SaucyJack

20 minutes ago, Math said:

That Sandin penalty had a 7/10 on the Marchment retardation scale.

Plenty of bad penalties this series.  Not bad calls, I mean bad plays by Washington.  (Well, bad in the sense that the players aren’t very good.)

…Especially since the NYR power play and penalty kill squads were vastly superior.  

I hope the younger Capitals learned in this series that they must get a lot better to challenge in the playoffs.

Hendrix Lapierre is a keeper!

On 4/21/2024 at 4:31 PM, SaucyJack said:

Panarin is New York’s bread.  Who is their butter?

His name doesn’t really fit, but he is The Breadman’s linemate, and a very effective one at that, and has been one of the Cap Killers this series, so the answer is Vincent Trocheck.

But I hinted at this several days ago:

On 4/23/2024 at 7:28 PM, SaucyJack said:

Vincent Trochek’s tying goal, beautiful tip redirection, like buttah…

Well darn, results in the past 32 hours allow for the Capitals to be the first squad eliminated, as well as the only one failing to win a game.

Good news?  D-Men Nick Jensen and Rasmus Sundin are back in the lineup.

Bad news:  Jensen performs a blooper-reel-worthy puck giveaway in the first minute to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.

The ghost that haunted the Washington Capitals repeatedly from 1984 to 2017, resulting in countless playoff failures (with rare exceptions) whenever a favorite, or at least a strong contender…

…has haunted the Toronto Maple Leafs for several years now.  That ghost left one body for another after the Caps 2018 Cup miracle, in part since Washington has not been a playoffs favorite since their one and only Glory Moment.

Although that ghost has decades more living in Toronto to equal the haunting in Washington, I feel for Leafs fans now.  Did last year too.  
 

Leafs radio analyst used the A word (“atrocious”) tonight to describe their recent home playoff record.  Didn’t harp on it, but…sad.

Lightning Bolts came in to play.

Holding Florida at bay.

Live to see another day.

Win the series?  Whuddya say?

Islander players reacting to their first minute 2OT goal as if they can win more.  Psyched.  We’ll see.

Shesterkin way too good here in game 3.  (Like the Geico commercial walrus on several point blank shots.)

Now is as good a time as any to remind folks that this is the 10-year anniversary of Sharks-Kings first round playoff series with San Jose leading Los Angeles 3-0 after game three.
 

People might recall who ended up with the 2014 Stanley Cup.

Nicholas. Paul. Keep. Hope. Alive.

1 minute ago, JR Ewing said:

The real fans are standing around outside the arena, too poor to be able to afford to get in.

I’d say that the majority of comments I read from his Xitter post were of that ilk.  Too many corporate suits, especially “in the lower bowl” - saw that many times, that real fans would love those way-too-unaffordable seats.    
 

But some commenters disagreed about last night’s crowd gusto.  But a minority.

Still…sad!

23 hours ago, SaucyJack said:

Leafs radio complaining that the fans aren’t supportive enough to give the Leafs a true home ice advantage.  Sad.

I figured Joe Bowen’s radio commentary would spur some morning-after controversy:

https://globalnews.ca/news/10449154/joe-bowen-leafs-twitter-fans-criticism/

They really must have priests in attendance next game to perform last rites.  

Just now, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

but wait...Florida is challenging for offsides....

This reminds me of Euro-Football goals disallowed per Video Assistant Referee (VAR).  Far more goals disallowed for offsides there than in hockey.

1 hour ago, Math said:

No disrespect to the Rangers, the Panthers and other very good teams but with their full roster Vegas is ahead IMO.

 
7.5 to 1 odds right now for Vegas to win it all, same as Edmonton.  Leading favorite now is Carolina at 4.25 to 1, with FLA and NYR close behind.

Stars need to read up on Tampa Bay vs Washington 2003 first round and try to gen up some hope.

Dallas in dire straits if they can’t score in the remaining 2:40

Desperate hold from Tavares to prevent a breakout on the empty net.  Surely they’ll pull the goalie again to skate 5 on 5.

Now Leafs radio complaining that the fans aren’t supportive enough to give the Leafs a true home ice advantage.  Sad.

….and an empty net score.  Thanks for coming!  

Own goal (Lindholm) tied the game!  Only to have Boston immediately retake the lead on a Marchand snipe.  3-2!

Leafs hope to neutralize the early 3rd period Boston score on the PP - I bet no

Leafs radio rueing how much better the Bruins PP is than Toronto’s.

I think David Kampf’s stick barely ticked the puck off of Trent Frederic’s shot, fooling Samsonov enough to tie things up 1-1 with about 2 and 1/2 minutes left in the period.

And soon after a great chance for the Bruins to take the lead.  Make that two chances.

Mariners score!  They score…er…

make that Marner.  Sorry.  Marner makes it 1-0 Leafs about  2/3 of the way thru period two.  

Two close calls in the past two minutes but no Two-ronto luck.

Maple Leaf radio guys giving true confessions midway through period one.  
 

Well, both frankly admitted how terrible the Leafs have been on home ice in recent playoffs history…

…and then of course how that must change.  BIG GAME tonight, therefore…more than just who takes a 2-1 edge.