WC Playoffs Round 1: San Jose Sharks vs Los Angeles Kings (Kings win 4-3).

[nik-]

Originally Posted by triple deke

She needs a hug. I should give her a hug.

[Philly06Cup]

So much hindsight bias here.

Fans, media, GMs, put way too much stock into results. Playoff sample sizes are small. Sharks are a great team. They showed it in the regular season. They showed it in games 1-3. They played well in game 4. They were the better team for most of game 7.

Quick is an amazing goalie. The matchup was also brutal: Colorado, Anaheim, St Louis are much softer teams than LA.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Yeah, every time I hear about the Canucks romanticizing that 94 team, I think of how that easily could've been the Flames. I'm pretty sure Reichel hit a post in that OT as well.

He had 2/3 of an empty net on a 2 on 1 pass over to him, but still fired it into McLean inexplicably it OT. 40 goals and 93 points that year, but held goalless that series. Like Kidd, folded like a cheap table come playoff time.

You could make the argument that for most of the Flames teams in the 90's, and even 2000's, if they got through/over the pressure of round 1, most of the time they had the talent to go through another round or two at least. Of course, 1986,1989 and 2004 were no Game 7 1st round (1986 was second round) walks in the park.

[nik-]

[kenk-la]

That is one heartbreaking gif, poor Joe.

[MrMastodonFarm]

They should strip the C off Thornton and give it to Marleau again, see if that pointless tactic works this time.

[Red Slinger]

I feel bad for San Jose and was hoping that they would win the Cup for two reasons: 1) I like Thornton and 2) it would leave Vancouver as the only west coast team to have not won the Cup.

[calgarywinning]

Both LA and Chicago were very successful at digging deep and showing true grit when it came to their initial deficits. They dug in and played their style of hockey. This is the experienced successful vets making a difference in team composure.

Feel bad for SJ, thought they would go deep, now they have this stigma to deal with.

[thefoss1957]

Gotta wonder about the futures of McLellan, Thornton, and Marleau, in St. Joe...perhaps it's time to blow it up there...

[Tsawwassen]

Originally Posted by hwy19man

It sounds like Craig Simpson is the colour commentator for HNIC.

There are reports that Hurdey's sister in law passed away (wife's sister).

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by dino7c

they lost 3 OT games in a row! Game 5 they hit a crossbar in OT

totally dominated SJ in game 7 the next year just couldn't buy one...they also won games 9-2 and 5-0 in that series so they were obviously a better team they just blew it

Trevor Kidd in game 7 1 Trevor Kidd GA 5 Shots 16 Saves 11 .688 FFS we could have had Brodeur

man, I forgot how much we blew it

Or Dave King could have started Rick Tabbaracci in game 7.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

Both LA and Chicago were very successful at digging deep and showing true grit when it came to their initial deficits. They dug in and played their style of hockey. This is the experienced successful vets making a difference in team composure.

Feel bad for SJ, thought they would go deep, now they have this stigma to deal with.

Or...Quick had a 0.975sv% in the game.

[Da_Chief]

The Sharks have everything, really where do you go from here? They're not going to get good value for the likes of Thornton/Marleau/Boyle/Niemi etc si they'll just get worse. BUT they need a change. Trade all 4.

I think they can move forward with Couture, Pavelski, Hertl, Vlasic leading that team.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Philly06Cup

So much hindsight bias here.

Fans, media, GMs, put way too much stock into results. Playoff sample sizes are small. Sharks are a great team. They showed it in the regular season. They showed it in games 1-3. They played well in game 4. They were the better team for most of game 7.

Quick is an amazing goalie. The matchup was also brutal: Colorado, Anaheim, St Louis are much softer teams than LA.

Sharks are a great team but they are entering Canuck territory, they are aging fast and need to seriously look at moving out a bunch of the old guard.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Yeah, every time I hear about the Canucks romanticizing that 94 team, I think of how that easily could've been the Flames. I'm pretty sure Reichel hit a post in that OT as well.

Reichel also had a glorious chance to beat score in game 7 OT against the Sharks. As much as they were chokers they also never got any bounces.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Sharks are a great team but they are entering Canuck territory, they are aging fast and need to seriously look at moving out a bunch of the old guard.

Their three best players are arguably Couture, Pavelski, and Vlasic who are all still very in their prime. I don't think they are entering Canucks territory which is why I don't think the GM should get fired as he's done a great job at restocking the cupboard as Hertl looks like another solid building block. They could use another top defenseman especially with Boyle's status uncertain. Maybe you move Marleau or Thornton but I believe that team will be pretty good for a while yet.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by browna

He had 2/3 of an empty net on a 2 on 1 pass over to him, but still fired it into McLean inexplicably it OT. 40 goals and 93 points that year, but held goalless that series. Like Kidd, folded like a cheap table come playoff time.

You could make the argument that for most of the Flames teams in the 90's, and even 2000's, if they got through/over the pressure of round 1, most of the time they had the talent to go through another round or two at least. Of course, 1986,1989 and 2004 were no Game 7 1st round (1986 was second round) walks in the park.

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Reichel also had a glorious chance to beat score in game 7 OT against the Sharks. As much as they were chokers they also never got any bounces.

Man, that Reichel. I always wanted to be a big fan of his, but boy did he ever choke in the big games.

[Galakanokis]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Their three best players are arguably Couture, Pavelski, and Vlasic who are all still very in their prime. I don't think they are entering Canucks territory which is why I don't think the GM should get fired as he's done a great job at restocking the cupboard as Hertl looks like another solid building block. They could use another top defenseman especially with Boyle's status uncertain. Maybe you move Marleau or Thornton but I believe that team will be pretty good for a while yet.

San Jose looks very good moving forward, some very good young pieces. Couture, Pavelski, Burns, Wingels, Vlasic. Even the likes of Nieto, Irwin, Hertl, Braun and Demers are not bad young players. A little old on D with Stuart, Hannan and Boyle but I don't believe Boyle will be back. And of course goaltending. Niemi is not a winner, he road the coattails of a very talented Hawks team. 2010 was one of the worst goaltending performances by both teams in a cup final I can ever remember.

Not sure what you do with this team but on the decline they are not.

[ForeverFlameFan]

The old players are already being recycled with new players.

San Jose just needs to trade Thornton and Marleau for some good returns, and I guess Boyle's rights, I don't see him coming back.

[Table 5]

I know they just signed extensions, but I think Thornton/Marleau need to move on for some of the the same reason Iginla/Regehr et al, needed to move on. Even if they are still good, and them moving makes you worse for a while, you need to mentally move on to the next generation or otherwise it will always be their team. The Sharks have a solid team without those two already, and need to make that leap to the next generation more obvious.