16 replies to this topic

[Dark Knight]

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

Pittsburgh at Detroit

[safir8100]

Datsyuk out again for the Wings.

Edit: Draper out as well (I guess that known already yesterday)


http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs/2009/news?id=4219233

I guess we'll see again Hank's line v. Crosby and Flip's line v. Geno. Hudler wasn't good yesterday so Cleary might take his place.

[Bits]

Man I hope the Pens can win it tonight. I don't like the idea of them going back to Pittsburgh down by two games. They need to hound Osgood.


Let's go Pens!

[DropThePuck]

TSN's Ice Chips

Nicklas Lidstrom returned after missing two games because of an injury to his groin area. Pavel Datsyuk sat out a fourth straight game due to a sore foot. Coach Mike Babcock said Datsyuk's injury has not healed as well as the team had initially anticipated, but Datsyuk said he was feeling a bit better. Babcock could only say that they would obviously get Datsyuk back in the lineup as soon as reasonably possible. Though Jonathan Ericsson was back in action, Andreas Lilja still has not played since suffering a concussion on February 28. He said he’s still experiencing daily headaches. Defenceman Chris Chelios was a scratch in Game 1. - Detroit Free Press

Projected Lines vs. Penguins

Forwards:
Hudler - Zetterberg - Franzen
Holmstrom - Helm - Samuelsson
Hossa - Filppula - Cleary
Leino - Abdelkader - Maltby

Defence:
Lidstrom - Rafalski
Kronwall - Stuart
Lebda - Ericsson

Goaltender:
Osgood

The team's scratches were forwards Petr Sykora, Eric Godard and Pascal Dupuis. The team dressed seven defensemen for the eighth straight game. - Tribune Review

Projected Lines vs. Red Wings

Forwards:
Fedotenko - Malkin - Talbot
Kunitz - Crosby - Guerin
Cooke - Staal - Kennedy
Adams - Satan

Defence:
Gonchar - Orpik
Gill - Scuderi
Eaton - Letang
Boucher

Goaltender:
Fleury

[TecKaHoLiC]

How are we the only f'in team to give Detroit problems!?!?!

Pens need to gather around Kunitz and learn to by physical

[ahtikullervo]

Pens are softer than butter...

[DropThePuck]

1 - Malkin, E. (PPG, 16:50 in 1st)
3 - Ericsson, J. (04:21 in 2nd), Filppula, V. (10:29 in 2nd), Abdelkader, J. (02:47 in 3rd)

Perhaps Osgood got too much help on the goal as defenseman Brad Stuart was flaying away at a series of loose pucks in the crease, only to inadvertently knock Malkin's shot into the net.
...
Officials went to video replay at 1:39 of the third period to verify a Sidney Crosby shot rang off the post and then rolled along the Detroit goal line without going in.

<NHL.com recap>



Jordan Staal #11 of the Pittsburgh Penguins slips on the ice between Jonathan Ericsson #52 and Mikael Samuelsson #37 of the Detroit Red Wings during Game Two of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on May 31, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)


Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins makes a save against the Detroit Red Wings get past him in the second period during Game Two of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on May 31, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)


Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bill Guerin (13) celebrates a goal by teammate Evgeni Malkin, not seen, against the Detroit Red Wings in the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals in Detroit, Sunday, May 31, 2009. Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood sprawls on the ice and is surrounded by, from left, Brad Stuart, Henrik Zetterberg (40), of Sweden, and Nicklas Lidstrom (5), of Sweden.
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)


Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall (55), of Sweden, checks Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) in the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals in Detroit, Sunday, May 31, 2009.
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

[hillbillywingsfan]

How are we the only f'in team to give Detroit problems!?!?!

Pens need to gather around Kunitz and learn to by physical

what!?!?!? you are really asking that? i believe even as a wings fan....ducks are better then the pens...hands down. stop crybaby and malkin and you stop the pens. period.

[Still MIGHTY]

We should be there...
We should be winning...
We should have the Cup...

DAMN DAMN DAMN

FREAKING RED WINGS!!!

THAT SHOULD BE US!!!

ahggg...

[QuacksMeUp]

I'm actually not surprised. The two least penalized teams in the NHL are now playing for the Cup folks!

I saw two flagrant penalties by the Red Wings that led to two goals and the NBC guys replayed the two incidents, and pointed them out again several times. Danny asked for an explanation at one point and he probably heard something like "....well, Dan. They are the Red Wings and we are blind."

We sit and point out those things that the Pens and Wings do during a game that would have been penalties (and were!) if the Ducks or other teams were still in it. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but good grief, you have got to wonder! If these two teams are the least penalized, does that mean the rest of the teams are goofballs and can't learn to stop taking penalties, or that they just haven't perfected the slight of hand that the Wings seem to thrive on, and do not have the star power of Sid the Kid and Malkin to deflect the scrutiny?

