Empty Netters Podcast - Tkachuk’s Stanley Cup win guarantee goes up in flames | 109

Episode Date: June 20, 2024

Little bit of news to start the show! Columbus fires their coach, Markstrom is headed to NJ, and PLD gets set packing out of LA! The Panthers can’t finish the job and make Matthew Tkachuk a man of his word. McDavid stays scorching hot and drags the Cats back to Edmonton, but now the pressure is on to completely the miracle reverse sweep. PRESENTED TO YOU BY LABATT BLUE LIGHT SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuf52MHW1O7guPMzsMvv2kA FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/empty.netters/?hl=en FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@empty.netters (0:00) – Intro (1:10) – Vincent fired (4:07) – Hronek Contract (8:17) – Markstrom Trade (17:28) – Game 5 (23:03) – Powerplay Problems (28:17) – McDavid 40 Points (36:02) – Bob Issue (40:15) – Panthers Tight Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ice is ready, and we are back with another episode of the Empty Netters podcast, brought to you by Bat Blue Light. I can't fucking believe what is going on here, man. I cannot believe it. Listen to my voice. Listen to your voice. Look at you. Look at me. I can barely open my eyes, dude.

These two cities are... I'm down bad. I'm down bad. These two cities are absolutely. rag-dalling us. And the Panthers, man, I mean, we went off on them last episode, and

we're probably going to have to do it again because, geez, Louise, boys, you're falling asleep at the fucking wheel. Now, let me say this. We're going to get into all the ins and outs of this game, but we got to talk about some news, dude.

Yeah, little news. Like, what the hell is going on, man? Like, the league don't sleep, I guess. Dude, fucking leave me alone with the news until the cup is won. Absolutely crazy that this shit is happening. First and foremost, Pascal Vincent gets gassed by the Columbus Blue Jackets. So after everything that went on with them, they have fucking Babs as their coach, which feels like a decade ago, by the way. Yeah, my God. He gets gassed.

PV gets slid in and you know they have the season that they have and then bang there you go he's fired line A is demanding a trade like the the pets heads are falling off in Columbus dude and it sucks because

right at a time when and they're not the ducks Dan or Montreal some of these other teams that I really am like oh my god a ton of young talent I'm expecting them to take a huge leap coming full in the immediate future.

But with a kid, like my literal blood relative son, Adam Fantilli, you just hate this turmoil to start his career. You know, like, why, why, dude? Like, this is right when you, and there's a lot of mistake, a lot of lies told around this table. A lot of mistakes made. So it's like, there been a lot of lies around this tabletop.

Like that's what's going on in Columbus. Yeah, and I'm like, it's not, it's not anyone's one thing's fault, you know, but just like, what the fuck, dude, I'm just, I'm upset. I guess that's what it is. I'm upset. And maybe these are changes for the better and it's creating the stability that I'm craving for the kid. But holy hell, dude, it's, you look at the way some guys are brought into the league with, with wonderful mentors, both behind the bench and on the ice. and then you look at what Adam's been going through and it pisses me off.

It pisses me right off. I get you, dude. And yeah, it's like, I don't even know what you hope for at this point with the consistency, with trying to restart things because I think the Blue Jackets have an unbelievable fan base. I think they've got a barn that's all up the barn every game. Yeah. Like people love going to those games. They've got this good environment, this hockey environment,

and yet it's just desensual up. disaster city down there. So, like, when you keep doing this, you are rotating through coach after coach after coach there. It's like Godreau goes there. I think he's had like four coaches since he's shown up in Columbus. It's fucking insane. So, yeah, you hope that they write the ship eventually because it's just like, this ain't it, dude. This is not how you keep any sort of happiness or consistency.

And it's no wonder a guy like Linae is like, get me out of here. Yeah, right. You said it all. We'll see what happens. Pulling for them. Pulling for those fans because I know they love that squad. Yeah. Next bit of news, Quinn Hughes's boy stays home.

Filiponic signs an eight-year deal to stay in Vancouver. What do you think this means for, like, the team, their trajectory, trying to get back into the playoffs, making a great run. What does it mean for Elias Lindholm? Like, is he definitely going to be? gone now but that was the big one like they got zadorov that were like what's going on with there with that is he going to come back but pronick was the big one and they lock him up to keep him with Quinn forever 7.25 right aav yep great number great number in my opinion um for both parties really yep what i don't get dan is what this always happens i feel like this always happens

with every team except the one I root for. Where is all the money coming from, dude? Like, everybody was like, oh, they sign, or they don't sign, but like, they get Lindholm. Pedy's definitely gone because they can't afford everybody. And then they're like, Pedy, boom, 100-year contract. Phronick, boom, 100-year contract. Everybody, look, boom, take one, take one, take one. And who wants to play for the Canucks?

And I'm like, sick, dude, you're building a squad. But I just don't understand. Did they rob a bank, dude, is the cap going up to 120 mil? And no one knows in the league except for the Canucks. So it's sick. But I'm like, fucking Christ. And it's, again, I think it's a great deal. It's a great, great deal.

He's a great player. That blue line is fucking sturdy as hell right now. Yeah, it is. I want to see the cap breakdown, though. Yeah, it's super interesting, especially if they find a way to keep the door off, because I think that that's a huge guy that they should keep around. I love this move for a bunch of reasons. I think Hironic has played fantastic.

