With all the Canucks on this board, there has to be some hockey fans. I think Tampa will win in six games. Too much speed, an excellent transition game in the neuteral zone, a defense that has been playing very well, along with outstanding goal tending. The Flames only hope is that Iginla can carry them and and they can steal a couple of games with some outstanding goaltending. Could happen. Should be a great series.

I don't know too much about hocky, but I have been to many pro & amature fights and a hocky game has never broken out! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

If you want to watch some exciting hockey, watch Tampa play. Their transition game at the blue line is amazing in its' quickness. One pass and they are attacking the opponents zone.

As for the fighting, what would you do if some guy came up and hit you with a stick?

I am rooting for the Canucks as the cup has no busness being in sunny Fla. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> This is a Canadan game. Go Flames. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Tampa is great, and very exciting to watch. I hope they do well. I still miss the Russian lines of Detroit when they were kiking azz a few years back! Scotty ... Come back!!!!!!!!

I watched most of the Detroit series, as I am a Red Wings fan. They looked awfully slow compared to Calgary. I think it's time to retool the team and bring in some young blood.

Go Flames. I have always liked Calgary, not sure why. Of course when the Wild are still in the hunt they are my team, but they bowed out early this year. If they Wild dont play, I really dont care who wins, but it sure is a lot more fun to watch than basketball.

Detroit needs to drop some age quickly!!! I am all for having talent and the Wings are very talented but what good is all that talent if it is almost dead?

I don't know if Detroit can lose tha age as most of those guys have fairly good sized contracts too- would have to deal with a lot of teams to get rid of it all.

Teal-The Wings will be playing with canes instead of sticks pretty soon. Hated to see them bow out, but Calgary pretty well kicked their a**.

T Zone- The Wild made a great run last year. I haven't had a chance to catch a game in person yet, although I have family in the Twin Cities. I used to be a huge North Stars fan, but when Green sold the team out and moved to Dallas, I couldn't root for them anymore. Now, they are one of the teams I hope to see lose. I grew up in Chicago watching Bobby and Dennis Hull, and we had a dog named Chico after Chico Mackey. Of course, being a Hawks fan, you don't get to watch the playoffs too often. Gotta go, the second period should be starting, 1-0 Calgary after one on a lucky goal. Calgary looks fast tonight and is hitting hard, should be good.

As a Canucks fan,you have to admire Calgary,they are hungry and willing to pay the price.

Rick,

I dont know. Both teams match up pretty even in speed. I think Calgary is a bit more tenacious. They are the more physical team. Both have outstanding goaltenders and other players that can step up. Iginla scored I think 1 goal in the Detroit series. St Louis and Lecavilier are pretty fun to watch too.

I'm rooting for the Flames. I wanted a Habs/Boston vs Detroit series but alas, no original six for me.


Mac

Shanahan, Schneider, Chelios, and Hull are all free agents.

Look for Schneider to come back and possibly Shanahan. Chelios is still good and can be a helluva mentor for a younger corps. Hey, they re-signed Lidstrom and the Captain says he's not finished.

They definitely need to give some of the younger talent some room to play. If they dont work out, time to shop.



Mac

I love Shanahan but something about him keeps nagging at me I don't know what . Not sure he is a real field general- it doesn't seem to me that he really wants to put the team on his back and take them to the cup. When Dtown first got him there was the talk he could be the next Howe or Gretz- Now ???

I must admit that now that I am in TX I don't get to see much of the Wings only info I get is if my Dad happens to be payin attention.

As for the cup - I'd like to see Calgary take it , then again as long as it isnt the 'Lanch, Rangers (over hyped for nothing!!!) or New Jersy its ok with me.

So much for "Tampa in 6 games", unless you were talkin the other way Rick!( grin)

They'll be gone in 5 more, according to my "hockey is my life - next to shooting" son...
Catnthehat

We'll see how they come out for the next game. TB played a pretty fierce 3rd period, but the short handed goal by Iginla pretty much sealed it for the Flames. I think if you read my original post "The Flames only hope is that Iginla can carry them and and they can steal a couple of games with some outstanding goaltending", it pretty much came through in game 1. Kiprusoff was outstanding in the net, and didn't give up the big rebound. I would have expected more traffic in front of him, but TB may have been a little burnt yet from the last series.

Calgary seems to be hitting harder and really punishing the TB players in the corner. Will be interesting to see if the Flames can keep it up. The Flames definitely won the transition game, and the TB power play looked downright bad at times. Shutting down the TB power play is quite an accomplishment for any team, as their power play killed the Flyers.

I'm a die hard Canuck fan, but (and I NEVER thought I would ever say this) - I've really come to admire the "lunch bucket" type of crew that Calgary has. They have only two bonafide superstars (Iginla and Kiprusof) and the rest of the guys have just outworked the oposition for three straight series - while arguably having less God-given talent. They work their asses off, skate harder, hit more often, listen to their coach better and just plain deserve this cup more than any other team this year. I say Calgary in six.
As far as my beloved Canucks go - there's always next year! And since I live half way between Calgary and Vancouver - who ever said a guy can't have two "favorite" teams? LOL!
BC Brian

They pretty well got their a** handed to them tonight. Kiprusoff really kept them in it as it could have been over at the end of the 2nd except for theoutstanding saves he made. All tied at 1-1 and pretty fiesty at the end. Should be a good game 3.

I STILL say - Calgary in six! They are my new second favorite team, LOL!
Brian

Flames obviously! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

It's been a great series so far. Calgary up 3-2, who woulda thunk it. Khabibulin or Iginla have to be considered for MVP of the series, with Iginla probably getting it if the Flames take the cup. Khabibulin has pretty much kept TB in the series and probably deserves it the most.