NHL Discussion

[mcm1610]

On the two-year anniversary of being named the youngest captain (19 years, 9 months) in NHL history, Crosby responded to some words from Detroit's Kirk Maltby, but not with words of his own.

"He was doing what he always does, he was giving guys lip service and things like that," Crosby said of what started the dust-up with Maltby. "I two-handed him on top of the foot there as we were skating by. So he felt like it was necessary to keep talking after the game, and I thought I'd whack him and that was it."

Crosby showed that sort of grit and scrappiness throughout the contest.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=424399

What? Grit and scrappiness? Seems like a bitch move. But then again, I'm just a Sid hater.

[thrillho]

both teams did not play well overall, or how we've come to expect them to play during these playoffs.

For the Pens i really do think it was more of a mental block, they seemed much more on the ball with their actual play, but after their own goalie knocked 2 in, there has to be some mental pressure that begins to be felt. And also, even though they added some good older talent, they are still a relatively young team. sure they made it to the finals last year, but the wings have made it there 5 times in the last 11 years. i think there is still the "finals mystique" that the younger pens need to conquer.

As for the wings, i couldn't tell you how many time i covered my mouth the muffle a curse when they gave up the puck, made one too many passes, or didn't finish their checks, or didnt keep it in the zone. I think they were feeling out the Pens that game, seeing just how far they had come skill wise from last year. and let's be honest, they've gotten a lot better. and that put detroit on their heels for a good chunk of the game.

i think in the end it came down to 3 things:

1. Good Ozzy showing up

2 Nervous Fleury showing up

3. the JLA end-boards

remember last year when the wings shut them out for the first two games? yeah, wings fans know this Pens team is getting better and better. however i do believe that with the right mix of coaching from Babcock, and the grit that the 3rd and 4th lines of the wings, that detroit will ultimately have the answer for the pens. but it's going to be an uphill battle every game.

[murakami]

there was one play i found a little humorous - it was when Helm was driving in and blew right past Gill - it looked like an elephant was guarding a cheetah.

also, i think malkin didnt realize how much time and space he had on the breakaway. he definitely had the room to deke, but alas it was a great save and was akin to Fleury stopping Ovechkin in game 7.

[kirbypuckett]

Malkin has no moves on the breakaways. I knew he wasn't going to score, haha.

Gill is the slowest guy on earth. He needs to churn those big legs a little more!

LET'S GO PENS!!!

[lostatsea]

game two..here we go

[mcm1610]

Pittsburgh can give Detroit a good run in small bursts (second half of the 1st, for example) but Detroit is just too much for them.

[lostatsea]

agreed. 3-1 again with 13 left. I dont think the penguins have it in them.

[mcm1610]

Plus, if the Pens are going to have a chance, Fleury has to be ready at all times. He was almost standing up straight on that third goal when the puck was shot. You're in the Cup Finals, you should be ready for a shot if the puck is anywhere outside of the other team's zone.

[mcm1610]

God, I could be an analyst. Every time I say something, 3 seconds later the color guy chimes up and says something similar. I just told my mom how uncertain Osgood was on the save on Crosby with about 6:30 left, and Milbury chirped about how his head whipped around like he thought it was in the net.

[suburbanargyle]

lol at Zetterberg fighting with his gloves on. Actually lol at Malkin and Zetterberg fighting in the first place.

[silentgods]

also, totally wish the ref didn't stop between malkin and Zetterberg, cause malkin missed by a mile and lost his balance and was about to get nailed.

[lostatsea]

If the Pens would have played as hard the whole game as they did in the last 5 mins it might have been close.

[silentgods]

also, Abdelkader! thats how we play hockey in Michigan!

[littlejonnyhormone]

Pierre McGuire can suck a fucking fat cock.

[lostatsea]

Pierre McGuire can suck a fucking fat cock.

haha! don't be bitter

[crime]

the pens will win game 3. but detroit will win the series. the pens outplayed detroit for the majority of last nights game and still couldn't come away with a win. detroit are just too strong for them.

[kirbypuckett]

This series is reminding me a lot of the Caps / Pens series. The Caps pulled out a 2-0 lead in that one as well. It seems the Pen's have the ability to dominate at times, but the bounces aren't going their way. Game #3 will hopefully go the way for the Pens, but if they don't win 3 & 4 then it's time to gift wrap the cup for the Wings.

