Bald Guys On The Bench
Bald Guys On The Bench
Faceoff: A Deep Dive into the Stanley Cup Playoff Preview
Recorded April 16th, 2025
When one passionate hockey fan converts another, magic happens. In this special edition of Bald Guys on the Bench, Scott welcomes longtime friend TP—the hockey guru who transformed him from a skeptic into a devoted Vegas Golden Knights fan—for a comprehensive Stanley Cup playoff preview that dives deep into every matchup.
The conversation weaves through compelling narratives across both conferences, from the "Battle of Ontario" between the Leafs and Senators to the unprecedented fourth consecutive Kings-Oilers first-round matchup. TP brings expert analysis on why Connor Hellebuck stands as the league's premier goaltender, while Scott reflects on his evolution from hockey novice to dedicated fan who paces nervously before Stanley Cup finals games.
What makes this episode special is how it captures hockey's unique culture—a world where bitter rivals fight fiercely on ice yet celebrate in each other's weddings off it. The hosts break down why playoff hockey delivers intensity unlike any other sport, where hot goaltenders change everything and underdogs regularly topple favorites.
Whether you're a seasoned hockey enthusiast or curious newcomer, this episode offers valuable insights into what makes the Stanley Cup playoffs the most unpredictable and thrilling postseason in sports. Will the Capitals give Ovechkin another Cup run? Can the defending champion Knights repeat? The predictions and analysis provide the perfect primer for two months of playoff hockey drama.
#baldguysonthebench #graboneandcrackone #nhl #stanleycup #playoffhockey
Welcome to another episode of the Bald Guys on the Bench podcast, with your hosts Graham Cohen and Scott Wasco.
Scott:What's up everyone, and welcome to another episode of the bald guys on the bench. You know we promised you this episode a couple weeks ago. It's going to be a little different tonight. It's only one bald guy and one guy we always talk about on the episodes, and that's none other than TP. Tp. Welcome to the show. What's up?
TP:What's up, man, I'm glad to glad to be here. It's bummer that, uh, graham's not here, but yeah, I'm still excited to be on. I know I've been trying to get on and glad you can have me, man, so it's been a long time coming dude nhl stanley cup playoff preview show.
Scott:The only show in the history of the ball guys that is only going to be about hockey. My bad, I take that back. The night the vegas gold knights won the stanley cup. We did do a little emergency show yeah, oh yeah, 20 minutes, and that was all about hockey and I probably over served myself that night, but that's another story. Uh, tp, you've been a listener to the show. What do we do? How do we kick things off?
TP:Well, it always ends up with you guys grabbing one and cracking one, so let's go.
Scott:Let's do it so the first show without Graham grabbing one and cracking one man how does that feel for you? Weird it's weird, but you know what it's hockey. But you know what it's hockey. Graham doesn't know hockey so I still bummed. He's not here, but he doesn't know if a hockey puck's stuffed or inflated.
TP:I tried to grow a little beard, but it's not gray so I couldn't really fully fill in.
Scott:So for all those people out there that have heard me talk about TP, let's get to know TP. Tp was a assistant pro at one of my golf courses back in the day when he was dumb and was in the golf business. Now I decided to get out and make real money. But this is back in the day and TP was always, always that hockey guy. And you know tp. Tell them you always wanted me to watch hockey yeah, me.
TP:And I remember you know who we called nasty nate, right, just nate. He was in the shop. He was another kings fan, so that made it easy. But yeah, we were always him and I were talking hockey and you would just walk out of your office like I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I don't get hockey, I don't understand it, you know, and just said you just need to watch it, you need to have a team and it'll be something. Definitely that once you get hooked, it's kind of like hitting that first perfect golf shot. Once you get hooked, I mean you can't stop watching, yeah, you know. Or especially when you go to your first live game.
Scott:So, and I had been to games and you know I would watch the west final of the east finals. But when you don't have a dog in the fight it's not as intense as everybody's like. Nothing more intense than Stanley Cup playoff hockey well, told you many times, yeah, and I never got it. You know, never got it. You know, never got it. But TP was actually with our boy, jerry, playing off. You know, remember when we used to tee off at goose Creek when you couldn't even see anything.
Scott:You sweep in. I love it. It's black and the Knights announced their logo and all that stuff and I'm like Jerry, I'm going to be a Knights fan. So I can say I've been a fan of this hockey team since before they played a game and Jerry's like I'm in.
TP:I think you guys ordered a hat on the spot or ordered something on the spot.
Scott:On the spot dude. Yeah, jerry even bought a book. He's going to be pissed that I say this. Hockey rules for dummies. Not even making it up, it happened. Obviously, I always say this the first year of the Vegas Golden Knights was absolutely ridiculous. Make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals win game one Magical. It was the perfect, yeah, it was the perfect scenario for me for my first year as a hockey fan. I mean obviously spoiled, rotten, but it definitely made it easier. But I jumped all in. You remember it was like what's a hockey? Now I've got the hockey package. Now I'm going to Vegas for games. We're going to playoff games. And I'll never forget what you told me once the regular season was over and my Knights were playing your Kings in the first round and that sucked too, by the way, my first year as a fan and I'm going against my boy that got me in the hockey's team. It was like, can't we play some other team and sweep them? Not TP's Kings.
TP:Yeah, you had to mention the sweep, but you know what you know.
TP:I had to, but you know what? You know I had to, but you know what? That's how poetic it is right, like it's, just like that. So we actually got to go to a game together because who knows what would have happened in the second round. And they haven't, kings haven't had I mean, we'll talk about it later as good of a team as they do now. Yeah, probably, since I remember it, it was that double overtime night you have to like 11 o'clock on the West.
Scott:Yeah, dude, I just remember. I can go take a leak during a football game. I can't take a leak in hockey. Like, come on, can we call a timeout every once in a while?
TP:I tried to find the text yesterday and I couldn't. It was so far back. But yeah, you're just like he's like. I couldn't, it was so far back, but yeah, you're just like, damn this hockey. It's been 20 minutes.
Scott:I can't even go take a piss. The best thing about my house in California remember we had the TV outside for hockey. At least I can go take a leak in the corner in the backyard or something and I can still hear, but I mean speaking of going to take a leak game four against the Kings. We're going not to take a leak, but we're going from the scariest seats I've ever sat in in my entire life to going up to the suite with Navarro and those guys we missed the only goal of the game.
TP:I mean I was fine missing it, it wasn't our goal.
Scott:But yeah, exactly I missed all the main action, but anyhow, tp is not on here to talk about the past. We're on here to talk about what starts on Saturday. Yep, the All-In-A-Cup playoffs, oh yeah, but we've got some matchups. It's going to be tough. I mean, I don't know when do you want to start off, man, you want to. I mean how they do the playoff seeding. I mean, I know you hate that.
TP:I can't stand that. It's one of the worst things in sports. I mean, I get they've changed it around since the COVID year, which was horrible. I mean you have all the Canada teams. I mean how are the Knights playing the Canadians in a conference final Like that? Shouldn't be that. Which congrats to the Canadians. They just clinched their first playoff spot since then.
Scott:Last one in right.
TP:Yeah, last one in. I think there's five teams Canadian teams out of the seven that are in. It keeps getting closer every year. The Canadians were the last Canadian team to win against the Kings, which sucked in five games, Wow 31 years ago, right Something like that 31, 32. I mean, damn this McSorley stick. How?
Announcer:is that even?
