27 replies to this topic

[Dark Knight]

Please post your thoughts, pictures and comments on tonight's game in this thread.

Detroit at Pittsburgh

[Poker Face]

Red Wings look unstoppable right now. Do you think they could pull off something like the Ducks did against the Wild during their cup run in 02-03 and shut them out for 3 staight games and then give up just one goal? That has to be some kind of record for fewest goals allowed in a SCF if that happens.

I'm still rooting for the Pens in the SCF though.

[Todrick]

I want Pittsburgh to wake up... I know they can take this.

That said, I wouldn't mind seeing history... Though I hate Detroit with a passion it would be pretty cool to see ANY team take the SCF 4-0 with a 240 minute shutout sequence.

[wildwing64]

I just about managed to watch the first period of game 2 (at 1:45am... ugh), and Detroit scored some amazing goals.

To be honest, I don't really mind who wins. Though I wonder how Pittsburgh will perform now that they have home ice advantage for the next two games.

[Still MIGHTY]

Go

I have a feeling they wake up this game and take Game 3

[FredFrog]

Go

I have a feeling they wake up this game and take Game 3

The Pens better wake up. They have looked absolutely horrible the first two games. If the Pens don't score in the first period I think they will lose. They need to put pressure on Detroit and take the lead. If they don't, then emotionally they will be down and Detroit will win.

[ahtikullervo]

Without goals one can not win hockey games...

Crosby, Malkin, Staal & Co - wake up call!!!

Go !

[Todrick]

anyone else having flashbacks of 2003...

the ducks came back... winning games 3&4... no reason to think the Pens can't do the same

[DropThePuck]

May 27 - TSN's Ice Chips:

Penguins coach Michel Therrien wasn't impressed with Wings netminder Chris Osgood and made it clear when commenting on Ryan Malone and Petr Sykora's interference penalties.
"We took two penalties tonight on the goalie," Therrien said. "We never take penalty to the goalie in the playoff. I'll tell you something, I reviewed those plays. He's a good actor. He goes to players, and he's diving."
Sykora thinks it's time the league takes a closer look.
"I just skated by (Osgood)," Sykora said. "He made a dive again. (The NHL) should look at it." Sidney Crosby had the same reaction when asked about Osgood.
"Everyone has to be held accountable, if a forward dives he gets called, he needs to be held accountable." - TSN

Evgeni Malkin had eight goals and nine assists in the first 10 games as Pittsburgh rolled into the Eastern Conference final.
But he's had just a goal and an assist-and just 10 shots on goal in the six games since. And Monday night, he was AWOL again as the Wings grabbed a stranglehold on this series. Malkin failed to register a shot on goal in 18:05 of ice time, lost 10 of 14 faceoffs.
"I thought his intention was there tonight," Therrien said, putting on the kid gloves after the game. "We've got to keep supporting him, and eventually, players like this, usually they find ways." - Detroit Free Press

The Penguins have gone 135:57 without a goal, since Pascal Dupuis' scored at 4:03 of the third period against Philadelphia in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. - Rocky Mountain News

Johan Franzen returned to the lineup after missing six games with concussion-like symptoms and took some abuse from the frustrated Penguins. Gary Roberts, inserted into the Penguins' lineup for added physical presence, clipped Johan Franzen high in the third period.
Asked about Roberts' hit, Franzen smiled.
"I don't blame him-they're trying to take their shots," Franzen said. "I gotta expect that and protect myself. We're just moving the puck, trying to stay away from the scrums."
He claimed afterward the shots to the head are just part of the game and won't affect him the remainder the series. "That's playoff hockey," Franzen said.
In addition to pounds to the skull, Franzen often was tangled with several defenders, poked, elbowed and checked hard into the boards.
"I felt a little bit better than expected," Franzen said. "It's good to be back again. I really missed it." - Detroit Free Press

Chris Osgood is the fourth goaltender to post shutouts in the first two games of the finals. He is 6-0 in his career in the championship round with a 1.18 goals-against average. - Associated Press



Home teams sweeping Games 1 and 2 have gone on to win the Cup 30 out of 31 times. The 1971 Chicago Blackhawks are the only team to skate away empty-handed, losing a seven-game series to the Montreal Canadiens. - Rocky Mountain News

[bova80]

i'll be at the game tonight. GO PENS!

[ladiesandgentlemen]

A Scalper's Paradise:

Penguins Lock Red Wings Fans Out of Finals
... the Penguins organization wants to keep that Detroit-area rabble out of their barn. Here's the disclaimer you'll find at Ticketmaster if you're looking to buy tickets to Games Three, Four or Six in Pittsburgh:
Mellon Arena is located in Pittsburgh, PA. Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, NJ, DE, VA and the District of Columbia. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside of PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, NJ, DE, VA and the District of Columbia will be canceled without notice and refunds given. AOL sports link

The only people who will benefit from this stunt are venue ticket insiders... Scalpers. They are the ones who know how to get around any restrictions, and will certainly be the ones who will take advantage of this artificial neutral zone ticket trap by Pittsburgh.

The NHL ought to step up with some integrity and ban this bs. Both of these franchises are always crying about what a tough economy they have for their poor fans. And then they turn around and pull a stunt like this.

[Still MIGHTY]

Wow...

The Igloo is rocking... All white and LOUD
All chanting as one "LETS GO PENS"
Not slightly off like the chants at the Pond can get, where one half of the arena is one clap ahead of the other half.
In unison

Go

No octopi seen or heard of yet...

Good job citizens of Pittsburgh!


