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Geez, Philly looks like the three stooges out there. Series over. Still a better season than I could have hoped for.
The pens are such a good puck possession team, they just seem to always be in the right place to intercept the puck and turn the other way. This should allow them to play with the Wings, assuming D can put Dallas away. I still think Detroit is definitely the best team, but that doesn't mean they'll win the cup.
I watched some of the Pens/Philly game last night. I really liked what I saw with the Pens they will definately stand a chance against the big D.
I am wondering if maybe it's even the other way around... if Detroit stands a chance against Pittsburgh.Quote:
Originally Posted by Snakespy
I keep get the feeling that Pittsburgh is a team of destiny this year...
Hatcher and Laraque have been out on the ice many times at the same time in their careers. Even in that series. There has only been a few skirmishes... but Hatcher absolutely will not fight Laraque. And history proves it. I have seen many other players... some not even "fighters" fight Laraque. Hatcher won't do it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nabby
Hockey is a rough sport. You will always find somebody doing something shady. Someone dishing out a slash behind the play or what not. Some of that is to be expected.Quote:
Originally Posted by r'aggro
Like I said... Hatcher is not a cheap shot srtist in the status of Claude Lemieux... but he's still pretty bad. And if you have seen him play your team as much as I have (i.e. for YEARS playing Edmonton in the playoffs) then you'll really notice it. Kind of like how you pointed out Crosby's diving to me.
And Hatcher seems to take a special interest in cheap shotting the other teams star players. I have never seen Hatcher pull a stunt like he does with a guy like Laraque. Nor many players of the bottom calibre. It's usually targeted on the stars. Which makes it just that much more shady.
I think that he still is. And like Laraque said... he is basically a bully. He backs down like a puss when confronted with someone his own size. It doesn't even have to be against Laraque... the day that Hatcher starts fighting people his own size is the day that he gets some level of respect from me. Until then... he only picks fights with people who are smaller.Quote:
It's not really surprising that he won't fight Laraque, though. Laraque was probably the best fighter in the league, and maybe still is.
I wouldn't even waste my breath coming to bat for Laraque here. I'm sure that he's just as guilty as most other players are here.Quote:
He's not above a cheap shot either, especially when he gets frustrated that nobody will fight him. Earlier this year he took an intentional skate-first slide right into Biron for just that reason.
Wings were a well-oiled machine today, as usual. They just do everything right, and even that high powered Pens offense couldn't dent them. I've never had any love for the Wings, but they are a treat to watch and I hate Pittsburgh. Detroit's gonna win this thing in 5.
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