Team of destiny? I haven't seen any of the games but it seems like Detroit is taking it to the Pens in this series, and here I thought the pens had an edge. Especially in the goaltending department.Quote:
Originally Posted by r'aggro
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Team of destiny? I haven't seen any of the games but it seems like Detroit is taking it to the Pens in this series, and here I thought the pens had an edge. Especially in the goaltending department.Quote:
Originally Posted by r'aggro
This could easily be over in 4. Two straight shutouts and the Pens O is seriously lacking. The Wings are barely letting them take any shots at all.
Gonna have to agree on 5 tho. I think Sid will have 1 good game and pull out a 1 point victory in game 3 or 4, but then the Wings will put the Pens away.
Haven't seen any of the games either (shakes his fist at the NHL coverage gods) but now they'll all be on NBC from here on out I think.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nabby
Have checked up on the scores on the internet everyday and watched ESPN's highlights.
The stats have the Pens getting outshot quite badly.
After the 1st game, a few of the commentators were declaring that the Pen's were in a lot of trouble. They called game #2 a "must win" game. Which I found a little ridiculous.
The Pen's are in tough shape now... but I'd hardly declare them "out". I have seen a lot of series where a team is down 2-0 in the series and have come back to win it or at least make it interesting. And the Pen's are headed home... and that counts for something.
If I were to lay money down on the series at this very moment... It'd be on the Wings. But I hardly think that the series is over at this point. The Pen's could very well win both games and make the series a best out of three event.
Another thing... when a team gets whipped like the Pens have the last two games, one of two things happens:
1. They are thouroughly demoralized and get whipped in short order for the rest of the series..
2. They get pissed off and come back with a vengence.
I wouldn't write off either possibility from happening.
You're right. The pens didn't get here by luck, they worked hard, much like the Wings did. However, the west was the stronger of the two conferences throughout the regular season. Again, I'm just merely pointing at stats.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spank_Me_Hard
As for NHL playoffs in general. I heard this once before, it doesn't get interesting until a team loses at home. If the pens manage to pull off 2 wins at home then it is anyone's series.
Big if. Not only is their Jersey-style trap not working against the Wings, (it worked great against Philly) but they are looking smothered and ineffective on offense. The Pens have a few things to figure out and they'd better do it soon.
Malkin looks like half the player he was two weeks ago, and the rest are taking dumb penalties out of sheer frustration. Kronwall is one of my new favorite players btw! Love that guy.
It's kind of silly on one hand to declare any one game more important that the other, but to me games 3 and 4 are *maybe* the most pivotal in any series.
Game three will do anything from put you on the brink of elimination to putting you back in the series to putting the other team on the brink of elimination.
Game four will do anything from finish your season to tying up a series to finishing the opponent team's season.
These next two games... in Pittsburgh... will really be the two that define/close/shape the series.
Coming back from 2-0... especially when coming back home is still entirely in the realm of being possible. But it is "now or never" for Pittsburgh. They have dug themselves a hole.
*Edit*
Just two years ago when my Oilers made a run for the Cup, they were down 2-0 in two seperate series.
The first was against San Jose. They dropped the first two in San Jose. They went on to win the next four straight and knock off the Sharks. EVERYBODY but the Edmonton fans had written them off at that point. I hadn't. And it was validated in the end.
The second was against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes. Edmonton dropped the first two in Carolina (and they literally gave away the 1st game... initially beating Caroline quite soundly in that game), came back to Edmonton winning one and losing the other. Down 3-1 in the series with their starting goalie out, they clawed back in with an overtime win in Carolina and a literal beatdown of the 'Canes in game 6 in Edmonton. They went to game #7 in Carolina with momentum on their side and a much younger team (Carolina was a much older team who took a physical POUNDING the game previous). They ended up losing with Carolina scoring a clinching goal at the end of the game to make it 3-1 (Edmonton was close to scoring a few times when they were down 2-1).
Point is... twice that year Edmonton came back from 2-0 deficits in their series. one to win and the other to make a run at it.
And BTW... Edmonton... a team well reknown for their emphasis on team speed... played a untypical (for them) left wing lock (a form of the trap) against the Wings that beat them in that series.
WOW!
Wadda game!
INTENSE!
