The Canes Are One Win Away From Vanquishing Their Conference Final Ghosts w/ Alec Martinez

Summary

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Empty Netters Podcast

Episode: "The Canes Are One Win Away From Vanquishing Their Conference Final Ghosts" w/ Alec Martinez

Host: Almost Friday Media
Date: May 28, 2026
Guests: Alec Martinez, Dr. Watkins

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, the Empty Netters crew welcomes Stanley Cup champ Alec Martinez to break down the latest NHL Conference Finals action. At the heart of the discussion: the Carolina Hurricanes stand poised on the brink of finally banishing their Conference Final "ghosts." The crew dives deep into the ongoing series, the Canes’ dominance, Colorado’s early elimination, playoff narratives, the President's Trophy curse, and memorable personal insight from Martinez’s time on the ice. The tone is punchy, irreverent, and locker-room real, blending sharp hockey analysis with the boys’ signature blend of inside stories, friendly roast sessions, and the type of chemistry only ex-teammates can bring.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dining & Being a "Regular" (00:48–13:18)

• Craig’s in LA: The opening banter launches with a passionate 10-minute deep-dive into top LA dining spots, with Craig’s stealing the show for its music volume and star-studded crowd, including an in-person Rod Stewart sighting.
  • "That place is everything I could ever want in a restaurant…the number one thing for me, dude, was the volume of music was the most perfect thing that's ever happened to me." – Dan (03:00)
• Ambiance & Playlists: Dr. Watkins' anecdote about hearing "Dick in a Box" on Christmas Eve at MB Post, and how unique touches create repeat customers.
• Being a Regular: The guys riff on what it means to be a regular at a legendary spot and swap stories about The Galley, Musso & Frank, and prime rib preferences.
• Pregnancy Cravings: Amusing personal stories about pregnant partners and weird food cravings for prime rib, steak, and kiwi.

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2. Vegas Dominates Colorado, The President’s Trophy Curse (13:18–24:48)

• Vegas Advances: The hosts dissect Vegas’ shocking sweep of Colorado, highlighting the Golden Knights’ depth, belief, and ability to “win every game.”

  • "Vegas was just firing on all cylinders…they outplayed them in most facets of the game." – Dr. Watkins (14:28)

• Colorado’s Collapse: The Avalanche’s disappointing exit sparks a debate on the psychological burden of the President's Trophy.

  • "That is one of the most staggering playoff exits I've seen in a long time from a team as talented as we all thought they were." – Marty (15:22)

• The President’s Trophy Jinx: The group reviews historical examples, pondering why regular season dominance rarely translates to playoff success and referencing Jim Montgomery's off-air insights on organizational expectations.

  • "Does too much success during the year keep you from facing adversity? Is that really a thing?" – Dr. Watkins (16:14)

• Postseason Pressure: Alec Martinez points out the compressed 2013 Blackhawks season as perhaps the only recent exception, linking the grind of the regular season to playoff fatigue.

  • "Is there something about the amount of games you're playing…maybe that, like…the way to have success in the regular season isn't always the same as having success in playoffs?" – Alec Martinez (20:03)

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3. Matchups, Mentality, and the Scrappy Habs (21:40–24:49)

• Comparing Paths: The team wonders if Minnesota would have fared any better against Vegas, ultimately agreeing that Vegas was simply “too good.”
• Belief & Momentum: The importance of belief and team chemistry, especially after taking key wins on the road.
  • "You just have this group—and the way that they won when everyone said that they couldn’t and then they sweep? I mean, it’s insane." – Dr. Watkins (24:07)
• Standout Reactions: Mitch Marner's exuberant celebration and what it means for a player to realize he's headed to the Stanley Cup Final.

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4. Carolina vs. Montreal – Analysis & Takeaways (28:38–47:49)

• Game 4: Canes in Control: The Canes’ Game 4 win over Montreal is labeled a “snooze fest” (thrilling for Carolina, dismal for fans).
  • "Those three goals went in, and the game was over. Like, they could have called it." – Dan (29:03)
• Montreal’s Fatigue: Discussion of the toll that two seven-game series have taken on the Canadiens, with physical exhaustion outweighing any home-ice advantage.
  • "They don’t look actively tired, but…it’s just, I mean, you play those hard, especially those game sevens—it’s, like, grueling." – Dr. Watkins (29:45)
• Home Ice Headaches: Multiple teams (Bruins, Habs, Sabres, Lightning) have struggled at home this postseason, and the hosts ponder whether distractions at home undermine playoff performance.
  • "When you’re at home, there’s just distractions…on the road, you’re just dialed with the boys." – Dr. Watkins (36:00)
• Hurricanes Narrative: A “gentleman’s sweep” for Carolina would flip the narrative from previous failures to a team now considered a powerhouse.
  • "If Carolina takes care of Montreal in five, that will change a little bit of the…hey, I don’t know—these are now two very good teams." – Dan (47:20)

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5. Notable Player & Series Moments (41:51–47:20)

• Big-Game Names: The hosts celebrate production from Carolina’s core (Aho, Stank), Freddie’s shutout, and Svetch finally getting another.
  • "Aho scores. Stank scores. I mean, this was just great. And I know it’s an empty net, but you like Svetch finally." – Dan (46:36)
• Montreal’s Goalie Revelation: Dobes remains a bright spot—historic save totals but little help from his team.
  • "This is your goalie for the next ten years. Give this guy a seven-year deal immediately." – Dan (45:59)
• Montreal’s Offensive Struggles: Highlighting the team’s NHL record for lowest shot totals over three games in a series.

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6. Locker Room Stories and League Observations (53:08–65:27)

• Personal Reflections: Martinez and the crew joke about playoff scar tissue, trade legacies (“I was traded for two second-round picks—they better suck”), and fan reactions to infamous trades.
  • "The amount of comments that we've been seeing…‘Stop making me like Alec Martinez.’" – Dan (54:38)
• Conference Finals Format: Discussion on why recent conference finals often lack drama, with reference to playoff formatting and the absence of more seven-game slugfests.

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7. Fan Stories, Playoff Vibes, and Looking Ahead (66:40–70:10)

• Bama Boys & Hockey Tourism: Shout-out to a father-son duo from Alabama attempting to watch a game in every NHL arena—drawing good-luck hopes for a Montreal win for them to experience Bell Centre playoff magic.
• Pittsburgh Penguins Reflection: Lighthearted musings about the Penguins getting older—Malkin’s new deal seen as “watching the classics" and the eventual "dark ages" once the core retires.
  • "It's like going to the Sphere…like, we're gonna watch the Eagles do all their greatest hits…that's what Penguins games are gonna be soon." – Alec Martinez (69:01)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Restaurant Volume:
  "If I'm sitting in a restaurant…raising my voice so you can hear me—drives me fucking insane." – Dan (03:00)

• On Being a Regular:
  "I'm so obsessed with becoming a regular somewhere where…the entire staff knows me, and they're like, what's up, Dan?' Like, same booth, same order. – Dan (08:07)

• On President's Trophy Curse:
  "That is one of the most staggering playoff exits I've seen in a long time from a team as talented as we all thought they were." – Marty (15:22) "Is it, like, do you have too much success during the year? Like, do you not face enough adversity?" – Dr. Watkins (16:14)

• On the Canes’ Game 4:
  "Those three goals went in, and the game was over. Like, they could have called it." – Dan (29:03)

• On Playoff Fatigue:
  "Difference between playing eight games versus fourteen in the first two rounds—doesn’t look like they’re out of gas, they just ran into a different team." – Dr. Watkins (29:45)

• On Carolina's Mindset:
  "You cannot give the Habs…any life. They can win a game with 12 shots." – Dr. Watkins (41:48)

• On Aho Stepping Up:
  "Huge for this game was Aho. I called him out…beautiful goal…if I'm Montreal…Aho scores, Stank scores, you're kind of like [shoulders droop]." – Dan (42:16)

• On Dober’s Emergence:
  "This is your goalie for the next ten years. Give this guy a seven-year deal immediately." – Dan (45:59)

• On Penguins Nostalgia:
  "It's like going to the Sphere and you're like, hey—let's watch the Eagles' greatest hits. That’s what Penguins games are gonna be like now." – Alec Martinez (69:01)

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Important Episode Timestamps

• 00:48–13:18 — LA restaurant riffing, being a "regular," prime rib stories.
• 13:18–24:49 — Vegas’ sweep of Colorado, the President’s Trophy curse, playoff adversity.
• 24:49–28:38 — Playoff belief, team culture, Mitch Marner’s moment, locker-room energy.
• 28:38–47:20 — Hurricanes-Habs analysis, home-ice failures, fatigue, narrative shifts.
• 47:20–51:51 — Mindset heading into Cup Final, Carolina’s potential shift in respect.
• 53:08–65:27 — Locker room tales, playoff format, fan reactions, recent conference final histories.
• 66:40–70:10 — Bama Boys, Penguins nostalgia, closing banter.

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Episode Summary & Flow

The Empty Netters squad, joined by Alec Martinez, brings high-level hockey analysis with an everyman, beer-league touch. The episode oscillates from vivid lifestyle digressions (dining, being a "regular") to deeply competitive playoff breakdowns, weaving in humor and candid on-ice perspective. Key recurring motifs include the weight of expectation (President’s Trophy curse), the realities of playoff grind, the intangible value of locker-room belief, and the relief/momentum of teams like Carolina on the verge of exorcising playoff demons.

The banter about locker-room oddities, NHL folklore, and fan rituals gives the episode its warmth, while candid behind-the-scenes insight keeps fans locked in for hockey wisdom (with more than a few belly laughs along the way). The emotional whiplash of modern playoffs—where momentum, pressure, and past failures all swirl together—comes to life, making this a must-listen for fans invested in the Canes’ potential breakthrough and the chaos of Cup season.

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Next Up: The hosts will be watching to see if Carolina can cross the finish line—or if there’s one last twist in a wild playoff year. As always: "Skate hard."

Transcript

[Dan]

Welcome to the Empty Netters podcast.

[Marty]

Can you believe what this has become? There's a full 48 hours where I

[CP Alec Martinez]

felt like I was like literally Superman.

[Dan]

Jumbo loves playing Fortnite so he gets on the sticks. Did TR show you the sauna cycle or was that already.

[Dr. Watkins]

No, I invented that. Almost a year now that I haven't taken a body check. That's kind of nice.

[Dan]

So we are back. We are horned up and we are going deep.

[Dr. Watkins]

Finished tonight with some chicken fingers and a few Guinnesses.

[Dan]

Ran into you guys. And that's where this pod came to life. Ice is ready. And we're back with another episode of the Empty Netters podcast, brought to you by BetMGM. Vegas is through. Now the canes are on the precipice of a gentleman sweep. We got Dr. Watkins behind the sticks. CP Alec Martinez joining in the studio. Before we get into anything, congratulations.

