Mighty Ducks stay Mighty once again

[UNT96]

Ok, you guys could probably care less but I am a hockey fan.

Expect Giguire to be out of there one day after the playoffs to go play for someone... anyone besides Mickey Mouse and his Mickey Mouse paycheck.

[CMJ]

I still don't think Anaheim will win it all. I expect the Easten conference champ to be victorious.

[IronMan4]

I don't know much about hockey, but I was able to crunch numbers well enough to win the fantasy hockey league! (Sorry I had to rub it in CMJ and UNTFan23 ).

I hope Ottowa wins it all. Any team that went bankrupt during the season you gotta pull for.

[CMJ]

The Senators would be great for our neighbors to the north. A Canadian squad hasn't won since Montreal in '93...and it's their national pasttime.

Game 2 of the East finals could be crucial. I think Ottawa needs to hold serve. NJ has been awesome at home this playoff season. If they steal one they might roll in 5.

[CMJ]

BTW, the Ducks are looking like they'll sweep Minnesota. They're about half an hour from being up 3-0.

[Brian]

Giguere is a freak, three straight shutouts, 98 straight shots stopped.

He became the first goalie to open a series with three straight shutouts since Toronto's Frank McCool against Detroit in 1945. (From AP)

Baby gravy.

[CMJ]

Everyone forgot about this thread. As of now NJ is ripping the Ducks(like I figured). Too bad the Devils have a smallish fan base - they have one of the best organizations in *sports* right now, not just hockey.

[UNTFan23]

hey, I knew I wasn't good enough to take 1st or second, but you gotta say that the battle for 3rd was intense...Somehow I managed to squeak out a win in the playoffs for 3rd place despite coming in fourth in regular season.

Wanna talk baseball? Cause you ain't doing so well.

[CMJ]

I didn't do well in hockey either..fantasy sports just aren't my thing apparently.

[UNT96]

Little quick on that huh? NJ won their home games which they are supposed to do, the Ducks are up 2-1 at home going into the 3rd. Don't count the Ducks out just yet, they beat the best 3 teams in the country.

[CMJ]

They did? Ottawa had the best record in the league during the regular season, and the Devils beat them in a war of a series.

NJ *always* has to be included among the best teams. If they win this season it would be their 3rd in 9 seasons...which would tie the Red Wings for the most titles in that span.

Anaheim played a great game tonight and won. I didn't think the Devils would sweep so this wasn't a shocker. Game four is gonna be big, I don't see NJ losing at home in Game 5.

[UNT96]

I can't believe that a West Coater is giving credit to the Eastern conference. We just disagree on who was the best, I don't think that Ottawa could have beat the Red Wings or Dallas in a seven game series. New Jersey is a great hockey team but it doesn't matter what they have done 3 of the last 9 nine years; all that matters is what happens this year. You seem to have the same attitude about The Ducks that a lot of people have about the Mavs; despite having a 60 win season (ties for a league best) and beating two of the best teams in the league in the playoffs. All that matters is how good the team is now, not 9 years ago! I hope people don't continue to look at the Mean Green based on their records from 9 years ago.

[CMJ]

I'm originally from Texas, so I'm not a west coaster. I used the Devils recent history to show they're ALWAYS around the top. It's not a one year thing by any stretch. Don't people combine a franchises achievements as a rule? The 49ers won 4 Superbowl in a stretch of nine seasons in the 80's, and the achievement is what's remembered, not necessairly individual seasons.

To compare Anaheim to the Mavs is a bit unfair to Dallas. They've been a great PLAYOFF team, but their regular season was just average. Dallas was tied for the best record in basketball - a slight difference IMHO.

I think NJ could have had a helluva series with anyone the West coulda offered, so the whole "Western conference is SO much superiour" thing has irriates me. The Devils were fortunate to get past Ottawa, who also could've given a great effort against the Avalanche, Stars, Red Wings, or anyone else you throw up there.

[UNT96]

The Devils were fortunate to get past Ottawa, who also could've given a great effort against the Avalanche, Stars, Red Wings, or anyone else you throw up there.

Yep, all Western teams.

The Ducks have had a fantastic playoff run and even if they lose out (which they probably will) they have shown they are a top 5 hockey team. So dar it is home ice winners though. I watched the Ducks dismantle the Stars. I watched them dismantle the Red Wings; and those were the two teams most bookies had winning it all. While I agree, New Jersey is a "top" team, I just don't see that they are THE top team. But you never know, they might end up on top. I am not impressed with Ottawa at all, they had about as easy a schedule as you can get, playing less than 50% of their games against teams with sub .500 records.

[CMJ]

Well, in a way you're using the same argument against the Sens that folks used against the Mavs. They have the best record, but they can't beat top teams.

In the last 10 or so years I'd say the best squads have been the Wings and the Devils bar none. With Detroit out they are THE top team to me. Heck before the playoffs started I did have them pegged winning it all.

[UNT96]

They (New Jersey) will probably win it. I find myself cheering for the Ducks because I am a glutton for punishment. For some reason I ALWAYS root for the underdog. It sucks because I rarely see one of my teams that I am cheering for win their championship... well, at least until last year and the Mean Green!

I still say that in hockey, it doesn't matter how good you were the year before, or even during the regular season. The playoffs are a whole new season; unlike many other sports. In hockey it is completely normal for a team to get hot and win it all at the 4th, 5th, or even 6th seed. The Ducks have been red hot; but the Devils have clearly cooled them off. The consumate underdog fan in me will be cheering them on all the way though. Half the salary and a name that started out as a joke ina bad Disney movie.... you gotta root for them; they really should not be this far along!

[CMJ]

Hey, I usually root for the underdog too, but I've always kinda liked Jersey(because they're in the shadow of NY and get no respect) AND I picked them, so I gotta stay with'em.

[UNT96]

Evil laugh... ha ha ha ha... Ducks overtime win .29 seconds into OT... reminds me of a certain Dallas game. The momentum has officially shifted.

I don't think NJ has ever been in the shadow of anyone by the way. That is like saying that the Rockets have been in the shadow of the Mavs.. they are just two different teams.

The WEST rules!!!! Go DUCKS!!!! Quack, quack!

[eagle60]

First Angels, now the Ducks. Do we sense a trend here?

Has Southern California cornered the trophy market? When will they have a pro football team?

[CMJ]

I guess you don't know anything about that part of the country '96. NJ is considered part of the NY market(at least where the Devils and Nets play). They don't get much coverage at all in their own area. The Rangers rule the hockey coverage up there.

I'm not sure momentum has shifted. Until Anaheim wins in NJ the Devils have the advantage. It was definitley a clutch effort by the Ducks - and a helluva hockey game.

[UNT96]

Ok, rub it in.. they got their butts kicked tonight. I don't see the Ducks winning two in a row.

[CMJ]

I'm not gonna rub anything in. The Devils won with a style not their own. They must get back to playing defensively becuase though they won I don't see them winning very often with a wide open style.

Having the Home advantage is huge in this series...it'll probably go seven.

[IronMan4]

I think this is very interesting because home ice in hockey had widely been considered not that big of an advantage. But in these Finals, home ice might be the difference.

[CMJ]

Well historically speaking whoever has Home Ice for a series usually wins a good percentage. On a game by game basis it's just over 50%.

[CMJ]

Well the series is about to be tied at 3-3. NJ is gonna have to use their Home advantage to carry them through - this is a crushing defeat.