It's so sick that he's had the year he's had. He's found a great home there. And for me, this is the Devon Taves to Quinn Hughes's Kail McCar. Like getting this guy who's just a perfect Robin to Quinn Hughes's Batman, he's such a strong player. He had such a great year. It's good to see him get rewarded. This goes back to, I've said it a number of times. man, if you're Gustav Foresling's agent, you've got to be fired at this point.

Like watching all these guys sign these deals and Goose is like a top four defensemen in the NHL and he signed for like under five and a half. It's like under six. How many more years did you have left on that? He signed it this year, dude. Forsling re-signed this year for eight years, I believe. Oh, it was eight though. Jesus Christ, dude.

Yeah, is that it? What's the number? Yeah, bro. Eight years, five, seven, four. Five-seven-five, yeah. I was like, it's under six, yeah. Oh, unbelievable. So super happy for Hronick, very happy for Quinn and the Canucks.

Honestly, to me, Cep, it's like that was a big one where you go, we had a great year. Look at Calgary, dude. After that crazy Calgary year where Cichuk popped off, Lindholm popped off. They had an amazing year. Johnny popped off. And it was like, Calgary was like, we're going to be right back. And then Cichuk was like, I'm out, dude. Johnny was like, I'm out to.

There was a world where Vancouver has this amazing year and PD doesn't resign Hronic leaves, Zedorov leaves, and like, and you're in a nightmare scenario, but PD re signs, now Hironic resigns, hopefully they get Zedore and they're like, we are running it back. So like the boys believe that's a huge thing. Isn't it crazy, Dan, how the, coming into this year, we were like, the Canucks might be in blow it up territory. Yeah. Because it's not working.

They're good on paper. It's not working. And all these guys, a PD wants out. Everybody's trying to go. You know, and then like you blink. They're the one seed.

Everybody's staying. And I'm like, it's kind of like Winnipeg in a way too, where we were both being like, Hellie's gone. Yeah. Shifley's gone. Totally.

Totally. What a year, boys. So yeah, it was fucking kind of a sick spin. Totally. Okay. And now the last bit of news, the biggest bit of news.

We were only six months early with our predictions, Chris, but we finally got one of the goalie moves, dude. Unbelievable. Jacob Markstrom traded to the New Jersey Devils after the whole runaround. After all of the, we thought he was going to go, we knew he was going to go. There was rumors of him going to Jersey and then it fell through. He's now officially a New Jersey devil. He has been traded to the Devils for Kevin Ball and a 20. Excuse me, 2025.

First overall pick. First rounder. Jesus Christ, dude. I'm so fucking noodle brain right now. You're falling apart. I'm falling apart. Pick top 10 protected. So the devils obviously feel like with a goalie they will be in the playoffs and not in the fucking lottery.

But just in case all goes to hell, pick top 10 protected. Dan, Markstrom is a great goalie. He really is. He wanted out. He made that very clear. The Devils, we felt like, were one of a handful of teams that were truly one goalie away from being very, very, very competitive. The Devils have a lot of players in-house in the Netmiter position that can be that tandem backup thing. I don't know who they're going to roll with, whether it's Assocatano, whether it's V-Tec, whatever.

Dawes, like, they've got-Daws. So it's like they'll have that competition and figure that out. I'm talking straight up. They needed a 1A goalie. They went and got him. Now, we actually just met a dude. Oh, fuck, I forget his name, Dan. We just saw that kid on the street the other day, who is the devil's guy.

Yeah. Remember, we were talking about goalies. Total homie. Yeah. Mike, maybe. Anyway, if you're listening, Mike, we were talking about goalies. And we were saying, it's, I'm going after Lindholm, or excuse me, I'm going after Olmark or Soros.

And he brought up Markstrom, and we were both like, listen, Markstrom's got two years left, Dan, does that sound right? I think he has two years left on his deal. Yeah, I believe so. So you've got a little term there, which is great. But, and I'm on record multiple times, I think this devil's team, I keep saying three. I shouldn't even put this on the year. I keep saying three, but like I think this devil's team could win two cups over the next 10 years.

Like they have a great core. I think so many of these young kids are going to continue to develop. I think Keith will have success there. if I could grab an Olmark or Soros is a little bit younger, because Marksham's 34, dude. Yeah. So if I could grab one of those guys is a little bit younger, I'm 100% doing it.

And I think we had said either on air or to each other, it's not Markston for me. That's my fallback target. I agree. I agree. The only thing I'll say, though, now seeing the deal right in front of my eyes, a 2025 top 10 protected first rounder and ball

is not bad to give up for a Markstrom. Because if it was coming to Boston, I was demanding, dude, like a pick, Mercer, Casey, you know, like there were some fucking heavy name. And again, I'm fucking talking out of my ass. But I'm just saying, like, if you were going to get a Soros or an Olmark,

you were going to give up some shit. And I don't really think they gave up a lot of shit here. I agree. You know, with age considered, and then also performance on the ice, let's call it what it is. Contracts, age-considered performance on the ice, I thought Markstrom was the third best option there. Yep.

Personally, I go, I think I go Olmark, Soros, Markstrom. I don't know a lot of people would flop Olmark and Soros there. This return would not be enough for Olmark or Soros. Like, just simply no way. It's interesting to see, and you never know. We don't know if New Jersey is on Olmark's 16 list. We don't know if that's a place where he wouldn't have had to say. And if he did, if he'd be down to go there.

