The regular season normally features a great difference between the best and worst teams, fairly similar to the NBA. So with such a long playoff duration, also like the NBA, how is upset frequency similar to MLB, where the playoffs are ridiculously short for how much luck plays a factor in the game.
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The defense seems to rise another notch for the playoffs. Players actually play harder because there is nothing left of the season if you lose; I think this creates more of a stalemale between the teams and the games become even more of a coin-flip. This year has been especially pronounced in this regard as parity in the top half of the league seems quite good. And LOL @ the 1st round of the NBA. So bad.Comment -
Okay, I generally don't watch hockey (partly because it's hard to find it), so I was just curious from a mathematical perspective. NHL playoff games are low-scoring, if what you say is true? What'd you not like about the NBA playoffs so far? I haven't watched most of the games.Comment -
In hockey your best player may be on the ice for like 30% of the game. In the NBA it can be 90% or more of the game. I think the story starts and ends here.Comment -
its because there are no really powerhouses anymore, just your average teams who can get beat any given nightComment -
There aren't many upsets. I don't consider a Canadiens win over the Capitals as an upset. The issue is that the lines have been too unrealistic.Comment -
after the way the wings destroyed phoenix last night i think bettman just wanted 3 home games for his bankrupt team. detriot could have took that 1 in 5.
look for the same shit kicking tonight when caps pound frog.
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Goalies. They have the ability to steal games on their own whereas in other sports such as football, and baseball it's much harder to be a one man wrecking crew. I expect the Habs to hang around early but the Caps should pull away in the end and win by 2-3 goals.Comment -
A lot of good teams had bad years for one reason or another. Seeding can be misleading.Comment -
It is the playoffs. Teams see the end of the tunnel and the big cup at the end. Tends to make them play at the top of their game longer.Comment -
The games arent rigged like the NBA. The NHL has no exposure it doesnt matter who is in the finals- americans dont care anyways. Look at last year that dikkface Bettman made the wings and pens play on b2b nights in the stanley cup finals and let nbc have the games for free. Its anyones game in hokcey. Will you ever see a 8th seed make the NBA finals and win?Comment -
Hey Guys, To be honest to win money in the playoffs you need to look at head to head match history. For instance look at the opening Series lines...
Montreal went 2-2 vs Washington during regular season: MON to win Series line 5.00+
Bruins went 4-2 vs Sabres during regular season: Bruins to win series 2.50 +
Phili went 5-1 vs Devils during regular season: Phili to win series 2.50+
I bet on all three of these, how could you not with those kind of odds. Very relevent towards NBA I nailed Magic hard to beat Boston the other playoffs got 7.65 to win series, they went 3-1 or something against the Celtics during regular season!!!! Morons at the books making lines for idiot bettors, ITS ALL ABOUT MATCHUPSComment -
Why are there so many upsets in hockey?
Because it's hockey!
Hockey goes wilder in playoffs. It's a really crazy sport specially during playoffs.Comment -
because, as i said several times before the playoffs started, post-season is completely different from regular season. Caps lost cause, again i warned you all, they have zero toughness or goaltending. and they ran into a very hot goalie.
i bet the Habs in game one, game six and game seven.
every team brings intensity and their best game nightly in the playoffs. caps built for regular season, all scoring, no defense, no toughness and shaky net minders.Comment -
goaltending and defense wins in the playoffs!Comment -
These hockey playoff games have been very unpredictable so far.Comment -
Interestingly, all four favorites won in the West. All of the upsets were in the East with the 1, 2 and 3 seeds falling, but in retrospect, all of them could have been predicted. The Flyers gave the Devils fits all year, the Bruins had the second best defense in the NHL this season, and the Capitals are shaky on defense and in net.Comment -
habs was niceComment -
Hockey is the only sport that seriously changes when the playoffs are reached. Style, grit, etc are bumped up a notch. Only in the NHL will see this many upsets, as some great regular season teams (washington) dont have what it takes to excel in the playoffs.
Go Flyers.Comment -
Yotes were 4th seed no? i took Detroit for con and cup, but did it knowing their goalies are average, at best.
i bet the Flyers to win series and Habs just individual games. thought Buffalo would do better as they came in hot and have a solid goal tender. blowing that 2-0 lead in game game 4 sealed it. Brodeur was awesome vs Pens, but under .900 save % vs rest of NHL.
i would add to the Caps, they are not tough enough. not mean enough. only grit comes in the form of cheapshots from Ovie. i watched caps pens this year and Greene, Poti and gosh darnit i forgot the other D guy, but they did not like contact.
the playoffs are about toughness and sacrifice. it is about knowing you are going to get hammered, but making the play anyway. the last two Wash/Mon games looked like regular season. where was the physicality? Pens used it in game 6 to go from down 3-0 to winning the series.
Pens in 4 or 5, i can't decide. no way in hell you can keep giving up 40+ shots per game and continue to win. and my doubts about Pittsburgh go out the window as they have home ice through-out now and a much easier path to Finals than first predicted.Comment -
Also, I do NOT like Penguins this year, they are worst defensive team remaining in the playoffs. At this point, I'd shop around for BRUINS Eastern Conference futures. I still like Blackhawks to win the Cup though.Comment -
there is no home ice advantage in NHL, it's just who plays better on that given nightComment -
They need to fill the arenas for extra ticket sales. Look at the Coyotes/Red Wings series. The Coyotes are bankrupt and are owned by the NHL so they tell Detroit to lose at home last Saturday so they can sell one more home game for the Coyotes and recoup some of the money they lost this year. Then Detroit goes there and annihilates them.Comment -
been a crazy ride in the playoffs so farComment -
Well...the answer is, as others have said, is a goalie (and a team playing pretty good defense in front of him) can steal a series all by himself.
And that's what you saw in the Montreal/Washington series. In the last three games of the series, Halak played out of his mind.
Halak and Washington going like 1 for 32 or 33 on the powerplay is why the Caps are breaking out the golf clubs and the Habs are still playing...
DocComment -
Because you play the same team every other night and play based on your opponent. Adaptation is a funny thing. Mostly because a goalie can stand on his head and win a series.Comment -
i'll say it again, the nhl is the easiest sport to handicap, follow these pieces of advice:
never bet on game 1... ever... i mean ever
if the favored team loses game 1 at home, take the ml for them in game 2
you'll make money using this advice in the nhl playoffs. 5-0 during the first round alone. i take this bet every season. rarely ever loses.Comment -
definitely has to be goaltending. that was the difference in the Montreal series. It was the difference (combined with Chris Pronger) when Edmonton 8th seed made the Stanley Cup finals. there aren't really that many upsets in NHL either. Besides Montreal, what were upsets? Detroit 5th seed beating 4th seed? no. And Boston and Philadelphia are strong teams. When you have everyone healthy in the playoffs, it's hugely different than during the regular season where guys are injured or sick. If Montreal gets by Pittsburgh which will never happen, that would be an upsetComment
