Losing Game 7

[D]

there were two game 7's last night .... two very different games
The Capitals were never really in it losing 5-0 to the Rangers
The Leafs built a 4-1 lead then gave it up including 2 goals in the final 2 minutes losing in overtime

Which way is better to lose a game 7?

[Sir Purrcival]

I think the Leafs players will be haunted by that game for the rest of their lives. The ultimate collapse when triumph was so near. That game will go down in history as one of the biggest choke jobs ever, complete with highlights. Can't say I would want to have that dubious honour constantly being dredge up every year at playoff time.

[TheLionKing]

Interesting question. I agree with Sir Purrcival. That collapse will haunt the players all summer and have to face the endless question: what happened ?

[sj-roc]

Joffrey Lupul (@JLupul)

That hockey game will haunt me until the day I die...

[TheLionKing]

Which is worse : Leafs blowing a 3 goal lead or the NDP blowing a 20 percentage point lead ?

[Coast Mountain Lion]

Which is worse : Leafs blowing a 3 goal lead or the NDP blowing a 20 percentage point lead ?

Anyone who imagined those polls were realistic has been doing way too much BC Bud. The NDP had a chance to maybe eke out a 3-4 pct victory if they'd ignored the polls and actually tried campaigning, but the support wasn't there. Their best friends were the BC Conservatives, and when they tanked the anti-NDP vote coalesced around the BC Liberals once again.

[notahomer]

I hated watching the Bruins pretty much control the Canucks in a Game 7 here in Vancouer. It was frustrating to watch.

I voted for losing the way the Leafs lost. No question it would hurt. The woulda, coulda, shouldas. But, deep down you know there is some truth to those woulda, coulda, shouldas. The Canucks and Capitals were both controlled in their chances in a Game 7. The Capitals were really dominated (according to the scoreboard anyways- I didn't actually watch the game).

[sj-roc]

I hated watching the Bruins pretty much control the Canucks in a Game 7 here in Vancouer. It was frustrating to watch.

That was the first and of course still the only time that a team playing in a Stanley Cup Final Game 7 was shut out at home. That's a new standard for getting your lunch handed to you.

I voted for losing the way the Leafs lost. No question it would hurt. The woulda, coulda, shouldas. But, deep down you know there is some truth to those woulda, coulda, shouldas. The Canucks and Capitals were both controlled in their chances in a Game 7. The Capitals were really dominated (according to the scoreboard anyways- I didn't actually watch the game).

I've said this already, perhaps not on here but elsewhere, but I went into that game and indeed the whole series with no illusions that the Leafs, having missed the playoffs seven seasons in a row and going up against a team with a massive advantage in postseason experience, were likely to cause much damage. It's amazing how effectively these lowered expectations modulated my emotional reaction to the outcome.

[notahomer]

... still the only time that a team playing in a Stanley Cup Final Game 7 was shut out at home. That's a new standard for getting your lunch handed to you. .....

So what you are saying is that this post-season was not the first one in the recent past where the Canucks had trouble scoring goals?

[Rammer]

there were two game 7's last night .... two very different games
The Capitals were never really in it losing 5-0 to the Rangers
The Leafs built a 4-1 lead then gave it up including 2 goals in the final 2 minutes losing in overtime

Which way is better to lose a game 7?

The Capitals have underachieved once again, whereas I don't think anyone expected the Leafs to be in the Boston series. Also, the numerous times the Capitals have lost a game 7 should be factored into this. That said, the game was in the Leafs hands so to speak, 10 minutes to victory with a 3 goal lead should be a shoe in. All I know is if there are any Leaf/Rider fans and there is, they must think that they are jinxed.

[sj-roc]

... still the only time that a team playing in a Stanley Cup Final Game 7 was shut out at home. That's a new standard for getting your lunch handed to you. .....

So what you are saying is that this post-season was not the first one in the recent past where the Canucks had trouble scoring goals?

haha

Yeah, I already documented elsewhere — in the immediate aftermath of their latest ouster — the Canucks' playoff futility in their last 14 games dating back through game 3 of that final. To re-iterate:

2-12 W-L record, outscored 48-20, only two games with more than 2 goals (3 goals in each of those two).

[sj-roc]

there were two game 7's last night .... two very different games
The Capitals were never really in it losing 5-0 to the Rangers
The Leafs built a 4-1 lead then gave it up including 2 goals in the final 2 minutes losing in overtime

Which way is better to lose a game 7?

The Capitals have underachieved once again, whereas I don't think anyone expected the Leafs to be in the Boston series. Also, the numerous times the Capitals have lost a game 7 should be factored into this. That said, the game was in the Leafs hands so to speak, 10 minutes to victory with a 3 goal lead should be a shoe in. All I know is if there are any Leaf/Rider fans and there is, they must think that they are jinxed.

I seem to recall a stretch in the 80s and 90s where the Caps would frequently blow 3-1 series leads as if it were somehow the natural order of things.

[notahomer]

... still the only time that a team playing in a Stanley Cup Final Game 7 was shut out at home. That's a new standard for getting your lunch handed to you. .....

So what you are saying is that this post-season was not the first one in the recent past where the Canucks had trouble scoring goals?

haha

Yeah, I already documented elsewhere — in the immediate aftermath of their latest ouster — the Canucks' playoff futility in their last 14 games dating back through game 3 of that final. To re-iterate:

2-12 W-L record, outscored 48-20, only two games with more than 2 goals (3 goals in each of those two).

Yah, I was just trying to be sarcastic. Those stats you posted are just awful (factual, but awful). I know the actual poll was Leafs vs Capitals but in many ways I think I'd rather lose the way either one of those teams lost instead of how the Canucks bowed out in the finals...... Thats for the stats, Sj-roc.

[Hawkballer 14]

Which is worse : Leafs blowing a 3 goal lead or the NDP blowing a 20 percentage point lead ?

Anyone who imagined those polls were realistic has been doing way too much BC Bud. The NDP had a chance to maybe eke out a 3-4 pct victory if they'd ignored the polls and actually tried campaigning, but the support wasn't there. Their best friends were the BC Conservatives, and when they tanked the anti-NDP vote coalesced around the BC Liberals once again.

I think the pollsters were actually in the ballpark with their predictions, the worrisome issue should be the (lack of) voter turnout. Fact is, the majority of eligible voters saw the two candidates as copies of one another: untrustworthy snakes that will sneak in surprises when they get elected to office. So they stayed home.

Any credible candidate would/should have used the pre-election story of Christy running the red-light to absolutely end her political aspirations. Adrian, due to his dismissal from the position as Glen Clark's Chief-of-Staff, had no credibility/moral ground to stand upon.

The NDP needs to take the next 2+ years to find some new blood with some fresh ideas which will inspire/motivate the 55% that did not vote, their version of the 2008 Barack Obama if you will. So do the Liberals.

[TheLionKing]

Lionbackers' poll is close to any I've seen.