence. I know, I know, it's a fast game blah blah blah. But the amount of blown & missed calls is getting out of hand.

Right? You've got video review. Use it. Get the calls right. I can see a few missed calls, that will happen. Blew an offisde call? If it's once a game, I don't think that's unreasonable to see happen. Ruled that a goal was scored, despite being kicked in? It is a fast game, and mistakes can happen (and you've got video review to fix them).

When one player can wrap his arms around another guy without getting called, but 2 minutes later a little tug on someone's sweater gets a holding call.... I don't get it. When someone cross checks another player to the ice, by hitting them in the numbers (right in front of a ref) I don't understand how that's allowed to continue. When the stakes get higher, the whistles go away - and that makes for brutal game play. "Even up" penalties is also maddening. If one team has already had two powerplays, you know they're the ones getting the next penalty - and it has nothing to do with who is doing what, or how the game is being played - just some asinine notion that the number of power players per game needs to be reasonably equal, so that the "refs don't decide the game".

Refs don't decide games by calling penalties. Players (can) decide games by breaking the rules.

[mooneyes]

Draisaitl with 17 pts against the Flames?!
I wonder what the over/under for goals will be for each series.

[RGM81]

So I ended up missing a real barn-burner last night eh? I was able to watch the first 30 minutes or so of the game before heading out to see Top Gun: Maverick -- folks, go see it. If you liked the original, you'll really like this one. If you loved the original, it will make your evening. This is an example of why we go to the movies. Aaaaaanyways, hope everybody who is being force-fed gambling is taking the over for goals scored.

[Devlin]

over 7 for next game, between these two

[RGM81]

over 7 for next game, between these two

Meanwhile the NYR-Tampa series could be under 4 some nights.

[pwskelly]

Meanwhile the NYR-Tampa series could be under 4 some nights.

The Western Conference final will showcase arguably two of the best offensive players in the game while the Eastern Conference final will showcase arguably two of the best goaltenders in the game. As a fan of the NHL, I'm not sure it could have been scripted any better.

I predict that both series will go at least 6 games. Still holding out hope that Edmonton beats TB in the SC final.