TP:possible. You have Gretzky on the team. They're up 1-0. They go to game two. Marty McSorley gets called for a stick that's too curved and ever since they just unraveled and they lose the series so, so I mean, I mean, if that, I mean, I guess the kings had to sacrifice for the rest of the nhl so that we can continue to bark on the canadians for not the canadian teams for not winning, right, you know?
Scott:it's so weird to me. Yeah, uh, I don't know, but I mean I, I don't, I don't want to get into it. They're not winning this year either.
TP:I'm making that statement right now canadian team is not winning neither team's getting to the fine, neither no canadian team's getting to a finals either. So so I'm fine with that. Hopefully there's some early exits. But but yeah, the seating, I mean you have the top three teams in each division. Each division has four or eight teams, right, and then you have two wild cards, so you have a wild card team played first in a division, right, so that's where, like, the knights are playing the wild, and then you have second and third play each other, which that's how you get four years in a row of the kings playing the oilers. Like it's getting old and I probably. I probably have a different tune if we would have won one of those series. But no, it sucks. It's only the second time in NHL history where there's, since the original six, since they've had the expansion, where they've had teams play each other four years in a row in the playoffs In the first round. It's so weird.
Scott:The way it's worked out, right, I mean, and they've been serious too. Y'all have been battling. It's not like it's been. I mean, yeah, it's been one-sided in the victories of the series, yeah, but not in the way the game's played, no, and it's so brutal because I mean, look at last year, I'm just going to throw last year. Who did the Knights beat? The year they won the Cup in the Western Conference Finals.
TP:In the Finals, dallas, I believe.
Scott:Dallas. Who's our first-round opponent? Last year, dallas, I mean. And we get knocked out, yeah, did we lose to a bad team? No, no, I mean, come a bad team? No, no, I mean, come on, it's ridiculous. Yeah, but you know, obviously they don't do the reseeding. No, they used to.
TP:I know why they just always this is back before I was a fan. Yeah, I mean I've seen stuff here and there and when they've done the reseeding I think they wanted more, Honestly, with the NHL stuff. They probably wanted more McDavid or not McDavid, more Crosby versus Ovechkin in the playoffs, yeah, and stuff like that. But who knows, Hockey does weird stuff, I mean imagine the Blues win the series.
Scott:Okay, they're the second, they're wildcard number two.
TP:Yeah.
Scott:And the Knights beat the Wild. Now the Knights are going to have to play the Kings in round two. Yeah, and either the Stars or Avalanche get to play wildcard. Two Blues, yep, I'm sorry what.
TP:Exactly. Well, nfl is the only four of the four major sports. Right, true, reseating, so they got that. That's one thing that they got right. But I mean, yeah, baseball's weird. I mean we're not getting into all that stuff, but yeah no but they used to do it. So when the kings won their first cup and was it 2012 they had to beat numbers one, two and three they were all right, so they beat yeah they beat the, the connect.
TP:I loved it. They beat the connects, then they beat the blues and then I think they beat the. I think the sharks were number three. I can't. Honestly, it was such a whirlwind of a run and I was just like on such a high like I can't remember who they beat in the western conference final, so I can slap myself there we go. I should know it, Dude.
Scott:I just remember what I remember about that run. Okay, I just started at Champions Club and I was playing in the four-ball championship at some course past LA. Do you remember Travis Inchcliffe from Palo Mesa? Oh yeah, travis and I played in this four-ball championship and we're on the way home and it was when y'all won the Western Conference Finals to go to the Stanley Cup. It was insane. I remember listening to it on the radio and driving through LA on the way home.
TP:So sorry to interrupt, but this is going to be a weird one. This is why no one remembers they beat the Coyotes. What I know, I just put it up 4-1. That's why I can't remember they beat the Phoenix Coyotes In the finals Western Conference finals Wow, I know. That's why no one remembers. Wow, this is where Graham would be like who they were. A three seed, yeah, yeah, 42, 27, and 13. Yeah, go, go figure.
Scott:I had to look that up because it was bugging me Unbelievable, I know.
TP:Good work on that yeah, literally yeah yeah.
Scott:I wonder if they even sold out, sold out home playoff games for the finals there was probably more 100.
TP:Duh, that arena is terrible. By the way that they played in, I think it was like a. It was a college arena, basically wow, yeah, anyhow.
Scott:Uh, awards for the season before we get into the matchups. What do you? What are you thinking?
TP:I mean, you tell me well, they got some of the you know the important.
Scott:I mean it's really there's so many awards like we're not gonna get into it, but there's, there's some of the important ones I mean, and the reason I say, the reason I say you tell me, is I've been blowing you up on this show as they're, you know, hockey gurus, so that's why it's like you tell me there's a lot of pressure right now I feel, like mackaroy on the 72nd over that five foot putt right now.
Scott:So, uh, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully I don't at least you're not feeling like you're on the 13th hole with 77 yards and a little flip wedge in me yeah, thanks.
Announcer:Thanks for coming and we've always said he's a bad wedge player, but good, good for him.
TP:Congrats to him anyways, but yeah, I mean I mean the important ones that people usually talk about, like, for example, the easy one to know now it's already been decided is the ross trophy. So that's the nhl point leader. So I mean that's nikita kucherov from tampa bay. He's every year, he's up there I don't know every year with stam coast?
TP:no, stam coast. They got gedsel on there and he plays on the line. Sometimes no matter who they put with that guy. You can put a ham sandwich with him and he'll still probably get 100 points. That guy's absolutely, absolutely nuts. He led the league. He led the league in assists. I was looking up 84 assists this year. That's insane. He didn't hit the 40 goal mark, so 121 points.
TP:If one of the other guys were behind McKinnon, I think was second 116, but he already played his 82nd game on Sunday and they're already done so.
Scott:No, one else is going to catch him?
TP:Yeah, no one else is going to catch him, so he's done. Yeah, Nope, yeah, no one else is going to catch him, so congrats again on that. I mean the other ones. You've got the Rookie of the Year, which they call the Calder Trophy. Dude, most people. If you don't follow hockey, really, I mean the guy that's the heavy favorite. I on FanDuel or DraftKings.
Scott:At minus 3,000 is Lane Hudson.
TP:Wow, minus 3,000?
Scott:Yeah, Defensive player as a defensive player, yeah for the Canadians.
TP:The kid is amazing. So I mean he had 65 points, he played 81. Well, this was going in today, so I don't know what he did today. I know they won and got in. I didn't see see so in the 81.
Scott:He played every game, but 65 points I mean for a defenseman as a rookie is solid as a rookie, yeah, wow, yeah.
TP:I can't remember how many bedard had two years ago as, but it was right around there and he's a, he's a center right, so I mean, but then you had macklin celebrating right behind him. Um, from the, from the sharks who's? I think that kid's going to be an absolute stud, like I could actually see him and it, like you know, see the timelines and how things happen. He could be changing the franchise yeah, he could, but he could be, I hope not.
TP:I mean, I'm not, don't like the sharks but I think he could be a better player than bedard. Yeah, okay, but I mean bedard, they're coining as a next crosby and stuff. But that's kind of one of my bold predictions is Celebrini could have a better career but he's plus 650. But I think the Canadians making the playoffs, I think that's going to seal the deal.
Scott:It should right. Yeah, because I mean who's the best goalie in the game?
TP:Connor Hellebuck. Without a doubt right now, if you look at all the numbers and everything, Is he the best goalie in the game overall, or is he? He's big, he can stop all angles If you do the eye test and watch him, he's got everything. We've got to see him win a series and move on the Jets. That's one thing we'll talk about with the Jets, yeah.
