Stanley Cup Final - Chicago vs. Philadelphia

[Big Ev]

Go Flyers, but for the love of god, stop playing old clips of Kate Smith on the jumbotron during the anthem!

[mister_mcgoo]

So you were expecting a Habs team that just came off of emotional 7 game series wins against the "giants" of the east in the Pens and Caps to just lay down for Philadelphia??? Riggggght. I sure as hell wasn't.

Did the Hawks score 6 goals in every game of their sweep? Even record one shutout? No. Were not some of those games close, and could have easily gone the other was if a few big saves or bounces went the other way? Yes (2-1, 4-2, 3-2 (OT), 4-2 (empty net)). Outside of game 2 I thought games 1,3, and 4 could have just as easily gone to the Sharks if not for Niemi playing great. Only game 2 did they have a multiple goal margin of victory w/o tallying into the empty net. Also, they did just sweep a team with a reputation for "choking."

I'd say 4 games to 1 IS a steam rolling, especially when you shut out the opposition 3 times in that span and win three of the four games by a multiple goal margin without needing to go into the empty net to create a margin of at least two. Game 1 was probably their "perfect game" of the playoffs so far, to play your perfect game every night is pretty high expectations, borderline insane. I'd also say game 5 was pretty damn lopsided in the flyers favor as Mtl was only within a goal from tying it for say 12 minutes of play and when Mtl took the early lead the Flyers responded immediately. The only game the Habs won was a "must win" in terms of the series (game 3 being down 0-2).

I mean, we don't really want you on our band wagon either, and I don't expect you to change your mind lol. This team has been flying under the radar when everyone expected us to lose to the Rags last game of the season (we didn't), then it was Brodeur and the Devils (we didn't), then we were supposed to lose when we went down 0-3 to Boston (we didn't), and then against the Mtl team that dispatched the president cup winners and defending champions and had the vastly superior goalie (again, we didn't). So for us to once again be given "no chance" is nothing new.

The confidence comes from seeing that we have been given no chance to win the cup since the trade deadline and now we are only four wins away from doing just that! The flyers have a skilled group of forwards and top 4 defenseman that I feel is every bit just as talented as Chicago's; and we have played our best hockey with Leighton in nets (regular and post season). Is it blind optimism? Perhaps, but I feel like if you are a fan of the Flyers your team has given you every reason to feel that way at this juncture. After seeing this team come back and win a series from 0-3 I believe they can beat anyone, why wouldn't I? Our team hasn't given up, so why would we give up on them?

Who said I was on YOUR bandwagon? I ****ing hate the Flyers and 95% of their stupid fans...why would I want anything remotely to do with that? lmao...in fact, aside from the Habs winning the cup, watching the Flyers get destroyed in the finals is the best outcome I can possibly imagine, it will warm my heart Rusty.

I dunno dude, I was just trying to spark a little friendly discussion on the specific rationale behind why you feel guys feel so confident that's all (aside from the regular 'support your team to the end' confidence that we all have of course). Like if you'd played the Bruins in the last series I'd totally understand the optimism, I just don't get it in light of a Habs team that played poorly and a Flyers team that played just 'good enough', maybe you don't get that vibe but the Flyers fans I've talked so far have all been adamant that they need to play a lot better than they did against MTL if they hope to have a chance. I'm not saying they can't ratchet that intensity up and really play a great series, all I'm saying is I didn't see anything in the last series that would make me confident they can beat CHI

[playmaker26]

Go Flyers, but for the love of god, stop playing old clips of Kate Smith on the jumbotron during the anthem!

Why......?

[AJB86]

I'm just a little curious by all the confidence and bravado.

At the time you made your Kool-aid post there were 1 Flyers in 5, 3 Flyers in 6and 2 Flyers in predictions to go along with at least 3 admitted Flyer fans who picked the Hawks. I don't see alot of Bravado in that. Seems like a bitter Hab's fan reaching for a reason to chirp the Flyer faithful.

The way the Flyers were coming into this series off a huge high I would have expected them to steamroll right over a team playing like that, every game like game 1 basically. Instead what we saw was a bunch of games that could have went either way given a few bounces or a few big saves.

Which game could have went either way? The 6-0 game or the one where Montreal had one shot in the second period. Not even the Habs win could have gone either way. That series was never in doubt from the first puck drop. You are kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

When your 3rd/4th goalie shutsout a team (who has the leading goal scorer of the playoffs up untill that point) 3 of 5 games you gotta figure the defensive effort was pretty friggin stellar. Or maybe Leighton is just amazing in which case I like the Flyers chances even better.

I expect an extremely hard fought between too teams very evenly matched all the way through the lineup. If there is any advantage on paper its probably Chicago's 3rd D pairing.

I could make a prediction but what's the point I don't see any clear cut reason to choose one team over the other so it would just be an arbitrary guess.

