rick@ucla-cs.UUCP (04/26/85)
<<< the puck used to stop here, but it doesn't come here anymore >>>
Some various ramblings about the playoffs:
Will Edmonton ever play a team with all its players? Last year they
coasted through Minnesota and the Islanders after both teams had
been decimated by injuries. This year they hit Winnipeg with its
Hawerchuk down.
Why do the Islanders play better with their backs to the wall? Look
for some house cleaning with Gillies traded to some schmuck team for
a first round pick (Hartford?).
Does anyone in the Norris division play defense?
Will the Montreal-Quebec survivor have anything left for their next
opponent?
Will Philadelphia start believing the hype about the Islanders
ability to come back?
--
Rick Gillespie
rick@ucla-cs
...!{cepu|ihnp4|sdcrdcf|ucbvax}!ucla-cs!rick
"She turned me into a newt! . . . I got better."lake@alberta.UUCP (Robert Lake) (04/30/85)
In article <5045@ucla-cs.ARPA>, ucla-cs!rick asks 5 questions, and
here are the answers:
Yes (but it wouldn't affect the outcome)
Do they?
No
No
Nocjsgro@watrose.UUCP (cjsgro) (05/01/85)
In article <5045@ucla-cs.ARPA> rick@ucla-cs.UUCP writes: > > Why do the Islanders play better with their backs to the wall? Look > for some house cleaning with Gillies traded to some schmuck team for > a first round pick (Hartford?). Clark Gillies for a first round pick???? Come on, Rick! Do you actually think that anyone would do that? The only team stupid enough to make a bonehead move like that doesn't trade away draft picks (can you say "Tirana Make Believes"? I knew yew could. :-)). Gillies got something like thirty points this season (I should know; I had him in thepool!) and, frankly, I don't see any improvement. In my own opinion (for what that's worth), Gillies may be a victim of burnout. I don't see him going to any team alone for anything substantial. Now as part of a package ... The Islanders should NOT panic. They have a fine young goalie in Smith and they have a good YOUNG nucleus of talent. Just because Lafontaine cooled off in the second half should not be interpreted as meaning that they should give up on him (as I've seen suggested). Hrudey played a fine final game against the Flyers. The Islanders showed that they still had it but they met a better team. *Wisdom* is what is needed, not cleaning. > > Does anyone in the Norris division play defense? I'm just taking some time out from the Minnesota - Chicago game to read some news. The answer from this game is No. However, it should be noted that the problem is not necessarily in the defence but in the defense's ability to keep up with playoff-style offense. The Stars and Hawks are really flying. Their defenses would be adequate for the regular season; they are not adequate for the playoffs. > > Will the Montreal-Quebec survivor have anything left for their next > opponent? Again, a simple answer. No! They are battering each other too much. The Flyers are an extremely good skating team that could skate circles around either of the teams (imagine saying this 5 years ago!). The Quebecois survivor will have to depend on slowing the Flyers down by shutting off the centre of the ice. If they don't do this, the series will be over in 5 or 6. > > Will Philadelphia start believing the hype about the Islanders > ability to come back? Apparently not.
brooks@ihuxl.UUCP (Carole Brooks) (05/01/85)
>Does anyone in the Norris division play defense?
Doug Wilson.