Scott:What about your boy dude?
TP:Darcy Kemper is a stud. He didn't play as many games so he didn't show that, but I mean the year he had, I mean it's. Yeah, he's right up there. I'd put him he's probably number.
Scott:I got andre vasilevsky with tampa bay.
TP:Yeah, I mean he didn't have the numbers and stuff there, but he's always a study. He's won two cups, but he didn't he miss a lot of this or that was last year, yeah. But I mean yeah, but no one played as many games as connor hellebuck. The guy played 60. I think I said saw 62 years or maybe you know. I think he played. I think he played tonight, so it would have been 63, yeah, so I mean that's almost 80 of of the games. That's just insane, Like I mean in nowadays games how athletic they need him. But I mean good on him. I mean the guy's leading the league in goals against average. He tied for first with Darcy Kemper in goals against average at 2.02.
Scott:So I mean if you're only giving up two goals a game.
TP:you're doing a lot, You're a brick wall.
Scott:Yeah, and you know You're a brick wall.
TP:Yeah.
Scott:And the crazy thing about hockey and this is what's amazing to me you can be the best in the regular season, you can be this guy that you're talking about in his stats, but you know the one thing I've learned get hot at the right time, yeah, and there's no better example than 2012 when y'all won yep yeah, how hot did that kid get dude quickie was unreal that dude I mean was insane, yeah and he turned that into a full career
Scott:right, yeah, he did the winningest american goalie in history now he won two cups with you guys yeah and then won one with us, yep when, and the guy was insane from connecticut I know that, yeah, there you go hey, you get a lot of my stat boom you can rest easy the rest of the night now, but yeah you get a lot of those guys.
Announcer:There we go, let's go.
TP:Yeah, if they're not Canadian, you get a lot of guys from the northeast and from the Midwest, the Boston area, so, like Connecticut, minnesota, you know all that stuff.
Scott:Minnesota, yeah, minnesota.
TP:Yeah, but another key of the crazy run was the Blues. When they won their cup they were like last or second to last in the division and come back on a crazy run, make the playoffs. I think they might even won their division they switched to the young goalie too. Yeah.
Scott:What's his name?
TP:Biddington.
Scott:Biddington. And then they started singing that damn song in the locker room when they won yeah, what the hell song was that? Yeah song in the locker room when they won yeah, what the hell song was that? Yeah, glory, it was gloria.
TP:Oh, that's what they cut oh my god, yeah, but yeah, I mean good on them, but that's like that's what it takes it. You know it's, it's. Uh, you know masters is a tradition in a tournament like any other, hockey has a playoff, unlike any other. The stanley cup. You know it's truly different stressful, stressful shit.
Scott:Yeah, never thought, never thought in my life I'd be pacing three hours before stanley cup finals game five, when the knights are up three to one. Oh, longest day of my life, but uh, something I've learned since TP introduced me to the game of hockey and we've talked about it on the show before is how amazing the game is and how respect is earned for the game. And there was no better story than last night with the Wild them needing one point to clinch the last playoff spot in the West, and I think they were down one goal with like 30 seconds left and they scored a tie and send the game into overtime. So they get their one point, clinch the playoff spot, and what does the Wild coach do? Throw them flurry.
TP:Yeah, that was really cool. And did you see the save that he made on that breakaway Dude?
Scott:I'm like, oh my god, the classic flurry poke check. This guy just came off the bench and you're throwing him in in overtime and he gets the dub. Did you see the wild players just ambush him after the game was over, when they won?
TP:I love that about hockey you get so much. Almost every time there's an individual achievement, it's still celebrated with the team.
Announcer:It was sick.
TP:Like when you saw Ovechkin break the record, immediately just the whole team bobs him. He slides on the ground, gets up, goes to the team, does all that stuff right. A lot of other sports, unfortunately, a lot of players, or I should say a lot of other players. You don't see that in other sports. I mean, that's one reason why I love hockey so much.
Scott:Didn't you send me some kind of meme with Ovechkin after he scored the goal and his teammates ambushed him? And then an NBA player that broke some record and he was all by himself.
TP:Yeah, the guy that broke the all-time points record yeah, and he just runs off and walks off by himself. Yeah.
Scott:I don't know.
TP:Yeah, the traditions and stuff like that.
Scott:In hockey, dude, these guys go out on the ice, beat the shit out of each other. Yeah, they're fighting and they're in each other's weddings. I mean Stone and the Chuck brothers, dude. Yeah, I mean, stone was in their weddings, they were in his wedding. I mean it's awesome, let's go beat the shit out of each other and let's go drink a beer. Yeah, the end.
TP:Yeah, exactly. I mean it's cool, it's different, and they're just like yeah, it just got chippy. That's like their answer. Yeah.
Scott:So as we start off, let's get into the playoff matchup preview.
TP:Yeah, you know let's get into the. You know the playoff matchup preview. But one thing cause we talked about Connor Hellebuck and he's probably going to win the top goalie. It's like, literally, if you look on on the betting, it's not Hellebuck one and like Darcy Kemper two or whatever it's. When you look at the odds, it's Hellebuck versus the field, like when it used to be Tiger versus the field. That's what it is for the trophy.
TP:Right right. What's the field? What's the field number? I can't remember. I think it was like he was like minus 110 or something and they're like plus 130. It was something like, something like that. It wasn't. I mean, it was basically. I mean it's yeah, it's not crazy, but and then he's actually the favorite to win the mvp, the heart trophy, right now for a goalie. Does anybody ever won?
Scott:has anybody ever won, both as a goalie?
TP:yeah, I want to say dominic hasheuk did. I want to say he might have been the last one. I have to look, I mean I'm probably wrong, like it's that the history of these trophies like it gets me sometimes but yeah, but I mean, yeah, he's the last goal in my head.
TP:Yeah, he's the last goalie, I can think that probably that would have been deserving him. Or bro doer, some guy like that, like they were just absolutely insane, so, um, but yeah, something like that, because I know dry sidles up there, kucherov's up there, um, you know. But after that it just falls off like mckinnon's like fourth or fifth, but he's like plus six thousand or seven, he's not, he's not gonna get it he's not, he had some injury.
TP:I don't think with dry side will get it, with all his injuries. He only, you know, he was out for 10 games or so and they've been leaving him out. Yep, I mean Kucherov, could. I mean he could sneak in, I mean for what he's doing. With what they say, some guys are saying less help, which I think they're still stacked. I'm going to disagree on that. They're stacked. Yeah, they're stacked, but Hellebuck's the goalie.
Scott:that's first in everything, and they're the president, and going to be a first round exit.
TP:We'll, we'll see about that, but we'll see about that.
Scott:So before we get into the matchups, you sent me a stat last night, yeah, about Florida teams. Do you remember that?
TP:Yeah, because a first round matchup has to do with a couple of these goddang teams. Yeah, the battle of Florida right there.
Scott:What was the stat?
TP:The stat was the last five Eastern Conference champions have come from a Florida team. It's either been the Lightning or the Panthers to represent.
Scott:Say that again From Florida.
TP:Yeah, from South Florida.
Scott:Just like those dudes going hockey, you'll never work in.