I think the Hawks are as good or better than them on every dimension you care to measure, including the all important 'heart'.

You're right in doesn't take any heart at all to come back from 3-0 down in game 7 of a series where you already came back from 3-0 down.

[Rusty Pickles]

, all I'm saying is I didn't see anything in the last series that would make me confident they can beat CHI

I'll do the cliff notes version of my tirade, three shutouts; while Chicago could have just as easily lost three of those four games.

I'm just saying I don't get where people are seeing "cake walk" on the other side of the coin. Half full or half empty, I am choosing optimism, and given your hatred of the flyers (which probably just doubled considering you should be out golfing with your habs) I know why you are choosing to point out the negative.

This is why they play the games, it'll be decided on the ice by the players, and not on paper or by verbose argumentation.

Go Flyers.

[Big Ev]

Why......?

Because it's creepy, I'd rather have a LIVING PERSON, sing the entire anthem.

[duballstar014]

Because it's creepy, I'd rather have a LIVING PERSON, sing the entire anthem.

lol, go watch "Broad Street Bullies" on HBO. Then you'll get it. Otherwise, turn the station during our anthem.

Edit: oh, and Lauren Hart is singing too. It's not just Kate Smith....so we do have a living person...?

Edit2: instead of writing another post, ill just add my comment here...regarding below, I know how the singing works...just was curious if Big_Ev realized we do in fact have a live person singing...

[playmaker26]

lol, go watch "Broad Street Bullies" on HBO. Then you'll get it. Otherwise, turn the station during our anthem.

Edit: oh, and Lauren Hart is singing too. It's not just Kate Smith....so we do have a living person...?

Correct. Lauren Hart splits the time singing. At the end, they both sing.

[mister_mcgoo]

(which probably just doubled considering you should be out golfing with your habs)

Go Flyers.

see why do you have to be a ****ing dick about it? I'm trying to have an intelligent discussion on this because I'm actually curious, its got nothing to do with dissing on your team in ANY way though you continue to interpret it as such and all you can do is take cheap shots...**** you buddy, I look forward to another 35 years of futility for your Flyers

[duballstar014]

see why do you have to be a ****ing dick about it? I'm trying to have an intelligent discussion on this because I'm actually curious, its got nothing to do with dissing on your team in ANY way though you continue to interpret it as such and all you can do is take cheap shots...**** you buddy, I look forward to another 35 years of futility for your Flyers

lol, ive been giggling at you guys going back and forth trying to stay out of it, but here's the thing mcgoo, even when you are "trying to have an intelligent discussion on this because I'm actually curious" you still come off like you're being a prick. You might not mean it that way, but it sure tastes that way. And considering the situation that you as a Habs fan are in and the situation that a Flyers fan is in RIGHT NOW, it's pretty understandable that everything got interpreted the way it did.

I think as a Habs fan, you might be looking at the MTL/PHI series in a much different light as a Flyer fan, so you have a lot more doubt. Philly fans saw our 8th string goaltender claimed off of waivers pull off 3 shutouts in 5 games to take us to the SC Finals, and all of your reasons for why we should be in doubt are completely thrown out the window in our eyes. To you, the series was a lot closer. To us, we're just building more and more momentum and we're ready to go. No doubt for us because we don't think what we did against MTL was a fluke. Instead we look at it as we are getting stronger as each game passes, and Chicago is just another obstacle to overcome.

[mister_mcgoo]

At the time you made your Kool-aid post there were 1 Flyers in 5, 3 Flyers in 6and 2 Flyers in predictions to go along with at least 3 admitted Flyer fans who picked the Hawks. I don't see alot of Bravado in that. Seems like a bitter Hab's fan reaching for a reason to chirp the Flyer faithful.

not jsut this thread, several different threads on here as well as other forums I read...I'm not bitter either, we beat the best 2 teams in the east against all odds, I just think you guys are delusional for not recognizing that the Habs team you beat was not even remotely the team of the first two series.

Which game could have went either way? The 6-0 game or the one where Montreal had one shot in the second period. Not even the Habs win could have gone either way. That series was never in doubt from the first puck drop. You are kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

game 1 was lopsided, so was game 3, everything else was much closer than the score indicates, if you don't recognize that you're justlying to yourself, sorry bub. I've said it about a dozen times now but I'll repeat it anyway since some of you are a little thick. The Flyers completely outplayed the Habs in the series, they more than deserved the win and none of my posts are seeking to take anything away from that. My sole argument is that the Flyers half-assed beat a team that was playing half-assed so I fail to see how that's supposed to translate to playing one of the best teams in the league that is firing on all cylinders

You're right in doesn't take any heart at all to come back from 3-0 down in game 7 of a series where you already came back from 3-0 down.

wtf are you talking about? Who said they didn't have heart??? All I said was that I think the Hawks meet or exceed the Flyers on all dimensions including heart, yeesh, try staying up after your bedtime once and awhile and watch the west coast games, the Hawks have shown a ton of heart and grit, no deficiency in that dept with Keith and Toews and Byfuglien playing the way they are

[Big Ev]

lol, go watch "Broad Street Bullies" on HBO. Then you'll get it. Otherwise, turn the station during our anthem.

