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The Bruins, particularly on defense, are more built for playoff hockey. The game changes a bit in the postseason. The Leafs give the Bruins all they can handle, are tougher and better than previous versions of themselves..but fall short in Game 7 at Boston.

Not sure how Darby still has a job after all these years - so many things need to change... Makes you also wonder if Parise/Suter were really the cancer they told us about... Frustrating to watch...

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: The Leafs are more talented while the Bruins still have blatant holes in their C spine. Should be a close one but the Bruins seems to be the logical oucome. Because the Leafs. Bruins in 6.

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: Ok, It's almost a coin flip for every category. Just because Florida will have the advantage of the last line-up change with 1 minute remaining of a tied game #7 with a face-off on the offensive zone, I'm going with the kittens. Florida in 7.

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: Without the addition of Guentzel, I'd honestly have gone with the upset. The Isles' goalies have a slight edge despite Sorokin having a so-so season. Carolina is much more talented bit I have the feeling that the Islanders might create them some problems with their old-school boring defensive system. Hurricanes in 7.

I doubt there will be anyone left at 13 who are talented with size. IMO that leaves 3 choices, draft size and hope the talent develops, draft small and talented or draft talented with a chance of a huge growth spurt, It seems this team has an over abundance of small with some talent.

Coin flip for me here but giving Bolts the edge because of Cooper so Tampa in 7...

In the spirit of this thread, this was my final season in Sweet 16. The Hell Bears are moving to Salt Lake City to take up pipe organ lessons from Richard Elliott.

Congrats to Gulliver @yave1964 on his 23rd consecutive Lilliput Hockey Championship.

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: The most debalanced series I'd say. I wanted to put a Caps logo maybe on the special teams just because of Ovi but I think the difference is too big. The Caps will still avoid the sweep with one of those win where they put everything on the ice. Rangers in 5.

Long Island might win one but that's it...took Canes in 5...

Caps snuck in but won't go anywhere they're getting sweeped...

Toronto in 6...but if they do lose Round One at least Treliving will probably fire the coach anc maybe hire Sutter

Welp that's it for this disappointing season and hopefully Flames owners will finally realise what a mistake firing Sutter and Treliving was...

If you would like to join our podcast #NHL bracket challenge click on this link, https://bracketchallenge.nhl.com/en/leagues and search CreasePodcast and then use the password CreaseAndAssist to join. It's free and its fun!

It is interesting that the Wild's continued mediocrity can keep a person sane. Honestly, one would think the Wild would be detrimental to mental health. It has been fun chiming in at the end and feel free to meet up at the draft party at Reid's on June 28th.

The 13th Overall pick has a pretty ugly history if you've ever looked at it.

Thank god that wet fart of a season is over. And we don't even have the excitement of a high draft pick to look forward to.

Bruins in 5 or 6, perhaps six. Bruins stink one game, and perhaps the leafs squeak out another.... Bruins def depth and netminding will be the difference.

Avs' MacKinnon breaks Stastny's franchise points record Associated Press Apr 19, 2024, 12:52 AM ET DENVER -- Valeri Nichushkin scored twice, Nathan MacKinnon added two assists to break the franchise's single-season points mark and the Colorado Avalanche cruised into the playoffs behind a 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. MacKinnon wrapped up the regular season with 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) to top Peter Stastny's franchise record of 139 set in 1981-82 when the club was in Quebec. The speedy MacKinnon couldn't catch Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov in the race for the Art Ross Trophy, which goes to the leading points scorer. Kucherov wound up with 144 points. Still, MacKinnon made a compelling case for the Hart Trophy as the league's MVP. Then again, so have Kucherov, Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. "I don't think one guy is more deserving [than] another guy," MacKinnon said. "It's out of my hands, and I can't control people who vote for me or don't like me or like me. It's all good either way." Mikko Rantanen, Josh Manson and Zach Parise also scored to help the Avalanche snap a two-game slide. Colorado jumped out to a 4-0 lead midway through the first period and never looked back in a game in which the Oilers rested several of their starters, including McDavid. "It's a tough game to play against a depleted lineup. It's always exciting to play the best players in the league, the best player in the world over there," MacKinnon said in reference to McDavid. "But I get it. They have nothing to play for right now. They don't want to get hurt." Justus Annunen made 25 saves for the Avalanche, who finished with a league-best 31 home wins. Colorado opens the playoffs at Winnipeg on Sunday. "I like where we're at," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "I think guys mentally are in a good spot." Dylan Holloway had a power-play goal for Edmonton. The Oilers will host Los Angeles in the first round starting Monday after the Kings won in OT over Chicago and Vegas lost to Anaheim in games later Thursday. Missing from the Edmonton lineup in addition to McDavid were Mattias Ekholm, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Evander Kane. That's nearly 70% of the team's points production this season. "I thought the first half of that first period we're just standing around watching them and they were skating around us, making plays," Oilers forward Corey Perry said. "After that, it's all about work and we battled hard. The way we started, it just wasn't there. "They're a great team. They're in playoff mode and they came out hard." The Avalanche went with a full cast, and Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner was under early pressure, surrendering four goals on 13 shots in the first period. Calvin Pickard took over after the first intermission and stopped 13 shots. MacKinnon joined Kucherov in the 140-point club this season. It marks the seventh season in NHL history in which multiple players have reached that mark. The last time was Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux in 1995-96, according to NHL Stats. Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin appeared to be shaken up late in the second and wasn't on the bench to start the third period. He's turned in a career year with 56 points. Bednar had no update after the game. The players from the Denver Pioneers were in attendance and received a loud ovation from the crowd in the first period. The team captured its record 10th NCAA national hockey title last weekend.