If the zebra crew isn't going to call stuff, can the Pens please have a meeting before each game to let them know what to expect?

As for Colin Campbell -- WTH??? You put the name Kunitz, Guerin, Stall or ANY DUCK on that jersey fighting Zetts last night and they are SUSPENDED!


Ranting is over. Back to Game 3 now. GO KUNIE!

[Dark Knight]

With the preface that I haven't watched any of the games in this SCF, here's Brady's take on the series so far... A very good read.

[Dutch Duck]

Nice scrum there in the end. Just think what would have happened these playoffs if Babcock and Detroit decided they do want to fight

[hillbillywingsfan]

I'm actually not surprised. The two least penalized teams in the NHL are now playing for the Cup folks!

I saw two flagrant penalties by the Red Wings that led to two goals and the NBC guys replayed the two incidents, and pointed them out again several times. Danny asked for an explanation at one point and he probably heard something like "....well, Dan. They are the Red Wings and we are blind."

We sit and point out those things that the Pens and Wings do during a game that would have been penalties (and were!) if the Ducks or other teams were still in it. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but good grief, you have got to wonder! If these two teams are the least penalized, does that mean the rest of the teams are goofballs and can't learn to stop taking penalties, or that they just haven't perfected the slight of hand that the Wings seem to thrive on, and do not have the star power of Sid the Kid and Malkin to deflect the scrutiny?

If the zebra crew isn't going to call stuff, can the Pens please have a meeting before each game to let them know what to expect?

As for Colin Campbell -- WTH??? You put the name Kunitz, Guerin, Stall or ANY DUCK on that jersey fighting Zetts last night and they are SUSPENDED!


Ranting is over. Back to Game 3 now. GO KUNIE!

so you and all the people that are saying we are only winning because of the refs....so have you went through and seen how many things should have been called on the pens? its funny how people will only pick out the s* that the team they hate do wrong on the ice but fail to do the same for the other team on the ice. to me the games are being called s*ty both ways....which is no calls now. i know its the finals but damn. then you have stupid announcers calling for a slash on hossa???wtf...watch the reply. no slash....a hook before that yes...no slash. get it right if you are going to call something being an announcer. you get to watch the reply over and over you of all people should be able to call it better then any of us. and yes...wtf campbell....let that be anyone other then crybabies right hand man malkin and they would have been suspended. but being a wings fan there are so many excuses coming from everyone even non pens fans that i want everyone on the pens to be in there and healthy so that if we do pull it out again that wont be another excuse as to why we beat them. oh btw...our best 2 way player has been out the whole series....lids was hurt...big E had an appendectomy and was back playing 2 days later....our best face off guy is out...pain train lilja is out......but no excuses from me.

[Barmy Army]

We gave up on this game and went and watched Mystery Alaska instead, which was much more interesting

[QuacksMeUp]

so you and all the people that are saying we are only winning because of the refs....so have you went through and seen how many things should have been called on the pens? its funny how people will only pick out the s* that the team they hate do wrong on the ice but fail to do the same for the other team on the ice. to me the games are being called s*ty both ways....which is no calls now. i know its the finals but damn. then you have stupid announcers calling for a slash on hossa???wtf...watch the reply. no slash....a hook before that yes...no slash. get it right if you are going to call something being an announcer. you get to watch the reply over and over you of all people should be able to call it better then any of us. and yes...wtf campbell....let that be anyone other then crybabies right hand man malkin and they would have been suspended. but being a wings fan there are so many excuses coming from everyone even non pens fans that i want everyone on the pens to be in there and healthy so that if we do pull it out again that wont be another excuse as to why we beat them. oh btw...our best 2 way player has been out the whole series....lids was hurt...big E had an appendectomy and was back playing 2 days later....our best face off guy is out...pain train lilja is out......but no excuses from me.

Well, if we don't blame the refs or Bettman or Campbell then we have to admit that the Red Wings are the best team in hockey. That's really hard to do, even if it's true.

[safir8100]

How are we the only f'in team to give Detroit problems!?!?!

EJ Hradek agrees with us in ESPN's chat:

Matt (Wings Fan in Atlanta): How would the Penguins have fared in the Western Conference playoffs this year? I think they wouldn't have made it out of the second round.

SportsNation EJ Hradek: It depends a lot on who they would play. When it got to the final eight teams, I ranked the Wings first and the Ducks second. The Penguins were next. So I would be interested to see how they would have done against a team like Anaheim that is so accomplished. I think they certainly would have had a hard time getting to the Finals in the West.

<link>

[hillbillywingsfan]

EJ Hradek agrees with us in ESPN's chat:





<link>

pens wouldn't have made it...unless they played the BJ's....every other team SPEACIALY the ducks the pens would have gotten beat by.