Empty Netters Podcast - 38. Satisfaction Guaranteed w/ Pete Blackburn

Episode Date: May 31, 2023

Pete Blackburn from Bally Sports joins the pod. The Golden Knights finish the job and eliminate the Stars. Breaking down the results of each matchup and round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs and  a preview and prediction of of the Golden Knights / Panthers cup final. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the Empty Narrows podcast is brought to you as always by our unbelievable sponsor in Labat Blue Light. No question about it. The number one beer to drink at any time, but especially during the Stanley Cup playoffs. And we're headed right into the final right now. And I've never needed Labat Blue Light more. It's just been with me the whole way. I've been sleeping with it lately. I take a bottle, keep it closed, put it right under the pillow.

Makes it better pillow than you think because it's the smoothest, softest, Canadian, kindest light beer you'll ever have in your life. It was just Memorial Day weekend this past weekend, and we stayed in town. which is hashtag rare for us. And we ended up at a nice little sports bar in L.A. And they had Labat Blue Light on tap. And I think I drank 500 of them. Because it is just truly the crispest, most delicious tasting Pilsner on the market. Like you said, there is that Canadian kindness in every single sip.

It's unbelievable. And usually I have to go on the store locator, find where they got Labath so I can get up, stock the fridge. Finding it at a bar like that, God, it's the best feeling in the entire world. And by the way, it's getting more and more popular. It's in more and more stores everywhere I look. Labat blue lights staring me baby blues into my baby blues and I couldn't be happier about it. Guys, we know sometimes you don't want a super filling beer, but you don't have to sacrifice taste when you get a light crisp pills in like this. So make the right decision. Get some

Labat blue lights into your life, into your fridge, into the hands of all of your friends. It's an absolute no-brainer. Pop one while you're watching the cup. Let's do it. All right, guys, we are back with another episode of the Ampty Netters podcast and we are headed to the Stanley Cup final. We did it. And it's one of those things that it's like anticipation is gold. Anticipation is gold. And it's the things I almost don't even like when big events arrive.

Like when I've got a bachelor party with the boys or my buddy's wedding or something, I just like looking forward to it. I hate when it's even here. So I've just been looking forward to the Stanley Cup playoffs since we dropped the puck in October or whenever that was. Sure. And now it's here. And I'm happy. I'm here.

I'm fucking full. fully charged, fully torched up, fully torched up, dude. Bricked up for the cup. That was pretty cool, actually, bricked up for the cup. That should be like, it used to be, it's Leah F. Schreiber reading a unbelievable commercial narration. And he says this beautiful soliloquy about what's going on in the cup, what it means to everyone. And then he goes, because there's no game like this. And there's nothing that gets you bricked up like the cup.

Is that real? No. Oh, Jesus. I thought that was like, I actually aired. I was like, damn. Wow, NHL going dark. H.L. going R-rated. I fucking love that.

But I like that. We maybe need to make a graphic bricked up for the cup. With Lee Schreiber as like the, yeah. Okay. Maybe you can edit. We could probably have AI do his voice that's saying.

Yeah, because there's like B tag for the cup. Easily, yeah, I'll get on that. All right. I'll work on that. I like that. I like that. That's just my brain going to work there, by the way. Did you see that?

Yeah, that was really, yeah. I mean, I got you there. Yeah, you will. It was a team effort. You're right. Yeah. Hey, we've got an amazing episode today, guys. We obviously, we have several days here.

Brian. Producer Brian, dying. Wrong pipe? Yeah. Fucking that. All right. We're good. We've got an amazing episode.

Maybe not yet. Maybe not yet. Jesus Christ. It's been a while since that happened. It sucks, dude. That's rough. Dude, wrong pipe is alarming. All right, we're good.

There we go. Don't cut any of that out. We've got an amazing episode coming up for you guys here. We got Pete Blackburn joining the pod. If you're not familiar with Pete, get familiar with Pete. He's on Twitter at Pete Blackburn. He is an unbelievable hockey personality. He does NHL coverage for ballet sports.

He's been on Fox. He's been on CBS. He is just the voice that the NHL needs way, way more of. He's got this great approach to the game. He's got an incredible understanding of the game. He does it in a fun, lighthearted way. Of course, meshed with us perfectly. He's a New England guy.

We had a great talk. We're going to get into a full breakdown of all the series, the playoffs so far as they've gone, because we've got five days now here until the puck drop of game one, I think. So we've got to talk about how these playoffs have gone, and Pete was the perfect guest to jump on. But before we do that, we're going to rip quickly into those last two games. the Vegas Dallas series that we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we've, kept them alive. So Chris, take me away.

Let's just quickly touch on these two games and how this series wrapped up and then we'll hop into. Well, game five, you go back to Vegas. And that felt like the death blow if you're a Vegas fan because you're like, okay, we're home. Yeah, Pav saved him in OT, but we're obviously winning this game. That was going to be the hard one for Dallas. It was one of those, we talked about this all series, all playoffs, but it was like, that's one of those. We just got a steal game five in Vegas. Then you get to come home and win, and then it's game seven.

Anything can happen. Vegas went up a goal twice in that game. Went up one nothing and went up two, one. Dallas tied it both times went out pulled away in the third one four two It was a great game That was a great hockey game Otter made 32 saves

He was awesome but Hill was awesome dude He made a six save on hints in the first He made that moronic save On Ranta that diving save across the goal line Are you fucking shitting me right now The world Will know Aiden Hill's name when I'm done with him I promise you that

That's true But then Oh you know what I actually wanted to ask you this Dallas's third goal week weak. Very weak. After he made

preposterous things to get there. And the announcer goes like this. In a game five is on the replay and they go in a game five that one just can't go in

which is objectively true. But I'm like, yeah but I don't know why he specified game like he should have just said playoffs like in a playoff series that goal came. Right. Game five like who gives a shit?

And you're up three one. And you're up three one. Like you know if it were the other way and it's an elimination game he could have been like in an elimination game that came going. But it's like, no, no, that's okay, dude.

I mean, you don't want to let that in, but that's, that's not the, the game five is not the really important part here. But here's my bigger question for you. And I fucking do this all the time. So I'm not, I'm not placing blame on, forget who is announcing that game. But it kills me. If you watch, if any, I dare any of you to pull up the game five stars nights highlights. The entire fucking video will be Aiden Hill standing on his fucking head, making saves to keep the game

tied. and then that one goes in and they're like this, Aden Hill, absolute killer. And I'm like, well, it should be 8-2. So what the fuck are you talking about?

And that's what I wanted to ask you. Nate, first of all, name me another position that has more heat than goalie in any sport. Dude, but second of all, where are you at on that?

Because I try to always stay in check on if I'm owed one or the goalie owes me one. Like if we, if the goalie's stopped three breakaways, even in fucking men's league, if the goal, if Schmert makes three breakaway saves

and then lets up a soft one, I don't get mad because I'm like, he'll stop three breakways. I do. I will always get mad at a soft goal because I would hope that people get mad at me. I mean, I'm not saying you need to come and bite my head off, but I would hope that everyone respects me and my game enough to be like this. You shouldn't be letting that in. You shouldn't be getting burned on the outside like that. You shouldn't be getting losing your man in front of the net. Yeah. I don't want you to come scream at me. And if I've been playing out of my mind and I make one mistake, yeah, I think you go like this. All right, whatever. But I still want you to be like, fuck, that was bad. Yeah. And I think that's what I did. And I also think you make a great point, dude. Anyone who's talking about Aden Hill now without just stars in your eyes is a moron because you brought this up. This is great. Going into this game, Bob's save percentage, 0.935, or with a 2.21 goals against. And how many shutouts? One. Aden Hill. 0.937. Better.

Save percentage. 2.07. Better. And two shutouts. Better. So just saying, everyone's talking about Bob, by the numbers, and it's a smaller sample size. When did he'll come in? Series, round two. So he played six games against Dallas and, you know, who do they be? Oh, the Oilers. Yeah. So like three, right?

I want to say he played three of those six against Edmonton. So he's played nine games. Bob's played four and five is nine plus three against Boston? I think he played five against Boston. So 14. Yeah. Yeah, so five more games. But that's something.

about. I agree. And I'm just saying Aiden Hill is a star goalie in these plays. He's the second best goalie in the playoffs. Best by the numbers. Yeah, I just think Bob has been out of trouble. But I'm just saying, that's a fantastic goalie. Brian, before we get into this next part, can you look up right now the Dallas Stars cap space? Because there's some things that I want to have questions about. Do you want me to talk about game six while he looks? That's what I'm getting into right now. So game six, we start here and it's over before it starts. Absolutely dick stop. It was just one of those full, like the goals were just so spaced out, dude.

It was like, Vegas goes up. Vegas goes up two. You literally go get a beer, you look down. Vegas is up three. This is on, what was this on? Sunday. Monday, right? It was last night.

It was Memorial Day. That's right. This is a Memorial Day game. And you're, dude, you go to check the grill. You go to pop the fridge open to find another beer, another Labatlu light. And you look back to the TV. It's three nothing. You go like this, oh my God, and you turn to tell your buddy,

Jesus, they scored again. You look back at the TV, it's for nothing. It was just one of those games, too. And Dallas was truly never in it for one single second. And I'm curious in the situation of, you are up, or excuse me, you lose Jamie Ben for two games. You win those two games he's out. You're 0 and 4 in games he's in in this series.

