Empty Netters Podcast - 32. Backup Goalie Bonanza

Episode Date: May 9, 2023

The Leafs might get swept, The Devils like making it hard on themselves, Vegas might be the Vegas pick, the Spunk explode, and all the goalies are getting hurt. NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE:    / @emptynetterspod   FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/empty.nette... FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@empty.netters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before we get into this new episode of the empty netters playoff podcast, we're going to hear from our presenting sponsors, Labat Blue Light. We've talked about this before, guys, and there is no question left that the best beer to drink at any time, frankly, but especially while watching some playoff hockey is Labat Blue Light. This stuff is the finest, crispest Canadian Pilsner you will ever taste. It looks good. It tastes good, and it pairs perfectly when you're sitting down watching some Stanley Cucson. buck. My favorite part about it

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During the playoffs, we're ripping the Vegas-Edmonton game right now. Vegas has jumped out to a huge. huge 4-1 lead. Jack Eichel just put a defenseman on fucking skates. Turn him inside out like a goddamn Christmas tree. I don't know what. Play the clip. Play the clip. What clip? I'm rolling your reaction.

Yeah, we're going to get that. We're going to get that cut up. Oh, oh, oh, whoa. Huge two-on-one. He fell, dude. Oh, my God. Jack Eichol, another goal. And Jack. And Jack, dude. And he fell. Thank God. Goal and assist. Just like I told you. That's what Jack does.

That's two goals. assist. No, I think he got an assist on the other one. So it's a goal and two assists? No, no, I think he's just got a goal and assist. Look at this spill, dude. Watch this. Thank God. We cut it off at 72. Oh, my God, dude, you cannot fall there

while pivoting. Jesus. Jack Eichael. Jack Eichael has entered the chat. He's lost his mind. Oh, yes. That's true. No, it's like, truly Jack Eichael just put a defenseman in the upside down, came down,

cheezed for one lead. Things look bleak for the Oilers after a huge response in game two. But we're going to get into all the games now. We had a psychotic weekend of playoff hockey. Dude, truly psychos. A lot of action yesterday.

A lot of action. Emily, how are you doing? I'm doing great. I will call you out, though, because I heard, I don't know if it was because he listened the podcast or not, but I got called out in the morning meeting, though, this morning

for not knowing what an emptiness net goal. Oh, that's definitely not me. Someone just listened to the pod. Who called you up? Ken word. Oh, yeah. Okay, it wasn't, let me defend myself, though.

It wasn't. Emily, I don't think that there's any defense here. You are the producer of a hockey podcast called empty netters. I understand. I know that an empty net goal is when you score a goal in an empty net. However, I didn't know that you can remove a goalie from the game if you're losing. How would you get an empty netter? otherwise. I assume that like if you're...

You're thinking like the goalie like slid out of the net or something. No, no, no. Like, you know how sometimes in soccer like if... Keep trying. Keep going. Keep going. Yeah. I think this happens in soccer. I used when I used to play soccer at a little, I don't know, it was a long time ago. But you know how in soccer, if, you know, all the players on the opposite side of the field, the goalie comes up. Yeah. That's what I was saying, like, you were saying, there's a player where the goalie has come out of the net. He's like trying to play a puck. something like that. That's what I thought. That's basically what they do.

But they're not, no, no, they're not there. They let a goalie. No, no, they remove them from the game. That's so different. Yeah, that's way different. Which is like, on the herd of. I appreciate you trying to be nice right there, but it is not basically what they do at all. Well, it's exactly what they would do if the goalie wasn't in all his gear.

Like if the goal was just a regular shit, they'd be like, go up and play. What Chris is thinking is a play where there's a corner kick and the keeper in soccer. That's what she said. Goes all the way up to play and then, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's, that is like the extra. extra attacker element. But yeah, no, the gooly goes right on the bench. Extra player comes out.

Chet said he didn't know what it was either. Yeah, well, that makes sense for chat. But I would like to apologize. I am ashamed. I respect the ownership you're taking, but I don't think you should be ashamed. Like, you know what, at least I thought it would have looked. Don't try to defend yourself by saying you know what an empty net is. Because that's like, of course, you know.

Obviously, like an empty net shot by definition is when you score in an empty net. Yeah, it's true. I just didn't know like the backstory behind. You didn't know what pulling the goalie is. Yeah. Yeah. But now you do. I'm learning so much.

I also learned today the word roll. How do you do? Roll or roll, like a role player or on a roll. Oh, yeah, yeah. Roll, can you just explain what a role player is? A role player would be best described as a player who is on the. the team and is expected to do it to do a certain thing on the ice like oh so he has a certain role yeah he's like a grinder yeah okay it's not a star player he's a role player yeah you guys should

create an NFL dictionary a hockey dictionary there's got to be one of there's tons yeah there's a bunch yeah there's a bunch but i google the word role player and it didn't show up interesting i google i look shit up before i ask i'm proud of you i do i no i am so many people don't do that it drives me insane. I don't want to make your life more difficult. I also don't want to sound stupid. That's my biggest fear. I always look. I think I'd rather like send the clip and make it look like I know what I'm doing rather than ass. Yeah. I think it's smart. I like that move. Like when I spell players names right or you like how I threw the um the coach in there and like yeah that was really good. I was really when I saw the clip and you threw up a picture.

They were talking about a coach. I threw in the picture of the coach and it was like a last name. They didn't say, oh, this coach. They just go, oh, he plays like this guy. And I'm like, but it was like, there was no context. So I figured it out. It was great. Look at that. She was down, love, the empty net of things.

And now we're back up high. Let's, before we get into the games, talk quickly about Connor Bedard. Yes, draft lottery was tonight. And it was rigged, rigged from the very beginning. It's been rigged for months. And it pisses me off, dude. Dude, it is just, first of all, no offense, ESPN. What a dog shit coverage that was of the draft lottery?

It was like an afterthought. You know, it's quick. It's 10 minutes. But there was just zero pageantry, intrigue, entertainment. It was just, you know, holding up your card and with the 14th pick and the draft lottery and then it would cut to these zooms of the different GMs around the league looking so bold and dejected it was just terrible weeks he was doing his very best to make it entertaining and you know what can you possibly do that is not a penalty did they just call that on a end call

jack for interference even though all he did was pin his stick down and then get run yeah it's a terrible call um but we get the draft lottery results here and again let's not even get into the black part of it yet. But we get down to the final three and it cuts to commercial and weeks he goes, all right, so we're down to, we have our first mix up here with Columbus getting the third. So it's between Chicago and Anaheim and we didn't see that on the TV, which reeks of collusion. Dude, and then it comes back and it goes, okay, so three teams left. Good luck to Anaheim, Chicago and Columbus. As if the whole world doesn't know that Columbus is already out. Yeah. And poor Columbus getting the shaft again.

And there was, and I, actually, I do, I think I do have, oh, wow, I think I do have this on video somewhere. We didn't post it, but I'll have to check. When it put up the teams, Dan, one through 16, it had the list and it had their number next to all of them. And then it would kind of gray out as they came through. When it came back and Columbus went to three, Chicago, Anahm still had the one next to Chicago. Chicago had a star next to it. And I was like, sketchy. Ooh, Gino.

Oh, four on four, Gino. for Vegas. Unbelievable. And maybe that was just because they were like, oh, Chicago has officially moved up. Like, that's what the Star meant? But I was like, what is, what Tom Foolery is going on here? There was Bally Who going on in that draft lottery.

