2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs

[riffjim4069]

Detroit will win ...

With that being said ... I have always enjoyed a Stanley Cup win in the teams home town. It would be nice if the Pens could win one bringing it back to Detroit for the win ...

The series should continue to heat-up when it moves to Pittsburgh Tuesday evening. If the Wings should happen to win both away games (which I doubt they will do), they will have ruined my Game5 Party back in the Detroit Metro area next weekend. Oh well...I can live with it.

 

[riffjim4069]

I fully expect for the Pens to win both games at their house. after that, the series really begins. Home Ice is the "X" factor here, and we have it. BUT, unless somebody steps up for the Pens besides Crosby and Malkin (the Wings are smothering those two), there is no way the Pens can win this series.

I don't...I am expecting the Wings to split with Pittsburgh and win Game 5 back at The Joe. We shall see...

 

[Paul Wozniak]

I don't...I am expecting the Wings to split with Pittsburgh and win Game 5 back at The Joe. We shall see...

Here's hoping your right. A best of three series is not my cup of tea.

 

[riffjim4069]

OK, what's really going on with Datsyuk? Will he return for Game 3 and, if he does, will he be effective?

 

[Paul Wozniak]

OK, what's really going on with Datsyuk? Will he return for Game 3 and, if he does, will he be effective?

The Wings aren't saying much. I suspect he may have a broken bone in that foot.

 

[riffjim4069]

The ESPN Fan Poll is running neck-and-neck betwen the Wings and Pens. You can cast your vote here.

A new ESPN Fan Poll shows 80% are in favor of the Wings winning the Stanley Cup now that they are up 2-0. Don't forget to cast your vote.

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/poll/index?pCat=46&sCat=483"]Moved Permanently[/ame]

 

[riffjim4069]

The Wings aren't saying much. I suspect he may have a broken bone in that foot.

Yep, I have the same suspicion...some sort of a minor fracture.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

The Free Press said that Don Cherry did a parody of the Dos Equis commercials that appeared on the pre-game show. Did anybody see it?

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Found the video on YouTube, but for some reason I was unable to transfer it her. Maybe somebody else can take a whack at it.

 

[risnuff]

(BTW the NHL rescinded the "instigator " call at the end of the game, so he won't be suspended for game 3. Is their anything else the NHL can do to help them win a cup?)

Call interference ONCE on Detroit? Call for a penalty shot when Zetterberg closed his hand on the puck in the crease in game 1? Call Hossa for a slash even when he wasn't slashing?

There is A TON the NHL could be doing to help the Penguins, both justifiable (the first two) and not (the last one). They simply are choosing not to penalize ANYBODY. Believe me, if it were Zetterberg who got an instigator, he'd be playing in game 3 too.

If the NHL is trying to get the Penguins to win the series, they aren't doing a very good job of it.

Also, cybok, the Pens hit iron quite a bit, and Osgood is on a bit of a roll. (Hopefully he's all right, because judging by his reaction during the scrum at the end of game 2, he'd been shot by a high powered rifle) This series is far from over. If the Wings win a 3rd game in Pittsburgh, however, then a repeat will be inevitable.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Found the video on YouTube, but for some reason I was unable to transfer it her. Maybe somebody else can take a whack at it.

[youtube]<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MhqHZiCDrzE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MhqHZiCDrzE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>[/youtube]

 

[riffjim4069]

Call interference ONCE on Detroit? Call for a penalty shot when Zetterberg closed his hand on the puck in the crease in game 1? Call Hossa for a slash even when he wasn't slashing?

There is A TON the NHL could be doing to help the Penguins, both justifiable (the first two) and not (the last one). They simply are choosing not to penalize ANYBODY. Believe me, if it were Zetterberg who got an instigator, he'd be playing in game 3 too.

If the NHL is trying to get the Penguins to win the series, they aren't doing a very good job of it.

Also, cybok, the Pens hit iron quite a bit, and Osgood is on a bit of a roll. (Hopefully he's all right, because judging by his reaction during the scrum at the end of game 2, he'd been shot by a high powered rifle) This series is far from over. If the Wings win a 3rd game

in Pittsburgh, however, then a repeat will be inevitable.