TP:Vegas On that I was watching. I was watching the the Panthers lightning game last night. I'm just doing some research and I wanted to kind of see how the Panthers look a little banged up and whatnot. But the, the announcer that was on I can't remember his name, but he was talking about the game and talking about hockey coming to South Florida in like 93 and when the Panthers were just starting, and he said that the owner of the Panthers I don't know if it's still the same one, but he owned Blockbuster he was like a big guy in Blockbuster, right. So this is dating.
Announcer:Okay.
TP:But when you?
Announcer:go to.
TP:Blockbuster in South Florida and rent a movie, you got a free rental Just real quick, just real quick, real quick blockbuster.
Scott:I'm sorry, I probably still owe you money for late fees.
TP:My bad, I thought you were gonna say you owe me money. It's like you can send it. That's all good. But yeah, we probably all do. I remember yeah like renting something and it's like 60 bucks and at some point I'm like I'm just keeping this movie.
TP:It's I've invested too much yeah, I'm done but yeah, but they, when you go to Blockbuster and rent a movie or a game or whatever, they would give you a free DVD or DVD free cassette to rent out. And it was the rules of hockey. And it would say this is icing, this is it, and it's had like the owner doing that to try to get the whole fan base. But now they're selling out all the time. I mean it's like one of the epicenters of NHL hockey and development right now because of what's going on. I mean it's insane what they've done. I mean between those teams they've won four times in the last. Yeah, four times in the last 25 years, 22 years.
Scott:Tampa won two in a row right.
TP:Yeah, they won back-to-back.
Scott:And Colorado won. Then we played the Panthers, yeah, and then the Panthers won last year.
TP:Wow, yeah, tampa could have gone three in a row. And then I mean, and then I mean Tampa, and oh, four, right, when? When they won, then they had the full season lockout the next year, which, by the way, that's insane a little food for thought the way he's been hitting in his whole second half of his career. He could have been at a thousand goals right now insane, yeah insane, and kicking the crap out of people playing russian soccer. I don't know if you've ever seen those videos. Yes, yes, yeah one other stat.
Announcer:You gotta look up.
TP:They're looking at some of the top guys that like goal scorers now, like crosby and stuff, that are still active and it showed their hit counts. I think ovechkin's at like 3700 hits for his career and the next guy's like at 1600 or 1700. So like the amount of physical abuse he puts himself through on top of it, he's unlike any other People. Don't give him enough credit for that.
Scott:He's a massive human being. He is I mean yeah, I'm good, I ain't touching you. Have fun, let's go drink some beers.
TP:Yeah, I'll get you after the game, man. But yeah, I mean props to him for what he's done over his career and gotten better and you know all that stuff. So yeah, he's on it.
Scott:Let's jump right in. You got it and we don't have to go in great detail about everything. But you know, first one we got on the notes are the Leafs and Ottawa.
TP:Oh yeah, the Battle of Ontario, canada. Oh eh Eh. What's it all about? Yeah, have you heard the joke where it says how do they figure out how to spell Canada?
Announcer:No.
TP:These old Canadian guys are sitting around and they say well, let's figure it out, it's C-A and then N-A-D-A, and then there you go, it's Canada.
Scott:Dude, I can't believe I didn't even mention this at the beginning of the show. I mean, come on, when I'm introducing you, you were a high school golf teammate of somebody that people know that watched TV, yeah, and watched the PGA Tour. What was that guy's name?
TP:That's pretty good, ricky Flower Fowler.
Scott:Flower, I mean God. Dang it, graham. Edit this part out. Put it all the way back at the beginning.
TP:There's no editing, it's just going All right, it happens.
Scott:All right, yeah, great yeah, it's cool we played two years.
TP:We all got lessons with Big B and all that stuff and yeah, it's cool, he used to try to post me up when we played basketball at our boy, travis Oslin's house up in La Crest.
Scott:I remember Travis yeah.
TP:He's a good. He's down in San Diego still, but yeah, he's a. But yeah, I remember being up there. We play games and you know, me and Ricky are some of the smaller guys, so we're always trying to post each other up.
Scott:So one of, if not the greatest high school golf teams ever assembled was your team probably your senior year? Yep, oh, five Is yep 05. Is that one, stefan josh? Yep, I know what you're going. Was it the cortez? The? Incident was that the car accident incident?
TP:yeah, uh, and y'all should have won state by a million shots we could have, yeah, but I mean, but yeah, I mean we had, we had a million shots we could have, yeah, but I mean, but yeah, I mean, yeah, we had a great. I mean we got second. I mean that's still pretty darn good yeah, I know. And Ricky's shot even par with the stomach flu throwing up the whole way up and during the whole round still shot 72 and got like top five in state that year individually. So I mean.
Scott:How about his freshman year, when he shot six deuce? I was so new to golf.
TP:I was so new to golf at that time because I think I was playing for like a year that he came to school at the 62 and he had the scorecard and I'm sitting there with like this shock face and I remember josh just goes look at tyler's smile on his face and I was like I've never seen a scorecard like this, I've never seen this many birdies in person. I was only playing golf for like a year. I think I like broke par once in my life, like maybe not even then at that time. But yeah, I mean like it was just seeing. I was like someone can actually physically do this, like as a freshman, as a friend, as a 15 year old, you know, like I can't even drive.
TP:He can't even legally drive a car yet, but he's just drop, dropping threes everywhere, yeah, yeah breaks, breaks, tigers.
Scott:Southern california CIF record by five.
TP:And it was a shock edge and he started on hole 12.
Scott:Oh, the worst hole at SCGA I know.
TP:And then he finished on Romano's signature hole on 11. Oh, dude.
Scott:If there was a person that had to play one hole of golf against somebody else and I could pick the hole and it was life or death, it would be romano and number 11 cga. I mean my guy just went, hooped it from everywhere on that green, yeah, and I mean it was hilarious I know we're talking quick story, my first year, so jv, so romano was a senior and we were playing.
TP:I believe it was hilarious. I know we're talking hockey quick story, my first year, so jv. So romano was a senior and we were playing. I believe it was at canyon lake and I was like two groups behind because he was like the last one and then jv was right behind and I just remember seeing this shot on number eight, the par three, and then I just looked at it. I think it was right and I could bounce up whatever it goes in the holes like the first hole one I've ever seen in my life. And I think someone said that was like his second that week or something.
Scott:He made one at Victoria Club earlier that week.
TP:Yeah, so you know, and I was like, who is this guy? They're like Ricky Romano, and then we got one Ricky left and another Ricky came in. It was just like the era of Rickys right there, and it was just amazing.
Scott:And I always give Romano shit because you know Romano, great player, goes to H-Town full ride gym, dance pretty couples. You know huge history and tradition at Houston and I'm like you're not even the best person named Ricky to ever come out of your high school. He's always like but I'm the original Ricky, yeah, okay.
TP:And mad respect for R-Squared at the caddy tournament at the Heritage rocking the MVHS bag.
Scott:Dude, that's sick, I mean anyhow. This is why I love this show. We get off on a tangent and it doesn't even matter. Leafs Ottawa, here you go.
TP:Battle of Ontario. I think it's going to be tough, because now I think what it matters is because one, toronto is the new york city of canada. Right, they have a ton of people. The media is just like that for them, like they're just you know it's crazy. And they haven't. I just saw a status I guess it's been like since 1932 that they haven't won three series in a row in one playoff For an original six team. It's crazy, so sorry, real quick playoffs. This is the first time in NHL history that the four American teams that are in the original six did not make the playoffs in the same year New York Rangers, boston, chicago. The fourth one dang it, the fourth one's blanking me.
Scott:Detroit.