So we don't even know if that was an option. Same deal with Soros. But it feels like this is, did they just get better in that? Yes, absolutely. They just got better in net. And this is going to be huge for that team. They got the third best option of those three that are available from what we understand. And, you know, good, good for you.

You guys got a goalie, but it's huge that they got that goalie and they still have this 10th overall pick. Like, I'm shocked. I'm shocked that they didn't have to give up Holtz. They didn't have to give up Seamus Casey. They didn't have to give up Dawson Mercer or their 10th overall pick and they got Markstrom. I'm like very surprised. And that's a huge play by fits, dude. Like that, if you're a Devils fan, you're fucking thrilled with what just happened.

Thrill. If you're a Calgary fan, I think that you're a. you're a little upset. I think Ball's a great player. He's really, really young. The Devils are so fucking stacked on D. That's why they're, they're very happy to give up a guy like ball to get that much better in that. So you get a good player. You get a first round pick. Sure, like great. But like, I'm kind of like, damn, dude. I thought you were going to get more. It's a big move. And I wonder to, it's also, man, I can't remember the last time. trades like this, like monster trades are being made in the middle of the Stanley Cup final.

Like, what the fuck is going on? I didn't even know this was allowed. Like, I, straight up, like, is this legal? Because like, you were saying that earlier, because I'm like, if you're the Panthers or if you're the, the Edmonton Oilers, like, you're not allowed to make trades right now, I don't think. And like, what if you wanted a goal? What if you wanted, Markstrom?

Fuck. You're like, what the fuck, dude? So this is crazy. And it makes me think now, like, fuck, dude, we're coming up, what, 10 days or less than that from the draft here? Like, you know, free agency is going to be right around the corner from that. And we've got a guy like Olmark and a guy like Soros who are probably going to get dealt. And now one of them just got dealt. So now it's like, holy fuck, the antenna's up.

And I'm like, is Olmark going to get traded tomorrow now? Like, this is insane. Because you know those other teams that want a goalie. We've heard about Detroit. We've heard about Ottawa. We've heard about Carolina. Like, LA, a lot of these teams that are like, we need a goalie. All of a sudden, this move gets made.

one of those goalies is off the board. So, like, you got to make a move now. So this is fucking nuts, dude. Like, I can't believe it. Dude, funny. Just last thing on this, Dan, you just said something that sparked you for me. Cool to think about it from the goalies, POVs too, because if you're in Olmark or Osros, and you believe what I believe, which I just said, I think the devils are going to be really successful over the next decade. Yeah. That wouldn't have been a cool place to go. Like, maybe if you're Allmarked, you're like, because I don't know that the devils win a cup in the next two years. Yeah. Like, I don't know if with the Markstrom trade, they're like, we're winning a cup next season.

I don't think that's the case. So I'm like, damn, they're going to have to do something else now. Because, like, maybe you re-sign a 36-year-old Markstrom, but fuck, I don't know. So now I'm like, so now you're going to have another plan in play to keep your run good. And if you're like an old mark, you're like, fuck, that should have been me, dude. I would have ridden out the next five years with you. For sure. Something like that, you know, so interesting from their POV, too.

That's a good team off the board. Yeah, crazy. Okay. Not for this madness. Let's get into fucking game five, dude. Oh my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

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dripped out with all the best gear and all the best swag because Bauer does it better than anyone else. All right, boys, boys and girls, here we are. It felt like the script was in. Right. It felt like the Panthers beaten the shit out of the Oilers. I know Oilers fans want to say, oh, you know, one of those first three games could have gone this way or that. No, it couldn't have. You're wrong. They, Panthers won all three of those games so clearly. Then we go into game four and they get just fist fucked. And Oilers, you know, Connor gets on the board.

Connor's going, uh-oh, the boys are buzzing, eight one win, absolute beat down. But we saw the same thing with the Celtics and the Mavs. And then the Celtics went back to Boston and they beat the shit out of the Mavs. And it truly actually, with that one, hockey's way different. With that one, it felt like maybe Boston fucking tossed game four so they could win at home. Like that really felt that way. So Celtics get their win. And we had Jason Tatum calling out Kachuk.

He was like, hey, Kach, you're going home. Go get it done in five just like we did. Kachuk goes Mark Messier and guarantees a fucking win. And Kachuk called out Kachuk Like he was like, I will be better Because he hasn't really done Yeah, I know he's contributing in other ways He hasn't really done much in this series

So yeah So the boys get back on home ice And we're walking around And dude, you were cocky Oh bro You were a cocky boy I was running my fucking mouth At the tailgate dude

It wasn't just you man It was like you were cocky Merles was cocky Grinnell was cocky Bizz was cocky Was Cawkes. Like everyone was like they have it. Florida has it.

I felt nothing, dude. I felt that they had it too. But I was like, everyone stay sharp, Florida fans. Like if you are thinking you're going to get this, you've got to stay sharp. This attitude is what cost you game for. So let's lock in here if you guys want to get this job done. What a disaster, dude. What a disaster start for the Florida Panthers.

