2025-26 OOTS: Playoffs Edition

[Carl Yagro]

If Torts wins his 2nd cup, look for teams to say fuck no to "safe spaces".

Only in pr0n can you succeed with a bunch of p***ies.

[Meds]

Only in pr0n can you succeed with a bunch of p***ies.

Even then it's not as good without the odd dick and assholes.....

[Cousin Strawberry]

The Carolina crowd chanting "no means no" (at Carter Hart) was pretty funny

[Meds]

The Carolina crowd chanting "no means no" (at Carter Hart) was pretty funny

I suspect he will have the last laugh.

[Lancer]

Ya gotta love that shit.

[Cousin Strawberry]

Holong will it take for Barbashev to eliminate Ehlers from the canes lineup? Dude can change a series with his hitting

[Hockey Widow]

Holong will it take for Barbashev to eliminate Ehlers from the canes lineup? Dude can change a series with his hitting

Is Holong a new Asian player?

[Cousin Strawberry]

Holong will it take for Barbashev to eliminate Ehlers from the canes lineup? Dude can change a series with his hitting

Is Holong a new Asian player?

Far west Asian... apparently

[Carl Yagro]

This might be jumping the gun a bit, but what do y'all think happens to the 'Canes and Brind'Amour if they can't close this out after eight consecutive tries with four Conference Finals and finally a Finals?

Where do they go from here? What tweaks can they make?

There's still a window, but it might be starting to close just a wee bit.

Holong does this team have left?

[donlever]

Jason Robertson and Elias Petterson.

[Carl Yagro]

Holy heck, what a comeback!

We got ourselves a series.

[Meds]

Holy heck, what a comeback!

We got ourselves a series.

That comeback came courtesy of the Zebras.

[donlever]

15 points ahead in my 5K pool after last night.

Reviewed second and third donkeys teams.

Can't be caught.

Show.

Me.

The.

Money.

[UWSaint]

Holy heck, what a comeback!

We got ourselves a series.

That comeback came courtesy of the Zebras.

Did it?

It looked to me that Anderson was on the puck and Barbashev (I think) wedged his stick under the goalie and poked it in. To be sure, it’s a close call on the facts — if the puck is “free” a skater has equal rights to it as the goalie. If it’s not free and the refs call it a goal, it is courtesy of the zebras because that’s a not a rule to “bend” in the playoffs or otherwise.

As far as the ot penalty, it’s a no brainer call. Simple trips can be embellished and will often go ignored come overtime, but that was a can opener, and the ref had a great angle on it. Can openers are second to only delay of game and high sticking as plays the refs will still call when the whistles are otherwise swallowed.

[Meds]

Holy heck, what a comeback!

We got ourselves a series.

That comeback came courtesy of the Zebras.

Did it?

It looked to me that Anderson was on the puck and Barbashev (I think) wedged his stick under the goalie and poked it in. To be sure, it’s a close call on the facts — if the puck is “free” a skater has equal rights to it as the goalie. If it’s not free and the refs call it a goal, it is courtesy of the zebras because that’s a not a rule to “bend” in the playoffs or otherwise.

As far as the ot penalty, it’s a no brainer call. Simple trips can be embellished and will often go ignored come overtime, but that was a can opener, and the ref had a great angle on it. Can openers are second to only delay of game and high sticking as plays the refs will still call when the whistles are otherwise swallowed.

Perspectives I suppose.

My view was that while the puck was in the crease it was not under Anderson yet when Barbashev went for it with his stick. That puck was loose when both Anderson and Barbashev's stick got to it at the same time. When you look at where the puck comes out from underneath Anderson it's clear that the goaltender did not have control of the puck, or at least no more control than Barbashev did.

If you want to go on the argument of "dead play" due to the whistle going prior to the puck crossing the line, sure. No goal. But that's not why they called it "no goal", they called it "goaltender interference", and there was no goaltender interference there. Had they called it on the whistle, then Tortorella has no challenge and there's no delay of game. It's now a different scenario than what unfolded. But Torts made the right challenge and on the merits of "goaltender interference" the league got it wrong.

As for the call in OT, I have watched a few blatant trips in OT frames this year that have occurred right in front of the officials and they have gone completely uncalled, the one in OT on Hutson (game 6 or 7 vs Buffalo) was even more obvious than that comes immediately to mind.

Vegas dominated that game and I think Carolina was a bit lucky to score the goals in regulation that they did. As one commentator put it in the 2nd intermission, they had not heard the Carolina fans this quiet in a long time as they headed into the 3rd period down 2-0. We know the league wants game management happening in the post-season. I don't for a second think they have a favourite outcome in this series, but they want as many games as possible for revenue purposes. If the series had gone back to Las Vegas with the 'Canes down 2-0, I think it's over in 5, and a sweep entirely possible. Now? I can't see it being over in less than 6.