And here's the deal. Here's the deal. I'm sorry, what? Bally Who? It was ridiculous. Is that a word? Yes. And Tom Foolery and Bally Who. It is the second that they announced that Columbus was third. it was a we were all like this oh my god Chicago Chicago has it and when they flipped that card over and it's the Blackhawks

dude here's what I have to say about this Chicago you're an amazing city you're an amazing franchise we loved the last 20 years of Kane and Taves Sharp Keith Seabrook all the boys hosa amazing stuff good good stuff the really shitty shitty stuff that has gone on with the Blackhawks of the last couple of years with the beach situation is so abhorrent and awful. And in my opinion, you have not paid the Piper yet. You know, you have a couple of bad years. Like, no, dude, you do not get granted with Connor Boudard after that. Just really ugly, ugly stuff from a franchise. It's disgusting and it's pathetic. So I don't like that part of it, first of all. Second of all, is Connor Bred going to look awesome in a Blackhawk sweater? Absolutely. Absolutely. I can't wait. I hope Patrick

Kane resigns. Me too. I want to get to that in a second. I hope he comes home. I think that the ducks, while they have disgustingly ugly sweaters, are a fun team. I think they're a cool franchise. I think the fans have fun down there. I think the players love living in Orange County. And I think watching Connor Bedard play with Trevor Zegress and Troy Terry would have been an absolute last and I'm kind of bummed. I'm extremely bummed. I said on the pod that that was my pick. I wanted him to go to Anaheim. I felt like it was right there for the taking. And I think in terms of the beach situation, it would have, I'd be less bothered. I am unbothered. I'd be unbothered if it wasn't badard year. Like if this was just last year and Chicago got it, even on the heels of

the beach situation, I would be like, wow, I'm not sure they paid the price, but, you know, they had a bad team and they got the pick. The balls bounced their way. But that, because it's badard makes it extra annoying. And dude, you had said this. Orange County's a sick plate. They, yeah, waved it off. Tough call, I feel like,

but whatever. They, that's a fun place to live. Pop down to fucking, oh, it's a blast down to Orange County, dude. Have a great time. I think he would really enjoyed that weather. And then, lastly, dude, the ducks, people

forget. The ducks got fucked in the Crosby sweepstakes, too. Maybe fucks the wrong word, but like the ducks drew the short straw. That is it crazy. They're calling that, I'm sorry to interrupt you. They're calling that on Martinez. Yeah. That's a wild goaling interference call to keep Edmonton in this game. Especially because they're

about to be on the power play in 20 seconds, which means it's an auto goal and then now it's 4-2 and that is a wild call. Oh, here's Roy again. Oh my gosh! That is unbelievable. Holy shit. Pug-don't lie, dude. Gold gets called back.

That is a puck, don't lie moment. Gold gets called back from goal interference. Roy comes in down the wing who just has the goal. This guy, he knows. He gets it. Dishes it over to Chandler Stevenson, and they tuck it right back in. That is insane.

I love a Vegas. I love a Vegas faithful with Elvis Sideburns living in Edmonton. That is a nice little finish. Great finish and great sauce from, look at this. And deflected and off the pop, off the pop, dude, for the fellas. Wow. That's beautiful. That was really nice.

And you can probably flag that. And the Jack one earlier, but I think that might be good too. We'll see. Look at Jack in the box. Emily, are you hearing me? Yes, I'm here. I'm writing it down. Oh, okay. Okay.

But yeah, the ducks threw the short straw on the Crosby sweepstakes. So you'd think... Actually, hold on, start all that over, because I think this is a cool discussion. And I want to be chopped up. Lastly, people forget that the ducks threw the short straw in the Crosby sweepstakes, too. didn't get fucked by any means. Like they got fucked this year, it feels like. But I just think if you're gonna-

Bobby, though. I know. And they're gonna get our boy Adam Fantili, and that's also sick. Yes. But I'm just saying it's insane to me that you can feel one team away from Crosby and Badaard

and get neither. And I'm like, that is franchise altering shit, dude. Like the whole thing with the Penguins this year of like, this is the first time the penguins have picked in the top 15 in fucking 20 years. Yeah. Because of Sid.

And like, this, the ducks had that on the table twice. and get buried both times. I'd say, let's call it in the last 30 years, we have had three very clear and definitive sweepstakes in the draft lottery. And that is Crosby, McDavid, and now Connor Bredd. It feels slightly suspicious that when there's teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins with Mario Lemieux at the helm,

and then the Chicago. Blackhawks, who do not have the highest lottery chances, they both somehow jump the ducks and end up with these guys. It feels slightly suspicious. It's like if I was doing a lottery and I was like this, the winner is my friend. And then the next pick, the winner is my other friend every time, dude. It just, I don't know, man. I don't, I don't, I don't hate it. I don't like it, though. It feels a little shady. But to your point, I do want to, I want to stress to Ducks fans.

Ducks fans listen to us right now. Any other year when this mutant, Connor Bidard, isn't in the draft, you would be over the moon to have Adam Fantilli. Yeah.

That kid is a fucking gamer. He's an unbelievable hockey player. He's a complete hockey player. And he is ready to play. Right now, he is ready to do very well right now. And he's going to look fantastic with Trevor Ziris. So be very excited about it. Ask Merle's about it, dude.

Merle's knows. You got the guy. Merle's knows. All right, let's jump into some of these playoff series, eh? Yes, but do you think King goes back? I can't say. I would be... It's a great question.

I think he does. You're coming in hot with a good question. Because here's how I feel. Part of me thinks, like we talked about earlier in the season, you were like, I don't think he gets traded because I think they're going to get badard. He's like, that would be more fun. I'd love to play with him. If I'm being honest, dude, I'm not sure that a 34-year-old Patrick Kane, is that how old he is?

35, I think. Emily, can you look that up? How old is Patrick Kane? No, he's 88. Let's call him 35. I'm not so sure that a 35-year-old Patrick Kane is like... 34. 34. I'm not so sure that he's like, I got to play with Connor Bredar.

I got to play with an 18-year-old. I'm really not... I don't... Obviously, he's a phenomenal player, but Shane Wright is a... a phenomenal player. And yeah, you know, he played less than 20 NHL games this season. I think shit, shit can happen.

So there's a part of me that's like, yeah, he obviously loves Chicago. He's played his entire career there up until this latter half of the season and the playoffs. Could I see him being like, yeah, I'll go right back to Chicago? Of course I could. I don't know that

playing with a unproven rookie, who is obviously a phenom, and I think will be will be fantastic. I'm not sure if that alone is enough, but I think if there aren't enough things to entice him elsewhere, then yeah, I could totally see it. Because he knows he likes Chicago.

Yep. But he also knows he's 34. And he's cup hunting. And he's cup hunting. I think he wants another kick at it. And if I'm him, do I go back to the Rangers? No, I really don't, dude. You just fired your coach.

It's like, that did not go well. And I don't know. Maybe I look a little north in New York. Yeah, for an upstart team. Maybe there's like a team with like a ton of cap space. And maybe you take a little discount. Maybe you sign a two by ten. Leave enough of that cap room for a great goalie,

even though they already have it. Yeah, we're good, dude. Yeah. Quigon gin. I just think, maybe he goes to Buffalo. I would. I would. Fire Patrick Kane.

I would sign with Buffalo tonight. Okay. I think there's a non-zero percent chance that he goes back to Chicago because I do think that would be fun, but I largely agree with you that they are just not,

as good as Connor, as good as I think Connor Bedard is going to be, they are not a cup threat for the next two years. No, they are absolutely not. They need so much work. There's no one on that team.

Which is exciting, though. Yeah, maybe they're like, it's fucking fantasy drafts, a bunch of guys, and we'll see what's up. Yeah. So it's a non-zero percent chance, but unless they become cup ready.

God, dude, that makes it all the more sketchy, too. Yeah, it's bullshit. They've got no one rostered on that team. They've got more caps-faced than anyone else in the league. And now they just somehow get the first pit. Like that, the Connor Bedard of it all is going to make a ton of UFAs, I'm sure, be like this. Oh, yeah, if they come calling, I'll come. Oh, man.

Crazy. All right, let's get into some playoff series. Take me away. All right, we're going to start with the Spunks versus the Stars. We've completely renamed them. They're not the Seattle Cracking anymore. They're the Seattle Spunks. As they should be.

Correct. During our last record, the Stars evened it up. That won a piece. They won four two at home. They had a ton of shots. Pav scored again. Sagan scored again. I thought Otto looked really good.

25 saves, 27 shots. Dallas dominated at the faceoff dot. I know people don't really care about that, but they won 69%. 69 nice 69% of the draws which is redonculus in an NHL game like literally dude one team winning 7 out of 10 draws is appalling so uh they went uh they were all over puck possession they went 1 for 3 on the power play but that first Wyatt johnson goal if you remember came with like one second after the power play expired so essentially two for three we kept saying that's what won them the series against the wild can seattle can't contain this new power play so dallas

gets their two for three goals there Then game three, dude. What a wild game. All You Can Spunk Buffet. It was an all you can spunk buffet. However, it was a bizarre game. I think Seattle came out super hot. We saw, we posted a clip today just talking about how balanced that team is,

and they were really doing that in this game. They came out flying. I thought the stretch passes for Seattle were firing all day. It was crazy. They were stretching the ice. they were getting pucks in deep so, so brilliantly well. But I thought Otter actually stood tall in the beginning of the game. He had a great first period.