Listen, we're not here to take. tinfoil hat. Or not. We posted a clip of our reaction of his response to the Mark Stone play. I was shocked with how much vitriol there was for Jamie Ben. People hate him online. I can remember, I thought I said this on an episode with you. I must have just missed this.

Like, I didn't realize that everyone's like, Jamie Ben's a scumbag. And I was like, oh, is he? I had no idea. Like, truly no idea. And you're looking at a guy who's 33 years old, he's making $9.5 million. Is this what you wanted to see? Yes. This is into next season and the season after.

Yeah, two more years. The captain of this team when it truly feels like Joe Pavelsky is the captain of this team. Now you've got Rupa Henson and Jason Robinson completely taking over. Yep. Do you do whatever you possibly can to get rid of this guy? How? Nine. No one's taking that.

unless you're eating some of it. Well, that's what I'm saying. It's those situations that Bruins a little while ago had David Bacchus on the roster. It said no one is ever going to take that. And Anaheim did. Well, you eat five, wasn't he? He was making $6 million a year. Well, here's what I don't know.

I don't know what the thought of him is in the locker room. Yep. Because if people like him, you know, obviously you don't want to pay for a guy doing nothing. But if people like him and he is a good leader, then I think you don't. But if there's any question of that in the locker room with the young guys you've got coming up, then yes. If there is a whiff of being like, we should move on. Yeah. I think you do it.

I thought you were going to ask this. If you are Jamie Ben and they lose or you win two games while you're out, I don't think he's like, don't play me coach. No, of course not. But what would you have said if Dallas sat him down? Like his suspension was up and they were like, don't play. I think it would have been utterly shocking. I think people would have been like, oh my God. And I would have done the same thing.

And then if they lost six nothing with him out, it would have been Armageddon, dude. I don't know if it would have been Armageddon only because you're already down 3-0 and, you know, like then. Yeah, and I guess you won without him already. But yeah. But yeah, there's no way you could have sat him down. But yeah. Yeah, dude, brutal one. I actually, well, apparently everyone hates him, but I actually feel bad for the guy because, you know,

Even though I think he was obviously trying to hit Mark Stone in the face, I do agree that he was just too hot. He was too hot in that moment. I don't think he's a bad guy and was like, I'm going to break Mark Stone's nose today. I just think he was too hot in that moment and Mark's stick was high and he was like, fuck this and just gave him one. So to think, oh my God, I let my team down. I cost us game three, which he fucking did. Yeah. Then his boys rally for him in game four and five.

He must have been like, I cannot wait to get out here in front of the crowd at home and like show the fans. I'm a captain. I'm ready. I'm here for the boys. And then to just get pummeled. I was like, Just awful. You wonder if that's in his head, too. I think actually part of me would have been like, I'm going to just keep my head down and play my game tonight. Like, I wouldn't have tried. I would have been a Milton man. I would have tried to be a Milford man. I would have been seen, neither seen nor hurt. Like, I just wanted to blend in, play my game. Have your guy. But, you know, I do think it goes back to what we talked about when we reacted to his answer to the whole thing was just, that's just not a leader, dude. It just, it showed a weird. And I know nothing about Jamie Bauer. as a person or as a teammate.

But I thought it showed a weird element of character and professionalism that I was like, what the fuck are you doing? Why are you saying that? And it just, it didn't seem like he was trying to gloss over it. And, you know, you even look at the Patrangelo dry-sitle shit where Patrangelo almost went the heel. And he was like,

they're fucking cheap shot and me all over the place, dude. Like, fuck that. This is a hard series. I almost prefer that where he's also like, I'm not fucking apologizing. Yeah, I fucking slashed him. Yeah. Because at least he was like, I fucking slashed him. You imagine if Petrangelo was like, dude, there was a fly on his shoulder.

And I was like, that could be poisonous. I'm going to get that. It's like borderline what James Land did. So I didn't like any of it. And then, yeah, it just must have sucked to get back on the ice and then get your fucking shit pushed in. Killer. So yeah, I felt bad for the fans, felt bad for the squad. They got some questions to ask going forward.

But Vegas punches their ticket, dude. Yeah. Vegas, Florida. I could have thunk it. Vegas to their second Stanley Cup final in six. years. Florida to their second in 60. And what's pretty exciting here is no matter what happens, we are getting a first time Stanley Cup winner. Which I'm pumped about. I think it's fantastic, dude. I'll never understand. People

were like, ah, that's shitty. I'm like, what are you talking about? It's awesome. So that's really fun. We're going to get into all the series. And then also, guys, we got an episode later this week where we will, you know, do the full breakdown talking about what's going on in the league, talking about what's going on in this final. But let's jump break. Let's kick it to Pete. We're going to kick it to Pete Blackburn. Guys, hope you enjoy this as much as we did. All right, we're ripping you guys with this new episode of the Empty Netters podcast,

and we're pumped to be joined by Pete Blackburn, amazing NHL coverage on Bally Sports. You've worked for Fox, CBS. The guy does it all. He has a unbelievable entertainment and pop culture podcast as well. A fellow, fellow heartbroken man of the Boston Bruins. Boston Native, welcome to the podcast, my man. Thanks for having me. It's nice to be alongside some Bostonians who can understand what it feels like,

especially a day after the Celtics kind of doubled down on the disappointment. There was a point in time where we were planning a double duck boat parade in the city. And boy, oh boy, things can go south pretty quickly. It's unbelievable, man. A buddy of mine texted me yesterday in the middle of the Celtics game. And he was like, I thought we were going to get two championships this year. And it turns out we're getting zero. and both of them are being ripped out of our hands by South Florida teams.

It's unbelievable. Eight seats. Yeah. Eight seats nonetheless. Oh, my God. Damn it. Pete, this is kind of gnarly, but it's funny.

One of our boys from home actually lives in Jersey now. We were doing a watch party during Devils round two in Jersey, came to the bar. And after the game was over, some Devils fans were talking to all of us about, like, how does it feel being a Bruins fan going through that? And our buddy Eric goes, honestly, it felt like having a stillborn child. And everyone was like, whoa, dude. That's dark. And then he goes, but listen to me, it's like you fad this thing, this beautiful thing, and you just got more and more excited about it for nine months.

And then like that, it was gone. And I was like, you know what? That wasn't the worst analogy I've ever heard. It's dark, but it's dark. It sort of checks out. I'm never going to claim that as my own, but, you know, it kind of checks out. It kind of checks out. How dialed have you been into, were you able to maintain your focus?

Obviously, you do it for a career, so we kind of have to here. but have you had fun with these playoffs? Yeah, like as much as I possibly, as much as I possibly could have. And honestly, like, the fact that it, that it kept going allowed me to kind of, that was like my coping mechanism. I was like, okay, well, I'm just going to, like, I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll table it. And I'll deal with the grief after this is, after this is all done. But like, at least I can continue to watch hockey and continue to enjoy hockey and kind of get,

get my fix that way. Um, but yeah, I mean, like it's, I feel like it's never as painful as losing the last game of the season, right? Like it's 2019 was brutal. Um, just because I felt like they were the better team and they should have won that series and they, they let it slip away from them. And especially on home ice, like I was there. And, um, you know, like from a professional standpoint, that was the, the first, two of the first on scene live hits I've ever done for TV were. after game five and after game seven at the garden. And so it was a real test of whether I could do this professionally and like maintain a level of professionalism. And I'll tell you what, like after game five, I felt like I was like maybe going to cry on TV.

And that was not a great feeling. But like to be able to get through it after game seven and like the blues are right behind me on the ice passing around the Stanley Cup. And to be able to get through that, I was, I felt invincible. I was like, if I can get through this, I'm going to be able to do anything. And even losing game seven this year, like it didn't quite hurt as much as 2019. That's so true. I think when there's more hockey to distract you, it's like, it's kind of that old adage.

Like if something bad happens with you in the new cycle, everyone's like, just wait. You know, like tomorrow something new will happen. When there's more hockey, it's like, you know what? Just wait. In this circumstance, all we had to do is wait and see the Leafs get bouncing. in five games. And then we had to wait and see the hurricanes get swept. And it's like, great.

Other stuff takes the heat off you a little bit here. It does help that like all the big dogs in the Eastern Conference who were hyped up, got knocked out and like pretty unceremoniously. And, you know, it is the Panthers who, you know, beat the Bruins are now in the Stanley Cup final. Like it does ease the pain a little bit. But on the other side of that, too, like the Bruins came so close to knocking off the Panthers.

where you can talk yourself into being like, this easily could have been the Bruins. Dude, I had they just won that one game. I could not agree with that more. Like, honestly, when the Rangers lost, I was like, these guys are under the gun just as much as we are, just trying to deflect a little bit.

But then, yeah, when you see this Panthers team just absolutely handle everyone else, I'm like, fuck, we would have just done that. We would have beat the Leafs. We would have beat the hurricanes. And it's like, God damn it. But at the same time, it is nice seeing them trouncing their way to the Stanley Cup. We're doing this series.