Like, I am just so shocked. that they start that game. First of all, they almost give up a goal in the first 10 seconds. Yeah. And then they get a peeper. And I was like, holy shit. You know, we talked a lot about last year,

Vegas, Florida, obviously there was the Kachuk injury. There was a lot of shit going on. But we were like, if they get a goal here, this is going to have Vegas, Florida game five vibes. Like, it's going to be like, well, good job. Good job, Oilers. You got your one win. But, like, you know, they're home now.

Boom. They score. It's over. Not only do they not score. But Brandon Montor throws one of the laziest most telegraphed D-to-D passes on the powerplay that gets picked off immediately by Connor fucking Brown. Dan, I have a question for you, dude. Tell me if this, I'm going to give you a couple things and you say good or bad. Yeah.

Okay? Yeah. Waking up on a Sunday morning hungover as hell and your roommate has bought you a Gatorade and a breakfast burrito with bacon. And it's sitting there on a coffee table for you. Do I have one of my favorite hot sauces readily available? You do. That right there, Chris, is a good thing. Okay.

Number two. That was number one. Number two. You go to the beach with your friends and you ask your buddy to block you, to put some block on. And he's a little lazy on the back. And you have like a complete Zorro sunburn that is scorching every time you try to sit back in your seat. What is a Zoro sunburn? the Z because he was a little lazy

Oh, cool. You could have gone zebra there. Like I had strikes. Yeah, but there's literally a Z on my back. I got Zoroed. That is bad. Okay. All right.

Number three. You are going to the bar and you're with your buddies and you're actually been crushing workouts lately and you're actually now fitting a pair of jeans you haven't fit in in a while and you're like, oh God, you're fucking fucking fucking. I look good. I feel good. And then you get to the bar and like, you girls are hitting on you because you're like, God, I look so good right now. I don't like that.

You also, you also go reach into your pocket to get your phone. And then as you pull your phone out, there's a hundred bucks in the pocket that you forgot that was in there because you haven't worn these jeans. I haven't worn the pants in so long. I love all that. I love fitting in the pants. The wagon's popping. I found a Benji in my pocket. Yep.

That's a good day. Okay. Number four, Dan, last and final. Okay, hit me. You enter the Stanley Cup finals. Yeah. And you've received 16 power plays, and you are one for 16 while giving up two shorties. And I borderline want to count it as three shorties because in one game you had a five-minute major in which you immediately took a fucking penalty, nullifying that five-minute major, and then gave up a goal four-on-four.

That's one of the worst things that you could possibly do. I'd take 50 fucking Zorro sunburns before I ever did that, dude. It has got to be, bro, the Panthers, we said the Panthers don't need special teams. They kind of did against the Rangers early, but they don't need special teams. They are an incredible five-on-five team. But lucky for them, they have good special teams, so it's only going to be a bonus. And you're kind of worried about the Oilers power play going nuclear. That's it.

And, dude, we said it a million times, but, like, fucking. shut up about the orlers reinvented their penalty kill. No, they didn't, dude. Like since fucking when, they were a middling penalty kill team in the regular season. And maybe they got something on the Panthers, I don't know. But, and then Dallas, too, obviously, because like they smoked Dallas. But, bro, it is not acceptable in any country, in any county, in any state laws to be negative one on the fucking 16 power play attempts in the finals. You are literally, dude.

You are minus one. Like, think about how fucking crazy that is. Like you- To start the games, dude, to start both elimination games, Dan. We just shorthy in like the first five minutes of elimination games. We trolled. We trolled in the Dallas Edmonton series. We were like, here are keys to the game, things that they should do.

And we were like, if you get a penalty, deny it. Like, pull one of your guys off. Dude, that's like legit what's going on with Florida right now. Like, you are more likely to get scored on. Here we are. Yet again, you are more likely. to get scored on. It's absolutely insane.

You said to, or gone. No, no. I mean, it's just like, I wanted to go back to the disaster that that is. When you go, we've got a power play, we've got a chance. I mean, you could have nailed in the coffin right then and there in the first period. At home. And you just have that.

Like, dude, that is the quintessential. You can't turn the puck over here on the power play. What can't you do? in a diamond defense setup, if that high guy is pressuring up high and you try to throw a D to D pass, which is on the power play, your defensemen are as spread out as possible on that blue line in that scenario, if that gets picked off, that is the worst turnover you can have one on the power play. And I think Brandon Montor is amazing, but he would be the first to tell you that was a stupid and lazy pass. And he got the breakaway man and we were all like, holy shit.

literally you were like oh my god Connor Brown again here we go and I was like well Bob just make a save it's Connor Brown and did he beat him we were so high for that goal did he beat him to the post I think yeah it was just get over the pad it was just a forehand backhand I believe and it was like one of those ones where Bob is splayed out in the butterfly and his legs going back and it just wrapped around his leg didn't elevate he literally beat him on the ice

and I'm like yep okay I want to get to that in a second but I want to say this about the power play and I know what Todd and listeners probably know this, but just I like talking about stuff like this. The power, when you are on the power play, the, you have the advantage when you have the puck. And you have to be moving. You know, if you're stagnant, they can get in lanes or whatever. But it's the only times you are scared is when the puck is moving from one of your players to another player. And what I mean by that is it's like, oh, if you kind of get jammed against the wall and you

rim it because you're like, I'll rim it all the way to my far D. the sooner the D can get it Or the sooner your other teammate can have the puck on his stick The better because then they're moving And you can start finding the seams And using your man advantage Yeah The Panthers dude