I didn't see the 1st two games, but this one seems to be what everybody has been expecting.
I thought that Franzen was a BEAST! Geez... no wonder that he's been lighting up the lamp in the playoffs... He looks better than Zetterburg or Datsyuk.
And there were times that game where Pittsburgh was all over Detroit like ulgy on an ape. And visa versa.
Pittsburgh needs to come out with that same intensity next game... and if they do, it's a new series gentlemen.
What great hockey that was...
Maltby... I can't stand that puss either.
Anyone else notice that towards the end of the game the speed dropped significantly? Both teams were beat. Good game though.
With the Wings winning today in Pittsburgh, I think they have it locked up. Pens won't beat them in Detroit.
sydney is a major cry baby...glad we dont haft to see him too ofton...ya im a little messed up as i type this go wings
Yea... I think that NOW it's a done deal...
Still... "crazy" has happened before...
I respect the wings because they are good but I don't like them because they're like the Yankees of hockey. Just bugs me is all.Quote:
Originally Posted by Recon
And congratulations to Wings fans for you have another cup under your belts.
Pens showing some guts and hanging in there. I still predict a cup for the Wings, but it's nice to see Pittsburgh represent the East with some spine.
WHOA!
I didn't watch the game yesterday because I was sure that Detroit would win and would be toting around the Cup which I didn't want to see (it'd sicken me).
Lesson learned... I should have tuned in.
Pitt showed some intestinal fortitude, and didn't give up. Fleury stood on his head and gave the Pen's a chance to win.
Game 5 was going to be the toughest game for the Pen's to win I think, and they answered the bell...
Now the game goes back to Pittsburgh with momentum, and confidence on their side.
I predict (now... my new prediction... LOL!) that this series goes to seven... with the winner unknown (could go either way at that point).
I'm cursing myself for assuming and having had missed it.
Multi-overtime games FTW. I love watching how line strategies change to account for attrition, and how you can see the players digging in deep despite the fatigue. The Pens' youth won the day for them.
And if the series drags on... that same youth very well may give them an advantage.Quote:
Originally Posted by r'aggro
youth and the officiating
per betmans request im sure
And so it ends. I''ll admit it was easy to picture Detroit winning for pretty much the whole season, but to their credit they didn't choke and played their game well. Outclassed, Pittsburgh was. /yoda
Pens fans can be confident knowing that they will keep getting better with such a young core of superstars, and most importantly that Fleury finally looks like a real nhl goaltender. He really came into his own over the last few months, and was good enough to prove he could play at a high level in the playoffs. They'll be back, unfortunately. We'll see if they can keep guys like Ryan Malone around, although I doubt they can afford to keep Hossa.
Not to say it wasn't expected but Im not happy at all about the Wings winning. Damn it.
Crappy Wings. Former "New York Yankees" of hockey getting another championship... UGH!
No more hockey till October. That sux. And having to deal with the Wings being champs again. It's unbearable.
At the very least, Detriot fans didn't get the satisfaction of getting to celebrate the Cup being won In Joe Louis arena. I would have barfed.
I will say though... that Detriot did deserve to win.
I was disgusted by the officiating though. The commentators mentioned one case (interference). There was also a highstick that occured right in front of the refs that wasn't called. That was not Detriot's fault though.
I agree with r'aggro... Pitt has a bright future. The real key will be affording those players.
I say congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings, who had to overcome both their opponent on the ice, and the NHL and its referees, which clearly meant for Pittsburgh to win, based upon the favoritism they seem to receive throughout the playoffs. Nice try Mr. Bettman, but not quite good enough.
Go Wings! LOL :)
Even if at one time the wings were the Yankee's of hockey in the salary cap age thats no longer true, in fact they are FAR from the cap.
They won it, they have the best team, the most balanced team.
Offense is pretty but Defense wins championships!
and yes screw bettman and the officiating, that last penalty with 1:53 left or so had me screaming and swearing so much my dogs ran away from me.
Yea. Agreed. Hence my word "former". But I still harbour resentment from those days. Hockey was in a VERY bad place then... and Detriot took full advantage of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Recon
Most of those players are still around, and Detroit keeps them around by being a great team environment.
All the players say the love the illiches and have never played for better owners, its clear that the illiches actually care for the team AND the players.