My takeaway is that losing the Cup might actually be good for the Devils. It creates the "we were [-] close!" mentality and could spur Zach to re-sign with the hope of getting back to the finals but this time winning it all. When you win the Cup, there is a tendency to sell half the team or at least the rental players (see Chicago Blackhawks) and winning the Cup would push Zach's value to crazy high levels (not that it isn't there already). In my mind the best thing they can do (aside from re-signing Zach) is to get a promising young goalie and let Marty teach him before riding off into the Hall of Fame.

Regardless, I see this season as a huge success. Coach Pete got revenge against his old team and the Devils beat their two big rivals. They just went against a team that got stupidly hot at the right time.

6/5/2012 4:15:36 PM

you're thinking like the devils are playing

6/5/2012 4:30:17 PM

these playoffs have been boring as shit.

when goals are this hard to come by, something is wrong.

bigger ice plz.

6/5/2012 7:42:53 PM

Oh, good, another one of these.

Go watch football.

6/5/2012 7:50:59 PM

In defense of Bolt, more goals in hockey would likely increase the number of fans watching hockey for an entire game. The typical person, who is not already a hockey fan, will likely turn a game off when the scoring is low. I can level with that.

Vinyl, and a good number of other people who post in hockey threads here, are NOT your typical people. Most of you all have a much higher hockey IQ, and I think would agree that these playoffs have been pretty awesome. Each round has had a few stories that have made the playoffs more enjoyable. The Kings ousting the Canucks, and the goal extravaganza in the PIT-PHI in the first round were great. The Tort saga and the Coyotes risk of leaving in both the second and third rounds were good side entertainment for in game watching. The battle of the East River and an 8 seed knocking off 1-2-3 in the 3rd, and now a possible sweep for the 8th seed who has never won a cup in 45 years... it's all pretty exciting to me.

6/6/2012 1:27:29 PM

Quote :

"The battle of the East River"

Hudson River.

The first round of these playoffs was one of the most entertaining for me that I can remember, but since then it's been a bit meh.

6/6/2012 1:34:32 PM

HAHA! I was watching Seinfeld in that post and Kramer was talking about swimming in the East River.

My bad.

I'll admit, watching the Eastern Conference playoffs has been drab. The West has been fun to watch. If PHI-PIT-WAS-??? Could have all been second round teams, then WAS-PIT in Conference finals, might be a different story with all of the names involved. The Holtby story was pretty fun to follow, I hope he isn't a Michael Leighton or Kevin Weekes.

I am hoping this goes 6, I am not ready for hockey to be over.

6/6/2012 1:39:41 PM

Obviously I'm a little biased toward well-played defensive games and great goaltending, but playoff hockey has always been a tighter version of regular season hockey, and that doesn't preclude the games from being great.

There have been excellent stretches of up-and-down hockey in this Final, equaled by excellent goaltending.

If someone can't appreciate a 1-1 game, I understand, and I also understand that the NHL wants to increase their market share. However, a scorefest to rope in casual fans isn't a good thing for the game. Additionally, if the rules are changed so that any asshole can make a coast-to-coast run without being touched, it diminishes the special nature of a play like Doughty's goal.

Every change that has been made in the game to increase goal-scoring has failed, because there are enough smart people with NHL clubs these days to counter almost anything. Make the zones bigger and allow two line passes, we'll stack the blue line. Make goalie equipment smaller, we'll take advantage of the extra agility.

If people long for the days of 9-7 scorelines, they also long for the days of two guys on the end of the bench who can hardly skate and a goalie who's never talked to a coach in his life. Fuck that.

6/6/2012 2:29:16 PM

So did casual fans actually find that PIT-PHI series more entertaining because of all of the goal scoring? I was really looking forward to that matchup and it turned into a joke. The first 2 NYR series were some of the most entertaining I've seen in a while, and there was very little goal scoring (same goes for BOS-WAS). Then again, I'm not a casual fan

6/6/2012 3:01:49 PM

As a hockey wonk, I like watching my team be successful executing THEIR game the way that it worked throughout the season. I'll gladly admit to being a trap system fan. Defensive hockey has always been my favorite because it forces teams to step up their play to counter it. The Panthers almost had an answer with their deep forecheck and the Kings are just monsters right now. While I enjoyed beating the Rags, the Devils played their best hockey of the season against the Goons.

