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2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs thread


MadDog2020

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What an awesome idea.  Bench your Norris Trophy level defenseman in OT.

 

Montreal bench lost this game tonight.

 

I'm no fan of Therrien but that's not true.  Subban played almost half the overtime (2:41) including most of their ill-fated PP.

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I'm no fan of Therrien but that's not true.  Subban played almost half the overtime (2:41) including most of their ill-fated PP.

Yea I was about to chime in, I know that idiot McGuire was trumping up a non issue, but Subban took the next shift.

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One of my favorite stats of all-time (although I wouldn't mind at all if the 2014 Canadiens joined us): John Buccigross ‏@Buccigross:

63 of 64 teams to lead a Conference Final or Stanley Cup semifinal 3-games-to-1 won the series (only exception: 2000 Devils)

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I think with some teams, you have your long-time rivals, the Hadfields to your McCoys.  For you, I think it's the Islanders...it doesn't matter if both teams are good, both are bad, or only one is relevant...the hatred is always there, and those games have a way of stirring up their fanbases.  The Devils have become a similar entity for you for sure.  That absurd regular-season unbeaten streak the Devils enjoyed at the Rangers' expense had to have added to the hatred on your side (just like the Devils losing to them in the playoffs in '92, '94 and '97 did to us).  

 

On our side, I think it's the Rangers and the Flyers, especially since there's been a fair number of memorable playoff matchups over the last 20 years.  I attended the elimination game in 2008, and it was beyond awful...Avery doing his thing and actually succeeding, Ranger fans coming into the building and taking over while the Devils fans in attendance just sat there and let it happen...just sucked on every level.  One of my lowest and most disappointing moments as a Devils fan.  I don't really let awful moments like that linger on and on, but 2008 (losing to the Rangers in five), 2009 (losing to the 'Canes in seven in murderously excruciating fashion), and 2010 (getting waxed by the Flyers in five) were rough...especially since each series looked very similar at times, with the Devils looking 2-3 steps slower than their opponent, unable to receive passes cleanly, looking easily overwhelmed.  And when you factor in that the Devils were now meekly and almost routinely losing playoff series in five games (Flyers in 2004, 'Canes in the second round in 2006, Ottawa in 2007), though it's clearly always great to make the playoffs at all, the Devils had become a relatively easy out.  And the less said about 2011 (10-29-2 first half), the better.  2012 and beating both the Flyers AND the Rangers in winning the Eastern Conference was almost NEEDED at that point.  It allowed us all to wash the lingering bad tastes of 2004, 2008, and 2010 and the recent poor playoff performances out of our mouths, almost all at once.  That season still would have been terrific no matter who the Devils faced to get to the SCF, but there was something very catharic about beating the Flyers and Rangers to get there.

 

Anyway, I think the Pens have kind of become a "short-term" rival for you.  That can happen for a number of reasons...a particularly bloody playoff series, a succession of chippy games played against each other, a relatively high frequency of playoff matchups in a relatively short period of time, etc.  At times for the Devils, that's been the Leafs, the 'Canes, the Senators...the ironic thing is the Devils have actually held their own against the Pens in the regular season, so much so that their fans were afraid of facing the Devils in the playoffs this season...though I don't like Crosby or the Pens (I hate that they just luck/tank their way into getting generational talents), I don't really put in them in the fierce rival category.  The 'Canes have become a rival mostly by virtue of having beaten the Devils in the playoffs in 2002, 2006, and 2009...and I've never been a fan of Batboy Eric Staal.  THAT'S a team the Devils really need to beat whenever they meet again in the playoffs, for sanity's sake. 

 

I like your response here. Especially the part about how the Rangers owned the Devils in the 90's. I get it. You had to live with that pain and anguish for a long time. The unbeaten streak took its toll. When you have Devil fans coming up to you after regular season elimination feeling bad, it was exhausting. For a long time, I wondered if they would ever be respectable. I followed Lundqvist online and saw what he did for Frolunda. That was what I was most excited for. Since then, it's been much better. You're right about some of the recent losses your team endured. Hasan has had plenty to say on that and other things on our blog. I knew 2012 was viewed as revenge and well, it was served cold. I am very much at peace with the rivalry. It's still fun but won't be the same without Marty.

 

I should've clarified a statement on the Pens. Before last round, they owned us. It dated back to the 90's including that classic 1992 division semi when they got Graves suspended for slashing Mario. What a joke that was. Lemieux is/will always be the biggest whiner in hockey. So, the rivalry with the Pens is now three decades. Finally, after all the torment they got them back.

 

Agreed on the Canes. We have a similar thing with the Caps but they're also an old rival from the past. All the first round series. Pretty cool. I don't know when you'll see Carolina again. They're rebuilding. It'll be a while. The division is tough. Who knows.

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