Great first period. He played so well in that first period. He stopped a ton of huge high danger chances. And then you get into the second and just a bizarre play, shot from the point, deflex, hits Hayskin in in the face. And then credit to him, Everly, insane poised in front of the net to pull that puck back and score. And from there, it was over, dude. Like, after that, it was just crazy.

crazy, crazy shit that was going on. The Wenberg play, like we talked about, the stretch passes, was such a direct result for that goal. But then I thought, really, that Susie's goal. Yeah, the third one. Coming in from the point, really not doing that much, but just throws a quick little shot,

and the five-hole goes in on Otter. That was the first one where I was like, ooh, you don't look good, Otter. You really do not look good. And then he led in another one on Baneers. That he's next one. No screen, just like these weird sort of handcuffy goals that's like, it looks like they're guessing wrong.

It just looked like he wasn't seeing the puck. And on the other side of that, Gru Brewer had X-ray vision in this game. Yeah. I mean, he was making, he was making those saves that just looks so calm and poised. And, yeah, Otter, you know, eventually got the yank, but this is the worst he's looked all playoffs.

Yep. And so I am so with you that the game was confusing because Seattle outplayed Dallas in the first period. And then in the second period, even after that goal went in, Dallas outshot Seattle 17 to like 8 or whatever it was in the second period. They were all over Seattle in the second period and you look up and the buzzer goes off and it's 5-1 spunk. And I'm like, wait, dude, what the fuck is happening?

They got to have eight shots scored on fucking five of them. Otter gets pulled like you said after taking all five on the chin, you know? And it was a game that you go to the locker and Miss Dallas like, okay, we shouldn't be out of this, but we kind of are. And they proved to be, 7-2 finish. do you and I will add two to Seattle's credit Dallas had

I wrote it down I think four shots in the first and five in the third so first and third they played excellent obviously they got pipe with 17 shots in the second period

but first and third they were all over them Otter dude after really coming alive and I don't think Otter was bad in any game

against Minnesota but after really coming alive in the back half of that yeah yeah for sure there's Otter he has played

not good in two games games and he played great in game two but he played not good in game one and not good in this game I respect the poll which is such a factor man dude it's like we we we said it it's almost like with Dallas specifically it's always a goalie matchup if otter's playing you will lose that's how it feels like as in the other team yeah and yeah it's look at that you're playing the seattle spunk dude and yep you have two kind of shitty games from otter and no doubt you're down to one so if they go

if they had had, even if they lost, Dallas had lost game one, but lost like 2-1 or whatever, and Otter played great, and then he played great in a winning game two. If this game happened, exactly how it happened, and he gets yanked, I would be sitting here being like, expect a huge bounce back from Otter. He's going to be dialed in, he's going to be so pissed, coming back with a vengeance. But I'm curious, since he didn't play that well in game one, how sure I can be with that take. What do you think? Do you think Otter comes back, game four, absolutely locked, shut out?

Yeah. Or am I like, dude, you are. are a little loose here in this series. I don't think he comes back shut up, but I think Otter responds. And he responded in game two. Yep. And I think he will respond.

That's not to say Dallas wins for sure. Right. But Otto ain't no chump, dude. He's not going to come out and get, you know, pinballed again. He's going to do what he does, and he's going to have a good game. Jared McCann skated on Saturday.

Yeah, that's a big, big, big factor for Seattle. it is it's always tough to shake off the rust after an injury like that especially a head injury that rattles you up but you

you throw McCann back into this lineup and he he slides right back in they had their top scorer dude that's scary as fuck that is scary as fuck here's the thing obviously like you just said

this is a head injury so it's not like a pain tolerance thing where I'm like oh McCann can you go it's a conkey so it's like dude the docs

tell you when you can go and that's it full stop. You are either medically cleared or you are not. It's not a coach's decision. It's not McCann's decision. It is a doctor's decision. That being said, one thing that Seattle is buying for themselves by winning these games and staying ahead of the series is the buying time for McCann. Because if you're down to one right now, you're like, fuck, I need him back. Come back. Up to one. You're like, okay, dude, I hope you play, but get ready.

You're always curious with McCann because with Conkies, it's like, you obviously got to be careful with those, but it's either, dude, I, I'm. I do not feel good. I'm dizzy. When I skate and I get up, that heart rate goes up, I don't feel well. That is scary shit. And you're like, don't push it. But there's also the ones where you're like, I'm fucking fine, dude.

I was fine right after. Let me get back in and you're just waiting for the doctor to clear you. McCann's injury was a little scary. So we'll see. But I'm curious because if he's feeling good, if he's feeling fresh as lettuce, he's back on the ice. And I don't expect him to miss a step, dude. Because like you said, yeah, it's not a body injury that's, going to change the way you skate or where you play. I think McAnne will jump right back in.

This will be cool for Seattle. What did the series, Colorado series go? Do you remember? It was one one in Colorado. They split the first two. And then did Seattle win game three or did they drop game three and then tie it to? I don't remember. I think they dropped game three. Everyone can check me on that, but I'm pretty sure they dropped game three. But this will be a cool moment if I'm right, because it's an interesting opportunity for them to, you have a throat step chance. you have a you have a you're at home and the series dude yeah absolutely do and and to that point I think this game is must win for Dallas if you drop this if you drop this game for Dallas the series is over um telling you that right now wow like that take I think this is a huge must win game we put on Twitter that it was going to go Seattle Dallas Seattle Dallas Seattle Dallas

Seattle Spunkin 7 still on pace for that so far we sure are so we'll see yeah what I want to say about Dallas to you is something we found ourselves saying halfway through round one. Where's Robo? Guy hasn't scored since game five in Minnesota. He has, he doesn't have a point in this series. There's been 10 goals scored by the stars. He doesn't have a point. He looked visibly frustrated on the ice too. He's forcing shots. He's trying to get to the net and it's not working. He needs to find his game again. And I think he can. Me too. And I think frankly he will. But yeah, that's something that's got to switch up here quick. You need, we said a while ago, he was sick last year, dude.

He was a 70, whatever, point guy. But he leveled up so aggressively this year that your team becomes reliant on that in a way. You're the identity of the team. 100%. And he has to find a way to contribute. And you're right, he's not invisible. Like, sometimes these stars go invisible. And I'm like, you are doing nothing.

He is getting involved. He's trying to get Pucks through, trying to do his job, contribute in any way he can. But eventually he just has to start showing up. If they're going to hang. 100%. All right, moving on to the Devil's Kane series. Devils stick into their script. Lose 5-1, lose 6-1.

Yeah. I was worried. I was like, oh, you're a little off script here, boys. Oh, you went a little too far there. They're getting dominated in those first two games, but then they come home to the prue, and boy, oh, boy, did they put on a show. They saved the season. That was the drunkest hockey game of the playoffs, I think.

It was eight. Yeah, he really was. And 8-4 drubbing. All the guys on the Devils are clicking. Timo Meyer gets on the board finally. Nico Heeshire gets on the board. Finally. Luke Hughes inserted into the lineup, two assist an immediate win.

Two apples. Two. Two apples. Unbelievable stuff from the Devils. Big, big response. But a lot of factors in this game. Here's what I loved about it. I love that you're getting seven scores.

I love all these guys are getting on the board. Fantastic. Luke up. Luke up contributing his speed a factor right away. Absolutely. I love that Jack has two and looks like a fucking psychopath out there. I've got a lot to say about Jack. First one was like that semi one time because it got deflected,

but that semi one time shelf daddy. What do you mean semi one? Well, because it got, you know, it wasn't clean. It like sat there for a second. The one T is still clean. The past got deflection. Yeah, yeah. The one T was clean.

It was just on a T farm. I don't care where the puck comes from. If he hits at one time, that's a one T. Yep. And then his second one is him when he's peaked. geek jacking when he's like on the goal line. How many go times did we see him score from the goal line this year? And it wasn't his traditional insane snipe.

