Hockey Fans..Stanley Cup Play off thread...eh ?!

[tschommer]

During the postgame celebrations, I saw one of the Blackhawks with his son, and the son was holding the Cup above his head (with his father's help.) One of the traditions of the Stanley Cup is that only Cup winners are permitted to raise the Cup over their head.
I don't know who the player was, but I think he may have inadvertently cursed the Blackhawks by letting his son hold the Cup like that. There have been other well-known curses in sports, and time will tell if this will be one of them.
I'm not saying that this curse will actually happen, but lifting the Cup is a sacred moment, not to be undertaken by non-winners, even if they are family.

So, Maxwell, if you need something to fret over, think about that one little moment in a large celebration and ponder the season to come.

The curse is already retroactively taking effect! I just heard that Gary Bettman has decided to disallow the Blackhawks game winning OT goal and the NHL has decided to go ahead and play game 7 this Friday.

I would have thought that only the kid was cursed. I'm actually surprised that any NHL player would really want and or let his kid to touch the cup, especially if he thinks that his offspring may have a shot at a pro hockey career.

P.S. I was thinking that the most of the booing was directed at Gary Bettman.

 

[Geoff738]

P.S. I was thinking that the most of the booing was directed at Gary Bettman.

If it was I'll gladly join the chorus.

Cheers,
Geoff

 

[PapaBeef]

Congrats to the Hawks.
I sure wouldda liked the cup to be in Philly this year. But the Hawks were the better team.

It wasn't as painful as the Leon Stickle game against the Islanders back in 80 or 81. I'm still hurting from that one today, knowing that the better team was screwed royally on two blown offsides calls by that D Bag.
This Flyers team got hot at the right time & almost pulled off the upset. But for them to get this far & lose is a disappointment. That Islanders series was devastating.

 

[franchelB]

Misc. ramblings...

FWIW, I do appreciate reading the healthy discussion about Game 6 over here (TDPRI) more than what I read on Philly.com and Chicagosports.com. Some of the posters (and writers!) over there have gotten way out of hand!

The Flyers did give the 'Hawks a dang good run for their money...I really thought that if the 'Hawks swept the Sharks, sweeping the Flyers would be a "piece of cake". Boy, was I wrong! And I have a feeling the Flyers and the 'Hawks have started a "good" (friendly) rivalry for the next season and beyond. Both teams played their tails off, and without getting into "fists-to-cuffs".

Congrats to both teams! Though the better team won last night, the Flyers and Flyer fans should "keep their chin up". I'd like to see a "Round 2" next season!

 

[dburns]

Not sure about a Round 2 next year. To use a common sports cliche, I think the Flyers caught "lightning in a bottle". They got lucky in avoiding the Pens and Caps. Future looks good down the line, but I can't see it working out like that next year. Hope I'm wrong, we'll see.

 

[kelnet]

Did Adam Burrish step over the line?

 

[JohnK24]

Did Adam Burrish step over the line?

Dude you just won the greatest championship in sports...and you gotta diss the opposition ?! The smart money says to pass over the question and celebrate...oh well...

LET'S GO PENS !

 

[Maxwell Street]

Hawks parade in progress....looks like a million fans on Michigan Aveneue...!

 

[voodoo_idol]

Did Adam Burrish step over the line?

Talk about writing checks you can't cash. Pronger would drop this guy like a sack of potatoes.

 

[Maxwell Street]

Talk about writing checks you can't cash. Pronger would drop this guy like a sack of potatoes.

Hate to digress...Burish does like to talk but she asked him...search Pronger on youtube, it reads like a greatest hits list of his cowardly play...stomping Kessler with his skate etc., Pronger is a pansy....there...I've said it.

and Pronger just might be the biggest idiot in the leaque.... 7 suspensions in his career...no longer a threat to win the Norris Trophy....

 

[voodoo_idol]

Hate to digress...Burish does like to talk but she asked him...search Pronger on youtube, it reads like a greatest hits list of his cowardly play...stomping Kessler with his skate etc., Pronger is a pansy....there...I've said it.

and Pronger just might be the biggest idiot in the leaque.... 7 suspensions in his career...no longer a threat to win the Norris Trophy....

Pansy? Pronger is one of the 2-3 best defensemen of his era. He's one of the biggest, toughest guys in hockey. Who is going to intimdate a 6'6" 225 lb. player? He's a big target and will get challenged by opponents trying to make a name for themselves. Most of them will lose. You think he isn't the recipient of cheap shots almost every game? Hockey is a physical game. Maybe Burish should look into synchronized swimming if he can't handle it.

