Second Round - Fail

Last week, I wasn't quite ready to hop on the "Second Round Sucks" bandwagon.  Sure, the games weren't as exciting and there was a distinct feeling of "let-down hockey" in the air...but surely that would all even out or disappear as the playoffs continued and teams found their stride, right?

Wrong.

100% wrong.

Caps?  Swept.  Flyers?  Swept.  Wings?  WISH they were swept but no, there will be a Game 5.  Nashville?  The fork is hovering...

Despite the increased number of OTs, a trend which has continued into Round 2, the games themselves have been watered down versions of Round 1.  It's just not all that fun right now.  I'd argue it's likely not even that much fun for fans of the teams on the winning end of things.  I mean, did B's fans really go into their series with Philly saying "Man, I hope for four snooze-fest games in which the Flyers don't even make it interesting.  Especially Game 4.  I hope that game just sucks."?

God I hope not.

When it's your team for just one game, you want a blow out.  But in the playoffs?  You want entertainment.  You want to be on the edge of your seat.  You want "holy shit, did that just really happen?!"  You want the roller coaster, the fear.  And this round, you're just not getting it.  Any of it.

No one is.

What all of this adds up to, aside from boredom, is less hockey...and less hockey, while good for the health and stamina of the remaining teams, is very trying on a hockey-addict's sanity.

This isn't good.

But maybe Round 3 will be?

-Shaela