NHL playoff predictions 2011

[nokids]

Something I don't understand about hockey. When its 5 on 5, and a player breaks his stick, I sometimes see that player do his best to play defense without a stick and fail miserably. The other team recognizes he doesn't have a stick and basically isolate that side of the ice, so it's as if the offense is on a PowerPlay because the defender can only use his body to block a shot or pass. Why doesn't he skate over to his bench and get a new stick? It will take him 10 seconds to do this. His team can play a PK defense for 10 seconds can't they? Seriously, what's worse, being down a man for 10 seconds or being pinned in your zone for a minute without a stick?

[byerxa]

OK, the sky is officially starting to fall in Vancouver. I thought the 'Nucks should have won tonight but sometimes the bounces just don't go your way. It happens. However by lobbing a couple of stinkers in games 4 and 5 they screwed themselves out of the wiggle room you need to absorb such an "unfair" outcome. Now it is severe pucker time Tuesday night in Van city.

[Big Johnny69]

Something I don't understand about hockey. When its 5 on 5, and a player breaks his stick, I sometimes see that player do his best to play defense without a stick and fail miserably. The other team recognizes he doesn't have a stick and basically isolate that side of the ice, so it's as if the offense is on a PowerPlay because the defender can only use his body to block a shot or pass. Why doesn't he skate over to his bench and get a new stick? It will take him 10 seconds to do this. His team can play a PK defense for 10 seconds can't they? Seriously, what's worse, being down a man for 10 seconds or being pinned in your zone for a minute without a stick?

Pablo, if the guy who breaks/loses his stick is the actual guy covering the opposing player with the puck, it would be ill-advised to just leave him have a run to open ice to go and get a stick. At the very least, a guy without a stick can still cut off angles to the net and passing lanes. That is much better than taking off to the bench for a stick leaving your teammates to make a quick zone coverage adjustment.

[nokids]

Pablo, if the guy who breaks/loses his stick is the actual guy covering the opposing player with the puck, it would be ill-advised to just leave him have a run to open ice to go and get a stick. At the very least, a guy without a stick can still cut off angles to the net and passing lanes. That is much better than taking off to the bench for a stick leaving your teammates to make a quick zone coverage adjustment.

I know what I'm saying is like playing Russian roulette, but I don't see how it's more dangerous than watching a guy play without a stick. Maybe the goalie can yell "ZONE D" or something, and the 4 guys remaining can collapse low for a bit until their 5th skater can get a stick. It probably won't work in all situations because if the 4 guys on the ice are not good at PKing, or they are important skilled players on the team, you don't want those guys blocking shots.

[Sakuraba]

...or you could just do what Campbell did to Halpern, just steal your opponent's stick! That's just bad karma & I hope it comes back to haunt Boston tonight.