And look at me chirping a fucking NHL guys Top top stud NHL guys on the Panthers PP1 But they are just like slow to the puck On the power play Even when they have it like it's a possession And they kind of like rim it And then someone's like shoulder checking And seeing what he's going to do with it

Then he gets it and by the time he gets it and all those guys are already in his kitchen, and it just makes it harder to take advantage of their movement. That play, Dan, to Montor, like he was just waiting for it to get to him, and I know he sees the DDD pass, but because he waited so long for it to get to him, when he rips it over,

that's why it gets picked. And I'm like, dude, if you just went and got that a half step quicker, then you snap it over before Connor Brown can get his stick in the lane. There's just, it was like no jump on that power play. That's the one note I would give them. It's like, yo, get the fucking feet moving. Get the puck.

Get the puck and then use your advantage. So that was like, that was crazy to watch, dude. I cannot believe that happening. I agree, man. Listen, they give up that goal. And then watching that first period, they were on the ropes, dude. Florida was on the ropes. Like I was going, pray to God you get out of this period, only down one because you are getting hammered.

And they did. And I'm like, okay, you guys had some jitters. Cups in the building again. Chance at the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. You guys choked in game four. You came in here. I thought they were going to be so calm, cool, and collected, and they were not. They had jitters, but I was like, all right, you're fine.

And then immediate power play to start the period. And Zach Hyman gets on the board. What was it? I thought bullshit that. I guess he tipped it, eh? Yes. Zach Hyman gets on the board from a bomb. Another McDavid point.

With like one second left. Oh, yeah, yeah. It was literally the last second. We'll get to Connor. Yeah. So now you're down to nothing. fucking three minutes later, Connor McDavid scores the ugliest goal I've ever seen.

Goal scores, goal, goal scores goal. You're down three nothing. By the way, that hits me with my 40 points. So get fucked CP. You're going to have to be wearing a costume working out of Muscle Beach. And then, now it's going to be 60s in play. Oh, yeah, dude.

You're going to be doing an hour-long workout. You're going to be doing P90X by the end of this thing. It's unbelievable. Like this, you are dead You were dead or they did Dude, I can't believe it Like everybody who's been chirping me Like imagine bidding against Connor

Imagine bidding against Connor And I didn't hear any of you fucks After game two When the Panthers were fucking piping The Oilers and Connor had one point Yeah And I was like yeah This is over Barkoff

And Forrestling Fucking joint Give them a joint con smite Because Connor will never score again And I'm like Well he's got fucking 30 points In the last two games You dickheads

So there goes your con smite Award Like Connor's gonna win it In a loss Even now It has got to the point where I don't think anything can happen where you give the cons might to anyone but Connor.

He has 8. He's a 42 now? He has 8 points in the last two games. He has 42 points in the playoffs. And like... Record 47. Like if he breaks Gretzky's record. He's two away from second all time. Yeah.

And I'm going to get to this in a second. But like the Barkoff talk as far as I'm... Unless Barkav has a fucking six point game in game six. You a bitch, dude. Like it's not him. And I'll get to this. But it ain't Bob anymore either. So like, it's Connor, dude.

Like, he's going to win it no matter what. No matter what. So hold on. You're going through the goals. Let me say that unless you want it to keep running it down. No. As you all know, we have partnered with BetMGM this year, and they need to be your number one stop for all of your gambling endeavors.

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U.S. Promotional. is not available in New York and North Carolina, Ontario, or Puerto Rico. I just want to say this. So three-0 and multiple times in that rink Dan, you tweeted this. That is the quietest I have ever heard a building. Not a rink Dan. It was bad.

It was bad. At one point, I was talking to Murrell's, dude, and I was, I was whispering. Can you still hear me when I'm doing that? Yes. I was, I was whispering to Merle. I was like, what they need to do on the forecheck. And then I started laughing because I was like, I'm literally whispering because I feel like everyone in this rink can hear me. And that is not an exaggeration, dude.

Truly. Whenever I said anything, trying to be respectful of, you know, there's, there's Panthers fans near us. Like, if I'm saying something positive about the Oilers, they didn't want to piss anyone off. I was genuinely whispering because I was like, I don't know. I don't want to piss anyone off here. I feel like I'm in church. Dude, it was quiet at Rogers too. So, like, this is no disrespect.

Florida Panthers fans. It was two tents at Rogers in game three. That barn was quiet. But, dude, it was crazy. And if there's one thing, we always like to show love. We always like to gas up wherever we are. The home fans, the people that work at these facilities, we love you all. It's so amazing to be at these places.

I mean that. If there's one piece of advice that I could give, dude like what are you guys doing in that barn it's game five you have a chance to win the stanley cup there's a period where it's you know it they they make it uh three to four which we'll get to um they got the jumbotron going and some fucking idiot in row 20 is playing sudoku oh yeah i'm like dude what are you guys doing get a video of like sean thornton pounding something Someone's face in on the Jumbotron. Get a highlight video of Kachuk scoring a massive goal in OT last year.

