NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs

[Mad Knight]

I've been thinking about it, and I just don't understand this exaggerated, hyperbolic view of just how good this Red Wings team supposedly is, especially this year/postseason.

What have they done this postseason, really?

Round 1 - Columbus: They preyed on a team with 0 playoff experience. Was it really a surprise that they got manhandled? It reminded me of watching the Pens play Ottawa two years ago.

Round 2 - Anaheim: Anaheim took them to 7 because of their experience and a hot, yet inexperienced, goalie. When faced with an experienced team, they almost lost the series. Sadly, Anaheim really just wasn't that good this post-season.

Round 3 - Chicago: Again, more inexperience. Yes, they made it to the conference finals, but this Chicago team was in their first playoffs since the early 90s.

Summation: Detroit is really good at picking apart the inexperienced. They did it last year in the SCF. They won't do it this year. They're older, slower, and a lot more injured.

They really have been lucky the last two years.They've had relatively easy first round matchups against lesser divisional opponents in Nashville and Columbus. The second round last year they dominated Colorado. Anaheim had the best chance of anybody this year and if it wasn't for their penalty issues could have taken the series. Dallas made it interesting but fell short last year. And then there was the highly skilled, but inexperienced Pens, who are better this year than last.

The Wings are a team that has installed a solid system and brought in players that understand that system and their role in it. Combine that with favorable matchups and they're playing in the Finals again. I do think the Pens have played tougher opponents in the playoffs and are playing on a level right now that I don't see the Wings matching. I say Pens in 6...

[Biter]

Round 3 - Chicago: Again, more inexperience. Yes, they made it to the conference finals, but this Chicago team was in their first playoffs since the early 90s.

Summation: Detroit is really good at picking apart the inexperienced. They did it last year in the SCF. They won't do it this year. They're older, slower, and a lot more injured.

The first playoffs since 2002. And their earlier playoff streak ended in 1997, and when Chelios was traded in 1999 they truly started their downward spiral.

The Red Wings have gone through players with a total of 15 Cup rings so far - Modin, Commodore, Getzlaf, Perry, Niedermayer, Pronger, Selänne, R. Niedermayer, Beauchemin, Khabibulin, Påhlsson, Ladd (I won't include all secondary Cup contributors).

Meanwhile, the Pens have faced Fedorov, Ward, Staal, Brind'Amour, LaRose, Whitney and Cole - combining for 9 Cup rings.

And you're telling me that the experience of Guerin, Fedotenko, Kunitz and Sykora along with Sid's winning attitude will be the difference, as the Wings are bogged down by injuries?

As long as Fleury has his clutch game demons to struggle with, the Pens won't win it all.

[Swordfish]

As expected the flaws in our defenseman are exposed by a team as good as the wings.

And don't even get me started on why our powerplay is so inept. It's a disgrace.

So it still comes down to MAF, and I still think he'll step up. the wings outplayed us by a lot last night, but those first two goals were semi flukey, and that gives me hope. I didn't really expect us to win game one anyway.

So i'm sticking with pens in 6.

[TheHoundRules]

Glad I checked the tv guide. did not realize game 2 was tonight. That makes me very happy.

[Swordfish]

Well.... Shit.

[Rexor]

I have to say...if any fan ever wants to complain and create a conspiracy theory that the NHL wants the Pens to win, they should just be muted forever. The Red Wings get away with the most absurd shit I've ever seen in all my years watching hockey.

1) Zetterberg covers the puck IN THE CREASE in both games and it is not called. That should be an automatic penalty shot in both instances.

2) Holmstrom's elbow drop on Fleury directly led to Detroit's second goal. Uncalled.

3) A fan throws an octopus on the ice towards the end of the 2nd. Should have been a delay of game on the Red Wings. It's in the rulebook. Uncalled.

4) The "intentional offsides" that was called this game was the absolute worst call I've seen in the NHL for years. Just horrible.

[Swordfish]

The refs have basically swallowed their whistles, and there have been bad calls, but I think they've been pretty consistent.

The big difference is that the wings have recognized it and taken advantage and the pens haven't.

[Lord Dracarys]

I have to say...if any fan ever wants to complain and create a conspiracy theory that the NHL wants the Pens to win, they should just be muted forever. The Red Wings get away with the most absurd shit I've ever seen in all my years watching hockey.

1) Zetterberg covers the puck IN THE CREASE in both games and it is not called. That should be an automatic penalty shot in both instances.

2) Holmstrom's elbow drop on Fleury directly led to Detroit's second goal. Uncalled.

3) A fan throws an octopus on the ice towards the end of the 2nd. Should have been a delay of game on the Red Wings. It's in the rulebook. Uncalled.

4) The "intentional offsides" that was called this game was the absolute worst call I've seen in the NHL for years. Just horrible.

1) I agree wholeheartedly with you in regards to the event in the first game. I'm iffy on the one in the second game. I couldn't see the puck, and neither could the officials. If somebody covered it I couldn't tell.

2) Only if the penalty is given for stupidity to the penguin players knocking Holmstrom onto Fleury. I've almost never seen your interpretation of events called when things like that happen.

3) You mean this rule? edit: removing snark.

63.4 Objects Thrown on the Ice: In the event that objects are thrown on the ice that interfere with the progress of the game, the Referee shall blow the whistle and stop the play and the puck shall be faced-off at a face-off spot in the zone nearest to the spot where play is stopped. When objects are thrown on the ice during a stoppage in play, including after the scoring of a goal, the Referee shall have announced over the public address system that any further occurrences will result in a bench minor penalty being assessed to the home Team. Articles thrown onto the ice following a special occasion (i.e. hat trick) will not result in a bench minor penalty being assessed.