[Marty]

This is, this is, this is our first topic. Like come on, come on. I, I am in. I am in awe and I am in. I'm in a state of shock.

[Dan]

Before we get into it, I did want to bring something up because it was. I got my wheels turning. We're doing dinner tomorrow and the menu, steak or chicken parm. One of the great Sophie's choices of mine. But on that topic, have you ever been to Craig's in West Hollywood?

[Dr. Watkins]

Oh yeah. You have. Is a one legged duck swimming circle.

[Dan]

Dude. Boys, to queue up the next 10 minutes talking about this restaurant.

[Dr. Watkins]

It's unreal. I have chicken parm as long as your arm.

[Dan]

I had never been. I had never been there restaurant I've ever been to.

[Dr. Watkins]

Really.

[Dan]

I genuinely, I think it is. I mean I gotta go one or two more times to solidify it, but it is immediately top two restaurant in LA for me. That place is everything I could ever want in a restaurant.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Where is Craig's?

[Dr. Watkins]

It's on Melrose, right?

[Dan]

Yes, yes.

[Dr. Watkins]

So isn't. Didn't Craig get his start at Dantana's like forever? I think that's a story. I don't know. Don't quote me on that.

[CP Alec Martinez]

That would make sense.

[Dan]

So much sense. Because I fucking love Dantana's. That's the best Italian in my favorite.

[Dr. Watkins]

That's my favorite spot.

[Dan]

Unbelievable.

[Dr. Watkins]

Number one.

[Dan]

And it has, it has a. It old school Italian joint vibe and. But it's an American restaurant.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

And that makes sense why they have fucking chicken parm on the menu.

[Marty]

Right.

[Dr. Watkins]

The waiters are wearing tuxes like the bartenders are in those like red jackets.

[Dan]

Yeah, it's Unbelievable.

[Dr. Watkins]

Quintessential LA dude.

[Dan]

You know we used to go to Dantana's.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Oh, yeah. That makes. I mean, that's. That's for sure. It's classic. Yeah. But everything about, like, the. The decor inside, the vibe inside, how it looks, the menu, everything was perfect. And the number one thing for me, dude, was the volume of music was the most perfect thing that's ever happened to me. Like, it was. I go on rants about this all the time. If I'm sitting in a restaurant and we are sitting across from each other and I am raising my voice so you can hear me. Drives me fucking insane.

[Dr. Watkins]

It's miserable.

[Dan]

It. Thank you.

[Dr. Watkins]

You lose your voice.

[Dan]

You lose your voice and you're like straining and tired. And I'm like, was I supposed to be having, like, a nice meal here? And now I'm fucking exhausted and my voice is raspy. This is insane.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

Like, I'm having dinner. I'm not at a sporting event.

[Dan]

Correct.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Dan]

And it was like, we sat down right as. It was like, Rod Stewart showed up. That was pretty sick.

[Marty]

It was incredible.

[Dan]

Have you lost your mind?

[CP Alec Martinez]

Rod Stewart?

[Marty]

Yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Do you think I'm sexy?

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

Unreal, too.

[CP Alec Martinez]

And Craig's.

[Marty]

It was in the flesh.

[Dan]

The fact that Rod is still.

[Dr. Watkins]

Wait, hold on. They were. They played that while he was in there. That's unreal. Like, imagine that's his walk in song.

[Marty]

Like, anywhere.

[Dan]

I'm walking in in 90 seconds.

[CP Alec Martinez]

I' right outside, get my table ready.

[Dr. Watkins]

All right, Hit it. That would.

[Marty]

But. But, dude, it takes him so long to get in, you know, he can barely move down. And then like, God, hold on.

[Dan]

Run it and hit it.

[Marty]

Loop it, loop it.

[Dan]

He was looking good.

[Marty]

He also was looking fried.

[Dan]

Yeah. Yeah, he was. I appreciate how he still does his hair the exact same way too, which is fantastic. Yeah, but, man, I was like. It was right as it was getting bustling. People were running in and it. It never. As many people as got in there. It never raised over that volume. And I was like, this place is perfect.

[Dr. Watkins]

It's a great spot.

[Dan]

It' great spot, dude. Like, that. I can't get over the menu, too. I was looking at the menu and I was like, everything on here I want to eat.

[Dr. Watkins]

Like, I'm thinking like an open table review. And you're talking like, everyone's talking about the food. You're talking about the music.

[Marty]

I'm like, literally, dude.

[Dr. Watkins]

Or like a Yelp review. It's like, hey, food was average, but the music was dial.

[Dan]

And Marty, I'M like, not even the music they played, just the. I'm talking the volume.

[Marty]

Yeah,

[Dr. Watkins]

okay, fair enough.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Like, if I can nerd. Just like, yep, perfect.

[Dan]

Dude, it was. I'm so glad that you've been there, cuz. Like, yeah, you know, I have that

[CP Alec Martinez]

start on my places I want to go, so I'm going to go.

[Dan]

You have to go.

[Marty]

I.

[Dan]

It's like, you know, it's hard to

[Dr. Watkins]

get out of the South Bay, actually, like, kind of along those lines. But it was the song that played. This was Christmas Eve. I was playing in LA. This must have been over 10 years ago. My parents and my family were out. I was hosting Christmas and I took them to mb post Shout out. Mb.

[Marty]

Great spot, Great spot, that place.

[Dr. Watkins]

But we're just sitting around and then all of a sudden, like, having Christmas Eve dinner. My ears perk up and I'm like, like, what's that? And they played Dick in a Box and I was like, this place is fucking awesome. And I'm like, on Christmas Eve.

[CP Alec Martinez]

But it is a Christmas song.

[Dr. Watkins]

It is technically a Christmas song.

[Marty]

And I'm like that together. Yeah, this is.

[Dr. Watkins]

This is unreal. Like, I have respect for them for obviously this long.

[Dan]

Oh, yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

I am a repeat customer. We. My wife and I go there a lot, but I've never heard that same playlist played again. But I'd say, like, Christmas.

[Marty]

Hey, bring it back.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, bring it back.

[Marty]

Dude.

[Dan]

It's. You know, it's funny you say that. Have you ever heard. Do you ever watch that show the League?

[Dr. Watkins]

Oh, yeah.

[Dan]

You know, Taco.

[Dr. Watkins]

Taco? Yeah. Your kid. You know any tricks yet? Yeah, talking about. It's like, that's my. That's my daughter. Isn't that what it is?

[Marty]

You.

[Dr. Watkins]

Do you know any tricks yet? Years ago, it's a human.

[Dan]

He made. What the. That actor's name? John something. Doesn't matter. He made a Christmas song called,

[Marty]

like,

[Dan]

Merry Christmas, exclamation point. And it's about the texts you send your friends on Christmas. And it's just like, merry Christmas. And I was actually in a restaurant once and they played that and it's like, no way.

[Marty]

That sounds good.

[Dan]

It's really good. And it sounds like a Christmas song. It's like a nice piano. And I was like, oh, this is a nice song. And then I was like, wait a

[Marty]

minute, is this Christmas? Is this.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, I kind of respect that.

[Marty]

You.

[Dr. Watkins]

You throw, you know, you throw a couple of those in the. In the standard, like, Christmas playlist, dude.

[Marty]

And I promise you, you are Creating repeat customers that way, like, for anyone that hears it is like, oh, I love this place.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah. Like, how do you. Like, that's good business, right? Like, that brings people back.

[Marty]

There's something they say in the restaurant biz. I think it's like a. Who's the bar rescue guy?

[Dan]

John Taffer.

[Marty]

Taffer.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Dan]

I think it's a Vegas legend.

[Marty]

But it's like, if you go. If you can get them to come three times, they're a customer forever. Right? Like, that's his. That's, like, his strategy with bar. So he'll off. He. Like, what he pitches a lot is like, if you come, it's like, hey, thanks so much for coming here. You get 15% off your next visit. Or like, a free dessert your next visit. So people are like, I'll come, you know, so, yeah, he's like, I give away free stuff for two more visits. Because then you've been three times. And now you're like, oh, I actually like this place. I'm coming a lot. And that. I think you can bypass the three times. I'm like, oh, dude, I'm in play

[Dr. Watkins]

Dick in a Box. And, like, I'll come there once a

[Marty]

week, stash it for you.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah. Put a placard on this bar stool. I'll be here every day. All right.

[Dan]

You're also sure Social bug situation. You're not forgetting that place? Like, if you go somewhere and Dick in a Box plays, you're like, I'll remember this restaurant.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, here I am. It's, like, legit 2026. That must have been at least. Yeah, it was over 10 years ago, and I'm still talking about it. My family still talks, and we're still.

[Dan]

Dude, you're back in LA because of mb.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, that's pretty much why I moved back.

[Marty]

Yeah. Like, I do. I need. I need that.

[Dr. Watkins]

It is way too hard to fly in and go to MB post.

[Dan]

Yeah. I am so obsessed with being. Becoming a regular somewhere where, like, the entire staff knows me, and they're like, what's up, Dan? Like, same booth, same order. Like that. Being a regular at Craig's would be so badass.

[Marty]

Yeah, dude. Especially because it's. It's like a spot, like, hard to get arrest.

[Dr. Watkins]

There's probably, like, a few A listers that are regulars, right?

[CP Alec Martinez]

Guys, you gotta. You gotta do your. I'm already a regular at the Galley. Okay.

[Marty]

Oh, I've never been there.

[CP Alec Martinez]

You know. The Galley.

[Marty]

Yeah, I got.

[Dan]

Are you actually.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah, absolutely. I was just there tonight.

[Dan]

You're fucking Kid, that's where you watched the game?

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Do you know this?

[Dr. Watkins]

Did you watch the game, though?

[CP Alec Martinez]

It was. I mean, it was on my phone, and I ended up talking to a bunch of Australian tourists for most of it, but I had an eye on that.

[Dan]

But it was on.

[CP Alec Martinez]

They didn't score.

[Dr. Watkins]

You said you didn't look up much.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah, Like, I watched the first period here, and then I was like, I'm gonna go watch the rest of the Galley. And then the half.

[Marty]

That was a perfect decision. Yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

And I met these weird Australians who were like. Yeah, we just came to. They were in Mexico.

[Marty]

I don't know.

[CP Alec Martinez]

It doesn't matter anyway.

[Dan]

No, no, no. Do that again. And do your best Australian accent.

[CP Alec Martinez]

You touched my penis. Or the succulent Chinese meal.

[Dr. Watkins]

Good night.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Shrimp on the Bobby.

[Dan]

That was very good.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Now, anyway, Galley's cool.

[Dan]

Have you been there? No, it's right up the road. It's like.

[Dr. Watkins]

Actually, I think I have.