Like get this crowd on their feet. Dude, with seven, you guys scored to get it to a one goal game right off the bat in that third period. And for the rest of the period, everyone's just sitting down. How was everyone not on their feet watching the end of that fucking game? It was crazy. And I think it's just, everyone's tense. But, like, dude, it's part of the arena's job. Like, whoever's running that Jumbotron, whoever's running those operations,

you guys got to get these people pumped up more, get them in the game more. If this goes seven, which it is, you need to make sure that you have the fans buzzing all fucking game long, dude. Honestly, the amount of times where you could just hear the puck going tape to tape because it's just fucking silent. was insane. You're right. It's an NHL problem largely, but specifically right now is when I felt it most prevalently. Because think about an NBA game, Dan, you know, defense,

like the music's playing. I think about a soccer game, dude. The crowd is singing, chanting, all game. That fucking matters to the players. I think you can't really hear us. They're like, you, they can't hear us. And I'm like, dude, no, it got me going so much when you're the road team. And it's like, you know, sometimes you get motivation to shut them up. But when you're the road team and the fucking

barn is just like pulsing because they're so fired up it is overwhelming at times so yeah i know it's hard when they're down but that's when they need you the most that was fucking bonkers dude and i was laughing a few times because it was so quiet and we spent we spent a lot of time with tie gretsky who was so nice and let us hang with him for a bit yeah and we were obviously that was a heavy oilers uh a box because you know they're all they're all on their oil or other shit. And Dan and I were on the Panthers in that game. But we just weren't saying anything. You know, we're just sitting there minding our business. And there were a few times where, like, the Panthers would just miss one. I'd be like, oh my God. Sorry. Sorry. Like I just like had it.

Like I had a loud reaction. I was like, my bad. Because it was so fucking quiet. Everyone could hear me under my breath. But they got to figure that out. Dude. So to get back to that period, McDavid scores the ugliest goal. Like that was so unacceptable to let that goal in. And then Matthew Chuck lives up to his work. and he gets the boys on the board. Sick goal, sick rip. And it's like, okay, here we go. And I'm going to break my own rule here, dude.

I thought the officiating in that game was suspect. Like a couple ones late. I don't even know if you're going to get to that yet, but a couple late ones. I thought the officiating in that game was suspect. And the slashing call that led to the next Corey Perry PowerPlay goal was fucking pathetic, dude.

Like that was just like good D. Crazy playoff goal. Connor goes wide. There's like a little hack towards the hands and they were like penalty immediate goal for one. Yeah. Erod gets them on the board, gets it to four two. Wasn't that another like one second left in that penalty or like 10 seconds? I swear to God.

I was like good kill. Energy kill. It was late. It was like bang, goal. Get fucked. Yeah. It was late. Erod then gets them on the board.

Makes it four two. But here's what I got to say. Dude. We have a Bob problem. official. Okay, yeah. There's really two things I want to talk about. That's one of them.

So go ahead. That's what I was alluding to earlier when I was like, I'm going to get to this with the cons smite. Dude, if you go back to period three of game three, it's four one Panthers coming in. He's given up two goals there in that period. Then gives up four in two periods of game four. Gives up five. Was he with five? I believe, I'm pretty sure Connor scored on him, which was, or sorry, I mean, NERC.

NERCY, NERCY Lid him for the fifth. And they said, take a walk, dude, take the hook. Yeah, Bob. So that's two periods there, five goals. And then here, two periods, four goals. So for some quick math, folks, that's 11 goals in five periods, five straight periods, one of which he got yanked in. He shut the door in period three.

But if you look at the shots, dude, not a lot going for the Oilers in that third period. They had one shot through, there was one big kill, right? Like that late call on the Panthers, they had the, I don't know how many shots they got on that, but I think they had like four shots all period. So you officially have a Bob problem, and if I'm the Panthers and if I'm fans, I am worried. Because, like, we kind of saw him turn back into a pumpkin against Vegas.

Like, he had this miracle run. And then we got long in the tooth, dude, long into the playoffs, a lot of minutes. In the final, he's losing 20 pounds sweating in these games. and he kind of got long in the tooth and turned into a pumpkin. And now, dude, here we are in the final. Through three games, absolute weapon. But that last period of game three, a couple goals that was like, oh, maybe you want that one back.

And then now, dude, like he's just been let up like a Christmas tree, two games. He made that one six save on McLeod with the goal he pulled in game three. After giving up two, he made that one kickstead, Connor hit him. And it was like bang, bang right up front. That's why I was like, he's, fine. I know that's like breaks his two goals streak, but like he's fine. Then he gets pumped full

of lead in game four. And me coming into last night who was so fucking cocky, I was like dude, it doesn't matter. Bob is actually probably going to be more dialed now that he got yanked. I was guaranteeing a Bob shutout. I was like one goal max. Bob, unfortunately,

is now done. You are done here, dude. No, dude. Yes, dude. No, Bob is done here for the rest of the series. I'm not saying the Panthers can't win. In fact, I think they are going to win the series still, but it is going to be... Like Bob ain't doing it for it?

5-4 wins. You have to now go beat the Oilers 5-4, which you can do. But you are no longer winning a game to 1. Not happening, dude. Bob is done here. Yeah, what really blows is I do genuinely think if you are the Panthers, you need to be playing that way. Because I didn't feel that way till now.

Yeah, like you... Even after game 4. Chris, this is... We got a beer league game on our hands. We got a beer league. We're playing beer league. We're playing beer league. Like this is a, you're not going in there going three goals is enough.

