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The 2008 Stanley Cup Playoff Thread
- Thread starter hippiesandwich
- Start date
So you guys wanna whine about the referees......I wanna know when the heck the refs are going to start calling the RW's for having seven men on the ice. It's obvious to me they have more guys on the ice than the Pens do. Everywhere you look is a red jersey on the ice. We can't even get over their blue line.
Where was I whining? Calling a spade a spade, yes. If I think the wings benefit from a bogus call, I'll mention it as well.
You're hitting the nail on the head - their positional awareness (with the exception of Lilja) is phenomenal (and even Lilja gets it right half the time). When you can see the play beginning to develop, it gives you a HUGE advantage. We have it easy with the overhead view, and my wife and others comment often about how I can see things develop, but to read it from ice level like the Wings D have been is far more difficult, and, imho, you either have to have played the sport or watched one heck of a lot of hockey to fully appreciate it.
Again, a good analysis of a beat writer. There are very few I give any credence to. Most of the time I want to reach through my screen and smack the writers for the Freep and the Detroit News when I read them. John Buccigross is my favorite hockey writer, but I admit to bias since he used my caption in a recent colum on espn for the pic of Chris Drury (I had the Kerry Fraser hair gel comment). Keith Gave (ex Detroit, then Dallas) was particularly annoying.
I agree that Malkin is being shut down, but the comments made me think of Fedorov in the mid 90s - Slava Fetisov actually gave him a pair of his old shoulder pads and showed him that he actually could survive a hit. Sergei went from playoff wuss to integral cog for the 97 and 98 playoff runs. He just didn't "get it" as far as the cup playoffs go. I think Malkin is in a similar situation, but there is no real veteran presence to tell him to play like he's got a pair like Fedorov had.
The Isles team won 4 cups in a row rather convincingly. I don't consider Crosby to be the next Gretzky either, except in terms of marketing value. As I said previously, if the Pens can keep the roster together, things will be scary for the rest of the league. Though the more I think about it, the Wings roster is pretty well locked down for a few years. Drake is the only one I expect to retire. Chelios won't be around forever, but we've got some young prospects (Kyle Quincey, Ericsson) to fill in as well as replace Lilja. If they sign Brad Stuart (and the rumblings are they will since he's apparently willing to sign for less to stay in Detroit) they've got a rock solid top 4.
I'll chalk that up to partisanship. The cameras are pretty good at catching shenanigans from both sides even if the refs don't get it. Plus, some commentators will bring it up. Keith Jones has NO love for the Wings (as an ex Avalanche player) and Barry Melrose (thought he'd earned the Detroit coaching job but was passed over for Scotty Bowman) has had an axe to grind for years now. I freely admit to having a huge Red Wings bias, but first and foremost I'm a hockey fan, and I don't want to lose cheaply, but more importantly, I don't want to win cheaply either. The Stanley Cup is a trophy that has a tradition of honor that should not be tarnished by such things (bad enough that a franchise like Anaheim and a d-bag like Pronger got his name on it, but that's a rant for a different time and place, and I was glad to see Selanne and Neidermayer get it, though I lost my respect for both of them after what they pulled this year.)
I honestly respect that, and am glad to see it. I suffered through some VERY poor years as a Wings fan in the early-mid 80's during the "dead things" era.
Agreed. I did feel like the wings were starting to go for the "cute" goal when they actually did press on their power plays in game 2, but more often I felt they were just playing "keep away" with the puck. Malone imho has been the best player for the Pens overall as far as playing "his" game. Fleury has been better than I expected, and he's gotten a piece of most of the Wings' shots that ended up going in.
Dead on. Even a mediocre goalie SHOULD be able to stop what he can see coming.
Again dead on. The Wings learned that lesson in the second half of the Dallas series, which they needed. The Pens really didn't face any adversity in their playoff run until now, so they're really under the gun in many ways.