The Kessler video looks like nothing to me. Pronger was trying to get his skate free and Kessler was trying to obstruct/trip him up.

 

[Maxwell Street]

Pansy? Pronger is one of the 2-3 best defensemen of his era. He's one of the biggest, toughest guys in hockey. Who is going to intimdate a 6'6" 225 lb. player? He's a big target and will get challenged by opponents trying to make a name for themselves. Most of them will lose. You think he isn't the recipient of cheap shots almost every game? Hockey is a physical game. Maybe Burish should look into synchronized swimming if he can't handle it.

The Kessler video looks like nothing to me. Pronger was trying to get his skate free and Kessler was trying to obstruct/trip him up.

Pronger is big....that's about it, his best days are long gone. Burish handles it just fine, name on Cup this week. Being physical is one thing, being a hack is another.

Bourque, Coffey, Leetch, Chelios, Lidstrom...dominant defenseman of that era, not Pronger.

 

[kelnet]

Pronger is big....that's about it, his best days are long gone. Burish handles it just fine, name on Cup this week. Being physical is one thing, being a hack is another.
Bourque, Coffey, Leetch, Chelios, Lidstrom...dominant defenseman of that era, not Pronger.

Lidstrom is really the only one who was in his prime at the same time as Pronger. Maybe Leetch.
Bourque entered the NHL in 1979, Coffey - 1980, Chelios - 1983, Leetch - 1988, Lidstrom - 1991, Pronger - 1993.

Although he doesn't rank with the players you mention, you can't deny that he's a good defenceman. He's more than just big - he passes well, he reads the play well, he has a good shot, he hits, he blocks shots. He definitely had a good playoffs, and whether you like him as a person or not, he's no hack.

 

[Telarkaster]

There is not a team in the league that wouldn't want Pronger. He plays 30 minutes a game and when he's on the ice you know chance are that nothing bad will happen unless it's to the other team.

 

[Maxwell Street]

I don't think he's that great....period. Overrated. Been watching the NHL for 45 years. He mans the point on the PP, clutters up his side of the ice and looks for opportunities to cross check. Fine line between aggressive and cheap shot artist.

Once Byfuglien started hitting him he seemed to go away.... Great moment in game 5 when Buff side stepped Pronger and flipped in the empty netter while Pronger stood there....no stick on puck...zero...

 

[franchelB]

Honestly,

if "Chrissy Pronger" got traded to the 'hawks, I'll bet that the Trib would retract their poster of him. I believe the Flyers MIGHT have been swept if they didn't have Pronger on their team. Remember what the 'hawks did to the Sharks?

Hey, I never cared for Dennis Rodman until he played for the Bulls!

 

[tschommer]

if "Chrissy Pronger" got traded to the 'hawks, I'll bet that the Trib would retract their poster of him. I believe the Flyers MIGHT have been swept if they didn't have Pronger on their team. Remember what the 'hawks did to the Sharks?

Hey, I never cared for Dennis Rodman until he played for the Bulls!

No need to retract anything, it says right on the poster that they made that there was a 100% chance that they would change their minds if the Hawks signed him. Kind of hard to read here but you can kind of make it out.

 

[Maxwell Street]

if "Chrissy Pronger" got traded to the 'hawks, I'll bet that the Trib would retract their poster of him. I believe the Flyers MIGHT have been swept if they didn't have Pronger on their team. Remember what the 'hawks did to the Sharks?

Hey, I never cared for Dennis Rodman until he played for the Bulls!

I liked Rodman on Pistons...could start the break by clearing the boards and finish it too.

Don't think Hawks would take Pronger if they had the opportunity. Scotty Bowman and Stan are running the show now, doesn't seem like thier kind of guy. Besides it's moot, he's 35, I think Philly gave up 2 first rounders for him plus a conditional pick...I think they overpaid.

 

[dburns]

Until one of those draft picks is instrumental in leading a team to the cup, or is a perennial star, don't see how they overpaid. Flyers went for it by trading for him and came within 2 games of it really paying off. See it as more than a coincidence that he's been ending up in the finals pretty frequently the last few years.

Gotta call it like I see it though...believe he was a minus 5 in game 5 and didn't have a good game 6 so I agree about what you said about Byfuglien getting to him. Combined with all the minutes logged, he and a bunch of other guys looked out of gas trying to keep up with Chicago.

I always thought that if a team and their fans hate a guy ...he must be doing something right

Good series, congrats again.

 

[Maxwell Street]

Thanks again dburns....you are fair and balanced....not like that jerk Pronger