2017-18 NHL Playoffs—all welcome

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

It’s embarrassing and ridiculous. If you need a stage show to be entertained, go do that.

Yeah. You won't catch "pure" cold weather city hockey fans doing any of those gimmicks like an elaborate pre game show, Singing God Bless America instead of the national anthem, throwing beef onto the ice, dressing fans in green to harass people in the penalty box, dressing up in white, or throwing seafood on the ice. Oh wait.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

A more first person perspective.

That was awesome. A dang trebuchet!!!!!


And then the let's get ready to rumble guy announcing the starting line ups.

He's getting old and his voice isn't quite what it was.

The whole place was shaking. It was so loud in there you couldn't hear yourself think.

 

[wenrob]

It’s embarrassing and ridiculous. If you need a stage show to be entertained, go do that.

Not for nothing but I love how VGK gets under your skin. People are getting up at 2am in other countries to catch the games and you’re taking swipes at the show.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Not for nothing but I love how VGK gets under your skin. People are getting up at 2am in other countries to catch the games and you’re taking swipes at the show.

Well if my team had never made the finals ever and here comes this expansion team in Vegas and did in its first year what my team has never done, knockiing my team out in 5 in the process, they'd probably be under my skin too.

 

[klacey1]

Watched the first game including the "pre game" ceremony and remember that old chestnut "I went to a prize fight and a hockey game broke out."
Well as I was watching the festivities I was thinking "Started watching a Las Vegas Stage show and a hockey game broke out."

LOL! I think the preshow is so fun. It really captures the Vegas spirit. I can't wait to see it live in a week!!!! (Unless, of course, the Knights sweep!)

And then the let's get ready to rumble guy announcing the starting line ups.

He is getting up there in age but I loved that they had him there! And Lil Jon too! He stated he used to be an Atlanta Thrashers fan and go to their games all the time with his kid. Too bad what happened to them...

It’s embarrassing and ridiculous. If you need a stage show to be entertained, go do that.

Embarrassing to who exactly? It's not a "stage show" in replacement of a hockey game. It's a few minutes before 60 minutes of hockey, which is the same exact amount of hockey every other team in the NHL plays. It's genuinely perplexing how this is so personally offensive to you.

 

[soccerdad72]

Well if my team had never made the finals ever and here comes this expansion team in Vegas and did in its first year what my team has never done, knockiing my team out in 5 in the process, they'd probably be under my skin too.

I was talking with a buddy of mine on Monday and he basically said that as an 'old school' hockey fan (Red Wings fan), he's rooting against Vegas simply because, in his words, "Winning a Stanley Cup is supposed to be hard and Vegas winning in their inaugural year would tarnish it".

Me, I'm enjoying the run by the Golden Knights - but then, I'm not a 'old school' fan. And who cares what a team does for pregame? I love the elaborate stuff that the Cavs do before their basketball games. Heck, they turn the court into a 3D screen - it's cool!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I was talking with a buddy of mine on Monday and he basically said that as an 'old school' hockey fan (Red Wings fan), he's rooting against Vegas simply because, in his words, "Winning a Stanley Cup is supposed to be hard and Vegas winning in their inaugural year would tarnish it".

Interesting theory. If the cup is tarnished. wouldn't the blame go to all those so called old school teams losing or not even being in the playoffs making it too easy?

 

[klacey1]

I was talking with a buddy of mine on Monday and he basically said that as an 'old school' hockey fan (Red Wings fan), he's rooting against Vegas simply because, in his words, "Winning a Stanley Cup is supposed to be hard and Vegas winning in their inaugural year would tarnish it".

Me, I'm enjoying the run by the Golden Knights - but then, I'm not a 'old school' fan. And who cares what a team does for pregame? I love the elaborate stuff that the Cavs do before their basketball games. Heck, they turn the court into a 3D screen - it's cool!

That's such an odd theory! I'm an original six fan (Rangers) and I don't see how the Knights winning would tarnish anything. To win the Cup, you have to win a certain number of games. That's it. And VGK hasn't gotten a break in that. At the beginning of the season, analysts and bookies were saying they had "virtually zero chance" of making it to this point. No one even thought they'd make the playoffs--they were pegged to finish last or second to last. But through simply excellent coaching and play, a team of what was believed to be second rate players that weren't valued enough by their original teams to be protected has a chance of hoisting the Cup. I don't understand how anyone who loves sports couldn't respect that, even if you're not personally rooting for them.

 

[soccerdad72]

Interesting theory. If the cup is tarnished. wouldn't the blame go to all those so called old school teams losing or not even being in the playoffs making it too easy?

Pretty much, yep. I agree with klacey as well - they took a group of castoffs from other teams and got the most out of each of the players. That's pretty commendable, IMO.

 

[BrianL]

I was talking with a buddy of mine on Monday and he basically said that as an 'old school' hockey fan (Red Wings fan), he's rooting against Vegas simply because, in his words, "Winning a Stanley Cup is supposed to be hard and Vegas winning in their inaugural year would tarnish it".

I know someone like that. Basically if they're not Original Six, they shouldn't have a hockey team, and teams should never be located where it's not cold most of the time. It's ridiculous.

