WOW....

55 saves, whitney 50 mins of ice time, malone back the next period after a puck to the face, blowing a 2 goal lead only to tie it in the last minute, triple OT

WOW

It was a nail-biter, for sure!

Cup Crazy in da 'burgh....

oh, and malkin gets a point... finally

That was an awesome game.

That was an awesome game.


Edge-o-seat excitement!


F-L-E-U-R-Y

:D:D:D

That was an awesome game.


Edge-o-seat excitement!


F-L-E-U-R-Y

:D:D:D



Was that in his prime Dominick Haskik or Fleury in there last night? He made some unbelieveable saves. The Red Wings clearly and overwhelmingly out played the Penguins but just couldn't get past Fleury. Can he repeat that performce for two more games?

"The Red Wings clearly and overwhelmingly"


Were you watching a different game than me? Osgood kept the Wings in it just as well. Pens had some awesome shots on goal, as did the red wings. Both teams are amazing in their own right. As a PENS fan for life, I can't say that either team is better or worse, they just play different styles of hockey.

Red Wings are dirty and the Pens play clean. that's the only difference I see.

I say the Pens out played the Red Wings "overwhelmingly" in the first, then most of the second. The Wings "overwhelmingly" out played the Pens in the 3rd, and most of the 4th(1st OT). From then on both teams got good chances splitting the domination(one team for a couple of minutes, then the other), with the wings having more "dead on" chances.

I think this has been one of the best series I have ever seen in my hockey years(baring game 1)...


LET'S GO PENS!!!!!

That could have been the best Goalie performance I have EVER seen! It seemed like it was 5 on 4 most of the night. The pens turnovers were off the charts last night. I am still in shock that Fluery was able to withstand that onslaught.

Malkin did play a little better that game but he is still sucking hard....he must be the new Jagr

....he must be the new Jagr



now THAT'S funny!

That could have been the best Goalie performance I have EVER seen!



Ya think? 55 saves - 24 of them in sudden death!! What an OUTSTANDING game! Keep it up Pens!

Anybody else notice every time the wings fans started their "we want the cup" chant the Pens picked up their game? It was like they were reminded every time their backs were agains the wall...and it was time to set it up.

Hope they keep that up in game 7

....he must be the new Jagr



now THAT'S funny!



Don't be surprised to start hearing rumors about Jagr RE-Joining the Pens next year. As much as I hate how he left I would LOVE to see him back in a Pens Sweater.

....he must be the new Jagr



now THAT'S funny!



Don't be surprised to start hearing rumors about Jagr RE-Joining the Pens next year. As much as I hate how he left I would LOVE to see him back in a Pens Sweater.



So you want the league's biggest whiner & cry-baby back in the 'burg? Look where the Pens are now.....we don't need him!!

Chasing Stanley: Fleury, Talbot buy Sykora time
June 3, 2008

Paul Harris
For Sporting News

DETROIT -- Petr Sykora got the big goal, but he wouldn't have been able to do it without the efforts of Marc-Andre Fleury.

Fleury made 55 saves, including 24 in overtime, to keep his Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals. Sykora then scored a power-play goal 9:57 into the third overtime period to give Pittsburgh a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings and force a Game 6 in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night. Detroit still leads the series three games to two.

Sykora beat Chris Osgood high on the short side with a wrist shot from the right circle.

"It's pretty tiring, what can I say?" said Fleury. "It (the winning goal) was just awesome."

The Penguins' season also would be over now if not for Maxime Talbot. With Pittsburgh down 3-2, Fleury pulled for an extra attacker and the Red Wings' fans standing and cheering in anticipation of a championship, Talbot jammed a puck past Osgood on his second attempt from the side of the net with 34.3 seconds left in regulation.

GAME 5 COVERAGE
Recap: Pens 4, Red Wings 3

Notebook: Gonchar returns just in time

Canadian Press' report card

Fleury huge in Pens' net

Osgood silent after defeat

Cherry fine with Crosby
The 2 1/2 overtime periods were so packed with action that Penguins defenseman Todd Gill had to think for a couple of seconds to remember Talbot's goal. "That feels like three games ago," he said.

Detroit outshot Pittsburgh 58-32 for the game and 24-14 in overtime.

"I thought he (Fleury) played real well. I thought he saw the puck, too, most of the time," said Detroit defenseman and captain Nicklas Lidstrom. "He didn't give up many real bad rebounds. There was a few there but I thought he saw a lot of the shots."

Three Stars

1. Marc-Andre Fleury. He's the reason the Penguins' season is still alive. He made 55 saves, some of them spectacular.

2. Petr Sykora. Got the overtime winner on the power play after struggling for the series' first four games.

3. Maxime Talbot. Saved Pittsburgh's season and denied Detroit the Stanley Cup by tying the game in the final seconds of regulation.

Icy bits

The loss delayed a possible storybook ending for Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski, who was born in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Mich., and grew up in the Detroit area. He signed with the Wings as a free agent last July after spending the first seven seaons of his NHL career with the New Jersey Devils.

Rafalski, though, is accustomed to waiting for the Cup.

"This happened to me in 2000. We lost to Dallas at home in triple overtime, went back in their building and won it," said Rafalski. "It's not the end of the road. It's one game. There's two games left. We get our first chance on Wednesday." . . . Monday's game was the fifth-longest in Stanley Cup Finals history with 49:57 of overtime play. . . . Pittsburgh defenseman Sergei Gonchar didn't play from the middle of the second period until the winning power play in overtime because of back spasms. But he sat on the bench from the thrd period until he went out on the power play and got an assist on the winning goal. . . . With assists on Detroit's two third-period goals, Henrik Zetterberg broke the franchise's single-season playoff point record. He has 25 (12 goals and 13 assists). Sergei Fedorv ('95) and Steve Yzerman ('98) shared the old record of 24. . . . Pittsburgh forward Ryan Malone broke his nose for the fourth time this season, when Gill's slap shot from the point hit him in the face late in the second period. "Keep the streak going," said Malone, who returned to start the third period and played the remainder of the game.

Paul Harris covers the Red Wings for Hockey Weekly of Detroit.

Well look at it this way, If we don't sign Hossa he would be a perfect fit. Look what he did against us this year in the playoffs. I can see him in the slot scoring 50+ goals playing for the Pens. So what if he's a cry baby as long as he can score.

So my buddy from Detroit calls last night before the game and starts trash talking. We dished it out back-&-forth until the puck dropped.

He hasn't replied to any of my text messages since.... :D

I had already heard some of that about Jagr....I have mixed feelings about him coming back. He and Mario are the reasons I am a hockey fan today. Proably more Jagr to start because of his long hair(I'm a long hair)...which is probably one of the big reasons I am a Palumalu fan. Anyway, he can be a great player if things are going good...but a cancer when they are not. Personally I don't see him coming back because he will demand a big salary, and if you're going to give some one a big salary Hossa and Malone deserve it more than bringing back Jagr. Plus Jagr likes to carry the puck, who's going to take a back seat to let him come in and carry it up the ice? On the other side, maybe he's ready to take a more "role player" role and just be a sniper like Sykora...
who knows, but I do know one thing we got 2 more games before we need to start talking about this type of stuff.

LET'S GO PENS!!!

I do know one thing we got 2 more games before we need to start talking about this type of stuff.

LET'S GO PENS!!!



Very True...Very True

So my buddy from Detroit calls last night before the game and starts trash talking. We dished it out back-&-forth until the puck dropped.

He hasn't replied to any of my text messages since.... :D



I wonder why? Maybe because you are the most sarcastic text messenger I know!!! :D

I say the Pens out played the Red Wings "overwhelmingly" in the first, then most of the second. The Wings "overwhelmingly" out played the Pens in the 3rd, and most of the 4th(1st OT). From then on both teams got good chances splitting the domination(one team for a couple of minutes, then the other), with the wings having more "dead on" chances.

I think this has been one of the best series I have ever seen in my hockey years(baring game 1)...


LET'S GO PENS!!!!!


Huh? The Wings had more shots and far more legitimate opportunities in the second period, third period, first overtime, and first nine minutes of the third overtime. The Penguins played Detroit to a draw in terms of pressure and performance in the first period and second overtime, and I'd even say they outplayed Detroit in the second overtime.

Fleury, however, outplayed everybody and was on a ridiculous level every 20 minutes except for the third 20 minutes.

The count down is on....almost time to earn another game.

LET'S GO PENS!!!

The 2 1/2 overtime periods were so packed with action that Penguins defenseman Todd Gill had to think for a couple of seconds to remember Talbot's goal. "That feels like three games ago," he said.


who the [censored] is Todd Gill?

^^^ I was thinking the same thing. But give Paul Harris, writer of article, some slack. It was probably 2am when he wrote it.

Read ME (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Tiger-Woods-ambassador-of-sports-except-for-ho?urn=nhl,85795)

"Our first inclination was to label this as some clever NIKE brainwashing: Convincing one of its biggest brand names to ignore how awesome hockey really is in order to go after the NHL and Reebok. But wouldn't the EA Sports brainwashing counteract that?"

now THATS funny.

http://www.post-gazette.com/penscheercards/Thumbnails/Evolution_thumb.png

I'm in the wrong business....

My boy sold his 4 seats (middle "D" section) for game 4 of the playoffs for 3,000 bones. He paid approximately 600 for them.

he sold two tickets for tonight for 1,100. He kept the other two and is going for free and then some.

WOW.

in one week he's made like 3 g's for doing nothing. setting up two 24hr ebay auctions.

3 hours and counting...

I was wondering what Stanley Cup tickets went for(guess I could of looked on ebay now that I see that). So he sold game 4 for $750 each
game 6 for $550 each? Figured this game would be more expensive....

2 1/2 and counting...

LET'S GO PENS!!!!

Figured this game would be more expensive....



game 4 was a Saturday. That helps with sales. He was a little disappointed with only getting 1100 for two tonight... wish I could say the same.

only I'd have 2200 cuz Im gonna sit in my recliner drinking $2 a piece GOOD Bell's beers and cheer just the same.

I dont even know what else to say besides the ongoing LETS GO PENS! WE WANT THE CUP

<FONT SIZE=7>LET'S GO PENGUINS!!!</font>

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/6458/crosbymalkinzc1.jpg

ANOTHER 5 on 3 down the tubes. at least we got three shots this time.

C'MON YINZS!!! LETS GET IT TOGETHER!

GO PENS!

<FONT SIZE=6>GOAL, MALKIN!!!</font>

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/6458/crosbymalkinzc1.jpg

You gotta know where the puck is, Fleury. As great as he played in game 5, he gave up two very poor goals tonight.

the Detroit Red Wings are absolutely the most dominant hockey team in the NHL. they proved it. Im so glad the Pens made this series as exciting as it was. This sucks the absolute worst, dont get me wrong, but right now I cant help but smile a little bit. The Cup is so much of an iconic trophy and sacred item that, to those that love the game, just knowing a war was waged for an entire season to get to this point is humbling and very inspiring.

There were so many memorable Pens games this season night in and night out. The injuries... The trades... the Winter Classic. The friends that watched so faithfully with me, the "what are yinz doin'" chants, the cheers and screams from the couch, from the barstools, from the Igloo...

As much as it sucks right now to see the Wing Dings raise the cup in the igloo, preseason, I was PRAYING for second round.

Awesome year boys. I had as much fun as yinz did. We'll be back, the Pens are for real.