TP:Pittsburgh, I believe Pittsburgh or Detroit, yeah.
Scott:Is it Pittsburgh?
TP:I can't remember which one it is. Wow, yeah, but it's four of the six, wow, right. And then the other two are Canadian teams, obviously, so Montreal and Toronto, but they made it. So yeah, it's just first time in NHL history that's, that's happened. Wow, yeah, so, but the leafs I mean, the leafs are good, you know stole ours they win this year?
TP:I do think so. I don't now. I think what it does come down to is the health. Is claude geroux for the senators? And is brady kachuk gonna be healthy? They say he is, but he hasn't been healthy since the four nations and just like a typical kachuk.
TP:Right, they're never healthy, but they're always dangerous when they're on the ice if he's on the ice yeah, and and for him, he's gonna do whatever he can, because I think this is his seventh or eighth year in the league and this is first time making the playoffs first time in the yep, yeah, so they need a healthy kachuk and drew, otherwise it's going to be no chance. I mean like, I mean real quick, I mean both decent, both middle of the road in the penalty kill and goals against. It's not the defense. I mean, I think I, you know, I, I really I really don't know, I think it's that the firepower of um toronto toronto, yeah firepower.
TP:toronto is going to do it. I think the way the playoff set up, this is toronto's year if they're going to do it because Because they're not going against Boston, they're not going against Florida right away, they're not going against any of these other teams like Ottawa. They're a younger team. They're making the playoffs. I don't want to say they're happy to make the playoffs, but where they've been the last couple years compared to now.
Scott:Which is exactly why I'm taking Ottawa.
TP:Do it.
Scott:Toronto. Is that team, dude? We're just going to call them Snakebit. Yeah, we're going to call them the Cowboys of Hockey.
TP:They kind of that's a great analogy. They kind of are the Cowboys of Hockey, I mean, except for they win their division. Well, actually, I guess the Cowboys a couple years ago did right and they did not.
Scott:So yeah, I guess the.
TP:Cowboys a couple years ago did right and they did nothing. So yeah, I mean it's the same way. But my main storyline to watch Toronto going forward just in general, is just Austin Matthews. It took him four less goals to reach 400 goals in his career than it did Ovechkin. So if they say anybody on the page yeah, but we'll see if he stays healthy.
Scott:If he can play that long. So who's your pick? Who's your pick?
TP:I'm going to play the favorites here. I'm going to go with the Leafs, yeah. Yeah, like I said, I mean then they would play the winners of, but then they got to play the winner of Tampa Bay and Florida, which is the next series, right, atlantic Division II versus Atlantic Division III, the Battle of Florida. So we're getting a lot of geographical, you know, long-time rivals, or geographical rivals, which is pretty cool. That's the one thing where the seeding helps is you kind of get some cool stuff like that it is.
Announcer:It's just the repetitiveness.
Scott:It is cool.
TP:There's positive, negatives, but I still wish they reseed and they just do it.
Scott:So Lightning Panthers Defending Cup champs.
TP:Well, obviously, whoever wins the series is going to the Stanley Cup, right? I mean, that's what history says.
Scott:That's what history says I mean. So you're saying I should just go out there and throw a couple bets on the Lightning and the Panthers to win the East?
TP:Hey, I mean, take the money you got from the Soto anytime. Homer, Put a couple bucks down at each one.
Scott:There you go, a little fun bet, let's go.
TP:Yeah, you send me all the time Fun bet. Hey, free money bet.
Scott:Free money.
TP:If I were to do that, I'd put it on Tampa Bay. I know you sent me earlier actually, what their odds are.
Scott:That's to win the whole thing though.
TP:Yeah, that is true, but I mean, if it's not too bad, If it's not too bad, I would say Tampa Bay is a good one to pick. I mean, Tampa Bay is strong. They're number one in offense. They got the highest goals, for I mean that's even with no Stamkos. They got rid of Stamkos and they took the bet on Gensel, who?
Scott:I love. But I mean, they still got Gensel, they still got Hedman there and I think he's playing second line defense now, so he can be more offensive or he's with the partner with more of a defensive minded guy.
TP:I mean they still got vasilevsky, who I think is the best goalie in the nhl. He's, he's a brick wall, yeah, and he's a big game guy. So that's that's the thing I mean. They got, they got all of it. So I mean they got, um, yeah, they got so many weapons it's hard to even name it rattle.
Scott:So it sounds like you're taking.
TP:Tampa in that series. I'm taking Tampa in six. I think they're going to finish it off. I just think the injuries and how far the Panthers have gone the last two years in the finals, that wears on you.
Scott:It's a lot of extra games A lot of extra games. And they had a few guys.
TP:I think they had three or four guys in the Four Nations and we saw how intense that was. Matt Kachuk is still up and down. I mean they got a couple other guys that were banged up. I mean the list is pretty long. A lot of day-to-days, which a lot of teams do now, yeah, but if Kachuk's on the ice it's even money.
TP:But if he's not there, it's going to be Tampa Bay and the Panthers don't really score that a lot. I mean they have a top 10 defense, top 10 PK, but their offensive numbers aren't great.
Scott:I mean Bennett doesn't have the crazy year like he did last year, Sam Reinhardt's been okay and the way I hear a lot of people describe the Panthers and I get it now that I'm a hockey guy. Yeah, they're a heavy team.
Announcer:Yeah.
Scott:They're physical as shit. Can they stay in the game mentally? Because we saw them unfold in the finals against the Knights, when Tuchok lost his shit yeah, and you know, killed his team because he was going ape shit. You know getting penalty, penalty, penalty, getting booted.
TP:Well, having that said, they're the. They're number one in the most amount of penalty minutes. Shocker, but that's that's what they do, Right, and that's what that they do right and that's what.
Scott:That's what the coach wants. The coach wants them to be, to be like always teetering that line and you're gonna try to make, you're gonna live and die, you know.
TP:Try to make the other team, you know attack you after you pound them always, they always go right to the line and see if someone else can draw a penalty.
Scott:But this year that hasn't been happening as much so so we got caps and the canad.
TP:Yep Caps and Habs. Congrats to the Habs, First time, I think, since their cup run in 20.
Announcer:I know yeah.
TP:But yeah, first time in a couple years. I mean they are, they hung on. I would say I wish I had better news for them, if they would have kind of came into the playoffs and maybe challenged Ottawatawa for that first wild card spot. But no man, it's no yeah it's dominate yeah, I, I called this series or this playoff run for the caps is is ovi swan song. The caps have a really good chance yeah they're.
TP:They're my favorites I agree not just because they had the most points, but because Ovechkin is having a resurgence. He's healthy this whole year.
Scott:He scored 43, 44 goals.
TP:They've gotten younger. I mean, I hate to say it, but Pierre-Luc Dubois had a career year, so the Kings and the Capitals actually both won the trade right there. Yeah.
Scott:Logan Thompson's been hot in goal for him. Yeah, go figure, I know.
TP:I don't even want to talk about that.
TP:But I mean they're top 10 goals against. So right, they're top 10 in goals against and they're second in goals, for that's a pretty good combination. Is that any good? And I didn't realize this. But they're sixth in penalty kill percentage. So on special teams, they're winning special teams too, and that's huge. Unfortunately, being on the wrong side of it as a Kings fan, we know how important special teams is, so that's a huge thing. But the Canadians seventh in the penalty kill. They're top ten in goals against. They're just kind of middle of the road when it comes to offense and stuff. They've got some younger guys. I mean they've got a few guys here and there. I mean they got patrick linea. I mean he's been playing, but he's like a third he's solid but he's a but he's a bottom six guy.
