Originally Posted by UChieffyBugger:
Last season the stars were one of the worst OT teams in the league. Now it's ironic that they have won 2 out of 3 OT games this playoffs and two of them were crucial. The first one in vegas when we were 2-0. We get that it's 3-0 and game over. Then the one yesterday which could make it 3-3 and a very nervy game 7. Dallas have been good but they are enjoying puck luck right now. Deboar was our last coach and is an expert at making the conference final and failing (did it twice with us) so we'll see what they do this time.
His style will make any team he coaches tough to play against, but I think it also requires a good amount of depth... and I believe he's known for working the shit out of his top guys, counterintuitively in the playoffs. They did seem to wear down in this series, there was definitely more ice for the Avalanche in the past couple games.
He had the talent to win a Cup in SJ and the talent he has this year is equal or better than those teams. He simply didn't have the offensive horses in Vegas, who obviously won a Cup as soon as they got Eichel for a full year and some of their other players developed offensively... they were still a pain in the ass to play against, because dude would play a 1-10 if he had 11 skaters on the ice, but it works in the playoffs if you also have the offensive skill produce.
He doesn't really have an excuse this year to at least make the Finals and give the Rangers a good series, but hockey is a fickle bitch.
And on a sidenote, if the Canucks win their series, it'll be the first time ever that the division winners all made the conference finals.
[Reply]