WOW! what a great finish...
I know that the last two games could have gone either way... Fleury was playing great and huddler kept taking stupid penalties. The pens almost scored at that last second. INTENSE!

quiet a bit of hostility from the fans after detroit won. Great seasons for both teams though...

quiet a bit of hostility from the fans after detroit won.



after it settled down and the initial shock was gone there was clapping and some aaaahs, etc. for Detroit. as much as everyone may not think, hockey fans are a different breed and the Pens fans are no exception. the cup is mesmerizing and respected. if it was the Super Bowl, well lookout. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Meh, there were scattered boos throughout the awards, through the Wings passing of the Cup even. But thats to be expected, there are always some drunks in the crowd. I really wanted to see the Penguins win this one and send it back to Detroit so that Detroit could win it at home... Its always more exciting and emotional to watch the home team win a championship. (note: had the Pens been up 3-2 going into this I'd have been rooting for them to win this game and end it, remember: not a Wings fan speaking here... though I will admit I was kind of pulling for the Wings after those [censored] cheap shots early in the series)

Anyway, the finish was spectacular and the Penguins are definitely for real and a team to watch for the next 4-5 years (who knows what the future will bring, maybe longer).

Oh and as for EA's "brainwashing" gotta remember no matter how little they publicize it, NHL series is their best sports series. Better than Madden, better than NBA Live, better than Tiger Woods (which is number two, in my book).

If the Pens can keep Crosby Malkin and Fluery together, you are talking about a dynasty. I see them winning at least 3 cups, probably 5 or so.

I would put them as the favorite going to next season.

As for the fans booing, they are from Pittsburgh, what else would you expect?

And yes, the NHL series on video games is awesome. I've got about 5 or 6 of them. Now that I'm out of college and have some money actually, I pretty much by the newest one the day it comes out every year.

LET'S GO PENS!!!

Like JoshC said, while it hurts right now, once the initial shock of losing is over, you have to look at this season as a success. I also, to start the season, was hoping to get through round 2.....The Pens did that, so while I am dissapointed right now, it will pass and this season was a good one. Next year we'll be another year wiser, with another year's of experience, and if you believe in the old school train of thought that you have to lose one before you can win one. We are set to make another run at the Cup next year!!!!!!!!!

Sure hope they can keep Malone and Talbot for sure, and hopefully Hossa will see his chances of winning the cup next year and take a little bit of a reduced salary. Letang should be that much better, and if this Golagouski(I know that's not spelled right) is as good as they say. Our D will be that much stronger and more powerful next year.

LET'S GO PENS!!!


but first HERE WE GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!

malkin's best game of the series...

an exciting finish for ReaL. maybe they should have pulled fleury at the 5 min mark. goTTa love the 4 forwards with gonchar lineup.

congraTTs to the wings, best team all year




steelers are going to be ReaLly good this year... if they can survive the hardest schedule in the league, look for them in tampa

I look at it this way...Gretzky lost his first Stanley Cup Finals in 1982-83 season then won 5 Cups in 7 years. So, everyones talking about Sid being the "next one" and history likes to repeat itself. Only time will tell.

Man I just can't figure out if the Wings are just that good, or if we are just playing bad.



They're just that good.....

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/gotcherj/2008RedWings.jpg (http://s214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/gotcherj/?action=view&current=2008RedWings.jpg)

Those guys are good!

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn153/kUrTpOoLe/thread_closed.gif

You'll Never See Me On This Thread Again!!! :( :( :(

Man I just can't figure out if the Wings are just that good, or if we are just playing bad.



They're just that good.....

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/gotcherj/2008RedWings.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket (http://s214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/gotcherj/?action=view�t=2008RedWings.jpg)



Actually they weren't "just that good". We made a series of it, and you can't tell me that the Wings and their fans weren't a little worried when the Pens scored that goal to pull within 1 last night. They were however the better team this series(or at least got the better bounces...how many posts did the Pens hit in the first 3 games?)......but we were not as far off as we looked after game 1.

Congrats to the Wings and their fans. Enjoy it while it lasts....cause dubie dooobie dooooo Beware of the Penguins in 2008-09!

Letang should be that much better, and if this Golagouski(I know that's not spelled right) is as good as they say. Our D will be that much stronger and more powerful next year.



Dont forget about Mark Eaton either. He'll be back.

Man I just can't figure out if the Wings are just that good, or if we are just playing bad.



They're just that good.....

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/gotcherj/2008RedWings.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket (http://s214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/gotcherj/?action=view�t=2008RedWings.jpg)



Actually they weren't "just that good". We made a series of it, and you can't tell me that the Wings and their fans weren't a little worried when the Pens scored that goal to pull within 1 last night.



The stats tell a different story. The Red Wings skated circles around your Penguins just like they skated circles around my Stars. They're just that good.....

Game 6 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030416.HTM)

Game 5 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030415.HTM)

Game 4 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030414.HTM)

Game 3 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030413.HTM)

Game 2 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030412.HTM)

Game 1 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030411.HTM)

Some of you guys talking about next year may not understand the NHL salary cap and how it will affect the team. Twelve Penguins are free agents this summer, including Marian Hossa, who, those covering the Penguins say, is likely to command $7 million per year or more.

10 significant players can test the open market as free agents as early as July 1st. The Pens' three most significant free agents are wingers Hossa and Malone and defender Brooks Orpik. If they don't re-sign in Pittsburgh, each of those three players will get a number of phone calls when the UFA window opens. The Penguins' other unrestricted free agents are forwards Roberts, Pascal Dupuis, Adam Hall, Jarkko Ruutu and Georges Laraque, defenseman Mark Eaton and goalie Ty Conklin.

Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury can also become a restricted free agent if he can't come to a new agreement before July.

Man I just can't figure out if the Wings are just that good, or if we are just playing bad.



They're just that good.....

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/gotcherj/2008RedWings.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket (http://s214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/gotcherj/?action=view�t=2008RedWings.jpg)



Actually they weren't "just that good". We made a series of it, and you can't tell me that the Wings and their fans weren't a little worried when the Pens scored that goal to pull within 1 last night.



The stats tell a different story. The Red Wings skated circles around your Penguins just like they skated circles around my Stars. They're just that good.....

Game 6 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030416.HTM)

Game 5 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030415.HTM)

Game 4 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030414.HTM)

Game 3 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030413.HTM)

Game 2 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030412.HTM)

Game 1 (http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS030411.HTM)



Stats are one way to look at it, but they don't tell the story...they just show numbers.(take when Houston beat the Steelers their first year, the Steelers won the game by the stats, but not the score)The way I look at it is, if a few bounces went our way instead of the red wings way. Things could have been a lot different. Games were close, no matter how many shots the Pens gave up. A lot of those shots recorded weren't actual scoring chances. And a lot of shots the Pens took just missed the net, plus I know of at least 5 or 6 shots that didn't count that were on net, because they hit the post, true scoring chances that beat Osgood just didn't bounce our way. Plus the series fell just 1 game short of going all the way. That shows the Pens were in it all the way till the end. Stats only tell one side of the story IMO.

I still don't care

^^^ then why did you read and post if you dont care?!? Seems odd....

oh and good luck with that Freedom March. LOL.

Yeah, except every night the "scoring chances" statistic was dominantly in Detroit's favor. Give it up, the Pens held their own with some great goaltending but the Wings were pressuring them a hell of a lot more than they were pressuring the Wings.

And shots off the post are frequently off the post because the `tender covered the net leaving only that minute amount of impossible space. If it hits the post it never had a chance. Hell, their second goal last night was perfectly played by Osgood... until it was, you know, hit by Zetterburg's stick. If you're going to take credit away from a goaltender by essentially saying he got lucky those shots hit the post, at least give him credit for where he was unfortunately unlucky and a high shot heading right for him was deflected by an errant teammate's stick held in the air.

because the `tender covered the net leaving only that minute amount of impossible space.



Do you honestly believe that?

^^^ yes, and you should too. If you've played hockey you know post shots happen ALOT because there is no other angle and you have to tuck it as close as possible to have a chance.

the pens got dominated. The games were close in score, well at least the last 4, but never in gameplay.

Sad but true.

I agree with the fact that some odd and (depending on which team you are rooting for) unlucky bounces do change the scores and outcomes of a game, of which may not show what team is truly playing like. I feel that the bounces, as a winger fan, were almost always in favor of the Pens. I dont know if this was because I only saw the games as the Pens being consistanly outplayed by the Red wings, and the only time that wings were scored on was a result of a unlucky bounce, or if the Red Wings truly were always getting lucky with their bounces and then having them result in goals. I find it hard to believe that the overwhelming difference in shots on goal was simply the result of luck. And although I am trying to place my feet in an eskimos booties from the igloo, i just cant seem to actually think more bounces were in favor of the Wings.

I will not lie that the games following the first two could easily have gone either way, based on bounces, and the chances both teams got, but I felt that wings controlled all the games, and the only way the Pens stayed in it was by the lucky bounces they got, the great goaltending by Fleury, and the penalties taken by Hudler, of which, could not have happened at any worse of times. I also am not denying the fact that Detroit got lucky on the third goal, althought I am sure most Wings fans were happy we finally got a lucky one.


Oh, and by the way, as a goalie myself, I do feel that the smallest of differences in the angles of where the shots have to be taken really do effect wether the puck goes off the post or in. I am a smaller goalie, 5'6" or so, and play a more conservative style, because my stride is shorter it is harder for me to get back to the post as I move further out. More of the shots will go off the post in a game for me than other larger goalies that can move out to get a better angle. But the goalie shouldnt be considered lucky if the post stopped the shot, because the goalie has done his job and gave the shooter the bad angle shot, and didnt let him put the puck IN THE BACK OF THE NET.

Or it could be that the net was open and the shooter just missed his target by an inch.....

From: http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=420097


<font size=4>Key contract decisions loom for Penguins</font>
June 5, 2008

Canadian Press

PITTSBURGH (CP) -- It seems hardly fair, but it's the Stanley Cup runners-up that have the offseason from hell. The NHL champions are pretty much all set for next season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins face many questions as they try to keep together a core that was the class of the Eastern Conference this season.

"Yes, it's going to be a challenge for (GM) Ray Shero to keep our team together," part-owner Mario Lemieux said.

Star winger Marian Hossa, who had a strong Stanley Cup Finals, can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Will he take less money to stay on Sidney Crosby's wing or will he cash in as the marquee name on a lukewarm free-agent market this summer?

Other unrestricted free agents include forwards Ryan Malone, Pascal Dupuis, Adam Hall, Georges Laraque, Gary Roberts and Jarkko Ruutu and defenseman Brooks Orpik. Malone, who had a breakthrough season, might fetch up to $4.5 million on the open market. But does the Pittsburgh native want to stay home and take less?

Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, meanwhile, is a restricted free agent and will need a big raise on the $1.6 million he was paid this season while blossoming into a franchise netminder. The Penguins need to make Fleury the first priority. Given the lackluster market for unrestricted free-agent goalies, Cristobal Huet and Jose Theodore aside, Fleury, 23, is a prime target for an offer sheet July 1 if he isn't signed by then. Especially since Huet and Theodore might re-sign with their respective clubs before July 1.

Center Evgeni Malkin has a year left on his entry-level contract but the Penguins will attempt to sign him to a big extension this summer, just like they did with Crosby last summer. Malkin is looking at anywhere from $8 million to $9.5 million a season. Crosby's deal, which averages out at $8.7 million a year, kicks in next season.

Between all the unrestricted free agents and the deals for Fleury and Malkin, something has to give.

"With the salary cap era now, you have to make choices and make sure you build your team according to the salary cap and make some tough decisions," Lemieux said. "Which I assume we're going to face in the future. With the young talent that we have in Pittsburgh, it's going to be difficult to make it all work."

"But Ray's been great for us since he came here," Lemieux said. "He built this team to give us a chance to win this soon. I'm sure he'll make the right decisions at the right time."