Regardless, this has been a fun series for the first two games, much better than last years.

[brad]

edit - nevermind.....

-------------------------------

okay this mickey mouse league is a joke.

"The intent of the rule is pretty obvious - was the action premeditated, was it sending a message," explained NHL on TSN's Bob McKenzie following the game. "Evgeni Malkin was on the ice trying to score a goal at the end of the game. This one was born more out of frustration, then it was the Penguins trying to orchestrate some late game shenanigans, that is what the rule was put in place for and that is why the NHL reserves the right to rescind the rule if they feel the spirit of the rule is not being violated."

LOL. god, the nhl is run by fucking morons.

1) the refs on the ice called for an instigator penalty. the refs know the rules and still made the call - so now the league just isn't going to give a shit about that? they are undermining the refs.

2) you can't measure intent, and especially if you are some jackass in the club box like these jerkoffs....thus, you create two categories of players - stars and goons. it's not fair to only punish who you think is a "goon".

3) take away the bullshit instigator rule and this is a non issue, now it just looks like the leauge office are clueless liars.

just read this as well:

NHL Hockey Operations also determined that Malkin should have been assessed a game misconduct for not having his jersey tied down.

what a joke of a leauge, blatent favortisim to superstars.

[kirbypuckett]

For the record, even Detroit said the Malkin-issue was no big deal.

Brad, you'd be best served not focusing so much on officiating. In every sport there will be iffy calls, refs and umps are human and they make mistakes.

Pens fans could sit here for a while and complain about missed calls (Zetterberg covering the puck w/ his hand -- should have been a penalty shot), but Red Wings fans could do the same (Malkin's trip that sprung him on the breakaway in game 1).

[sgoodcore]

Uh, Zetterberg didn't have his jersey tied either, dude. And if you actually watch with no bias there's no instigation. Zetterberg whacks the Pen in the front of the net and it all breaks down from there. Calling it an instigator was a bad call, much like missing the hook by Hossa and the Zetterberg hand on the puck in the crease during Game 1.

[suburbanargyle]

That is unless Bylsma had Malkin out at the end of the game to "send a message"....hahaha

[brad]

if the nhl wants to viewed as a legit league they can't make up rules as they go.

[kirbypuckett]

Uh, Zetterberg didn't have his jersey tied either, dude. And if you actually watch with no bias there's no instigation. Zetterberg whacks the Pen in the front of the net and it all breaks down from there. Calling it an instigator was a bad call, much like missing the hook by Hossa and the Zetterberg hand on the puck in the crease during Game 1.

Ugh, way to remind me about the Hossa one. I just threw up in the mouth. I gotta admit, that was tough for the ref to see. Watching it Live I thought Dupuis dropped his stick. That play changed the game, but I'm not going to complain about it.

As for jerseys being tied down, I believe they're just Velcro straps, not exactly the hardest thing to tear apart.

[brad]

hossa did not hook the guy on the goal. no way, no how.

regardless of how hard starps are to tear off it doesn't change the rule in the rule book.

[sgoodcore]

Uh, Zetterberg didn't have his jersey tied either, dude. And if you actually watch with no bias there's no instigation. Zetterberg whacks the Pen in the front of the net and it all breaks down from there. Calling it an instigator was a bad call, much like missing the hook by Hossa and the Zetterberg hand on the puck in the crease during Game 1.

Ugh, way to remind me about the Hossa one. I just threw up in the mouth. I gotta admit, that was tough for the ref to see. Watching it Live I thought Dupuis dropped his stick. That play changed the game, but I'm not going to complain about it.

As for jerseys being tied down, I believe they're just Velcro straps, not exactly the hardest thing to tear apart.

Dupuis ended up dropping his stick because not only did Hossa hook him under the hands he slashed him and broke the stick. Its so clear as day.

if the nhl wants to viewed as a legit league they can't make up rules as they go.

Okay, so then Zetterberg gets tossed from the game too. His jersey wasn't tied down or are you just going to keep on ignoring that? Also, refs make bad calls, period. The call on Malkin for the instigator was a bad call. Its pretty easy to understand unless you want to invent some kind of conspiracy, which you seem interested in doing.