Hockey

[GRH]

Ahh, so the playoffs will last a little while. I know in the college playoffs, it was a best of three series. Thanks for the info, as this is my first year following the NHL.

[smc]

Originally Posted by GRH

Ahh, so the playoffs will last a little while.

More like an eternity, unless the team you're rooting for keeps going.

[ila]

Originally Posted by GRH

......Question-- in the playoffs, how many games do teams play against one another? Is it a one and you're done? Or do they play a series of 3 games?

Originally Posted by smc

They are best-of-7 series, so at least four games for each playoff matchup.

Originally Posted by GRH

Ahh, so the playoffs will last a little while. I know in the college playoffs, it was a best of three series. Thanks for the info, as this is my first year following the NHL.

Originally Posted by smc

More like an eternity, unless the team you're rooting for keeps going.

It only seems like an eternity sometimes, depending on whether or not your team keeps advancing. Eternity this year should end about mid-June which will still be before the NBA playoffs are finished.

[shadows]

Originally Posted by GRH

Ahh, so the playoffs will last a little while. I know in the college playoffs, it was a best of three series. Thanks for the info, as this is my first year following the NHL.

You picked a good year to start! There are going to be some exciting series this post-season, that is for sure!

[shadows]

Pre-game shenanigans are not going to be tolerated!

From tsn.ca:

DREGER: NHL WARNS OF STIFF PENATIES FOR WARMUP INCIDENTS

On a pre-playoff conference call on Monday, Colin Campbell, the NHL's director of hockey operations informed coaches and general managers of what the league views as potential postseason hot spots.

The threat of any confrontation in the pre-game warmup is of particular concern to the league. To the point, Campbell warned the 16 teams, if an altercation mars the series, the offending team could lose a roster spot on the night the incident takes place, meaning the disciplined team would be forced to play the game with 17 skaters and two goalies.

In light of a recent incident, the Flyers-Devils series has the potential to turn nasty. Philadelphia forward Dan Carcillo was suspended two games for crosschecking Devils forward David Clarkson in the head late in a game on March 28th. The two teams haven't played since.

In a regular season game in Toronto in 2007, Rangers forward Sean Avery enraged Darcy Tucker and a collection of Maple Leafs, sparking a pre-game skirmish.

Fines and, or suspensions will be handed out if something similar occurs this postseason.

Late game ?message sending?, namely a fight or a seemingly deliberate intent to injury when the game is out of hand was also strongly discouraged by the league on Mondays call with threats of suspensions and fines.

A year ago, Philadelphia's Dan Carcillo was given a one game suspension for an apparent butt-end to Pittsburgh's Max Talbot's face as time expired in the Penguins 4-1 series opening victory. Flyers coach John Stevens was also fined $10,000.

Finally, coaches and general managers were also told goaltender interference will be watched closely.

The Phoenix Coyotes are sure to remind round one officials of this on a game by game basis as Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom has mastered the art of screening, deflecting pucks, and generally agitating opposition goaltenders.

The NHL intends to watch Holmstrom and all ?crease crashers? closely, and Colin Campbell suggests it's best to stay out of the blue paint to avoid a penalty.

The National Hockey League understands it's an intense and emotional time of year. However, the tolerance for what the league considers unnecessary, as per usual in the playoffs, will be minimal.

[shadows]

Here are two pieces of good news for smc and any other Bruins fans

SAVARD MAY BE READY FOR SECOND ROUND IF BRUINS ADVANCE

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli says that injured forward Marc Savard may return to the Bruins lineup if Boston advances to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Savard completed what Chiarelli describes as a "brisk walk" yesterday and felt fine afterwards.

Savard is still experiencing intermittent headaches, but has experienced steady progress over the past two weeks. Savard was diagnosed with a concussion after being nailed with a blindside hit by Pittsburgh Penguins' agitator Matt Cooke in March.

Before Savard is cleared, he will have to go seven days symptom free, plus pass an exertion test before he is able to return.

Late second round is considered the best case scenario.

The Bruins could certainly use Savard's offensive talents. While injuries limited him to 10 goals and 23 assists in 41 games this season he is one of the best playmakers in the league.

During last year's post-season, Savard had six goals and seven assists in 11 Bruins playoff games.