We've been doing this series during the playoffs on the IG page that's like they wouldn't have won the cup if. And it's like, you know, you just think back up with these plays that are unsung plays on the way to the cup. And we opened it up with Michael Ryder's glove save in game three against the Habs of round one. You know? So it's like little plays like that. And dude, all I've been thinking about this whole fucking time is that Bobrovsky save on Marshands Breakaway in Game 5. that I'm like, they are literally going to win the cup because of this one save, dude. And you had the funniest tweet.

I read it to Dan on our live on pod when you go. But Ross, you should go to hell. Yeah. I forgot what I said. But yeah, I do remember that now. I just, I think I said that like literally five minutes after it happened where it just because the, like the roof of the building would have blown off. And it would have been an all time moment in my, in my entire life.

It would have been extremely hard to top. Like, experienced that building. after that goal, like at the buzzer, it would have been incredible. That would absolutely have gone down as one of the great Bruins playoff moments ever. And then if the Bruins had won the cup. But I'm so mad at myself because we popped into this fucking studio two days later, not even one day later. And I was like, at that point, what? We went, that made it three, two?

Yeah, that was going to be a gentleman's sweep. Because that would have been the gentleman sweep. I said the next day, totally thinking to myself, there's no way this will be the case, if the Panthers go on and win the Stanley Cup, we will all look back at that save and say that that was the most important play for the Panthers, all playoffs. And I was like, there's no way that'll happen. And here we fucking are. And that might go down in the history books as the greatest save. I thought it would be a great save if they won the series.

Like I was like, even if they win the series, what a legendary save. And now they're in the fucking finals. It's just, oh my God, it hurts so, so much worse. And you're talking about, like, the series that you guys are doing. Like, the margins are so razor thin between winning a cup and just, like, having the narrative completely shift. And, like, I know everybody says it, but, like, there is, like, one or two bounces can make the difference and sort of, like, change the course of an entire franchise, an entire, like, team's destiny. and you know it's it's hard like especially when you're talking about a Bruins team that like was historically good during the regular season it's hard to like excuse the first round fallout

especially when you were up three to one but like that's kind of the game especially when you get to the playoffs it's like one or two things go wrong for you and that's it like that's it in snowballs dude i didn't like the matchup before the The playoffs even started as that end of the east was shaking out, you know, and I was like, we might get Pitt, might get the Islanders, whatever. And I'm sure, I don't know, I don't know what the regular season splits were. I'm sure they were dominant Bruins over Florida. Or maybe it was 2-2, do you remember that?

Which one? Regular season Bruins, Florida. Yeah, it was 2-2. Yeah, so it's like, but they were just so high scoring that to your point, Pete, it just felt dangerous. Like something, you know, one hot goalie or they go on a scoring spree, like, anything could happen where I was like, give me the Islanders who score a goal a game every night and we'll just pummel them.

But like I hated the matchup. I was happy to be wrong when it looked like we were going to win in five. But then as it started to snowball, I was like, here we go, dude. Just an absolute killer. It's brutal. But I mean, listen, we're talking about the Panthers. Obviously, they punched their ticket with a sweep over Carolina, which is so brutal for the hurricanes. And then last night, Vegas takes care of business and beats the shit out of Dallas.

So now we've got a Dallas or now we've got a Vegas, Florida matchup in the final. I want to know how you both are feeling. What do you think about this matchup, Pete? I mean, like, it doesn't register for me as, like, the most exciting matchup, but, like, I also am willing to recognize, like, these have been the two best teams during the Stanley Cup final and they both deserve to be there. It's just, and I'm not like, I'm not one of those, like, two non-traditional markets. Great. What, like, this is going to kill the league or whatever. I think that if your league relies on an original six team or, like, a, a.

a handful of markets to always represent in the Stanley Cup final. It's a flawed league. And we should be like kind of celebrating non-traditional markets getting there and growing and, you know, having their opportunity. But that being said, like, Vegas to me is almost a boring team just because they have been so consistent. And like they, they don't have a whole lot of chaos to their game. I think the Panthers have a little bit more chaos.

But like, when you think back on this. this Vegas run, there haven't been a whole lot of like, holy crap moments that you can put on a Stanley Cup DVD or whatever. It's more just like them taking care of business on a nightly basis and doing it in like somewhat unspectacular fashion. So like that's why I'm not like super amped up about the cup finals just because I don't think that there's going to be, it's going to be, I don't think there's going to be like a ton of chaos to it. I do think that it's going to be a pretty good intriguing matchup that I'm interested to see how it plays. out. And I think that like competitively, the margins are going to be pretty small.

That's how I've felt about it because you're so right. Vegas has, in my opinion, been the most consistent team. And that sounds funny to say when you look at Florida, who one in seven beat the number one seed, then one in five or one, yeah, one in five and then one in four. It's like, it's hard to act like, oh, they haven't been consistent. But when you look at their game, they're winning these games where they have 17 shots on net. And they're getting pounded. they win in 4 OT and then OT and then last minute buzzer goal to finish the sweep. So I do agree. I think Vegas has just been this really deep wagon all through the playoffs.

They've never really felt like they've been in trouble. They play such a complete team game. But the hope that I have is that when they run into the chaos of this Florida, it's going to implement an element of this is a team that's got a level of swagger that we haven't really faced before. They're super gritty. I think the intense chip and go hockey that Florida plays against this deep Vegas team might lead to some fireworks. That's my hope. Well, dude, what's interesting to me, because you put it up, Pete, the, let's say Vegas wins the series in six comfortably, right? That, this will be like a dominant playoff run. Like, I would look back

and be like, wow, there was no danger. They were just in control the whole way for the most part. And coming into the playoffs, I was kind of like, well, Colorado. is the sleeping giant, they're going to be better than you. And then Edmonton's been up your ass the whole second half of the year. And they're better. You know, I'm just sure. Like last year, Colorado had a pretty effortless playoff run. And I was expecting that.

You know, it was like, yeah, okay. This year watching if they pull it off, watching them do it, I've just been like, their comfortable playoff dominance shocked the shit. And like every step of the way, if they're able to like to get to Brobrovsky and make him look like normal human Brobrovsky, every step of the way they will have in, have in countered like an elite goalie or a goalie playing at an elite level. Or I guess, I mean, I guess you can, you can make the argument against like Stuart Skinner.

But like, you know, they got Hellebuck in the first round. They got Stuart Skinner who was looking pretty good and they made him look like dog shit. And then you get to to Jake Ottinger who, you know, I know that like he had his ups and downs this playoff. But like the big thing with Jake Ottinger was like, he is him during the playoffs. and a sub-900 save percentage for Ottinger, too. And like, so if you get to Brovsky, you're going to be steadily, like, demoralizing guys who have been kind of put on this pedestal as, like, the most important position on the ice.

I think if they get into game one and they put three or more past Bob, there will be an win or lose. I think there'll be an element of Florida's game that's like, oh, shit. Like, this is the first team that's really unsettled him right off the beach. that. So that'll be interesting to see. That's a great point. Well, I mean, you guys, I mean, you're talking about like, you know, the, the, like, Florida, you know, we can say has been consistent, but it hasn't felt extremely sustainable. Like, I don't think that anybody has been, like, expecting Florida to win 11 out of 12 games. And I don't think that

expect, people expect that to continue. And like, I think I've been waiting for the past, like, three rounds for Bob to kind of the switch to kind of be flipped because he is like the biggest Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of goaltending in the NHL. And, you know, the switch has stayed on the entire time since that first round. Um, you know, will that continue? I don't know. But like, it's, it's incredible that it has stayed on as long as it has. Does the rest scary? Knowing who Bob is. Does the rest scare you for Bob? No, because historically like, it's been shown that the more rest he has, the better he is. And like, you know, that is, that's kind of why we've seen him fall apart in like the second

round of the playoffs in years past where it's like, you know, you keep going back to a goalie, back to a goalie, back to a goalie, back to a goalie runs out of steam. And whether it's like a conditioning thing with Bob, like he usually kind of the bottom falls out at some point. Now, like obviously that hasn't been the case this year, but they also haven't been playing a ton of games either. Right. Like they're, they're going through teams five series, five games.

series, four-game series. So, like, he's not playing a ton, even though he's facing a lot of shots. I do think, though, like, Florida probably wants to get back on the ice as soon as possible, given how much of a buzz saw they've been. Yeah, he, you know, he does well with, with rest, but you have that, that fun breakdown. It's like teams that sweep, I think it's like, what is it, four and five? Dude, it's actually crazy. It's a wild stat of, you know, when you have a ton of rest after a sweep in the conference finals and then you get to a cup, the numbers are interesting because it's not one way or the other definitively. So there's been 10 sweeps in conference finals history.

1990, Bruins swept the caps, then lost to the Oilers for one in the final. 92, two sweeps. Penn swept the Bruins, hawks swept the Oilers. Penns ended up sweeping the hawks in the final. O'3, ducks swept the wild, lost to the devils in seven. 09, penguins swept the canes, beat the wings. 2010, hawks sweep the sharks. They win it.

