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LET'S GO CANES! And some other thoughts


ihaveaquestion

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Hello,

Getting knocked out in the playoffs by the team that ultimately wins the Stanley Cup that year is a better result than getting knocked out by any other team in the playoffs. So: go Canes.

Also: the Devils-Canes series was, despite the outcome, one of the most amazing playoff series I have ever witnessed. I only started following the Devils in 1999-2000, however, (I had just moved to California from NJ, but my heart never made it any farther west than Continental Airlines Arena. I was only 14, so I became very connected to the state and the team), and the only better series I can recall are the Anaheim-Devils Stanley Cup final, and the series where we stunned the Flyers--I think we were down 3-1 in the series, and won three straight to win the series and went to the finals? Whichever happened, I wish I had been old enough to appreciate what I was witnessing. I have a memory of Scott Stevens giving Lindross a concussion around mid-ice. Even then I knew that I had seen something amazing... I just didn't realize how rare it was to see someone like that playing for the Devils.

But even though I felt like we were the better team in this playoffs, I've always held that "good teams win ugly," meaning that if a team is to be successful it needs to be able to play like crap for an entire game and still win. I hope that this series is the most painful series that I will ever witness in my entire life as a Devils fan, but at the same time I recognize that the teams were pretty much equally matched. So, in a way, the teams are interchangeable, so if the Canes win the cup I'd be more amenable to the fact that some team other than the Devils won this year.

We peaked too early this year, and even MSG/MSG+ inadvertently pointed it out before it happened. Does anyone remember when they summed up the season chronologically (to that date), breaking up the season into chunks that encapsulated the teams slumps and streaks? When they did point it out, they pretty much identified how the Devils had won maybe 63% of their games for a few months, experiencing both winning streaks and periodic slumps, then got really hot in the late winter/early spring (i.e., they got hot too early). Shortly after they highlighted these statistics, Brodeur returned, our winning streak faltered and died, and we just stumbled into the playoffs; frankly, in light of many peoples' justifiable predictions, we overachieved in the playoffs.

It's a shame... it seems like whichever playoff-eligible team wins the cup is the team that is best able to hit a very high peak over the 28 (max) games of the postseason. Up until I started writing this message, I have been behind Sutter (our team has looked better since he's behind the bench), but maybe this premature firing of the team's extra cylinders is on him. I'd like to have him around for another two years or so, still... but I'd also like to know that we have a clear successor for Brodeur.

What I'm really trying to say is that I want the Canes to have enough success to justify our losing in this round.

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I don't believe success can be justified through the results of other teams.

Devils Success is determined by the quality of hockey played as a team.

Losing to the Stanley Cup winning team is ultimately still....losing.

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I can't imagine rooting for the Hurricanes after what happened this year. And I was never really buying that philosophy of cheering for the team that eliminated you. They beat us in 2006. Did it feel any better because they went on to win the Cup? Not at all, I was actually pretty bummed because I rooted for the Oilers in that final. Did it feel right when Ottawa reached the final in 2007 after kicking New Jersey out? No. I didn't give a sh!t, at least.

I'm rooting hard against them this season. The bottom line is, the Rangers and the Flyers are already out. When the Canes get eliminated, I will sleep well at night. I still wouldn't like to see the Pens, Nucks or Ducks hoist the Cup, but I could live with it.

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I've always thought Cam Ward was overrated, and I've never liked ANY of the Staals. That said, I have a newfound respect for Carolina, and apparently, I'm in the minority, but if I'm going to lose, I'd rather it be to the champions than some shlubs that get smoked in four or five games the following round. Ward deserves whatever credit he gets (but I still hate the Amazing Diving Staals, who could've been a popular circus act if the hockey thing didn't work out). Doesn't take the sting out, but losing to a worthy opponent is less embarrassing than, say, the Rangers.

So long as Pittsburgh or Anaheim don't win the Cup, it doesn't really bother me either way who walks away with the silver, so long as there's some good hockey all the way to the end (so far, so good). I also realize that by publicly rooting against the waterfowl of the NHL, they will now face each other in the Finals.

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Thanks for your opinion, but it's wrong. Pretty sure Carolina joined PHI & NYR on the axis of evil this year.

Agreed. I hate them just as much as the Rangers and Flyers and i will never root for them nor will I ever like them

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I've always thought Cam Ward was overrated, and I've never liked ANY of the Staals. That said, I have a newfound respect for Carolina, and apparently, I'm in the minority, but if I'm going to lose, I'd rather it be to the champions than some shlubs that get smoked in four or five games the following round. Ward deserves whatever credit he gets (but I still hate the Amazing Diving Staals, who could've been a popular circus act if the hockey thing didn't work out). Doesn't take the sting out, but losing to a worthy opponent is less embarrassing than, say, the Rangers.

So long as Pittsburgh or Anaheim don't win the Cup, it doesn't really bother me either way who walks away with the silver, so long as there's some good hockey all the way to the end (so far, so good). I also realize that by publicly rooting against the waterfowl of the NHL, they will now face each other in the Finals.

The way I see it there is no reason why the Caps cant win the cup. Good hard working team, lots of talent and players that havent seen a cup yet.

Capitals vs. Blackhawks Stanley cup final would be awesome.

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The way I see it there is no reason why the Caps cant win the cup. Good hard working team, lots of talent and players that havent seen a cup yet.

Capitals vs. Blackhawks Stanley cup final would be awesome.

See, who I want to see in the finals changes daily, based on who I'm mad at at any given time:

If I'm pissed at Carolina, but enjoying hockey: Washington/Chicago

If I'm pissed at the NHL: Vancouver/Carolina (Imagine the ratings carnage!)

If I'm pissed at our team: Anyone but Carolina/Red Wings (because let's face it, if the Wings win another one, we're not even close to the top team of this era, 5 Cups to 3.)

Right now I'm in a "for the better of the game" type mood, so I'm leaning Washington/Chicago.

Which means I'll probably get Carolina/Anaheim.

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Which means I'll probably get Carolina/Anaheim.

Man, THESE ratings would suck. :rofl:

The worst possible final for me: Vancouver - Carolina. I don't want Luongo to win the Cup. Canes I guess I don't have to explain. Ducks - Hurricanes would suck too, BTW. And I'm not keen on the Red Wings winning another one either, because of the reason you mentioned. So if the Cup goes west, I'd rather it goes to Chicago. If it goes east, I'd like Washington to win it, Boston wouldn't hurt either. Pittsburgh would, but just a bit.

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