Yeah Phoenix baby!!! Smith kept them in it the first 2 periods until he finally got some goal support in the 3rd. Great job boys! Now I believe it's either St. Louis or Nashville next.

I hate you with every part of my soul. It is Nashville by the way. Smith rocks the west ratings are going to take a plummet into the hole along with Chicago players golf balls.

I'm convinced Smith is on crack. He was just unbeatable..

Ugh, pretty depressing series.. Hawks just didn't have it this year. Crawford was nowhere near the level Niemi was during the cup year, there was some questionable officiating, and Shaw and Hossa being out during much of the series certainly didn't help. What truly makes it sting is that 5 out of 6 games went to OT, and the fact that the Hawks out shot Phoenix massively the whole series, so it easilly could have (and probably SHOULD have) went the other way.

Oh well, we have a young core of great players, I like our future. Get em next year..

Yeah, that Chicago-Phoenix series was good enough to be a Conference Final. I hate the Hawks for dispatching the Flyers in the 2010 Cup, so I was happy to see you go down, but I know from experience that it sucks to lose when you know your team is good enough to play into the summer (last year, ugh).

Can't wait for Round 2, I hope the Devils win tonight and force game 7 so that all of the other Eastern Teams are worn out. Oh, and Henrik needs to get injured, without him the Rangers won't win another game.

Ahaha nice jpeg man! Chicago has plenty of time for golf this year. I like players like Sharp and Toews but I'm super glad to see Kane and Hossa done. 

On a side not, does anyone have any suggestions for how the league's discipline system could be altered to end headshots for good? 25 games is huge for Torres, but I'm not gonna lie, us losing Torres and Chicago losing Hossa isn't exactly even. 

Chicago, Detroit, and Vancouver all lost to lesser teams because they have crappy goalies.

That is all.

Chicago and Detroit okay, but Vancouver did not lose because of their goalies.

It's not so much of one team having a crappy goalie as it is one team having an incredible goalie.

I do not no how Smith played before this year, but from what I have heard he was not as good playing for Tampa so I think the desert dogs style of hitting and protecting the puck and waiting for mistakes by the other teams to get takeaways and breakaways also deserves some credit.

I also heard Loungo might wave his no trade clause and they will stick with Schneider. The very fact Vancouver would even consider this shows they are pretty deep at that position.

Ehh, I'd say that's more true of someone like Elliott on St. Louis, who used to struggle, but now excels while only facing 20 shots a game on that defensive hard checking team - Smith is making over 30 saves a game, and many are not routine. I don't know how to explain his turnaround, but he deserves the credit for the job he is doing this season.

I'd be shocked if Luongo isn't traded, this city is ready to move on with Schnieder. All the radio talk is already about saying goodbye to him and who to get in return.

Cool about the media thing in Canada it sounds like how it is in the states with football and I wish it was just as big for Hockey. Oh well, I can tell you one Avalanche fan that would be happy to take Loungo off the Canucks hands.

Well, I really just said that about Smith to create conversation. The Lightning certainly do not have such a trap style as Phoenix, but after seeing Smith in most games he just destroyed constant great chances from Chicago. I am on the side that whatever got him going  red hot now is the main reason Phoenix moved on.If he maintains the greatness he will carry the team for a good while.

Funny tought: Phoenix loses to in the cup finals, goes to Quebec as the new Nordiques and then wins their first year there like the AVS did after leaving Quebec. that would be so grand. XD