2013, Bruins sweep the pens, lose. 2019 Bruins sweep the canes lose 2022 Ave sweep the Oilers beat Tampa so 10 times ever 4 and 5 in the finals after the sweep going into this one and the Bruins are 0 and 3 in the final after sweeping the Eastern Conference files love that for us

yeah right it's like what a great fun fact for you to read to us man that's awesome but no it is funny it does feel like this panthers team has just been all gas no brakes they're like the fucking guy in mad max spitting gasoline into the engine just ripping straight through the desert and it's like when is this going to run out? But you might not see it run out.

That's the crazy thing. And if Bob, good God, if he just plays lights out like this, you got to look at that, you know, the cons might's got to be either Natty Kachuk or Bob on the Panthers, right? And if Bob keeps playing like this, how do you not give it to him? And it'll be wild to see. Wild. Okay. So before we do our final predictions, we're going to go back down memory lane for the playoffs.

So sometimes Pete Dan and I play this little game called satisfaction guaranteed. So we say if the teams that made the playoffs gave their fans a satisfaction guaranteed promise, how much of the fans, what percentage of the fans money should they get back based on their performance? So we'll start with the Bruins because it's obviously 100%. Literally the most non-satisfied fan base on earth. I don't even have much more to say. We've talked enough about them, but it's just it is the most colossal collapse. I think they owe us money.

Yes, dude. They owe us what we paid and then they owe us like damages on top of us. It's emotional, emotional damages need to be. We've been doing this a long time. The first 200% refund that we've ever seen. And I think he's right. He's right, dude. There's genuine emotional damage that came with that performance.

That is amazing. The only thing I'll say about the series, and I think you, I know your answer, Pete, because you said it earlier, if the Bruins had the exact regular season they had and then made it to the finals and were up 3-1. in the finals and then blue three straight losing game seven at home is that worse than what they did or is losing in the first round to a wild card team worse i think i think losing in in the first round is worse like from an optics perspective because like you it's humiliating like 31 other fan bases now get to make all the jokes they want and you can't say anything

there's no there's no retort you make it to the stanley cup final you go to a game seven like you had you got so close and it was probably be like more damaging to my soul to watch that happen and it would be so painful and I may not ever like live it down like it's it's it's it's like the the patriots 18 and one where it's like they had a perfect season they came so close and it just didn't break their way at the finish line and like yeah that hurts so bad but you can't say that they embarrass themselves either dude that's what I think is the difference maker is what worse are we talking about and I completely agree with Pete, like if we're talking embarrassment, it's the first round. No question about it. But if it is

my emotional capacity, it's probably the cup final because if that team with Berg coming back, Krati coming back, making it through the Panthers, beating the Maple Leafs, like if they went to the cup and then lost after being up three one, that might, I might never recover from that. But the embarrassment levels way, way worse, losing in the first round. Yes. Yeah. And like going to the Cup final, it's like emotionally investing every part of your body and brain for two months versus two weeks like in the first round. Exactly. So I think like I would just like collapse from exhaustion if they were to lose in the Stanley

Cup final like that. But great point though, to keep it in the scope of this game, fans would get 10% of their money back if we lost in the final and we got 200% of it back for what they just put us through. Okay, so next one, we'll stay in the Eastern Conference and go through. Islanders lose in six to the Cains. What do you start? What percentage money do those Islanders fans get back? I go zero here.

I think you snuck into the playoffs. You were playing the Cains. You had absolutely no hopes or dreams of winning that. You ended up winning two games. Great job. You got, you were satisfied. Please leave. Even whether they brought in Bow?

Yeah. Absolutely. So that would be my counter argument. Like it would be like maybe five or 10% just because you went in and made a big splash at the uh in midseason but then again like to counter my counter argument they locked bow up yes that's my thing it's not just a rental that wasn't a rental to win they got a good player for a long time good point that wasn't a rental to win they they re-signed him so they got a blowout win at home too game three in front of the in front of the fans that's nice i'll go let's go five

we agree on five percent no i'm going zero i'm with pete i want you guys can have your own answers i'm saying zero okay uh lightning losing six to the leaps Hmm. Zero. Like for me, like it's, you know, it's tough, but like you, you just made the, the Stanley Cup final three years in a row and you won two of them. At some point, at some point, you run out of gas. And like, I think they ran out of gas against a pretty good team, even though they, they flamed out in the second round, talking about Toronto, but like, Toronto is a good team this year. And, and like, I think the margins in that series were pretty tight. Like, both teams played really well. And Tampa just came up on the short end. And they were a worst team this year than they

had been the previous three years. So I think that that's not super disappointing. I wouldn't, I wouldn't want any money back. But they are the lightning fans, though? Are the lightning fans more satisfied than the Islanders fans? Because you gave the Lightning fans a full refund. What? No, he didn't. Yeah, he gave you. No, 5%. Or sorry. Sorry. That's what I mean, though. He said no refund because you're completely satisfied Islanders. And then, and then, or a 95. And then, but you're saying it was a, the lightning fan should be more satisfied. Yeah, because I think you look at the bigger picture for, for the lightning. Like, you, you lost to a good team in the first round after three straight years in which you made super deep runs.

Like, you can't, you can't expect it every year, especially in that Atlantic division where you knew that you were going to get a real tough matchup no matter where you finished. Insane. What are you got? I'm going to say 15% money back. Okay. Because I hear all that. When you factor in the years past, that's a fair point. However, I do think that they were the better team in many of those games.

And that sucks. And then I'm throwing in the extra dash of salt here. It blows to be the team that gave the Leafs their first round one victory in 20 years. That sucks. I wouldn't want to be that fan. So I'm being a little bitter, but yeah, I want 15% of my money back. I'm very satisfied, but you know, you're still a good team. You're not as good as the past few years, but I think mostly being the one to lose to the

Leafs is what's... I went up to 30. I was being nice to the fans down there. I went up to 30, but because of that alone, I was just like, God, I would have been so... Honestly, Pete, when we got up 3-1 against Florida and I thought I was getting greedy that we were through already, I was thinking to myself, we must beat the Leafs because I just didn't want to ever, like, if that curse was going to break, it was like it cannot be us. Yeah.

So I felt a little sympathy for the Tampa fans. And I wanted it. I wanted it so bad. I wanted the Leafs in the second round just to be the team that kind of like undid their first round Super Bowl. Where it was like, you know, have your parade now. But man, the second round, we are, it would have been so funny for the Leafs to finally get through and then meet the Bruins in the second round. They're boogeyman and then have it happen again. Yeah.

It just would have been the funniest possible outcome. Especially because it was like, I'm sure you do too, but we have a lot of Toronto friends that love the Leafs, you know? And once we were out, I was like, well, you know what? Maybe let's just let this be the Leafs here. I'm happy for those guys. And then they just immediately get murdered by Florida. And he was like, even when I'm rooting for you, you guys lose. Yeah.

Absolutely killing me. Okay. Next one, Rangers, lose in seven to the devils. I, if I'm a fan, I'm demanding 50% of my money back here. I think that that was a, you know what it's funny? the devils had such a great season and kudos to them, you know, best road team around.

They got it back to 2-2 and then ended up winning that series. But I think they immediately get to Carolina and show that they are young and they don't have playoff experience and got shit pumped. Fair. And I'm like, dude,

do you look at the experience on that Rangers team and the runs that those guys have made and I'm like, you can't lose to this young team with home ice. That was an unacceptable. I would be furious

if I was a Rangers team. How much you give him back to him, Pete? I might go even more. I might say like 65%. Number one, they went, they went all in with their midseason moves. Like they, there was talk about like, oh, we're a super team. I never bought into that because I was like, this team still has flaws and going on and getting Teresanko and Patrick Kane doesn't help you defensively.

Like it helps you put goals in the net and that you need that. But like, you know, that part of it, I think raised expectations also losing to. you know, a rival, like, Rangers fans and Devils fans hate each other. So, like, that hurts a little extra. I think that they were very poorly coached in the first round, which would make me really, really mad at, like, what could have been, especially in a seven game series. And then, like, you know, beyond that, like, I think the effort level wasn't the most impressive, you know, from, from that Rangers team. There were just a lot of flat, uninspiring performances in that first round that I would be pretty angry about as a fan and it would leave me with a sort of sour taste

in my mouth. Completely agree. Game 7 especially. Dude. Like that was just a complete lay down. Which one did they, I guess seven, they were really flat. But one of those early ones, maybe three at MSG, like that was like step on throat time. Just win that game at home. That series is over and they like shot twice in the first period.

I'm going, Kivom, dude, I'm pissed if I'm a Rangers fan. 75%. And here's another reason, because they were in the Eastern Conference. finals last year. Like that team is yeah in their mind coming into this year. They're like, we're a wagon and we're adding Kane and Teresenko and it's the devil's great point, Pete. And Dan, to your point about them being young, I think that's why I'd want even more money back. Because if the devils went on a Panthers run here, I'd be like, well, they were pretty good. But if I'm a Rangers fan, I'm like, they stink. That's what I'm saying. They lose to them.

