So...who ya' got?

[Nyssa42]

I'm still rooting for the Hurricanes, although I actually think they will lose to the Avs in the Final. I haven't been able to follow them much this season - I don't even know the whole roster right now.

sorry, jom.....Rangers won. Inexplicably.

pretty sure all 3 or 4 brackets I made are completely blown because I thought sure the Rangers would choke.

[Sevenhole]

Colorado or Carolina for me

[TooCool]

Ditto.

Other people I am unable to hope succeed:

Corey Perry
Ryan Reaves
Joe Pavelski
David Perron
Mike Smith
Evander Kane
Darnell Nurse

That's a good list.

One person who I also hope never wins the Cup would be Joe Thornton. While I would like the Panthers to win one... I don't want that to happen while he's on that team. I know he hasn't played much this year but damn it, no free rides!!!

[jom]

Well, Calgary just won so we finally get a Battle of Alberta. It'll be a fun watch. Oettenger (sp?) was amazing for Dallas and stopped 60 shots or some such but it wasn't quite enough.

jom

[aragorn]

Rooting for Tampa Bay. It's rare to see a 3x in a row winner I'd like to see it. They are playoff tough and it hasn't happened since 1983... when I was barely watching hockey. And in this salary cap era it's got to be much harder. Barring that, a team that looks more like the old Kings... Calgary and coach Sutter.

[Kurisu]

Oettenger (sp?) was amazing for Dallas and stopped 60 shots or some such but it wasn't quite enough.

Did you see the shot it took to beat him in OT? Calgary is damn lucky to be moving on in that series, Oettinger was doing some kind of telekinesis in net.

[Kurisu]

Fun fact for the Battle of Alberta. The Edmonton Oilers will be paying Lucic $750,000 to play against them. Lol.

DEAD CAP
RETAINED SALARY (1) 2021-22
Milan Lucic $750,000

[KOPI! PEVS!]

I can't see the Oilers going past 4 or 5 against CGY. Loool no.

[RoS]

Pulling for Calgary. A Canadian team plus Toffoli and Lewis!

[Reg or Rog?]

Well, Calgary just won so we finally get a Battle of Alberta. It'll be a fun watch. Oettenger (sp?) was amazing for Dallas and stopped 60 shots or some such but it wasn't quite enough.

jom

As much as I wanted to see The Battle of Alberta, I found myself rooting for Dallas because of their goalie. I got a text from a hockey fan buddy of mine in St. Louis asking me if I was watching the game: "Are you watching this kid Oettinger? I swear he's using Jedi Mind Tricks to stop the puck..."

It was impossible not to root for Oettinger. How he was keeping the puck out of the net that long was mind-blowing. He came close to stealing that game from a superior opponent. Which brings me back to my usual refrain: Yes, a hot goalie can steal a Stanley Cup. For example, take tonight's goalie in Colorado for the Blues. Jordan Binnington had a lot to do with St. Louis hoisting the Cup three years ago. And with that in mind, even though I expect the Avs to go all the way, the Blues will be a tough test if Binnington is dialed-in again.

It should be a fun second round...