[Dan]

Dude, it's like a. It looks like an old ship. Like, the vibe is like. You feel like you're in an old wooden ship.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Dan]

And it's a steakhouse. Like, their whole thing.

[Dr. Watkins]

Diversity. Diversity is an old wooden ship, I believe.

[Dan]

Diversity is an old wooden ship.

[Dr. Watkins]

That was the only thing you could think of when he said that, I was like, I'm not even listening to the story anymore.

[CP Alec Martinez]

It's. Here's the thing. I like it because it was. It's from 1934, and I like old fucking places like Musso and Frank Smokehouse. Like, I like weird, old, trippy places.

[Marty]

Yeah. Even if I heard they have a

[Dan]

great burger good at the Galley.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah, I had. They have. They have filet mignon tacos at happy hour for 14 bucks.

[Dan]

Holy shit.

[CP Alec Martinez]

And they were really good.

[Dan]

Well, the fun. Like, they are a steakhouse, and they're famous for their salad dressing. And there's this whole story about the salad dressing and how, like, the guy who started it. It's just fucking Russian dressing. It's like. No, it' crazy.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, it's fine.

[Dan]

But it's like, you go in there, and it's actually, like, kind of an expensive steak, and you're like, I'm sitting in diversity right now, and I'm spending, like, $80 on a steak. What the Is happening? No, but, dude, we got to do. We go to Muso and Frank slot and do boy dinner, and we all. We all order just a steak and martinis.

[Dr. Watkins]

That's awesome.

[Dan]

It's fantastic.

[Marty]

Do you go.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Do you go prime rib at.

[Dan]

At Musso Yeah, I have, but not usually.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah, it's. It's a lot.

[Dan]

It's so much.

[Dr. Watkins]

And, like, size wise.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah. It's giant. And it's also pretty fucking rare.

[Dan]

You're like, it's. Yeah, it's rare and fatty. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

Pretty gnarly, maybe. Unpopular opinion. I'm not a big prime rib guy.

[Marty]

Oh, okay.

[Dr. Watkins]

I'd much rather have a steak.

[Marty]

Me too. But. But you like. But you don't like prime rib or you do also like it if I have the option.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, yeah.

[Marty]

I'd rather the steak too, but I'm, like.

[Dan]

Ever ordering prime rib?

[Dr. Watkins]

No.

[Dan]

Same if someone's doing, like, we're making a roast, like a big. Yeah.

[Marty]

Christmas dinner. Dick in the box.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Marty]

Some horseradish.

[Dr. Watkins]

You know, like.

[Marty]

Yeah, I'm all in, baby.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah. Dude.

[Dan]

I will do a prime rib sandwich.

[Dr. Watkins]

Oh, yeah.

[Dan]

With, like, horseradish and, like, I'm. Now I'm happy.

[Dr. Watkins]

When we. Or when I played in Chicago last year, like, that was my go to.

[Dan]

Was it ever.

[Dr. Watkins]

And then it was actually. My wife was pregnant at the time, so that was. I'm pretty sure my daughter just grew on prime rib dip. Yeah.

[Marty]

Prime.

[Dr. Watkins]

She's just, like, 90% prime rib.

[Dan]

Crushing prime rib sandwiches to while she was pregnant. Yeah, that's.

[Marty]

I know.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah. You need that blood. My mom was a vegetarian until she had me as a kid. I was like. She was pregnant with me, and she went to a steakhouse and was like, give me a steak as rare as possible. She was a vegetarian for, like, three years before that.

[Dan]

That's.

[Dr. Watkins]

Is that, like, frowned upon as being pregnant?

[Dan]

No, no, no, no, no, no.

[Dr. Watkins]

Because it was, like, cooked.

[Dan]

That's not. No, that's not why I asked. I asked it because I feel like sometimes when people are pregnant, they don't want steak or, like, red meat, so that fires me up. Give me a fucking French dip.

[Marty]

Yeah. If I. If I'm lucky enough to have kids, I hope that Sandra's cravings are awesome, not weird as fuck. Because sometimes they're so shitty and you're like, oh, okay.

[Dan]

I hope Alice is such, like, a health nut, clean eater. I hope she gets pregnant and she's like, let's get Taco Bell tonight. And I'm gonna be like, fuck it. Like, let's just live a little.

[Dr. Watkins]

Way to think outside the bun, honey.

[Dan]

Our kid will come out an absolute piece of sh.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah. My wife. It was prime rib dip, Kiwi and, like, Kiwi. Kiwis. Yeah.

[Dan]

That's so funny. I Need to know what? At what moment she realized she was craving kiwi. Like, how is that something? You're like, you know what I want right now? It's kiwi.

[Dr. Watkins]

That's sick. And then we lived on top of like a Whole Foods, like the apartment building. That was cool part. And so the amount of times that I had to go down there to get the fresh squeezed oj. Yeah. Like, my wife just crushed that stuff.

[Dan]

I mean, these are all good cravings. Yeah.

[Marty]

This is what I'm saying. Like, this would. I would enjoy this.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Dan]

It's fantastic. All right, let's talk about Vegas.

[Marty]

Shock and awe, dude. And I asked. You weren't even in here. I asked Marty, I know you picked. You have to pick Vegas. You even said that when we were doing. You're like, I'm obviously picking Vegas. But I was like, were you just taking Vegas because you had to take Vegas?

[Dan]

Oh, no.

[Marty]

You knew actually leave. And he was like, I actually knew

[Dan]

this was going to happen. What I want to know is, I

[Dr. Watkins]

didn't know it was going to happen, but I believe that they could get it done. Yeah.

[Dan]

At what point were you like, oh, it's over. Like, game after game two, were you like, yep, they got it.

[Marty]

Which one? Not really.

[Dr. Watkins]

Not. Not.

[Marty]

That wasn't the three nothing.

[Dan]

No, I think that was game three. Okay.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Marty]

I think maybe the abs went up. Yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Game three was the three zero comeback.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dan]

I mean, that. That's actually.

[Marty]

I. Game two was the one. The abs were up one nothing going into the third. And then Jack scored off the post. And then.

[Dan]

Yes.

[Marty]

Hurdle scored off the bar down, I think, like, late. But it was like the AVS were 450 with the two period lead.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Marty]

And then lost.

[Dr. Watkins]

Well, I think they. They won, like, the mental grind and the way that they won, like for them obviously to come out in game one and beat them pretty handedly. And then game two, the way that they won, like, that's depressing. On the other end of it.

[Dan]

Yep.

[Dr. Watkins]

And then game three, like, I kind of thought after game three that they were going to finish it off just because, I don't know, the bench just looked down and looked rattled. And then you obviously have the. The addition of McKinnon. Whatever happened with him. Yep. Got hurt. And then McCarr is obviously nursing whatever he's nursing. I just was like. But not even just that. It was also like Vegas was just firing on all cylinders. And they were like, I don't know what the metrics were, but it looked like, they outplayed them in most, like, facets of the game.

[Marty]

100%.

[Dan]

Dude, we talked about this morning, we were like, they. They. They won every game. Like, even. I mean, say what you will about the first period lead in game three, but, like, after that, it was all Vegas. And I know they came back in Game 2, but it was like Vegas was all over them all game. The Jackal felt like the dam was about to break, and then, like, they just. They beat them every game. It was unbelievable.

[Marty]

It was.

[Dan]

It is.

[Marty]

I have a lot. But a lot of buddies in Denver, a lot of abs. Fan friends. And they are like, besides. Yeah, yeah. Like, everybody. I have. I have. That is. I said this in one of our shows. That is one of the most staggering playoff exits I've seen in a long time from a team as talented as we all thought they were. Just the way that went. I was like, holy.

[Dan]

I think I saw something today. It was like, presidents, a President's Trophy team has been swept in the playoffs, like, three times.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

And two are torn.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah. It's like a kiss of death.

[Marty]

I know.

[Dan]

It's so crazy.

[Dr. Watkins]

Well, shout out my buddy. I've got a couple buddies in Denver, too, and Garrett, Shout out if he's listening. Yeah, but he was asking me after game one. He's like, I don't really like the way this is going. He's like, do I have anything to worry about? And I was like, oh, yeah.

[Marty]

Oh, yeah.

[Dan]

Yeah, you do. You better believe it.

[Dr. Watkins]

And you ruined it. I have not gotten a text from Garrett since.

[Dan]

Garrett, sit for a bit.

[Dr. Watkins]

But I have, like, a little bit of, like, the President's Trophy thing. Like, is it, like, do you have too much success during the year? Like, do you not face enough adversity? Where then if you face any in the playoffs, well, then all of a sudden, this is, like, uncharted territory. Like, you think of all this. All the shit that Vegas has gone through the past season. Like, did that just prepare them for that?

[Marty]

I don't know.

[Dr. Watkins]

That's. That's not, like, a monumental take, but there's something to it.

[Dan]

I. Listen, it's enough of a thing where we got to talk about it, like, what? And I don't mean, like, right now, but the. I don't know what it is, because it's. It's. It's like, with Colorado, I could definitely hear the like, yeah, maybe they just were coast. They're not coasting, but they were cruising all year, and they're kind of like, dude, we're a fucking wagon. And then, yeah, they sweep LA and they have that crazy Game 1 against Minnesota, but then they're up 2, 0, lose 1, and then bank, and they're like, yeah, whatever, we're fine. So that could be it for sure. But then it's like, fuck me, man. How many times do we see, like, Boston loses in round one against Florida, and, you know, the Caps have lost multiple times with it. And it's. I don't know what it is because, like, I don't think it's just a lack of adversity. And I'm also not entirely sure it's, you know, you emptied the clip too much in the regular season. Because it's like, how many times do we say, postseason is a totally different game? So I don't think it's that, but it's something. I mean, it's weird.

[Marty]

Monty came on this past summer or whatever, but we were asking the cup easier, and he. And. And not everyone has exactly what I'm about to say, he said. But I do think it's a thing about the President Trophy. Monty said the expectations, when you are that good within the whole organization, are essentially like, you're going to the Cup. And it bleeds into, like, PR and stuff. Like, we have people coming up to us being like, hey, so for travel, for the cup, like, we need to figure out what interview, you know, like. And he's like, it's the first round. And all the chatter is like, blah, blah, blah. And obviously, the B's broke the record regular season that year, so it was. It was, you know, intensified.

[Dr. Watkins]

But that was a year we won, wasn't it? No, that wasn't 23.

[Dan]

It was. Oh, sorry. Yeah, I was thinking Kings. That was. That was the year you won. So.

[Marty]

But I hear that kind of happening if you're the President Trophy team, because you're like, we're nasty where we're expected to go, you know, like, it's just kind of in the room. It's like, we're going maybe less so in the conference finals. Like, at that point, you're like, all right, we. You know.

