i was shocked that colorado and montreal could win the first games of the series.  i was not surprised with jersey winning against new york becuz new york was not doing good with and without jagr.  i thought dallas would be mad losing the 1st game and come out playing better but they fell short again.  carolina just does not have enough gas in the tank to defeat the canadiens.  will these two top teams go down?  or will they come back?  the stats for teams that are behind in 2 games usually end up losing.  just want some insight on this question.
202724
Colorado is my favorite team and I also like Montreal and I was not surprised that they could win the first games, in fact I hope the beat the socks off of Dallas and Carolina.
65617
Fantastic! I finally found a fellow Sabres fan in YA. Where have you been? I've been posting in a desert here. The Buffalo Sabres are the surprise team of the NHL this season (along with the Carolina Hurricanes) and I'd love to think they can win it all... But there is the dread Buffalo curse ("NO GOAL" vs Dallas in the 1999 Stanley Cup final and of course the Bills' 4 straight Super Bowl defeats in the '90s), so try not to get your hopes up too high. Whatever happens, we have the best young goaltender in the league (Ryan Miller) and a club that works hard and plays like a team. We have as good a chance as any of the favourites. Let's Go Buffalo!
190198
I really appreciate Georgie Peorgies comment that it would be nice to see some Canadians teams because "after all, it is a Canadian sport and why did us Americans take it away."\n\nExactly.  \n\nNashville was facing elimination tonight and they didn't even sell out the arena.  Lame.  I mean, what else was happening tonight in Nashville?  Country music?  WWE Wrestling?  Doesn't matter, that's your interest, certainly not hockey.  Who's bright idea was it to take away a perfectly good hockey team in Winnipeg and Quebec (crawling with hockey fans) and create a team in freakin' Nashville?  Someone (hmmm Gary Bettman) should be shot.\n\nHere in Montreal people are crawling all over each other just to get a seat in a bar.  It's stupid and it pisses every single Canadian off right down to the bone.  And we're sorry about winning the World Series' back in the day,  (when the Blue Jays won all those years back).  I would trade that 1000 times over just to see the Stanley Cup back in Canada thank you very much. \n\nOkay, onto the real discussion:  New Jersey and San Jose.  There's no question.  I would love to see Edmonton, or Calgary, or Montreal or Ottawa, but if these teams all make the 2nd round, they'll eliminate each other.\n\nBesides, no one can beat New Jersey now.  15 wins in a row!?  I mean, Elias is so much on fire that you can practically see fire burning off his jersey, Brodeur is a stone wall with experience, and Gionta, Madden, etc. it doesn't matter:  No one is beating New Jersey (I say this, and I am a true New Jersey Devils hater.  I hate New Jersey and their stupid faces.) \n\nSan Jose is also too strong.  Calgary's the only team with a chance, and I don't like their chances.\n\nSo:  New Jersey vs. San Jose and New Jersey in 4.\n\nPS - what really pisses us Canadians off is that like %60 of the league is Canadian.  So we're seeing Canadians fighting Canadians every single night in the name of some lame team name like "the Predators" to a crowd that rates the excitement factor of the game somewhere between darts and lawn bowling.  Stupid.  Bettman can put that in his pipe and smoke it.
580636
Changes are needed, focusing TOP DOWN; New GM was a good place to start, but, until further changes in upper management is made, it doesn't look like things will change all that much. \n\nOn the ice, I liked the goaltenders; I think that Raycroft was off, mostly due to contract stuff at the beginning of the year, and he never got on track.  Toivanen looked good, until he got hurt.  I have no idea what to think about Thomas; he came out of nowhere, and was impressive.  But was it an illusion? We'll see; as he is signed for a few years.  If all 3 goalies round into form, one could be used in a trade.\n\nThe defense showed some promise; young defensemen (Alberts, Jurcina) began to look OK after some coaching by Ray Bourque.  Need some help there, especially mobile defensemen who can move the puck thru the neutral zone.  More players like Brad Stuart, less players like Hal Gill.  Gill has a place, but as a 5th or 6th defensemen, not so much ice time.\n\nBiggest need will be with the forwards; need more scoring punch to help Bergeron, Sturm and Boyes.  Hopefully Axelsson will come back.
399660
I am a huge Al's fan and would love for them to win... obviously.\n\nI am not expecting them to win because BC has been so consistant through the season and layed a whoopin on a Rider team that were on a roll. I'm a little scared it's going to be a blowout and I won't be very happy the next morning.\n\nMy prediction... BC 38 Montreal 24\n\nI hope I'm wrong and I will still be cheering on my Al's. Hopefully Cahoon has the best game of his life and wins the game single-handled.
6915
Probably to the Division Series at the most . . . with a record of 17-14-4 they're 7 points behind the first place Canucks and 5 behind Calgary and Edmonton. I know its not even midway through the season, but the way they're playing now, they can do better, but they're in a slump now.