Like they showed immediately that they don't know how to play in the playoffs. And for some reason, the Rangers made it look like they did. And that's terrible. Rangers fans pounding on doors. trying to get some money, dude. Okay, Western Conference, round one. Jets losing five to Vegas. Pete, what you got? I mean, I guess like probably 25 to 30%, just because like this core, man,

has got to be really disappointing, just in the sense that like they kept the core together after everybody thought they were going to break it up last year. And they seemed to be okay during the regular season, but God, there's just something missing in that group. They don't have like the it gene, whether it's Shifley, whether it's Wheeler. They just seem to be missing that. They didn't seem to even care that they were missing it in the first round.

And that's what bothered me. But like, again, you look back on it. Vegas is a really good team and they, you know, they made it look pretty easy against Winnipeg. And so, you know, it's sort of like the Bruins Panthers thing where it's like, okay, you can look back on it and say we lost to a much better. better team. But God, that first round was so forgettable for the Jets. It's so uninspiring. And now I think you absolutely have to make some wholesale changes to that organization and that roster make up this offseason. Dude, how many? So I gave him 15. And I actually like your arguments. I probably should,

especially I've been so loose with the cash. I should have given them more. But I'm giving him 15, especially because they couldn't even grab a home game. Like that crowd went so nuts for three and four. And they stole game one. You'd think, you know, like just get less losing six. I'm with at like 25%, I just think, I think it's mostly a, if I'm a fan, I'm just so unsatisfied with the team. It's not even necessarily the playoff performance. I'm like, what, I don't even know what you guys are doing. They're so, they all hate each other. They hate the coach. They hate the management. It's, I would just be so bad vibes. It's awful. It's awful. Dude, how many, or I don't know if there's a good comp, but it's like, it's funny to me that you've, we've seen teams in the past.

There's a few right now that just don't have a captain, right? You know, the Bruins did it with the Bobby Orr years. And it's, it can be fine. When if you're like, hey, we just have a bunch of us that we see as equal leaders and whatever we want to, however we want to call it. And it's just so funny to see the jets be like, we're stripping our captain of the sea. And it's not because we have no leadership and we're out of control in here. And I was like, well, it is exactly because of that. Right. Yeah.

Seems to be. So the guy that everybody wants traded and was like seen as a big time cancer for the past several years, you're taking away the sea, but not because of him, just because of you want to. We're cool in here. Whatever you say. And we're just going to keep them on the team. And everything's going to be totally fine. It's just such a disaster. Ridiculous.

It's unbelievable that it worked so well. I guess you could say that it worked well. Like in San Jose, the vibes were never awful. Like that team just kept losing and they kept just trying to like pass the seat of maybe somebody who would maybe register something a little bit differently. But like Marlowe Thornton and Pavelsky all liked each other. Like they all. they, it was never like, oh, there's some, there's some shit going on in this room. It was just like, hey, why don't you try?

Maybe it'll work for you. Yeah. And like that's true. I feel like the, the Rangers were in a similar situation where it's like, what do we do here? And it's not that we have any inside, inside scoop in these locker rooms, but I swear, just the eye test. You can tell where you're like, those guys like each other. And yeah, they're trying to figure it out, but they like each other. And these guys don't.

Yeah. That's going to be a real problem. So sketchy. Okay, next one, Kings lose to Oilers in six. I'm really curious what you guys have for this one. I'm at zero. We obviously were tapped in with these guys. I think that was eight.

You're running into the buzzsaw matchup of Connor and Drys Idol, and you have goalie problems. You were ahead of schedule last year. You're a great team that started slow, but finished strong. I think that the future is bright, and unfortunately, that's just like a brutal first round matchup. I think it's zero. Pete, what do you got?

Yeah, I mean, like, maybe five just because it's like the same, you know, the same opponent that you lost to last year. Like, it's got to be a little frustrating that you just like can't. It's, you kind of, they're kind of running into their own boogeyman at this point. And like, there's a frustration that like, you know, Leon and Connor just like killing you and it's, God damn it. Like, but you're right in the sense that like the future in L.A. is still awesome. And you can't really look at a whole lot that happened in that series and be like,

this is, you're not pointing many fingers. Like you just kind of ran into a better team. And it's frustrating because L.A. got better. And they were a better team this year than they were last year. But so was Edmonton. It was just a case of two teams getting better and then running into each other again.

Yeah. I think the up three O game four is the only thing that you're like, fuck, that could have changed everything. But I threw him 10% just because of that. that game. That was such a killer. But you guys are right. They came in, in my mind, they came in with goalie issues and then they lost because they had goalie issues, you know? And I was like, okay, like that was just about what do we all thought was going to happen. Exactly. But I, and,

but I love what you guys said, though, because even though they did lose quicker, by the way, because it was seven last year, I'm pretty sure. You saw improvement, it felt like, you know, like last year they kind of, they stole one in Emmington and they got blown out in game three at home because they weren't ready for the moment. And this year, it's like, they kind of stepped up in a few of those bigger games. Yeah. Ran into a buzz side. Okay, Wild lose to Dallas and six Wild fans. What are you giving them? Pete, you can go.

It's got to be like 85% just because, like, it's the Minnesota Wild. It's Minnesota Sports. Like, at some point, you got to win something, right? Yeah, dude. And just, I didn't see a ton of fight from the Wild. And it's, you know, it's frustrating because this team did seem to be. turning a corner in terms of being a fun and entertaining team last year. And now you're kind of back to being this grindy, like sort of unspectacular mild team. And it's got to be painful, especially like

the, the goaltending situation and how that played out where it just like doesn't, it didn't make sense to go to to go to to go to flurry like it was a real a real like like god damn it like we're doing this again for the minnesota wild so like if you are a frustrated wild fan and you're angry and you want 85% of your money back i am absolutely saying here it is because i'm not going to contest that yeah you're a customer service you're like this well you've got to you've got some really good point too that's like yeah i'm like yeah you are you're a scrues you're a screaming at me, but you're making some good points here. I think it's that high too because, dude, the first round problem is so insane.

You are becoming the new Toronto Maple Leafs. You lose in the first round all the time. You're also losing to a team that you have history with a team that stole you, that stole your franchise. It's Texas hockey versus Minnesota hockey. And you put out this performance. It's just such a mess over there. I think they're pissed and they should be pissed.

Yeah, I, you guys are, I gave them, in my notes, I gave them 60, but I actually like what you guys are saying. It's high. They just, the fan base, what we talked earlier about being spoiled, you know, with Boston sports or whatever, it's easy to forget how annoying it is to be so consistently beaten down, whether that's never make the playoffs or losing the first round every year, just not seeing any improvement is such a killer as a fan base. So to come in this season, excited, 100 point season, right? I think they were a bucko three or something. And I'll say, I'll say this, like Minnesota Wilde have some of my favorite fans in the entire league just because They have that self-awareness where, like, they know that they're just perennial disappointments.

And they're really smart hockey fans. And they're really grounded in what their team is and what their team hasn't been for years. And I just really like that self-awareness and that self-deprecating characteristic that they have to them. That's one of the people. I want to, I want good things for them. I was just going to say that. I was just about to say that. I always say this to Dan, I inexplicably just, inexplicably just love the wild.

Like, I just want them to be good and I want them to win. They're a great team. Pete said it. Like, it's a Minnesota team. They got great uniforms. They've got cool players. Bill Garon's the man. Their fans are awesome and nice and smart.

I want good things for that. I want them to be happy. And unfortunately, the team won't let them be happy. Okay. Next one, Aves losing seven to the Cracken. I'll start. And I think they were hurt and losing Landy. pretty much killed their chance

of a fold repeat run. It's already hard to repeat. And it's hard. If fans were calling my customer service and I'd like, you won last year. Get off the phone. Yeah. But surely you expected to beat

the expansion team Cracken. So I went as high as 70. Because I was like, if you're an S fan, you are appalled with that performance in the first round. But what do you guys think? Am I too high? No.

I think it's up there. I think I'm probably at like 60. It's not good. It's just, it's see the Crackin, dude. And I love. love the Krakken, don't get me wrong, but that's a tough L. What do you think, Pete?

Yeah, I mean, I think that's, I think that's kind of high. And I get what you're saying. And, like, you know, obviously, if you want to put together a Stanley Cup title defense, you want to go longer than one round and you want to probably not lose to the Seattle Cracken, who were one of the worst teams in the league last year. But at the same time, they were super banged up. They were going up against the Seattle Cracken team that looked really good for most of this season.

the one thing that they failed to have that would have made them a much better team in the standings was goaltending. And somehow, some way, Philip Grubauer became a different version of himself and looked good for the first time in a Seattle cracking uniform. And he goalied the Colorado avalanche. And I think at the end of the day, you can never really be all that upset about getting goalied, especially when you're not at full strength. So, like, I think that there's certainly disappointment from Colorado fans, but you can look at it in a way and be like, it just wasn't our year. Like, it just did the, the cards didn't, you know, it didn't break right for us.

So, like, there's not an overwhelming sense of disappointment. And we have some As fan friends that said almost exactly that. They were like, it just wasn't our year. We knew even going into the past. They did trick me, though, as they got super hot down the last. last quarters. They hit the quarter pole there and like came from a wildcard spot to first in the central.

And I was like, oh, oh, dude. I also thought that, I also thought there was an element of like they were going to be healthier than, than ever. And also, like, the past several years, the Tampa Bay Lightning just didn't care about the regular season. Like they just, they just didn't turn it on. And then when the playoffs started, they go, okay, season starts today. And they just look like a different team.