[Dan]

You know what's crazy about that, too? That Bruins team breaks that record, has that loss to Florida, and there's that. Everyone plays like, you asked that question, what are some of the greatest what ifs in hockey? And people show that freeze frame of the Martian breakaway. Because it was like, well, that was game seven.

[Marty]

No, it was game five, bro. It was going to be a five game.

[Dan]

Was that game.

[Marty]

Yes. Good day. You Guys, it was like, they're up 3:1, never won again heading into OT.

[Dan]

That's right. And he missed that breakaway. And the Bruins since then, I. I know it's only been a few years, but, like, they. They were the best team in the history of the league, and they haven't sniffed a cup run since. Yeah, like, it's. It's crazy how much that changed after that. Yeah, it was like. After that, it was like, and we're done here.

[Marty]

You stick.

[Dan]

I'm not saying that.

[Marty]

Yep.

[CP Alec Martinez]

I have a point that might make sense. Maybe the last team that was a President's Trophy winner that won the cup was the Blackhawks in 2013.

[Dan]

Is that right?

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

And that was a lockout shortened season.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah. We only played 48 games.

[Dan]

Right. So it's like that was the bo. That was Boston losing.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, we lost to them in the conference final.

[CP Alec Martinez]

So is that. Is there something about the. The amount of games you're playing where you maintain the winning and then you get to the. The fucking playoffs and you're like, that's interesting. You know, I don't know, maybe there's something to it.

[Dr. Watkins]

Like, maybe that, like. And this is not anything about Colorado, but it's like the way to have success in the regular season isn't always the same as having success in playoffs because you hit, you know, you said like, oh, this is an entirely different animal.

[Dan]

Yeah, right. Definitely.

[Dr. Watkins]

So, like, yeah, you can win the President's Trophy and still win the cup because if you do the things the right way and that. But again, like, if I looked at Colorado, I'd be like, oh, well, they do things really well the right way. They're not like a. I don't know.

[Dan]

No, it's true.

[Dr. Watkins]

They earned it for a reason.

[Dan]

The president's trophy in 22 when Colorado won. I'll tell you, let me look at

[Dr. Watkins]

it,

[Dan]

because I didn't. Or I thought it might have been Colorado, but it was not. But who did they beat?

[Marty]

Oh, yeah, the Panthers.

[Dan]

Oh, that's right. Oh, yeah, it was the Panthers that year.

[Marty]

That's hilarious. With Huberto. Like, they were nasty.

[Dan]

They were disgusting. And they lost round one to Tampa, right?

[Marty]

Like, didn't they get rinsed by Tampa? And they're like, see you later.

[Dan]

And then right after that, everything changed.

[Marty]

They became the best team of all time. Huberto Weeks, dude. In 99, the Stars won the President's Trophy and the Cup. I don't know who won in 2000, but.01. Then the Avs won the President's Trophy and the cup, and then 02, the Wings won the President's Trophy and the Cup. So there was like a four year stretch where they were like, oh, yeah, just.

[CP Alec Martinez]

There you go.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

What about matchups? Like, if the Ducks win, do the AVS beat the Ducks and go to the cup final?

[Marty]

Yeah, I meant to ask someone that on the live. I'll ask you guys here. Do you think Minnesota would have played Vegas better or do you think they also would have been swept?

[Dan]

No, I don't think so. And God knows if Eric Sinek comes back.

[Marty]

True.

[Dan]

I. I don't. I feel like I look at the way Merle said it really well the other day, he was like, that's this series. Vegas, Colorado. And it was so surprising because Colorado is very much not a team that you would expect to do this. It did feel like men versus boys. Yeah. And no disrespect to Minnesota, but I look at the way Colorado beat Minnesota and I'm like, if Vegas just did this to Colorado, I feel like they would have done.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

The same thing to Minnesota.

[Dr. Watkins]

Talk about, I think you wouldn't be giving Vegas enough credit if you said that too, for being as good as they are. Does that make sense?

[Marty]

Yeah, it does.

[Dan]

Yeah, for sure it makes sense. And I mean, it's like, I know Cale was out a couple games and banged up, and then you have like the Quinn Hughes element, which is definitely an element. But talk about a group that's like, not really that familiar with this type of hockey yet versus right. Vegas, who is the most familiar with it. So, yeah, I don't think they would have put up a better fight, frankly.

[Marty]

I think that's probably right. I mean, Vegas is vibing right, dude.

[Dan]

They're truly firing on every cylinder that exists.

[Dr. Watkins]

Well, that's what someone asked me just the other day. And it's like the power of that belief, like, that's what you could. And that was part of the reason why I thought, like, after game three, it's like this team, I might have text you guys maybe after game two. It's like when you take two in their building, it's like all of a sudden that feeling creeps in and you're like, we can do this thing.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

You know, especially when everything, you know, the public or whatever was stacked, including

[Marty]

you three on me.

[Dr. Watkins]

Stacked against them. No, but it's like all of a sudden. And what Torch has done to help that team believe, it's like, it's. I don't know, it's just something that can't be underestimated. Like, you just have this group and the way that they won when everyone said that they couldn't and then they sweep. I mean, it's insane. It's insane. So, like. Yeah, that you can't underestimate the power of the belief in that room. And I think that's part of the reason why they're firing.

[Dan]

I agree. I, I, I got pretty fired up seeing how fired up Mitch was too when he was like. You see that after, when they were celebrating on this. Do you see this?

[Marty]

No. Oh, yeah.

[Dan]

They're like getting the trophy. And like, he kind of just like looked out at the stands and like, threw a fist bump and he was like, he was just pumped. He was like, let's go. And I was like, oh, yeah, dude. Like this. I, I genuinely feel like that was the first moment for him where he was like, oh, I'm about to play in the Stanley Cup Final. And I was like, that is fucking sick.

[Dr. Watkins]

He looked like Will Ferrell in Stepbrothers after he, like, he's got the, the toilet paper under his arm at Costco and he gives, like, he gives a fist bump, but he walks out. That's exactly what it looked like.

[Dan]

That is so good.

[Dr. Watkins]

But that's the thing.

[Dan]

Like, that's a big Will Ferrell episode.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, no, it is. Sorry, that's my fault.

[Marty]

No, no.

[Dan]

Now I'm thinking about Frank the Tank in Old School. At the end, he's like, yes, I'm fucking back, dude. That's genuinely everything that's going on right now. It's unbelievable, man. They're just, I mean, they are.

[Marty]

It's awesome.

[Dan]

Everything's going right for them. It's wild. I'm pumped for Mitch this Game four, nothing came.

[Marty]

Oh, well, let's take an ad break

[Dan]

if we're going to. Oh yeah, let's take an ad break.

[Dr. Watkins]

Am I reading this one?

[Marty]

Yep. You're up.

[Dr. Watkins]

Nope.

[Marty]

It is almost time for the finals. We are maybe, maybe one game away. Vegas has punched their ticket Carolina right on the doorstep. And just because the games are dwindling down does not mean BetMG. BetMGM's action turns down at all. Because they're taking every shot, every save, every sudden death thriller and turning it even into a bigger event with the Stanley cup playoff odds boost token. All you have to do to activate this baby is you lock into your BETMG account and you go to add any NHL playoff wager you want. You can, you can chase the empty net bets with us. You can find an anytime goal score. You can take some money lines. DP was sprinkling some shutout action. Did not happen. But he was feeling something. And if you're feeling something, then you're in the money. So just activate this odds boost token and then if it hits, you get an even bigger payout, which is absolutely incredible. I love a bigger payout. I've always said that. I've always, always said that. And you know that if you're a listener, you know I've said that. So if you are not on the BetMGM crew with us yet, now is the time to jump in. Use that bonus code netters. That's N E T T E R S. When you sign up, you get your new player offer, you get the odds boost token. It's amazing. BetMGM make it legendary.

[Dan]

Before we get into this game, are you open to input? I just took a glance down at your legs.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

I think you gotta moisturize on your legs a little bit more.

[Marty]

I don't have time. What do you mean? Dude, I barely have time to moisturize my face. Yeah, I can't also do my legs.

[Dan]

You're looking a little ashy down there.

[Marty]

Yeah, well, you know, actually not that bad.

[Dan]

A little bit.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Do you.

[Dan]

Here's a question for you.

[Dr. Watkins]

No. Come on.

[Dan]

You don't moisturize?

[Dr. Watkins]

No. My face, not the rest of my body. Do you? I just actually, my wife gives me a hard time.

[Dan]

The guy in the shower that you wash up here and you're like, the drip down wash. No, that's disgusting. There are people who do that.

[Marty]

Yes.

[Dan]

That was like a poll on the Internet a little while ago. And people were like, no, I do that. And I was like, so what?

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, we said somebody called the FBI. We'll call them on that.

[Marty]

Correct, Correct.

[Dan]

Correct. No, no. My question is because this happened to both of us. I have literally no hair on my legs where my skates are and down.

[Marty]

Oh, yeah. My skate rubs right here. So it's just like.

[Dan]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Marty]

Gone.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah. Well, I wore bunga pads, so I had to.

[Dan]

Okay.

[Dr. Watkins]

So maybe that's why. Yeah, you saved it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And my last name is Martinez.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Which helps.

[Marty]

Yep.

[Dr. Watkins]

Actually, yeah, I got hair there.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

No, my wife gives me a hard time because she's like, will you please moisturize? Because I'm always. I'm like, hey, my back kind of itches. Will you scratch my back?

[Dan]

And she's.

[Dr. Watkins]

And she's like, you need lotion? I'm like, why Do. Why would I use lotion when I can just ask you to scratch my back?

[CP Alec Martinez]

She's the one who's going to have to put the lotion on. That's the thing that is.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Like, either way, it's work. Yeah.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

I can't reach that anyway.

[Dr. Watkins]

I don't have the elbow or shoulder mobility to get my back.

[Marty]

Yeah, right.

[Dr. Watkins]

Like, this is most. I can bend my elbow.

[Dan]

Yeah, you're. There's no chance you're.

[Dr. Watkins]

I'm hooked.

[Dan]

Yeah. You're like, I'm gonna need three more.

[Marty]

You want me to lotion my back? Dude, who's paying for the surgery?

[Dr. Watkins]

I squirted all over the shower wall. Just bear.

[Marty]

Just like, grizzly bear it. She needs to make you a lotion wall.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Dan]

She's a scratching post for a cat.

[Dr. Watkins]

It's great.

[Marty]

Go roll around.

[Dan]

All right, let's get into this game, for the love of God.

[Dr. Watkins]

Riveting combo.

[Dan]

This game was. We actually had this morning, this series. I never know what to expect every game to game this. I did not expect this game. This was such a fucking snooze festival. Thrilling for the Canes, but we were talking about it. Those three goals went in, and the. The game was over. Like, they could have called. They could have been like this. Yeah, right.

