Rhah

Funny thing while watching start of game... Crawford goes sprawling out on a Kesler SH attempt, and while doing kicks his leg and I think he was the one who dislodged goal, stopping an almost perfect put in on rebound. So, then Sharp while on other side of ice gets all huffy that goal came off hinges while he had puck after a rebound at an impossible angle like 10 feet away from goal. Who knows if that is all how it played out or if what Sharp was really crying to ref about, but I'd like to think he is a big fat, GQ crybaby.

Agreed. No way I hate the Ducks more than Hawks. Ducks were nice enough to let us out of first round a few years ago as a seven seed.

Anyone who doubts what Babs brings to the team... all Squawk Sports Radio talks about is how Quenneville is the master of matchups and OCD about it. I will give you one guess where he learned to take it so seriously (it was in 2013). And he was schooled by the master and should have had one of the biggest disappointment playoff exits in recent times had his team not luckily come back from 3 - 1 series deficit. I just have serious doubts that the next coach up can match the same. I know we backseat drive his game strategy all the time, but there is a reason for things he does and its not just pulling names out of a hat and it works out a lot more often than it fails. Just look again at this year... we should have easily surprised and beat the s*** out of the Blots.

Interesting. I do think that Babcock gets quite a bit of credit from peers and analysts for what he does with the talent he has the last couple of years. I think people have expected the Wings to break their playoff streak each of the last 3 years maybe? So, despite Jack Adams voters not giving two s***s, the rest of the community is giving Babs a ton of credit.

Sharp also probably holds the current record for sleeping with teammate's WAGs.

One thing I noticed in thread. Now, I like Blashill and I hate to rag on the Calder cup, because that's all we have had to root for the last couple years. But, to even put the Calder cup in the same conversation as NHL championships, is a bit ridiculous to try and compare Blash to Babcocks resume. And to say that Babcock had a stacked roster when he had success and in the same breath say that Blashill is competing every year in Calder cup and not comment how Grand Rapids is filled with overripe NHL prospects (that we regularly leave in the minors too long) and then a bunch of ringers (NHL level players) get sent back down after we are knocked out of playoffs, is a bit disingenuous. Also, my last comment about if a replacement is needed. How often is the minor league affiliates head coach looked at before any bench or assistant coaches? (yes he was an asst one year... but not currently).

Blackhawks (well fans, and radio idiots) have been crying about starting times this whole offseason (funny they probably had zero sympathy for Detroit before the move).

That breakdown of the hit is s*** by Kerry Fraser. Every bullet point he puts down to say why hit isn't illegal could be applied to Kronwall's hit which he did say was bad (if I remember correctly). and he absolutely leaves his feet before contact, not on follow through.

I also feel bad for Lecavalier and St. Louis. They busted their asses in Florida only to have team get good after they are dealt. I guess they were problem and they needed the influx of young talent. Same note I feel bad for Alfredsson and Spezza too with Sens having awesome runs now.

So frustrating to almost win and take command in series only to lose game 7s against these powerhouse teams that then roll through rest of playoffs.

Why isn't super Price showing up in this series? I know it's not popular but I would rather see Habs win. And to think two years ago I rooted for TBL in the East cause of Yzer. After moving to east and now playoff series against the dirtbags, I hate them so much. Dirty players. They don't seem like it at first glance but they had to resort to it against Wings.

Overpaying has nothing to do with ensuring victory it's all about dollars and public perception that ownership is trying. They get instant ticket sale boost by getting Babcock that probably easily covers the premium salary

Reason I didn't just use Corsi and fenwick is because the offensive components seem too high or maybe I don't understand them exactly. That is why the article I posted earlier has a bit of opinion thrown in but takes into account your ability to shutdown opposition.

Was trying to find some of the analytics I asked about and its damn hard without doing some serious number crunching around the current statistics and who the players matched against. A few articles were around notably this one that figured out the Top 14 D men in 14-15. Kronwall is 14th. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=729524

I find it hard to believe in this day and age of advanced analytics, there aren't some defensive stats to show some sort of rankings for guys. Even if they have some reliance on pairings there has to be something

TBL no power plays? Oh, the injustice!

Yea Ovi playing some D plus his usual greatness puts him far ahead of Stamkos. Stamkos invisible in our series and not really pitching in on D too? Maybe it was too subtle for me to notice but at least when our stars aren't scoring they are still D'ing up like madmen

Blues and Anaheim are only teams with a shot of beating Hawks. One still has chance. Was mad at Wild's second half of season and playoffs just so the best teams could matchup against Chicago.

Subban threw Johnson down to the ice after a check on the boards in last night's game. Nobody really saw it or commented on it, and the crowd got sort of mad. I enjoyed seeing it.

Ben Bishop is lucky as s***

Does TB have most power plays in this years playoffs?

Today I learned that apparently you have to score points to be considered a top defenseman in the league despite your position name having "defense" right in the title. I would take zero point #1 shutdown defender in the league anyday over a chuck it at the net goon. Let the offense do the work and put your d guys who have good shots on the PP.

Not that I want to defend crying or a Hab, but are you guys serious in thinking its not a big deal that the ref did those things (if true?). We already know how they start doing bulls*** faceoffs once playoffs start and try to become center of attention. I am sorry, but refs doing s*** like that to Prust then giving him additional penalty for nothing he did? Like he said, refs like to play God and if they are affected playoffs that is utter bs.

Is this the gripe thread? My new gripe is that the first round of playoffs seem like way better matchups, and now the second round is happening and almost all the series seem like blowouts (so far). Do they need to change the way the matchups get picked? Or is it just coincidence this year that all the good matchups already happened in the first round? I'd rather have later rounds have more drama and close games. I fear the rest of these playoffs are going to be boring as s***.

Just like when we took Hawks to 7 as underdogs and created a battle-hardened monster who had the toughness to go on to the Cup. Wings are like the perfect practice squad team to get a Cup winner prepared for the rest of their run. Bolts are going to sweep and go on to win cup due to the drubbing we put on them.