In my opinion the Cup is tarnished every time the Penguins win it! It's one reason I kinda didn't want to root for the Knights, because Fleury doesn't really need another one, but I do love the team's energy and vibe, so I'm good with all that.

 

[Adelle Dazeem]

I don't have a problem with a team in Vegas. I live in a non-traditional hockey market in California. I enjoy a short pre-game show, but the Vegas one was overblown, way too long, and just plain stupid. I'm all for the drummers and stuff, but the lame skit just has to GO. It was embarrassingly stupid. They can take the stupid cheerleaders with it. Cheerleaders do NOT belong in hockey nor do scantily clad ice girls. BARF.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Embarrassing to who exactly? It's not a "stage show" in replacement of a hockey game. It's a few minutes before 60 minutes of hockey, which is the same exact amount of hockey every other team in the NHL plays. It's genuinely perplexing how this is so personally offensive to you.

The naysayers have been shut up by the Golden Knights making the finals and packing their arena. So they're desperately trying to come up with something. Think about it. You're one of those teams that has either done nothing over the years or hasn't done much recently. You think it's your year. You think you're the in thing. The compelling narrative and....... Along comes Vegas and not only steals your thunder and steals it all.
And you know what they're most upset about?

THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS ARMY HAS GROWN.

 

[wenrob]

I don't have a problem with a team in Vegas. I live in a non-traditional hockey market in California. I enjoy a short pre-game show, but the Vegas one was overblown, way too long, and just plain stupid. I'm all for the drummers and stuff, but the lame skit just has to GO. It was embarrassingly stupid. They can take the stupid cheerleaders with it. Cheerleaders do NOT belong in hockey nor do scantily clad ice girls. BARF.

It could be worse, it could be Show Girls instead. I personally hate the roaming “Elvi” but people love them. Vegas is about over the top entertainment, it’s what people want and it’s what they get. You’re never going to find anything “purist” in Las Vegas, ever. The show is what it is. They wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t well received. Tonight Imagine Dragons are playing and the AFB is doing a flyover. We don’t do subtle.

 

[asta]

I think it is great when a team adds a local flavor to their arena. I think it makes the game more fun. I am fairly neutral between the two left, I don’t have issues with either of them winning. I lean towards the Caps because I like Barry Trotz but I can watch the games without being emotionally involved. Playoff hockey is fun, I hope both fan bases have a great time.

One thing I disagree with is calling the Vegas players as castoffs that nobody wanted. I know in our case we wanted to keep James Neal. He is a great player but you could not protect everyone. I think the decision to leave him unprotected was because his contract would have been up this year. And he just scored!

 

[focusondisney]

That's such an odd theory! I'm an original six fan (Rangers) and I don't see how the Knights winning would tarnish anything. To win the Cup, you have to win a certain number of games. That's it. And VGK hasn't gotten a break in that. At the beginning of the season, analysts and bookies were saying they had "virtually zero chance" of making it to this point. No one even thought they'd make the playoffs--they were pegged to finish last or second to last. But through simply excellent coaching and play, a team of what was believed to be second rate players that weren't valued enough by their original teams to be protected has a chance of hoisting the Cup. I don't understand how anyone who loves sports couldn't respect that, even if you're not personally rooting for them.

Gotta agree! You only get to the Stanley cup finals one year at a time. It doesn't matter how long you've been in the league or how many times you've been there before. It's what you are doing now, this year that gets you there. Or not get you there. I'm a Sabres fan, we've been rebuilding for years. Vegas is in the finals while we ended up dead last. It's because their players worked way harder than ours did. I'm loving watching this series. The pace is amazing. I can't imagine the Sabres ever playing like this. This is hockey!!

How many of us wish we had placed a little money on Vegas last fall?!

 

[kimblebee]

Gotta agree! You only get to the Stanley cup finals one year at a time. It doesn't matter how long you've been in the league or how many times you've been there before. It's what you are doing now, this year that gets you there. Or not get you there. I'm a Sabres fan, we've been rebuilding for years. Vegas is in the finals while we ended up dead last. It's because their players worked way harder than ours did. I'm loving watching this series. The pace is amazing. I can't imagine the Sabres ever playing like this. This is hockey!!

How many of us wish we had placed a little money on Vegas last fall?!

As a die hard Jets fan, I totally agree on having to suffer through rebuilding years. Ours is finally starting to pay off so hopefully yours will to. Not too much though lol

One good thing about a Vegas/Washington final is, no matter what, the Cup will be in the city/province again this summer.

 

[klacey1]

Another nail biter of a game...hoping the Knights can come back, and early in the period!!

 

[kimblebee]

Another nail biter of a game...hoping the Knights can come back, and early in the period!!

I don’t have skin in the game and it’s still exciting. It is hockey after all

 

[dereklindd]

Oh this game is everything hockey needs to be. I could watch these teams go at it every year.

 

[klacey1]

Oh this game is everything hockey needs to be. I could watch these teams go at it every year.

Absolutely!!! Holtby is having the game of his life...such incredible saves.