It kind of just fell in. But still, when he's on his bullshit, that's great. I have a quick tangent thing for you. Would love your thoughts. Jack lost a jibber as we've all seen now. I hate what you're going to do here because it's dumb and wrong.

But go on. And I want to start calling him toothless. it's close but that's not what we're calling him what do you want going on? We're calling him toothless Jack we've already put it on the story toothless Jack all right I'm gonna call him toothless for short no toothless Jack makes him sound like a pirate yeah it's awesome

but he's he is as dangerous as a night fury no just get out of here with your fucking and listen I love how to train your dragon but if you do one more stupid little like animated cartoon comparison nickname thing Asoka oh I'm gonna fucking throw you in a river

I'm going to throw you in the Hudson River when we go to New Jersey tomorrow. I wanted to call Luke Hughes Hickup though. I know. He's his little guy. He's his little guy. He's not a little guy. He's over six feet tall and he's a great hoggy. Hickups tall.

Hickup is kind of tall. We're not doing that. He's toothless Jack and it's amazing. Maybe Luke will be hiccup. Jack can be toothless Jack. How long does it normally take for them to get another tooth? To grow a new tooth? Yeah, new teeth take a couple months to grow back actually.

I'm just because I know some people leave it there for a while. Yeah. Especially like during the season, do they feel like there's no point of... So it depends what you want to do. It also depends on the tooth break. So Jack didn't have a full root break. Jack got broke about three quarters of the way through his tooth.

So he is either going to get a cap, which is what I have. And you just get a fake tooth grafted to the part of your tooth that's still alive and like in your mouth. but if it breaks the root or when it gets knocked out the root gets like damaged and knocked out you have to go in get it all pulled out which is like really annoying long and complicated and painful

and then you get a implant stuck in like a little screw and then a fake tooth gets put right around that implant but usually when they're playing still like you can get like a little retainer like thing that just like sticks a tooth in there so for pictures or whatever

he will get an insert usually they get those during their career because they're like why would I pay for the fucking screw and the whole thing when it gets knocked out again in two years. So usually when they're playing, they just leave it out for their 10 years. Do you think he'll leave it off for the rest of the playoffs? He said in an interview

they were like, you're going to leave it? You look biz was like, you look badass. And he's like no, I don't like that I don't have, that I lost my gib, but I'll yeah. So I think he's going to Do you actually use that word? He sure did. Is that why you use that word? I didn't I'd never heard it from him, but jibbs is

like a hockey thing. So that's why you use that word. Yeah. Sorry, I thought you were asking because of Jack is why I use it. No, I don't know. Yeah, Jibs is a hockey thing. Oh my God, I didn't know that. Yeah. I thought that was like a you thing.

No, I'm not that correct. Yeah. Ruin it. So those are the things that I like. The thing I don't like is that the Kane scored four goals. So I got a take on this. I really appreciate you saying that. Ooh, Chandler Stevenson just went to the locker.

I hate to see it. I really appreciate you bringing that up. I think it's good to note because there were a couple times. You said it never really got that close, but it also wasn't that far away. You know, 5-2, that's a hockey game. And then it was 7-4. 7-4. They scored the fourth, and it was like, oh, okay.

The three shorthanded goals. Yeah. Is preposterous. That will not happen again. I think the Devils, like I said, dude, I said a couple episodes ago, this devil's team is a bunch of drunk kids, just having fun. and I think a lot of those shorties were just really dumb sloppy play because they had a three, four goal lead multiple different times. Okay. It doesn't excuse the sloppiness, but at the end of the day, I'm not going into practice today being scared of the fact that we gave up three shorthanded goals.

That's a pee-p-whack that's like, dude, what the fuck were you guys doing? But that's not a fundamental, damn, they're getting through to us. This is our game. If those were more five-on-five goals, which they've been great. Obviously, they, I think they're one for seven on the power play, and they had 11 goals in the first two games. That means that's a lot of five-on-five goals. Yeah, yeah, they've been dominant. So that, if that were the case, if they had four more five-on-five goals, I would be like, they are still getting to you, dude.

So figure it out. So I think it's a great point by you, but I do think the shorties makes it a little less bad. However, what I do think is an issue is V-TEC started this game. Asoka got sat down after two stinkers. And even I can agree with that. Yeah, sit him down. Yeah, he was not seeing it. Dude, granted, a lot of these goals were odd man rushes or even breakaways.

Vitech did not look good, dude. Like, these goals, he, we always say, man, if you want to win playoff games, you need to make fucking big boy saves. VTech was not making them. Every time they had a high danger chance. Again, granted, usually odd man rushes on these short-handed situations. But every time Vitech was asked to make a big boy safe, he didn't. Yes, too.

So I'm like, I'm not worried about the shorthanded goals. Those are not going to happen again. You won that game essentially, in my opinion, 8 to 1. They scored three lucky short-handed goals. Great win. But I am looking at, Asoka had two stinkers, then you put in V-Tec, and he just looked so soft penis all game. And I'm like, you can't, you can't feel good about starting him in game four.

Dude, I completely agree. It is hard to stop a puck when you were just flopped down hanging to the left because that is not going to cut it. It's like weirdly stuck to your thigh. And I'll tell you what, Dan. The, they had to win that game. They had to win that game so they won. They don't give a shit.

But they would so much rather have won that game 3-1 and V-Tex stopped 34 or 35. It looks awesome than winning 8-4 when he gets cheased every chance the canes get. Because even though Asoka has been bad in game one and two, Vtec hasn't played good once all playoffs. And Asoka touched the fucking sun four times. Asoka won you, the Rangers. You're only still playing because of Asokatano. We talked about Meyer and Heesh are getting their first goals of the playoffs.

Yep. You're telling me when all of those guys aren't going until game three of the second round, you think those are the guys that are getting you here? No, Asoka got you here. I hate that I'm fucking calling him. Dude, and he is an unknown for sure. And it's like, if you're the boys, if you're Linda Ruff and you're like, who am I starting in game four?

The boys probably are like, well, Vitech got us here all year, so maybe him, and I don't even know who Asoka is. But, dude, again, he has done something for you. He is a proven entity in the playoffs. He flew too close to the sun, fine, now he's playing bad, but at least I'm not sure I feel good. And I think Ruff goes with Vtec, by the way. I think you do, because he's changed the tide, he got a win.

And like you said, he got you here this year. Schmead is the better goalie these playoffs. He's obviously two brutal games. I almost wonder do you go into practice and straight up keep a close eye on them and go which one of you look stronger and I would talk to both of them I do think the smart thing is going VTech

but at the same time if you lose that game when VTEC plays poorly I go like this no shit no shit he played poorly he's played poorly all playoffs aimed he's only like two or three but every playoff game of his career like he's been bad in the playoffs every game of his career I do want to talk about the devils though

they played fantastic I thought they were flying all over the ice And the name of the game here for me for New Jersey in that first period was puck battles. They were winning puck battles everywhere. Prime example, I think, is that first goal, that Timo Meyer goal, unbelievable work rate by Jack Hughes against Brady Shea behind the net. That was a unreal display of you are outsized beyond belief. But Jack just battled, kept the puck under his center of gravity, got it between his skates, and then one hand batted it backwards to Timo for the tuck. That's just beautiful stuff from Jack. And that one that leads me into I want to say

toothless Jack man is becoming a man before our very eyes. I think we have seen him. He's trying everything. We made a ton of jokes. Everyone made jokes about when he flat tired himself breaking out of the zone against New York. I think that was a direct result of the kid is flying around the ice, just doing everything he can for his team to win. and then we also see it in this series getting his jib knocked out and then we see it specifically in this game throwing hands with Sebastian Aho

in a really fun little tilt there and Jack's just Jack is in the playoffs dude and he knows it and he is elevating his game in every single way it's this stuff in my opinion this is Hall of Fame player stuff

this is game changer stuff you see guys who can do this turn it on at the right time time, it's what separates you from All-Stars who never win. Yep. It's what separates you from guys, not to shit on our allegiance here, but like, I look at David Posternach scoring 60 goals, and then I look at him going complete Casper in the playoffs, and then I look at guys like Maddie Kachuk, and I look at guys like Jack Hughes,

who are just doing everything. They're on the stat sheet in 500 different ways. That's the difference. And Jack Hughes is being a difference maker, and it's so fun to see. after a ton of people were saying that's why the devils wouldn't succeed in the playoffs because he didn't have that experience yet they didn't have that ability. But I agree with you completely he's showing up. Can we talk Keynes?

