ADF - (2) Lightning vs. (WC1) Islanders --- Lightning Win 4-1

[GranteedEV]

I had the Islanders edging out the Panthers. Pretty much how it happened. Here I would have the healthy Lightning destroying the very fabric of the Islanders' existence. But I really don't know, I still have my reservations about this Stralman-less, Stamkos-less Lightning team.

Lightning in 6. Greiss is good but Bishop is unreal.

[Erick Estrada]

This could be a pretty exciting series. It's probably going to come down to Greiss vs Bishop and the edge has to go to Bishop.

[saillias]

So figure this one out.

NYI: 100 points
TBL: 97 points (same amount as the Flames had last year)

Tampa Bay is the home team in this series

Good job with the playoff seeding, NHL! This divisional format works so well and gives us great rivalries like... Islanders/Lightning.

[SuperMatt18]

If it was seeded normal then we would have Washington - Tampa, and Islanders - Penguins.

Ill take Pens and Caps

[Philly06Cup]

Originally Posted by saillias

So figure this one out.

NYI: 100 points
TBL: 97 points (same amount as the Flames had last year)

Tampa Bay is the home team in this series

Good job with the playoff seeding, NHL! This divisional format works so well and gives us great rivalries like... Islanders/Lightning.

C'mon, this post is obtuse. For the most part the first two rounds of matchups are divisional. NHL implemented a dual wildcard system in an effort to make sure better teams make the playoffs. That's a good thing -- but it creates a cross-over effect seen here. The only fix I would make: if after wildcards are determined, if there are 4 teams from each division, don't have both wildcard teams cross over.


NYI is already damn lucky to cross-over and play against the weaker division. They don't get home-ice because they didn't earn it based on how they did in their own division.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by saillias

So figure this one out.

NYI: 100 points
TBL: 97 points (same amount as the Flames had last year)

Tampa Bay is the home team in this series

Good job with the playoff seeding, NHL! This divisional format works so well and gives us great rivalries like... Islanders/Lightning.

What exactly is your complaint? That things don't always work out perfectly?

[Har-Calgary]

Originally Posted by saillias

So figure this one out.

NYI: 100 points
TBL: 97 points (same amount as the Flames had last year)

Tampa Bay is the home team in this series

Good job with the playoff seeding, NHL! This divisional format works so well and gives us great rivalries like... Islanders/Lightning.

Not sure why Saillias is gettin hate for bringing this up, I think it's a fair point. NYI had a better record then they should get home ice. I don't mind the wildcard system but if in the second round something like this happens they should adjust it to give home ice to the team that performed better in the regular season. Of course I didn't mind the old system at all and liked how it wasn't a set bracket, made you think harder for which teams to roll with in playoff pools because you had to think of the different scenarios on who would play who next.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

What exactly is your complaint? That things don't always work out perfectly?

The playoff format is garbage hope this clears things up

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Har-Calgary

Not sure why Saillias is gettin hate for bringing this up, I think it's a fair point. NYI had a better record then they should get home ice. I don't mind the wildcard system but if in the second round something like this happens they should adjust it to give home ice to the team that performed better in the regular season. Of course I didn't mind the old system at all and liked how it wasn't a set bracket, made you think harder for which teams to roll with in playoff pools because you had to think of the different scenarios on who would play who next.

The point is there is a counter arguments to whatever position you take on this argument. Yes, NYI has 100 points, TBL has 97, so you could say that NYI should get home ice. In counter, NYI and TBL did not play the same schedule to get their point totals, so how relevant are the actual totals. TBL gets home ice because they finished higher in their division than NYI did. That's what is determining home ice in the playoffs, not point totals.

Neither system is perfect, and the point totals aren't apples to apples so to be upset that NYI doesn't get home ice is kind of silly.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by saillias

The playoff format is garbage hope this clears things up

What don't you like about it? That a team with less points can end up not having home ice advantage? That you wish NYI and TB weren't playing each other? What is your alternate proposal?

[Cali Panthers Fan]

3 points is also fairly negligible in the league these days with all the 3 point games and shootouts. If it was 13 points I'd be more outraged.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Any playoff format with a wild card can result in said wild card playing a team with a worse record but not getting home ice (field) advantage. Look at football; this year the 9-7 Redskins played at home against the 10-6 Packers, who were the Wild Card. Last year the 7-8-1 Panthers hosted the 11-5 Arizona Cardinals. This is how wild card playoff formats work.

It's as if some hockey fans are unaware that other sports exist.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

I'll say isles in 6.

Any word on if Stamkos could be back for this series?

It sounds like even if Tampa makes the finals Stamkos is unlikely to play.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by saillias

So figure this one out.

NYI: 100 points
TBL: 97 points (same amount as the Flames had last year)

Tampa Bay is the home team in this series

Good job with the playoff seeding, NHL! This divisional format works so well and gives us great rivalries like... Islanders/Lightning.

Too bad Tampa won more games.

If it weren't for stupid loser points Tampa would have more points.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by codynw

It sounds like even if Tampa makes the finals Stamkos is unlikely to play.

TSN talked to a medical expert who said it was unlikely. Stamkos's own surgeon says that the recovery window would allow him to return in time, so it's possible.

But I have to say, take into account how Stamkos recovered from the broken leg in 2013. The guy is... not a normal human.

[Sainters7]

Isles in 6

[AC]

NHL just announced Game 1 of this 2nd round series is Wednesday at 5pm MST.

Followed by Game 7 of Anaheim/Nashville at 8pm... what the heck?!

Am I crazy or is that not something that's been done anytime recently?

[OffsideSpecialist]

I can't remember that happening as long as I've been watching hockey lol. I was reading an Islanders board earlier and they were discussing how there's all sorts of events booked at Barclays and the Tampa arena for the near future, so the NHL may have decided that's the best option.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by AC

NHL just announced Game 1 of this 2nd round series is Wednesday at 5pm MST.

Followed by Game 7 of Anaheim/Nashville at 8pm... what the heck?!

Am I crazy or is that not something that's been done anytime recently?

This has not been done before in the NHL. My american contacts are telling me that the two teams' arenas are booked on certain dates towards the latter half of the series.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Wait what the hell?! That has never happened in NHL history. The first round has to end before round 2 can start. That is complete BS. Guess they were counting on the Ducks to end it sooner.