<p>We’re hockey fans at my house (both of my Ss play HS hockey) and now that college hockey season is over, we’re enjoying the playoffs. (We’ve gone from Olympic hockey, to college and now NHL–it’s been a great year for hockey fans!) So glad Flyers advanced and hope that Capitols advance too–these teams make a great match-up.</p>
<p>Was out last night so didn’t get to see any of the games except the end of Chicago/Nashville. I was sad to hear that the Sabres are finished for the season, and was amazed to hear that the Canadiens beat the Caps yet again. What is up with Washington?!</p>
<p>Grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada. My favorites were Dick Irvin and Danny Gallivan, who covered the Montreal Canadiens, which may be why I have always been a huge Canadiens fan. Roger Ducet singin **Oh Canada **was always special.</p>
<p>I prefer CBC coverage to NBC, Versus or our local coverage. Ron McLean is a great studio host, not only for hockey, but the Olympics and general coverage of Canadian sports.</p>
<p>BTW - GO WINGS!</p>
<p>Mr. Fang got us tickets to the first (as yet unscheduled) game of the second round! Looking forward to seeing my boys against the Wings or Yotes.</p>
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<p>He’s one of those who is easily swayed to the darkside :p. Nah, he moved to Anaheim and got caught up in the hype. He always comes back to the Wings eventually :)</p>
<p>UMDAD, you and my H could have a great time cheering for the Canadiens. Hockey Night in Canada was popular viewing for us as well. Unfortunately they don’t carry it in Virginia. He was euphoric last night at the Canadien victory- son and his friends were licking their wounds over the Caps loss. </p>
<p>CF, I had to think for a moment about “Yotes” …but still hoping the Wings can get it together.</p>
<p>They don’t have Hockey Night in Canada all over the US? </p>
<p>Well, that settles it. I’m never leaving Michigan.</p>
<p>Here we go Bruins, here we go!! Can’t wait for the next round and Savard has been cleared to play.</p>
<p>Oh my goodness. What a wild second period! The Red Wings are definitely playing like they want to win.</p>
<p>Hey, hey, Hockeytown!</p>
<p>Better get my earplugs ready for Game 1, Sharks-Wings.</p>
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<p>a lot… mostly a coach that doesn’t know what he’s doing, IMO.</p>
<p>His game plan is generally “outscore the other team by letting my highly skilled players skate up the ice and score” which doesn’t work very well in the playoffs.</p>
<p>The caps have more talent than Montreal by far, but it isn’t being used well. It would also be better if they had 1 or 2 more gritty guys who can play along the boards and get under the other team’s skin instead of 1 or 2 of their “skill” guys.</p>
<p>Flash (#14, full name is like… Fleicshmann, or something), a 20 goal scorer, looks completely lost. He hardly ever even touches the puck. If Flash was replaced with someone can dig in the corners we would be a lot better off. Funny, because we have a guy like that to replace him with, but the coach won’t sit Flash. Flash helped the coach when a championship in the AHL (minor league) so he is being stupidly loyal.</p>
<p>Semin, a 40 goal scorer this season, has no goals.</p>
<p>We refuse to create traffic in front of the net (this goes to lack of gritty players again). Our power play that was operating at 25% in the regular season is 1 for 30 in this series, and to fix it, the coach holds optional practices (like he did today).</p>
<p>We really needed a defensive Dman at the deadline, but didn’t get one (got an offensive one instead, gah). We’ve gone down 2-0 in the first 10 minutes 3 times.</p>
<p>just to be clear, I have supported getting a new coach since the end of last year, which obviously puts me in the extreme minority. But if we lose tomorrow, there might not be another choice. Anything but a Stanley Cup Finals appearance will be a bad season for the Caps.</p>
<p>the Caps have never won a game 7 after losing game 6… and a #1 seed has never lost to a #8 seed after being up 3 games to 1. I guess the Caps are making history, one way or the other.</p>
<p>soccerguy, my question was actually a rhetorical one but thanks for your insight as a Caps fan. Bruce’s style of positive incentive-based coaching has worked for him to a large extent, but I know that not everyone likes it. Controlling high-paid athletes is not always an easy task, and it’s not only/always the superstars that can be difficult. 
The Caps have had questionable defense and goaltending all season and now, with Poti out, tonight’s game will be even more difficult. However, if they play like they did on Monday, I’m doubtful that Halak will give a repeat performance. There were 94 shots directed at him, 54 that were on goal, 23 that were blocked and 17 that missed the net. If they maintain that kind of firepower tonight, I think the outcome will be different.</p>
<p>Go Wings.
The beards need to get more robust!! 
The Jolly Green Giant needs his jersey!</p>
<p><a href=“http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Spirit_of_Detroit_with_jersey.jpg/220px-Spirit_of_Detroit_with_jersey.jpg[/url]”>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Spirit_of_Detroit_with_jersey.jpg/220px-Spirit_of_Detroit_with_jersey.jpg</a></p>
![http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Spirit_of_Detroit_with_jersey.jpg/220px-Spirit_of_Detroit_with_jersey.jpg[/url]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Spirit_of_Detroit_with_jersey.jpg/220px-Spirit_of_Detroit_with_jersey.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
<p>Oh, my! The last 7:00 minutes of the Caps/Canadiens game was amazing.
Some teams aren’t made for the playoffs.</p>
<p>Wow. I think the Canadiens’ fans are as shocked as the Caps’ fans.</p>
<p>Caps need some significant reworking…</p>
<p>luckily Carlson/Alzner played well and look set to be a very strong pair next year, costing only $900k each.</p>
<p>on the other hand, Green and Semin will make a combined $11 million next year (20% of the salary cap), and haven’t produced in the playoffs the last 2 years.</p>
<p>good luck to everyone’s team that is still in it (unless you are a penguins fan =P)</p>
<p>double post, sorry</p>
<p>4 Original Six teams left and none are playing another. Could we get an all Original Six Conference Finals?</p>
<p>Stanley Cup Finals of Detroit v. Montreal would be great! Bring back the 1950s!</p>
<p>Now that would be fun, UMDAD. We are Wings fans and have a Quebec-born BIL! There would be lots of trash talk, I’m sure. But I still don’t believe that the Wings can hold it together for the duration. I hope I am wrong.</p>