(4)Penguins vs (2)Captials

Wow - where to start with this one...

The Penguins are coming off a physical 6 game series with arch rival Philadelphia. Its was a tough series, but I believe the Caps can be more physical than the Flyers - with more skill.

The first thing I always do when I look at a playoff series - no matter who is playing - is to see which team has the best player. In this case, there is no clear cut winner in that dept - It could actually go to 3 different players, but I'll take the fact that two of the three play for the good guys.

I'll go through some specific areas of the game, and I'll comment on who has the advantage and why.


Goaltending:

The one area the Penguins have a clear cut advantage is in net. Marc-Andre Fleury has a lot of playoff experience under his belt, and has shown he can steal a game or two in a series.


I will guarantee the Craps will experience a "goaltending controversy" sometime during this series.
Varlamov did well against the Rangers....but the Pens offense is a totally different story.

Totally.

The ONLY way this kid beats the Penguins is if he stones them early and builds off that confidence.
I foresee some high scoring games....
If/when Varlamov gets pulled, the Caps get to rely on Jose Theodore - The Caps won't go much farther with this combo between the pipes.
Advantage: Pens


Defense:
I'm sorry, but nothing scares me about this defense. Green is dynamic offensively, but has shown that he can be taken off his game with a little bit of the rough stuff....the rest of the guys are average at best.


The Penguins defense used to be it's weak link in past years, but I'm not sure you can say that any more. Gm Ray Shero has put together a nice mix of defensive and offensive defensemen. Brooks Orpik leads the NHL playoffs with 31 hits, while Sergei Gonchar scored the series wining goal against the Flyers.
Advantage: Pens


Forwards:
This is where it gets very interesting. Both teams boast stars and superstars - I think the difference will be the 3rd line of the Penguins. The Rangers gave the Caps fits with its cycling game - just wait until Staal, Kennedy and Cooke do their thing.....they are a checking line with a lot of skill.


Washington has an impressive group of forwards, of course starting with Ovechkin, that includes, Semin, Backstrom, Kozlov, and some excellent experience with Sergei Federov.
These guys can be relentless, and can totally intimidate teams just by barraging them with shot after shot after shot. The Penguins on the other had generally make the most of a lot less shots on goal - quality over quantity.

Something I've seen Ovechkin do a lot against the Rangers, is stay out on the ice almost twice as long as his line mates. This has led to at least 2 goals against the Caps, but this doesn't surprise me a bit. (It's a shame this guy is going to most likely win the Hart.)

One thing I have noticed about Sid in the first round - is the look in his eyes. This is now Sid's team. In years past he was "just" the best player on his team. Now he is the captain, and there is no doubt about it.


This is going to be epic. Lemieux and Gretzky never faced each other in the playoffs - this is going to be on the same level as that would have been.

O yea - plus Sid and the "grate ape" genuinely don't like each other.
Advantage: Pens (because of depth)

Special Teams:

Washington's power play was very good in the regular season, but didn't fare so well against the Rangers. Penalty Killing isn't one of the Caps strengths at all.

Pittsburgh's PP isn't nearly as good as it should be. With the talent it possesses, they should dominate...but it hasn't worked that way unfortunately. The penalty killing unit is actually pretty good - they're going to have to be against the Caps.
Advantage: Caps

Intangibles:

Pittsburgh
playoff experience
A true leader - not one that has a highlight goal, and is happy for a few games.
Depth
Better face-off team

Washington
Size - they are a big team
Home ice advantage

Advantage: Pens


All in all this is going to be a very entertaining series - that's a no brainier.

If you've ever read this blog, you will know I don't think much of Alexander Ovechkin or the Caps. I will dream tonight of Kunitz hammering Ovie into the boards and setting the tone for the series - much like he did with Timonen in the Philly series.

Washington won 3 of the 4 game these teams played, but to be fair, two of those games (both victories) came against the Pens in the dead puck era (Thank you Mr.Therrian)

To be honest, I truly think the Pens will split the 2 games in Washington, and win the 2 games at home to take a 3-1 lead.....ultimately to win in 6 games.