Absolutely. Because I think if you're Carolina, you feel fine. Both because you scored, like I said, and because you can win in Jersey. You've been the better five-on-five team for the most part. Ajo across 10 goals, or excuse me, across 11 goals in the first two games, had two assists. So nice to see him get on the board there. I think Nate just scored again. Like there's some guys, some guys contributing now.

I thought Jarvis had a phenomenal game. Martinuk had a phenomenal game. Their guys are buzzing. So you feel fine. But may I? Yeah. I don't think you feel fine because you know why? This is the first time these playoffs you've been spanked.

You got your pants pulled down and you got your little pink bottom slapped in this game. And that has not happened. The Islanders did not spank them. This was a spank. Yeah. Well, this was a weird one. right? Because I think the Islanders won one game like for nothing or something like that.

I believe or one maybe. I believe that this game was again you can look at it both ways. Yeah. The score line does not represent this game, dude. There was a fucking penalty shot in this game.

It's crazy. Like this game was not 8 to 4. This game was 8 to 1. The devils beat the shit out of them but the Hurricanes are a phenomenal team. I'm getting some stats. And they made it hurt a few times. Yep. And I think that's huge.

So that's why I say, I think you're right that they don't, they're not scared. But I don't think they feel fine because I think the devil showed that they can light shit up to. Yeah, yeah. And that's for sure. That is like a, oh boy. And home ice, dude. I mean, you're playing in the prue.

I think that the canes are not like, dude, shake that one off, whatever. They're like, oh, no, this team can play. Yeah, it's a series. They know that much for sure. And I think that what I was headed to is. They're not scared, but they're not scared. but they might be scared due to their goalie situation.

So you and I have been talking about when Freddie got the start after Ranta had been playing awesome. I was like, oh, it's interesting, but they always have gone through the rotation. So then Freddie plays game one, plays great.

The devil's get like four shots in that game total, but still, Freddy saved all of them but one, so that's a great game. And then Ranta's supposed to start in game two and get right before puck drop unexpected scratch due to an illness.

And then he's so sick for game three, he didn't even dress last night. Now, he skated today. and Rod was like, we don't know, but we're hoping he goes. Now, Freddie hasn't played four games in a row all year, dude, and was forced into action in game three for his fourth game in a row for the first time, like I said, all season, and gets absolutely piped.

He's pulled 53 seconds into the second period after getting four put past him. Which means they got to go to their third string guy. And, dude, he is, hold on, let me find his guy, how I say this guy's name again? Coach. Cochettecoff. Cochettecoff. Okay, ready? Then they go to their third string guy,

Kochettkoff, who is, do you remember he? Marshan almost fought him in the playoffs last year. He almost two-handed him. And he also is the dude who scored that AHL goalie goal this year and had the epic sally.

But he comes in and gets four put past him immediately. So I'm like, I'm not sure you're the answer either. And it's not even his fault because he hasn't played in an NHL game in six weeks or an HAL game in four weeks.

Like literally they were like, go in and play your fucking Jackie this guy's just straight up not been playing. This is ridiculous. So if Ranta is fine. And they're like, oh yeah, sorry, he had a bug. It was like, you know, the Bruins locker and bug was going through.

He's all good, game four. He's dialed back in. Fine. If he is not fine, dude, and you're faced with a very overworked Freddie Anderson or this third string Russian, I'm like this, you might be in a little trouble here. Oh, yeah, out of nowhere.

Like, you might be in a bad, bad situation. It is not a non-issue. That is for damn sure. Yeah, that's a big factor. Also, it's funny now to me thinking that the Boston Bruins tried to tell us that Berg had a cold. when you had a herniated disc. Insane.

Do you think, we had talked about earlier when we were talking about the wild and that they put in flour and you were like, it's crazy because no team, you don't win the cup

on a rotation. You just don't do it. It's never really been done. Carolina, from the sounds of it, if you listen to the Rod's interviews, they very much intend to run a rotation of Ranta and Freddie

barring any bad injuries. So how do you, feel about that? Are you like that? And that is why they're fucked and won't win the cup? Or are you like, no, they could win the cup by just bouncing back and forth with these guys? I personally hate it. I think it's I think there's a reason we've never seen at work. I think

that there's a reason realistically there's no team currently left in the playoffs who's doing it. Again, this will change eventually, I imagine. Eventually someone will have a good enough one-two punch. It honestly maybe should have been Boston this year, where

they will just do it right from the jump and just get ahead of any questions and storylines, and we'll see it work someday. I don't like it for Carolina right now. That's not to say I think Carolina loses this series now because of it. I don't think they're out of it. They have proven to us that they are a phenomenal team. I do not like it. If I'm a Carolina fan, I hate it.

If I'm a Carolina player, I hate it. Oh, really? Yeah. But again, I don't know that locker room. There's a chance that, like, the guys love it. I just, during the regular season, you know, Freddie, playing four games in a row and stuff like that. There's just something, man, these guys are all such pros and they're so competitive.

I'd just be so shocked if a goalie was like this. Yeah, yeah, no, I want to rotate. I would want to be in the pipe between the pipes every fucking game. And if you get yanked because you're getting lit up, fine. But I would never want to be like this. Yeah, I get it. It's a lot of games. Sit me down.

Is there anything to this, though? And I genuinely don't even know what I think. That's why I'm asking. I think starting to, pitcher, right, has that mentality too. Like, give me the ball. Give me the ball. But sometimes there's stats on like, dude, if you have three days rest, you get shelled. Your shit is just not as sharp.

But if you get four days rest, you will win. And you know, and it's like, put me in there game six. I'm ready. Three days rest. And the manager's like, no, dude. You are worse. Is there anything to that where Freddie's like, I want to I'm not saying this is happening. But Freddie's like, I want to start. And they're like, dude, you are bad if I don't give you a fucking break. Absolutely there's something

to it. Anytime you can pull out metrics like that, that's a thing. But I just don't you think with goalie specifically, the playoffs are different. It changes for literally every team. We have seen the last almost 10 years now. The tandem goalie thing is how you play in the regular season. But then also every time we get to the playoffs, there is a starting goalie. There is a goalie for the team that plays 85 to 90% of the games in the playoffs leading to a Stanley Cup victory.

It's an interesting evolution of the league, Dan, that we're watching in real time, where it's like, hey, you have more regular season success if you tandem these guys. And then we get to the playoffs and we're still. an old model of like, well no, let your hawk holy play. But now he's not used to that as much as they used to be used to it when they were playing a lot. Yeah. I'll just be curious to see if tandem becomes a bigger playoff thing in the next 10 years. That's what I said. I could absolutely see it. But also there's possibly the argument. I mean, the whole like used to it thing. I again, I don't know, man. It's such a long season. But part of me is like, get in the fucking net and play hockey.

Stop the fucking puck. What are you talking about in this? Oh my God. Holy shit. Is this my fourth game in eight days? I can't handle that. don't think these guys think that way. I think they're playing NHL Stanley Cup fucking playoff hockey and they're like, whatever, dude, put me in the net. I'm fine. And I think that there's also the argument that the regular season tandem shit is so when we get to the playoffs, you're fresh, you're arrested and you can play every game. That was the whole point. That's the whole point. Yeah, you're right. So yeah, I, again, I don't like it if I'm a Carolina fan. It's not to say it's going to lead to anything bad, but I think you want a goalie who's locked in and wants to play every

game in the last. And I think it'll be, if Ranta's healthy and he plays game four and plays great, even in an L, I think they ride him. Yeah. We'll see. All right, kicking it to the saddest series left in the playoffs, our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs. Oh, damn. Last episode, we talked about them going down 02. Now they are down 03 and things like bleak. As bleak as ever, they're headed into game four down in sunrise, Florida, tomorrow night. things don't look good game one I chalked up as they're drunk still

and game two zero excuse for that and they just got beat game three is the same story went to overtime but you just you feel for the Leafs here but I think that they are shooting themselves in the foot a little bit

and what is really problematic is the story of round one that led to them being so successful is, in my opinion, the reason why they are looking at a down-0-3 situation right now. We saw the big boys stepping up finally in round one against Tampa. That is why they advanced. And now here we are. You've lost three straight to Florida.