Um... they are at home for games three and four
Seriously, you're 3 for 3 on your analysis. As of now you need to stop putting yourself down as a newbie or using it as a possible excuse. You may be somewhat inexperienced at hockey analysis, but you're seriously doing a great job. Keep it up and you'll keep my respect as a fellow hockey fan - it's been a pleasure chatting it up with you, and I don't say that lightly after dealing with a lot of idiots over the years. Take that as the high compliment it's intended to be.I'm looking forward to a great game 3 tonight, unfortunately I have church choir and praise band rehearsal. I'm sorely tempted to let the other bass player play this week so I can skip out of praise band practice and watch the game, but the Wings are undefeated this season when I've missed watching the game for a praise band related function (8-0) so I'm seriously torn whether or not to go.
As for the whining comment. I was only poking fun at you guys. It's all good.
Hey man, thanks for the kind words. I'm trying to fit in with you guys who have been serious hockey fans for years. I know football like you guys know hockey, so it is going to take some time to see the game like you do. I'll be honest, I am not a fan of hockey overall like you are yet. I'm sure I'll get to that point eventually. I'm thankful guys like you are willing to answer my questions and provide another perspective on the game that I may not be seeing. Thank you to you as well for being cool with me, and not ripping me when I make an incorrect observation.
I have put off a couple projects around the house during the finals, and cancelled going to someones house for dinner tonight and to a movie Friday night so I can watch the games. I am eternally grateful to my wife for being cool about it.
Game three in 11 hours!! I'm already starting to get excited for the game. I think we'll come out and get our offense going tonight. Maybe we can actually make Osgood work a whole game. I swore I saw him and that extra Detroit player standing by the goal drinking coffee a couple times during game two.
-Mike
From my perspective as a hockey fan with no particular allegiance to either team, it appeared that the Pens--or at least two of their players--were taking deliberate cheap shots to the head of a player known to be suffering from concussion-like symptoms. I'm a huge fan of physical play, there is no place for that in the game.
That said, I thought that the press coverage of that play was surprisingly mild considering that blows to the head were supposedly a point of emphasis this season.
As for the whining comment. I was only poking fun at you guys. It's all good.
I know, hence my smiley in the reply
Just giving it back.Just keep watching, read up on the game. The Hockey News (Link Removed) is pretty good, but for highlights, etc. TSN is the best hands down (www.tsn.ca/nhl). It's the Canadian version of ESPN and they do hockey right, imho.
I remember when I got into the sport, my dad and others took the time to show me what to watch for, how to see the play develop, etc. and I remember that. Plus, I'm a teacher by trade, so I guess it comes naturally to me. If I see someone who has a legitimate interest in hockey, and isn't blinded by partisanship for their team, I'm more than happy to dialog with them.
Nice to hear the wife is cool about it. Mine has been as well.
Game three in 11 hours!! I'm already starting to get excited for the game. I think we'll come out and get our offense going tonight. Maybe we can actually make Osgood work a whole game. I swore I saw him and that extra Detroit player standing by the goal drinking coffee a couple times during game two.
That almost made me spray coffee on my monitor - not cool when you're drinking Starbucks Arabian Mocha Sanani - it's too expensive to waste like that, lol (a former student worked at Starbucks during college this year, he brought me 5 lbs of it when he came back for my spring choir concert where I have alumni join the choir for the encore).
I expect the Pens to be buzzing, and the crowd to be electric. They NEED to get the first goal and play with the lead. If Detroit draws first blood and shuts the crowd up, it's going to be a rough night. My concern is what I've seen in the first three series. The wings build a series lead and then seem to let off the gas and think the other team will just capitulate. Maybe it's not so sportsmanlike, but imho if you've got the opponent down and your foot on their throat, you stomp and stomp hard. (or maybe all of those annoying commercials for the Faber-Pulver featherweight WEC fight on June 1st they were bombarding us with on Versus had some kind of subliminal message
)
It will be interesting to see if have the last change benefits the Penguins. I thought Detroit did an absolutely masterful job in game 2 of getting the matchups it wanted, and on those rare occasions where it did not (following an icing, for example), the Penguins showed some spark of offense.
I see your point, and by no means am I condoning Roberts' shot to Franzen, but... it was NOTHING compared to the crap that Pronger has pulled on a regular basis, and the league dropped the ball big time last season, but I really don't want to go on a multi-page Pronger rant since this thread is about the 2008 finals
The league is speaking to the teams per a report from Darren Dreger on TSN - links to the site are in my earlier post.