6/6/2012 3:39:03 PM

Tonight on NBC: The Los Angeles Kings sweep the New Jersey Devils to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history Betty White's Off Their Rockers

Fuck you NBC for not giving two shits about the sport of hockey

6/6/2012 8:13:43 PM

good lord parise's ankle looked horrible on that play

6/6/2012 10:42:52 PM

^^NBC just committed $2 billion to the NHL. Some would argue NBC is off their rocker for doing that.

Anyway, thanks Kings for ruining everything.

6/6/2012 11:03:28 PM

We live another day!

6/6/2012 11:22:52 PM

If there was another way to have more hockey, I'd pick it.

As it stands, I like more hockey.

6/6/2012 11:58:06 PM

the call on clarkson was atrocious, and at that point in the game. Glad the devils won, they deserved it

6/7/2012 1:05:56 AM

6/7/2012 9:54:14 AM

haha i saw that live and first thing went "TWW will have a nice screen shot of that soon"

camera guy getting called out by his crew im sure,,, jokingly though

6/7/2012 9:59:53 AM

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2012/6/7/3069715/peter-deboer-boobs-bench-devils-stanley-cup-finals-2012

6/7/2012 11:22:07 AM

All the ladies want coach Pete! Haha.

6/7/2012 1:34:59 PM

Wonder if them titties is real?!

Good Lord!

6/7/2012 4:36:54 PM

no. no they're not.

6/7/2012 5:52:17 PM

Well, well, a hockey game has broken out tonight.

Refreshing.

6/9/2012 9:40:04 PM

6/9/2012 11:02:00 PM

God damn devils trying to claw their way back.

6/10/2012 10:23:59 AM

That porn star tweeted that she'll be sitting in the same seat tomorrow.

6/10/2012 12:11:09 PM

Well, that's that. Thanks Bernier

6/11/2012 8:49:55 PM

She sure is in the same seat.

And wow, 3 goals in 1 power play. Sick.

6/11/2012 8:57:39 PM

Quote :

"Steve Bernier (born March 31, 1985) is a Bitch ass. He has previously played for the Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks,and the San Jose Sharks, who originally selected him 16th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft."

Quote :

"Bernier was later signed to a one-year, two way contract with the Devils on January 30, 2012, and promptly ****ed the Devils in the *** in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals.[16]. This was followed by a tarring and feathering in Newark, NJ, which unfortunately ended in a public flogging.[17]."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Bernier

[Edited on June 11, 2012 at 9:07 PM. Reason : ""]

6/11/2012 9:07:09 PM

Quote :

"that's why we fucking play the game"

6/11/2012 11:11:33 PM

thats why we fuckin play

6/11/2012 11:13:51 PM

Well done Kings

6/11/2012 11:16:03 PM

finally the cup gets won on home ice... much funner that way

6/12/2012 12:51:17 AM

Quote :

"In defense of Bolt, more goals in hockey would likely increase the number of fans watching hockey for an entire game. The typical person, who is not already a hockey fan, will likely turn a game off when the scoring is low. I can level with that. "

I love goalie duels. Those games get so much grittier. High scoring games usually equates to sloppy play.

6/12/2012 1:00:07 PM

Goddamnit, fuck Nickelback. Bring back Chaka Khan

6/20/2012 8:46:11 PM

The Will Arnett Brendan Shanahan segments were amazing

6/20/2012 8:51:23 PM

The Department of Sweet Justice

6/20/2012 10:05:43 PM

Is it October yet? This NBA mess is weak

6/21/2012 11:59:38 PM

http://deadspin.com/5921351/top-nhl-draft-pick-nail-yakupovs-wild-night-on-twitter

6/26/2012 12:19:48 PM

No clue if it is legit, but #Lupul is trending right now

6/27/2012 12:09:45 AM

Dennis Wideman gets dealt to Calgary and signs a 5 year 5.25mil/per deal.

Every other free agency in the league after hearing the contract details:

6/27/2012 3:38:36 PM

Brodeur likely heading to free agency

6/29/2012 11:05:21 AM

c'mon man: message_topic.aspx?topic=628753

6/29/2012 11:12:15 AM