Stanley Cup Time! (Official Playoff Discussion)

[dexterpyro]

Barry Melrose is calling us his sleeper team in the east....Last time he called us that we made the Stanley cup finals against Detroit....

I would not be upset if we lost to NJ...but i want to beat them

[carpanfan96]

hmmm, can we say another trip to the finals. Looks favorable for us to get there.

[merchman567]

Well I am going on a 10 day Field Excercise starting tonight. So I am going to miss the whole first round. I just hope we make it pass the first so i can go see the canes in the second round. I hope this board is still rocking when I get back!

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Pitt up on Philly 1-0

[shinner]

You guys don't seem to be giving Brodeur and the Devils much credit....maybe last night's result might make you rethink the over-confidence.

[ProfessorPeppers]

Originally Posted by shinner

You guys don't seem to be giving Brodeur and the Devils much credit....maybe last night's result might make you rethink the over-confidence.

For the record I was one of the few around here who didn't want to play Marty and the Devils. I would have much rather played the Flyers (no offense meant at all). With the Devils defensive style of play and physicality it really puts us at a disadvantage. We are going to have to rely on Cam, solid positioning and out-hustling New Jersey in order to pull this series off.

I'm chalking it up to nerves. Same as with the loss Philly took from Pittsburgh. Philly and Carolina are much better than they both showed last night. Neither of them looked crisp as both teams were running around like headless chickens all night instead of sticking to their gameplan and playing their positions properly.

I know one thing though, we can't afford to give Marty a 2 goal lead. That guy is my favorite goaltender of all time and possibly the best goalie to ever play once he hangs them up. You don't give that guy 2-3 goals to work with. As much of a dick move as it sounds, we need someone buzzing around him trying to get in his head. If we don't screen him or make a ruckus in front of his net, he is going to stop any and everything we can throw at him.

[shinner]

Originally Posted by ProfessorPeppers

For the record I was one of the few around here who didn't want to play Marty and the Devils.

The mantra is goaltending wins in the playoffs and the way some have totally disregarded Brodeur because he and the team had a few bad games near the end of the season, I found odd. Good on ya for still recognizing who's in the other net and knowing it won't be easy. The Flyers are still Marty's bitch and I would like nothing better than to see Carolina knock them out...though Carolina always plays Philly tough as well. Still I don't think the Flyers get past the 1st round....our defense just isn't good enough to limit the shots that get through to Biron and he's not handling rebounds very well lately resulting in some very easy goals.

Originally Posted by ProfessorPeppers

I would have much rather played the Flyers (no offense meant at all).

No sweat...looking at how they played the last month I don't think anyone in the East would be afraid to meet them in the 1st round. We only needed 1 point in 2 games vs the Rangers for home ice and lost both (the last one I witnessed in-person with great disgust).

Originally Posted by ProfessorPeppers

I'm chalking it up to nerves. Same as with the loss Philly took from Pittsburgh. Philly and Carolina are much better than they both showed last night. Neither of them looked crisp as both teams were running around like headless chickens all night instead of sticking to their gameplan and playing their positions properly.

While that's all true, I don't think the Flyers were nervous at all...they just lacked effort and heart (sounds familiar to Panthers fans, eh!) I've seen them go through that all year. Of course I hoped it wouldn't happen in the playoffs (and the players themselves figured this was some sort of magic switch...obviously not turned on last night), but it did. I rarely ever bitch about the refs but it sure seemed like they were letting Penguins take major runs at Flyers players whether they possessed the puck or not while blowing the whistle just about any time a Flyers player touched one of the Penguins. Doesn't make up for a poor effort by the Flyers but as we Panthers fans often say, it's hard enough to play the opponent without having to play against the refs as well.

Originally Posted by ProfessorPeppers

I know one thing though, we can't afford to give Marty a 2 goal lead. That guy is my favorite goaltender of all time and possibly the best goalie to ever play once he hangs them up. You don't give that guy 2-3 goals to work with.

I hate him with a passion but also realize how talented he is. I was totally shocked at how well the Devils did while he was injured. Thought they were toast for sure.

[solorca]

*Stickied - Made this the official general playoff discussion thread.

Hurricanes games still get their own, of course

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

1-1 at end of first

[dexterpyro]

What a game. Much different team tonite. Eaves played a great unsung game. Gleason with a babchuk/corvo like shot. Great game for the Canes and look forward to see them on sunday