12/21/24
May 11, 2011
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
If San Jose can avoid the epic collapse, I'll be the only one to nail the final four correctly.
posted by grum@work at 12:42 PM on May 11, 2011
So, what is it about hockey, if anything, that lends itself (in relative terms) to comebacks from 3-0 (games) down? I saw a graphic today that the NHL has had 8 series in which a team overcame a 3-0 deficit to force a Game 7, whereas the NBA has had 3 series in which that has happened and MLB only 1. Of course, this could just be (and likely is) a small sample size anomaly and there is nothing different or inherent in hockey that explains this vis-a-vis other sports, but it is an interesting fact (to me at least).
Not that it is in any way predictive, but in NHL history, teams that were originally in a 3-0 hole are 4-3 in game 7s.
posted by holden at 01:09 PM on May 11, 2011
I think goalie play is a factor there.
Closest comparative thing I can think of off the top of my head to a dominant playoff goalie would perhaps be something like Orel Hershiser 1988. Or an automatic lockdown closer like Rivera. Gets to the point where you don't expect to beat them.
(Hershiser didn't dig his team out a hole, though; he just dominated when his turn came up).
posted by beaverboard at 01:27 PM on May 11, 2011
It's getting tougher to work out in Minnesota.
posted by yerfatma at 02:04 PM on May 11, 2011
Not that it is in any way predictive, but in NHL history, teams that were originally in a 3-0 hole are 4-3 in game 7s.
Huh?
Philly in 2010
NYI in 1975
Toronto in 1942
Who is #4?
posted by grum@work at 02:57 PM on May 11, 2011
Detroit in 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
posted by jmd82 at 03:17 PM on May 11, 2011
Detroit in 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Exactly!!!! Uh, I was wrong. It's a 3-4 record for the slow starters.
posted by holden at 04:03 PM on May 11, 2011
Here's to hoping Detroit becomes number four.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:37 PM on May 11, 2011
Nah.
We aren't due for another epic comeback/collapse in the NHL until 2047.
Otherwise, it loses it's luster.
posted by grum@work at 04:44 PM on May 11, 2011
It's getting tougher to work out in Minnesota.
Thank you, Mr. Bjerkness, for living up to the visual stereotype of a bizarre creep.
posted by Bonkers at 05:32 PM on May 11, 2011
It's getting tougher to work out in Minnesota.
Am I extremely naive for missing the sexual fetish aspect of slashing exercise balls?
posted by bender at 05:57 PM on May 11, 2011
We aren't due for another epic comeback/collapse in the NHL until 2047.
Otherwise, it loses it's luster.
I can't say I mind if it does.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 06:26 PM on May 11, 2011
The whole down 3-0 here's the inevitable comeback thing is a bit overstated. Yes, it's happened three times in the past two years - but it was 35 years previous to 2010 to find the 4th.
Strikes me as a bit of an anomaly.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:04 PM on May 11, 2011
MeatSaber, you had me scared there for a minute! We need Thornton to get back on his game to take out the Wings tonight and took me a bit to remember that Sith lords are a Hollywood invention!
posted by billsaysthis at 12:46 PM on May 12, 2011
The 2011 SpoFi NHL Playoofs Confidence Pool standings have been updated with scores through last night.