NHL playoffs

[FroBozz_Inc]

Re: Franzen

I like what Babcock had to say

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2008/05 ... _good.html

Bring it on, Dallas.

[steelcity_ballin]

One step closer to a Wings and Pens cup

[FroBozz_Inc]

One step closer to a Wings and Pens cup

I never thought the other two teams would be Dallas and Philly at this point.
I would be even more surprised if it ended up NOT being Wings vs. Penguins for the Cup.

[steelcity_ballin]

Dallas is looking tough as nails, and the flyers have upshall and umberger on fire with Biron standing on his head. It would seem these teams are all evenly matched. As long as the wings win

[UberGerbil]

Why the Stanley Cup is the greatest trophy in professional sports.

[Hoser]

UberGerbil - The only time you're going to see the Stanley Cup & a Leaf jersey together anytime soon is in the HOF.

[steelcity_ballin]

Tuuuuuurco Tuuuuuurco Tuuuuuurco Tuuuuuurco Tuuuuuurco

Awesome PP attack tonight, great puck possession. WINGS WINGS WINGS!

[Hoser]

Stars looked really flat tonight. Lots of standing around watching the guy with the puck skate and then realize.......oh yeah....we're playing too!!!!

[FroBozz_Inc]

Fun first game to watch. Dallas needs to be more disciplined or the Wings will have themselves a sweep.
Our power play is looking good indeed! Love how Lidstrom is firing like crazy from the point and those great Kronwallian hits!
OSGOOD is looking solid as can be. He needs to be our #1 next year IMHO. Interesting article about him:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 1082/COL01

Really looking forward to watching Crosby, Malkin, Gonchar, and friends womp on Philly tonight!

[steelcity_ballin]

You and me both Frobozz. I figure I'm going to order the hottest wings I can handle, crank the volume, and watch me some hockey.

Kronwall has been good for at least 1 giant hit a game, and I really think he got into the heads of some of the stars with his play - Last year we didn't have him because of a back problem IIRC. The stars looked scared to me, towards the end they were stacking themselves at the blue line with a "Uh, you go first" look. Even drew some really sloppy offsides because of it.

If Drake and Richards can start to match Kronwalls play (quite a few assists this post-season, not just the knockout-hits), look out for years to come Western Conference.

What I don't like is the "Pisani" comparison on Franzen - Franzen had a decent season and I think that with the confidence he has in his play now, he will be an elite player next year, all year.

If there is any condolence in the stars game, Turco stood on his head a few times, the zetter wrapper sticks out. Well played!

[FroBozz_Inc]

If there is any condolence in the stars game, Turco stood on his head a few times, the zetter wrapper sticks out. Well played!

Yeah, I was like, "how did that NOT go in??" (after replay) "Ohhhh, that's how - got his stick there just in the nick"

[steelcity_ballin]

Is it me or are Datsyuk and Zetterberg not standing out at all really. I barely hear their names except for the occasional odd-man rush.

[zgirl]

Is it me or are Datsyuk and Zetterberg not standing out at all really. I barely hear their names except for the occasional odd-man rush.

This is because top lines get put against the best lines and defensive pairings that opposing teams have to offer. Which means they have to work harder. They don't have huge games, but they quietly put up numbers. This is something Federov had to deal with yet in his 12 years with the wings he was the overall points leader in the playoff. They get points but they don't have many HUGE games but they get points. Besides after you and frobozz look at the following I'll comment more.

Just to make you jealous


Just before opening face off.


0:15 seconds left in the game.

Yes I was there for game two. And we have pre-ordered Finals tickets should they make it.

Now as for Hank and Pavs, hands down they were the best two players on the ice during the entire game, for either team. You don't see it on TV as much but those two control both ends of the ice. The are constantly swarmed by multiple players yet somehow still make plays. It is amazing to see the whole ice and see how difficult it is to even contain them. I watched Pavs somehow fight and poke the puke in the defensive zone with three Stars around him. Yet they could never actually take it away. Until he got it out. You have to remember they are tops in +/- in these playoffs and they do it against the best the opposition has to offer. They might not always putting the biscuit in the net, but then neither are you.

So yes they aren't going to have those huge games, but they are more then a handful against the best the opposition has to offer. Which opens up secondary scoring. Hence why Franzen has come to life.

I liken it to MJ, for years teams just contained him and shut the rest of the team down. They knew they couldn't stop MJ but they could hold him to reasonable numbers and still win. Until the team got good enough around him that it didn't matter anymore.

[steelcity_ballin]

I've been to the Joe, it was 2 years ago for a Pens game for Crosby's first game against the Wings IIRC. At the end of regulation the pens had JUST broke into double digit shots on goal. We (wings) won I still have my $8.00 plastic beer cup, tattered as it may be.

Detroit being scary at night, is an understatement.

GO WINGS GO!

/Jealous, yes. However when the Pens and Wings play, I hope to make it to one game "away" tee hee.

[FroBozz_Inc]

That disallowed goal by Crosby last night was SO IN it's not even funny.

Cool pics Z-Man! I've been there many times, just never to a playoff game yet. This will be the first year in awhile we haven't been to at least one game. It's getting harder to justify that cost nowadays in comparison.

It pissed me off Saturday night listening to Don Cherry rip on the Wings. "Ya, they'll probably win the cup..but who cares? who cares?"

Take your day-glo pink suit and shove it ol man. Sorry Canada can't bring it home, no need to rip on your buddies south of the border.

It'll be interesting to watch tonights game after that drama with Osgood and Ribero at the end of Saturdays game.