[Marty]

Yep.

[Dan]

You guys are done playing, and that's that. It was unbelievable.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah. I saw those three, and it's like, all right, I'm gonna hop in the car.

[Marty]

Yeah, right. See you later. The Marty St. Louis said they will continue, so I'm not ruling them out. This is not.

[Dan]

No, no, of course.

[Marty]

By any means. I want to establish that there's fight left in those haps, but if Carolina rolls, is it almost like. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is montreal, to me, doesn't look like they're out of gas. Like, oh, we were. We were firing. We were playing better earlier, and now we're playing badly. I think they've run into an opponent who is making them look like.

[Dan]

I think it's a combo, but I'm gonna kick it to you because I think what you said was incredibly accurate.

[Dr. Watkins]

I think it's just the difference between playing eight games versus 14 in the first two rounds.

[Marty]

So. Yeah. So then it is.

[Dr. Watkins]

It is like, they don't look actively tired, but it's just. I mean, you play those hard, especially those game sevens.

[Marty]

I know.

[Dr. Watkins]

It's, like, grueling. Grueling.

[Dan]

Yep.

[Dr. Watkins]

And that's the. That's the difference. I see. But it's like, all right, well, Dovish has stood on his head. But then, you know, tonight, like, eventually that's going to catch up with you. You would think, right? Yeah, I don't know.

[Marty]

Yep. No, I mean, dude, the, the. This has been a. I would actually love to get this data for the whole league, but the Bruins were horrible at home. Buffalo was not good at home. Montreal has been horrible at home. Tampa was horrible at home. A lot of teams were. Have not been protecting home ice at all. And I think that'll be the one. If they go out, that'll be the one. Big regret the Habs have from this joyous run, by the way. They are like, wow, this was awesome. And we're in the Eastern Conference finals. All good, very bright future. I think they will look back on this and be like, damn, dude, we got killed in Montreal.

[Dan]

Yeah, well, I have an interesting take on that.

[Marty]

So.

[Dan]

I mean, when you said that to me, I was like, I completely agree. And I agree with you too. They don't look like they're just wrecked, but I mean you're looking at the simple puck battles. And like when we talked about they haven't passed 20 shots in three straight games. I didn't even know how many shots

[Marty]

they had in game one.

[Dan]

But. But I assume it was more than 20. It's a big part of it is what Carolina's doing to them to frustrate them. And it's like they're just winning so many 50, 50 battles and you have to assume that part of that is like this team went to war for two back to back seven game series and Carolina fucking square danced through two series and they're like, we got a little more gas than you. And it is nuts that Dobes gives up three goals in this game and he finishes with like a 9:2:9 save percentage. Like he stood on his head, he saved 40 and like there were so many breakaways, there were so many two on ones. There were so many almost breakaways or near breakaways for Carolina in this game. The puck dropped and it looked like Montreal was like, oh, like it's that. I think they thought the game was starting at 6:30 and it's or sorry for us West Coasters like, but they were just not ready to go in this game. And I think I said to both of you a while ago, if Montreal goes down 3:1, I still think that they can make it interesting because they're so scrappy. If they get gentlemen swept, it will be for the fans. Definitely a letdown. Especially after Game one, you got to assume that they were like, we can do this. I personally think if you go down in a gentleman's sweep, even if you go down in six, there's no. There would be no shame in that. But if you go down in a gentleman's sweep, I actually think the narrative will switch back to, oh, no, this Carolina team is different.

[Marty]

That's where I was headed with.

[Dan]

And it's like, dude, they were the number. What? We said it this morning. Like, they didn't have that many points less than Colorado. Like, this team was a fucking wagon all year. They were the best team in the East. They swept their round one and round two opponents, and now here you go. They figured it out two OT games in a row and then beat the shit out of you in this game. It's like you're kind of like, oh, fuck, man. They might. They.

[Marty]

They're good.

[Dan]

So, I mean, I don't know how many times we have to say it this. Even with this again, they're not out of it, but Montreal's so ahead of schedule. Yep. They're going to be good for so long, especially with doves. So it's like, I think they're fine. You're okay. I think more than okay.

[Marty]

Yeah. I hear that.

[Dan]

You're like, fuck, Carolina's sick.

[Marty]

I hear that.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Marty]

I guess to. It's. The playoffs are tricky because especially between five and six, I feel like it's such a swing of reactions.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Marty]

Losing in five, losing in six. It's like one game. It's like, oh, my God. And I do feel as though the. If the. The Habs fans put it that way, the Habs fans got very cocky and loud coming into this round. And then after that Game one. Yeah. They were like, we are. We'll fucking beat Colorado. You know, like, they were like, we're ready to go.

[Dan]

They got horny for sure.

[Marty]

Yeah, they were extremely horny.

[Dan]

Like, I don't. I don't know. I'm not sure I'm ready to call them cocky because at least the ones I've been interacting with online, they've been actually quite. They're like, oh, man, we're getting our teeth kicked in.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

But they got horrible before.

[Marty]

They were.

[Dan]

They were really horny.

[Dr. Watkins]

Good on them, too, though. I agree completely. Right. Ride the wave, Right? Yeah. This is a roller coaster.

[Dan]

It's been so long since they've been. I mean, the 21 Covid year, whatever. But, like, it's been a long time since they've been this competitive And I'm like, fucking get horned up, dude.

[Marty]

Yeah. Hell yeah. Why not?

[Dan]

Amazing.

[Marty]

Yeah. No, no. And that is important. You're right. Ride the wave. Ride the wave.

[Dan]

But it was.

[Marty]

This was. This was a very. This has been a big come down crash down to earth where I'm like, holy fuck. I heard on the. I don't know if you guys heard, they said the Habs because they lost Game 4 against Buffalo at home. They were up to one, lost Game 4, and then lost Game 6 at home to Buffalo, and then lost these two. That is the first time Montreal Canadiens lost four straight home playoff games in their franchise history. Wow.

[Dr. Watkins]

Oof.

[Marty]

That was, like, tough.

[Dr. Watkins]

Someone asked me this.

[Dan]

Crazy.

[Dr. Watkins]

Someone asked me this the other day and on. On Twitter, actually. And it's like the difference between a. Like a home game and a road game. Yeah. Like, there might be something to like you're on a business trip, you don't have distractions. You're with the boys the entire time. Like, you have a conference room, like your meal room, and that's where everyone hangs out. You got your meetings the night before. Like, you're really not doing much.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

And it's like when you're at home, there's like some distraction. Like in 12 and 14 and all of our playoff times, we didn't end up doing this in Vegas, but in la, we stayed downtown. They got us a hotel room the night before home games. So it was like, is there something to do with that? Where it's like, I don't know. They just wanted us to have our, like, get a good night's sleep. They didn't want kids to be keeping them up and like, things like that. And that sucks from a family standpoint. But, like, is there something to be said about that?

[Dan]

Definitely.

[Dr. Watkins]

Where it's like, you go on the road, it's like, all right, it's business. But then at home, you just naturally have different distractions.

[Marty]

Right.

[Dr. Watkins]

Of just life. Yeah. Right.

[Dan]

We talked about it with the Kings this year. They saved Jimmy's job four or five times this year on road trips. They would be at home, lose three in a row, and it'd be like, oh. People started talking about gym and then they'd go on a four game road trip and go 4 0. Because they're just like dialed on the road. And they were like, this is crazy. I think it's totally a thing. Summer camp. You talk about it all the time. When you're on the road with the boys, it's. There's so much camaraderie and I agree. You're almost more dialed on the road because it's like you don't have your usual comforts that you do have at home and your normal spots. You're always talking, everyone being like, where are you guys going to get food? Like, when are you napping? And it's like, everyone's synced up, dude. You're cycling, you're on the same period. It's great.

[Marty]

So true.

[Dan]

It's actually, you know, like, you just get in a rhythm. I think the road. Road rhythm is so real. And I do wonder sometimes in a city like Montreal with how intense it is, and. And I mean that in a good way, and how raucous the fans are. And when they play Coldplay in that barn, it's so electric. There is, as the home team, there's. There's, I think, probably a little bit of pressure. There's so many distractions there. Like, I could see that being a thing, for sure.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

There's also this, like, weird thing that you get, and this might be a little bit more in, like, regular season, but, like, if you're on that, like, I. I played out west the entire time. Even Chicago, we had. I mean, that travel was a little bit easier, but in Vegas and la, like, we would do those big eastern swings where you're like, you're gone, like, 12 days, 13 days, sometimes two weeks, and you play like seven or eight games or, you know, and it's like that first game when you come back home is such a trap game because you just naturally, like, you're like, ah, I'm home.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

And then so many times. And that was one thing, like, Darrell Sutter was always all over us about, because you, You. You have a good road trip, and then you come back and it's like, yeah, you're in your. You're sleeping in your own bed. You're, like, on the couch. You're doing all this stuff, and so you just naturally just relax. And then you.

[Marty]

You just get pumped.

[Dr. Watkins]

You just get pumped. The first. The first game back, all of our

[Dan]

gambling fans listening right now are taking out the Notebook and they're like, oh, my God.

[Dr. Watkins]

But maybe there's something to do with that, too.

[Dan]

Like, definitely.

[Dr. Watkins]

I mean, maybe not as much in the playoffs, but it is. It is a real thing to the point where, like, coaches acknowledge it and they're all over you about it. Yeah. Yeah.

[Marty]

Well, I mean, dude, it makes sense because the team you're playing is on their business. Like, they're on there, like, oh, I'm the Rangers, and I'm on my big west coast swing. And they're like, okay, here we go.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Dan]

It's like, I know Buck Buffalo tried it and it didn't work, but, like, there is part of me with Carolina because I loved what Stoney said after they took care of business in that Game four. He was like, after the game talking about how, you know, yeah, this is a good team. They could get one, and we could, if let's say Colorado had won, we could be like, oh, yeah, we're fine. But we were kind of like, no, fuck that. Take care of business and just put them away. You've got to be feeling that way if you're Carolina.

[Marty]

Yes.

[Dan]

I think right now, for the first time in years in the Eastern Conference final, you are elated with where you are, but you don't want to breathe any life into the ghosts, and you don't want to breathe any life into the possibility. And there's. I'm, I'm genuinely wondering if, like, if I'm rada. I'm almost like, you're. You're all staying in a hotel.

[Dr. Watkins]

Where's your jacket, by the way?

[Dan]

You mean my Ghostbusters suit? Yeah, it's right there. Yeah, it's right over there.

[Dr. Watkins]

Okay.

[Dan]

And I, I, I didn't want to get. I didn't want to prematurely put on the suit here for them, dude.