486374
Fan support isn't the answer.. We all know Toronto has plenty of fan support! And Atlanta doesn't actually have much (not a good place to put any sports team! They couldn't even sell out when the world series was there!) \n\nThe answer is that it's the new NHL. New coaches on the new teams are getting new, fresh players who know how the new NHL works. These coaches know how to build their team from the bottom up, not like some established teams who rely solely on one or two star players who are puck hogs and don't fit into the new NHL at all.\n\nBuffalo's Lindy Ruff has the new NHL all figured out. We're not a new team, but we're number 1 in the standings. The rest of the teams will figure it out and catch up eventually. \n\nThe Leafs are doing fine. Don't worry about them too much... well, until they are up against us in the playoffs! :)
282867
Haha, that was me about an hour ago (only I used language not as nice as yours). LoL. I think that the quality of play in this series has been badly tampered because of the whistles being blown during the games. Neither team has been able to play to their full potential, and I would've liked to see STRAIGHT UP BALL instead of a free throw bonanza. The Spurs have played as well as they could under the circumstances (give or take a turnover/missed shot here or there) and I am a firm believer that they could come back just like the Suns did the last round.  One thing is for sure: Dallas is LUCKY. This series could easily be 3-1 Spurs, and if they think Game 5 is going to be a cake walk, they are sorely mistaken! Spurs are the defending champs, and they CERTAINLY won't go down without a fight..! How great that fight actually is...? We'll just have to see Wednesday! =)
399018
They are doing real well, even better than the high expectations before the season. Pronger is having a fantastic year, and they can pretty much have either Neidermeyer or Pronger on the ice at all times on Defense. Giguere is playing like he did in the 03 playoffs. I don't think they have anyone along the lead's leading scorers, but because they have a well-balanced team and the kids are doing a lot, they are among the leaders in goals scored anyway. Despite all this, attendance seems to be down so there should be plenty of good seats to most games. Go see em'!
117184
I watched the game last night with the coyotes I think that SJ was playing better but just not putting the puck in the back of the net many great scoring Chance but not many goals. Cujo has also has a 30-7-0 record against the sharks so I don't see a change in that unless the sharks step it up a notch. I like what I saw of the sharks but if they want to win they need to keep crashing the net and stop with the bad turn overs. also stop giving away odd man rushes. As for the chances of making the play-offs not to good a lot of teams in the running will have to drop the ball for this to happen. Go Leafs and Canadians and ottawa :)
154747
The Rangers flat out suck!!! To make it to the playoffs and be humiliated by the Devils in four games competely controlled by the devils... 6-1, 4-1, 3-0, and 4-2. For granted the Rangers out shot the Devils, but they just suck to not have put the bicuit in the basket. The rangers also gave up like 3 or 4 short handed goals. RANGERS SUCK!!!
366781
I would have to think that people are surprised that the Senators aren't doing "better". They have great players, a lot of talent, speed - all needed ingredients in today's NHL. \n\nThe fact that they are at the bottom has a lot of people talking... however the Sabres and Sharks both started that way last year and finished well.\n\nI think last night's win will shake things up.
416873
You and me are both worried. Really worried. We've lost Strahan, Umenyiora (I know I spelled that wrong...), Madison, Toomer, Arrington, Petitgout. The list keeps going on and on and on. If we were healthy, I wouldn't be so worried. I'm worried that they're playing on Monday night and they're playing away.\n\nIt's going to be a really rough game for us tonight. Do I think we can win? I am hoping, praying, begging, pleading so. We need this win. With Dallas' win yesterday, we need to keep that one game distance with them, or else our playoff hopes are done for this season. \n\nHere's hoping that the G-men take it all the way. Go Giants!
445169
The Flyers have lots to prove tonight, the Sabs have some key injuries, anyone who thinks it's a given is delusional.\n\nI finally dumped Joni from my fantasy team and it pained me to do so.     I don't know what the Flyers can do right now, it must be very frustrating being a fan.\n\nPersonally I think Hatcher is a fossil, Peter can't be a one man band all the time either.  Like I said, I don't know what the answers are but I don't think Nedved is going to be a game changer.  \n\nI love my Sabs, but it seems whenever I underestimate a team I get my lunch handed to me.  I drop -12 Joni, so watch tonight will be his night....I make a derogatory remark about Nedved--he'll have a hat trick.  \n\nGo Sabs.....and good luck to Philly....after tonight.:-)
273312
don't get too upset with san jose.  at least they made to the second round.  they did not do too bad.  at least they did not choke like the red wings did in the first round.  i like san jose.  they will be a great opponent to play in the next few years.  the top teams in the west like detroit, dallas and colorado are getting too old to remain on top.  the sharks, oilers, flames, and ducks are the future top teams in the west.  these teams are young and speedy.  keep the faith and remain a fan.  someday san jose will win the cup.
354430
Well they all seem to be having their good and bad games, but the Habs are definitely picking up their game this year.  Toronto sucks as usual, and don't get me started on the Sens...how embarrassing...For a team that was predicted to win the Cup last year, scoring under .500 already isn't a good sign.  I guess it's too early to tell.
255207
Close but no.  Pronger has been great, but as a team the Oilers were consistent and Roloson was HOT.  He is actually third this year so far behind:  Joe Sakic and Scott Neidermayer.  Colorado would not be in the 2nd round but for the leadership of Sakic.  This is his team and he shows up every night and leads the charge.  Neidermayer was the best player in the Ducks-Flames series and stabalizes the whole team.  So my top 3 are all out West.  Which means someone from the East will win the Cup.  My pick as of today: New Jersey