You've scored two goals in every game. The goal scores so far in this series for the Toronto Maple Leafs are Maddie Nyes, Michael Bunting, Alex Krafut, Ryan O'Reilly, Lafferty and Gustafson. Other than Ryan O'Reilly, no one is showing up. How many goals does Matthews have? Zero. How many goals does Mariner have? Zero. How many goals does Neelander have? Zero. How many goals does Johnny Toadrags have?

Zero. Dude, these guys had four shots in the first period of a half-to-have-it game. Dude, this- Maple Leaf team- Can I tell you something worse? Yeah. Say that's that again. They had four shots in the first period of a- have to have it game. They had one shot in the last five minutes of the third period in a two-two game and I have to have it. Dude, they had, I think the game, the game finished with 24 shots. Dude, no joke, those four guys should have 24 shots combined themselves.

The 24 shots should be coming from those four, period, and then whatever else the Leafs want to sprinkle in. This, this series is crazy for a number of reasons. We'll get into the Florida Panthers in a second because they deserve all of the credit, all the sticktaps, and all the flowers. I don't care who you're playing. The star power on this Toronto Maple Leafs team and the way we saw them play against Tampa has no excuse to disappear like this. Zero. And completely agree, Chris, how in Christ's name are these guys not getting pucks on net? And it is just unacceptable.

the fact that they had 24 shots in this game alone, dude. Like that is so low. It's just incredible. And we had, and I haven't tallied up their shot specifically because we saw in our reaction, live reaction the other week, Bob Brofsky is very much fully on the force, badge and gun, holstered, he's ready to rock.

He is 10 million dollars. Goli Bob. And he's making saves on Todrax, on Neelander, on Matthew. So I'm not like these guys aren't shooting. That was game two. They're involved in Bob is making big saves, and I'm not taking that away from Bob. But I will say three, two-on-ones in the first period alone for Toronto, won a goal. And the ones that were saves were huge goalie Bob saves.

So, holy shit, man. And he is playing so well. And here's what rattles me the most about Toronto, because I was super pumped for them to even this thing up, make this a series win. you know, I want to go up there and celebrate with those guys. I want people around here to be happy. A lot of factors, right? What rattles me the most is, and I say this shit to you all the time, they, when you need that game, no matter what,

you and you are better than them, I think, and you certainly have more star power. You need to pummel them. This shouldn't be a, this isn't Rocky 3, and you're just taking body blows against Mr. T, rope a dope style and hope to win it. the last round. This is fucking Ivan Drago

walk up there and beat them to a bloody pulp until they're dead until you've killed them even I don't care who throws the towel kill them

and then assert your dominance in this series right but instead they're out here going like this oh we're up one nothing oh Florida tied it oh up to one

oh Verhegey fucking tied it obviously oh we're not going to shoot in the third period oh we lost in overtime and I'm like what is this what is this effort

one shot in the last five minutes of third period and overtime one shot on net it is just insane to me and I don't understand it. And like we said, it's not all Toronto playing poorly. This Florida Panthers team is insane.

We don't need to harp on it more than we did last episode because what I said, I believe, to be so true. I think this team, we had a lot of great Florida Panthers fans coming out in the comments saying that they're playing a different style of game. And that's true to an extent, no doubt about it at all. But I more mean the mentality. It's like these guys know how good they are. and they're finally putting it together and clicking. Carter Hagee, you mentioned. Yeah, wow.

He is a gamer, and he had the game winning goal in game one. He had the game tying goal here in game three. He is breaking the backs of the Maple Leafs, and it hurts extra special because he was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs and then traded before he even got into the pros, and now here he is eight years later playing for the Florida Panthers, and he is killing you. Yeah, very tough.

It's always tough, and it feels like it always. goes that way too. The forecheck of this Panthers team stifled and frustrated the shit out of the Boston Bruins and now it is devastating the Toronto Maple Leafs. These guys just beat the shit out of you. They're all over you every time you touch the puck. That's definitely a part of why they're struggling to get shots on net. But like we said, it's just not an excuse. You have to figure out what you're doing here. And my question for you is, can you bounce back from this? This three-oh whole? This is The Panthers are showing zero signs of slowing down their game.

They are the most confident team in the NHL right now, in my opinion. How could you not be? I think that they are just such, and I mean this in a good way, not the bad way. There are a bunch of rats out there. They're just gnawing, clawing, and fighting for everything. And they know exactly who they are, how they play. They are such a cohesive unit. if I'm Toronto, I'm so, so mentally broken right now.

Yes, I think unfortunately, and I want Toronto to win the series, I think unfortunately this is probably too steep of a hill. There are factors that could change if Bob, you know, loses it, lose was whatever he's got going on right now, maybe something different happens. Toronto's mentality, I think, is a factor. Either they're going like this. Either they tighten up even more now because they're like, oh my God, they're going to get swept after all this and then they lose

or they play loose for once and they're like whatever dude it's fucking three oh get nothing else to fucking lose go get one so I think that's a factor and I don't know how that's going to shake out but and I think you do a little bit of that well you know go go get this one and then come home and win game five

and we're going to roll a little bit here right like these things can happen but just the way Florida like you said is fighting for it out there I don't know four straight just feels like lot. Forestry feels like a lot against this Florida team that is going to fight you for every fucking inch on that sheet of vice. So I think you, I don't think you can come back from this.

On that topic, I'll have a couple. I was going to say, I feel you had some talking points for me here. The internet right now is a blaze with how humiliating a sweep would be for Toronto. The first round is completely a race now. Like congratulations, you won the first round. Then you humiliated yourself even worse. All the goodwill is gone. my question is where you shake out on that because I think that this Florida team is obviously good. We've accepted that at this point. So it's not really shame in losing to them.

Maybe you don't want to get swept and certainly you don't want to be the best team of all time to be up 3-1 and lose to them. But losing to Florida in a seven-game series isn't the worst thing ever. And this is sad. And we told you, Leas fans, by the way, the shit starts hurting more. So this is sad. You're going to be bummed out. You certainly didn't want to get swept.

You certainly wanted more out of this season after the year you had and you finally got over the hump. But I don't know, man. I'm a little bit softer on them where I'm like, there's positives here. Like you beat fucking Tampa, dude. You got out of the first round and beat Tampa. And then, yes, you got popped in the second round

because maybe you weren't as dialed and focused. But I'm not like, what a disaster and failure and what a bunch of losers because now this is all for nothing. I'm not in that camp. Okay. I respect everything you just said. Here's where I am. we got to see what happens tomorrow night first.

Let's say they get swept. This does not erase the first round victory. Absolutely not. That's a great achievement. You got 20 years, first time, 19 years, whatever. First time you're out, that's huge. I don't think that this is humiliating. I think it is incredibly deflating.

And if I'm being honest, as far as getting over the hump, I think if you get swept by this, I hate to keep saying this, because I feel like some Panthers fans see it as disrespect, it's just a fact. If you get swept in the second round after finally getting out of the first round

by a wild card team, I do not think you are allowed to say we got over the hump anymore. Because you did not win a single game after the first round. And the end of the Bruins lose? the road was was clear. Clea.

Like, oh, man. And I got to be honest, dude, this, obviously everything's different, but it looks like if the Bruins had got past, the Bruins would have beat the shit out of you too. So I think if you get swept by a wildcard team, when you have home ice, you have this roster getting swept in the second round. I mean, that's what happened to Florida. Yep. I don't think you can say, like, great strides by us, huge achievement by us.

I'm like, look at your team. Yeah, man, I think you're probably right. Look at your team. The cup is always the goal. That will never change. But it is a little tricky to me that I'm like, you know, because, for example, I think I, Kings last year were like, just make the playoffs. And they did.

And they lost in seven to the Oilers and that sucked, but they were like, that was a win. And I genuinely believe that the Leafs were like this. We have to get out of the first round this year. Dude. We have to. Yes, agree, man. But, but. the wild for example

the wild have to get out of the first round that's what I'm saying I found Bill Garron yeah and I look at that roster and I'm like yeah you should get out of the first round you can get out of the first round

the Leafs are a fucking all-star team dude they are Chris come on they're a little top well they made some great trades they were a little top of top heavy my ass dude

you're gonna tell me Edmonton's not top heavy look at them look at how far they go they haven't won the cup yet but look at how far they go. You're in Toronto. You have Austin Matthews.