TP:Now he's having that veteran type presence helps. But lane hudson, it's his first time, he's a rookie. He, that guy, can do everything. So he's gonna have to, as a rookie, gonna have to put a huge load on his shoulders, but we'll see. Maybe that youth they can surprise and sneak a game.
Scott:We got the Caps.
TP:Yeah, caps, I hope Montreal gets one win in there, just to kind of you know.
Scott:They'll get one. They'll get one.
TP:Yeah, it's hard to sweep, but yeah, I mean, I think Caps pretty easily.
Scott:All right, let's run on. I love how you nickname this series. Who cares? The canes and the devils?
TP:like no one's talked about them all year, like I mean, you're close to the canes so you might hear more than I do. But yeah, they're. The canes are solid, but that's what you say. They're solid every year.
Scott:They have the guys every year and they just fall short every year I thought last year was gonna be their year yeah and then they made all these goddang trades and trading people from here to there and everywhere that they just traded for this year. It's like what are you guys.
TP:Well, what about two? Was it two years ago when they were in the conference finals and they had, like that four, five overtime gamer, that four overtime game, and I'm sure you were up to like three in the morning I was in. Texas at that time visiting my buddy and we were, and so I was only an hour behind you and I was like this is ridiculous.
Scott:Heartbreaking for them, cause they were a solid team. Yeah, you know who wins that series.
TP:It's the, it's the canes. The devils are just yeah, the devils are just black when it comes to everything there, there's nothing impressive. I mean, the only thing here is the one caveat though it comes down to. If the Canes special team, they're 26th in power play but they're first in the penalty kill. They're always top penalty kill, but the Devils are fourth in PK and third on the power play. So I think it's going to be a battle, especially especially if it's played five on five.
TP:If it's five on five, a lot, the canes have it, absolutely no problem dominate but if it goes, special teams and the canes are taking a lot of penalties and they're getting tired and and the devils are hitting pressure, there could be some surprise but that's it.
TP:But that's that's why I mean like but you can't play I. It's not like the Kings and Oilers game the other night when there was 70 penalty minutes in the first two, the first two periods. You're not going to see a ton of special teams, a lot Like that's one thing I like about the refs in the playoffs is they usually put the whistles away a lot.
Scott:And we all know the Oilers were trying to, you know, try to intimidate the Kings.
TP:Well, when you got Evander Kane and Corey Perry on the same team, you know there's just, there's just a world of just, you know BS and yeah, like going across the line, exactly nurse and stuff.
Scott:So yeah, they're just, we'll get into that in a minute, so without going next, next series, next series, next series. Who's coming out of the east?
Announcer:who's coming in the?
Scott:finals. Before we jump to the west, let me see your.
TP:It's gonna be I'm, you know I'm I guess I'm playing kind of a favorites here, but I see Caps and Lightning and that's going to be tough, as much as I hate to say it like I really think it's going to be the Capitals in the finals. I think Ovechkin is just so locked in right now and he's just all right, like he didn't let the goal record mess with him. You know a lot of guys like you see people with the homer records, hit records. They just plateau for a while. No, I mean, 43 goals is nothing to sneeze at, that's a heck of an age At his age, at 39.
Scott:At his age.
TP:Yeah so. I mean I think it's the Caps they got Connor McMichael.
Scott:Caps come out of the East.
TP:Yeah, that's your pick. Final answer yeah, final answer I know that's a total of playing favorites. The odds are it. I'm just looking at it. But that's the beauty of hockey the Habs could beat the Caps and next thing you know, they just fly all the way through. Exactly, I just think the Capitals have way too much going for them right now and they're just locked in the fans you can hear the fans.
Scott:They're rocking, it's yeah, dp's pick out of the East are the Capitals. All right, so you're Caps. I'm going to be a homer here because I bet on them. I'm going to say Lightning coming out of the East.
TP:I agree it's a flip of a coin between them two.
Scott:Yeah, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers came out just because they're them.
TP:Yeah, it's down to three teams. Caps, lightning, panthers yeah, I agree.
Scott:Wes first series. We got Jets Blue. I already gave you my pick.
TP:You know what? The Blues have been the hottest team in the last 20, 25 games. They've had the most points. They had that 12-game streak. They've kind of moved off a little bit.
TP:They just don't have the offense this year. The way the Jets are playing in Hellebuck, they're going to win a series and the Jets, my thing is. The Jets, I think, are 3-1 in the season series against the Blues this year and I just think there's too much going for them. I think the fans are in it and kind of like I said, with the Leafs, this is the year.
Announcer:It has to be their year right.
TP:It has to be their year to win something or at least do something. So I think they're moving on. I just don't think the Blues have enough. They have good defense and whatnot, but not enough firepower. Not enough firepower.
Scott:Dude, the series I love and I know you hate this team. I don't know why I have this weird… Everybody does.
TP:I know who you're talking about. And the beat writers all that stuff they're always a preseason favorite.
Scott:The Stars are always a preseason favorite Dude Stars, avalanche. But let's don't forget who their head coach is.
TP:DeBoer.
Scott:How's he done in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the amazing teams he's had?
TP:He hasn't proven it.
Scott:With the Sharks, with the Knights, yep.
TP:With the Stars, with the Stars.
Scott:With the Stars, with the Natives right here.
TP:I called this one Rantanen's Revenge right Because the Stars have Mikko Rantanen. And even though he started a little slow. One thing I did realize. I wanted to check on it before. Yeah, he does average a point a game since he's been on the Stars. He was awful on Carolina, but he's been averaging a point a game. That's pretty much all they need from him, but they got no. Haskinen might be out. Tyler Sagan's been out since December and is finally back. He had hip surgery.
Scott:What's the young kid's name that dominated?
TP:the night, robertson.
Scott:Dude that dude's Jason.
TP:Robertson. He is amazing, but here's the thing they don't have Thornton, and I think Thornton was a big locker room guy.
Announcer:He was.
TP:But who knows, I mean Jamie Benz to kind of keep an older guy that's taking it over, I mean Sagan's been around because he was on Boston when there were some good teams. So we'll see. And the Stars, their goaltending tandem, has the most goals saved, above expected. There you go, I mean, but I just don't like Ottinger and stuff in the big games.
Announcer:I don't know why.
TP:I don't like them. I just feel like it's Not like Cowboy Stats, but I feel like when it gets to a certain point they can move on and just don't feel like they have the hit.
Scott:I don't know why. And the Avs played the Knights game in long-term IR Died some salary cap because the weirdest rule in all of hockey no salary cap in the playoffs. Yep, make, it make sense.
TP:They have a lot of their guys back and what they did with trades up the middle getting like Brock Nelson and stuff, like it's amazing. I think that I think will be really cool is I want to talk about this story real quick is is Gabriel Landeskog. He didn't play a game since 2022.
TP:I think it was in 2020 or 2019 he got a skate to his knee and it slid open his knee and like cartilage was out. They've had multiple surgeries. He finally came back. I was on the conditioning on his AHL team, scored a goal, got a couple points and now they say he's actually with the team and possibly be added to play game one. And he was a 50, 60-point guy.
Scott:Yeah.
TP:He's nothing to sniff at. That's huge, just a success story.
Scott:Just to come back, yeah.
TP:I think that's really cool. So that's something cool to see. But they have firepower, kel McCarr.