Or it could be that the net was open and the shooter just missed his target by an inch.....


But who is the reason that he had such a minute target to try to hit?

I agree with the fact that some odd and (depending on which team you are rooting for) unlucky bounces do change the scores and outcomes of a game, of which may not show what team is truly playing like. I feel that the bounces, as a winger fan, were almost always in favor of the Pens. I dont know if this was because I only saw the games as the Pens being consistanly outplayed by the Red wings, and the only time that wings were scored on was a result of a unlucky bounce, or if the Red Wings truly were always getting lucky with their bounces and then having them result in goals. I find it hard to believe that the overwhelming difference in shots on goal was simply the result of luck. And although I am trying to place my feet in an eskimos booties from the igloo, i just cant seem to actually think more bounces were in favor of the Wings.

I will not lie that the games following the first two could easily have gone either way, based on bounces, and the chances both teams got, but I felt that wings controlled all the games, and the only way the Pens stayed in it was by the lucky bounces they got, the great goaltending by Fleury, and the penalties taken by Hudler, of which, could not have happened at any worse of times. I also am not denying the fact that Detroit got lucky on the third goal, althought I am sure most Wings fans were happy we finally got a lucky one.


Oh, and by the way, as a goalie myself, I do feel that the smallest of differences in the angles of where the shots have to be taken really do effect wether the puck goes off the post or in. I am a smaller goalie, 5'6" or so, and play a more conservative style, because my stride is shorter it is harder for me to get back to the post as I move further out. More of the shots will go off the post in a game for me than other larger goalies that can move out to get a better angle. But the goalie shouldnt be considered lucky if the post stopped the shot, because the goalie has done his job and gave the shooter the bad angle shot, and didnt let him put the puck IN THE BACK OF THE NET.


Thats the thing right there. They did get more bounces, I believe... but they got those bounces because they were pressuring constantly. When you're constantly pressuring the oppositions zone you're going to see more bounces roll your way because of the fact that there are more opportunities for those bounces to happen. You can't get a lucky bounce if you're not in the other team's zone.

Or it could be that the net was open and the shooter just missed his target by an inch.....


But who is the reason that he had such a minute target to try to hit?



I'm sure we could go on and on here...Me being a former skater...and you being a former goalie....You goalies are a different bread :D:p

Is that a SOur Dough.

Nice series Pens but the better team won. You better start lookn at your team for next year or it might be a RePeAt because were still Salad

I still don't care

Me neither. :D

From: http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/10855159


<font size=5> Penguins will not be same squad after this run for the Cup</font>
June 5, 2008
By Wes Goldstein
CBSSports.com Staff Writer

Call it the price of success under the NHL's current economic system, and a double-edged sword for a talented team like Pittsburgh. While the Penguins were on a great run through to the Finals, several of their pending free agents played well enough to increase their market value significantly. And general manager Ray Shero has to deal with that while looking ahead to the summer of 2009 when the contracts of MVP candidate Malkin and Jordan Staal expire.

"It's going to be a challenge for Ray to keep our team together," Penguins owner Mario Lemieux said. "With the salary cap, it's going to be difficult to make it all work. You have to make choices, tough decisions which I assume we're going to face."

Pretty soon, too.

Of the Penguins' nine unrestricted free agents, three -- forwards Marian Hossa and Ryan Malone and defenseman Brooks Orpik -- have probably priced themselves out of the Penguins' range with exceptional playoffs.

Hossa developed a tremendous chemistry with Crosby and had the best post season of his career, should command a salary of $8 million to $9 million a season. Malone, the Pittsburgh native who went down to block shots in Game 5 with cotton stuffed in the nose he broke for a second time a few moments earlier could be looking at a salary of up to $5 million a season. Orpik, the punishing defenseman whose string of body blows late in Game 3 helped create Pittsburgh's first victory of the Finals, should be in the same neighborhood.

Shero might be able to bring one of them back to help keep the Penguins moving forward as rapidly as they have been. But the team won't move into its new money-making arena for another couple of years, so he'll have to strike a balance between budget and levels of success the team can afford. Shero also has to decide which of the older role players he wants and at what price. That list includes forwards Pascal Dupuis, Adam Hall, Jarkko Ruutu, Gary Roberts, Georges Laraque and backup goalie Ty Conklin.

"We've got a great group; it's tough," Crosby said.

Or it could be that the net was open and the shooter just missed his target by an inch.....


But who is the reason that he had such a minute target to try to hit?



I'm sure we could go on and on here...Me being a former skater...and you being a former goalie....You goalies are a different bread :D:p


Though I've only done it playing street, which is a completely different breed of game.

Yeah, I only played inline as well....not a lot of ice around here. We did go to nationals in San Diego one year though....

Ok so the sting from not winning the Cup is wearing off a little....now it's time to start talking free agents.

Hopefully it won't come to this, but if it does....and you can only pick 2, which 2? Hossa, Fluery, Orpik, Malone??

I say you gotta keep Fluery with out a doubt(need to sign him before the offer sheets start coming in I think). The other is a hard pick, but with the way Malone played this last year I gotta go with him, although Orpiks play in the playoffs was steller. Hate to lose Hossa though as well....especially now that the red wings just opened up some cap room with Hasek's retirement. How bad would it be to see him go to the wings!?!?!?!!??!

Hey I found a good use for hockey pucks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxa_64EOmFI



I love how the tool puts his safety goggles on as he's turning off the machine, not while struggling to keep the lid on as the pucks violently bounce around in the blender.

LET'S GO DEVILS!!!

(Jeff, how long do I have to keep this stoopid avatar? I have a reputation to maintain.)



When are you going to pay up?

The Pens have already lost Adam Hall and goalie Ty Conklin to free agency today, and traded Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts to Atlanta over the weekend.

But they re-signed forward Pascal Dupuis, defenseman Mark Eaton, and are reportedly close to a huge contract extension for Malkin, woo-hoo! :cool:

and traded Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts to Atlanta over the weekend.



Tampa Bay... thats also where Adam hall ended up. Barry Melrose is snaking all our players!!!

....he must be the new Jagr



now THAT'S funny!



Don't be surprised to start hearing rumors about Jagr RE-Joining the Pens next year. As much as I hate how he left I would LOVE to see him back in a Pens Sweater.



So did anyone else watch the news last night??? After they got done talking about Malkin's 5 year 8.7million contract extention they starting talking about Jagr.

Here is a quote from the Pittsburgh's Tribune Review.

"Shero, who has never detailed the offer, did not wait on Hossa's decision. He was engaged in talks with several free-agent forwards yesterday - including a surprise phone call to representatives for New York Rangers right wing Jaromir Jagr, who spent his first 11 seasons with the Penguins.

Jagr is a former Penguins captain and their second all-time leading scorer. He is represented by Pat Brisson, who is also Crosby's agent."

I saw that on Sportsbeat last night....Sounded like Stan was shocked!!! Surely they won't pay him 7 mil. a year though????

Come on Orpik and Hossa!!! SIGN!!!!

Canes get Pitkanen!!!

CRAP!!!!!! I HATE THE RED WINGS EVEN MORE NOW!!!!!!

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_575671.html?source=rss&amp;feed=8

our team is falling apart! and Jagr possibly coming back...

this sucks.

and we keep getn stronger. Looks like one and done for the Pens

Just heard we lost Ruutu to Ottawa.

CRAP!!!!!! I HATE THE RED WINGS EVEN MORE NOW!!!!!!

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_575671.html?source=rss&amp;feed=8



what a [censored], his stock has never been higher and he signs a 1-year deal. hope he [censored]s the bed next year and the wings are ousted in the 1st round... next offer - $1mill / yr.

bring in JAGeR... grow back the mulleTT

grow back the mulleTT



That's funny!!!


Looks like one and done for the Pens



I think you have to win one before you can say one and done....

I WAS TALKN ABOUT MAKING IT TO THE FINALS GENIUS.

Don't know many people that brag about being the 1st place loser....

Besides, the Red Wings will probably trade him off at the deadline next year.

signed Orpik... thank god

could have def commanded more elsewhere

Don't know many people that brag about being the 1st place loser....






Obviously you don't pay attention because I'm not a Pens fan and never was. Read sentence before that. We are getn stronger (well let's try to figure this out now).

Pens- Hossa =Weaker (One and done in making the Finals)
Wings + Hossa = Stronger (Lord Stanley's Residences again)

Do you need further schooling?

Juff are all Pens fans this brilliant?

Pens- Hossa =Weaker (One and done in making the Finals)
Wings + Hossa = Stronger (Lord Stanley's Residences again)


not necessarily TTru... how many times did TThe Kid serve hossa an easy goal on a plaTTer? TThe Kid made him look good, just as he'll make the next winger look like a potential all-star. his numbers WILL decline next year.

can you imagine TThe Kid seTTing up JAGeR? oh... my...god

Obviously you don't pay attention because I'm not a Pens fan and never was. Read sentence before that. We are getn stronger (well let's try to figure this out now).

Pens- Hossa =Weaker (One and done in making the Finals)
Wings + Hossa = Stronger (Lord Stanley's Residences again)

Do you need further schooling?

Juff are all Pens fans this brilliant?



Oh, I know what kind of fan you are...I watch you only post after your team won...When they lost those couple of games, you disappeared. Some fan.....

Hey smart guy....Just because they signed hossa doesn't mean they are getting stronger....bringing in star power doesn't always equal wins, just look at the Rangers the past few years. Biggest spenders, but until this last year it didn't even get them in the playoffs. New stars on a team can upset the balance just as easily as it can pump it up.

Must be a detriot fan thing....cause I have never heard anyone say 1 and done to the losing team in the finals of any sport...only when the winners don't come back and win the next year. Which is what will happen to the red wings.

OH, wait, I get it, your talking about 1 and done with losing in the finals!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Meaning <u>The Pens are going to win next year</u>....Thanks, I think so tooooooooooo!!!

[QUOTE]


can you imagine TThe Kid seTTing up JAGeR? oh... my...god


Guess you have to get excited about something

Warlock-
Here's my post after our first defeat

Nice to finally see the Pens play with some Passion, might actually make it a good series


so I ran and hid get your facts straight Buzz

Hey Buzz- How about we put a bill on who goes further next year?

Well he's something for your depression

Malkin agrees to five-year extension

Wow I just noticed Hossa had a +/- of -14.

CRAP!!!!!! I HATE THE RED WINGS EVEN MORE NOW!!!!!!

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_575671.html?source=rss&amp;feed=8



what a [censored], his stock has never been higher and he signs a 1-year deal. hope he [censored]s the bed next year and the wings are ousted in the 1st round... next offer - $1mill / yr.

bring in JAGeR... grow back the mulleTT



You mean he signed a 1 year deal 2 be the second highest paid player on the best team in the NHL!!! He and the Wings will win another cup next year then he will sign a multi year deal with the wings and they will DOMINATE the NHL and the PENNS for years to come......Dont hate!!!

Happy Birthday Sid (http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=379434&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;service=page)

http://i16.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/ce/bf/af38_1.JPG

YES HAPPY BIRTHDAY SID!

My most valuables have his name on it.

I'm pumped for the season to get going!!

The Canes open pre-season up next Wednesday and the regular season is just a few weeks away.

I really think this is Pittsburgh's year and think they will win the cup. However, hockey may be the toughest sport to pick a champion pre-season.

I was waiting for this thread. I'm friggin' amped too!!! With the Pens making it to the cup last year the off season was so short it was practically nonexistent.

oh.... [veiled physical threat] MTL, I SWEAR TO THE POWERS THAT BE, IF YOU CURSED MY PENS WITH ALL THAT PREDICTION TALK THERE WILL BE NO END TO THE WRATH THAT WILL ENCOMPASS YOUR ENTIRE BEING!!!!!!!! [/veiled physical threat] :eek:

GO PENS N'AT!

