High Tide Hockey Special: The Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Thoughts

Hey folks, sorry the site's been a bit slow lately. I've been traveling (to London and back) and moving (to Puerto Rico; currently sitting in a Hyatt in Orlando: grabbing a beer with Hit the Post writer King Jafi later).
After some great open threads with good conversation, I thought I'd cover some stray thoughts from throughout the playoffs, based both about media narrative and general play.

• I know we’re a couple games in already, but can this second round be anything but a letdown? The first round was so good that there’s no way this round could even come close to measuring up. Overtime games, plenty of game sevens, overtime game sevens, Loungo getting lit up a few times: the first round had it all.
• Lots of people are making hay about Ryan Kesler being goalless so far; I’d like to point his really freaking low 41.7% OZONE% out to them. I’m probably the only one here that cares though, as my reason for liking him is pure jingoism.
• Philadelphia’s goaltending woes are going to lead to something hilarious happening in the offseason. Count on it.
• Favorite part of the playoffs so far: Nashville advancing to the second round. I’d love to see them do really well: passionate fans, great town, and Barry Trotz jokes for a whole offseason.
• A “hilarious” video was posted on Puck Daddy recently of Bruins fans heckling a Habs fan in the bathrooms at TD Garden, basically implying he was a lady and needed to pee sitting down (not adding a link as I’d rather not support it). I’m sorry, but this is long since not funny. Casual misogyny is disgusting, not hilarious. Someone made the comment about how it was funny until the “f” word for gay men was used. So it’s okay to demean women but not gay men? Jesus. /soapbox
• Steve Downie is my first round Conn Smythe pick. While Tampa was only a single seed lower than Pittsburgh, almost everyone expected a Pens win, and yet Downie’s consistent and strong play (as opposed to, say, Steven Stamkos) in conjunction with a few solid performances by Roloson, got the Lightning over the hump.
• Funny: the Bruins powerplay. Or lack thereof.
• The following are various Flames thoughts:
• Hayley mentioned this in her CHL playoff post, but THE MAXWELL DEMON (Max Reinhart) has been amazing in Kootenay this spring. Just dominant, really.
• I’m still not sure the Flames are sold on Jay Feaster as GM. Maybe it’s optimism on my part, but I think they’re waiting/working on a few candidates whose teams are still in the playoffs or just out of them. Hence Feaster still wearing title of AGM.
• And for those asking, why keep him around right now if you’re going to hire someone else- two reasons: 1. Someone else hasn’t been hired yet. 2. He’d probably stay in the organization either way. I wouldn’t mind him in his pre-Darryl-firing position of Contracts/Not Being Really Aggressive to the Media Assistant GM.
• Early early 2011-12 prognosis: Flames are worse, though not by much. 11th-12th place finish. Frustrating season.
• I’ll be a bit busy again the upcoming weeks, but hopefully I can push out the rest of the M&G roundtables (thanks again guys!) and maybe put some together on the NHL Awards.
• Finally, and most importantly, GO PREDS GO.

by Arik Knapp