Now, enough of the seriousness - he's a bunch of pics that nicely sum up what I think of the Caps and their narcissistic captain:
(I will add more as I find them - and believe me - they are not hard to find)

The happy couple - and some blond chick

This is what happens when you play with seamen - er, I mean Semin



This is a preview of "sexy time" in the shower after the game

umm...no explanation needed

BAHAHAHAHAHA


So this is what chicks do when they get together...

This shit just writes itself - more as I find them
Found these at LGP.com:

Like i said - "sexy time" is for after the game - eager beavers just can't wait

Three Russian Finalists for Hart

As per TSN

A trio of Russians will battle for the honor of being named most valuable player in the National Hockey League.

Goal-scoring sensation Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, play maker Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the versatile Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings were named as finalists for the Hart Trophy on Wednesday.

The winner is to be announced June 18 at the NHL awards show in Las Vegas.

Ovechkin can become the first repeat winner of the Hart since Dominik Hasek in 1997 and 1998 and the first forward to do it since Wayne Gretzky won the Hart Trophy eighth straight times from 1980 to 1987.

"It means a lot for me to be up for this award," Ovechkin told the Capitals' website. "I always wanted to be the best, so this is a great honour.

"It's special, too, with three Russians nominated. It's a great thing for our country and our sport."

A year ago, Ovechkin won the Hart as well as the Art Ross Trophy as NHL scoring leader with 112 points and the Rocket Richard Trophy as goal-scoring leader with 65.

This season, he locked up a second Richard Trophy with 56 goals but his 110 points were second to Malkin's 113 for the Art Ross.

Malkin, who was runner-up to Ovechkin for MVP honours last season, had 35 goals and 78 assists for the Penguins, who had a second 100-point man in Sidney Crosby with 103.

Datsyuk is considered by many the league's most complete player. He was fourth in scoring with 97 points, was plus-34 and won 56 per cent of his faceoffs.

He is also a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy as most gentlemanly player and the Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward. He won the Selke last year and is bidding for a fourth straight Lady Byng. He could be the first player to take both in consecutive years.

On Thursday, finalists will be announced for the Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance and dedication while on Friday, the final three are to be announced for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year.

Penguins to face the Craps in the 2nd round

I was watching the 'Canes-Devils game, and had pretty much resigned my self to the fact that Pittsburgh was going to be forced to play the #1 seed Boston Bruins, because New Jersey was up 3-2 with under 2 minutes to play.

then my phone rang - when i got back a few minutes later, Carolina was leading 4-3 with like 10 seconds to play.....WHA?

Someone shit the bed hardcore

Anyhoo, because of that breakdown by the Devils, Pittsburgh gets the Capitals - much to the delight of myself, the NHL, and every network that will be covering this series.

Sounds like the series will most likely start on Saturday afternoon.

I will be talking about this series in a little more depth tomorrow - along with cutting down Caps fans, and fun stuff like that...

ooooh this is gonna be gooood

Bylsma Agrees To Multi-Year Contract as Head Coach

I don't think there was any way the Penguins don't give Bylsma a contract after the record the team has produced since he took over as head coach.
The unfortunate thing they will be paying former head coach Michel Therian for the next 2 years as well, but there's nothing that can be done about that now.
I would have preferred they give Bylsma a two year contract, but from what I'm hearing, it is three years.

All in all I'm pleased with this news - Disco Dan has earned it, and the players have really bought into his system. Bylsma showed that he has no problem making a tough decision (benching Sykora for Satan) even if it rocks the boat a little.

Oh, and I don't think you'll ever see Bylsma pull of a semi-retarded stunt like Tortorella did in NY earlier this week

I give it a two thumbs up!



From pittsburghpenguins.com:

The Pittsburgh Penguins have removed the “interim” tag from Dan Bylsma’s title and formally named him head coach on Tuesday.