Announcer:They do, but they have firepower kill mccarr, they do like that guy.
TP:He could be a forward, but he says he he rather would play defense because he likes to see and do.
Scott:It's ridiculous. Yeah, how good that line they are.
TP:So they, they can just score like that. It's like even more than the oilers or anybody, they're just like that. And they traded their whole uh goalie tandem in the middle of the year and they got mckenzie blackwood and they got um the sharks right yeah, they got one guy from the sharks and they got the other guy from Dallas, the backup from Dallas.
Announcer:So they got.
TP:Blackwood and I think Blackwood Wedgewood. They got the two guys and so they got the tandems working out. So but I mean, I take I it's the abs, the abs, you got the floor in five.
Scott:I hope it happens, but I'm still taking Dallas.
TP:Yeah, they do have the home ice, so we'll see how much it matters. Yeah, but the way Dallas has been losing, the way they lost to the Canucks that one game. It was like they just seem off that's what I mean like the locker room stuff and the abs are coming back and they have their coach is awesome, you know them and they just have a lot of good stuff and they're not scared to make these big trades and move guys around and you say they go for it.
Scott:Yeah, you saw that with their goalies and stuff, they don't care, but they go for it and stuff. So so, yeah, so you got the abs, I got the stars and I got.
TP:Yeah, we're totally opposite I got, I got jets and abs, you got blues and stars.
Scott:So yeah, I'm just doing it to go opposite and just because why not?
Announcer:just because hockey I don't give a god dang if you're opposite.
Scott:Why not, it's fun. I don't give a god dang if you're the one seed or not.
TP:It's hockey, it don't matter.
Scott:It absolutely does not matter If I got a hot goalie and a dude with a hot stick. Insert Marcia Show. Insert Quick hot goalie, bennington. Let's go, let's go.
TP:Just get in and you can win.
Scott:Yeah, one save can make that dude go nuts.
TP:Everything, yeah.
Scott:So next series on the notes. I mean, you know who I'm picking.
TP:I agree, the Wild. They were first in their division for a while, the first of the year, and they've played some of the worst hockey.
Scott:They had a shit ton of injuries though.
TP:Yeah, but they've had the worst offense they still continue to do as guys come back. I mean they're like bottom five in the offense.
Announcer:Yeah.
TP:I think they're like 28th or 29th in goals for a game, and that's over a whole season. I mean, they've done the exact opposite of what the Blues did.
Scott:Getting Hurdle back obviously helps the Knights power play.
TP:Before he got hurt you guys had number one power play. Now you're down to second Michael's been out for a couple weeks. You guys are big. You guys have actually been finally gelling and playing like keeping people out of the middle.
Scott:So I mean, don't forget don't forget Shea Theodore got hurt in the first game of the first or the four nations. Patrangelo has been out for a while. Ike has been out. Patrangelo and Ike were playing right now. They're about the only two people that are playing for the Knights right now is we're getting beat by Vancouver, but yeah, uh, knights beat the wild, uh yep.
TP:And. But what's cool is flurry is going to end. Have his farewell against the Knights.
Scott:I guess the night.
TP:I know, I know he did a lot with Pittsburgh, but he really helped Vegas become Vegas.
Scott:So it was just a cool thing he was the name for the Vegas Golden Knights.
TP:Yeah, the name. That was probably the most important pickup they had in the expansion draft.
Scott:The Penguins gave us a second-round pick so we wouldn't take the other goalie.
Announcer:Yeah.
Scott:Whatever his name is Exactly.
TP:Yeah, they've changed goalies since then, so you can obviously see what's happened, but yeah, that's. Fowler's farewell, right there, good him, good career, 575 wins, the guy's just an absolute stud Highly respected in the league. He's done a lot.
Scott:And you know we started this last week, maybe it was the week before. The hot chick of the episode, lurie's wife, I mean we gotta have one per episode. Blurry's wife, I mean let's go. Oh, the knights just tied it up. Who scored? Yeah, one to one. There's a couple elvises over there.
TP:In vancouver was it Carlson, or who was it?
Scott:Vegas Vic Olofsson Olofsson. Oh okay, nice so.
TP:Kings Oilers I call this. Does home ice matter?
Scott:Yeah, it does, because I'm pretty sure the Kings are stupid good at home.
TP:Yep Number one in the NH are stupid good at home. Yep Number one in the NHL, by far at home the best home record in franchise history. But the reason I also say that is because this is the fourth year in a row We've played Edmonton right. Edmonton is the new age San Jose sharks. Everybody hates them, except for maybe a guy or two, and they play dirty. You know, like I can't stand it. People want to over, not over-glorify them. I can't, because they got.
TP:McDavid on the team, but the last three years Oilers have had home ice.
Announcer:Yep.
TP:And so by the time they get to us, it just wears down. This year we have home ice.
Scott:You guys have it.
TP:Yeah, we're 3-1 against them this year.
Scott:How about at home 2-0?
TP:2-0 at home yeah.
Scott:Okay.
TP:Yeah, because we were 1-1 at the beginning of the year, but since then our power plays have sucked. It's finally better, it's around 20%, which is like middle of the road since we got kuzmenko. Kemper is having a career year, which he should be, which, by the way, like six years ago he was on. Seven years ago he was on. The kings traded him for other people, yeah, or let him go and stuff. But but we need health, we need a healthy dowdy. Yeah, because the ankle thing. But he's doing okay, he's been resting, he'll be fine. He's a gamer. I mean byfield had a career year. The guy's been red hot the second half of the season and then you have darnell nurse just just piled right on the ground, just, you know, on the back of the neck, defenseless was one game, yeah, but.
TP:But here's a stupid thing. The one game doesn't matter to them. They were going to probably rest too many, you know it's a worthless game like.
TP:This is the thing that gets me with sports. Sorry, quick tangent about sports in general. When you have a guy intentionally hurt another guy and that guy gets hurt, and if he's so and there's times where the players say, say baseball or football, the guy suspended like two games, but then the player's out for four to five with a concussion or something it's like it's. No, it should be. The penalty should be the longer of the game. Suspension you choose, or until the other player comes back.
Scott:If it's even in question as being a dirty hit, 100% agree.
TP:Yeah. So like say, byfield's out for the whole series, darnell and Nair should be out for the whole series.
Scott:You're out.
TP:Right Done, no question. Until he comes back, you cannot be active and you cannot activate someone in that spot.
Announcer:Ooh.
Scott:I like that.
TP:Because sometimes they're going to get the b player, like they did the other night, and you can get a guy that's from the ahl. Come in, just be a bruiser and just and just fight the guy or hit the guy dirty real quick and I know hockey doesn't do that too much like they're not going to just bring a guy up just to hurt someone. But the oilers do, the sharks did, even you can. You can see that cory perry's trying to slash um, like to know, or someone's hands the other night, when they're losing for nothing. It's absolutely ridiculous. I can't stand that. Then you had the guy, what's his name? They just sent him down to the ahl, the eechl, um, he was on the panthers like puja jarvi or something like that, just had that right, yeah just plows, plows the guy defenseless, like skating across, like and that guy's.
TP:He was never planned on being a long-term solution up there because they have other injuries. So it's like what? So you look back and forth and it's like, okay, we're gonna be playing them in the first round and let's beat them up tonight yeah let's beat them up.