This group of Leafs is one of the most talented they've iced in 50 years. I still don't think thy have the playoff guys to advance beyond a round. As much as I like Matthews, Marner, and Johnny Pajamas I don't think they have the defense or the toughness/skill combo in the bottom 6 to win the cup. I picked Boston in 6, I know they're not setting the world ablaze with their play lately. They have had the Leafs number in the playoffs, I don't see where Toronto has made any adjustments to change that narrative.

Games played on 4/18/24 CGY Adam Klapa vs SJS Givani Smith Winner ?

Game # 82 Flames beat NHL-worst Sharks 5-1 in the season finale for the non-playoff teams 1:50 ByAP Updated: Apr 19, 2024, 02:01 am CALGARY, Alberta -- — Blake Coleman scored his 30th goal and MacKenzie Weegar netted his 20th as the Calgary Flames beat the San Jose Sharks 5-1 on Thursday night in the season-ending game for both teams. Weegar had never had more than eight goals in a season. The jump to 20 tied the 30-year-old for third among blueliners behind only Roman Josi (23) and Cale Makar (21). “After I scored, just the sincerity of the congratulations from everybody. When they come up to you after and they say how proud they are of you and the little things like that, it goes a long way for me,” Weegar said. More impressive for Calgary coach Ryan Huska, Weegar became the first NHL player to score 20 goals while also blocking 200 shots. “That’s the hard part of the game,” Huska said. “Where over and over you’re doing it again and again and you’re not feeling good, and you put yourself in those positions and you continually play through it. “When you look at MacKenzie, you’d have to say he was one of our more consistent players this year. So I thought he did a really good job leadership wise, offence from the back end for us. But then you have the intangibles that he brings. He’s a competitor.” Adam Klapka posted his first NHL goal and Oliver Kylington, and Kevin Rooney also scored for Calgary (38-39-5). The Flames missed the postseason for the second straight season. Dustin Wolf had 16 saves and lost his shutout bid with nine seconds left in the game. The 23-year-old rookie closed the season with four straight wins and a record of 7-7-1. Fabian Zetterlund scored for San Jose (19-54-9), which finished with the worst record in the NHL. The Sharks have missed the playoffs the last five seasons. Mikael Granlund had an assist and finished the season with a 13-game point streak (two goals, 13 assists). Sharks starting goaltender Devin Cooley was pulled for the second straight game. After giving up eight goals on 22 shots on Monday in Edmonton, Cooley (2-3-1) allowed five goals on 23 shots before being replaced by Georgi Romanov (14 saves). “It’s just tough to end like that. It’s just not the way we wanted to go out,” Sharks defenseman Kyle Burroughs said. Calgary jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period, scoring twice in a three-minute span. Klapka opened the scoring at 12:13. Coleman’s goal was an easy tap-in at the side of the net after he was set up on a perfect pass from Connor Zary. Coleman, who reached 30 goals for the first time, had missed the previous four games with an upper-body injury. Coleman’s previous career best was 22 goals with New Jersey in 2018-19. Calgary blew the game open early in the second with three more goals in a span of just over three minutes. Kylington whipped a point shot into the top corner at 3:53, Rooney picked the top corner at 5:59, and Weegar’s rising shot from the blue line found the back of the net at 6:56.

Ya, this isn't the first time I said they should have taken Jiricek. I don't put this on Briere, this is on Fletcher. As usual.

Byeeeee Frosty tips. You will not be missed.