Octopus Overlords

5th longest. If they get to 7:58 on the clock, they will be 3rd.

Rask just opted out right before the game. That's going to make it a bit harder.

SI

Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask has opted out of the remainder of the NHL season, the team announced Saturday morning.

"I want to be with my teammates competing, but at this moment there are things more important than hockey in my life, and that is being with my family," Rask said in a statement. "I want to thank the Bruins and my teammates for their support and wish them success."

Rask and his wife welcomed their third daughter, Livia, in April.

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said Saturday that Rask's family is healthy, and the 33-year-old's departure is not linked to a specific incident. Sweeney added that he was not "caught off guard" by Rask's decision following the pair's conversations.

"The priority has to be his family and we support that," Sweeney told reporters. "I think we all understand these are trying times for everybody."

stessier wrote: ↑Sat Aug 15, 2020 5:49 pm Rask just opted out right before the game. That's going to make it a bit harder.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Sat Aug 15, 2020 5:50 pm

stessier wrote: ↑Sat Aug 15, 2020 5:49 pm Rask just opted out right before the game. That's going to make it a bit harder.

The proper term is BAM!

Not gonna lie - watching the Avalanche dismantle Arizona Coyotes, 7-1 in TWO back-to-back games was pretty awesome.

gilraen wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 10:33 pm Not gonna lie - watching the Avalanche dismantle Arizona Coyotes, 7-1 in TWO back-to-back games was pretty awesome.

Agreed. And took some of the edge off the Hawks getting bounced last night.

A Chelsea Dagger to the heart.

I see what you did there.

Why Nathan MacKinnon is the best hockey player in the world]

He's a modern day Sergei Fedorov.

So, Calgary's defense has left the building, eh?

Zaxxon wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 11:56 pm So, Calgary's defense has left the building, eh?

Just the defense?

pr0ner wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 11:58 pm

Zaxxon wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 11:56 pm So, Calgary's defense has left the building, eh?

Just the defense?

Goaltenders left the bubble entirely.

Three-goal deficit followed by four-goal lead. First time ever. Sheesh.

Or tomorrow.

Dallas - Vegas is one that I'll just be glad for some good hockey.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Sat Sep 05, 2020 12:49 am Dallas - Vegas is one that I'll just be glad for some good hockey.

When you get outshot 3:1 in a game 7, it tends not to break your way.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Sat Sep 05, 2020 1:15 am When you get outshot 3:1 in a game 7, it tends not to break your way.

Such a weird playoffs this time around. How many teams that have been outshot have ended up winning their games anyway? (And how does that compare to the non-bubble hockey rate?)

Well that was nice.

If the Stars can play like those first two periods every game.... wow. Not a fan of the turtle, but the turtle was strong in the 3rd.

Tampa looked FLAAAAT. I know this is an every-other-day Finals (excepting no day off between G4 and G5), so I'm not sure we'll see the Bolts get their legs back. Dallas has won its series by wearing down the other team. Tampa looks pre-worn-down from that battle with the Isles. Hopefully we see a more entertaining Finals (but I'm not terribly optimistic).

The Meal wrote: ↑Sun Sep 20, 2020 12:19 am Tampa looked FLAAAAT. I know this is an every-other-day Finals (excepting no day off between G4 and G5), so I'm not sure we'll see the Bolts get their legs back. Dallas has won its series by wearing down the other team. Tampa looks pre-worn-down from that battle with the Isles. Hopefully we see a more entertaining Finals (but I'm not terribly optimistic).

I vividly remember watching the Stars' only Cup Championship in 99 from my hotel room in Disney world at what felt like 3am(it was double OT on the East Coast) and jumping around like a maniac trying not to wake anyone up.
And was it really only a year ago that I was screaming at the tv when they lost Game 7 to the Blues where no one but Bishop bothered to show up to play? So I hate hate HATE that I just cannot get into this run these guys are on right now. And i am so going to regret that, no matter what, given some of the games these guys have been involved in this post season...5 OT wins, coming back from 0-3 to win a game 7-3, going to a Game 7 after being up 3-1 in the series?!? Playoff memory gold right there. the mojo just isn't there for me and it sucks.

That said, being so damn detached has let me watch games with a perspective I've never really had before and this is a long way off saying, 'Yep, The Meal is once again right about hockey '.

But I'll disagree a little bit and say I think Tampa has another gear, and they showed it in the third (and DAL let them back in with some penalties). But I do agree the rest helped the Stars quite a bit and the NYI series was tough on Tampa.
Crazy thing about Tampa is they're this good without Stamkos.

Khudobin is off tonight.

Or he should have been.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:09 pm Or he should have been.

Bishop is just straight up, out. Am I correct in saying that? I thought the language they used was 'not fit to play'. Could be wrong but I've never the usual 'lower body injury, we'll re-evaluate tomorrow' kinda thing RE Bishop.

I think the Stars have a stud goalie down at the next level that they're high on but I don't know if he's even eligible to play and quite frankly I can't imagine anyone other than Dobby at this point anyway. One who brung ya and all that

This year every injury as well as COVID result in unfit to play. There's no more detail given than that due to the pandemic and the league not wanting speculation on individual players.

Khudobin redeemed himself as the game went on, only really terribly punting for that four-minute span of game time.

Bishop came in for one game against Colorado and it went... not well. He's eligible to play, but unless Anton really shits the bed and Bishop looks sharp in relief, it's very doubtful he'd get a start.

While Tampa Bay has to be happy they've evened up the series again, things are still progressing in the Dallas-will-wear-down-the-Lightning narrative. Dallas skaters were tough on Bolts players, sending a fair number to the trainer during last night's game. I'm sticking with my pick of the Lightning for the series, but it's looking like this is going to be a real slog of a Finals. Let's hope its an entertaining slog.

Zaxxon wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2020 7:41 am This year every injury as well as COVID result in unfit to play. There's no more detail given than that due to the pandemic and the league not wanting speculation on individual players.

Correct. Although, the NHL coaches were pushing for "inner body injury" at one point.

Makes those out-of-body injuries really interesting.

lol, that's awesome.

Congrats to the Tampa Bay Lightning. A Stanley Cup champion like no other.

A bit of a different celebration this time around. Glad Cooper and his squad finally got their Cup. I'm definitely going to miss watching hockey this fall though.

Also, I wish I were in a financial situation to bet the hockey playoffs. Here were my round-by-round picks (posted on another site):

PIT (3) — BZZT!
CAR (4) — Ding!
FLA (5) — BZZT!
CLB (4) — Ding!
EDM (4) — BZZT!
ARI (5) — Ding!
MIN (5) — BZZT!
WIN (4) — BZZT!
I went 3 for 8 in Round 0

PHI (6) — Ding ding ding!
TBL (5) — Ding ding ding!
NYI (6) — Ding!
CAR (6) — BZZT!
VGK (7) — Ding!
COL (5) — Ding ding ding!
DAL (7) — Ding!
VAN (6) — Ding ding ding!
7 for 8 in Round 1

NYI (7) — Ding ding ding!
TBL (6) — Ding!
VGK (6) — Ding!
COL (6) — BZZT!
3 for 4 in Round 2

TBL (6) — Ding ding ding!
DAL (7) — Ding!
2 for 2 in Round 3

TBL (6) — Ding ding ding!
Got the Cup right.

Overall: 16 right of the 23 rounds.