NHL W. Conference Finals: Red Wings defeat Blackhawks 4-1

[CubInOK]

Thanks for the post Kyle. Hockey noobs like me appreciate it.

[cubswin2009]

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/82016426171dbc93e275da2b18c5170ceb57936a.jpg

[Butterscup1679666578]

Sunday, May 17 at Detroit, 3:00 p.m. NBC, TSN, RDS

Tuesday, May 19 at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, TSN, RDS

Friday, May 22 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS

Sunday, May 24 at Chicago, 3:00 p.m. NBC, CBC, RDS

* Wednesday, May 27 at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS

* Saturday, May 30 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS

* Monday, June 1 at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS

- * denotes if necessary

- All Times are Eastern Standard Time

 

Well [expletive]. I'm going to miss all of Game 1 due to my sisters graduation. And of course it's a game I could watch on real TV too.

[RedFlash]

Blackhawks primer:Kris Versteeg, 23, left wing. One of three finalists for this year's rookie of the year. Good skater, good shooter, all-around player.

 

Patrick Sharp, 28, center/wing. I shouldn't have gone this long without mentioning him, he's basically on the same level as Havlat. Great skater and goal scorer, a major offensive threat for the Hawks. Led the team in goals last year and might have this year if he hadn't missed some of the season with an injury.

 

Good assesment Kyle, but I add a tidbit about both Versteeg (They call him Versteeg...and Kyle I know you know what this means seeing as you are over at the Blackhawks page also) and Sharp. For Versteeg the Hawks gave up Brandon Bochenski from Boston. As for Sharp they gave up Matt Ellison and a pick. Neither Boston or Philly will admit it, but the Hawks acquiring these two key players for essentially scrap was literally highway robbery. To this degree Tallon, is very much like Hendry in that he does very well in trades.

[Drew Doughty]

Hendry has never ever made trades like that. Maybe Derrek Lee, but that's a huge stretch. Tallon traded for prospects and they turned out awesome.

 

Also, Havlat has only been on two teams in his career.

[RedFlash]

Hendry has never ever made trades like that. Maybe Derrek Lee, but that's a huge stretch. Tallon traded for prospects and they turned out awesome.

 

Also, Havlat has only been on two teams in his career.

 

Ummm....Aramis Ramirez, Matt Clement (pre injuries), Michael Barrett (pre-Zambrano TKO), Mike Fontenot, are a couple along the same lines as the trades for Versteeg and Sharp.

[Drew Doughty]

Hendry has never ever made trades like that. Maybe Derrek Lee, but that's a huge stretch. Tallon traded for prospects and they turned out awesome.

 

Also, Havlat has only been on two teams in his career.

 

Ummm....Aramis Ramirez, Matt Clement (pre injuries), Michael Barrett (pre-Zambrano TKO), Mike Fontenot, are a couple along the same lines as the trades for Versteeg and Sharp.

 

Ramirez wasn't a prospect, already had one very good season in the majors, Clement had 2 full seasons in the majors before being traded to the Cubs, and Barrett had 5. Fontenot is the only worthwhile comparison, and I think most of us believe we got screwed value-wise on the deal at the time and that Hendry handled the Sosa situation poorly. Sharp had about a season-full of games spread out over 3 years before being traded to the Hawks. Versteeg made his NHL debut with the Hawks last year. Tallon and Hendry are nothing alike. Tallon built this team through drafting and intelligent trading before making big splashes through free agency last year (excluding the Khabi signing and Havlat trade). He did have an awful start to his career as a GM though.

 

The way each built his winning team was entirely different. Ladd was an unheralded player in Carolina that came to life in Chicago. Versteeg and Sharp were already mentioned. Bolland was a pick, Toews was a pick, Kane was a pick, Keith, Seabrook, Barker, and Byfuglien were all draft picks. Hendry made bigger acquisitions. Lee and Ramirez were intelligent pickups, but not quite in the same category as anything Tallon did (at least anything Tallon did that was a positive). Still, though. Harden, Soriano, Lilly, Bradley, Fukudome, and Gregg were all intended to be impact acquisitions. Going to the starting 8 fielders, starting rotation, and the best 3 relievers (the core of the team), that's 6/16 acquired in the last 3 years as a "splash" type acquisition. In the last 3 seasons, you can point to...Campbell and Huet? Say the top 9 forwards, top 4 d, and starting goalie (since I cut down the roster for the Cubs, only fair to do it for the Hawks too). Pahlsson, Campbell, Huet. 3 players out of 14. Even then, Huet isn't even a starter and Pahlsson isn't near the level of any of the acquisitions Hendry made.

 

So I'm not really seeing the comparison. I'm bored though, and I like reading about hockey and baseball, and this killed time pretty well.

[rawaction]

This could go in the hockey or basketball thread, but does anyone else think the 2-2-1-1-1 format is unfair to the home team? Granted, the home team has the advantage with the first 2 at home and the decided game at home. But the lower seeded team has a 3 of 4 game stretch at home. If the road team takes one of the first 2, it's would take a complete collapse (i.e. losing 2 or 3 at home) from them to lose before the 7th game.

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to have a 1-1-2-2-1 (high seed- low seed- high-high-low-low-high) series? This method rewards the higher seeded team for having a better regular season more than just an extra home game. I think the higher seeded team would take the potential of being up 3-1 with 2 on the road coming up over being up 2-0 with 2 on the road coming up.

[Cynosure]

Afternoon playoff games are so stupid. And we have to deal with two of them... so dumb.