Bylsma had served as interim head coach since Feb. 15.

“Dan has done such an impressive job with our team, both on and off the ice, that we didn’t see the need to wait any longer to announce our decision,” said Ray Shero, the Penguins’ executive vice president and general manager. “He is the man we want to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins as our head coach.”

Bylsma, 38, has overseen a dramatic transformation in the Penguins’ fortunes, leading his team to an 18-3-4 record in the final 25 games of the regular season and earning the No. 4 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins ousted the Philadelphia Flyers, four games to two, in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs – posting a dramatic come-from-behind victory in Game 6 Saturday -- and are now awaiting their opponent in round two.

Bylsma and Shero agreed on a multi-year contract Monday night. The team was informed before practice Tuesday morning.

“Dan has impressed us all with his knowledge of the game, his relentless work ethic, his communication skills, and his ability to relate to the players and staff,” Shero said. “When Badger Bob Johnson was the coach of the Penguins, he said every day was a great day for hockey. Dan approaches the game with that same type of enthusiasm. He accepted the challenge of being our interim head coach in February and made this a very easy decision for our ownership and management.”

Bylsma began the season as head coach of the Penguins’ American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He led the Baby Penguins to a 35-16-1-2 record before being promoted in mid-February.

Bylsma spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and earlier served as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders and the AHL Cincinnati Mighty Ducks.

The native of Grand Haven, Mich. played nine NHL seasons as a right winger with Los Angeles and Anaheim from 1995-2004. He appeared in 429 career NHL games and played in the 2003 Stanley Cup Final with Anaheim. He retired as a player following the 2003-04 season and immediately went into coaching.

Dan and his wife, Mary Beth, have one son, Bryan.

“I want to thank Ray Shero and our ownership for giving me this tremendous opportunity to be the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins,” Bylsma said. “I’m humbled. I’m excited. And I look forward to continuing to lead our hockey team.

“We’ve got a great group of players and a great staff. We’ve got phenomenal fans and a state-of-the-art arena going up across the street. The future is bright for hockey in Pittsburgh, and my family and I are happy to be a part of it.”

Who will the Pens play in round 2

Could we see Jordan vs Eric in the next round?

Here are the possibilities of who the Pens could play in the second round...

• If Carolina and Washington win Pitt plays Caps.
• If Carolina and New York win Pitt plays the Canes (and get home ice)
  
• If Washington and New Jersey win Pitt plays the Bruins.
• If New York and New Jersey win Pitt plays the Devils.

Personally, I think the Pens match up best with the Devils, but it's kinda a no brainer to hope for the Hurricanes due to the fact that the Pens would get home ice advantage, which is huge this time of year

My take on the Tortorella suspension

Sometimes the best decisions are the ones that aren't made

By that, I mean I'm really glad Pens GM didn't hire John Tortorella like I wanted (almost begged) before Michel Therian was canned.
After seeing Tort's antics behind the bench during game 5 of the Rangers/Caps series, I'm glad we don't have to deal with his crap right now.

I'll call it right now - the Caps are going to come back to win that series, and Tortorella is going to be the scapegoat - and rightfully so.

First of all, here is what happened - The New York Rangers coach was suspended Saturday for "squirting a fan with water and throwing a water bottle that struck a fan during Game 5,"

This is from the guy that benched Sean Avery for taking stupid penalties, and demands mental toughness from his players......I was jobbing the Flyers fans about being hypocrites - this dude takes the cake...

From the NHL:
"While it is a difficult decision to suspend a coach at this point in a playoff series, it has been made clear to all of our players, coaches and other bench personnel that the National Hockey League cannot -- and will not -- tolerate any physical contact with fans," NHL Senior Executive Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell said. "We do not take this action lightly. It is the result of an entire day of investigation and evaluation that included the retrieval and review of videotape of the incident and discussions with Mr. Tortorella, other Rangers' bench personnel and a number of other people, including the security personnel at the Verizon Center.