And I thought that that was going to be the case for the avalanche, where they We're just going to show up for game one of the playoffs and be like, you're all fucked. Yeah, let's go. Pete, I also thought that that was happening this year again with Tampa because if you remember, they pounded Toronto in game one. And I was like, oh my God, are they alive again? And then that didn't happen. But holy shit. I think that's true.

All right. I like that a little bit. Okay. I'm fired up for you guys answer on this one. Leafs lose in five to the Panthers in the second round. I think it's high, dude. It's like, I didn't fuck. I didn't realize we're going to second round.

It's high. Do you think it's high? It's a 99%? No, dude. It's like 5%. No, you got out, dude. All you had to do is get out. They got out.

Where did it get you? Where did it get you? I got your general manager fired. And now like the, now you don't know the direction of this team. Dude, this is what I'm saying. Like, it's awful. But if you were a least fan, it doesn't mean anything to get out of the first round if you immediately get run over and the same problems that you've been

running into in the first round happen two weeks later. It doesn't matter. Like you still have the same questions about this group and like what might be missing. And now I think like the worst part about it, I think that Kyle Dubus is a good general manager. I think he had a good sense of this team. And because it flamed out the way that it did, it cost you a smart guy in the room.

And now they're going to, now they think that they're going to have to make like some really drastic changes. And I don't even know if that's the case. Like, I think this team is like kind of close. Dude. And now Dubus is going to go like revamp the penguins in your eyeball. And it's like, oh, damn it. It's super high, man.

You finally got out of the first round. You had the season you had. You have these guys. And yes, now we've seen that Florida is amazing. But dude, you get gentlemen swept that way that it's so high. But I will say this, though, because maybe you guys are right. But I will say this. When the Florida, when the Leafs fans bought this deal and I said satisfaction guaranteed,

there was fine print that said if we get out of the first round i will not be taking any of your fucking calls so the fact that we got out it's pissing me off that now they're mad about it they moved the goal at least at least they dump the jokes right like at least they get to lose the first round jokes that i'm sure were so tiring and like it's you know it's at this point to it like i was sick of seeing them because they were they were uninventive they were non-creative it was just the same crap over and over and over again about the first round so at least they get to lose that but I don't think you get to feel good about winning the first round when you immediately, when the bottom falls out immediately.

And your gentleman sweep is so tough, dude, because it's like, yeah, you avoid those jokes now, but you are still like, I mean, I guess, like you got out of the first round and then immediately got dismissed. Are you guys down to like 50% refund if round two had gone seven games? Does that matter? I think if round two... Yeah, I think if round two won seven games, it's zero.

Okay. You know, you've gone further than you've gone in two decades. Okay, okay. Devil's losing five to Keynes. low for me I think again it's kind of like what we talked about with L.A.

You are so ahead of schedule you are so ahead of schedule you had an awesome awesome game seven series win against a huge rival team then you get up against this Carolina team that's clearly just much stronger than you

with much more experience and they showed it from the first puck drop I think you're you're bummed so I'll call it maybe five to 10 but I think that one's low I think you're like

yeah we got to the second round that's great. We shouldn't have even been in the playoffs. I had it at 10 too. Like I said, Pete, we were in Jersey and every fan, granted, you kind of knew you were dead, like when, you know, when they were down 3-1 and last that home game, almost every devil's fan we talked to walking out of that bar was like, great season, man, you know, like, we're going to be here for a long time. And I was like, okay, they're feeling, they're feeling pretty good. Do you agree? Yeah, like, yeah, I love Devils fans, too. Like, it's a, it's a bunch of degenerates that,

like, are such a tight-knit community. Gritty, dude, gritty fans. Yeah, right. I love jersey pants. Like, yeah. I would say it's like closer to 20 for me just because I felt like they were the better team and Carolina was banged up. And like, I know they're a good team. But like you look at how unprepared the devils were to play the first couple of games

of that series. And it's kind of inexcusable. And I think that that does fall on Lindy Ruff. And then you have like the goaltending decision that I thought was really questionable with with Vanichek. And so, like, there were just some, I thought that they, they should have had an opportunity to win that series. And they kind of got in their own way.

Yeah. And that would leave a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. And so, like, that's why I go up to 20. But, like, in the grand scheme of things, you can say that this was a good season. You could say that this kind of made them take the first big step into something bigger. but it's hard not to look at it and be like, well, it could have been more. Yeah.

It would have been more. And at least a fight, right? Like you brought up the fight earlier. I think that's a great point. I think certainly devil's fans expected to be in a tilt with the canes. Yeah. And that I'm not getting run. Okay, Oilers losing six to Vegas.

I'll start this one because I think this one is massively high. Like just below Bruins, like 95%. Western Conference Finals last year. All-Star goalie. Second best, I didn't mean to put that in quote, Star. You were an all-star. That was not, that was me.

Second best team in hockey, the second, or the best team in hockey the second half of the year. Historic seasons from McDavid and Drys Idol. And I just think they thought they were doing it or making it to another round at least. Like I think Drysaddle was like, it's a waste of year. And I think that's what the fans feel too. Yeah, I don't have much to add. I think, you know, not taking anything away from how good Vegas is, but 100% to, to, and in six, too. Yeah.

That's just brutal. Yeah, I would say it's pretty high. And, you know, for all the reasons that you just said. And also, like, you know, they put together a run last year and they said at the end of the run, like it's disappointing for it to end this way. But, you know, we took a big step. Now it's on us to continue it next year. And this year, you take a step backwards. And, you know, again, no disrespect to Vegas.

But, like, they exposed them as a team that wasn't ready for that series. and wasn't ready to swing with the heavy hitters. And that's so disappointing for an Edmonton team that seemed like it had everything all together, really turning the corner, especially in the second half of the season. They were the best team in the league, even better than the Bruins since early January. So, you know, that that's really, really disappointing. Yeah, crushing, crushing season for the oil. For sure. Bad one.

Okay, here's an easy one. Crack and loose in seven to Dallas. zero. No doubt zero. Absolutely. Easy as zero I've ever given. Zero. Made the playoffs would have been zero. If the Krakken made the playoffs and I would say the fans get no money back and then they beat the defending champs. Yeah.

Be the defending champs in a game seven on the road. I think with the exception of Florida, there's no one who could be possibly happier than Krakken fans. Cool. Yeah. And no, like that team did it without any like real high end talent. That's the most impressive thing to me, how much they spread it throughout the course of that lineup and just how much every single guy showed up. And even like a blue line, like Will Borgon was scoring goals. And it's like, damn, like they're getting stuff from everybody in this lineup and they're rolling four lines.

They're like super exciting. They play with such high intensity. They all buy in. And it was just like really fun to watch that team sort of come together and realize. kind of their potential. And like we talk about like the devil's making a big step forward and kind of like, you know, establishing their footing. The Cracken now are one of those teams where it's like, okay, now we go out and we start

filling in like this high end, the top of our lineup. And like a guy like, you know, Maddie Baneers is only going to get better. Maddie Baneers rocks. Oh my God. So as long as they can get like good goal tending, they're going to be a team that is worth fearing for sure. Yeah. I think the way that they played, we talked about it, the way that they play those, that four-line hockey, they roll without any real superstars.

You look at the success they have. When you go into the off-season, there's not big holes you need to. Yeah. Like, so all they do is really, you know, maybe you take a B player and turn it into a B-plus player. You take a B-plus, turn it into an A-minus, and all of a sudden, they're doing exactly what Vegas does. And it's like, shit, are you guys going to make the second round again next year, third round next year? Like, it's, they're in such a good position. I think that they are, like I said, you couldn't possibly be happier.

Dude, the not big hockey market crowds heads are going to explode when it's Vegas crack in Western Conference Finals for the next decade. Yeah, fucking seriously. Dude, it's the, it's the Winter Classic next year. Oh, shit, isn't it? I didn't even realize that. Yeah. It's awesome.

It's, uh, it's Vegas and in Seattle, the Winter Classic next year. It's going to be quite fun. Yeah. Amazing. I think that it's, it's in Seattle, which has got to piss off so many fan bases. Oh, yeah. They've been in the league for three years. and they get a winter classic.

That's got to make so many people angry. For sure, but, you know, we talked about Minnesota fans and Jersey fans. Dude, they're young, but Seattle and Vegas fans are fun as hell. Yeah. They're such fun groups of people. They've embraced these teams. It's like, fuck yeah, I want it. That winter classic is going to have such a good show out.

It's going to be amazing. Okay, last two. Cains get swept by the cats. What are you given Cain's fans? Listen, it's one of those. funny things where it's it's the element of the longer you last the more it hurts. As far as satisfaction, I want to say hi because you have got swept in the Eastern Conference Finals again. That is so shitty. But your guys are banged up. You ran into this wild

team of destiny in Florida. So I'm not going over 50, but I am going to say 45. Oh, I'm low, dude, because it's like, you're right, they're hurt. They're like they're so, I can't believe they were even in this round. And they were, all those games are so close. I'm like 10. 10. You're the second best team in the league points wise or in the East points wise, maybe the league. And you, you know, you can't get swept again. It's a tough.