[Marty]

Well, you bring up an interesting point that I hadn't considered. The Canes, obviously, they have all their Eastern Conference shit, but if the Canes were going to lose the series in seven, and it was like, they lose game one, they win game two, they lose game three, they win game four, they lose game five, they win game six. That's just, that's a good series, you know, and we lost. And honestly, there's a spin zone of, like, it was a fight, at least, you know, it didn't go down.03. Whatever, boys. Like, we're right on the doorstep. I know it's a nightmare, but you're still like, there's a narrative. If they lose now, it's. It's all of a sudden sucks horribly again, you know?

[Dan]

Like, you mean if that Carolina loses this series? Yeah, buddy.

[Marty]

You know what I mean?

[Dan]

Because, like, I've got for you, if they lose this series now, it's worse than anything that's ever happened, which, which sucks.

[Marty]

Which is kind of unfair because I go, dude, you're playing a really good team, and you had a seven game. It just, you know.

[Dan]

But, dude, life is not fair. So correct. I mean, that is. That is the funny double edged sword of this is like there is no. There will be no comfort or resting for the Carolina Hurricanes unless they win this year. Yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Imagine losing to a team that shoots three shots a game.

[Dan]

Yeah. Yeah, that would be tough. But yeah, I mean, I. It sounds weird to say. I think the only thing worse than losing, I mean if they had gone up 30 and then lost, that would

[Marty]

be worse than this.

[Dan]

But I think being up 3:1 and then losing is worse than getting swept. I swear to God.

[Dr. Watkins]

I would argue that it's actually worse because the way they lost game one.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

It's like, all right, well, we ended up losing this, but we didn't come out.

[Marty]

Yeah. We weren't even playing actually.

[Dan]

Great.

[Dr. Watkins]

So I think. I think it would be worse to

[Dan]

do it this way.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, do it this way.

[Dan]

This is the worst case scenario.

[Marty]

That's what I mean.

[CP Alec Martinez]

So things are. We've determined things are terrible for the Canes right now. Is that. Is that what we're saying for both sides?

[Marty]

No. Truly.

[CP Alec Martinez]

No. But both teams are in Hess and

[Dan]

I am telling you, it's like it is genuine hell. Because if they go home, think about how fired up those lunatic Canes fans are going to be if Montreal scores first. Definitely. They're going to be like, oh my God. Like that's. I'm like, this is a fucking nightmare. Then you have to go back to Montreal.

[Marty]

Yeah. But at least maybe they suck at

[Dan]

the best stinks at all.

[Dr. Watkins]

I think like a team like this though, like with their history in this playoffs, like, you cannot give the habs.

[Dan]

Exactly.

[Dr. Watkins]

You cannot.

[Dan]

No, not because they're so scrapped.

[Dr. Watkins]

They can win a game with. With getting 12 shots.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

And it's like, I can't give any of these guys no. Yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

And.

[Dan]

But. And I will say huge, huge for this game was a ho. Scoring, scoring again. We talked about this morning. I mean, I called out aho. I was like, I mean, we talked about it earlier. It was like, you got to get going, buddy. Like, you got and beautiful goal. And that was. I look at that. If I'm Montreal and it's like, ah, who scores? Stank scores.

[Marty]

You're kind of like, Freddie has another shutter.

[Dan]

Just an insane dish from Ehlers on that first goal. That stall goal was beautiful. I don't know how Miller found him. Yeah, like, that was just. That was such a great example of Jordan stalls so strong.

[Marty]

Dude. I don't even know how he got

[Dan]

his stick on it, but I get and key too. I mean like, he was like, I think he's gonna have his. He's gonna stay there and just like feathered one right on it.

[Dr. Watkins]

He's hard to play against.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Really?

[Dr. Watkins]

He's a big ball. Like, there's certain guys in the league that as a defenseman, you know, like, listen, if this guy parks in front, like, I'm not moving him.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

Like I have to work around this guy. Like hurdles kind of the same way, you know, like barbershop. Yeah. And it's like I'm. I'm gonna try to get on this guy's hip and if a shot comes this way, maybe, maybe I can give him like a little bit of a shot and use my. But it's like, what am I going to do? Try to push this guy out from the front. Like, it's just not happening. It's like Holmstrom back in the day. Like, you just got to deal with it.

[Marty]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, and he's, he's a. That was a little. The only time I actually thought Montreal was going to make a push was after that heroic. A minute 45. Five on three kill. And that was a little wire cross from Phil. What are you doing?

[CP Alec Martinez]

Crazy. Wait, who took the penal on that? 5 on.

[Dan]

I was like, yeah, he on Stall.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Ross, check Stall's head. I was going to ask you, Marty. Like, there, there was a shot where he. It was like a close up shot where he was hitting Stall in the head. And Stall's kind of saying he wasn't even angry. He was like, almost like. He was like, come on, man. Like, what do you say when somebody's like ramming their stick? But he's not angry. He's almost like, what are you doing?

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, it, it's like you disappointed your grandpa.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

You know, like, I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed. Which is so much worse.

[Dan]

Like, that's also a guy that you're like, you. Phil probably did that and he's probably like, sorry. Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

Honestly, like, yeah, that's. Sorry, man.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Like, he wasn't even mad. He was just like.

[Dan]

It's like that old clip. You remember that clip where back in the day habs bees. PK like cross checks Birgi in the back and they're down. Birgi was miked in the game and they're down on the ice and Bergy literally just turns around and goes, come on, man, don't do that. And then PK turns back and he goes, oh, dude, I thought you were Marshy.

[Dr. Watkins]

So, like, that happened to me in the. In the conference final against Montreal when Ty was there.

[Marty]

Oh, no way.

[Dr. Watkins]

He cross checked me so hard in the back and I'm like, come on, man. I was in your wedding.

[Dan]

You're my. I'm your pal.

[Dr. Watkins]

Hey, I thought we were friends. I know. I mean, I know there's no friends out there, but it's like, man, come on. I'll never forget that.

[Dan]

And then.

[Marty]

Did he say anything?

[Dr. Watkins]

He didn't. I can't remember. We're going to have to get him on here and talk. Like, I can't remember. Maybe. I think he might have said sorry, like in the handshake line because that was like, game. Was that like game two? I can't remember which one, but it was like significantly later.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

And like the first thing he said,

[Marty]

I don't know about that.

[Dr. Watkins]

Like, hey, sorry about that cross check. At this point, I just like, I'm so pissed that we lost kidneys.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Thank you.

[Dan]

Yeah. Seriously, my L5 is not happy. I do think this game went about

[Dr. Watkins]

as

[Dan]

good and comfortable for Carolina as it possibly could.

[Marty]

Dude, they did the thing that I've been bitching about where they went up 3 0. And then I'm like, well, everybody plays differently now. And here comes the other team and they were just like, they weren't. They didn't even keep scoring. They just suffocated you.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Marty]

And I was like, oh, my God.

[Dan]

And like we keep saying, like, if we're. If we're doing the spin zone for Montreal, I mean, doves that this game could have been nine.

[Marty]

Nothing.

[Dan]

Yeah, like they had a lot of chances after three. Nothing. Like they had six.

[Marty]

Six chances.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Yeah. They had five on three. He's a stud, man. This isn't a flash in the pan. This is not a. Like, oh, may. Maybe we got something like, this is a. Give this guy a seven year deal immediately. Like, this is your goalie for the next 10 years.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Montreal on the stop signs they have stickers that say do be.

[Dan]

Yeah, yeah, they're coming up.

[Marty]

That's awesome. That is awesome.

[Dan]

That's amazing. So, I mean, that's great. He's, you know, he gave up three, but he's playing great still. But Carolina, you get a shutter from Freddy. Aho scores. Stank scores. I mean, this was just great. And I know it's an empty net, but you like Svetch finally.

[Marty]

Exactly. Dude.

[Dan]

I know.

[Dr. Watkins]

It's not like floodgates keep them coming.

[Dan]

Svetch gets another one.

[Dr. Watkins]

Guys start feeling Good about that stuff. Obviously they feel good because they've been winning, but when you're having personal success, too, and it starts going in, that makes it a big difference.

[Dan]

If Carolina. Friday night. Friday night, yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Was today Wednesday? Yeah.

[Dan]

Yeah, it'll be Friday. If Carolina takes care of business. Do you think it. Because it felt like, frankly, after game three, everyone was like, I don't even care. Comes out of the East. Vegas is just too good. Do you think if Carolina takes care of Montreal in five, that will change a little bit of the. Like, hey, I don't know. These are now two very good teams.

[Marty]

I mean, I think what I said this morning was Carolina. Dan made a comment comparing the Knights run to the Knicks run. And I was like, well, the difference is the Knicks presumably have, like, the Thunder waiting for them who are the heavy favorite, and we're like the 1 seed all year. And I was like, vegas doesn't really have that. They're going to be the favorite. But then I was like, actually, Carolina is the one. No, and maybe not against Carolina. Like, Carolina is the 113th.1 seed who is like you. I'm not the favorite. That's what I'm saying.

[Dan]

So I was like, I think there's as much as we all dog. Not me, but the world Dogs. Carolina. Oh, you can't get past. If you get past the Eastern Conference final against a very fucking good team in five, I think that is going to make everyone take a bit of medicine and be like, that might have been there.

[Marty]

It might.

[Dan]

Might have been the monkey off the back.

[Marty]

Or it might have been their cup, though. Like, they might have been. Yes. Like, everything. We just have to win this round. And then they get home. Home. Like, this is their road trip. And then they come home and the cop.

[Dan]

We're going to see them over the weekend running down the streets with the

[Marty]

Prince of Wales, like, exactly like Vegas is like, oh, my God. Okay, that's a good question. Let's take an ad break and then we'll be right back.

[Dan]

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[Marty]

As you all know, Dan and I are now hosting Stanley Cup Live. And that means we have to be on all day. We have to be on our game. And the first place that starts is with our hydration. And I'm telling you, Liquid IV is the only sugar free hydration product on the market that is clinically demonstrated to hydrate faster than water alone. And it's so easy, it's so convenient. That's my favorite part about it. It's easy to bring. We're gonna be flying all over the place. It fits in my carry on, but it fits in your gym bag. You can bring it with your work lunch. It's awesome. And, and it's, it's so, it's so good because they've got the hydration multiplier, sugar free. It's designed to keep you hydrated for marathon days, which we are going to have when we're on set, which is amazing. And the benefits are just so awesome. It helps me recharge. It even helps me recharge my social battery. Just not, not even just my hydration alone.

[Dan]

Alone.

[Marty]

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[Dan]

It's not over.

[Marty]

It's not over.

[Dan]

But I was, to be clear, it's not over.

[Marty]

It's not over. But I was enjoying the Marner thing too. I was like, man, that's so sick that this is happening for this guy. And I think if you're a hockey fan, unless you're a very disgruntled Leafs fan, I gotta believe you're happy about this because it's cool. He's one of the best players in our game and I'm glad he's getting to shine. But it's been cool to see some guys on this Carolina team like Keandre and Ehlers, where I'm like, man, man, this must feel sick, you know, because it's, it's awesome. You guys had some. How far did you guys go that first year? You got to Vegas conference finals.

