The ‘24-‘25 boredom thread..

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https://novacapsfans.com/2025/05/01/washington-capitals-recall-mitchell-gibson-from-ahl-hershey-loan-clay-stevenson-to-bears/

[Mickstix]

Any word when they're gonna release the round 2 schedule? 

[richkrt99]

Any word when they're gonna release the round 2 schedule? 

after round 1 

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The nhl has started the 2nd round before the 1st one was finished before, but none of west teams have advanced yet. That could change tonight. There are four different game 6’s tonight. If any of them need to go to 7 that would be Saturday.

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Toronto wins. I was hoping the Sens would just to get a game 7.

Eastern Conference round 2:
Capitals vs Hurricanes
Maple Leafs vs Panthers

Caps and Leafs should have home ice.

Western Conference:
Golden Knights vs Oilers
??   vs   ??

[Mickstix]

after round 1 

 

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Dallas vs Colorado needs a game 7, Saturday night at 8pm

[BlackIce]

Interestingly, though Montreal was pictured as a smaller team that the Caps needed to play a "heavy" game against, the Habs actually played a more physical, heavier game than the Caps during the regular season - 7th in hits and 2nd in blocked shots, both rankings higher than the Caps.  Carolina on the other hand, though they might be pictured as a team with a "heavier" game than Montreal, was actually 3rd from the bottom in hits and dead last in blocked shots.  Carolina's game approach is to do whatever they need to do to generate shots on net and limit shots against.  They are far and away the best team in the league in shot differential.  They are also a good face-off team, better than either the Caps or Montreal, which is a crucial territorial advantage, and probably partially explains how they generate shots.   


This next round may have a different feel to it than the first round, but not in the ways you might expect.

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that didn’t take very long..

https://novacapsfans.com/2025/05/02/new-york-rangers-name-former-pittsburgh-penguins-bench-boss-mike-sullivan-head-coach/

[richkrt99]

that didn’t take very long..

https://novacapsfans.com/2025/05/02/new-york-rangers-name-former-pittsburgh-penguins-bench-boss-mike-sullivan-head-coach/

Ha - no it did not.  I wonder if that means Tochett is prime candidate for Shittsburgh.  He wanted to be on the east coast

[richkrt99]

Too bad the Edmonton/LA series was on so late - I would like to have watched more of it.

I swear neither team played defense for most of the series.  4 goals in the first 5 minutes of play.  2-2 less then 5 minutes in.  6-4 final for Oilers to advance.
Wasn't LA like really stingy in giving up goals this year?  Yeah...2nd best in the NHL.  Not sure what happened to their D play.
Edmonton needs a goalie they can rely on.

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Torn. Not strained or pulled, but torn.


https://www.nhl.com/news/sam-montembeault-torn-groin-patrik-laine-broken-finger-during-playoffs

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Hellebuyck has soiled the bed

[BlackIce]

Hellebuyck has soiled the bed

And so did Kuemper against Edmonton, though that may not have been a surprise given the Oilers' firepower.  The two clearly best goalies during the regular season ran out of mojo once the playoffs started.  The consistently great goaltenders are few and far between.  For most, their top performance runs in streaks of weeks or months, but inevitably falls off.  No one here would have expected Kuemper to have put up the numbers he did this year, given how he struggled with the Caps last season.   


I don't think there is any other position in team sports where one position dominates the game the way the goalie does in hockey.  I guess QB in football comes close, and of course, pitching dominates in baseball, but pitchers throw in rotation, whereas one goalie/QB is the key.

[Mickstix]

https://twitter.com/Capitals/status/1918521946607669573

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Florida vs Toronto R2G1 is Monday at 8pm.  The nhl schedule makers are still throwing darts at a calendar.

[richkrt99]

Wow, but wow the Blues have tied the series.
Hellebuyck has indeed soiled the sheets.  He was terrible last night, pulled after 2 periods, but the blues were ferocious and the Jets could not get a bounce to save their...playoff lives.
Bennington was phenomenal in net for the Blues.  Like Black said...what an impact the goalie makes.
Nathan Walker, the little Australian bloke has also been noticeable.  He scored again last night and was net front for at least one more.

So if you are the coach for Winnipeg..do you start Hellebuyck in game 7?  I mean the dude was the best goalie on the planet for the entire season and top 3 the last probably 5 seasons, a Vezina finalist this year, won it last year, a finalist 5 times, also Hart trophy finalist this year, yet he was terrible last night and has not been good in the series...and his playoff record is not very good.  21w 30L, .902SV, 3.01GAA.  Maybe those stats are a factor of playing high-scoring teams like Oilers, Kings, etc...I honestly don't remember.
I think I start him in net again.  Hellebuyck is a very big reason as to why you were the best team this year.  I don't know the other goalie, but go with what brung ya.  You don't go all year winning on your 2 seam heater then go with your curve-ball in the playoffs...but WTF do I know.  Coach is gonna look like an idiot with either goalie if they lose game 7