Whats goin' on gents? I'd be re-missed if I didn't wish the oh so GRATEFUL LG COMMUNITY a Merry Christmas! Had this typed up prior to the holidays and figured some may appreciate some content for their post Xmas meals on le shitter. Without further a do! Lets have a look into Round 2 in the East.... Round 2 baby; Philadelphia Flyers vs New York Rangers Lets start off in the city of Brotherly Love As anticipated, Philly took it to CBJ round 1 with a convincing 4-0 sweep. @DeeSa Ali has put together a very deep team, and it's showing here as we get into the nitty gritty of the season. CBJ put up a fight 2/4 games, but the fashion on how Philly was able to man handle some portions of the series was quite impressive. With the big 3 up front in @MarcoGoes5H0LE ,@McFleuryyy ,and @l JLP l this allows Philly to have a lethal threat out for every single game in any series as all 3 are capable of carrying the load up the middle. On the back end, @ka2good is a coveted piece to the puzzle as he's been able to give the guys some hard minutes, and on his entry level deal still its a win - win. @JimmyGx89 and @Dieu Charlo as a second D pair on paper just adds to the depth on the back end. Al though its tough to say the set D pairs, With @DeeSa Ali back there as well, you have 4 notable guys available. @DeeSa Ali and @ka2good are more than capable of carrying the load with a weaker D partner if needed which bolsters their depth immensely. In between the pipes, you have the starter in @o S m i i t t y who has proven time and time again he is part of the elite in the cage. Both tenders are quality and for whatever reason Smitty cant play, there's no reason not to have faith in @StL Blues Fan54 who is underrated in his own right. With a D core in front of you that is capable of shutting opponents down night in and night out, both tendys should have a pristine opportunity to continue to flourish in the post-season. Now onto New Yaaaahk NYR fared out quite well as they beat their rival NYI in 5 games. The isles were expected to give the Rangers some push back as @a1xFREAKx13 was able to formulate a competitive team this year. @Im4thLineWorthy , @Givemedings16 , and @Gilleh led the way upfront and will be expected to do so again. My guess is Gilleh will be on his own to spread out some depth upfront. @mferra32 doesn't speak volumes off the paper, but you place him in between unassumingly Dings and 4th, his contract and value grows if he's on his game. He plays the game a lot, and tends to catch some teams off their guard on select nights. Also, @donnybrah is another guy who can do some damage on the wing if hes with Gilleh and Dings. Their "third line" doesn't have any notable names per say, but they play how they need to win. It may not be pretty but these guys are capable of getting that 1 pivotal win required to get the edge in a series. I personally think NYR has a quality blueline, but the only potential problem is that it may be a bit top heavy. @Po1andsFinest and @Lingross are both very respectable D-men and form a top notch game 7 pairing but need to be separated for the purpose of depth and balance throughout the line up. Their "carrying" abilities are strong but it depends how their counter part performs and if they stick to the role. @BizyBounce is the best goalie in this series hands down. This is another reason why NYR are able to get away with a weaker D core if they do opt to go top heavy as Bizzy can stand on his fawkin head all day. It's just like riding his bike for this guy. Both @BizyBounce and @l Murray x 30 l know what it takes to win a cup as both have done it, recently at that. Series Analysis: Forward Edge: Defence Edge: Goalie Edge: Al though Philly's D may have more depth, I think NYR's big boys on the point are just a bit more experienced and know what it takes to win. Al though this is rather contradictory, You know what you're getting out of @Po1andsFinest and @Lingross. @PeteyMaCx11 is a quality Dman as well and capable of manning that 2nd unit. Keys Players to watch: @BizyBounce - Has to play his game and steal 1 for the boys in blue. Keep in mind, he's very capable of this. It's time to for him to bear down and buckle up because he'll face his share of rubber in this one. Experience is rather key, as cliche as it sounds. He shouldn't falter under pressure. @Po1andsFinest - This is not his first rodeo in the bigs. He needs to do what he always does on the point, slow things down and possess the puck. The team needs to run things through him and would be best suited to play with their 3rd line to offer more stability and fire power. He's a very versatile and shifty defence men. @Gilleh - An obvious choice, but he needs to carry and keep playing to his potential. He can take over any game when hes on and cannot be given any open ice or he will eat teams alive, regardless of who his line mates are. The scary thing is he hardly even plays and is still one of the best. @l JLP l - Needs to be on his A game. He's likely tasked with playing with the lower seeded forwards to add to Phillys depth. He's a versatile guy who can open up the ice. He needs to give the guys a quality series. I really like this guys skill set, and believe he's been hidden in the spot light behind Marco and Fleury. I think he'll have a bit of a chip on his shoulder for this one. @Zigg989 - A lot of attention is drawn to Marco which allows the potential for Zig to open things up on the wing. He needs to make good of his opportunity and ice given to him. If hes able to finish and put up some numbers, I like Phillys chances. @o S m i i t t y - A goal tending clinic could be ensued this series. It's plain and simple. Smitty needs to out play Bizz in net. He's a notable goalie who should be up to the task. Philly needs him to give them that first big save and lock things down. If he can remain patient throughout lose puck battles in front of the crease, he should be fine. PREDICTION: in 6. Montreal Canadians vs Ottawa Senators Le Canadians The Habs are coming off of a 5 game series win against Carolina. @Karmuh x 86 , @Gabseh , and @MxnsteR 95 have had immense success all season and it has transitioned into the post season. This is arguably the leagues most consistent line since Week 1. They are a force to be reckoned with, and they are willing to play any game