Dude, you got to score five. You got to, seven. You got to score five. Like, I think they legit are going to this game and you're like, we have to score five, dude. Because this is like, I mean, just the way he's been playing. And, you know, Conner's on the board. Hyman's on the board now. It's like, dude, you maybe have to operate now thinking that you need to win this.

game by scoring a lot of goals. And that has just not been the case in this series yet for them. So that's a crazy shift. Crazy shift. I think you said it earlier, I think it would take a Bob shutout or a high save one goal game to get Consmite back, in my opinion. Yeah. Like if the Panthers win the next game, five, four. Others have 25 shots, score four fucking goals.

I'm not like, oh, Bob, here you go. Congratulations. Oh, my God. You're right. Connor, here you go with your 45 fucking points in a loss. It needs to literally be a shutout or a one goal 35 plus save performance. Otherwise, it's Connors. Now, if you're the Panthers, Dan, and the Panthers fans, speaking to you, here's the good news.

The Panthers played tight as shit in game four. It was humiliating. We already talked about it. They came out today. Maddie Kichuk doing his messier. Like, I felt like they were going to be fine. I thought they were going to be absolutely ripping around the rink to start the game. I was wrong.

They looked tense still. They looked lazy on the peeps. They gave up a shorty, gave up a bunch of quick goals in the second, and the life was out of the building. And they had a horrible first death. Like, they got six shots in the first period or something. They just were not in the game again. Once it went 4-1, they went like, visibly Dan. The second it went 4-1, the Panthers were like, the players were like, wow, we're getting murdered again.

I can't believe this. and they actually loosened up. They stopped because they were like, this game is over. We're fucking clowns. And then they just started playing again. Yeah, I agree. And dude, they dominated.

Whenever that was from like, call it 10 in the second on, they dominated the rest of that game. That was a bloodbath. I literally can't believe they didn't tie that game. They were fucking all over Edmonton the whole time. But it's because they were playing loose for the first time since game three. Yeah.

And if I'm Paul, I literally just show them that last 30 minutes and go, boys like you are so much better when you just fucking chill the fuck out and i know it's hard to chill out when the cups there and all that shit yeah but dude that's the way they have to play and my last part about this is for the first time since the end of game three the pressure has now switched sides because florida think so the last few games had all the pressure now edmonton is the team that's like holy shit holy shit we're doing it we're back home we got to win this one yeah we win this one we force game seven it's the greatest series of all

time like they they they They are, because they were playing the most carefree hockey ever for the last two games. There's not, the pressure's not off Florida. You know, it's not like completely off them. But for the first time since game three, there's pressure on Edmonton, too. Okay. There was none the last couple games. Agree with that totally.

Like there is, there was zero pressure on Edmonton in this game, zero. And now there is. Now they're going back home. The, you know, Connor's awake. And it's kind of like, oh, dude, like we're back on home ice. This place is going to be out of control. Like, we got to get something done here. That is absolutely true.

But yeah, you're right. after the E-Rod goal, I thought they finished that second period so strong. I thought they were going to score. Honestly, I was like, they're going to get it to one at the end of this period. They don't. And then period three starts, immediate OEL goal. And I was like, oh, dude, I thought they had it. And they were going to win in regulation.

I thought it was going to win in regulation. I thought it was going to be one of the craziest, you know, Stanley Cup clinching games ever in that. It's like, you were down three nothing and then, you know, you score and then you're down four, one. But they were like deep breath, get it together. I thought they were going to pull it together there. And then, you know, shout out to Edmonton.

They just played hard, dude. They didn't get a lot of shots on that, but they just contained. Stewie made some big saves. And then, you know, yeah,

we got our empty net bet. That's great. Oh, buddy. Cuch, dude makes such a sick play, keeping that puck out, only to have it go right to Connor.

And then, like, all Cachuk's teammates. All Cichuk's teammates are just fucking standing around. And Cichuk's like, are you fucking kidding me, dude? that was brutal. Dude, there's so many fucking weirdly mean responses to that video.

I know, dude. That's how you watch TV when you're at the game. Fucking wasted seats I do. I was like, I can't see. There's a million fucking people standing in front of me in here. Dude, I replied to that guy. I was like, dude, first of all, we're watching on the ice, but there's a thousand people in front of us.

And there's a TV in here so you can watch the fucking replay. I'm trying to show you guys. Shut the fuck up, loser. Like, Jesus Christ, some of these fucking people. And then the guy like, $1,000 the other night. I was like, what, dude? It's like I'm rich. I was just fucking having fun.

Jesus Christ. Like some guys like, I don't even, I fucking hate this podcast so much. I had a bigger bet than you. And I was like, cool, dude. Six story, you fucking idiot. But dude, that was wild. I didn't even see it go in, dude, because I was so shocked that Maddie made that play. I was like, oh my God.

Insane. So huge win for the Oilers. There's one more call that I want to talk about. Okay. The embellishment. call on Kachuk. Oh, yeah, fuck. I like the call, to be honest with you. I like the stock. I like the stock. I don't know how I feel about it. Because...