LET'S GO PENS!!!!

Go Sharks! Although I'm pretty sure they'll lose in the first round of the playoffs...again.

Can we really imagine that the Wings will not win it again? Sadly, I can't. :( Although I do see a burgeoning cross-conference rivalry between the Pens and Wings after the cheap hockey they played in the Stanley Cup after they realized they were over-matched. It kinda sucked, I really enjoyed watching Pittsburgh and wanted them to win before that happened.

Well at least my Jackets' rookie team won a game yesterday.

Woj,

actually, one of the games I'm most amped about this year is the Pens/jackets matchup in March. I'm coming to Columbus for that game.

Thu Mar 12, 2009 Penguins Blue Jackets 7:00 PM

cant wait to see Nash skate. He's a beast.

I had to go all the way to Pittsburgh to watch the Penguins win for the first time(after about 4 or so times of going to Dallas to watch them either tie or lose)....reason I bring this up you ask...it was vs. the Blue Jackets. But that was back when 3 rivers was still around, so it's been a while(got to see the Steelers beat the Brownies 17-0 on this trip as well)

Last time there I got to see Carolina spank us the year after they won the Stanley Cup(went to watch KC vs. Steelers). Funny thing, I travel all the way from Texas to Pittsburgh only to sit next to a Canadian guy with a Dallas Cowboy belt buckle....I just can't get away from Cowboy fans even at a hockey game in Pittsburgh?????

I need someone to give me a couple grand so I can go watch the Penguins in Sweden.

Check It Out (http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NHLPage&amp;id=23308) Here.

To who ever donates this money to me will get a free picture of me at the game. I think that would be a fair trade. :D

Looking to get another Fantasy Hockey League together...disc golfers only, free to play and pays out Sun King Disc Sports vouchers to 1st 2nd &amp; 3rd...

YAHOO!
League ID#: 49377
League Name: Lord Of The Rinks
Password: hockeyfan08
Draft Type: Autopick Draft
Max Teams: 12
Scoring Type: Head-to-Head
Max Moves: 40
Max Acquisitions per Week: 3
Max Trades: No maximum
Trade Reject Time: 2
Trade End Date: February 19, 2009
Waiver Time: 2 days
Can't Cut List Provider: Yahoo! Sports
Trade Review: League Votes
Post Draft Players: Follow Waiver Rules
Min Games Played: 3
Weekly Deadline: Daily - Tomorrow
Start Scoring on: Week 1
Roster Positions: C, C, C, LW, LW, LW, RW, RW, RW, D, D, D, D, D, D, G, G, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, IR, IR, IR
Stat Categories: G, A, PIM, SOG, FW, W, GAA, SV%

Depending on how quick we can fill the league will determine when the season starts and type of draft...part of the issue are the games in Europe this weekend.

Thanks,
Mike Barnett

I'm in....


LET'S GO PENS!!!

Pascal Dupuis Goal with :11 left in overtime to beat the Flyers, woo-hoo! :cool:

Malkin was a beast last night. He should have had two goals but they hit the post.

However, Hal Gill needs to stop getting "own goals" against Fleury which has happened twice in the last two games. :(

as a team they played like crap last night and did not deserve to win that game. no cycling, no pressure in teh neutral zone... its like they play to not lose which is quite possibly the worst thing you can do in todays NHL. I'll take the "w" though....

my favorite highlight.... well, see below:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/200810/20081015pdpensa_500.jpg

Godard whooped Cote's arse... Cote had a black-eye already when he sat down in the penalty box!

Good start for the Canes!!!

They skated well against the WINGS but Holmstrom is once again a Force in front of the net- hope injury isn't bad

and Conklin was amazing in net. Great sign for the champs

wow, what a disastrous loss by the Pens last night. With the worst lead in hockey (2 goals) coming into the third the Pens gave up three goals to lose 4-3 to the Capitals. WOW.

btw, I cant do it at work, but if you like hockey fights then look up the Paul Bissonette vs. Matt Bradley fight from last night on hockeyfights.com

Paul definitely knocked Matt out with the first punch although, until replay, it didnt appear that way. Paul then hit Matt three or so more times shattering his nose with the last blow. Pretty intense 10 seconds or so....

Look out for the Blues ... They appear to have their best team in several years!

wow, what a disastrous loss by the Pens last night. With the worst lead in hockey (2 goals) coming into the third the Pens gave up three goals to lose 4-3 to the Capitals. WOW.

btw, I cant do it at work, but if you like hockey fights then look up the Paul Bissonette vs. Matt Bradley fight from last night on hockeyfights.com

Paul definitely knocked Matt out with the first punch although, until replay, it didnt appear that way. Paul then hit Matt three or so more times shattering his nose with the last blow. Pretty intense 10 seconds or so....



Great first 2 periods....but wow, what a blow up. When they scored that second goal I got a bad feeling...then they tied it up and I just knew they were going to take the lead. Come on Pens get it together!!!

That first punch was a blow....but that last one was a sledge hammer on that dudes nose.

Sure wish someone would have taken a run at Olvechkin after all the runs he took(and takes all the time) at Malkin.

Golegoski(sp?) sure looks good, what a offensive blue line we are going to have when Gonchar gets back...Letang, Golegaski, and Gonchar...add to that Whitney when he gets back...WoW!


LET'S GO PENS!!

The good news: CBJ is in the news.
The bad news: Its because their sponsors are giving them less money due to the economy.

:(

Well we've got a home n home against Nashville tonight/tomorrow. Lets see if we can show anything. Winning the first game against Dallas was nice, but going 1-2 on the road trip overall sucked. Getting back for the first home game should be helpful. I hope.

Man O man did Sabo look good last night or what....LET'S GO PENS!!!

Hey MTL, what happen to your Canes last night??? hehe...had to say something.


Pens looked good, finally look like they are starting to find the right line combos...and Jordan Staal was a beast last night.

LET'S GO PENS!!!

1st game ive watched this season, good one to sTarT on... what a 3rd

We should have done an avatar challenge with MTL...a Penguins logo would have looked nice next to all three bajillion of his posts. :D

Didn't see the game but I heard it was a breakdown defensively from the Canes.

It happens.

Penguins are a good team!!

WHOOHOOO....what a comeback last night!!! Way to take the team on your back Staal!!!

Hossa who???

LET'S GO PENS!!!

Canes on a 2 game winning streak!!!

Flyers got a point out of the Hurricanes this afternoon.
They've been 7-0-2 in their last nine - scary.

Jeff,

What the H - E Double Hockey Sticks are you talking about the Flyers for? You should know better!!! That's definitely one month probation from Team Yinzer!!! :mad:

Canes / Penguins Thursday here in Raleigh.


Would do a signature challenge, but Cam Ward is hurt and we have our number 2 in net.....

I'd still do it with Cam Ward in Net. And with us playing the second half of a traveling back to back.

Like the Pens have anyone competent in net with Fleury out.

I'd still do it with Cam Ward in Net.



Cam is hurt. Michael Leighton will be in goal.

MTL - So much for your Stanley Cup winning coach!

Like the Pens have anyone competent in net with Fleury out.


yeah, Sabourin has been awful http://www.runemasterstudios.com/graemlins/images/notallthere.gif

Another 2 goal night for Sykora...thought he was finally going to get his hat trick last night. Guess he'll have to wait a little longer!

LET'S GO PENS!!!
(sure wish they would have pulled out the W vs. stinkin' NYR!!!)

Another 2 goal night for Sykora...thought he was finally going to get his hat trick last night. Guess he'll have to wait a little longer!

LET'S GO PENS!!!
(sure wish they would have pulled out the W vs. stinkin' NYR!!!)



Guess we didn't have to wait that long. What a Beat Down last night! Not only Sykora but Dupuis got the hat trick.

Now its time to go beat on the Flyers!

The cure for what ails you.....just play the Islanders. Man you could tell both of those guys were really wanting that hat-trick.

LET'S GO PENS!!!!! BEAT THE FREAKIN FLYRES SATURDAY!!!!!!

I just got hired to write for a site about the Hurricanes.

Take a look!

http://www.studyofsports.com/?cat=200

Very cool to score a dream gig like this! :cool:Congrads!!

ARGH. Seriously?!

So C-Bus has the NHL's two rookies of the month so far... and one of them is out for the [censored] season now! I was getting optimistic about them hitting their stride and finally making the playoffs. *sigh* We no longer have the NHL's best scoring rookie forward, we're forced to only continue onward with the NHL's best young goalie.


-Chris.
anybody who watched Mason stop 48 of 49 against SJ last week would agree with me

How about those Chicago Blackhawks...it's so great to the team returning to it's glory days after all these years!

Who's pumped to see an NHL game at Wrigley Field? I so wish I was back home for this one...

Hey, right now I'm playing MetroHO - a free online hockey game - and I think all of you fellow hockey nuts should join. In Metro Hockey Organization, you manage your own hockey team by signing and trading players and can join a league with friends to compete in a regular season, and, if you have what it takes, the playoffs. The game is very easy to learn, and, although addictive, does not take up too much time.

KEY FEATURES INCLUDE:
- Line change control
- Shinny games
- Action-packed seasons
- Playoffs
- Arenas/Awards/Endorsements

Best part is that it's free to play!

When you sign up, please use the following link so that I receive referral credit. If I get (5) referrals I'll get a bonus 2nd round draft pick...

http://www.metroho.com?reference=1238

ARGH. Seriously?!

So C-Bus has the NHL's two rookies of the month so far... and one of them is out for the [censored] season now! I was getting optimistic about them hitting their stride and finally making the playoffs. *sigh* We no longer have the NHL's best scoring rookie forward, we're forced to only continue onward with the NHL's best young goalie.


-Chris.
anybody who watched Mason stop 48 of 49 against SJ last week would agree with me


Stevie only has three shutouts since I posted this A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO. Go Jackets!

anybody who watched Mason stop 48 of 49 against SJ last week would agree with me



Mason was a great #2 to Thomas Volkoun in Nashville until Volkoun was lost to Fla in the team gutting , I mean team sale. When Mason was #1 he just could not produce as well. Maybe pressure of being the #1 goalie was too great at the time.

Winter Classic temp expected to be about freezing with 15 mph winds.

anybody who watched Mason stop 48 of 49 against SJ last week would agree with me



Mason was a great #2 to Thomas Volkoun in Nashville until Volkoun was lost to Fla in the team gutting , I mean team sale. When Mason was #1 he just could not produce as well. Maybe pressure of being the #1 goalie was too great at the time.

Winter Classic temp expected to be about freezing with 15 mph winds.


.... What are you talking about? Stevie has never been with anybody but Columbus. He's the likely rookie of the year and a Vezina candidate this right now. He'd never played a professional game at any level before this season.

FINAL DECEMBER STATS: 7-5-0, .950sv%, 1.42gaa siiiiick

My mistake.
I saw 'Mason' and I thought of Chris who is with St Louis now, not Steve in Columbus. Should have looked up the game you spoke of but just reacted to a Mason I thought could have done the 48 / 49 against Sharks, another Western conference team.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=Al...t&amp;type=lgns (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AldYHGkCeFey35q5GNtz94pA2bYF?slug=txrook ieofthemonth&amp;prov=st&amp;type=lgns) - Mason winds up with the Rookie of the Month :) As if it was even close. If they can begin to succeed on the power play, C-Bus is in the playoffs this season for the first time!

Well the Penguins are stinking it up these days but at least they re-signed Jordan Staal (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09008/940438-100.stm).