[NewUserName]

I think this upcoming series has the chance to set the tone for a renewing of a great rivalry. Chicago is a good up and coming team that has really impressed me so far in the playoffs. I dont think the Wings are going to roll over and die in the next few years. Should be great stuff. I hope the rivalry can just be about intense play and not someone getting hurt because of a cheapshot.

 

That being said I hope Cleary and Helms both run Khabibulin and sandwich him in the first minute of game 1!! ;) cynorules!!

[Cynosure]

I think this upcoming series has the chance to set the tone for a renewing of a great rivalry. Chicago is a good up and coming team that has really impressed me so far in the playoffs. I dont think the Wings are going to roll over and die in the next few years. Should be great stuff. I hope the rivalry can just be about intense play and not someone getting hurt because of a cheapshot.

 

That being said I hope Cleary and Helms both run Khabibulin and sandwich him in the first minute of game 1!! ;) cynorules!!

At least Khabibulin wears a real goalie mask and not a college face cage! ;)

[kujay]

Hawks in 6. We take Games 1, 3, 4 and 6.

 

Osgood gets yanked in one of these games, probably Game 3.

 

As to the schedule, there are several two-day breaks in between games. Don't like it.

[Cynosure]

Hawks in 6. We take Games 1, 3, 4 and 6.

 

Osgood gets yanked in one of these games, probably Game 3.

 

As to the schedule, there are several two-day breaks in between games. Don't like it.

 

I like your thinking!

[kujay]

Hawks in 6. We take Games 1, 3, 4 and 6.

 

Osgood gets yanked in one of these games, probably Game 3.

 

As to the schedule, there are several two-day breaks in between games. Don't like it.

 

I like your thinking!

 

I just really think (hope) the Hawks have turned a corner at home in the playoffs and won't have any more dud performances. And the energy in that building is going to be crank up to an unbelievable level. I hope NBC and Versus do it justice.

 

As for the first game, Osgood hasn't seen a blitz in these playoffs like he will Sunday afternoon.

[jersey cubs fan]

This could go in the hockey or basketball thread, but does anyone else think the 2-2-1-1-1 format is unfair to the home team? Granted, the home team has the advantage with the first 2 at home and the decided game at home. But the lower seeded team has a 3 of 4 game stretch at home. If the road team takes one of the first 2, it's would take a complete collapse (i.e. losing 2 or 3 at home) from them to lose before the 7th game.

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to have a 1-1-2-2-1 (high seed- low seed- high-high-low-low-high) series? This method rewards the higher seeded team for having a better regular season more than just an extra home game. I think the higher seeded team would take the potential of being up 3-1 with 2 on the road coming up over being up 2-0 with 2 on the road coming up.

 

I don't think it's that big of a deal either way. 2-2-1-1-1 theoretically cuts down on travel, as sometimes there's no need for a 5th game. When it comes down to it, teams just have to win games. Home ice went back and forth in the last series. There have been numerous times when the lower seed "steals" one on the road and then gives it right back at home. I think it's more trouble than it's worth to fix it.

[jersey cubs fan]

Afternoon playoff games are so stupid. And we have to deal with two of them... so dumb.

 

I don't see anything stupid about them, and I'm looking forward to watching all sorts of meaningful sports this Sunday.

[wekse]

Afternoon playoff games are so stupid. And we have to deal with two of them... so dumb.

 

I don't see anything stupid about them, and I'm looking forward to watching all sorts of meaningful sports this Sunday.

 

seriously...i can't think of a better time to watch a game from the comfort of my couch...me+couch+beer+nachos+sports on tv all sunday afternoon = best day ever

[Cynosure]

Afternoon playoff games are so stupid. And we have to deal with two of them... so dumb.

 

I don't see anything stupid about them, and I'm looking forward to watching all sorts of meaningful sports this Sunday.

 

seriously...i can't think of a better time to watch a game from the comfort of my couch...me+couch+beer+nachos+sports on tv all sunday afternoon = best day ever

 

Boo afternoon drinking haha... maybe that's my gripe.

[Magnetic Curses]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzgAjjuqZM

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Personally, I'd rather just see 2-3-2 with fewer travel days.

[jersey cubs fan]

Personally, I'd rather just see 2-3-2 with fewer travel days.

 

The biggest problem with that is the high likelihood of the higher seed getting fewer home dates, which, in addition to playing conditions, means fewer revenues generated by the team that accomplished more during the regular season.

[mjohnson71]

Afternoon playoff games are so stupid. And we have to deal with two of them... so dumb.

 

I'm not trying to be rude: but will there ever be a point where you won't b*tch and moan and the date/time of the Blackhawk playoff games?

[sethuel1]

Afternoon playoff games are so stupid. And we have to deal with two of them... so dumb.

 

I don't see anything stupid about them, and I'm looking forward to watching all sorts of meaningful sports this Sunday.

 

seriously...i can't think of a better time to watch a game from the comfort of my couch...me+couch+beer+nachos+sports on tv all sunday afternoon = best day ever

 

Boo afternoon drinking haha... maybe that's my gripe.

boo afternoon drinking?

[Cynosure]

Afternoon playoff games are so stupid. And we have to deal with two of them... so dumb.

 

I'm not trying to be rude: but will there ever be a point where you won't b*tch and moan and the date/time of the Blackhawk playoff games?

 

Likely not, I take my Blackhawks seriously.

[mjohnson71]

Afternoon playoff games are so stupid. And we have to deal with two of them... so dumb.

 

I'm not trying to be rude: but will there ever be a point where you won't b*tch and moan about the date/time of the Blackhawk playoff games?

 

Likely not, I take my Blackhawks seriously.

 

Just be happy they're this far.

 

If they wanted to play at 3am in Rockford: I'd be happy with it.