"That investigation revealed that Mr. Tortorella squirted a fan with water before Mr. Tortorella was doused with a beverage. While, in these circumstances, it always is easy to allege mitigating circumstances, the fact is we do not tolerate contact with our fans in this manner. That is communicated before each season in a memo that is issued by the League to all of the management, coaches and players of every team."

Here's a video of Torts throwing the water bottle, which ultimately got him suspended:

OK - so this is one incident - but the thing that really makes me glad he's not behind the bench for the Penguins is the fact that almost every time the Rangers take a penalty so far in the playoffs, the camera pans on Torts who is rolling his eyes dramatically or doing a overly dramatic facepalm - or something else equally dramatic....
See what i did there?
There is one word I kept going back to - DRAMATIC

Tortorella is a drama queen, and HIS lack of focus (not his players) is what is going to lose this series.
If this actually does happen, it will me very interesting to see what the Rangers do with their new coach


To be honest this is all pissing me off pretty good, because the the Rangers are obviously in a really good position to knock off the potential powerhouse Caps.

Hopefully the players can focus and not let this derail the train

Pens comback from 3-0 deficit - Win series 4-2

Thank you Max Talbot

This game was heading towards a similar fate as Thursdays 3-0 score.

The Pens were down 3-0, and Biron had something like a 120 minute shutout streak going....

...cue Talbot taking on the much larger (goon) Carcillo
Max took a bit of a beating, but o man did it wake up his team.


Pittsburgh scored 3 quick goals to tie the game going into the 3rd period with all the momentum.


Gonchar quickly put them ahead in the third with a laser beam to the top corner -the Flyers, who have been excellent at getting in the shooting lane all series, inexplicably cleared the lane like a parting of the red sea.


This gave the Pens a 4-3 lead with about 18 minutes to play. The Flyers just couldn't seem to get it going, and had trouble even coming out of their own end.

When they did actually make it into the Pens zone, they actually got some good scoring chances - hitting the crossbar once, and Fleury making a few great saves.

Good to be lucky, lucky to be good

I'd also like to mention Rob Scuderi, who blocked a shot in the 3rd period, and injured his hand, came back a few shifts later to get his stick on a puck to stop Mike Richards from shooting into a open net.

Crosby capped the victory off with an impressive empty netter.


Game over

Everyone in the media has been talking about how the Flyers should have won more games in this series - to which I ask what series were you watching...?

The Pens won this series because they were the better team - no question about that.

The Flyers put up a good fight, as everyone knew they would, but when you have to rely on Carcillo and Asham to be your scorers and better players you will not win in the NHL playoffs.

Pittsburgh's best players far outplayed Philly's best players, and Marc-Andre Fleury out performed Marty Biron to nobody's surprise.


Now we play the waiting game to see who the next opponent is

Congrats on a job well done boys

4 down, 12 to go

GO PENS

Pens shut out at home ...Series 3-2

There are two reasons Pittsburgh lost this game:

1. It looked like the Pens came into this game expecting the same result as game 5 last year (a 6-0 Pens victory). After Biron weathered the storm of the first period, the Penguins didn't show up for the last two periods - they seemed lackadaisical.

2. Philly played a really good road game, plain and simple.

Although Biron got the shutout, he didn't look particularily solid - the Penguins made him look pretty good though....

I was all for Bylsma pulling Sykora, and putting in Satan....now, I want Sykora back in there to see if it lit a fire under his arse.

Boucher played a pretty good game - but I would rather see Letang in there - hopefully, if he is injured, it's not too bad, and he's ready for the next game.

I will ask again - what the hell is up with Sergei Gonchar....? He's playing like he drank a bunch of Nyquil before the game - he seems totally out of it. He's making alot of bad decisions.....he is a veteren, and I'm sure he'll figure it all out.


Sid said before the game that they had to play desperate, but he was the only one that did. This is where the veterens on the team have to speak up in the dressing room, and get things back on track....