The Predators scored a goal on themselves last night and the Pens still lost 5 - 3 after the Pens had a 3 - 0 lead in the second.
The amazing news on the Predators side is that after 22 + months off the ice with TWO back surgeries Steve Sullivan is returning to play on Saturday against the Blackhawks. There was a real chance that he was never going to play again.

Well the Penguins are stinking it up these days but at least they re-signed Jordan Staal (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09008/940438-100.stm).



As a major Pens fan, I think this was a major mistake. Why spend that much money on a third line center? Other than his defensive skills what does he bring to the table? He can't shoot a puck to save his life. How many times in a game do you see him or hear the announcer say, "Stall shoots and misses the net."

They should have traded him for a scoring winger!

They should have traded him for a scoring winger!




Still might.....although I'd rather see him stay. He's got the talent, proved that when he scored 25+ his first season. Just needs to get out of his slump.....much like the rest of the Pens team at the moment.

He has actually almost matched his output form last year. So that's a positive......

Justin Williams is soft... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw5RMpVDqxM)

Justin Williams isn't a fighter....what do you expect?

Hey...Hey....the Pens finally get another W!!!! Let's see if they can put 2 in a row together.

LET'S GO PENS!!!
(got my tickets to the Pens @ Stars yesterday...can't wait!!)

ARGH. Seriously?!

So C-Bus has the NHL's two rookies of the month so far... and one of them is out for the [censored] season now! I was getting optimistic about them hitting their stride and finally making the playoffs. *sigh* We no longer have the NHL's best scoring rookie forward, we're forced to only continue onward with the NHL's best young goalie.


-Chris.
anybody who watched Mason stop 48 of 49 against SJ last week would agree with me



after moving to columbus ive tried to get excited about the bluejackets, but being a redwings fan its things like that game on the 6th and the crazy save conklin made against columbus that keeps me a RW fan. let alone the way the rest of the team plays. you could probably just let Datsyuk be the only one to cross the centerline and id still enjoy watching them. ill just wait until detroit plays here to go to another game.

What do you think about the new schedules with more East vs West match ups now that 1/2 half of the regular season is finished? The east coast teams are finally traveling out of their time zone more than in recent years and facing the long flights to LA, Vancouver and Edmonton. West coast teams have been used to 3 time zone difference in game times. I can see the east vs west stats at NHL.COM but what do you East guys think?
How it affects the playoffs is yet to be determined, not playing more games in your division may cut both ways.

In Linda Richman Coffee Talk tradition:
"Discuss"

Well from a purely personal stand point, and being a fan of a team that isn't from the state I live it. It will give me a chance to see the Pens play once a year now, instead of once every few years. Plus if the Pens come to Dallas more often, maybe good tickets for this game won't be so expensive in the future. I paid $134 plus all the extra charges from stubhub for tickets that retail for $90 for the game on March 1st(just got them from the fedex guy yesterday).

As far as the actual scheduling, I always kind of liked the finals being 2 teams that are not very familiar with each other. You get the feeling out process a little more. Not that playing a team twice a year is going to make you a ton more familiar, but it does help I'm sure.

Well the All-Star break is here and if the playoff started today the Pens wouldn't even make it. Sure hope they pull it together through the dog-days of the season. I keep seeing on sportbeat that Gonchar is skating with the team...hopefully getting him back soon will get things going.

LET'S GO PENS!!!!

Warlocks...Even though Gonchar is skating, he's not expected to come back until early March.

How bad do we miss him on the blue line?

WOW another month away....I never heard a return date. Something better start changing quick or when he gets back it will be to late. I knew he was important....just not that important.


Hopefully the all-star break got Sid healthy. Let's Go Pens!!!

BIG win by the PenGs last night... and more good news (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3899894)

time to start winning more than 1 in a row

Great night last night....Hit my second Ace at the mini, then got home just in time to see OT and the Pens beat the Sharks. Great night.....


LET'S GO PENS!!!!

With the victory over Boston followed by a shoot out loss last night, San Jose remains atop the Western Conference standings. The Sharks are 10-1-2 against Eastern Conference teams. :eek:

TTru... but just 1-1 against the PenGs

But if the Pens can't get into the playoffs, that point is moot.

ATTN: MTL!

http://www.970wath.com/images/nsw-cob_logo.gif
http://www.970wath.com/images/nsw-cob_logo.gif
Here's your avatar for the next week! Go Jackets!

Well, let's hope a new coach and the return of Gonchar can turn the season around.....LET'S GO PENS!!!!

yeah Woj, your jackets took it to my canes...

habs travel to the igloo losing 6 of 7, a night after playing to a shootout in Washington... and we blow a 4-2 lead in the 3rd and squeak out the 5-4 win. jesus.

gonchar looking good though, considering

I only got to watch the start of the first and the 3rd. While a little unsettling from the defensive or goalie side of it, it was some fun end to end action to watch there in the 3rd.

Gonchar's goal was a rocket.....Shoulder looks good so far.

Now they've just got to string a few Ws together, and get on a run here. We're not to far out yet....and as everyone knows if you can just get in the playoffs anything can happen from there!

LET'S GO PENS!!!!

with the rangers and habs falling apart, we've got a good shot.

bring kovalev back

bring kovalev back



Would love to see that....hated to see him go!


No more Whitney!?!!? WOW, didn't see that coming, but I guess with Letang and Goligoski(sp?) he just wasn't as important. Sure hope Kunitz can help with some gritttiness. Guessing I'll get to see it first hand come Sunday in Big D. Sure hope Crosby will be in the lineup.

LET'S GO PENS!!!

bring kovalev back



Would love to see that....hated to see him go!


No more Whitney!?!!? WOW, didn't see that coming, but I guess with Letang and Goligoski(sp?) he just wasn't as important.



Quick question - Do you have NHL Center Ice so you can watch Penguins Games?

I'm going to assume the answer is NO. Whitney has causes the Penguins more games this season than anyone else. He was consistently out of position, making bonehead plays, and even has scored against his own team multiple times with stupid deflections.

I can't believe it took this long to dump him. The last game I was at was the Tampa Bay comeback game. I've never heard the Pittsburgh fans, including myself, BOO one home team player as much as him. Basically every time he touched the puck. I've never hated a player in a Pittsburgh Penguins sweater as much as him. I'm 100% content with this trade. We need grit and someone that drives to the net like Malone used to do. Kunitz will do that and then some.

I'm hoping you made that statement about him sarcastically...if so, I apologize for my comments. I just hate whitney so bad this season.
LETS GO PENS!!!

Quick question - Do you have NHL Center Ice so you can watch Penguins Games?

LETS GO PENS!!!



Actually I do have NHL center ice....about the only way to see many Pens games, or hockey games for that matter were I am.

As for Whitney, I am not saying I am unhappy with the trade at all. I hope Kunitz can fill some of what left with Malone.(and the other guy can become a good player for us) Cause I actually think him(malone) leaving hurt us more than Hossa. I just didn't see them moving him since they just gave him that extension, last years was it? I liked Whitney for a couple of season there, but you are right he's been hurting us last season and what he's been on the ice for this season. Plus I like the two I mentioned earlier much more.

So who's next Staal?

Go Sharks! Even though they stumbled at Joe Louis Arena (which they almost always do), they are still the league leader. Home ice is definitely needed if they're finally going to fulfill their potential.

Good Luck. The Sharks are done now that they got Whitney. I'll bet he screws up at least 10 games for the Sharks before the end of the season. You guys will learn to hate this trade before to long.

Actually I do have NHL center ice....about the only way to see many Pens games, or hockey games for that matter were I am.

As for Whitney, I am not saying I am unhappy with the trade at all. I hope Kunitz can fill some of what left with Malone.(and the other guy can become a good player for us) Cause I actually think him(malone) leaving hurt us more than Hossa. I just didn't see them moving him since they just gave him that extension, last years was it? I liked Whitney for a couple of season there, but you are right he's been hurting us last season and what he's been on the ice for this season. Plus I like the two I mentioned earlier much more.

So who's next Staal?



I won't be surprised is Staal is next. That is the only trade bait we have left. If anyone is to blame this year it's the GM, Shero. He spent all that money getting Hossa last year and didn't have anything left to resign Malone, Ruttu, George L, Roberts, etc. I agree that Malone is the biggest missing piece this year. He had the grit and drove to the net, which i hope Kunitz will do for us. Just like Bob Errey says, we need those pickel stabber goals.

Dateline Nashville
Redwings shut out 8 - 0. First time 'wings have been shut out since 2/22/08, over a year. Highest scoring team in 2008 - 2009 season.....

Predators score 5 first period goals in six minutes, 4 on Conklin and one on Osgood.

Pekka Renne gets 6th shutout of season, second only (for rookies) to Steve Mason. Going into the game Renne had tied Luongo for the most wins in a February.

Preds 11 - 5 - 1 since All Star break with two 4 game winning streaks and 7th place Edmonton and 6th place Columbus coming up this week, one and two points up on Nashville currently in ninth.


The following is from:
--Jay Levin, NashvillePredators.com

Nashville's eight goal outburst...
...marked the team's highest scoring game of the season.
...is the most goals the Preds have ever scored in a shutout win, besting the 7-0 shutout last season vs. Los Angeles.
...led to the largest margin of victory in team history. The previous mark had been a seven-goal margin set twice before.
...is the third-highest scoring out-put in team history behind a pair of nine goal games.
...is the most goals scored by either team in the Nashville/Detroit rivalry. Each team had put up six goals in a game multiple times before.

seriously? 2 games from the cup last year, and if sergei didnt miss 2/3 of the season im thinking around 4th/5th seed right now. they got kunitz (possibly) for 3 more seasons which should propel them to the playoffs and solidify the O that much more next year. i think hes done well.

What a game yesterday in Dallas....4-1 win, the first W I've gotten to see without traveling all the way to Pittsburgh in the 7 or so year's I've been going to Pens games in Dallas(missed the last one that went to a shootout 2 years ago). Been to several loses, and even a 0-0 tie. Finally got to see a WIN for the PENS in Big D!!! Wish I'd of gotten to see Crosby play, but I'll take the W!!!

Moved us into the 8th seed, watch out Rangers we're coming for you!!!


LET'S GO PENS!!!!

Renne Rookie of the Month (http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=411982)

What a pickup Kunitz has been through 3 games. 3 g 2 a. Love the way he goes to the front of the net!!!!


LET'S GO PENS!!!

what was kurtp saying about shero again?

What about him? I loved the recent trade for Kunitz. Couldn't stand Whitney anymore. I just disagree with Shero firing Therrien. Didn't he just take the team to the Stanley Cup finals last year? I look at the deal with Hossa last year and what a mistake that was. Granted he is a H E double hockey sticks of a player but we wasted a ton of money on him for just 35 games. We couldn't afford to sign all the players we lost because of that. He knows it was a mistake considering Shero just tried talking to Ottawa and Tampa Bay in regards to Ruttu and Malone.

So what do you guys think of trading Crosby? It seems to me that every time he's out of the line up we play great. We could get two awesome wingers for him. The only reason why he would never get traded is for Marketing purposes.

im down if staal can play consistent as #2... malkin just needs to learn some engrish.

3 straight on the road, hopefully 4 on thursday

I look at the deal with Hossa last year and what a mistake that was.



I don't think it was a mistake....as I don't think we would of made the finals without him. Plus I really think they thought he would resign in Pittsurgh. Malone would probably still be a Pen if he didn't get his feeling hurt that he wasn't the #1 priority in the offseason. I bet they would have signed him if he would of waited to see what happened with Hossa.




So what do you guys think of trading Crosby? It seems to me that every time he's out of the line up we play great.



