Stanley Cup Finals

[Bryan Payne]

Taking a wild stab in the dark here and see if anyone else actually watched the Blackhawks and the Flyers last night? 

Insane game, and if the rest of the series is like that I for one am glued.  Lot of technical break downs as far as defense goes but it sure made for an exciting game, and one that if you've ever been a casual fan of hockey I do recommend watching if the rest of the series is anything like that.

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

Being a chicago fan I am casual Blackhawks...but I dont really watch Hockey so any info you can keep us updated with over seas would be great.

[Bryan Payne]

Great back and forth game.  Final of 6-5 Blackhawks. 
It just went back and forth 1-1   2-1..... 2-2.... 2-3.... 3-3   Just no one ever got more than a one goal advantage and it went into the third period tied up at 4. 

There were a surprising number of defensive break downs in this game, the Fliers especially I expected to play better defense and I expected that to be the real battle... the Hawks forwards against Pronger and Philly Defense pairings... namely Pronger vs the Kane line... it turned into just an up and down the ice shoot out.  I haven't checked the final totals but it seemed and they mentioned several times that Philly did get the most shots on goal.  At one point the Blackhawks only got three shots at Leighton in 10 minutes of the game.. but two of them went in.

It was the kind of game that gives you a heart attack every five seconds because just the other team had an answer every time... the way that game went I STILL can't believe philly didn't tie it up for overtime.

Game two should be interesting as I think both groups of defensemen are going to get a royal reaming from the coach...  I'm not a hockey expert, but even I could see it was almost like they didn't know what they were supposed to be doing at times. 

As a Chicago fan Ian you'd be interested to know they put a blackhawks jersey on the statue of Michael Jordan hehe.

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

I use to be a decent Blackhawks fan back in the 90s...but havent watched them for years so I can hardly consider myself loyal, though I hope they win!

[Bryan Payne]

Looks likely unless someone fixes the holes in the D..  I don't see the Flyers winning a straight up and down the ice shoot out very often.. not with the way Leighton and Boucher played last night anyway...

in any event...  highly enjoyable game warts and all.  If possible I recommend watching game 2 just to see if it turns into the same thing.

[Sally Screw]

I saw the game and was moaning and groaning each goal... the way I love my hockey to be. Luckily for me, the Hawks pulled it out. I will be surprised if Boucher gets the nod in goal in game two, and although he let in a ton of goals, Niemi should be the Blackhawks goalie all the way.

The impression I was getting was that each side was thinking that "their" defense would counter the other team just like it had for the entire playoff run, allowing the offense to take a few more chances. However, that was not the case and just ended up causing turn over after turn over as players got caught out of position, thinking someone else would cover for them.

Look for a different game next time as the coaches correct that flaw.

[Cory]

Hate hockey, but being a canadian and a fan from the late 90s (ONLY)....cheering for the Flyers. They play like an old school team, and I'd be a nice story.
Scott Hartnalls mullet FTW!

[Bryan Payne]

Hockey is damn near to being the perfect sport.  It's fast... you can lay money that someone is going to get punched in the mouth, and now and then someone's going to try to perform a big boot kick with a razor blade strapped to their foot.  And in the meantime they're firing a hardened piece of rubber at each other at about 120mph...  and doing their best to ram each other though Plexiglas windows..... honestly... what's not to like?

But.... I can't root for Philly, just don't have it in me.  For one thing the fan reaction to the Philly loss will be as entertaining as the game itself... it always is. 

[Geordie]

The Flyers aren't going to be fazed by that Game 1 loss.  After all, they did come back from 3-0 down in the second round to take out Boston (Ironically, there was also down 3-0 in Game 7, ended up winning 4-3).

Anyway, that was an... Interesting game, to say the least.  I imagine that it'll be a much different Game 2, with perhaps more of an emphasis on playing physical and tightening up the defensive play on both sides.

I have a feeling we're going to see Boucher starting before the end of the series, but I don't think it will be in Game 2.  Peter Laviolette normally has faith in his goalies, particularly after an off-night (See: 2006 Playoffs - He kept his starter in for 2 games before switching to the rookie who wound up becoming Playoff MVP.)  So, I think he goes back with Leighton for Game 2, and if he shits the bed again, they go to Boucher going forward.

[Cory]

I donno, i think hockey has left the 'big hit' era and is moved towards the speed era.

Having sidney crosby/parents living like 5 minutes away from me doesn't help, but hockeys changed. Its no the old school, huge hits/fights/gritty play wins you championships like the Devils in the 90's, its more about the quick fast players (dont know any names...sorry crosby and ovechken). Anytime theres a hit thats worth watching, 2/3s of the time the hitters getting suspended.

Its obviously better for the game, but for someone whose only roots towards hockey was the violence of guys like Scott Stevens and Donald Brasher, the days of those guys is past, and I just cant stand a 6-4 game. Call my old fashioned, but I like when 3-1 was a HUGE score.

[Sally Screw]

Call my old fashioned, but...

OK, you're old fashioned.

[Fnord]

Not a hockey fan here, but I'm in Chicago and gotta support my Hawks.  I think last night's game was the highest scoring game I've ever seen! 

[Geordie]

It's official, Leighton's starting Game 2 for the Broad Street Bullies (a.k.a. Flyers, for those not in the know.)

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=323143

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

I was a Hawks fan back in the days of Chris Chellios, Jeremy Roenick and Steve Larmer and a brief flirtation with Amonte. Apart from that I am totally clueless whos in the team these days as we dont get good coverage here in the UK. Still its a Chicago team lets see em do some damage!

[Bryan Payne]

Well... today the Hawks are a "young gun" kind of team.  (seems to be a theme lately in Chicago... baby bulls... these guys)  

Sharp  at center... had a huge game in the first..
you might recognize the name John Madden who also plays center for them..
Marion Hossa, Patrick Kane... who is probably destined to be one of the anchors for Team USA hockey for the next two decades , Dustin Byfuglien... another rookie who's had a great post season..    
Antti Niemi and Cristobal Huet in the net.

they've got a few veterans on the team, but for the most part what makes them exciting is knowing if they keep these young guys together they're going to be good for a long... long time.