You have Mitch Marner. You have John Tavars. You have Willie Nealander. You have Morgan Riley. You have Ryan O'Reilly. You have Luke Shen now. You have McCabe now. Come on.

You can't go like this. We got out of the first round, guys. We did it. Can you imagine Austin Matthews saying that? Being like, yeah, we got out of the first round. What an achievement. Yeah. You have over 100 points every single season.

are a wagon of a team. And yes, the monkey was on your back, but you got it off, you can't shit the bed instantly and get swept in the second round and tell me that that's an achievement. It's not. But like a seven game loss

would have been okay. Absolutely. And they still might. Let's see. You know, they can still fight back. If they lose in seven to this great scrappy Florida team, I do not think that's a failure at all.

I think you guys played a crazy hard series. You won in six against Tampa. And then you go up and you face off this huge momentum Florida Panthers team and then you lose in seven games that's nothing to be ashamed of. What if you win? We're talking specifically about

if they get swept here. If you get swept, I think it is incredibly deflating. It's not embarrassing. It's incredibly deflating. But the main thing is I do not think that you can stand there with a huge smile on your face

and say this season was a massive success compared to last year, compared to the last 19 years. I think you go like this. We got out of the first round, but with this roster, we still got swept in the second by a wildcar team after the Bruins choked

and we had a clear path and paid a lot of money at the trade deadline. And the Rangers who went out and got Tarasenko and Kane they lost two. Yep. That, I think that you lose in, if you lose in four, it is very hard. Like, I think Dubus is safe no matter what. But I'll tell you what, dude, if you get swept here,

I'm looking at Dubas and going, don't be proud of yourself, dude. You saved your job. But this is, this doesn't look great either. Well, to me, Dan, it's the fucking guys we listed at the top. It's barely even been about Dubus to me. Honestly, I said this to you before. If they lost in the first round and people go, fire Dubus,

I go, fuck you, dude. He brought in Ryan O'Reilly, Shannon McKay. What the fuck do you want him to do? Yeah, I hear you. It's your guys. I put a lot on the players too. I hear you. So to me, I'm like, has Toronto had a playoff problem for the last few years?

Fuck yeah, they have. And now I'm like, why don't we start looking at these dudes? Like honestly, if I'm dubious... Yeah, like, at this point, if I'm dubus, I'm like, okay, which one of these four is my getting out? Who's gone here that I'm turning into something else that can clearly win in the Oh, that's another great take. If they get swept and you don't make a trade, I'm shocked.

Yeah. If you, if the Maple Leafs get swept, I think it is very hard to sell me as a fan. If I'm a Maple Leafs fan, it is very hard to sell me that you don't trade one of Matthews, Marner, Nealander, Tavares, or Morgan Riley. Yeah. One of them has to go. You cannot keep parading this group. out into the playoffs if this is just going to keep on happen. You can't.

I think that's a fantastic take. I'm so with you on that. Class two things quickly. Samsonoff got hurt. They were up one nothing. He gets hurt. Did you see that play? Yes, terrible.

But dude, it didn't? I mean, I put a joke on Twitter that I was like... By terrible, I mean like just a goalie getting hurt in the playoffs seems like the most cruel thing in the world. I put a joke on Twitter that I was like, of course Dubus goes out and gets a defenseman and what does he do? He hurts his fucking interest the goalie and ruins. wins the season. But for real

though, on the replay, dude, dude, there's been no before. I don't know what he did. I've checked everywhere. There's nothing out. It's bizarre. And they're saying it's unknown if he's going to be ready for game four. And it didn't look that bad. Like when I saw him, when I saw the play building up, I was like, oh, someone's going to come in like

a billion miles an hour and give him the most savage concussion I've ever seen. And then I literally thought I was watching the slow-mo replay when he came in the first time when I saw it. And I was like, wait, that was full speed and he just kind of like spun him around. And Sam, so That's a tough bastard. I'm not saying he's fucking faking it. I'm just saying like... Well, I was about to say sometimes those are the worst ones, dude. And it's just like a weird movement. Like you jerk some way. Something awful can happen.

But, you know... And here is the other thing. If you... Because Woll came in, played okay, actually. He made 18 of 20 stops. He kind of... That was a tough one in OT. He just got caught. Got caught looking at the rock side. I thought that was a great play, actually. I mean... He just lost Reinerd. You know, like he went here. But it was so bang, bang, dude. The poise of Reinhert, by the way. That was a... That puck got flipped up to the neutral zone for a change. Dude. Reinhert knocks it down, stops at the blue line instead of dumping,

holds the puck instead of passing, enters the zone, immediate rim around the boards, and then the pass back. Yeah, he lost Reinhardt, but like that was quick. Yeah, yeah. I don't put that on. No, no, all at all. But I was going to say,

if Sam, because sometimes when a goalie is gutting it out, that's worse. Like, see Olmark, comma, lenis. You know, like, I don't want my goalie. He's like, I can't really push off, but I'll do it for you, boys. I got you because I'm like, well, you can't make a save. Yeah. So if Samsonoff, if that was, to your point, he got spun around,

that's like a groin thing or whatever. He can't push. Then you've got to go wool, but like, they're fucked. If he is hurt, they're fucked. As much shit as I've talked about Samsonoff, if he can't go, this series is over. No, you brought up to me the lenest Ulmark effect where it's like, dude, dude, if you're a goalie's hurt, you can't play. Yeah.

If that is genuinely, if I were a coach, if my goalie is even slightly knocked, I'm like this, you're out, dude. Like, you were injured. You can't, your fundamentals have changed. And yeah, if you've lost your starting goalie for Toronto, this just looks awful. Last thing I want to hit you with is Florida, well, that was awful. Where do you have them now? Assume they win.

I think they're the favorite over Jersey or Carolina. I completely disagree with that. But I disagree with that from a standpoint of I think that this is the East. With the current situation, those three teams, I just find so exciting. exciting altogether. I don't think any one of them is head and shoulders above the rest. I think it's hard, frankly, to say that Carolina still isn't the top dog, even though Florida's up 3-0. But, dude, I mean, like, Florida is not a wildcar team, even though I've been caught. Yeah, no, you're right. Like, they are, like I said last episode, Florida is the president's

trophy winning team of last year, as in they are playing so well with so much confidence, and they are putting it together in the playoffs. I think you have three, so, so, so, So solid teams in the East. Fascinating to think, dude, that if the Florida wins, they probably have of the East teams left, the best goalie and Bob and the best player in Maddie. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm like, the best goalie and the best player is on Florida,

and they're like, yeah. Yeah, no, it's nuts. Okay, Vegas Oilers. Yeah, we're watching the final seconds tick away here. Vegas has won this game five to one. This has been so far an extremely funny reactionary series for me because we picked Oilers and six. Game one happens.

Vegas looks great. And I came in here and asked you, does that change your thoughts? And you were like, no, I'm still Oilers and Six pretty confidently. And I was like, I'm not held here to change my pick, but I now, I'm like, whoa, dude, Vegas is real. Cassidy's going to coach them up.

They can slow down the top dogs. Vegas might do this damn thing. And then in game two, the Oilers got angry, dude. You won't like them when they're angry. Holy shit. They go, dude, Dry Saddle goal. McDavid goal. Drysettle goal.

McDavid goal is fucking five nothing. It was insane. And I'm like, oh shit, dude, they are the Hulk. The Oilers are the Hulk this year. And, like, Ruffalo says, what's your secret to cap? And he goes, I'm always fucking angry. Like, this one of his team, since the All-Star break, is always fucking angry.

Yeah. And they are coming for you. So after game two, coming into tonight, I was like, it might be always in five. I was wrong the other way. And Chris Fogel scores immediately. The first two minutes there on the board, and it was like, oh, boy. And now Vegas tunes up Edmonton. And I'm like this, it's Vegas since seven.