The thought has crossed my mind. Maybe not so much about actually trading him, but that the team seems to play better when he's hurt. It seems Malkin picks up his game with Sid is out as well. Guess he likes being "the man". But as you said, it will never happen just because he is the face of hockey right now(well him and Olveckin).

As for Terrien, I think he was on his way out last year. But Sid got hurt, Conklin was standing on his head, and the team turned it around. So they couldn't pull that trigger. While I didn't see them dumping him mid-season this year, just for the fact that he did take them to the finals, the writing was on the wall with the team poor performance this year.



LET'S GO PENS!!!!!!!! Big games coming up vs. Florida.

The New York Islanders have traded their captain and veteran winger Bill Guerin to the Pittsburgh Penguins, a source has told ESPN.com.

Guerin, who is being paid $4.5 million this season and is an unrestricted free agent on July 1, brings to the Penguins 105 games of playoff experience. He won a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 1995.

Guerin has not been in the Islanders' lineup since Friday, when he was pulled off the ice after warmups prior their game against the Sabres.

The Islanders receive a conditional draft pick in the deal.

ESPN.com hockey writer Pierre LeBrun contributed to this report.


WOW! This is a good pick up! A lower round draft pick for a veteran winger. Even though his like 60 years old he will definitely be a huge addition to the lineup.

Beat me to it.....

I've always hated Guerin cause he always seemed like the dirty cheap shot guy on the stinking devils(even though he's been with the Stars, and Islanders lately). But I've always felt he's one of those Kaspiritus types....hate him when he's on the other team, but love him when he's on your's.

4 in a row... on the road

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

plus 1 at home!


LET'S GO PENS!!!

yes, i was just more impressed with the 4 straight on the road considering we were sub .500 on the road before this last trip.

btw... SO win on sunday completed 1st 5-0 road trip in franchise history. woooooooooo

btw... SO win on sunday completed 1st 5-0 road trip in franchise history. woooooooooo



To bad most of the teams we need to lose are also winning right now.....Come Car, NYR, Fl, and even Philly drop a few for the Pens!! :D


LET'S GO PENS!!!

Canes are on fire. 8-2 in their last 10.

The last 4 games they have won by a combined total of 23 - 6!

Pens got that beat. 8-1-1 in their last 10.

Who cares about goals for and against. W's are all that matters. Best record in the league over that span.

You are right, the Pens are on fire right now.

And we care about goals and against. This team is a team that COULD NOT put the puck in the net all year and finally they are starting to do it consistently.

And you, as a Pens fan, should be concerned as well. If your team had any defense at all you would be hoisting the cup this year. The fact that you have the 1 and 2 scores in the league and are fighting for a playoff spot is beyond ridiculous.

And you, as a Pens fan, should be concerned as well. If your team had any defense at all you would be hoisting the cup this year. The fact that you have the 1 and 2 scores in the league and are fighting for a playoff spot is beyond ridiculous.



You hit the nail on the head!!! Can't argue that at all. The only thing that I can say is I don't blame it all on the Defense. Some blame has to go toward the system they were playing. Plus now Whitney is gone which is the biggest reason why we're winning.

What a come back game last night!!!! How bout that goal from Staal, hit it out of the air to get things going, only to be out done by Sid's deflection off his shaft.

And how good is freaking Letang!!!! He was everywhere last night, then that shootout goal. WOW!!!! But then Malkin comes in and burns the goalie "like a rented mule".

6th seed...LET'S GO PENS!!!! (and go blackhawks tonight!)

whitney was def one reason, another would be losing our best (and 1 of the leagues best) d-men for 2/3 the season. minus a couple periods (2nd last night), our D has played very well on this winning streak.

My boss went to the game last night...Surprise surprise a VP of a company has season tickets. Anyways, I mentioned to him about the standing ovation Billy Guerin got for his 400th assist. The boss said the crowd was giving the entire team the standing ovation for playing so well not just for Billy G. I would like to disagree with that. The look on his face was PRICELESS. The first home game in a pittsburgh sweater and he gets that graditude had to make him feel like a million bucks.

Defense has not been an issue just this year - go back and look at last year's Stanley Cup Finals team and look and see, for example, how many 5-4 and 4-3 games there were. When a team puts up at least three goals on an almost nightly basis and still loses, something is definitely wrong.

Even going back to the Stanley Cup winning teams of the early 90s, the Pens have never been known for their defense.

the Pens have never been known for their defense.



At least not their defensive defenseman. We have had some pretty good offensive defensemen along the way.

Stevie Franchise, another shutout. Quietly the 2nd best goalie in the NHL this year behind Tim Thomas manages to beat Thomas last night. :) Though, all health issues aside I think the order would be Brodeur, Mason, Thomas... in that order. But either way CBJ has the #2 goalie in the league, plays a defensive style of hockey, and is starting to find their way on the offensive end.

I think we're a team that can beat Calgary or Chicago in the 1st round. The issue will be if we have to run into San Jose or Detroit to start things out.

*waves hello at the penguins fans*

Go Jackets!

Three cheers to Martin Brodeur, the NHL's new all-time wins leader.

glad he got it last night.

Devils are here in Raleigh tonight and I hope that means we don't have to face him in net tonight!

LET'S GO PENS!!!!!

How bout that Pens 2 on 1 last night with Gonchar and Eaton leading the rush for a goal....don't see 2 D-men leading the charge that often.

Moved into a tie for the 4th seed with Philly(even though they have games at hand).....could we end up getting a home playoff series??? Amazing what a coaching change can do to players and a team, especially Staal!

LET'S GO PENS!!!

How about Malkin with 2 goals &amp; 3 assists for an outrageous 5 points? (And just missed a hat trick on a whiffed penalty shot)

How about Malkin with 2 goals &amp; 3 assists for an outrageous 5 points? (And just missed a hat trick on a whiffed penalty shot)



Oh you mean <u>THE MVP</u> Sure wish that penatly shot would have gone in for the hat trick. The fans seemed extra pumped up last night, so the hats would have probably covered the entire ice. Was really hoping he would get the natural hat trick. Don't think I have ever actually seen one before, but that ATL goal messed that up.


Wish Mon. and NYR wouldn't of tied last night....Didn't need both of them coming away with points.

How about Malkin with 2 goals &amp; 3 assists for an outrageous 5 points? (And just missed a hat trick on a whiffed penalty shot)



Almost as good as an NHL season best 6 points (4 G and 2 A) for Eric Staal earlier this year.

When you have a guy get 4 points and he is third on your line in scoring (Staal had 6, Ruutu had 5 and Cole had 4), that's pretty sick.

Wish Mon. and NYR wouldn't of tied last night....Didn't need both of them coming away with points.



Absolutley.

Also glad Florida didn't get a point last night.

ReaL march madness...

PenGs in march:

7-0-2
haven't scored under 3 goals in any game
averaging 4.11 goals

and 9th to 5th

Canes now in fifth passing the Pens!

But the Pens got one game in hand and are one point behind the Canes.

Canes win AGAIN.

They are the hottest team in the East right now.

Pens win AGAIN.

They are the hottest team in the East right now.

They have the same record as the Canes over the past ten.

over the last 10 yes, but canes have won 5 in a row. def the 2 hoTTest teams in the east and the league.

hopefully canes will keep it up and not pull what they did last year.

Pens win AGAIN.

They are the hottest team in the East right now.

They have the same record as the Canes over the past ten.



Not only do I disagree with this, so do many hockey experts.

Barry Melrose -"Obviosuly the two hottest teams in hockey are the Ducks and Hurricanes."

"(The Canes) are getting hot at the right time, and this is what happened the last time they got to the Cup. They are playing as well as anyone in the East."

Wes Goldstein (CBS Sportsline) - "Quietly, and seemingly suddenly, the Hurricanes have become one of the NHL's most explosive teams, and with an 8-1-2 record since the March 3 trade cutoff, they are picking up a lot of steam in the final weeks leading to the playoffs."

Ryan Dixon (The Hockey News) - "About a month ago, Pittsburgh was the team everybody talked about as a tough draw for one of the East�s high seeds in the first round of the playoffs.

While it looks like the Pens will finish a little higher than originally expected, the Carolina Hurricanes have taken the mantle as the club any Eastern Conference contender wouldn�t be crazy about facing in Round 1.

The Canes are really cooking these days, sparked by the return of Erik Cole from Edmonton. Their defense gets it done by committee and, as I mentioned a couple of weeks back, when Cam Ward is on, he provides this team with top-notch goaltending.

He�s struggled with consistency since winning the Conn Smythe in 2006, but if Ward keeps up his current level of play, Carolina may well have a lot to say about how the East shakes out."

Should be a great game between the two hottest teams in the east next weeked in Raleigh!

wow... lot of research to argue an opinion of who's hoTTer

not really, there is a thread on the Carolina Hurricanes' message board where people post articles / comments about the Canes.

ah.... a life through assorted message boards


pengs have only 1 pointless game in march

PenGs demolish the Devils, are now a point ahead of the Canes, and coincidentally face them on Sat Apr 4, 2009 in Carolina. Avatar challenge?

Going to be one of the best games of the year. And one that I'll miss, I'll be driving home from Patapsco.

I can't believe the Pens actually still have a chance to win the division!

I can't believe the Pens actually still have a chance to win the division!



The Devils are tanking, but are still 6 points ahead of the PenGs, with only 5 games to play. There's a chance, but imo a very unlikely one.

canes give up 2 break aways but still squeeze out the win. they had more scoring chances in &lt; 2 min of OT than the whole 3rd, and NO shots on goal in the game ending power play. pengs dominate the 3rd but only get 1 past ward, then fall asleep in the OT. poop. great game to watch live though, 10 rows back from the corner. props to ward who played outstanding... should have been at least 4-2.

CANES BABY!!

Playoff bound!

Ward dominated!

Huge game tonight in the east with the Rangers and Montreal.

Woooo, that was a close one!!! Thought the Pens were going to give that one away last night. Playoffs here we come!!!!

LET'S GO PENS!!!!

The Canes last night.

Oh. My. God.

9 - 0 win. 57 - 12 shot advantage.

At one point the THIRD (not 1st, THIRD) the Canes had 8 goals and the Islanders had 8 shots.

At one point the THIRD (not 1st, THIRD) the Canes had 8 goals and the Islanders had 8 shots.



That is crazy...although it is the islanders we're talking here :p

Bemidji State could beat the Islanders right now. :D

Big whoop.

Ugly game last night versus the Avalanche where getting a point was undeserved. But it leaves them in position to clinch the President's Trophy in their next game.

You can use the "It's the Isles" argument all you want.

But they are still pros and I don't think anyone has ever seen a game with a 57 - 12 shot advantange on the pro level.

Being there was great. I laughed most of the game.

With all that being said..."It was still against the Isles" :D

But seriously that would have been a great game to see. And to remind you we, the Pengs that is, beat the Islanders 9 - 2 back in early December.

Pittsburgh 6, N.Y. Islanders 1.

Is there really a huge difference between that and the Canes win? :D

A spankin' is a spankin.....and a W is a W...both got 2pts.

Although if I were 6 of the 8 making it in the east, I wouldn't want to play either the Pens or the Canes in the first round.

Come on 4 seed!!! LET'S GO PENS!!!

Granted home ice would be awesome. I'd rather stay in 6th place and face the Devils the first round. They are to up and down over the past month. I think the Pens could sweep them in the first round.

From 10th place less than two months ago to fourth place and home ice in the playoffs. Who woulda thunk it? Go PenGs!!!