[Dr. Watkins]

That was the bubble year. So yeah, we made. We lost at Dallas in the right.

[Marty]

So you got like a tape, you know, you're like, holy shit. But. And then it was like, blah, blah, blah, and then you get through. But it must be cool when you first get to a new team where you go, oh man, okay, new team. I haven't really dealt with this in my career or whatever. And then you're just like, bang, like, we're nasty. We might win it all.

[Dr. Watkins]

Well, it's also like, like when you go to a team like that, then oftentimes a team had to pay you or they gave up something and you want like, as a player, you want to win. You want to win, but you also want to validate, like they put that trust in you, like their management and all that. Like, you want to validate their decision. So you're like, I mean, obviously you want to win, you want to play for your teammates, you want to play for the fans, you want to do right by the city, like all that stuff.

[Marty]

But I'm in the trade. Like, I was like, you want to be the guy that you're like, we got the side of this.

[Dr. Watkins]

It's like when I was traded for two second round picks and it's like, they better suck. Like if those two picks turn into Connor McDavid, I'm like, oh, damn it.

[Dan]

You know, it's a great question. Do you know who those picks are?

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah. Leah Anderson and then Jordan Spence. Yeah, that's awesome. I think, don't quote me on that, but I think someone told me that like when I was at the Kings game, couple, whatever. Yeah, I don't know. A month ago. That's a month ago.

[CP Alec Martinez]

I don't know.

[Marty]

Yeah, I have no idea. Time is.

[Dan]

But yeah, I was actually just looking at a tweet that we had after it was about a little over two weeks ago that Minnesota lost and I was like, fuck, that's such a brutal way for Minnesota to go out. There's just no stopping this ABS team. They're going straight to the Cup. Whoops.

[Marty]

Yeah, right?

[Dan]

Whoops. Fucking A. Wow, that's funny.

[Marty]

Oh, that. Yeah, yeah, that. Yeah, so, but no, I totally hear that, dude. And, and also specifically look at those two I just named. I mean, holy. The jets and the Rangers are horrible. And they're like, we're going.

[Dan]

You know what, man? I feel I the, the ricochet shot this is going to be at Rangers fan. I have a long standing beef with the Rangers.

[Dr. Watkins]

Oh, they don't like me either.

[Dan]

Oh, really?

[Dr. Watkins]

Oh, yeah.

[Marty]

More justified.

[Dan]

I say. Really?

[Dr. Watkins]

I still, I still get, get death threats.

[Dan]

Yeah. Yeah. It's actually the amount of say, dude,

[Dr. Watkins]

this is like over 10 years.

[Dan]

The amount of comments that we've been seeing on all of the episodes that are like, stop making me like Alec Martinez. And we're like, yeah, I get it, dude. Hold on, hold on. I, I, because I was about to bring up when that trade happened, I was like this, I was like, he is going to be so good with Carolina and so many bitter Rangers fans were like, he's going to suck after this many times. And blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And he's just like, so good for this team. And I'm like, yeah, you were wrong about that one.

[Marty]

Okay, so. Yeah, that is correct, Dan and the Ers one, you. Obviously, I didn't. I did not see the jets thing coming. And they got hot late. But just like the jets season went to hell in a way that a lot of people predicted.

[Dan]

I did see that coming.

[Marty]

We all picked them to make playoffs.

[Dan]

Yes. But I. If you remember, I picked them to be. I. I think I might have picked them a wild card team. Interesting. Because I. Dude, I. I just. I was like, I think the things that they lost are way worse than people think.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

But I could have never predicted the heli.

[Marty]

Injury as it was.

[Dr. Watkins]

Didn't they win the president's draft two years ago?

[Dan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then there was like, the whole like, can Hellebuck win? Thing. And they just barely eeked by. By the blues. And then they got clapped in the second round. And then Halley won a gold medal.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

So suck it, everybody.

[Dr. Watkins]

Good Michigan boy.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Marty]

Yes.

[Dan]

Now he's getting traded to Buffalo.

[Marty]

God.

[Dr. Watkins]

For Owen Power.

[Marty]

God. Perfect, dude. Perfect.

[Dr. Watkins]

I was singing the same thing. Oh, yeah.

[Dan]

It's a great turn.

[Dr. Watkins]

You just pissed off the entire upstate New York.

[Dan]

Everyone in Buffalo is asleep, dude. And they just, like, their antennas just went up.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Like, are they talking about Owen Power?

[Dr. Watkins]

Some guys crushing a Ted's hot dog for breakfast and it just spikes the thing on the ground.

[Marty]

And then here was the other thing I wanted to say. I saw. And there's a part of this tweet that's unfair, but I saw a tweet that said something like, oof. More. Another two shitty conference finals for the NHL. They get all these great rounds, and then the conference finals are bloodbaths. And the point of the tweet was this. And the reason the tweet's slightly unfair is the Western Conference final was a snooze fest, but in reverse. Like, everyone. Like, if the abs had swept, you'd be like, yeah, of course. Like the. Yeah.

[Dan]

See, like, we get less hockey, but. But there's a part of me that's like, that Western Conference final was electric because we were all like, holy shit, what is happening?

[Marty]

Exactly. Which is why it's kind of unfair. But this. The point of the tweet that I was trying to make, which I think is cool. Cause Every time people get mad about the lack of 18 format, they're mad about the early rounds, they're mad about, oh, it's Colorado, Dallas in the first round. This sucks. But the reason it actually sucks is. Cause it forces you into, like, whoever comes out of the Pacific side, whoever comes out of the Central side plays in the conference finals, where it would be cooler if it was just like it should. And again, it happened in reverse. But when the Pacific's so weak, if the abs had just crushed them, you'd be like, yeah, this. You did this to yourself, NHL. You know what I mean? Like, I think that's why people want 18 back. But what do you guys think about that, like, conference finals lately? Because I do kind of feel like we get more sweeps there than maybe the other rounds. And I don't know why that is unless it's this format.

[Dan]

Yeah, I mean, it's a, It's a good observation by you, but I go back to what you just said. This sweep happened in the exact opposite that we thought. So I'm kind of like. I mean, I don't know, man. I think it's just how teams play each other. It's, it's. I, I, I have come around to. If I were setting up the, the playoff structure, I wouldn't do it this way, but I, I don't think it's a bit.

[Marty]

I don't mind it.

[Dan]

I don't mind it. I think I would switch it, but

[Marty]

I don't mind it.

[Dan]

I trust Gary with my life.

[Marty]

Life.

[Dan]

And it's like the, you know, it. Sometimes we're getting matchups that I wouldn't have expected to get, and that's kind of fun.

[Marty]

What's the last, like, Tilt Conference final we've had? If you can think of it off

[Dr. Watkins]

the top, I've got one.

[Dan]

Okay.

[Dr. Watkins]

It was us in Chicago.

[Marty]

Yeah, but, but though that's a while. That's what I mean. Like, the ones I can think of are. Because there are, There are Hammer ones, like, just like that. But I'm like, Like Bruins, Tampa. The year the bees won, like, seven game or one game seven. I'm like, oh, those are amazing.

[Dan]

In 23, when they lost to. You played who in the conference final? Carolina. And swept them.

[Marty]

Yeah, they swept Carolina.

[Dr. Watkins]

Oh, yeah.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

Ours with Dallas that year was pretty good. What did we. Did we win in game six?

[Marty]

Six.

[Dr. Watkins]

But the first two went into ot.

[Marty]

Yeah. Okay.

[Dan]

That was a good one.

[Dr. Watkins]

Howden scored one in ot, I think Game two. I can't remember who Scored Jack made a sick pass to. Was it Barbashev?

[Dan]

Yep.

[Dr. Watkins]

It's like from behind the net this backhand play. Maybe that was a game tire last year.

[Dan]

Edmonton clapped Dallas.

[Marty]

All right, here we go.

[Dr. Watkins]

Dude.

[Dan]

Right.

[Marty]

Conference finals last year. Four one, four one. The year before. Four, two, four two.

[Dan]

Those are both good.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

But six game.

[Dan]

Yeah, six is good.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Good.

[Dan]

One game away from perfect. Like.

[Marty]

Well, no, I'm looking for perfect. 4244 24042. Okay. Here you go. Tampa. Tampa Islanders 20214 3.

[Dan]

That one's holy. That I remember that. Islanders team crazy. That is right. I totally forgot about that.

[Marty]

And 4241.

[Dan]

4240.

[Marty]

Oh, here you go. Good one caps. You have the caps one caps beat Tampa in seven.

[Dan]

Yep. That was a four battle.

[Marty]

But that was Vegas four one over. Over jets.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Marty]

So, yeah, see, you know, it's. I'm asking a lot, but it's like you'd love some. Some seven gamers in the conference final.

[Dr. Watkins]

For sure. The other thing too. And I thought I saw something and I just looked it up, but they said that there was 2.1 million viewers at game one in the Western Conference final.

[Marty]

Wow.

[Dr. Watkins]

And that's like the most ever for a Western guy since. Since 2018.

[Marty]

Yeah. There you go.

[Dr. Watkins]

Like I thought, well, I don't know. I'm a Vegas guy, so it's like.

[Dan]

No, I mean my buddies. Game one of the Eastern was crazy viewership too.

[Dr. Watkins]

I thought it was great series though.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

I know Abs Fans aren't thinking. But in terms of quality of hockey.

[Marty]

Yeah, totally.

[Dan]

And like that Game three was electric. Game four was electric. And it's like I stand by a sweep is. You know, we got robbed of three more games of hockey. Sure. But. But I think a surprising sweep. It's an upset like that. That was fun to watch. Yeah. I think everyone tuned into those games because they were like, holy. Is Vegas going to do this? Yeah, that was in itself a cool. Yeah. I mean. Sorry. We are murdering Colorado fans right now because they were like, those were the four worst moments of my life. And I'm like, Yep.

[Marty]

Sorry, dude. 2015, Tampa over the Rangers fourth in seven and Hawks over the Ducks in seven.

[Dan]

That was the per year.

[Marty]

Perfect year.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Marty]

God, that's awesome. Okay.

[Dr. Watkins]

Like, will people only be happy if all four rounds go seven games?

[Marty]

Dude, I want every series to go seven. The whole. Every. Every game. Every series. Automatic seven.

[Dan]

I am. We always joke when we. Especially in the final, when we start Traveling. And it's like we're just flying commercial, like peasants and just dying. I'm always like, I hope they sweep. I hope every Cup Final is a sweep so I can just go. And people are like, are you kidding me?

[Dr. Watkins]

I think I told that story when I was on the first time.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

You're like, yeah, we obviously want to win the Stanley cup, but, God, we just don't want to hop on another airplane.