That is going to be the biggest key for the Pens, though if the Wings continue their dominance of the faceoff circle they'll be able to get their desired matchups on the ice in short order. The last change is one of the subtle things in the sport that many people fail to realize just how important it is to the dynamics of the game. Babcock has always been a master of the matchup, going back to his days as a coach in the minors.
I'm hearing lots of general dissatisfaction today about Ticketmaster's refusal to sell tickets to the game to people with a Michigan billing address. I don't know how it works, but what people are saying is that the Mellon Arena/Pittsburgh Management sets the rules. Here's the disclaimer on their site:
"Mellon Arena is located in Pittsburgh, PA. Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, NJ, DE, VA and the District of Columbia. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside of PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, NJ, DE, VA and the District of Columbia will be canceled without notice and refunds given."
(http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1...atid=9?tm_link=tm_notix_Change_Search_Request)
"Mellon Arena is located in Pittsburgh, PA. Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, NJ, DE, VA and the District of Columbia. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside of PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, NJ, DE, VA and the District of Columbia will be canceled without notice and refunds given."
(http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1...atid=9?tm_link=tm_notix_Change_Search_Request)
Yeah, I do think that is very unsportsmanlike of the Pens management. Especially considering the Wings let about 5000 very quitted Pens fan into the Joe every night. I actually think this kind of thing should be illegal. You should not be denied the right to attend a sporting event based on where you live.
There are other ways to get tix besides ticketmaster - they'll be sold outside the arena most likely. If I didn't have to chaperone my choir trip to Dorney Park on Saturday, I'd use my PA drivers license to buy tix for game 4 and buy an octopus at the fish market that says they won't sell to Pens fans.
Lots of Michigan residents are calling the Michigan Attourney General, Mike Cox.
Invalid Link Removed
I guess the Tampa Bay Bucs did that to the NY Giants once, and NY's Attourney General Andrew Cuomo intervened.
Invalid Link Removed
I guess the Tampa Bay Bucs did that to the NY Giants once, and NY's Attourney General Andrew Cuomo intervened.
Hakan Andersson has done some fantastic work for the Wings. I'm glad his contract got renewed. The office staff of the Wings is truly a marvel, when you think about it. Jim Nill, Jim Devellano, Andersson, Ken Holland, Steve Yzerman, Scotty Bowman... how'd you like to be a fly on the wall during one of their staff meetings? 
Hakan Andersson has done some fantastic work for the Wings. I'm glad his contract got renewed. The office staff of the Wings is truly a marvel, when you think about it. Jim Nill, Jim Devellano, Andersson, Ken Holland, Steve Yzerman, Scotty Bowman... how'd you like to be a fly on the wall during one of their staff meetings?
The beautiful thing is, the Illitches are smart enough to realize what they have and take care of them so they stay. I don't think it'd be much of a stretch to call them the model front office for a hockey franchise.
+1
In regards to Andersson, I believe he just turned 50 this year, so he's certainly got the opportunity to stick around for a lot of years.
While everybody was falling all over each other for Fabian Bruunstrom this year, Andersson went out and signed a Finnish kid... can't think of the name of the top of my head... but it'll be interesting to see how it pans out. Andersson was pretty high on him.
There are other ways to get tix besides ticketmaster - they'll be sold outside the arena most likely. If I didn't have to chaperone my choir trip to Dorney Park on Saturday, I'd use my PA drivers license to buy tix for game 4 and buy an octopus at the fish market that says they won't sell to Pens fans.
Stub Hub should have tickets.
Great, great game! Big nod of approval for Pittsburgh's effort, tonight. Hard-fought, fast-paced, and well-executed on both sides. Crosby had a fantastic individual effort... Fleury made some great saves, as did Osgood... great stuff all around! Good goals by Crosby (x2), Franzen, Hall, and Samuelsson. That's the sort of hockey I love to see!
Well done, Pittsburgh!
My hope is that Holmstrom is okay. I thought that was a pretty rough move on him in the later stages of the game. It was good to see that the referees were at least watching after Homer a little bit, though. Normally you can pretty much decapitate the man, and the refs don't care. Would have liked to have seen the last one called, though.