You mean the rule, though, right? Yeah. Like, do I think Matthew Kachuk sold that a bit? Yes, I do. I also think he tow-picked a little bit and made it look worse than his... Like, I think he got hung up and he maybe could have battled and not gone down, but he was like, I'm getting tripped. I'm going to go down. And he tow picked and it made it look more, like it makes him go like this. But he does embellish. He does.

It's just such a tough call for me because I'm like, if there's a penalty, it's tough to negate it with embellishment. But I like it because let's get rid of embellishment. Let's get, and stop fucking die. It's not like they go, we've just deleted the trip. It's now just the Panthers PK for the dive. It's like, bro, it's a trip. Go to the box. Also, you sold that.

Go to the box. That's why I like it. It's fair call. It's, it is, yeah. It's good. It's tough when it's, especially in that scenario where, like, the power plays were, I think, lopsided a little bit. And I'm like, ooh, dude, that is brutal that they were, it was like, oh, shit, they just got one.

Yeah, like, Panthers had three power plays. Oilers had five. Yep. And it was just tough in that, with all that momentum. Cichuk was making a great play in the zone. And he clearly gets tripped. And I was like, wow, great play. And this is huge.

Like, you got a power play. you guys can maybe finally get one. And then they were like, nope, no power play embellishment. I was like, and dude, the four on four, just like the Panthers five on five, especially the end of that game has been, the Panthers want to play five on five on five, the rest of this series, obviously. Oh my God. But it's like the four on four isn't helping them, the fucking five on four oilers way isn't

helping them. And five on four, their way isn't even helping them. So it's like that, that and the later call, which I can't remember what it was, but the Panthers took another power penalty late. That's four minutes, dude, of just time off the clock when they, couldn't continue the sustained pressure they had. So that's a killer. This will be, bro, one of the, this went from, like, such a laffer.

And I fucking, I'm pissed, dude, because so many Oilers fans were giving me a hard time for being like, you hate the Oilers. And I was like, I don't hate the Oilers, dude. I just picked again, I picked them correctly against the Kings. I picked them against the Canucks. And then I picked them horribly incorrectly against Dallas, and I'm sorry. But they were giving me a hard time. They're like, you picked against us in the finals again. And I'm like, yeah, and you're down 3-0.

I was exactly right. I fucking said you were going to get buried and you're getting buried. And now I'm the asshole again because it's going seven. And they're like, see? And I'm like, what the fuck, dude? They're up 3-0. But, Dan, if they fucking pull this off in my eyeball, it is one of the great choke jobs and perseverance comebacks of all time.

Like, I'm talking not just in the Stanley. I'm talking any cross sport, like Connor McDavid being down 3-0, to a juggernaut best team in the league. Having over 40 points in the playoffs. Like in what world? Reverseeping while he sets the playoffs playoff points record. Like we are talking all-time pantheon shit with this. In what world does this not go down as the greatest finals of an NHL history?

Yep. If, yes. Down 3-0, Connor McDavid leads the Oilers back to a Stanley Cup victory with four straight wins, getting over 40 points in the play. Like, this will go to people being like, oh, what a boring finals too. Nope, that was the greatest finals of all time. I can't believe what Florida has done here. I cannot believe it.

Yep. Florida ruined a vacation for me. Yeah, they sure did, dude. I'm so sorry. I was going. And me too, by the way. Me too, by the way. Don't make this about you.

Don't make this about you. This is about me. Yours was still on the table and it, this was a fucking nightmare. I had a European vacation booked. It's flying tonight. If this team could have taken. of business. I was supposed to fly tonight. I was supposed to get on a plane tonight and go on a lovely trip with my loved ones with the people I love most on this earth. And now I can't because of what's

going on. Because of Connor McDavid, dude. Conner is the biggest piece of shit on earth, dude. He is my fucking mortal enemy. And now, he's your father now. And now, Connor, I dubbed him father, Connor, dude. What have I done to myself? Dude, how did we not think about Valhalla? Like, this This was obviously going to have. It's literally Valhalla. Like he's riding them to the gates, shiny and chrome, dude. And I will tell you this. Connor McDavid, you are fucking paying for my vacation.

I am going to make Connor fly me to Europe because of this. He has ripped this vacation out of my soul. And congrats, dude. You're now going to win the greatest Stanley Cup of all time. And you're also going to buy me a vacation. That's how this works. The least you could do. You owe me a vacation, Connor.

And that's fair. That's totally fair. So. We're going seven, right? that was I was going to say we're going to close this out by saying this is obviously going seven it has to no this is this is obviously going seven and we're going to clip this right now red because I'm telling you right now Connor is out of control he is an alien he has found that next level so far the Panthers have no answer to it Bob has potentially turned back into a pumpkin Connor McDavid is father Connor he is bringing the boys to Valh shiny and chrome awaited it's happening game seven back here in florida book it wow dude you got me fired up listen i didn't i last year was an incredible experience for us our first coverage of the cup being there in the mixer but it was largely a blood bath yeah um seeing a game seven with connor mc david

would be pretty special so let's let's let's see what happens it was crazy is this panthers could just fucking play losing game six and pummel him and I'm like oh well never mind but it just feels right now dude like we it's destiny we got to go seven yeah well as you can hear we're both noodleed i need to like drink some tea or something so i can get back on the sticks for you guys but that's it checking us checking out here in florida after game five huge win for the oilers headed back to edmonton for game six and until we see you then skate hard