The Official National Hockey League Appreciation Thread

[KarateKen]

3 hours ago, sensei8 said:

{{whispering….. I don’t want to jinx my Knights…so…go knights}}

Welllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll....you didn't!   Though it looked like it at first, Colorado scored three goals in the first to take a 3-0 lead into the first intermission, but from then on it was all Vegas,  Knights come all the way back and win 5-3, taking a 3-0 series lead with a chance to sweep it and win the Western Conference Tuesday night on their home ice.  Entering this game Vegas was 0-19 all time in the playoffs when falling behind by three goals, Colorado was 74-1 all time in the playoffs when having a three-goal lead.  

What a shocking result and what a shocking series.  What a game too, tons of action.  Very exciting. 

[sensei8]

17 hours ago, KarateKen said:

Welllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll....you didn't!   Though it looked like it at first, Colorado scored three goals in the first to take a 3-0 lead into the first intermission, but from then on it was all Vegas,  Knights come all the way back and win 5-3, taking a 3-0 series lead with a chance to sweep it and win the Western Conference Tuesday night on their home ice.  Entering this game Vegas was 0-19 all time in the playoffs when falling behind by three goals, Colorado was 74-1 all time in the playoffs when having a three-goal lead.  

What a shocking result and what a shocking series.  What a game too, tons of action.  Very exciting. 

My fingers and toes and legs and arms and eyes and whatever else I can cross for my Knights to sweep Colorado and return to the Stanley Cup.

GO KNIGHTS!!

[KarateKen]

Carolina wins an OT thriller 3-2 in Montreal and takes a 2-1 lead in the series.  Big game four on Wednesday, either the Canadians tie it up for the Hurricanes will be up 3-1 with a chance to close it out at home.  

STAY TUNED!!!!!

 

[KarateKen]

Vegas Golden Knights can take out the brooms, they sweep the Colorado Avalanche in four games, and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.  Vegas wins 2-1 as Colorado made a push to tie it at the end, but the Knights hang on and advance.  They now face the winner of the Canadians/Hurricanes series. 

[KarateKen]

Hurricanes shut down the Canadians in game four, 4-0, and take a 3-1 series lead back to Carolina on Friday.  A chance to win the conference on home ice and advance to play Vegas in the finals.  

[KarateKen]

The Carolina Hurricanes finish off the Candianos in game five 6-1, outscoring Montreal 10-2 in the final two games.  They will face the Golden Knights in the Finals.  Here is the schedule for the finals:

Game 1: Tuesday June 2 in Carolina (fun fact: June 2 is also the birthday of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman)

Game 2: Thursday June 4 in Carolina

Game 3: Saturday June 6 in Vegas

Game 4: Tuesday June 9 in Vegas

Game 5: Thursday June 11 in Carolina

Game 6: Sunday June 14 in Vegas

Game 7: Wednesday June 17 in Carolina

All games are at 8pm eastern time and can be watched on ABC.  You can also stream them on Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, and, I believe, ESPN+. Games 5.6. and 7, are if necessary, as always. 

The final battle for the 2026 Stanley Cup winner is set. 

[sensei8]

On 5/29/2026 at 8:08 PM, KarateKen said:

The Carolina Hurricanes finish off the Candianos in game five 6-1, outscoring Montreal 10-2 in the final two games.  They will face the Golden Knights in the Finals.  Here is the schedule for the finals:

Game 1: Tuesday June 2 in Carolina (fun fact: June 2 is also the birthday of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman)

Game 2: Thursday June 4 in Carolina

Game 3: Saturday June 6 in Vegas

Game 4: Tuesday June 9 in Vegas

Game 5: Thursday June 11 in Carolina

Game 6: Sunday June 14 in Vegas

Game 7: Wednesday June 17 in Carolina

All games are at 8pm eastern time and can be watched on ABC.  You can also stream them on Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, and, I believe, ESPN+. Games 5.6. and 7, are if necessary, as always. 

The final battle for the 2026 Stanley Cup winner is set. 

GO KNIGHTS!!

[KarateKen]

Carolina opens as the favorite, and a fan poll of over 19,000 people voted 69% that Carolina will win the series. They will have home ice advantage being that they had the better record during the regular season.  Hurricanes had 113 points in the regular season, most in the east and second highest total in the league. They have gone 12-1 in the postseason, have won their last four games, and dominated the past two games winning by a score of 10-1.  They never fell behind in a game during the opening round sweep against the Senators. 

Vegas was inconsistent during much of the regular season and with eight games left were on the edge of missing the playoffs.  Then they changed coaches, and since that time they have looked like a different team.  They got hot and went on to win the Pacific Division.  Hart and Karlsson, both who were injured for much of the regular season, are back and playing great.  Vegas was a big underdog against Colorado and won in four games.  They are 12-4 in the playoffs and are on a six-game winning streak. 

History says that this is the third appearance in the SCF for both teams.  Carolina made it in 2002 and 2006.  Vegas in 2018 and 2023.  Both teams have raised the Cup once, Carolina in 2006 and Vegas in 2023.  Carolina has a much longer history since they started in 1997, but actually 1972 because they were the Hartford Wahlers originally, then moved to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1997.

Both teams are strong on defense.  It could be a low scoring series and when that happens the team that scores first often has a big advantage.  I am looking forward to it.  Enjoy the Stanley Cup Finals!