Realistically the Penguins should be embarrassed to be shutout at home - hopefully it puts a little fear into them, because they're going into the lions den on Saturday.

Pens win! Fleury steals game 4

3 words
(2 words depending on where you're from)

Marc-
Andre
Fleury

He is the reason the Pens won this game.

The Pens actually played a fairly solid road game, but make no mistake about it; Fleury stole this game from the Flyers.
The Flyers had chance after chance....wow - Fleury's glove hand was spectacular tonight.

The fact that Carter went into the boards awkwardly early in the game, and didn't seem like the same player didn't hurt either.

It was nice to see Crosby score an ugly goal - they count just as much as the pretty ones.


I know it was a victory, but what the hell is going on with Gonchar....?
He seems to be playing with his head in the clouds - his last two games were terrible.

And Geno had a crappy game as well.
Look for those two to pick it up Thursday in Pittsburgh....


And for the Cryer fans - that was the second high stick on Orpik that actually cut him that wasn't called - not whining, just pointing it out...

Oh, and I learned a nice little lesson from Flyer fans today:

Never argue with idiot Flyer fans on the internet - first they will bring you down to their stupidity level - then beat you with experience.....

*sigh*

3 down - 13 to go!

GO PENS

My two latest gripes

Two things have happened in the last few days that are typical of the teams and players that are doing said things...

1. Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer came out with this gem today:

Penguins' Kunitz going unpunished; NHL rulings a joke

Wow....just wow.

Apparently what I said in an earlier post about the Flyers management players and fans should also include their sports reporters.
The Kunitz hit on Timonen was unreal, brutal, and nasty - but it was 100% legal. I don't know how some people can report this trash.
Hmm...what is the best way to put this.....how bout this:

Carchidi +Flyers fans = Total fucking Hypocrites

Just to be clear to Philly fans - my apologies for using large words

Hypocrite
-Someone talks trash about other people, but then does the same EXACT thing.

- a person who tells people not to do something, or that this it's is wrong, but this something, is something that he does or will do himself.

Anyway, because I wanted to educate this jerk, this was my response to his "article"

Posted by not_a _hypocrite 11:17 AM, 04/21/2009
(thats the name I created - lol)

Are you kidding? You sir are the biggest hypocrite in a city full of them.
The Kunitz hit on Timonen was unreal, brutal, and nasty - but it was 100% legal.
Of course no mention of Harnell's knee on knee hit on Letang was ever mentioned in your "article".
If Kunitz deserved to be suspended, what do you think should happen to Hartnell? Let me guess - you thought there was nothing wrong with that hit...?
Do you want to know why the league seems to be a little harder on the Flyers? Here you go..... The Flyers are a product of their own self made environment - they want to be the roughest team in the league. Management (always former players) thinks the game is still played like it was in the 70's - but generally they employee players that don't know the difference between hard play and intent to injure. Then they think the league is always against them. This ignorance by the management is "bought into" by the players (it has to, if they want to play there) and it trickles down to their fans, who are realistically probably the worst in professional sports, because they just don't get it. Because they are easily confused, they turn to conspiracy theories to help them sleep at night.

Carcillo was suspended - because he's a goon, and was taking a faceoff (which he very rarely does) with a few seconds left in the game. He was put out there to start stuff, which he did. Thats also why Stevens was fined - makes sense to everyone outside Philly, i guess.

Cammalieri didn't get suspended for the same action because he regularly takes face offs, and isn't a goon with a history of being a goon - big mystery solved.
So the "injustice" is your own fault people....sheesh

That should rattle the cages a little...LOL.....I'll post the "intelligent" responses as they come.

here's the link:

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inqflyersreport/Penguins_Kunitz_going_unpunished_NHL_rulings_a_joke.html?posted=y&viewAll=y#comments