Dude. What is going on? I have never gone back and forth harder on a series. This is, this was a shit kicking. McDavid and Drysidal held off the score sheet for the first time these playoffs. Whoa. I didn't even realize it. This game, I think they both looked visibly frustrated. Drysidal, a couple penalties in this game as well, but man, Fogel scores that opening goal immediately respond, response from Vegas. Marcioso finally gets the score sheet and then

immediately gets another. So Marcia So is awake now with two goals in this game, probably going to be alive in the series. Anyone else in this, have three points in this game? Yeah, yeah. Jack Eichael did. Ever heard of him? In a big, big way. My little golden boy. Eichael all over the score sheet.

He's got a huge goal, two assists. Stevenson continues to be phenomenal. Did leave the game with an injury, which is... I thought he was a puck to the face, though. I thought I saw the replay what we were going. Yeah, and I believe he came back out. But, yeah, dude, you... You're right.

This is flipping. It's crazy. And I'm right because, like we said, Stuart Skinner sucks right now. And... Yanked again. Yes. And I said if Stuart Skinner can even play pretty good, this Edmonton team will win the Stanley Cup. Yep.

And you are three games into the second round, and Stuart Skinner has played very badly in two of these games. And you're down to one. I think Vegas continues to show really good depth in their lines the way that they're

matching up, the way that they're frustrating the top line, the power play remains an issue or by that by an issue I mean incredibly dominant for Edmonton Yeah,

I want to talk about that a second but keep going. You know, this is such a great example of like Aden Hill is just playing great and your defensive core is supporting him so well

and Aden Hill goes into this game after an injury to LB. So, well, that was what crazy again. It's crazy. This is crazy. It's crazy how good they look. I think both goalie situations need to be addressed.

Skinner has been lit up twice. But it's played good in one game. And that's the Skinner experience, for the most part, I would say. Campbell Canaan played pretty good in relief, just like he did the last time he came in in relief. They're going to go back to Skinner for sure. But you just don't know, dude. That's a massive fucking question mark for Redmondton.

And it's going to remain that for as long as they're in the playoffs. For Vegas, when I say, saw morning skate lineups today and LB was starting. I was like, wow, that's, you know, let's see, what, five games against the Jets two, so. So that's seven straight games for LB. And

he's been good and a surprise but got popped last game. I'm thinking, man, I wonder, before I saw the skate, I was like, I wonder if they go quick. I wonder if quick comes out and dresses. I wonder if Aiden gets a look. And they're like this, no, LB again, eight straight games. And I was like, damn, that's crazy. And we get in, we drive in for this. And

or we start watching. LB makes that save, that kick save, White Cloud has a great clear on the rebound. I don't even see him get hurt when we were watching it in real time. They totally replayback, and Rousseau's like dead on the ice. I have no idea what's happened.

I haven't been on Twitter yet or anything. It looked like another weird one, because I'm like, what did you hurt there? It's another crazy situation where if you're a Vegas fan, a Vegas player, if a week and two weeks ago, I told you, dude, you're going to lose Pruswa in the second round. You're fucked.

You go, I don't give a shit. And now I'm like this, no, you're fucked. Yeah. But then Aiden Hill, dude played fucking fantastic. Against the highest high-powered scoring team. I've seen it a long time. He stands on his fucking head. And he's all over the place, but he's making saves.

But that's a huge one to keep an eye on. Absolutely. If he moves L-B, what happens? Can Hill do this again? I don't know. If Hill's starting game four, that's going to be big watch. You've got to watch how he plays there. Can I read a stat to you here?

Yeah, yeah. I did this after last game, talking about some of these Vegas guys getting on the score sheet. Here's it tonight, 5-1 win. Jonathan Marceau with his first goal of the series. White Cloud with his first goal of the series and Haig with his first assist of the series McNabb with his first assist of the series Martinez with his first assist of the series

and Roy with his second assist of the series these guys Deep team Deep deep deep are there every game It feels like there's at least four dudes with getting one of their first either goal or assist of the playoffs So I kept saying series there

That was playoffs Oh right yeah yeah They are they're winning All these games and they're just spreading the wealth so much like everyone's getting involved and it's like that is scary dude when like all of these guys

are getting on the stat sheet you're not leaning too heavily on your top line that when as the opposing team that's when you're like fuck me dude they're getting it from everywhere yep so this the added ripple and the interesting element here of this series is the goalie

questions for both teams both yeah but but I think Vegas is playing very well at the at a good time And this was a good example. It felt like to me of in game one, obviously Vegas wins and was up pretty big, but dry saddle still got four. This was a good example of what this series or these matchups look like if you shut those guys down.

Yeah, absolutely. Because it's just hard, it's hard for Edmonton to score with them if they're not getting it from anywhere else. Absolutely. And that, or go ahead. No, no. Well, that was going to lead me into the power play because you brought that up earlier. The Edmonton Power Play coming into tonight was like 14 for 25. think, which is preposterous.

And they're three for six in game two, and their huge win. And Witt and Biz on Chicklets, Biz keeps being like Vegas is the least penalized team in the league. And Witt keeps being like, well, Edmonton is too quick. It's too quick and too fast to not take penalty. I know Vegas is least penalized, but they're going to take penalties against Edmonton. And when he said that, I was like, that is wrong.

Because you and I have played against guys that are legit stars in the NHL now. I've never played anyone that was so good and so fast. And I was like, I literally have to hook him. I'm like, dude, just don't hook him. Like, that's insane. But I watched two games and Whitproped like he was very right. I was like, God, Vegas is all over the box, dude. Like, they're taking penalties every time I look away.

The, if I'm Bruce Cassidy, and maybe, and I think maybe he did say something tonight because they only were penalized twice and they were both pretty late. If I'm Bruce Cassidy, I go like this, dude. It is literally like watching the NBA and helping off the three-point line when that's the one thing that can hurt you.

they if you get beat in the neutral zone and you're like oh shit I should just slow them up to prevent the three on two I'm like this well here's the thing the power play that you're about to give them they score on over 50% of the time it is highly more efficient than a three on two yes they will score more likely on the power play than the three on two and the power play eats two minutes of your fucking game away and odd man rush is one way usually mean an odd round rush the other way like let the play go three on two get a fucking save and go two on one back down their throats literally stop hooking them.

It is fucking insane to me that this team is willing to take six penalties a game against the Oilers. And again, maybe he said something. Two penalties tonight. Much cleaner game, much more disciplined game. But I promise you, Vegas, you will lose this series

if you are penalized more than twice a game. Yeah, it's a matter of chasing the game too. If you go down, you can't panic and chase and take stupid penalties. You need to just stay five on five. Absolutely. That has to be the name of your game and do exactly what you've been doing.

I think in this series The situation has changed The situation has changed I think the goalie thing like we talked about is just a monster factor I think Like we have seen in the King series Connor McDavid is still Connor McDavid

Yeah Leon Drysidal still Leon Drysidal I think We have got another game here in Edmonton I think that they are like No no no no no we are not going down three ones They're angry, dude. I imagine this is going to be two, two, after game four. But Vegas, you are playing fantastic.

So that was an emphatic win. I mean, we both had Oilers and Six. They got to not lose again to make that happen. And I don't think that's going to happen. Yeah, no, you're right. Obviously, I said I'm very reactionary on this one, and I am admittedly. But Vegas looks through three games, looks way better than I thought they were going to look. Agree.

It's also pretty wild that we are possibly staring down the barrel of a, Vegas, Seattle, Western Conference Final. Dude, I'd find that on your fucking bingo cards. I didn't even fucking think about that, dude. The two expansion teams in the Western Conference Final, ridiculous. Absolutely insane. All right, well, that is it for us today at the Empty Netters Podcast. We will be back with you guys later this week,

and we will be back in a very fun fashion while we are doing our live show down in the dirty jerse. We're headed to Hoboken. We're going to be at Wicked Wolf in Hoboken on Thursday. We are going to be at the game tomorrow at the Prudential on Tuesday, and we'll be bopping around Jersey all Wednesday. But Thursday, guys, we're doing the live show. We're doing a watch party.

We're going to be hanging out, tossing merch, doing bed MGM signups, gas and beers with all of you. So if you are in Jersey, if you're in New York and you want to come hang, come grab some free beers with us, come grab some merch, and just come grab some good times. Hang out. We'll see you at Wicked Wolf on Thursday, 5 p.m. for the live show and then watching the game together.

Let's do this. Skate hard.