NHL Trade Deadline Options

[ThunderEvermore]

What a day so far.

Brian Campbell goes to the Sharks
Brad Richards goes to the Stars
Caps pick up Cristobal Huet!!!

I'm excited.

Reactions, thoughts, predictions?

[ThunderEvermore]

2/3 from yesterday's games.

Ottawa played a great game for 40 minutes. But what happened in the next 10 was what sealed their death in this series. Two goals, one a mere 12 seconds into the period, and about a minute later, crushed the 1-1 tie Ottawa had going into the 3rd. They couldn't rally back in the last period, giving up another goal before the night's end.

It looked like the end of the Predators. And then, much like the last game, they scored twice within 9 seconds, add another tally later in the period and the Music City boys rallied back from a possible sweep, and brought life back into this series. Now if they can bring that kind of offense to every period, rather than just the third, then they could have a chance of being a huge upset to the Red Wings.

That makes three 3-2 games in OT in a row for the Avalanche and the Wild. This time the Wild took it, despite some rough play and a boatload of penalties in the second period. Both Theodore and Backstrom played amazingly, stopping damn near everything that came at them. This series will only get hotter as the games press on.

So far:
Predicted series winner
Current series winner

East
Habs (2) - Bruins (1)
Pens (3) - Sens (0)
Caps (1) - Flyers (1)
Devils (1) - Rangers (2)

West
Wings (2) - Predators (1)
Sharks (1) - Flames (2)
Wild (2) - Avs (1)
Ducks (0) - Stars (2)

Tonight's Games:
Montreal @ Boston
Washington @ Philadelphia
Anaheim @ Dallas
San Jose @ Calgary
Minnesota @ Colorado

Look for:
Boston to pull another great rally against the Habs. Since a crushing defeat in game one the Bears have been playing better and better. And in game three they showed what they can really do, taking a 2-1 win over the hockey legends. Boston, especially being at home, could pull another win tonight. Don't expect the Habs to go down without a fight though, as last game's lost will only be fuel for their fire. It'll be as close a game as any, but I give it to the Bears.

Washington has yet to follow a whitewash without a win this season, and hasn't lost at the Wachovia Center in more than two years. Statistically that puts this game in our favor, but we all know in hockey stats don't mean shit. If the Caps can play desperate, live or die hockey like they had the last seven games of the regular season, like they did in the third period of game one, there's no chance for the Flyers. But if we falter once again, if we keep up this scaredy cat routine we've been pulling on the ice as of late, we will not last this series. We need to tighten defense, work on the forecheck, and SHOO THE GODDAMNED PUCK!! The Caps will rally, the Caps will win, and since they just got shut out, I'm gonna go out on a whim and say we will demolish the Fly Boys tonight.

Dallas looks to put another nail in the former Cup holder's coffin, and with home ice advantage, they certainly can. The Stars have been playing some excellent hockey, peppering Giguere with enough bullets to make Bonnie and Clyde cringe. And Turco has been unstoppable, with second place GAA (1) and third place SV% (.956). I thought this series would be a bit closer, but it seems that the tilt is in favor of Dallas, and a possible sweep.

San Jose swallowed a loss at home, but not without a HUGE first five minutes. But once the defeated Kiprusoff was pulled and Curtis Joseph put between the pipes, the Sharks couldn't put any in the net. Give credit to Nabakov, he made an excellent effort at the crease, but with the Sharks' power play going dead, even he couldn't pull a win out of it. Nabakov will keep up his excellent play, it will be interesting to see who Calgary puts in the crease. Look for another close game, but the Sharks will take the home ice advantage, and hopefully a bit more of the play they were having in the first five minutes of game three.

Minnesota. Colorado. Wild. Avs. It's basically a coin flip at this point. Both are playing great games, the Wild a bit rougher than the Avs. I'm doubting this one goes into overtime. Backstrom is on his game right now, and is holding the Avs destiny in his hands. My thoughts, Nick crushes it, Wild wins.