*UPDATE* - my account was instantly frozen (surprise)
Here are a couple of the responses:

not a hypocrite believes Jeff Carter has earned the right to stab Sidney Crosby. By his logic, a player's past reputation is the defining factor in interpeting his action. (By the way, with replay readily available, why does the NHL deny actions which fans can see with their own eyes) I have seen Carter's play from day one and while he takes a minor penalty from time to time, he mostly plays a gentlemanly game and rarely takes major penalties. In not a hypocrites world, then, he has built up enough good will "juice" to be able to commit felonious assault on another player. This isn't about hockey, it's about stupidity and after-the-fact denials.

here's another

Not_a_Hypocrite.... It would seem you are right about how easily I get confused. Forgetting for the moment that the hit on Timonen was not legal (more than 2 strides with direct intent to hit a player is charging, elbow to the face is elbowing, directly hitting any player who does not possess the puck is interference)- your point is that Carcillo should be suspended, not necessarily for the hit but for his or the Flyers' history, while Cammalieri should not even though the hits were identical because he does not have a history? OK- please educate me then. Is your point that if I steal your car I should be allowed to keep it because I've never stolen a car before? Or is it that I should be arrested because I'm a goon who has a history of DRIVING cars?

BAHAHAHAHA

that brings me to number two:

2. Spying Ovechkin asked to leave bench during Rangers practice


From TSN:


There was someone doing some "scouting" at the New York Rangers' practice on Monday, but the team wasn't very keen on the idea. And who can blame them?

After all, it was Capitals' winger Alex Ovechkin who decided to observe his opposition from the visitor's bench at Madison Square Garden, just hours before tonight's Game 3 of the Caps/Rangers playoff series. Underdog New York leads the series 2-0.

One of the Rangers' trainers complained to the Capitals, who had a public relations staff member ask Ovechkin to exit the rink. According to the PR man, Ovechkin was just looking for a place to relax.

That wasn't the story from Ovechkin himself, though, who joked that he sat in on Rangers practice to "tick off" head coach John Tortorella.

According to espn.com, Tortorella said afterwards he didn't even know Ovechkin was at the practice, saying, "Ask me a question about the game, not that [expletive]."

Ovechkin was asked why the Rangers wanted his removal, joking, "Because they're afraid of me."

Caps' coach Bruce Boudreau playfully dismissed the idea that there was anything mischievous behind the sit-in.
"I don't think he had a pen and paper and was writing down line combinations," Boudreau kidded. "I can understand (the Rangers asking him to leave). I've gotten into the same arguments with people when I've wanted privacy in my practice, so I can understand what John was going through."

You know, I'm getting pretty tired of Boudreau defending that clown. Yes, I know thats a coaches job, but its getting ridiculous.
And what is Oveckin thinking anyways......to me it's just another reason to bust a Russian nose "accidentally"

Go PENS

Flyers win a rough one - Pens lead series 2-1

Well - what can you say about this one? I'll give credit where credit is due - The Flyers played a good home game in a chippy affair.

See what I did there Flyers fans? I didn't cry about the officiating or cry about a Gary Bettman conspiracy theory - I gave props to the Flyers for a good hard played game.

If there was one game you knew the Flyers were going to win, it was this one. The Pens should just learn from this one, and be happy the Cryers didn't injure anyone seriously (not for a lack of trying though.)

It kinda blew me away that the Cryers started the game with Carcillo, Asham, and Powe......shocking but totally believable.
I'm not going to do a recap of this game, cuz, well, it sucked balls.

All I can say is there were several Penguins that looked a little lost out there today.
Sykora had better start burying some of those juicy setups he's been getting, or he'll be seeing Satan take his roster spot soon....yes it's getting that bad.
And another thing....I'm not baggin on him, but It would be nice if Crosby started bulging the twine a little - he's getting his points, but there were several scoring opportunities that weak or no shots were taken. This is where the stars must step up.

A few quick notes: Kunitz' hit on Timonen was unbelivable - props to the Flyer for getting up so quickly.



Giroux had a very good game...Staal's line is going to have to figure out how to get the momentum it had in the first two games


Next game is Tuesday - I have a feeling it will be a much closer game.... GO PENS