And some good advertizing from NBC and its sponsors

The "Get Smart" Power Play

Seems appropriate

[Still MIGHTY]

Well what do ya know...

CROSBY SCORES!!!
Welcome to the Finals, + Sid

1 - 0 2:33 left in the 1st period

[Still MIGHTY]

2nd Period starting...

HAHA!
Poor poor Ovechkin...
He has to spend the evening in Gary Bettman's box...
I'm soooooo sorry Ovie...

CRRRRRRROOOOSSSSSSSSBYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY #2!!!!
Power play goal

2 - 0 17:36 left in 2nd Period

First 2008 SCF game on national network TV and the league's pride and joy is shining
Bettman must be in his box smiling and making Ovie's ears bleed

"OZ-GOOOD" rains down

[DropThePuck]

May 28 - TSN's Ice Chips:

Veteran defenceman Darryl Sydor will play tonight in his first game of the postseason. The two-time Stanley Cup champion has not played since March 31. - TSN

Penguins coach Michel Therrien acknowledged he might play Malkin and Crosby together in five-on-five situations. "We would do it at times," he said. "We do it at times." Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Petr Sykora, Marian Hossa, Sergei Gonchar, Brooks Orpik and Marc-Andre Fleury did not participate in the optional practice. ...Crosby took the ice with backup goalie Ty Conklin for about 20 minutes before practice to work on some individual drills. - Post Gazette

After an optional practice at Joe Louis Arena and before his team flew to Pittsburgh yesterday, coach Mike Babcock said he won't be concerned about making sure his top line of Henrik Zetterberg centring for Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom is on the ice against the Penguins' top line centered by Sidney Crosby. "At home, what we've done is we've matched [Zetterberg] against Crosby the whole time," Babcock said. "Now, what we're going to do is let [that top line] go and let them try to generate offense. We'll match up with whoever we get. We're just going to roll our lines out the gate and make sure we've got the right matchup on the back." Babcock will still try to get his top defensive pairing of Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski on the ice against Crosby. - Detroit Free Press

[Still MIGHTY]

wow
First this place is loud
then Crosby was full on form tackled by the Detroit D-man with a no-call
and the whole place went into utter frenzy..

Pretty exciting game...

[Still MIGHTY]

Crosby almost had a 3rd one...

[Still MIGHTY]

Wow...
Franzen scores a beauty for the Wings

2 - 1 5:12 left in the 2nd period

[Still MIGHTY]

End of 2nd
2 - 1

[Still MIGHTY]

Ovechkin being interviewed during the intermission

Yeah, Ovie cleans up (or trys to) well...

Yeah right!

[Still MIGHTY]

Adam Hall banked one off the back of Osgood with 12:42 left in the 3rd for the Pens

3 - 1 6:39 now left in the 3rd

Samuelsson scores one on the PP to bring the Wings back into it
Deflected off a Pens defenseman up to the top shelf

3 -2 6:14 left in 3rd Period

[Duck304]

Best game all year. Who needs high scoring?

[Still MIGHTY]

Penguins need a big kill with 4 minutes left as Malkin took a penalty...

Pittsburgh is being totally outplayed in the 3rd period.

Penalty killed

2:00 exact left in the 3rd

Pittsburgh looks just drained...
They are digging for every ounce of energy to hold off this late Red Wings charge.


Pittsburgh holding onto the puck deep and an aggressive forecheck not allowing Osgood to leave
Empty net with :24 left

WINS 3-2!!!!
leads SCF 2-1

Pittsburgh dig deep and held on to the victory.
I knew Pittsburgh would wake up and take this one.
It's a series again

And Ryan Whitney being interviewed.
Probably the best playoff beard among these young Penguins

[Bits]

The last 10 minutes was incredible. That was so intense. They must all be exhausted.

[DropThePuck]

2 - Franzen, J. (PPG, 14:48 in 2nd), Samuelsson, M. (13:37 in 3rd)
3 - Crosby, S. (17:25 in 1st), Crosby, S. (PPG, 02:34 in 2nd), Hall, A. (07:18 in 3rd)

Crosby’s goal was a huge relief to the Pens and their white-clad fans, who had suffered through 137:25 of scoreless hockey until Crosby found the back of the net.

A rare Detroit turnover set up the goal, as defenseman Brad Stuart’s hard pass in the defensive zone caught Henrik Zetterberg in the skates and caromed to Marian Hossa, who turned and broke in on Chris Osgood. Hossa’s initial shot was stopped by Stuart, but Crosby had broken to the net and slammed the rebound home to the delight of the delirious fans.

<NHL.com recap>



The Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins face off to start game three of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Mellon Arena on May 28, 2008 in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)


Actor Michael Keaton (right) watches game three of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mellon Arena on May 28, 2008 in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)


Goaltender Chris Osgood #30 the Detroit Red Wings fails to stop the first period goal by Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during game three of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Mellon Arena on May 28, 2008 in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)


Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) takes on Detroit Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg behind the net during the first period of Game 3 NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Wednesday, May 28, 2008, in Pittsburgh, Pa.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Frank Gunn)


Detroit Red Wings Mike Babcock, left, writes on the railing as he talks to Red Wings forwards Jiri Hudler, center, of the Czech Republic, and Kris Draper (33) during the second period in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup hockey finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, May 28, 2008.
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)


Tomas Holmstrom #96 of the Detroit Red Wings and Hal Gill #2 of the Pittsburgh Penguins are separated by linesman Jay Sharrers during game three of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Mellon Arena on May 28, 2008 in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)