For me, it's like a 50% just because it's a third straight time, like they're 0 and 12 in their last three Eastern Conference final finals appearances. And it's this element that of like something missing in the DNA where like they, they just can't get over the hump and they don't have that game breaker. and it's frustrating to me. If I were like a Carolina fan, I'd be really frustrated that they didn't address anything mid-season. Like, yeah, they went out and got Gossus Bear. They went out and added around the margins a little bit. But like there were guys out there.

There was like a team O'Meyer that they like, they could have gone out. And I know he had a tough playoff run for the Devils, where he like was almost non-existent for most of the run. But like a team O'Mire certainly moves the needle and does a whole lot for a team like the Carolina Hurricanes that need that high in talent at the top. And yeah, you can talk all you want about like them, them losing a Svechnikov and losing some of their other key contributors

and like Apache Reddy who they brought in to help goal scoring. But like the problems that they ran into in the Eastern Conference final seemed inevitable. Like they were going to catch up with them at some point and they just didn't address them. And at some point, you have to go out and do it. And they sort of play like as close to a money ball style. of like a team building approach as any team in the NHL does. We're like they don't like overpaying and they don't like paying more than market value. But sometimes you have to do it.

You have to swallow your pride and you have to overpay to bring in guys that make a difference. Because nobody is going to applaud you for being frugal. Nobody's going to applaud you for being for like being stingy and being like a great negotiator if it doesn't lead to winning. For giving Jordan's small, a 10-year, $60 million contract. And at some point, you have to do more than just make the Eastern Conference final and say, well, we gave it a good run. You have to win at some point.

Exactly. You have to win a game. Dude, oh, my God. That's a start for sure. A good start in the Eastern Conference Finals is winning a game. It's like my favorite part of Moneyball, which was a great movie. My favorite part of Moneyball was the A's don't win ever. Like they don't win the World Series.

They just like get in the playoffs. And then there's like this title card at the end that's like the Red Sox would win the World Series by using Moneyball tactics. And I'm like, no, no, no. They paid for Manny. They didn't win the World Series because they were using Moneyball. They bought Manny. And then they got Kurt Schilling. It's like that's not what did it, guys.

Yeah. It's like, yeah, we're playing Moneyball, but we just have so much more money. Yeah. And dude, also correct me if I'm wrong, you guys. but I'm like 90% sure there was a leak. It was like, or not a leak, but like Elliot Friedman had a scoop

that the canes were in on Timo and just like weren't willing to pay enough. Yeah, they weren't willing to meet the price. Yeah. And I'm like, to your point, Pete,

I'm like, dude, pay, pay, do you want to win? Pay the price. Right. And what a wake up call. And if you're not willing to go out and reinforce and add more guys of value,

you can't be like, well, we lost, we lost a couple guys. So like, you know, you have to prepare for the possibility of losing guys.

Like if one guy, going down or two guys going down completely tanks your season, then your roster is kind of built wrong. You know, like, there are some guys that were indispensable and, like, it's going to hurt your team no matter what when they go down. But if, like, losing one or two guys kills your season, then you probably, that's a, that's a roster building failure. And the other thing that sucks as a fan is even when you're bang, I'm sure coming into this

playoffs, the fans were like, ah, we're too hurt to do it. But once you get to the ECF, you're like, well, maybe we, maybe we are going to do it. and you get swept again. It's an absolute disaster. Okay, last one, Dallas and six to Vegas. I think this is going to surprise you. I'm high here. Really?

Yeah, yeah. Wow. I'm low. I think this is like, I think it's 5560 for me because same deal, dude. Vegas is fantastic. They played fantastic in round one and round two. But so is Dallas, dude. Dallas is a deep team.

They had guys who were playing out of their shoes. You all of a sudden have Jason Robinson kind of waking up in this series. you were over a hundred point team all season long you have Jake Ottinger and net you can't go down 3-0 you can't have Jamie Ben act like a fucking psychopath as your leader

everything about go Pete go no I was going to say like for me it's like a you started a 40 based off of that game 3 100% of that game 3 was inexcusable like it was the most humiliating most inexcusable

showing from a team that I've ever seen like the the the quickness with that implosion the game was over four minutes into the dude less than that is less than that it's it's it's not excusable whatsoever and i think what makes it hurt so much more is that that game too they were a minute away from tying the series and if it weren't for a ryan suitor absolute bone job beyond behind his own goal line with the turnover and then the the the missed coverage in front of the net you win that game and you were a better team and like to go back to Dallas tied up one one and not down to nothing and then follow it up with that with that game three absolute debacle like you started a 40 percent and then you know

I know that they put together a nice little two game run to make it interesting but that game six showing what they were flat as hell too so like again back in Dallas absolute no shows to absolute no shows in that series and it's at least like a 50 percent for me. Yep. That's honestly, that's exactly how I feel. It's like, you know, you're so right about the game too, bad bounce, but you even go down O2 and you look at an example like Jersey in New York and it's like you can go, you can even this up. You're going home. Like take care of business. Man, you are playing in front of your fans. Who, by the way, are good fans? Yeah. Stars fans show up. Not that night they weren't. But I really can't blame them because they had nothing. I saw the second

intermission, that place was filing out. Normally I'd be like, oh, come on, you pathetic losers. But I would be like, at that point, I was like, yeah, I'd probably leave too. There is nothing to, nothing to keep me in that. That's what I'm saying. Like, dude, less than two minutes into the game and your captain loses his mind. And it's, it's, honestly, that play felt like a showing of Jamie Ben going, we can't win. Yeah, I'm out of control.

Like, so I get. And everybody followed suit. Everybody followed suit. Team completely shut down. We, we joked about it. It was like, Vegas had fucking nine shots and they had five goals. And it was like, okay, this is insanity. So, yeah, I think it's 5560 for me.

I like this take actually because I was thinking more big picture. And I was like, well, you know, six games in the Western Conference Finals. If you're the Dallas fan, that's pretty like, if you just look at the finish line, I'm like, it's 25%. But you're right, the two no-shows are a killer. Game three for me, I mean, I guess both because you're trying to make history here with game six. But game three, I was talking to Dan, that series didn't feel like, You know, you know, what's the expression? The series doesn't start until the whole, till the road team wins.

That series felt like completely even to me, even though it was 2-0-0 Vegas. Because I was like, well, Dallas is going to win these two at home. So like, we're in for a tilt here. So I was stunned to see that go down the way it did in game three and just kind of them unravel. Like the complete unraveling of that squad was nothing. And that, I said this earlier too. They have, they've been good for a while here.

I feel like they kind of are under the radar. But I'm like, dude, they were in a final. Like, this team is very competitive. So they've got the, they've got the, they've got the will succeed. they've got the roster and they have the experience. So to see them just lose their goddamn minds in the playoffs at this stage was not it. Okay, so I'll take a higher a 50.

That's a pretty good answer. Yeah. Okay, so I wanted to, and you get 0% of your money back if you make a final. So Vegas and Florida, you get none of your money back. Thank you very much. I want to hear what your guys call. Who you got in having a game.

Yeah, yeah. Pete, let's hear what you're thinking about this matchup here. Oh, man, like, I think this is going to be such a tight. matchup. And I guess, like, my heart is pulling for Florida just because, like, they do feel like a team of destiny. And like, if they are able to cap this off, it is probably the better story. But based off of like what I've seen in terms of consistency and sustainability, man, Vegas seems like they got it. Like they, they, I think that they're a really, really good team. So I'm going to say Vegas in seven.

And I think it's going to be one hell of a final series. I love that. Going back to what we said in the beginning, I think in very unique ways, these teams are an interesting matchup for each other. I think they play different types of hockey, but I think the way that Florida plays,

going up against the way Vegas plays, is something that Vegas hasn't seen, and vice versa. Definitely vice versa. To me, I think this is going to be a goalie battle. I think Aiden Hill is much better, even on paper, than people are aware of. I think tons of people are like, yeah, he's like a backup. I mean, he wasn't really ever the guy.

He's a great goaltender. And I think if Bob can keep playing this way, that is what's going to win it. I'm saying Florida in seven. Oh, okay. Damn. Dude, Bob is the X Factor for me. It's ridiculous. I know.

If he stays hot, it's going to be hard. But like Pete said earlier, they've been just eat. Vegas just been eating these big goals. They've been eating go-tenders alive, man. And that's so important to think about. Like, it's just, I mean. And another thing that, like, that I'm thinking about, it's like the two X-actors for me is that they've been eating good goaltenders alive.

And it's the William Carlson line that just keeps eating and winning minutes against the top talent on the other side. And they, he, that line has faced like the top, top talent that you could, that you could want to see. Like, you know, Winnipeg has a pretty good offensive front-loaded team. And then you've got Connor. The two best players in the world. He eight and won those minutes against Connor.