TP:It's ridiculous. And of course the panthers are going to do that, because the panthers are the eastern conference oilers. Like I can't, you know I can't, that's why I can't stand that. And then we'll say, well, byfield deserved it because he had headlocked Corey Perry, because Corey Perry slashed the dude. Come on, just because the Canadians are bitter against us because we beat them one time in the Four Nations, they're like you know and they don't want a cup in 31 years.
Scott:Yeah, exactly Exactly, and last time I checked we won a game, they won a game.
TP:Yeah, we want a game.
Scott:They want a game. Yeah, it's even exactly.
TP:You know they're all just mad about you, know they're going about their stuff because our bacon's better than their bacon.
Scott:I don't, I don't know I mean like, like I always say, bro, canada, america's top hat. So who's your pick? I know where you're going, you're a homer. I know it's kings, kings and I I think it's Kings in five.
TP:They're going to lose game. They'll probably lose game three, win game four and five. You know the other. I will say the Oilers do have too many injuries, thank goodness, evander. King has been injured all year because no one likes him. I don't even think his mom likes him. You know Eckholm's actually out for the first round.
Scott:That's a huge deal, his goddang agent.
Announcer:Definitely.
TP:Yeah, and then Stuart Skinner, their main goalie, has been injured here and there and we've torn apart Pickard and you know, and a big thing is we got Warren Fogle on free agency, who was on their team last year and rumor has it their locker room is not the same and our locker room is like he's a huge locker room guy and room is not the same and our locker room is like he's a huge locker room guy and he's had a career year 20 something goals. He's a ton five on five. They and they signed um arvidson, who we used to have, who's always yeah and he's been kind of whatever. So so just some of those trades and the way that we're rolling in our team chemistry is and the home ice really good.
Announcer:The home ice is huge it's huge, it's gonna be rocking on.
TP:I think they said the first game might be Sunday or Monday.
Scott:Staples Center is going to be electric Because I've got to drive to Orange County on.
TP:Sunday. So I really hope that the game is Monday, Otherwise I might be parking the car on the side of the road for two and a half hours.
Scott:Staples Center will be electric, no doubt.
TP:But let's do this If the Kings and the Knights play each other who do you think?
Scott:who do you think moves on knights will have, obviously, home ice. Well, I'm just going to say this a listener to the program, aiden, who we've talked about, one of my previous employees. He texted me earlier and he's like who do you like in the stanley cup playoffs? He's like you like Knights. And my exact text back to him and I'm going to go to it right now was tough call. The West is wide open. The team that scares me the most in the West are the Kings. They're solid.
TP:Yeah yeah, this is a different. I think this is a different Kings team.
Scott:I don't know. So who's your pick coming out of the West?
TP:My overall pick the Avs. The Avs, yeah, I think the Avs are so strong up the center right now and they're rocking and they're going to be healthy and that coach knows how to win the game. They've won a cup and they just got it. So I think it's the Avs, I think it's going to be the Avs Kings or Knights that's my three, but overall I have the Avs winning it all.
Scott:All right, so I'm not even going to make a pick, because I'm obviously a homer and you know who I'm going to pick.
TP:But the Knights are strong. They sneaky had a sneaky good year. They did. We're talking about it and that scares me.
Scott:They did. They had a sneaky year. Injuries yeah, the PK, was it the best? No, but when Petrangelo and Theodore were on the ice before they got injured, they were.
TP:It's been okay. You're like a bottom six PK. If you can keep the penalty minutes down, you will go far. If the penalty minutes are up, you're done. It's trouble Because Aiden Hill had a top 10 goalie type of.
Scott:He had a good season.
TP:But he's just. I don't know. I like Aiden Hill, but the contract you guys signed him for I am not excited about that, but if you guys can keep him, if you can do what your normal thing is, four check, keep him away from the danger zone.
Scott:on defense Play heavy.
TP:And play heavy. That's what the Kings do too. They play, they're both. That's why it's going to be such a bruiser of a series. That's why I think the Kings and Knights will play each other. Whoever wins is going to be beat up, and they're going to lose against the abs, because the abs are fast. I think they're just going to mow down their first two rounds probably play nine games in the first two rounds.
Scott:That's it and move on. Well, I hope they lose in round one, but I mean, I honestly I hope they lose, because I'd rather have the stars go farther, but yeah, I just I was just like the abs. Just look good man at DraftKings to win the cup. Stars are the favorites plus 700. Panthers plus 800. Avalanche 800.
TP:People just love the Stars.
Scott:Lightning.
TP:When you sent me that I just almost threw up on myself. I'm like they're always the favorite Preseason favorites. I mean they have a lot of good players, they just don't get it done. It reminds me of the goals when you were so good and then you just kept losing.
Scott:Lightning Oilers.
Announcer:Hurricanes are plus 900.
Scott:Knights plus 1,000. Capitals are plus 1,100.
TP:People aren't sold on their goaltending.
Scott:I guess, wow, I don't know. I have no idea. All I can say is listeners. You finally got to meet tp. Hey, you've heard about my guy for a while. You finally got to listen to him talk his hockey knowledge. If you're like me and I am a hockey guy, I don't even know half the people my guy was talking about earlier. But you know, I am a homer, I'm new to hockey 2018, you know, first year of the Knights TP. It's been a pleasure having you on the show, graham.
TP:It's been a pleasure being on man, it's a blast getting to talk sports with you. You know, like face-to-face other than just text message man Texting back and forth.
Scott:So you know, like face to face, other than just text message texting back and forth. So you know what's funny. You know, as we wrap up the show, the NFL draft is a week from tomorrow.
TP:Oh yeah, they do Thursday Wow.
Scott:What are our chargers going to do?
TP:Round one Dude, they're going to take the best player on the board and he'll work out.
Scott:It's going to I agree, I know. You know what I think is going to happen now.
TP:What.
Scott:Aaron Rogers is going to the saints.
TP:You think so?
Scott:He obviously doesn't want to go to Pittsburgh.
TP:I heard I heard Rich Eisen trying to talk to uh, what's his name? Um, uh, was it McCoy, one of the guys on there? But he was just saying he's like are the Steelers going to take Shadur at 21? He's like I wouldn't say it, but the Chargers have a lot of good options for what they did in the offseason. They have a lot of good options and I'm happy with it.
Scott:Trust the process, baby.
TP:Out of all my teams, they have the best front office. I think the Kings got a little lucky going back to hockey, but with some stuff, because I'm not a fan of Rob Blake as a general manager. Yeah, the Chargers, they're in a good spot. They did, I think, a lot of good stuff where they can just take the best player available.
Scott:Finally have a front office Peace.
TP:You know, who has a ruthless front office is the Knights.
Scott:They don't even care. But that's why you guys are winning that. They just don't care how long you've been here, don't care, bye, we're trying to win yeah but anyhow, tp thanks for coming on thanks, thanks for having me, it was a blast.
Scott:Listeners, I hope you like hockey now and if you don't grab a team, start supporting them. Love hockey, cause it's amazing, the playoffs are stupid. Uh, I'm not looking forward to a lot of the late nights, with the nights being on the West coast for the playoffs and you know I can't not go to sleep not knowing.
TP:So here's to late night stress tax.
Scott:Here's to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Enjoy it everyone. Tp thanks again.
TP:I remember it's the Stanley Cup final, not finals, not like the NBA final, just so you know. Otherwise it can be a lot of slap yourself moments, Scott Two slaps and a Ric Flair.
Scott:Hey, All right. Good night friends.
Announcer:This episode of the Bald Guys on the Bench podcast is brought to you by our friends at Northstar Credit Union and Southern Auto, located in Southeast Virginia.