Yeah, so much for staying in sixth place to face the up and down Devils. Carolina got that first round bye! They'll win the series 4 - 1. The PenGs vs. Cryers, go figure! PenGs will win the series 4 - 2. All thanks to Sean Avery and those Rangers. Without home ice the Pens would have gone to 7 in this series.

Pittsburgh 6, N.Y. Islanders 1.

Is there really a huge difference between that and the Canes win? :D



Considering you only had 7 more shots than they did and we had 45 more, so yes.

However, 2 poitns is 2 points.

TThanks Rangers

Oh yeah, it's playoff hockey time.....LET'S GO PENS!!!!!
Let's finish what we started last season...Lord Stanley anyone?

Pittsburgh 6, N.Y. Islanders 1.

Is there really a huge difference between that and the Canes win? :D



Considering you only had 7 more shots than they did and we had 45 more, so yes.





Wow, I didn't realize that you and I played for the Canes &amp; Penguins, respectively. :D

My official Eastern Playoff Predictions


Being a Carolina Hurricanes� season ticket holder and already holding the opinion that hockey is the best sport in the world, my view that the NHL Playoffs is the greatest thing in sports might be biased. However I think most anyone who likes hockey can agree; there is NOTHING even close - in terms of excitement and nerves - to a playoff game in overtime.
The 2009 version of the playoffs kicks off Wednesday as 16 of hockey�s best teams try to inscribe their names in history and on Lord Stanley. Here is a preview of the Eastern conference and how I think it will play out.

East

1 Boston Vs. 8 Montreal � Call this the surprise series as many people picked the Canadians to be in Boston�s role as the 1 seed at the beginning of the year and not many people had the Bruins winning the Northeast, much less the East. Boston had an easy formula for success this year; score lots of goals and don�t give up many.
Leading the league in team goals and in team goals allowed is no easy task but the Bruins accomplished this finishing with 78 more goals scored than allowed. They have Zdeno Chara, the tallest player in NHL history, on the blue line firing pucks on net at over 100 MPH not to mention perennial point per game man Marc Savard up front. The surprise of the Bruins came this year on the stick of Phil Kessel who scored 36 goals and finished at an amazing plus 23. The last line of defense is Vezna candidate Tim Thomas who in 54 games had a mind numbing 2.1 GAA and has one of the best backups in the league in Manny Fernandez behind him should he stumble.
The Canadians finished the season with the exact record as the Panthers but narrowly squeaked in as the 8 seed thanks to a 3 � 1 record against them this year. The Canadians have given up more goals than any team in the playoffs and their leading scorer, Alexi Kovalev, only has 65 points. With only three 20 goal scorers this year, the men from Montreal will need to have someone step up and be a scorer to get by the mighty Bruins. Their final hope may come in one of the best young goalies in hockey, Carey Price. With a save percentage over 90 and a GAA under 3, he is the key if the Canadians want to win this series. Montreal only lost 10 games in regulation at home but away from the Belle Center they were a dismal 17-20-4.

My prediction � Bruins in 5. Boston wins games 1 and 2 at home, splits in Montreal and then wins on home ice in game 5. In the end, the Bruins have too much fire power and not enough for Montreal to counter.

2 Washington Vs. 7 New York Rangers � The phrase �media circus� comes to mind when I think of this series. Leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin is on one end of the ice and NHL bad boy / women�s cloth designer Sean Avery is on the other. Two major cities in the USA face off for what should be a very high scoring series.
The Capitals, along with the Bruins, have been a top of the East all season long. Ovechkin scored 56 this year adding 54 helpers and linemates Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom added 79 points and 88 respectively making this one of the most dangerous top lines in the NHL. They have veteran Sergei Federov in the lineup as well and the best offensive defensemen in the NHL in Mike Green (who�s numbers look more like a forward with 31 goals and 42 assists). The Capitals weakness comes in net as former Hart trophy winner Jose Theodore struggled a bit this season. However his play may not matter if the Caps get on the power play where they were successful just over 25 percent of the time, just barely below the league lead.
The Rangers have been a team up and down the standings this year as it seems they only thing consistent with this team is their inconsistency. One of only two teams in the playoffs to score fewer goals than they allowed, the Rangers have at times looked unbeatable while at other times looked like minor leaguers. Running down their roster looks like an all star team until you get to the stats column where you see their leading scorer, Scott Gomez, only has 58 points. This team has struggled so much getting the puck in net they only have seven 10 goal scorers. They added some size at the deadline grabbing Nik Antropov and resigning Sean Avery. The blue line is lead by the youngest of three Staal brothers, Marc, who in his sophomore campaign rose to a lockdown top 2 defensemen. Henrik Lunquist has had a good year in net with a 2.43 GAA and save percentage above 91. For a team that hasn�t put up many goals, he may need to stand on his head against the potent Washington attack for the Rangers to have a chance.

My Prediction � Caps in 6 - The Rangers have to score goals in this series to have a chance and have to slow down the �other� guys from Washington. There is a lot of talent in the Ranger locker room but their chemistry hasn�t been there this year. Washington will score too many goals for New York to keep up and will move on.

3 New Jersey Vs. 6 Carolina � These two teams are no stranger to each other in the playoffs as the Hurricanes have met the Devils in their last three Stanley Cup Playoff appearances. The Canes took three of four against the Devils this year only dropping their final game of the year against them on Saturday. If you want to pick a winner out of the East, you may not want to look any further than this series because in those last three series, the winner of this match up has gone on to the Finals.
New Jersey has always been built from the goalie out and with Martin Brodeur minding the pipes, who can blame them? Brodeur missed most of the season with an injury which led to Scott Clemmensen playing 40 games for the Devils in net. Brodeur has been tough since returning as he had five shut outs in only 31 appearances this year. The one big change for the Devils this year has been their offense led by 45 goal scorer Zach Parise. Along with Parise, the Devils had four other 20 goal scorers creating something that fans of the Devils aren�t used to � an offense scarier than their defense.
Carolina had a wild season that saw a coaching change and had 42 points in just February, March and April alone marking the best record in the NHL since that time. The Canes are a unique and very scary team as they have a great combination of offense and defense. Led by 40 goal scorer and oldest Staal brother Eric, the Canes had ten players light the lamp 14 times or more this season. Their defense had 3 guys with 33 or more points and the top line of Staal, Erik Cole and Tuumo Ruutu is a combination of talent (Staal�s 40 goals), speed (Cole set the record for the fastest skater in Edmonton Oiler history) and physicality (Ruutu had over 250 hits on the year). Cam Ward has been amazing in net posting a GAA of just 2.44 and a save percentage just below 92. His 39 wins this year are a franchise record and are third in the league.

My Prediction � Canes in 6 � This match up showcases the hottest team in the East with Carolina and the coldest (of the teams in the playoffs) with New Jersey. The Canes have scored nine goals twice in the second half of the season and along with Boston, pose the biggest threat in the East in terms of the combination of offensive explosion and goaltending. Brodeur and Parise are the only reason this series isn�t a sweep.

4 Pittsburgh Vs. 5 Philadelphia � A match up of Atlantic division foes should be one of the more popular series in the East. Pittsburgh went from losing in the finals last year to being the favorite in the Atlantic to firing their coach and being in tenth to being in fourth in the East. It has no doubt it has been a roller coaster season for the Pens but as for the Flyers, it has been just the opposite. Never really contending in the Atlantic but also never threatening to miss the playoffs, the Flyers have been comfortable in the standings all season.
Pittsburgh�s season almost was a train wreck but along with Carolina, put together a late season run to seal a playoff birth finishing with a 9-2-1 record since mid March. When you talk about the Pens you obviously have to start with the best one two punch in hockey with reigning MVP Sydney Crosby and the NHL�s leading point man Evgeni Malkin. After you see Malkin�s 113 and Crosby�s 103 in the point column, there is an immediate fall off to 49 (which comes from the middle Staal brother Jordan). However, don�t think the Pens are only about Malkin and Crosby as nine other players had double digits in goals. Amazingly enough, the Pens have the worst power play of all the Eastern playoff teams but most of those stats come from the slumping team that clearly is no longer playing. In net there is former first pick Marc-Andre Fleury. He has been steady this season winning 35 games and putting up a 2.67 GAA.
The Flyers held the four seed as long as you can without actually finishing there it seems. The Flyers knew they would face off with Pittsburgh heading into their season finale Sunday with the Rangers but it was just a matter of who would have home ice. A loss to finish the year bumped them down to five and put them on the road to start the playoffs. The Flyers are led by Jeff Carter who came out of nowhere and scored 46 goals this year and added 38 helpers. With six 20 goal scorers, the Flyers have players who can score from everywhere and roll out a top six that could be called the best in the league. The clear weakness in Philly comes in net with Marty Biron and the defense. The men in orange allowed almost three goals a game on average this year and Biron only was credited with 29 of the teams� wins.

My prediction � Pens in 5 � The Flyers steal one at home but the Pens are the best team in the East right now. This series will be the most entertaining it seems and I wouldn�t be surprised to see some 6 � 4 or 6 � 5 type games as both teams have potent offense and questionable goaltending. In the end, Malkin and Crosby are too much and the Pens march on.

So there you have it, the Eastern Conference. Tomorrow I will go into the West which is much more lopsided than the East is. As for the crazy and balanced east, I got Pittsburgh over Washington and then Boston over Carolina in the semi-final round. Pittsburgh returns to the Stanley Cup Finals to try and amend a losing effort from the previous season.

All that matters... Jackets &gt; Wings! GO CBJ!

West Preview (sorry Woj)


Yesterday we took a look at the East and today, we look at the West. There is a huge difference between the East and West as the East has what appears like six legit Cup contenders and the West only has two or three it seems. Dominated by the Sharks and Wings all year, the first round match ups out west could get pretty ugly. However if things shake out like I think they will, the West will have some great series in the later rounds of the playoffs. As for the first rounds, here is a preview and what I think will happen.

1 San Jose Vs. 8 Anaheim � The first ever match up of two teams from California in the NHL playoffs, the Sharks and Ducks are two totally opposite teams. The Ducks rose the Cup in 2007 while the Sharks seems to always be in a great position to get to the finals but just have never gotten over that hump. San Jose starts the post season with the best record in the league while Anaheim finished with a 7 � 2 � 1 mark to squeak in as an 8 seed.
When you talk about San Jose you immediately think Joe Thornton. To me you can sum this guys� talent in one word � only. He only scored 86 points this year which considering his previous season have been 101, 73, 125, 114 and 96 respectively, only scoring 86 this year has been a down year. Playing alongside goal scorer Patrick Marleau fits his style perfectly as the premier set up man in the game today. Sophomore Devin Setoguchi had a breakout year scoring 31 and defensemen Dan Boyle had 41 helpers on the blue line. The big surprise this year came from Jonathan Cheechoo who only scored 29 points, his total since his rookie year. This team has always been about offense and perhaps the fact they allowed the fewest goals of any Western Conference team combined with their offense is what makes this team scary. Evgeni Nabokov had a fabulous year in net winning 41 games and posting 7 shutouts.
The Ducks have the argument that they are the hottest team in the West coming into the playoffs. Led by Ryan Getzlav, a 90 point scorer, and the lethal combination of Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger on the blue line, the Ducks have the ability to score at will. Tied for the fourth best power play in the league at a success rate over 23 percent, the Ducks are dangerous, thanks to their blue line, on the power play. The Ducks will score goals but their weakness comes with allowing them. Averaging just under 3 goals a game allowed on the year, the Ducks defense, while very offensive minded, is old and could have injury problems. Pronger, Niedermayer and mid season acquisition Bret Hedican all have won Stanley Cups but are 34, 35, and 38 respectively. The usually steady Jean-Sebastien Giguere has struggled this year which has put sophomore Jonas Hiller in the net for half of the starts.
My prediction � San Jose in 6 � The Sharks are just too loaded this year and are poised to get over their �choke� reputation. Anaheim is playing tough and their power play is scary, but questionable goaltending when Joe Thornton is on the other bench is not a good thing.