4) I agree with it being a bad call.

edit 2: I'm a Wild fan not particularly a fan of either current finalist. Also just wanted to add that I lose a great deal of pity when at the end of the game a Penguin player spears Osgood.

[Reny of Storms End]

Osgood wasn't speared. Yes Talbot did push his stick into Osgood's stomach, but Osgood obviously flopped. He flops all the time.

[Lord Dracarys]

Pushing your stick into somebody the way Talbot did is spearing if we go by the definition in the rulebook. However, why does Osgood flopping negate the spearing? You don't even have to make contact to receive a spearing or slashing penalty.

[Mme Erzulie]

Woohoo! Go Abdelkader!

[Rexor]

Pushing your stick into somebody the way Talbot did is spearing if we go by the definition in the rulebook. However, why does Osgood flopping negate the spearing? You don't even have to make contact to receive a spearing or slashing penalty.

Are you referring to the play with the quick whistle when Talbot was going for the puck?

[Brandon Stark]

If you've ever played hockey in any organized fashion you know that poking at a goalie like that is nothing but a move meant to agitate and stir shit up. No, it wasn't a spear that needed to be called, but yes it was silly at best and pretty bush-league. Detroit hasn't come close to playing up to their potential, and because of some hard work by role-players, very good play in net by Osgood, and some nice bounces, they're still up 2-0. They haven't gotten a single second of ice time from a Hart finalist, for that matter.

While you're complaining about officiating being so terrible, maybe take a moment to thank the hockey gods that Malkin wasn't suspended for being called for Instigating in the last minutes of a game. The league overturns it without so much as an appeal despite it being clear as a bell how the process works, and the fact that if it wasn't a superstar involved the suspension would have been upheld in a heartbeat.

[Swordfish]

If you've ever played hockey in any organized fashion you know that poking at a goalie like that is nothing but a move meant to agitate and stir shit up.

Yep. And it worked.

I have no problem with it, and I absolutely loved Malkin taking the initiative.

I think the officiating has been bad, but not slanted, which is fine.

But if you stop calling all the little shit, this is what you get at the end of games.

No, it wasn't a spear that needed to be called, but yes it was silly at best and pretty bush-league. Detroit hasn't come close to playing up to their potential, and because of some hard work by role-players, very good play in net by Osgood, and some nice bounces, they're still up 2-0. They haven't gotten a single second of ice time from a Hart finalist, for that matter.

While you're complaining about officiating being so terrible, maybe take a moment to thank the hockey gods that Malkin wasn't suspended for being called for Instigating in the last minutes of a game. The league overturns it without so much as an appeal despite it being clear as a bell how the process works, and the fact that if it wasn't a superstar involved the suspension would have been upheld in a heartbeat.

Would you consider walker a superstar?

They've been overturning those suspension all along. It's not like it's the first time it's happened.

Good, bad or indifferent, a suspension would've been total bullshit given all of the other incidents that have happened in these playoffs that did not result in suspensions.

The process is clear as a bell, and they followed the process. the suspension is automatic pending the review by the league. Which is exactly what happened.

There was a zero percent chance he was going to be suspended for that fight.

[TheHoundRules]

All this arguing about the refs is pointless. Yes, they have missed some calls and made some bad ones, but the most important thing not being mentioned is that Detroit is the better team with or with out ref help. They do not even have one of their best players on the ice. I hope Pittsburgh wins a game or two to make it a series, but I am not sure they can.

[Swordfish]

All this arguing about the refs is pointless. Yes, they have missed some calls and made some bad ones, but the most important thing not being mentioned is that Detroit is the better team with or with out ref help. They do not even have one of their best players on the ice. I hope Pittsburgh wins a game or two to make it a series, but I am not sure they can.

Is there a lot of arguing about the refs?

[Rexor]

Malkin wasn't suspended because an instigator should have never been called.

I'm not saying the refs are costing the Pens this series (right now, shoddy defense and goaltending is) but at least have the stones to admit when the refs screw something big up, like twice Jared Leto covering it up in the crease. Or Hossa slashing Dupuis' stick in two.

Again, the Pens need to bury the chances they have, but it's unfortunate that, on the NHL's biggest stage, these horrible calls/non-calls are occurring.

[Lord O' Bones]

I think the problem has been bounces and one or two bad ones by MAF. I mean, damn, Stuart's goal? Bill Guerin's play with no results? Pucks that might have been in, but no one could see them? Pucks landing on Ozzie's ass? It's like all of the luck is going in one direction.

I will say this, if I see that the score is 3-1 Detroit in the third ever again, I'm turning that shit off. Some of the most boring hockey I've ever seen.

[Swordfish]

I think the problem has been bounces and one or two bad ones by MAF. I mean, damn, Stuart's goal? Bill Guerin's play with no results? Pucks that might have been in, but no one could see them? Pucks landing on Ozzie's ass? It's like all of the luck is going in one direction.

I will say this, if I see that the score is 3-1 Detroit in the third ever again, I'm turning that shit off. Some of the most boring hockey I've ever seen.

Yes. This.

I still think we will take four in a row, but I'm a little drunk on sake.

[Rexor]

I think the problem has been bounces and one or two bad ones by MAF. I mean, damn, Stuart's goal? Bill Guerin's play with no results? Pucks that might have been in, but no one could see them? Pucks landing on Ozzie's ass? It's like all of the luck is going in one direction.

I will say this, if I see that the score is 3-1 Detroit in the third ever again, I'm turning that shit off. Some of the most boring hockey I've ever seen.

Yeah, the bounces have been going all Detroit's way. And, man, Detroit protecting a lead in the third is worse than watching the Devils play the Wild.