NHL 2021: I Pledge Allegiance to Gritty

[Kepler]

I don't know how we're doing it and I don't care. LFGI!

[Jimjamesak]

This is gonna end with the Habs winning the Stanley Cup isn’t it?

[RaceBoarder]

This is gonna end with the Habs winning the Stanley Cup isn’t it?

There will be an updated version of "Feels like '93" released shortly.

[Kepler]

This is gonna end with the Habs winning the Stanley Cup isn’t it?

They're my second choice.

What are the SF matchups? East v Which? Or is it by RS points?

Edit: it's by points, so if I'm reading this right the SF will be:

#1 LV/Col vs #4 Mon
#2 TB/Car vs #3 NYI/Bos

When (if ever) was the last time the best two teams met in the QF?

[Spartanforlife4]

They're my second choice.

What are the SF matchups? East v Which? Or is it by RS points?

Edit: it's by points, so if I'm reading this right the SF will be:

#1 LV/Col vs #4 Mon
#2 TB/Car vs #3 NYI/Bos

When (if ever) was the last time the best two teams met in the QF?

2018 - Nashville and Winnipeg.

With the new divisional playoffs it’s much more likely to happen. It would’ve happened in 2019 as well had TB decided to show up against Columbus.

[Kepler]

2018 - Nashville and Winnipeg.

With the new divisional playoffs it’s much more likely to happen. It would’ve happened in 2019 as well had TB decided to show up against Columbus.

I'm OK with it. I love the new alignment and the new playoff structure and I hope it becomes permanent.

Of course, I also hope they contract Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville, Carolina, Dallas, New Jersey, Anaheim, San Jose, and Las Vegas.

[Kepler]

Somehow we are getting better every game.

I could get used to this.

LFGI!

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Somehow we are getting better every game.

I could get used to this.

LFGI!

The response after Boston pulled within two was a thing of beauty. It should be taught as the textbook for how to play with a lead.

Two down, two to go!

[MichVandal]

The response after Boston pulled within two was a thing of beauty. It should be taught as the textbook for how to play with a lead.

Two down, two to go!

The third period was fun to watch with SO few whistles. Up until the ENG, there were 4(?)- one for the penalty, and one for the goal, and then a couple prior to the goalie being pulled.

And that attack defense was so great to watch- there was that time with about 4-2 min left, where NY caught Boston in their zone, and just played keep away.

[Spartanforlife4]

The third period was fun to watch with SO few whistles. Up until the ENG, there were 4(?)- one for the penalty, and one for the goal, and then a couple prior to the goalie being pulled.

And that attack defense was so great to watch- there was that time with about 4-2 min left, where NY caught Boston in their zone, and just played keep away.

I swear there was only one TV timeout in the third, unless I missed something. The under 14 didn’t get used until under 10 due to the PP and goal, and then I was expecting back to back to back with whistles at 8 (under 10) and then around 2 (under 6), but they never went to another commercial.

[Kepler]

And that attack defense was so great to watch- there was that time with about 4-2 min left, where NY caught Boston in their zone, and just played keep away.

I felt like Mike Schafer had made a guest appearance as Islanders coach during that 2 minutes. Skate tight circles, then jam it in the corner, then free it, pop it to Gretzky's office, then back to the low man to force Boston to back off to protect the flanks... and then repeat.

Every once and a while pull it to point to threaten a shot but never take a shot. Just control.

Clarkson and Harvard fans all over the country went into PTSD seizures watching that.

Great, athletic, skilled defense is so much fun to watch executed well.

[MichVandal]

I swear there was only one TV timeout in the third, unless I missed something. The under 14 didn’t get used until under 10 due to the PP and goal, and then I was expecting back to back to back with whistles at 8 (under 10) and then around 2 (under 6), but they never went to another commercial.

I was honestly waiting for both the 15 and 10 min commercials, especially when it got to under 5. The fact that they went SO long w/o stopping was really fun. And thanks to the ENG goals and the TO- it seemed like the last 2 min took longer than the first 18.

[MichVandal]

I felt like Mike Schafer had made a guest appearance as Islanders coach during that 2 minutes. Skate tight circles, then jam it in the corner, then free it, pop it to Gretzky's office, then back to the low man to force Boston to back off to protect the flanks... and then repeat.

Every once and a while pull it to point to threaten a shot but never take a shot. Just control.

Clarkson and Harvard fans all over the country went into PTSD seizures watching that.

Great, athletic, skilled defense is so much fun to watch executed well.

Once they trapped Boston into a long shift, and then played keep away- you knew it was very, very much over. It was almost surprising that Boston was even able to get the puck out and dump it, given how the Islanders were attacking the puck constantly.

It's going to be an interesting series with Tampa.

BTW, the next step in the playoffs get kind of interesting- this is the first time in about a year these teams have faced each other. Sort of like the NCAA, we now get to see if one conference stands out from the rest, for real. Or if they are just all the same (which I expect).

[Scarlet]

I said the series was over when Pasta missed that wide open net in Game 4. Sigh. Congrats Kep and any other Islander fans here. Would LOVE to see you knock off Tampa Bay. I just don't like them for reasons I cannot explain.

[Kepler]

Once they trapped Boston into a long shift, and then played keep away- you knew it was very, very much over. It was almost surprising that Boston was even able to get the puck out and dump it, given how the Islanders were attacking the puck constantly.

It's going to be an interesting series with Tampa.

BTW, the next step in the playoffs get kind of interesting- this is the first time in about a year these teams have faced each other. Sort of like the NCAA, we now get to see if one conference stands out from the rest, for real. Or if they are just all the same (which I expect).

This Isles team is better than last year's. I don't know about Tampa. I don't think the Lightning will miss all the nets Boston did, and I don't think our Dmen will be able to be quite so aggressive trying to bottle them up because Speed Kills.

We'll see. "To be the best you have to beat the best."