That said, in the first couple of shifts, Maltby got away with a very, very late hit on a Pittsburgh player... can't recall whom he hit, but it was easily four or five seconds after the player made the pass. Definitely should have been called. I'd like to see a different angle replay on the big hit he dished out near the end of the game... seemed to me like he was up a little higher than he should have been; might have left his feet, which should be called, too. Can't say for sure on that one, though, as the only view I saw, his skates were well obscured by the boards.
As far as Crosby goes, I again thought he played great. I know a lot of people say quite a bit that he's a diver and a whiner and whatnot. I've never really watched him all that much, but from what I've seen in this series, it seems rather unjustified. Keeping in mind that he's not even 21, I say he handles himself very well, at least in the interviews I've paid any attention to. Like a lot of hockey fans, I grow kind of weary of hearing his name all the time, even in games that Pittsburgh's not a part of, but he's clearly a very talented guy.
Can't say I'm too disappointed with the loss. The Wings held in there 'til the end, which is all you can ask for in a losing effort. Great to see Franzen get a very strong goal. And dang it, Samuelsson's making me look bad, here. I warned you guys before the series that he's pretty frustrating to a lot of Wings fans, but he certainly hasn't been in this series.
Seems to me that Lilja has worn out his welcome, again. He actually played pretty good for a few games, but these last two have been awful for him. I'm thinking Chelli will be in for the next one. Rafalski wasn't up to snuff tonight, either, but he's more often than not on his game. Stuart made a great, great play on Crosby early in the game to prevent him from getting a clear breakaway, but then he made a bad play coughing it up in the defensive zone... oddly enough, to Crosby. ... It really wasn't a great night for the Wings' defensemen, but hey, that's what happens when some really talented offensive players are on their game enough to make some really talented defensemen look bad. Full credit to the Pens'.
A couple days off, and we're back to it on Saturday night. No matter the result, if it is as entertaining as tonight's game, I'll be glad. Would like to see the Wings come away with the win, if possible, but if not, well, then we've got ourselves a series, haven't we, fellas?
Well done, Pittsburgh!
My hope is that Holmstrom is okay. I thought that was a pretty rough move on him in the later stages of the game. It was good to see that the referees were at least watching after Homer a little bit, though. Normally you can pretty much decapitate the man, and the refs don't care. Would have liked to have seen the last one called, though.
That said, in the first couple of shifts, Maltby got away with a very, very late hit on a Pittsburgh player... can't recall whom he hit, but it was easily four or five seconds after the player made the pass. Definitely should have been called. I'd like to see a different angle replay on the big hit he dished out near the end of the game... seemed to me like he was up a little higher than he should have been; might have left his feet, which should be called, too. Can't say for sure on that one, though, as the only view I saw, his skates were well obscured by the boards.
As far as Crosby goes, I again thought he played great. I know a lot of people say quite a bit that he's a diver and a whiner and whatnot. I've never really watched him all that much, but from what I've seen in this series, it seems rather unjustified. Keeping in mind that he's not even 21, I say he handles himself very well, at least in the interviews I've paid any attention to. Like a lot of hockey fans, I grow kind of weary of hearing his name all the time, even in games that Pittsburgh's not a part of, but he's clearly a very talented guy.
Can't say I'm too disappointed with the loss. The Wings held in there 'til the end, which is all you can ask for in a losing effort. Great to see Franzen get a very strong goal. And dang it, Samuelsson's making me look bad, here. I warned you guys before the series that he's pretty frustrating to a lot of Wings fans, but he certainly hasn't been in this series.
Seems to me that Lilja has worn out his welcome, again. He actually played pretty good for a few games, but these last two have been awful for him. I'm thinking Chelli will be in for the next one. Rafalski wasn't up to snuff tonight, either, but he's more often than not on his game. Stuart made a great, great play on Crosby early in the game to prevent him from getting a clear breakaway, but then he made a bad play coughing it up in the defensive zone... oddly enough, to Crosby. ... It really wasn't a great night for the Wings' defensemen, but hey, that's what happens when some really talented offensive players are on their game enough to make some really talented defensemen look bad. Full credit to the Pens'.
A couple days off, and we're back to it on Saturday night. No matter the result, if it is as entertaining as tonight's game, I'll be glad. Would like to see the Wings come away with the win, if possible, but if not, well, then we've got ourselves a series, haven't we, fellas?