I'm sure the Stars will come out with big hits aplenty.

[zgirl]

lol I never meant to imply that either of you have never been, but playoff games were just so hard to get tickets for so many years, that it is a blast to go.

I've been to tons of regular season games. Dating back to the early '80s. But last year and this year were my first ever playoff games.

Great times.

[steelcity_ballin]

I've only gone to one penguin game this year, it was against the Rangers and I paid $115.00/ for "against the glass" seats. This was back in November I think. What was the cost, if you don't mind me asking, to see what the scale is like for the playoffs?

[zgirl]

I've only gone to one penguin game this year, it was against the Rangers and I paid $115.00/ for "against the glass" seats. This was back in November I think. What was the cost, if you don't mind me asking, to see what the scale is like for the playoffs?

We paid $100 per seat for 15 row upper bowl. We could have gotten lower bowl for $250 (row 8ish I think). But the Joe is rather viewer friendly and I find it fun just to be there. So I went with the cheaper tickets.

[steelcity_ballin]

Heck yeah meeeee too. That's serious scratch for those seats. I'm saving for the tickets and if the Wings and Pens aren't the ones to make it, I'll Save it for a rainier day. Man it rains a lot in Pittsburgh, raining now!

[steelcity_ballin]

HELL YES. THIS is the Zetter and Datty that I wanted to see. AWESOME game - SWEEP SWEEP DALLAS!!!!

PENS AND WINGS LETS GO!

[steelcity_ballin]

Stolen from a wings fan on Fark:

One night I dreamed I was skating along the half wall with the Datsyuk.
Many scenes from the playoffs flashed across the Jumbotron.
In each scene I noticed skate tracks in the opponents' zone.
Sometimes there were two sets of wide half-arcs,
Other times there were one set of wide half-arcs.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of the series,
when I was suffering from
rink rust, Hasek, or concussion-like symptoms,
I could see only one set of skate marks.

So I said to the Datsyuk,
"You promised us Pavel,
that if we let you half-ass your way through learning English,
you would skate with us always.
But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of the playoffs
there have only been one
set of skate marks in the attacking zone.
Why, when we needed you most,
you have not been there for us?"

The Datsyuk replied,
"The times when you have
seen only one set of skate marks in the slot,
is when I carried you."

[zgirl]

HELL YES. THIS is the Zetter and Datty that I wanted to see. AWESOME game - SWEEP SWEEP DALLAS!!!!

PENS AND WINGS LETS GO!

This was my point. Those two are always there. Teams have to play their best against them shift in/shift out. Last night the Stars made mistakes against them. Slipping up so to speak. That is when they make you pay. Their A game has been there every night. But the Stars only had their B game. That is when they will kill you. You can only hope to contain their points.

Let us not forget on that Franzen goal that he batted out of the air in the avs series. Zetterberg had Sakic spinning on his knees to generate the original shot.

[steelcity_ballin]

I got home just in time to see Hank score the shorty, Tee hee. I love it when the home team boos their team on the power play.

What do you guys think for the Penguins tonight? Without 2 top defensemen and an aging (ineffective) hatcher logging extra minutes, it could get ugly. I'm going to say 4-1 this time. I'll say 2 for malkin, 1 crosby, 1 malone. Predictions!

[FroBozz_Inc]

Wings vs. Penguins!!!! It's great that the two very best teams will meet in the final, the way it should be! It's good for hockey in general too, having such talent headed for the final. Malkin Crosby Lidstrom Zetterburg Datsyuk...

I gotta hand it to Modano, that amazing pass resulting in a Dallas goal was breathtaking.

Detroit is a juggernaut! The New England Patriots of hockey (minus the videocams, lol)

Every team they have played so far has tried to kill them with either offense, defense, or hitting. If you concentrate on one of those, the others will suffer and Detroit will exploit it to it's full potential. To beat the Wings, you have to beat them at their own game -- Which is SMART OPPORTUNISTIC hockey. If you can't play smart, they will kill you for your mistakes. And if you don't capitalize on the Wings mistakes, you won't score.

Saw that whats his name that got hit in the face by the puck in the last Pens game got 19 stitches! That looked awful.

[idchafee]

Are the Blackhawks in it yet? No?

/me wanders off muttering to himself.

[steelcity_ballin]

Saw that whats his name that got hit in the face by the puck in the last Pens game got 19 stitches! That looked awful.

50 stitches and can't play because his eye is swollen shut. Ouch.

[FroBozz_Inc]

Um yeah, I meant 50 stitches. Watching him take that puck to the face made me squirm.

Are the Blackhawks in it yet? No?

/me wanders off muttering to himself.

All I can say is that the Blackhawks really are turning things around with Kane, Toews, and a host of fast young dudes.
They are exciting to watch. They did very well against the Red Wings in the regular season too, I want to say better then anyone else against us. The Blackhawks of today are nothing like the Blackhawks you learned to hate Stiffie.

Give it a year or two and they will be an annual playoff team, seriously.

[idchafee]

The Blackhawks of today are nothing like the Blackhawks you learned to hate Stiffie.

Well, now that they're going to be on TV it will be much easier to follow them. Being a Blackhawks fan under Dollar Bill was hard work. No TV, sporadic radio and of course miserably bad hockey.

[steelcity_ballin]

Dual sweeps. Both amazing offenses, amazing defensive, tons of super stars, fantastic goal tending, OH SO CLOSE!


WINGS AND PENS WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

[zgirl]

I dunno, I think it is a bit of a stretch to be announcing it just yet. Wasn't it the '42 Leafs who came from 3-0 down to win a series?