The Bruins open their playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

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OILERS WIN TOP PICK IN NHL DRAFT LOTTERY, BRUINS TO PICK 2ND

TORONTO -- The biggest win of the year for the Edmonton Oilers came two days after the regular season ended.

The NHL's 30th-place team retained the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery Tuesday night, giving GM Steve Tambellini an opportunity that none of his predecessors has ever enjoyed. And the timing couldn't be better.

"This is a huge opportunity for this organization going forward," said Tambellini. "I think it perfectly fits the moment of where we are as a hockey team, as an organization. We're in a rebuild type of phase with this group. This is a huge building block."

Barring an unlikely trade, the Oilers will have the final say in the debate between Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin when the draft kicks off June 25th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The two OHL stars have gone back-and-forth in the eyes of scouts all season, with Seguin getting the No. 1 nod from the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau in its final rankings last week.

The Oilers haven't made up their mind.

"That question has not been answered yet," said Tambellini.

Edmonton entered the draft lottery with a 48.2 per cent chance of earning the No. 1 pick and Tambellini admitted to feeling some nerves while awaiting his team's fate. He and executives from the four other teams with a shot at landing the top pick gathered at the TSN studios in Toronto.

It played out exactly as the odds dictated: Boston received the No. 2 selection (acquired from Toronto in the Phil Kessel trade) and was followed by Florida, Columbus and the New York Islanders.

The Bruins' pick will be the highest for the franchise since it made Joe Thornton the No. 1 overall selection in 1997. When GM Peter Chiarelli sent Kessel to Toronto in September, he never imagined he'd find himself in position to land either Hall or Seguin.

"No, not really," said Chiarelli. "We had a range in mind, we had to choose between the Leafs and a couple other teams, and we kind of had a range in mind. But not this high, no."

The high picks are especially important this year because Hall and Seguin are considered can't-miss-prospects and the talent level drops off from there. Seguin is a gifted playmaker whose value is increased by being a centre with a right-hand shot; Hall is a big, fast winger.

They tied for the OHL's scoring lead this season with 106 points and will likely be given the chance to leap straight into the NHL next season. The offensive flair certainly appeals to the Bruins, who went from being the NHL's second-highest scoring team last season to its lowest-scoring squad this year.

"First and foremost, it'll give us some more goals, which is nice," said Chiarelli. "It adds youthful energy, youthful enthusiasm. It adds to our forward group."

The Bruins GM says he already knows which player he'd like to end up with -- something he wouldn't share publically -- and will likely call Tambellini to inquire about potentially moving up to the No. 1 spot via a trade. It probably won't be a long conversation.

Edmonton finished with a league-worst 62 points this season and Tambellini is eager to right the ship quickly. He was beaming after winning the draft lottery.

"It's such an important step for us to have the ability to take the first overall pick, especially where we are with our cycle of development," said Tambellini. "We're more into a reshaping, a rebuilding mode right now. Everybody's clear about that. This will be a wonderful building block to add on to some of the other draft choices we have in place now.

"(I'm) very, very excited for us and the city of Edmonton."

Who can blame him?

With the NHL playoffs about to begin, several recent No. 1 picks will be playing starring roles: Alex Ovechkin (2004) in Washington; Sidney Crosby (2005) and Marc-Andre Fleury (2003) in Pittsburgh; and Patrick Kane (2007) in Chicago, to name a few.

"Where else can you attain those high impact players?" said Tambellini. "If you look historically at the top end of the draft, those are players (where) you can argue who's better from year to year, but most of them are impact players that play in the NHL for a long time.

"You know you're going to get a good player and it's very important in this (salary-cap) system."

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

Pre-game shenanigans are not going to be tolerated!

From tsn.ca:

DREGER: NHL WARNS OF STIFF PENATIES FOR WARMUP INCIDENTS

On a pre-playoff conference call on Monday, Colin Campbell, the NHL's director of hockey operations informed coaches and general managers of what the league views as potential postseason hot spots. ...

Where in the hell was Colin Campbell when Marc Savard was lost to the Bruins? Or any number of other times that he did nothing? What a waste of space at the NHL offices!

[shadows]

Originally Posted by smc

Where in the hell was Colin Campbell when Marc Savard was lost to the Bruins? Or any number of other times that he did nothing? What a waste of space at the NHL offices!

Campbell was too busy blowing up Gary Buttman, as Gary's hot air kept on leaking out every time he opened his trap.