Edit: oh, and Lauren Hart is singing too. It's not just Kate Smith....so we do have a living person...?

Edit2: instead of writing another post, ill just add my comment here...regarding below, I know how the singing works...just was curious if Big_Ev realized we do in fact have a live person singing...

No, I know Lauren hart sings the anthem, but that's why it's creepy, she's basically like "take it away (from the grave) Kate!"

Plus, Kate Smith isn't exactly the best thing to look at...

[duballstar014]

No, I know Lauren hart sings the anthem, but that's why it's creepy, she's basically like "take it away (from the grave) Kate!"

lol, well if you have HBO, you should check out the Broad Street Bullies documentary and it digs a little bit into why it's so inspirational for the Flyers...their record is unbelievable when they do it though, so there's no way they'll stop now!

[mister_mcgoo]

lol, ive been giggling at you guys going back and forth trying to stay out of it, but here's the thing mcgoo, even when you are "trying to have an intelligent discussion on this because I'm actually curious" you still come off like you're being a prick. You might not mean it that way, but it sure tastes that way. And considering the situation that you as a Habs fan are in and the situation that a Flyers fan is in RIGHT NOW, it's pretty understandable that everything got interpreted the way it did.

I think as a Habs fan, you might be looking at the MTL/PHI series in a much different light as a Flyer fan, so you have a lot more doubt. Philly fans saw our 8th string goaltender claimed off of waivers pull off 3 shutouts in 5 games to take us to the SC Finals, and all of your reasons for why we should be in doubt are completely thrown out the window in our eyes. To you, the series was a lot closer. To us, we're just building more and more momentum and we're ready to go. No doubt for us because we don't think what we did against MTL was a fluke. Instead we look at it as we are getting stronger as each game passes, and Chicago is just another obstacle to overcome.

I hear you dub, and I apologize if thats how it comes off, I swear I'm trying my utmost to be objective and this is supposed to be a forum dedicated to discussing the series, the matchups, etc so why not take what I'm saying at face value instead of imagining I'm just out to be a dick? My whole mantra throughout the playoffs has been that its the team that is playing the best as a TEAM that has won each series, the Flyers are no exception, not taking anything away from them on that front...if you can honestly say that you think the Flyers played their best hockey in that last series then I'll drop it but I don't think that's been the case, I was far more impressed by the wins over Jersey and Boston. On the other hand I think the Hawks have gotten better and better with each series win, so to me they are entering these finals as the distinct favorite

[The Comish]

I just think you guys are delusional for not recognizing that the Habs team you beat was not even remotely the team of the first two series.

I don't think you are giving the Flyers much credit for making Montreal look bad. What I take away from your various posts are that Montreal played like crap and Philly was just okay.

I would offer that Philly made Montreal look bad. Philadelphia is a bigger team that plays bigger than they are. It's important to note that Philly is deeper than Washington or Pittsburgh. That depth combined with their size advantage really made the difference in the series.

wtf are you talking about? Who said they didn't have heart??? All I said was that I think the Hawks meet or exceed the Flyers on all dimensions including heart, yeesh, try staying up after your bedtime once and awhile and watch the west coast games, the Hawks have shown a ton of heart and grit, no deficiency in that dept with Keith and Toews and Byfuglien playing the way they are

I don't want to put words in your mouth, so here is exactly what was said:

[QUOTE=mister_mcgoo]I think the Hawks are as good or better than them on every dimension you care to measure, including the all important 'heart'.

And here's AJB86's response:

You're right in doesn't take any heart at all to come back from 3-0 down in game 7 of a series where you already came back from 3-0 down.

AJB86 is simply making a sarcastic reply to your statement. Why do you feel the need to take such great offense to that?

Not only did Philly do something only two other teams in NHL history have done, they have played without some of their best players for appreciable stretches in these playoffs- Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne, Ian Laperriere and are on their third string goaltender.

Who have the Hawks not had for stretches of these playoffs? Brian Campbell missed three games and Duncan Keith lost seven teeth. They are using their 1b goalie. Does that compare to the Flyers playoff woes? Nope, the Flyers have had to deal with the most adversity in these playoffs.

So when you say the Hawks measure up in the heart department, of course any Flyers fan is going to take issue with you. No one should question the Hawks heart, but allow the Flyer faithful to bask in their team's inspiring efforts! Have a heart man!

I have the Hawks winning in six. My record is 7-7 so far, so I wouldn't put too much stock in my predictions!