9 replies to this topic

[Dark Knight]

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

Pittsburgh at Detroit

[QuacksMeUp]

The List for Pittsburgh:

1. F R A N Z E N - See it, stop it!

2. Get the puck out! The boards are NOT your friend at the Joe.

3. F R A N Z E N - See it, stop it! (It bears repeating often).

GO KUNI!

[DropThePuck]

Usually coy about possible lineup changes, Detroit coach Mike Babcock didn’t tap dance when asked about star centre Pavel Datsyuk’s availability for Saturday.

“He’ll play,” said Babcock. “Prior to [Thursday’s] game, we were hoping Pav was going to be in, but we weren’t planning. Now we’re hoping Pav’s going to be in and we’re planning that he’s going to be in.

“Then the second thing is how does he do when he gets out there? He missed a chunk of time. Is he capable of those situations? Is he playing on the wing or is he playing in the middle? We'll see. I don’t know the answer, and I’m being honest with you, just because until I see him play, I won’t know.”

<link>

[DropThePuck]

The Anaheim Ducks pushed the Wings to seven games in Round 2 and did it in part by trying to hit every Red and White body they could lay their hands on.

"I think that's what the Penguins are trying to do, they're trying to be as physical as they possibly can," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle told ESPN.com via phone Friday. "This is the Stanley Cup finals. You have to earn every inch of the ice and they've been as physical as anybody on Detroit."
...
"Kunitz has played really well with [Bill] Guerin and [Sidney] Crosby," Carlyle said of his former player. "He's a banger out there, punishing people."

<ESPN.com link>

[DropThePuck]

TSN's Ice Chips

Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock confirmed on Saturday that Pavel Datsyuk will play in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight in Detroit. It will be his first appearance in the series, after suffering from what his team is calling a "lower-body injury". He has missed seven consecutive post-season games overall. - TSN

The Penguins held an optional practice Friday at Mellon Arena with most of their regulars spending little or no time on the ice, opting for treatment and rest. - Pittsburgh Tribune Review

[DropThePuck]

Whoa! Talk about the wheels falling off in the second period.

Garon was able to stop the eight shots he faced in relief of Fleury. I didn't watch the game, but I imagine that Detroit was able to coast and just go through the motions in the third. With the extra rest, the Pens are going to be facing a well-oiled machine in game six.

5 - Cleary, D. (13:32 in 1st), Filppula, V. (01:44 in 2nd), Kronwall, N. (PPG, 06:11 in 2nd), Rafalski, B. (PPG, 08:26 in 2nd), Zetterberg, H. (PPG, 15:40 in 2nd)
0

What a difference a Datsyuk makes.

Pavel Datsyuk's return from a foot injury was just the tonic the Detroit Red Wings needed as they scored three power-play goals in the second period and five different Wings scored overall in a 5-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 that puts Detroit one game away from winning the Stanley Cup.
...
The first period was played at the most furious pace of the Final. How intense was it? There were just eight stoppages in the period and the first did not come until 7:16 had elapsed in the game. In fact, there were just three faceoffs in the first 13:09 of the contest.

<NHL.com recap>



Evgeni Malkin #71, Sidney Crosby #87, Matt Cooke #24 and Bill Guerin #13 of the Pittsburgh Penguins look on after giving up a goal against the Detroit Red Wings during Game Five of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)


Goaltender Chris Osgood #30 of the Detroit Red Wings saves a shot on goal in front of Brian Rafalski #28 and Brooks Orpik #44 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Five of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)


An ice technician removes an octopus from the ice in front of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins before facing the Detroit Red Wings during Game Five of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)


Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins gets pulled out of the game as Sidney Crosby #87 and Ruslan Fedotenko #26 look on against the Detroit Red Wings during Game Five of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)


Chris Kuntiz #14 of the Pittsburgh Penguins battles against Nicklas Lidstrom #5 of the Detroit Red Wings during Game Five of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)


Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins exchanges words with Johan Franzen #93 of the Detroit Red Wings as Malkin stands in the penatly box during Game Five of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)


Poor Garon ... he finally sees some playoffs minutes, and the caption writer gets it wrong


Goaltends Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the Detroit Red Wings during Game Five of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

[Davison]

it was another referee bs called game.... no calls so many on detriot... so pens got sick of it and started just chopping and losing composure

i dont blame them

i woulda shot hte puck at the ref.

[DropThePuck]

The last time a Canadian player slashed a Russian player in an attempt to break an ankle was 1972. Everyone thought it was great then, but somehow I think the Red Wings are not going to think too highly of the Max Talbot slash on Pavel Datsyuk in Game 5.
...
But had it been the Anaheim Ducks, for example, rather than the Red Wings and somebody slashed Ryan Getzlaf in the same manner, it could have been a completely different tone.
...
Between Crosby and Malkin, they had two shots on goal in Game 5 but the wheels came off so early, people are going to say 'well, now the momentum is all back with Detroit.' But we saw what momentum meant after Game 4; nothing.

Detroit completely stemmed the tide the Penguins had going for them. I would suspect that Crosby and Malkin will look at Saturday's game and just push it aside. They realize they need to get refocused and they'll have every opportunity to stem the Detroit tide and come back with a better game in Game 6 as Detroit did coming back in Game 5.

<TSN McKenzie link>

[DropThePuck]

"The use of the English language isn't very good in situations like that," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said Sunday morning. "Was it tough? It was disappointing. Did I think about ways to try to get us refocused on playing our game sooner than we did? Yes."

<link>

[hillbillywingsfan]

it was another referee bs called game.... no calls so many on detriot... so pens got sick of it and started just chopping and losing composure

i dont blame them

i woulda shot hte puck at the ref.

really? did you even watch the game? i think the reffing has sucked both ways to be honest. both teams are getting away with stuff they usally don;t and then bam they get called for stuff that shouldn't have called. as far as pits calls in the third the were gooning it up out of frustration. i mean 5-0? that has to sting.

so again the wings are winning because of the refs..we have no talent right? hahahaha