Stanley Cup Final - Golden Knights (P1) vs Capitals (M1)

[Engine09]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

It's playoff hockey. This level of play is something always reserved for the Stanley Cup Finals, and is never on display by any team during the regular season.

That is why I love the playoffs almost regardless of who is in the running.

The amount of times I have to tell people or friends I can't work in the evenings or help them with something because the damn playoffs are on drives me nuts. Don't ask me to do anything, you should know this!

[CliffFletcher]

Usually, the finals are the worst hockey of the playoffs. Players are fatigued, the coaching extremely conservative. Best hockey is usually in the first two rounds. So it's nice to see this level of play in the finals.

I've always chosen a team in the finals to cheer for just for the engagement. I'm having a tough time doing that this year. I neither like nor dislike either team. Hard to consider the Knights underdogs anymore, but they do play an attractive style. At times I think it would nice if OV won a Cup, then I remember that he's kind of a dolt.

So I'm not cheering for either team, and just watching it for the hockey drama.

[Weitz]

I just love the emotion that Ovi shows. Its such a breath of fresh air compared to so many players/coaches/media that work with the NHL.

[agulati]

The first two games have been great. I am hoping Ovi gets his first cup this year. The guy truely deserves it. He would be getting Crosby level of support if he was Canadian.

[Flamenspiel]

nm

[bax]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Puck luck night. Caps goal hit a guy and went in, and Holtby did the right thing to make the save, but if the puck is raised, it’s in. 2 critical puck luck events went Wash way.

I’m glad the series is tied, both games so far even enough to be 1-1.

Or in other words, if you were to ask if ind team clearly deserved to be up 2-0, I would say no

That's hockey though and you can make those arguments either way. How about the crazy bounce off the stanchion to even give Vegas that scoring chance in the first place? How about the missed call on Reaves tying goal in game 1? How about the random bouncing of the puck over Orlov's stick to give Vegas a goal?

Both teams have had some bounces go their way this series.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by agulati

The first two games have been great. I am hoping Ovi gets his first cup this year. The guy truely deserves it. He would be getting Crosby level of support if he was Canadian.

Literally every broadcaster on Sportsnet, including Don Cherry, have raved about how hard he’s played all playoffs.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by agulati

He would be getting Crosby level of support if he was Canadian.

If OV was Canadian or American he'd be a passionate Trump supporter. So I'm not so sure he'd have a huge amount of public support.

Alex Ovechkin is one of Putin’s biggest fans. The question is, why?

[EldrickOnIce]

I don't think Ovie is a very political, or complex guy. The guy loves Russia, and by extension Putin. I really do think it's that simple.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

I don't think Ovie is a very political, or complex guy. The guy loves Russia, and by extension Putin. I really do think it's that simple.

Plus he's one of the most famous athletes in a country run by a despot, of course he's going to toe the line. If he publicly criticized Putin, how many friends or relatives of his would end up harassed or imprisoned? Everyone who complains that he should stand up against Putin are doing so from the safety of western democracies, he doesn't have that luxury

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

If OV was Canadian or American he'd be a passionate Trump supporter. So I'm not so sure he'd have a huge amount of public support.

Alex Ovechkin is one of Putin’s biggest fans. The question is, why?

If Crosby was a Trump supporter if asked, would it matter?

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Joborule

If Crosby was a Trump supporter if asked, would it matter?

It wouldn't matter because Crosby wouldn't respond directly to the question.
Nor should he.

Ovie is a different guy than that.

[Rollin22x]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

great stuff... Washington has been another long suffering fanbase so its great to see them get to enjoy the thrills associated with your team playing for a Stanley Cup.

Also a nice story of Ted Leonsis flying out 2 groups of 100 employees out to Vegas to watch Games 1 or 2.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.81ea3ea4e8c2

great to see him rewarding his employees

That's a pretty cool thing to do.
Nice that it's a great destination too.

I imagine if the Oilers were in the finals...
I'm flying 200 of you to Edmonton!
oh... umm, I'm really busy that day, you know work stuff. Can my cousin go in my place?

[CliffFletcher]

Ovie isn't just toeing the line. On his own initiative he started an organization called PutinTeam. He has Putin's personal phone number. Putin was at his wedding.

I struggle to think of a single American athlete who is as buddy-buddy with Trump as OV is with Putin. And Putin is a way worse dude that Trump. He doesn't just make homophobic slurs, he passes laws against promoting homosexuality. He doesn't just put up a wall against a neighbouring country, he invades them. He doesn't just say nasty things about journalists on twitter, he has them murdered.

OV could be a patriot without sucking Putin's d**k. He's either dumb as a sack of bricks (probably the most likely explanation) or he really does support a murderous tyrant.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Rollin22x

...I imagine if the Oilers were in the finals...

Pphhhhttt. The Oilers in the Finals? This is pure fiction.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

I don't think Ovie is a very political, or complex guy. The guy loves Russia, and by extension Putin. I really do think it's that simple.

If Ovie didn't like Putin, he'd have some extra radiation.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Ovie isn't just toeing the line. On his own initiative he started an organization called PutinTeam. He has Putin's personal phone number. Putin was at his wedding.

I struggle to think of a single American athlete who is as buddy-buddy with Trump as OV is with Putin. And Putin is a way worse dude that Trump. He doesn't just make homophobic slurs, he passes laws against promoting homosexuality. He doesn't just put up a wall against a neighbouring country, he invades them. He doesn't just say nasty things about journalists on twitter, he has them murdered.

OV could be a patriot without sucking Putin's d**k. He's either dumb as a sack of bricks (probably the most likely explanation) or he really does support a murderous tyrant.

Or.....Knows full well all of what you said and doesn't want to piss off the guy that can wipe his entire family and possibly their lineage out with a snap of a finger. Or yeah, he's a fan of Putin.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Ovie isn't just toeing the line. On his own initiative he started an organization called PutinTeam. He has Putin's personal phone number. Putin was at his wedding.

I struggle to think of a single American athlete who is as buddy-buddy with Trump as OV is with Putin. And Putin is a way worse dude that Trump. He doesn't just make homophobic slurs, he passes laws against promoting homosexuality. He doesn't just put up a wall against a neighbouring country, he invades them. He doesn't just say nasty things about journalists on twitter, he has them murdered.

OV could be a patriot without sucking Putin's d**k. He's either dumb as a sack of bricks (probably the most likely explanation) or he really does support a murderous tyrant.

From your article:

Ovechkin says the PutinTeam movement was his idea, though there are signs that a Kremlin-backed public-relations firm might have played a role.

I don't think Ovi is clever enough to come up with a social media campaign to promote his country's leader. I think this was a Kremlin initiative that Ovi saw as a chance to highlight his own brand.



This leads me to believe that all this Putin love is a one way street. Putin wants to be buddies with one of the most famous Russian athletes, so he puts his people to work. Ovi probably sees it as a way to show his patriotism and promote his brand, so goes a long with it, turning a blind eye to the unsavory parts of Putin.



I wouldn't disparage a guy if he supported Obama, but even the benevolent democrat ordered drone strikes and continued hostilities in Afghanistan and Iraq. There is a lot of blood on all their hands.


EDIT: PS, he probably is smart enough to know its not smart to spurn Putin's affections.

[Weitz]

Kuznetsov on the ice for optional skate this morning. Huge news for the Caps if he can play game 3.

[Toonage]

Meh. Gio took the morning and pre game skate the game after he tore his arm off.

Bottom line is don't trust what you see at this time of year.