I agree with your general comments. I honestly have no problem with the way the refs are calling the games; they are letting the players skate and both teams are using this to their advantage. If the refs called the games like they did in Anaheim, the penalty boxes would be full and the infractions too numerous to count. Personally, I think the NHL wants to limit the penalties and let the audience enjoy the up-and-down action.

The problem I do have is with NBCs bias towards Crosby and the Penguins...but since they don't affect the outcome I just ignore the all the gooey manlove.

As far as Ozzie is concerned...I rarely, if ever, worry about this performace - he has been a steady and reliable performer over the years.

 

[Jimbo]

We are already in the driver's seat. A win in Pittsburgh, and the end of the series becomes a formality. The biggest problem right now for Pittsburgh is getting Zettyberg out of Crosby's jersey. The Wings have taken the "wonder boy" completely out of this series. That leaves the rest of the team to concentrate on Malkin, and apparently the frustration is starting to mount for him. (BTW the NHL rescinded the "instigator " call at the end of the game, so he won't be suspended for game 3. Is their anything else the NHL can do to help them win a cup?)

Unless Ozzie gets injured I don't see this series turning out any differently than last year.

What happens when Datsuk and Draper get back (if) ?

 

[Jimbo]

Call interference ONCE on Detroit? Call for a penalty shot when Zetterberg closed his hand on the puck in the crease in game 1? Call Hossa for a slash even when he wasn't slashing?

There is A TON the NHL could be doing to help the Penguins, both justifiable (the first two) and not (the last one). They simply are choosing not to penalize ANYBODY. Believe me, if it were Zetterberg who got an instigator, he'd be playing in game 3 too.

If the NHL is trying to get the Penguins to win the series, they aren't doing a very good job of it.

Also, cybok, the Pens hit iron quite a bit, and Osgood is on a bit of a roll. (Hopefully he's all right, because judging by his reaction during the scrum at the end of game 2, he'd been shot by a high powered rifle) This series is far from over. If the Wings win a 3rd game in Pittsburgh, however, then a repeat will be inevitable.

Well a blatant SPEAR to the mid section is enough ... I'm sure had the Wing player done that to Flurry there would be a suspension as well.

 

[risnuff]

Well a blatant SPEAR to the mid section is enough ... I'm sure had the Wing player done that to Flurry there would be a suspension as well.

Are you talking about Talbot's play on Osgood? He was just trying to poke the puck free. Osgood embellished it greatly.

And no, if it happened to Fleury, there wouldn't be a suspension, one reason for that being that as mentioned before, the referees aren't calling anything, and secondly because Fleury likely wouldn't act like somebody shot him if he were lightly poked by a Wing trying to play a puck he was trying to cover, meaning the call or lack thereof wouldn't be brought into question to begin with.

 

[Jimbo]

Are you talking about Talbot's play on Osgood? He was just trying to poke the puck free. Osgood embellished it greatly.

And no, if it happened to Fleury, there wouldn't be a suspension, one reason for that being that as mentioned before, the referees aren't calling anything, and secondly because Fleury likely wouldn't act like somebody shot him if he were lightly poked by a Wing trying to play a puck he was trying to cover, meaning the call or lack thereof wouldn't be brought into question to begin with.

ok

 

[SandraC]

What happens when Datsuk and Draper get back (if) ?

The Penguins give Lebron a lesson in how to be a great loser.


Sandra

 

[cybok0]

The Penguins give Lebron a lesson in how to be a great loser.


Sandra

Probably. Well at least they made it to the finals.

 

[SandraC]

Probably. Well at least they made it to the finals.

True. My team was the best loser, they laid down and let the other team skate right past them, then congratuled them on a job well done.


Sandra

 

[Paul Wozniak]

What happens when Datsuk and Draper get back (if) ?

The Free Press said today that Draper is well enough to play, but that Babcock is electing not to play him. It's possible that Draper's days are numbered here. The youth movement is in full swing, as evidenced by the fine play of Helm, etc...in these playoffs.

No word on Datsyuk. I have speculated, as has Riffjim, that he may have a fracture in his foot. We'll see the next two games.