[Marty]

Yeah, because we were talking about, keep

[Dr. Watkins]

me off this curve. Like, I don't want. My parents are texting me that. Will you just finish it off already? Like, we don't want to do this. Like, all the families are going back and forth.

[Dan]

Yeah, dude. In 20.

[Dr. Watkins]

So we're only that. That easy, right?

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

In 23, when we got back for. What fucking game was that? Five. You guys wanted five. In 23, when we got back to Vegas for game five, we were being like, if you sons of bitches don't win this, I'm gonna go out on the ice and kill all you guys. Because we were like, well, that's a

[Dr. Watkins]

story Jack tells, too. Like, Phil was all pissed, dude.

[Marty]

That was. We talked about this, but that was so sick. I talked about, in the context of you being like, how do you manage your emotions when you're up that big in a game? Right? And you told that awesome story with the coach, but the. For us, it was awesome because I was like, please just win today. And then it was like, go, go, go. We were like, yes. It's just like an absolute party in second period.

[Dan]

I mean, you guys couldn't have known this, but, like, this isn't breaking news now, but it's, like, about an hour or two before the game, we just, like, caught wind through various people that Matty was, like. His sternum was shattered and, like, couldn't get out of bed. And we were like,

[Dr. Watkins]

yeah, we had heard that, too.

[Dan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I believe it.

[Dr. Watkins]

That was. That was Kolasar, right?

[Dan]

Oh, dude, he ran through him like a train. That was such a hard hit.

[Dr. Watkins]

Coley hits hard. Yeah, dude.

[Marty]

But remember, I think it was Matthew hit Jack. Jack on a toefect. But, like, remember that? Yeah, dude, I was.

[Dr. Watkins]

I had to jump in on that one.

[Dan]

Really?

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah, bro.

[Marty]

I was. This is gonna make me sound like such a. But I was so tired at that game. Like, we'd just been running around. I was literally, like, exhausted. Dude.

[Dr. Watkins]

Dude.

[Marty]

So we were. And, dude, we don't get seats. Like, I have a media pass, right? But I'm not. I don't have a seat. So a lot of the game, we're just wandering around, you know, I'm, like, finding vantage points, whatever.

[Dr. Watkins]

Standing.

[Dan]

Yeah, exactly.

[Marty]

It's exhausting. I'm just on my feet. We've been running around Vegas. I can't remember which game that was, but I was so, so legitimately exhausted. I walked in. I was up on the suite level, but I walked out. Just. I was, like, doing laps up there, and I found just a little table and there was some TVs or whatever, and I literally was just like. Like, I was like, I might take a nap, but I obviously am not going to do that. But I was sitting there like this, and I was watching the game on the TV. And those TVs, like, every rank are like five seconds behind. And, dude, I just heard the loudest crowd reaction. But the puck was so far from being a goal that I was like, what? Like, something's about to happen. And then I kind of saw Jack, like, wheeling around, and I just knew. I was like, oh, something horrible is about to happen.

[Dan]

Happened.

[Dr. Watkins]

That was like, in the second period, right? Yeah, I remember. It was right inside the blue line.

[Dan]

Yeah, yeah.

[Marty]

And I was like, oh, my God, dude, that was crazy. We talked about it when he came on where he was like. I kind of was. He was like. I just was up the Windock. I was scared because of that, you know?

[Dr. Watkins]

And he saw him coming at, like, the very last second, which it almost looked like he. He didn't correct.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Marty]

That was crazy, dude. Yeah. Yeah. Right?

[Dan]

Have you guys. Just because you brought up Coley. Have you seen this? The absurd amount of players from the 2015 draft that are on this Vegas team. No, it's in the 2015 draft. This Vegas team has the number two pick, Jack Eichel. The number four pick, Mitch Marner. The number five pick, Noah Hannifin. Whoa.

[Marty]

That's already crazy. Crazy.

[Dan]

And then they have the number 52 pick, Jeremy Lauzon. Number 53 pick, Rasmus Anderson. And I'm pretty sure Coley's in that sec. Or no. The number 69 pick, Keegan Kolasar. The number 76 pick, Aiden Hill. Like, it's. It's crazy. It's crazy amount of strong year.

[Marty]

Yeah. Yeah. Having two. Having two, four, five is going to

[Dan]

be insane when they trade for McDavid this year. Yeah. Come on. Holy. Oh, it's unbelievable.

[Marty]

Well, listen, Cabs dead or what? What do you think?

[Dr. Watkins]

I don't know. I think. I think the Canes are rolling pretty good now. I Think it's. It's a tough one to come back against that.

[Marty]

I've been trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. Like every time this comes up I'm like, the habs are. To get one. There's too much.

[Dan]

But they're scrappy. I know they're scrappy.

[Marty]

They hang around.

[Dan]

It's like I. Another sub 20 shot performance. I think that I just saw a stat before I closed my laptop. This is the. It's the least amount of shots over a three game span in NHL Stanley cup playoff history. They look. I don't want to say beaten down. They just look gassed. Yep. And Carolina feels like they are coming into their own.

[Dr. Watkins]

They played twice as many games.

[Dan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dr. Watkins]

That's a real thing.

[Dan]

It's a very real thing.

[Marty]

That's a factor.

[Dan]

I think it feels like Carolina's got it. It feels like they have. They are close to busting the ghost. They are close to completing the stream cross and taking care of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. And I am. I think that they can do it. But I. I do believe Montreal scrappy. I don't think they're going to go down without a fight.

[Marty]

Dude. The man. I can't remember where, but we met these two guys at a meet and greet. An empty nerds meet and greet. Father son from Alabama and they love Hawk.

[Dr. Watkins]

Was it Nick Dowd?

[Marty]

Yes. And his dad? Yeah, it was Nick and his dad. I was like, dude, you got to get out there. And they, they love hockey and they were on a. They're all currently on a mission to see a game at every barn and it's awesome.

[CP Alec Martinez]

That's awesome.

[Dan]

We've like run into them a few times.

[Marty]

Yeah. And they're like, they're.

[Dr. Watkins]

How far are they?

[Marty]

I think half.

[Dan]

Oh, over now.

[Marty]

Yeah. But like they're Hawking dude. In the same. They like and they pick sick games or whatever. They have game six Bell center tickets. So I gotta take the five to get the Bama Boys.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Marty]

A playoff game at the Bell Center. That's because that would be numbies.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah.

[Dan]

That would be.

[Dr. Watkins]

That's just people helping people. Just for good thing. Yeah. Root for good things.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Get that. Get that message to the Habs right now. Maybe they'll give him some motivation. Score a little more. Just shoot a little more.

[Marty]

Right.

[Dan]

Shoot.

[Dr. Watkins]

All right, boys, hear me out. There's two guys from Alabama.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah. We know you wanted to win before,

[Dan]

but Marty Krieg was like this. All right, boys.

[Marty]

I got.

[Dan]

I got CP on the floor.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Like, what the.

[Marty]

Yeah, exactly.

[Dr. Watkins]

You think I'm. I'm going to do Wolf of Wall Street? Actually, there's two guys from Bama. Yeah.

[Dan]

Two guys from B. I'll tell you what.

[Marty]

But if they fucking come back and win this series, the Bama boys are going to every fucking game of the Stanley cup final, I promise you. Now they know for the price of

[Dr. Watkins]

on the house, they're lighting the torch in the final.

[Dan]

Yeah,

[Dr. Watkins]

you gotta get a second torch.

[Marty]

Absolutely correct. That is awesome.

[CP Alec Martinez]

I don't think they know any French. I'm willing to bet I don't know any French.

[Dan]

Hey, before we wrap up, Ev, congrats to you as well. Yep. Evgeny Malkin.

[CP Alec Martinez]

I am score.

[Dan]

He's.

[Marty]

What do you score?

[Dan]

It was really funny, you know, he

[Marty]

says he's like, I come back one more year.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah, no, it's cool. And apparently he's got like a crazy bonus situation where he does. If they make the.

[Dan]

I think you can make up to nine mil.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah. He makes like a million dollars if they make the playoffs. And for every round of, like, you know, half.

[Marty]

Does that not hit the cap?

[Dr. Watkins]

Is that how that it does the following year?

[Marty]

Oh, interesting.

[Dr. Watkins]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Yeah. Okay.

[Marty]

So, yeah, I mean, dude, that's how they should have done it. I actually thought 5.5 was a little more than I thought.

[Dr. Watkins]

But you can only get those if you're after or if you're older than 35.

[Marty]

Oh, cool.

[CP Alec Martinez]

It's the weird thing about being a Penguins fan right now is it's kind of like. It's like, you know when you, like, go to the sphere and you're like, hey, we're gonna watch the Eagles do like all their greatest hits.

[Marty]

Yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

I think that's what like, going to a Penguins game is going to be like now, where it's like, remember the good old days. They're still here, they're still playing. Guys. Let's just be appreciative that they're still going.

[Marty]

Absolutely.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Because they're not. Seriously, I don't think going to be a contender with this core. They will have a good team, but I think they're just trying to sell tickets and God bless them, because it's. Once those guys are gone, it's gonna be. It's gonna be the dark ages.

[Marty]

I know, but it was weird that they made it this year. Like, they were. They were better.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Yeah, they were unexpectedly.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[CP Alec Martinez]

But still gotta have said fucked over by the flyers.

[Marty]

Yeah, that did. That was unpleasant.

[Dan]

Which you have to ask yourself was it worth it?

[CP Alec Martinez]

No.

[Dr. Watkins]

This is.

[CP Alec Martinez]

I'm telling you, Pittsburgh media people were like, I would rather not make the playoffs than get swept by the. Or not swept, but beat by the fucking Flyers. So. But, yeah, but of course I love Gino. He's a legend. And if those guys want to play until they're 50 years old, whatever, It's. It's great.

[Dan]

That's great.

[Dr. Watkins]

Bring yogurt back.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Bring yogurt.

[Dr. Watkins]

Dude, how deep can we go with this?

[Dan]

Yeah, he would sign, too.

[Marty]

Oh.

[Dan]

If they offered him a contract, he'd be like this. Oh, yeah, tomorrow.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Great.

[Dan]

I bet he would score 30, too.

[Dr. Watkins]

He probably would. Yeah.

[Dan]

30 goals, two assists. Yes. It'd be great. All right, that's it for this episode. Marty, thanks for coming on and driving down here. It's great.

[Marty]

Enters after door.

[Dan]

Enjoy your first night off of playoff hockey since the beginning of playoffs. Yeah, kind of.

[CP Alec Martinez]

Oh, really?

[Dan]

Yeah. No game tomorrow or tonight as you're listening to this. So rest up, get ready for Friday. We'll see you then.

[Marty]

Skate hard.