Stanley Cup Playoff 2021 Live Chats

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Stanley Cup Playoff 2021 Live Chats

Post by bookworm »

Image I set up the usual Chatroom channel for live chatting the Stanley Cup Playoffs! \:D/

There was that qualifier tournament last season but as far as I know the setup is back to normal this year (other than the changed up divisions), though I guess there are questions about if travel to Canada will be allowed if or when that comes into play in the scheduling.

Join #NHL if you're able to be online while you watch, especially if you are rooting for either team playing, and let's have some ToO viewing parties! If you are watching but can't chat during game action you can at least come by to check in during intermissions!

For now just drop by when a game is on and see if anyone else is there, we'll get more organized and hopefully have progressively more attendance as the rounds advance.

Schedule of games, times, and channels
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Post by Catspaw »

Yes, no playoff bubble and no qualifiers this year. The regular season was shortened but everyone was able to play all their games, even if it took a little longer for some teams.

There was some good hockey last night, and OT for the first playoff game, which was fun! I can't promise to make the chat very often but I am excited about the playoffs!
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Post by bookworm »

First time the playoffs have started with three consecutive overtime games.
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Post by Catspaw »

Crazy! I do love some playoff OT. It was also nice that they all still ended in the first OT period, though the longer ones can be fun too! There was a lot of good goaltending in the Vegas/Wild game. That was a bummer for Fleury. I thought he would be the one with the shutout, but apparently I am not all-knowing. ;)
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Post by Bob »

Maybe my experience with the Stars has spoiled me, but I feel like it isn't a real playoff series if there aren't at least some OT games, and my expectation for a real Stanley Cup win is that the last game will be in deep OT.

The playoff format is different from the 2014 standard, forced by the new divisional layout and coronacrisis restrictions:

The old playoff format was half-divisional, with the top three teams from each division making it in, plus the top two teams otherwise (in 'wildcard' slots). Seeding was effectively locked in from then, until the Cup Finals, where the better regular season recording determines seeding.

The new playoff format is strictly divisional; the top four teams from each division make it in. They play each other in three series, 1v4 and 2v3, then the winners of each of those for the division title. Then after the division winners are determined, the divisional winners are reseeded based on regular season performance. This series is, chronologically, the equivalent to the old Conference Finals, so it is unusual in that respect. In the 2014 standard there was no reseeding until the Finals; in the pre-2014 standard, there was reseeding after every round.
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Post by Catspaw »

Yay! Another hockey fan! \:D/ Thanks for sharing that info, Bob. I know some people like the idea of the current format, though it is most likely just for this year out of necessity.

It's crazy for me to see so many fans in the stands! I think they said 12,000 in Carolina. Meanwhile, we're still focused on surviving the third wave in Canada. I'm a little envious, not going to lie.
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Post by bookworm »

How is it that most of the series have played 3-4 games so far but one has only played one?
I haven't been paying much attention to what's been going on yet, I just noticed this while checking the latest bracket update.
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Post by Bob »

I'm not sure exactly why, but the distinction that jumped out is that the 'late' series is in Canada. My first assumption would be that there is some difference between countries' procedures that is causing the holdup.

That said, in reality, it looks like scheduling is just wacky this season. Montreal's last game before the playoffs was on the 12; Calgary's was on the 19th. That's a week's worth of difference for no obvious reason. You could give as good a guess as I could.
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Post by Catspaw »

Yes, the Canadian playoff series' were delayed due to some Covid delays. The Vancouver Canucks missed over three weeks due to Covid (most of the team got hit with a variant even though they were following the rules) so that caused games to have to be pushed back a bit, even with making the Canucks play a lot of games very close together. The Canucks and Flames actually played several games after the playoffs already started, since the games still have to be played but they both were entirely out of playoff contention, so the other teams could move forward at that point. That's the reason why the last game for the Flames was so much later than for Montreal - they still had to make up games against the Canucks. It's been a weird year!

Some of the Canadian games are going to be closer together to try to make up for the later start, so it should almost even out. Of course, in the playoffs a series can go four games or up to seven games, so disparities often arise at some point regardless of how the regular season scheduling went. In the Jets vs. Oilers series, they play Sunday night and then Monday night again, which is very unusual in the playoffs.
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Post by bookworm »

Down to four.
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Post by Catspaw »

Yes, there are some teams that are more surprising than others in the third round! I was surprised that Vegas won last night. I really thought the Avs would drag it out to a seventh game and then win. I'm guessing nobody (other than a few hardcore Habs fans) picked Montreal to make it this far! Good for them for fighting their way through.
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Post by bookworm »

Catspaw wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 6:29 pmI'm guessing nobody (other than a few hardcore Habs fans) picked Montreal to make it this far!
They just made the final!
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Post by Catspaw »

bookworm wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:35 pm
Catspaw wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 6:29 pmI'm guessing nobody (other than a few hardcore Habs fans) picked Montreal to make it this far!
They just made the final!
Craziness! That was an awesome game last night. I love Carey Price! \:D/ I will definitely be cheering for them in the final, regardless of who wins tonight.
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Post by bookworm »

Lightning are the other team, seeking a second championship in a row.
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Post by Catspaw »

I was cheering for the Islanders by the time they pulled off that awesome game six win at home, plus Montreal vs. NYI would be a classic matchup, but the Lightning are just a great time. This should be a great series.
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Post by bookworm »

Tampa Bay takes game one.

I wouldn't have usually been able to watch this one, being one of the NBCSN broadcasts, but it was also put on Peacock and I just happen to currently have a promo active for free Premium so I was able to stream it.
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Post by Catspaw »

I was busy part of the evening but watched most of the second and third periods. I could have skipped watching the blood stream down Gallagher's face, plus I'm cheering for the Canadiens, so all in all, not an ideal game. ;) I'm glad you got to watch, bookworm! I hope you get to watch the rest of the series. In Canada it's free to watch or stream through CBC (and on Sportsnet as a paid service, which includes more pregame and postgame stuff) but I'm guessing that Americans will be geoblocked. Usually I'm the one getting geoblocked from American stuff. ;)
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Post by bookworm »

Yes, the other NBCSN one (next game) is also on Peacock, then the rest is all on NBC. So this is actually the first time I'll be able to watch every game in the series.
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Post by Catspaw »

That's great! Hopefully there's more good hockey to watch. I love having hockey in June, and soon July!
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Post by bookworm »

Literal last second goal to end the second period! :o
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