Game 1 - Senators vs. Maple Leafs - 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs

[n_v]

Ok well it's the Battle of Ontario 2004. Regular season is over and for what its worth the Leafs have the season edge over the Sens 4-1-1. Wednesday night (possibly Thursday night)will be the start of the real season. Let the games begin .... YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW, can we keep the flaming to other threads? God knows we have enough threads where we flame each other about this rivalry. Just wondering if we could keep this to "constructive" hockey talk. Both teams have over 100 points. As such, both teams have many strengths and are worthy to be in the playoffs.

 

[blitz]

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO, let the late nights, bad food and too much beer commence! C ya'll in detox around mid June. l

 

[n_v]

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO, let the late nights, bad food and too much beer commence! C ya'll in detox around mid June. l

LMAO! Right on! This is going to be a great series. Both teams finished the last stretch run strong and the Sens will be looking for some revenge for the pounding they took on the last game of the season from the Leafs. Lalime is going to be back while Toronto has Steady Eddie between the pipes. Ottawa's potent offence against the physical play of the Leafs.. Looking forward to some great hockey.

 

[Cardinal Fang]

And more crap from Jim Pansey......

 

[ToronToto]

Too bad NJ didn't at least tie Boston. The Sens thread could've been ignored till next season, oh well.

 

[GlavaMan]

They will probably start the series on Thursday. You know there will be a Sat. game for HNIC and starting Wed. would leave too many days in between games 1 & 2.

 

[Ranger68]

Wow, the Devils really tanked that last game. I think they're in trouble - no Stevens, Rafalski playing hurt - I don't like their D much any more .... I'd put money on Boston, with home ice advantage.
Anyway, should be another bitter series between the Leafs and Sens. The Leafs play best when they're pissed.
Two injury returnees - one from each team - will have big impacts in this one - Lalime and Klee.
Too bad there's three days off.

 

[Virgo]

Go Leafs, Go!!!

Thats right folks, let the games begin, Go Leafs, Go!!!

 

[GlavaMan]

Ranger,

Boston is going to face the Habs in Rd. 1
NJ gets the Flyers.

 

[n_v]

So any predictions for game one?
Final score? Yes/No to overtime?
Game winning goal?

 

[n_v]

I'm all for leaving the flaming, and none sense out of this thread. I have a lot of respect for Ottawa talent wise, and don't think a win for either team will be easy.

May the best team win. I know Toronto will not be slacking for this one, and after a long bitter yr since last years first round exit, I'm expecting the Leafs to show great emotion in this series. I hope its a short sweet Leaf series win in no more then 5 games.

Scubadoo, Goober and any others looking to slap down a wager with me.. now is the time. This is what we all wanted to see a showdown of Ontario..

Kathleen - I'm in ... Ottawa wins you do a whole spread on your website wearing Ottawa shirt, hats, tatoos and hold some sign on one pic proclaiming that the Ottawa Senators are the best hockey team. .. Sound alright?

 

[n_v]

Is that all?..lol
Well, I have no Sens shirts, but sure I could find something. Though I can't very well add photos all over my site, I can add some to my gallery under the heading "lost bet'.

What's in this for me though? I'd like to see the same of you. Maybe paint a blue Leaf on your chest, and get one of the 'go leaf go' signs from the Toronto sun.

Kathleen - There lots of stores that carry Sens jerseys, hats and the like. And yes I was thinking of you doing a gallery and not pics all over the site . But more pics than just a couple (something sexy maybe even ). Don't know about the paint, but I could put on a Leaf jersey and hold one of those 'go leaf go' signs from the Toronto Sun. Cool?

 

[revolver]

This is what we all wanted to see a showdown of Ontario..

Not me. I wanted to see Toronto-Montreal ... Maybe next round.

 

[n_v]

Kathleen - Great. Deal. But you have to be a sport about it and put on a smile .

Back to the series and Game 1. game 1 is set for Thursday night at the ACC followed by a Saturday night tilt at the Hanger. for Game 2. Ottawa needs to come out fast and capitalize early. The Sens should use the 6-0 drubbing as motivation and show the Leafs, and the fans for that matter, that this series will be no walk over for the Leafs. This series reminds me of the Battle of Alberta of the 80's only this in our front yard. wooooohooooooo!!! Can't wait.

 

[Ranger68]

Oh, yeah - Boston vs. Montreal and NJ vs. Philly.
We'll stick with Boston, and go with Philly to stomp NJ. Watch out for Burke, fellows - I think he's primed for one last go at the post-season. Forget Esche - Sean's the man.

 

[n_v]

Oh, yeah - Boston vs. Montreal and NJ vs. Philly.
We'll stick with Boston, and go with Philly to stomp NJ. Watch out for Burke, fellows - I think he's primed for one last go at the post-season. Forget Esche - Sean's the man.

Ranger68 - Can we keep the focus on this thread which is the Sens vs. leafs series (Game 1 specifically). No offense intended Ranger68.

 

[Ranger68]

Okay, sure.
Leafs in four.

 

[Goober Mcfly]

Scubadoo, Goober and any others looking to slap down a wager with me.. now is the time.

Name your poison...

 

[Chivas Regal]

Chivas' Psychic Predictions...04

Here we go,

Game 1- Sens 3 Leafs 1 MT net goal secures win.
Game 2- Leafs 2 Sens 0
Game 3- Leafs 1 Sens 0 Double OT
Game 4- Leafs 3 Sens 2 First OT
Game 5- Leafs 4 Sens 1

After losing to Sens in the first game the Leafs will roar back, after much negative publicity in T.O. They will sequester themselves for the rest of the first round and come back stronger as a team! Belfour WILL be the MVP of the series and Roberts and Nieundiek will lead the team.

Chivas <Go Leafs Go> Regal

 

[Ranger68]

Okay, here's my real take.

The Leafs need Klee back less than the Sens need Lalime back. I think Prusek, as a much younger goalie, doesn't have the confidence to lead this team yet, especially after that last bad game against the Leafs. If Lalime can't play, the Leafs will win hands down. Klee's the type of big defenseman the Leafs need against more of a physical team, but they *may* be able to get by this series without him. (That having been said, he was THE MOST important signing they made in the last calendar year.)

If Lalime comes back fine (sorta begs the question here, but oh well), it's going to be a tough series. As the previous three matchups between these teams demonstrated, you can toss out the results of the head-to-head games - just too small a sample to be useful.

The Leafs have more injury woes on top of Klee, though - Nolan and Tucker. This will hurt the physical game of their forwards appreciably. On the other hand, the Sens can probably live without Spezza for a series or two, if necessary (at this point, I'd guess he's probable for Game One, but who really knows at this time of year).

TO was 8 games over .500 at home, 13 games over on the road, while Ottawa was +15 at home, +5 on the road. This leads me to believe that home ice isn't critical in the series, although Ottawa was a *distinctly* better home team than road team.

I really think the series is too close to call. If Ottawa can gain a split in the first two TO games, I'd guess then that the series would go seven games, and whoever won the last game in TO would advance. If either team sweeps the first two, game over in five or six.

Now, let's hope for a furious but CLEAN series, full of intensity, but devoid of comic sideshows and cheap-shotting.

Go Leafs.