2 Detroit Vs. 7 Columbus � A match up of Western Conference teams both in the Eastern Standard Time zone and two-name mascots features a team that is no stranger to the post season and a team making it�s first ever appearance there. This match up will depend on one person; Steve Mason.
The Wings improved from last years Stanley Cup winning team adding free agents Marian Housa and net minder Ty Conklin to an already loaded squad. Detroit is averaging almost 3.6 goals a game and has an astonishing and NHL best 25.5 percent success rate on the power play. So confident in their team, the Wings did nothing at the deadline and who can blame them? Pavel Datsyuk was three points shy of the century mark and four players, including Housa and Datsyuk, scored 30 or more goals. Detroit had 11 guys with 40 or more points and scored 90 times on the power play (yes 90). The most potent offense in the league has two great goalies to make that offense just a bit scarier. Chris Osgood and Conklin split the starts this season and the Red Wings have one of the few true 1A / 1B goalie situations in the NHL. While the numbers for Conklin and Osgood were not good this year (90.9 and 88.7 save percentages), both of these guys can come up big when they need to.
The Blue Jackets are led by their rookie in net Steve Mason and the most underrated player in the NHL in Rick Nash. Nash quietly scored 79 points this year and seemingly does everything for this team with little praise from the media. Nash will have to be huge against the Wings as he and only two others, Kristian Huselius and R.J. Umberger, were the only Jackets with more than 20 goals. Despite being rookies in the playoffs, they do have some guys with playoff experience. Mike Commodore on their blue line won a Cup in Carolina as the Hurricanes took out the Edmonton Oilers in the 06 finals. Raffi Torres, now a Blue Jacket, was a member of the Western Conference Champion Oilers. The Jackets made one of the biggest moves of the deadline sending Pascal Leclaire for Antoine Vermette. This move gave them another score, another guy with Finals experience, and most importantly, showed their true confidence and commitment to rookie Steve Mason. Mason�s numbers this year were jaw dropping as he had 33 wins, a league best 10 shut outs and a GAA of under 2.3. The true weakness in this team is with the extra man as they were a league worst (not playoff worst, league worst) 12.7 percent on the power play.
My prediction � Wings in 6 � The real fun match up in this series will be Mason versus the fire attack of the Wings. Special teams will be the story in this series; will Mason slow down the best power play in the league and can the Jackets take advantage of the extra man? If there is a huge upset in the playoffs, it will come in this series but in the end I think not even Steve Mason can win four games against the potent attack of the men from Hockeytown. Mason prevents the sweep winning a few games (I�ll even give him a shutout), but can only do so much.

3 Vancouver Vs. 6 St. Louis � The Canucks are a team that is no stranger to the playoffs as of late but their opponent could be the biggest surprise team of the 16 playoff teams. Finishing 14th out of 15 in the Western Conference in 2008, the Blues bounced back this year and did something that every team near the Western Conference cut line wanted to; found a way to avoid San Jose and Detroit in the first round.
Vancouver starts and ends with their Captain and goalie Roberto Luongo. Luongo has had another steady season winning 33 games, posting 9 shut outs and a save percentage of 92. His opponent from St. Louis has the third worst offense of the playoff teams so he might have some easy wins based on that alone. The Canucks come and go with Luongo as when he is good, they are good and when he is bad, they are bad. Offensively the Canucks are lead by the Sedin twins who not only look exactly alike, both scored exactly 82 points this year. The Sedin boys are two of five 20 goals scores on the Canuck roster as the team truly can score from multiple lines.
The Blues are a team that when you look at their numbers, you wonder how they got in the top eight, much less top six. Only one scorer has more than 55 points (Brad Boyes), eight of their skaters are a -10 or worse and were an awful 18 � 18 � 5 on the road. Despite these numbers, the Blues found a way to get in posting an 8 � 1 � 1 mark to finish their year. Some of their scoring problems have come to do the injury of Paul Kariya. Kariya has only played 11 games this year but picked up 15 points in those appearances. Kariya is healthy now and will skate in the playoffs and a healthy Karyia makes this diminished Blues offense now somewhat scary. In net you find Steve Mason who has been as solid as they come. Posting 6 shut outs, Mason kept his GAA around the 2.4 mark, almost a goal better than his team gave up throughout the season. For the Blues to be successful Mason will need to play strong and Boyes and Karyia have got to find the net.
My prediction � Canucks in 4 � I just look up and down the Blues roster and I can�t believe this is a team that won 41 games. The Blues penalty kill is exceptional and should stop an average power play of Vancouver, but in the end, the Sedin twins scoring at will and Luongo in net is too much to handle. The Blues should be happy to have made it this far but they only have four more games left.

4 Chicago Vs. 5 Calgary � I�m going to get to the point; this WILL be the best first round series in the NHL. An upstart Blackhawk team versus a potent, talented and scary Flames team should lead to an exciting series. This is without a doubt a series that could go either way and I personally can�t wait for it.
Chicago is making their first post season appearance in seven years and is led by a pair of young forwards in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Towes. Kane, Towes and Martin Havlat all three put up 69 or more points and all scored more than 20 goals to lead the Blackhawk offensive attack. The Hawks were dominant at the United Center posting a record of 24 � 9 � 8 and finished with the fourth best scoring defense in the NHL. They don�t do anything fancy as both their power play and penalty kill numbers are just average, but they are a team you can�t fall behind on. Once they get the lead, either net minder from their very strong duo can take over a game. Free Agent Cristobal Huet was signed in the off season coming from Washington to compliment Nikolai Khabibulin and what did this duo do? They almost perfectly split the starts in net down the middle, had a combined 6 shut outs, combined save percentage of 91 and a combined GAA of 2.43. Should either goalie stumble in the series, the other will be right there to back him up.
The Flames possess one of the scariest combinations in the NHL of goal scoring and defense. Led by Captain Jerome Iginla and Mike Cammalleri, the Flames can score the puck at will. Iginla put up 89 points and Cammalleri added 82 making the Flames one of the few teams in the league with a duo scoring 82 points or more. This dynamic pair apparently wasn�t enough so the Flames added the biggest available player at the deadline in Olli Jokinen. Coming from Pheonix, Jokinen scored twice in his Flame debut. Speaking of debuts, this will be Jokinen�s first playoff appearance in this his 11th NHL season. When you mention the Flames you have talk about their defense. Their blue line is led by the hardest hitter in the NHL in Dion Phaneuf and the leagues leaguer in wins, Miikka Kiprusoff, in net. This combination can by itself beat teams as Phaneuf can level any opponent and Kiprusoff can stop any shot.
My prediction � Blackhawks in 7 � Despite being the fourth seed, this is the best team in the west not named San Jose or Detroit. Their combination of talent, hard work and youth propels them over a very good Flames team. I am the least confident in this pick of all the eight series and could easily see the winner of this, whoever it may be, making a surprise run to the Western finals.

So there you have it, the West. The two best teams in hockey this year and some of the worst playoff teams you may ever see all bunched up into one bracket. I do see a San Jose Detroit clash in the Western finals but as I mentioned above, would not be surprised to see either Calgary or Chicago upset one of these two teams in the second round. I have to pick a champion so I will go with the offense of Red Wings coming out of the West and then repeating as Stanley Cup Champions over the Penguins.

haha, i got blackhawks going to the western finals. good reads rob, cant argue with to much of it.

: ) :

COME ON PLAYOFF HOCKEY....LET'S GO PENS!!!!

DOMINATION

WHOOHOOO!!!
Game one W, come on game 2....
LET'S GO PENS!!!

LET GO PENS!!!

Pulled from thepensblog.com



Game 3 Sunday Won't Be On Outdoor Screen

Pittsburgh Penguins Apr 17, 2009, 1:36 PM EDT

The Penguins will not show Sunday�s Game 3 of the Stanley Cup playoffs on the outdoor screen in front of Mellon Arena because of a decision by NBC Sports.

Sunday�s game will be televised nationally by NBC. As a policy, NBC Sports does not allow teams to show their broadcasts on arena screens.

The Penguins will show Game 2 tonight on the outdoor screen, and will resume the screen for Game 4 Tuesday night. Both of those games will be broadcast locally by FSN Pittsburgh.

NBC, the channel that has used the Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby in just about every commercial since the network started airing hockey games, is refusing to let the team show game three of the Penguins/Flyers series on the giant screen outside the arena.

Ironically, MSNBC published this article on Wednesday in which they wrote "during the Penguins' run to the Stanley Cup finals last season, the outdoor TV routinely drew a couple thousand fans."

NBC is airing the game nationally on Sunday and must figure that a thousand or so people watching on a big screen will ruin their ratings.

It's funny that the NBC company line is now that "NBC Sports does not allow teams to show their broadcasts on arena screens."
You might remember that a giant screen was outside the arena last year.
In case you don't, you can read all about it here.

NBC aired those games and the giant screen did as well.
Perhaps when they walked into the arena the NBC staff didn't notice a huge screen surrounded by a thousand people.
Strange that a thousand people were easily ignored by NBC last season, but this year those same thousand people watching a game outside the arena are a danger to the company's ratings.

This is the decision of the NBC national network and not any local affiliate.
WPXI has issued a statement nonetheless.

If you are planning on going to the game tonight, either inside the arena or to watch the screen outside, and you disagree with this decision bring a sign and/or start a chant.

Possible suggestion:
NBC
Click for high res image

A Facebook Group has been started to "Bring Back the Screen."

NBC CONTACT INFORMATION:

If you disagree with this decision and feel the need to respectfully have your opinion heard, NBC Sports can be reached at nbcsports@nbcuni.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Brian Walker, Senior Director at NBC Sports can be reached at brian.walker@nbcuni.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Adam Freifeld, Director of Communications at NBC Sports can be reached at adam.freifeld@nbcuni.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Mike McCarley, VP Communications and Marketing at NBC Universal Sports &amp; Olympics can be reached at Mike.McCarley@nbcuni.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Lyndsay Iorio, Communications Coordinator at NBC Sports can be reached at Lyndsay.iorio@nbcuni.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Kathy Connors, Manager, Sports Communications at NBC Sports can be reached at kathy.connors@nbcuni.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Kenneth Schanzer, President of NBC Sports can be reached at Kenneth.Schanzer@nbcuni.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dick Ebersol, Chairman of NBC Universal Sports &amp; Olympics can be reached at Dick.Ebersol@nbcuni.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NBC can be reached by phone at 212-664-4444 or by fax at 212-664-4426

NBC Sports can be reached by phone at 212-664-2642

Bounce back game tonight......LET'S GO PENS!!!!

Canes need a win tonight - Badly.

And go Flyers ;)

And go Flyers ;)




And here I was going for your Canes, in that case......GO New...........crap, I just can't say it, hate the devils to much! /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

LET'S GO PENS!!!

WHAT A WIN FOR THE CANES LAST NIGHT!!

Holy crap. Being there was incredible.

With the brooms getting warmed up in Hockeytown, looks like we won't be hearing from CwojPutt any more in this thread. :D

I sure hope somebody gives the redwings a fight for a series. Sure don't want them breezing through to the finals vs. the Pens. :P Maybe the Canucks will give them a series when they meet.

At any rate, 1 more game left for the flyers.....Thanks hugely to the Flower last night!!! We had no business being in that game when we got the first goal if it wasn't for Fluery standing on his head an stoning the flyers all night long!!!

LET'S GO PENS!!!