style to win. They are willing to crash the net and put pucks on net by simplifying their game, but look for them to try and work it down low first, as they seem to make a living off of their wraps and slot plays. You have to give this line props as they always seem to find a way to get it done. @Koho is a quality guy who can work his way into any 3 lines if needed. He can carry against weaker opponents and knows his role when hes with some of the higher end guys. @iTz x Luigi x was known as a D-man, but opted to play Centre to avoid a potential bidding war. Still, he's a quality number 2 in between the dots and a great 2way guy unassumingly so. Fellow maritimer, @Dannyy Briere is having a Norris calibre season and seems to have been able to make his mark on the point as well. Hes the leading catalyst for MTL on the point, with great vision/hockey sense with @l HDC l behind him. These two have developed into a great tandem on the point but some question marks stem behind them. Primarily with my boy @GETHESEHANDS. To this day you literally never know what you're going to get from this guy. He will either seek to play like a jack ass due to a lack of interest (he does have a hot gf) or return to his earlier playing days of being a quality top 2 D-man who's reliable and makes that crucial outlet pass. @Charyzen has come onto the scene this season and notably so. He's put together a hell of a regular season and brought his game to round 1 as well. He needs to maintain his play, as I simply don't know how consistent the bottom 4 D-men will perform. I'd like to think this guy can give MTL some big minutes and become a focal point while acclimating himself to a higher paced Round 2. On to the Nations capital, the Ottawa Senators. The Senators managed to stave off elimination in a game 7 OT winner by non other than @Tb ToXiC. Ottawa, being the only lower seeded team to move on, the Senators have no one else to thank other than @BDR Malk 71 for being the only person to show up for the first 40 minutes of game 7. @Tb ToXiC , @PureRippin , and @detee ef can go toe to toe with any number 1 line in the league. Rip and Toxic have both had phenomenal years, and have been playing like absolute beasts this season. @PureRippin is one of the best all around centres in the game, as his Captaincy role for Team Canada speaks volumes about this guy. A lot of friendly surprises and coming out parties for some of the not so well known guys. @Coreymac27 , @SuDzy92 , and @J a IMI e S x22 have been anchors on their respective lines allowing depth throughout the front 9. Finally, having the opportunity to not be surrounded by Florida inbreds, @J a IMI e S x22 has showcased why he is still a force. @Redmile89 and @MiNiNooch l3l are the go to guys on the points. Both men will be separated to even out line ups most likely. Both D-men like to carry the puck and control the play. They need to remain on their toes as match ups will be no easier as they will face a new wave of frenchies. @Darcy Kuemper and @BDR Malk 71 have been lights out and a big reason why the Sens were able to hang around for another week. With @BDR Malk 71 coming out of the woodwork and stealing the starting position, this poses to be one of the most underrated goal tending tandems the league has seen. Both guys have their strengths and the Sens will look to ride these guys hard again. These 2 will ultimately determine the outcome for the Sens in my opinion. Series Analysis: Forward Edge: Defence Edge: Goalie Edge: I truly believe the Forward match ups are closer than what they may seem on paper. Without being biased, I believe MTL has more proven guys up front that SHOULD perform. Game 7 scenario both lines are even, depth will be relied upon for this one. Assuming Frank shows up to play serious, MTL blatantly has the edge on the blue line but the key word here is IF. Ottawa will rely on their respective tendys to give them a few high light real bail out saves once again to make up for lack of potential depth. Key Players to Watch: @Karmuh x 86 - A creative winger who seems to run the majority of the rush with his boys. He can adapt to a run and gun play style and has no problem slowing things down. His wheel house is below the goal line as all 3 of them will look to cycle in low. Karmuh is very lethal from the top of the dots and cannot be given open ice. @MxnsteR 95 - We know hes a quality Centre men, but it will be interesting to see how he fairs against another dominant Centre from OTT. Draws will be huge for possession. He's the foundation of this blossoming line that allows the two wingers to go to work as hes a stable 2way guy who picks his spots right. @I HDC I - Can HDC continue to be the number 1 guy on the left side? He's been playing sound defensive hockey. If he can catch OTT off guard by not going through Briere for every out let, this could open up more problems and lead to greater chances. He needs to take onus of the puck. @PureRippin - A face off specialist, Rip will look to improve OTT possession game through face offs. He's a great 2way Centre who seems to always be in the right place at the right time. He's a focal point in containing some of MTLs top guys and needs to be on his game at all times for the Sens to stay alive. Rip needs to be vocal and call the shots for 60 minutes to keep guys on track. @BDR Malk 71 - It's time to see what this guys made of. He played sensational in his outings in the previous series. Some are still scratching their heads as to who the hell this guy is. BDR needs to remain calm and focused to keep giving OTT those key saves for when they are on their toes. @HeroOfTime17 - Has been a rock for the Sens. He will likely be tested again vs some great talent on MTLs side. He's been great at keeping things simple and getting pucks out which is all you can ask for. He will see a bigger role come his way. The question is, can he handle it? Prediction: in 6 Also good series @Jer Dubz , Boston was a great team and it was a fun series. Sorry for anyone who witnessed @Coreymac27 moaning and getting off into the mic throughout the stream for game 7. We are still waiting for our cardboard dick @TIN045, Corey needs it. Cheers!
Solid analysis.. appreciate the shoutout even if you were just being nice <3 think your auto-correct swapped "shitter" with "quality."