And then going up against the Hintz line in Dallas, which is one of the better lines in the league. Like, they keep, he keeps winning those minutes, not only neutralizing, but being productive in his own right with 10 goals. So, like, William Carlson has been like a real, real unsung hero for me for this entire run for Vegas. Yep. He's been so strong and I do think that's an element of his game. The defensive element of him, his game is so underrated. It's so not

talked about. And fuck, man, that's a good point. That matchup is because Florida is a little top heavy dude. Like I was looking at the stats. If you take away and you neutralize or like you at least mitigate the damage that the Kachuk line is going to be able to do which has been absolutely just eating everybody alive this postseason. Like if you get

them back anywhere down close to Earth. I think Vegas has a pretty good shot. I'm telling you, dude, I couldn't decide. And I actually did not think probably like a week ago. I was like, there's literally no chance I'm picking anyone but Florida to win the final. But as we got here today, I closed my eyes and I pictured winning a slot machine. Not that I've ever done that because I don't think anyone's ever won a slot machine.

But I'm pretty sure when you win, it comes up 7-7. And I was like, it's Vegas and 7. I love that. I love that. So, yeah. Dude, you know what I'll also say something that I think I would be very worried about if I were Florida. You look at a guy like Maddie Kachuk and in round two, again,

Toronto, he was a little quiet. He had like five assists, five points in the series. And, you know, granted, it only went five games. But he stayed off the score sheet. I look at a guy like Jack Eichel, who I think had four assists in six games, something like that, who has been phenomenal all playoffs. So over a point per game. But I look at him being quiet and I genuinely look at him going, they go up three oh and he's like, I'm fine. I'm going to keep playing my game here. I don't need to unload in this series. Otter robbed him a few times too. Like he missed a couple of ways. Yeah, I was going to say like the like the, like the, like the, the, like the, the, like the, the, expected goals and sort of like he deserved better than than what he got in that last series. So I think that there's an element of, uh, you know, regression coming to play and saying he's going to get his, his come up and he's going to get his due, uh, in this series where he didn't get it. That's what I'm, that's what I was leading up to. Like I'm saying like, I think he was a little quiet and the XG is a great call because it's like he's still playing well.

He's still showing up. I'd be worried if I were Florida because I think Ikel is going to have a huge series. Yeah, and I think we Well, clearly we all agree But I will be shocked So last round Pete I think Dan Actually, I think you picked Vegas in six

And you were dead on Yeah, I picked Vegas in seven But we both had Or I had cats in seven You had Keynes in seven And I was shocked to see that go four Obviously I'd be even more shocked

If this doesn't go six or seven Because I just think These team teams feel so tight Play a different game But I think I just I'd be blown away If it's a short series I think it's because

The bottom falls out for Florida And like just it just all falls apart, whether it's Bob or just like, you know, they just kind of lose whatever magic they had bottled up. But I don't see that happening in terms of it just like the bottom completely falling out. I think that's a great point, Pete. And that, and it's interesting to say because they've been so fun to watch, I don't see any world here where Florida steamrolls Vegas. I just, I don't think it can happen. Maybe, dude. Yeah. And if they do, this will be the most dominant Stanley Cup of all time. Truly. If they do, if they do, if they do,

if they win in four games or four or five games, it's going to be four or five very close games. Like, I don't see them blowing the doors off of Vegas at any point. And it'll likely be four shutouts. Like, it'll be Bob literally being an alien and not letting it a single fucking- or one-nothing's in overtime with four Kachuk goals. Yeah. I'm just like, what is happening right now?

Oh, Jesus Christ, it's true. It's the only way it can go. All right, well, that's the good seven game series from all three of us. Yeah, I love it. So Vegas, you guys, I'm rolling with the cats. There it is, the seven-seven-seven. I knew it. You're just talking about.

I knew it. There it is. Fucking A. That's crazy. What do you got? What else you got? That's all I got on the playoffs. Yeah.

I mean, we can talk about the Star Series if you want. No, no, no, no. We've been ripping it for over an hour. I love it. Pete, do you have any lasting thoughts that are picking at your brain that you want to get out or any things that you want to shout out heading into the final? I mean, not really. Like, I feel like overall this has kind of been, I don't know if, I don't know if

it's like just like a lingering disappointment of uh of like the the bruins first round and how that ended but like i feel like this has been sort of an underwhelming playoff run like the second round especially for me with all the blowouts just felt like such a letdown and i feel like i'm really really banking on a great stanley cup final to bring it home for me and make it feel like you know that we we finally got what we deserved because i just feel like something's kind of been missing since the first round. The first round was great. But since then, I feel like there's kind of been a little bit to be desired.

Dude, I love that take because I, you know, I've actually, I feel like we've even noticed it from the page a little bit is that especially with these conference finals, you know, the Dallas Vegas one is funny because it goes six games, but that was a sweep. Yeah. As weird as that sounds. It wasn't a sweep, but like it never felt like Dallas had a real shot based off. That's, that's what I mean. nothing with how inconsistent the stars have been for most of this season.

You're like, there's no way that they're going to win four games in a row here, especially after they imploded in game three. Yes. Who the hell are these guys? Why are, like, that series should have ended after game three in my mind. That's what I mean. Like, when I say that was a sweep, I kind of mean like the energy. It's, it's even Dallas fans in our DMs were like, they won two games and they were like,

I mean, it's over. Yeah. And like it truly felt like all of the entertainment and all, I mean, fuck man people were like planning stuff in Vegas after game three it was like it's over it's done and so yeah I do feel like a little bit of the wind of the sales was taken out by how crazy

these two conference finals were so I'm with you I'm hoping and I feel strongly that this the cup final is going to be a wild one I hope so too because it's like we have NBA buddies that get all into hockey during the playoffs and a lot of the games are going down to the buzzer right like the cats was a sweep but it's like

there's O T, there's five OTs and the first two games, there's a buzzer beater, and they're like, God, hockey playoffs is so sick. And I'm like, they are, but that was also a sweep. You know, like, at the end of the day, I wish it was a little parody here. So, yeah, I really hope, because I agree completely the first round was fucking awesome. So I hope this, I hope this is a super back and forth every other team, every other night. We deserve it, man. Yeah.

We deserve it. I agree. We absolutely do. All right, well, dude, before we let you go, is there anything you want to plug, anything you want to give a shout out to? Yeah, tell us about brunch and. Bali and everything. I want to hear all the good stuff. Yeah, so like all my all my hockey coverages for Valley Sports.

So like if you live in a Valley, Valley region, like you can find it on whatever the TV station is. I'll do like TV hits for for them, but also BalletSports.com. And then just like on Twitter is where like the meat of everything is, of course. Like everybody lives on Twitter. So at Pete Blackburn is just where I'm at. And then I've got some. That's a must follow by the way.

Yeah, I agree. I appreciate. Appreciate that stamp. I'll take that for sure. And then I've got like a big thing launching this summer that I can't really like get into too much. But I'm like extremely excited. Tees us a little bit, dude. What?

Come on. It's, uh, it's like, it's going to be the primary function of, of what I do. And, uh, it's, uh, it's going to be where you can find me on a weekly basis. And so, okay. If you're, if you're into like the chaos and whatever I bring on Twitter, it's going to be an extension of that. and I'm very, very excited about it, but it's going to launch over the summer or like early, early season next year.

So I'm very, very excited about that. That's awesome, dude. I think the plan is when that launches, we got to get you either out here in studio or get you back on like this so we can talk all about it and we can tease it and let everyone know. Absolutely.

I'm fully down. And I love making L.A. trips. So anytime, anytime I'm out there. Plus, I got a lot of LA friends, so I can add you guys to the stable and we can have a good time when I'm out there. I was going to say, I feel like now every time you come out here, you just have to cruise through and jump on because this is just too easy. Absolutely. I'm in. All right, dude, we'll fucking love it.

We'll let you jump off from there. But again, what a blast having you on. And now we've just started a new recurring guest situation. Let's go. I love it. All right. Thanks for having me. All right, guys, that was our episode with Pete Blackburn.

What an absolute beauty. Pump that he's going to be coming back on more often I think Pete's just got such a good voice in the hockey world needs to be on the airwaves more so happy to it can jump on ours He is the man and he is so funny And I love hilarious I know everyone is to see it

But like the chats before the chats after Like he is a fucking gas I love that dude Yeah no we're gonna we're gonna have a lot more Pete on this show So hope you guys are excited about that Just like we are But that's it for this episode You got anything you want to say

One thing I was shocked about this And this isn't I think I saw a stat that was popping up because I kept asking you about rest, Florida rest. I saw a stat that was like, if you get 10 days or more, which they got, who does that going to kill you? The stats were bad. It was like 10 days or more they don't win very often. But just comparing the two teams in the final.

So if it's, you know, cats, cats, Vegas, the team with more rest than their opponent has won every cup since 2007. So, you know, like the Blues had more rest than the Bruins going into 2019. Blues won. Oh. Av said, you know, the team with the more rest. then their cup opponent has won every cup. But that's got to be like a weird stat

because sometimes it's like three days versus four days. Yeah, yeah, it's almost always like a day or two apart. But just technically the team with more rest. But if it gets to over 10 days, it's not good. Yeah, I guess so. Fuck, that's weird. All right, that's something to keep an eye on. Good little fact to it.

All right, well, guys, that's it for us today at the Endinator's podcast. We will see you guys later this week. We got some fun stuff coming up that we'll tease in next episode. We're going to be hitting the road here. But until then, the Stanley Cup final is here, Skate Hard.