11/05/24
April 29, 2006
Legion of Broom: The New Jersey Devils are the first team to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Devils defeat the Rangers in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history with a 4 game sweep.
This was never supposed to be the Rangers' year. If I were the Rangers' braintrust, I'd call this year a huge success and look at next year with great anticipation. The Devils, on the other hand, much as I hate to say it, are doing everything right. At some point, they're going to lose a game, and that's going to open a window, but as someone who is congentially unable to root for New Jersey, my biggest hope right now is that the upcoming week off is going to throw them off their rhythm. Which, given the experience in that room, is a long shot at best.
posted by chicobangs at 11:56 PM on April 29, 2006
I was there yesterday, and though I hate to admit it, the Devils were the far better team. Hats off to the Rangers for going further than even us Ranger fans would've thought...
posted by ajaffe at 07:07 AM on April 30, 2006
Getting dumped in a first-round sweep is not a huge success. If the Rangers appreciate anything about this season, they're setting their sights too low after so many years of underperforming. The playoff field is too large in the NHL for any team to accept making the playoffs as an accomplishment. My Dallas Stars are about to get dumped out of the first round, too. I think you have to regard any year in which your team is making tee times in April as a complete failure.
posted by rcade at 08:43 AM on April 30, 2006
i guess im too young to remember a time when the rangers were good...so a good season boys! and maybe if the devils win it all SI will actuelly put them on the cover (they got trumped last time by a scuba diver).
posted by SleepingChicken at 09:09 AM on April 30, 2006
If the Rangers appreciate anything about this season, they're setting their sights too low after so many years of underperforming you're kidding, right?
posted by goddam at 09:32 AM on April 30, 2006
The Rangers are one of the most valuable teams in hockey, goddam. If all fans expect of their team is a one-and-done playoff series, with all of that money, why lace up the skates?
posted by rcade at 09:51 AM on April 30, 2006
for one thing, rcade, they were picked in some circles to be the worst team in the league this year...
posted by ajaffe at 10:32 AM on April 30, 2006
The New Jersey Devils are the first team to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Yeah, by maybe four hours.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:40 AM on April 30, 2006
hats off to the Rangers fans that stuck it out to the bloody end and gave their boys a nice standing ovation for a season well played. And hats off to the Rangers for saluting their fans after the game. I second that emotion. Nice display by the fans and the players, unlike what happened in Detroit in game 5, where fans were booing and leaving with 3 minutes left in a 2-goal game. Then the Red Wings scored one with some 30 seconds left, and a fan threw an octopus on the ice. Shouldn't that be reserved for wins?
posted by qbert72 at 11:36 AM on April 30, 2006
John Davidson said that the biggest success for the Rangers, was how they reconnected with the fans. The blueshirts had a much better season than any of us expected, they just ran into injuries at the wrong part of the season, the end. for New Jersey, my biggest hope right now is that the upcoming week off is going to throw them off their rhythm. That's something that has me a little concerned, but it gives the players time to rest while the remaining teams beat the snot out of each other. I have faith in Lou that he will keep the devils players in the game by scheduling the right amount of practices at the right times. And DrJohn, we also did it one fewer games.
posted by njsk8r20 at 12:08 PM on April 30, 2006
New Jersey will go to the Cup Finals but lose to Detroit in 7 games (my two favorite teams)Detroit and New Jersey
posted by sirtt22 at 02:22 PM on April 30, 2006
Detroit has to dig themselves out of an oily hole before you start talking about the Finals for them.
posted by NoMich at 02:44 PM on April 30, 2006
what ajaffe said. with the salary cap, what does monetary value really have to do with the product on the ice? everyone has the same amount of chips to play with, right? or am i missing something?
posted by goddam at 05:19 PM on April 30, 2006
Question: Why do the goalies of the opposing teams of Detroit pick the playoffs to "stand on their heads?" Facing over 200 shots on goal and stopping as many as the Oiler's goalie has stopped is just beyond his abilities. Just plain "standing on his head."
posted by coach at 08:46 PM on April 30, 2006
This one's for NoMich! I would like to take the oppostunity to call myself out for declaring the Montreal/Carolina series over after 2 games. Wow - couldn't be more wrong. 'Canes are killing them now. With Bonk as your 1st line centre, there is no doubt in my mind that Huet will have to absolutely steal the next two games. Day-yam.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:52 AM on May 01, 2006
Weedy: yeah, my boys seem to have found their confidence again. Mostly thanks to calmest 22 year old in the world; Cam Ward. However, there's still a lot of hockey left to play and the Canadiens can turn it all around for themselves yet.
posted by NoMich at 09:41 AM on May 01, 2006
I don't think they can. So far the Canadiens haven't found a counter to the Canes' stealthy stick-in-the-face maneuver.
posted by mkn at 11:47 AM on May 01, 2006
Justin Williams needs to be more responsible with his stick! He almost decapitated some poor Hab in the neutral zone.
posted by garfield at 11:54 AM on May 01, 2006
He didn't high stick anybody last night. That's a start.
posted by NoMich at 11:55 AM on May 01, 2006
baby steps
posted by garfield at 12:01 PM on May 01, 2006
It's really odd to see this happening as this not Williams' MO. He's not a cheapshot artist in any way. The Hurricanes TV color guy interviewed Erik Cole on Friday night and he made it sound like Williams was rather distraught over what he did to Koivu and that it took a while to get his mind off of it and on to other, non-game, related things.
posted by NoMich at 12:24 PM on May 01, 2006
That's good to hear. Hopefully Laviolette will sit him down and explain to him that he has been lucky so far and to look after his stick. Who knows, things could be alot different if, say; he was given a 5 min major, or double-minor, for the Saku hit, and Saku wasn't really hurt, and was able to come back and play the rest of that game and the series.
posted by garfield at 01:03 PM on May 01, 2006
Yes, I screamed about that no-call for about four solid minutes until my neighbour came by to find out who was being murdered. He recommended I start reading more books. The only thing I can say is that karma owes les Habitants one.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:07 PM on May 01, 2006
The only thing I can say is that karma owes les Habitants one. I have a lingering feeling it won't get paid this spring. But that's just the Habs fan in me talking.
posted by qbert72 at 03:22 PM on May 01, 2006
He recommended I start reading more books. Did you use the Canes' stick in the face technique as the response? Yay Devils! And Sharks made it look pretty easy against Preds though I think the forecast that missing Vokun would be the killing factor was wrong, the kid did pretty good for a first time. Western Conference could be looking very strange next round with the 3, 5, 7 and 8 teams going through--if so, I see Calgary over Edmonton, Sharks over Avs and then a seven game tossup in the conference finals.
posted by billsaysthis at 03:34 PM on May 01, 2006
The only thing I can say is that karma owes les Habitants one. I'm pretty sure that the Canadiens are in an overdraft situation with the karma bank after winning all of those overtime games back in 1993.
posted by grum@work at 05:51 PM on May 01, 2006
Jagr may need surgery and Renney blames the Rangers demise on the olympic break.
posted by njsk8r20 at 11:43 PM on May 01, 2006
The Devils have also won 15 games in a row now. Cripes! And to think that if the Hurricanes somehow beat the Habs in their series, they have the Devils waiting for them. Double cripes! Oh yeah, hats off to the Rangers fans that stuck it out to the bloody end and gave their boys a nice standing ovation for a season well played. And hats off to the Rangers for saluting their fans after the game.