Nothing Beats the Stanley Cup Playoffs
When it comes to the best postseason in professional sports, there is a reason everyone points to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There is drama right up until the very last goal goes in.
If we look at the five major professional sports in the United States, we know the NFL is king. However, their playoffs are just one-and-done, and for the most part, outside of a game or two, the drama doesn’t compare. The same applies to College Football, which sees blowouts in the early rounds.
The NBA Playoffs are stale and boring. The product stinks because all the players do is take three-pointers. It is not as physical and nasty as it was in the past. And MLB Playoffs drag on, and the wild card round didn’t do much to excite fans.
That is why the Stanley Cup playoffs are the best; you have no idea what you are getting night to night. That is what makes it so exciting. There could be a night when there is just one or several overtime periods. You never know who the hero will be.
As Steve Mayer, President, NHL Content & Event, told Full Press Media, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are the best in any sport, with the most compelling first rounds in any sport. In addition, Mayer says this year has been one of the most exciting playoffs ever.
And I'll say it because everybody else says it…. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are the best in any sport. They're super competitive. If I look tired, it's because of so many consecutive nights till one in the morning, at least one in the morning, at least with overtime. And, we love it. This is the time of year where, man, if you're a hockey fan, there's nothing better. Every game has been super interesting and compelling. The series are heating up. We still sit here and and if you could tell me who's going to win the Stanley Cup, man, you are, you're brilliant. And I'll tell you, go to Vegas. There's no way anybody could tell you right now who can win the Stanley Cup. There's so many teams that are still in it. And even the teams, as we talk that are down 2-0, can easily come back and win those series. So, I love it, and it's going to be amazing the next couple of months, and we're ready for it. That's what sort of gets us going here, and this is going to be one of the most exciting playoffs ever.
Just look at this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the goals scored late in the third period to either win a game or tie the game and force it to overtime.
In less than a week, two goals were scored under two seconds left in the third period. One of those goals was a buzzer-beater with .4 seconds left in the third period.
First, Cole Perfetti of the Winnipeg Jets gets his second goal, tying Game 7 of the first-round series against the St. Louis Blues with 1.6 seconds left in the third period. It was another beautiful redirection past Jordan Binnington.
From there, it was all Jets through the first overtime sessions as Neal Pionk’s shot in double overtime went off the pants of Jets captain Adam Lowry to send Winnipeg to Round 2 and a date with the Dallas Stars.
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Then on Saturday night, May 10th, in Game 3 of Round 2, the Vegas Golden Knights got back in the series thanks to one of the Original Golden Misfits. After the Edmonton Oilers tied the game at 3-3 thanks to a goal from Connor McDavid, Reilly Smith pulled Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner out of his net and threw a shot at the net.
The announcers thought he hit the post, and the game was heading to overtime. However, Smith put his hands up in the air. As the saying goes, the shooter knows. Well, upon video review, the puck went off Leon Draisaitl’s stick off the camera in the net, and the Golden Knights won the game 4-3. Talk about drama.
Even before those games, Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars recorded back-to-back four-point periods, including a hat trick in Game 7 of Round 1 to eliminate his former team and the club that traded him earlier in the year, the Colorado Avalanche.
Rantanen is a must-watch. He has 18 points (nine goals and nine assists) and has contributed to 15 of the Dallas Stars' last 17 goals. He is truly in the zone.
Then there are the Edmonton Oilers, who had six straight wins in the playoffs, all in come-from-behind fashion. The Oilers were doing mostly with their depth scoring, even though Connor McDavid has 16 points this playoff season and Leon Draisaitl has 15 points. That dynamic duo has not been a factor as much this postseason in games.
And despite the fans not liking the first-round playoff format, they all watched. The high drama of Game 7s. Which Winnipeg Jets team was going to show up? Same for Connor Hellebuyck, as the Jets are better at home than on the road. Hellebuyck has given up five or more goals in four straight games on the road this playoff season.
Then there are the wild and wacky goals. As coaches say, throw pucks on the net, good things happen. How many nights have we have seen pucks redirect off of sticks, equipment or off a players butt and passed the goal. It seems to happen more often than not.
There have been controversial hits and penalties or non-penalties, as the officiating takes center stage, as it does every year. There is so much drama that you want to watch every game of the playoffs. And once overtime comes in the playoffs, fans are locked in.
There is nothing better than a playoff overtime game. The fans are locked in, and the reactions are significant when the goal goes in. It is the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
Forget about the NFL, NBA, College Football, and MLB. They have nothing on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which are a must-watch every night.
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