SCF Game 1: Good to be Lucky

And I mean lucky.

As per any real sports fan, after I watched Detroit beat Pittsburgh in Game one of the Stanley Cup Final, I read the game recaps from various NHL internet sites to see different peoples take on the same thing I watched.....

I think I may have watched a different game than everyone else last night.

I've consistently been reading how Detroit "overwhelmed" the Pens on the "strength" of Chris Osgood's goaltending.

Bullshit

Pittsburgh outplayed Detroit in their own building - they played an awesome road game - but the hockey gods were not smiling on Pittsburgh, as Osgood was VERY fortunate last night.


I'm not going to whine about the puck being covered on Osgood's back in the crease - he's just lucky it LANDED ON HIS BACK, and not the back of the net.
Pittsburgh had several spectacular chances, but the puck just seemed to always roll off their sticks...


Another thing thats burns me is the fact the Osgood was awarded the 1st star of the game .

GGRRRR


Osgood DID make a great save on a Malkin breakaway shot that was going top shelf - so I will give him credit on that for sure.

Again, luck is with the Wings in the way Mr. Fleury is putting pucks into the net himself, in shades of last years finals. The Wings only scored one legitimate goal, and that was by a fourth liner I've never heard of.
He's better figure out the boards or whatever the hell is troubling him and he better do it fast.
The Pens could have very easily won this game 4-1....



Pittsburgh could still take home ice advantage in this series with a victory tonight.

If they play the same game as last night, they will win.

A few notes:

- The faceoffs have got to get better - 30% is unnacepateble - I don't care if its on the road.
- I hate to say bench Gill, but the Wings are taking advantage of his slowness, and it will burn us.
- This Wings team looks beatable - probably because Hart trophy candidate Datsyuk is injured - we have to capitalize on this asap.
- Last night was the first time in the Penguins' last 11 games they didn't score in the third period.
- Game 1 winner has won 54 of 69 finals series since 1939.
- Gonchar HAS GOT TO STOP TRYING TO PASS THROUGH RED WINGS.... he must of gave the puck away 20 times - you're a veteran ... act like it..... !!@#^%@^@%^%$^#$%!
- It was awesome to see Orpik destroy Hossa in a clean brutal open ice hit.

I still think Pittsburgh can and will win this series - but they have to win tonight. I picked the Pens to win this series in 5 - I think it can still happen.

It is a must win situation already - thats how this Wings team rolls.

Again - apologies for not posting much - I'm studying for exams, and it is pretty much taking up all of my time - will post when I can.

GO PENS

Pens sweep Canes - Bring on Detroit (again)

You kinda just knew Pittsburgh was going to win this one.

Carolina had the look of someone that's been beaten up pretty good, but you just wonder if there's one good punch left in him.

In this case.....no

Carolina came out strong, and slipped one by Marc-Andre, but every time the Canes pressed after that, Fleury was there to answer the call.
Strong game by Talbot with 3 points - one was of the fluke variety, but we'll take them all.
Geno had is multi-point game streak broken at six - two sort of Gretzky's record of 8..very impressive indeed.

After the game Crosby touched and picked up the Prince Of Wales trophy after not even touching it at all last year...I'm glad he did. Mario picked it up both times they won the trophy, and of course Pitt won the cup both years.

At the beginning of the playoffs I wanted someone to knock Detroit out, but now I'm happy the Pens will get to face the best in the league - and hopefully win the Cup in front of Mr. Hossa


Short post tonight - have to study.

more to come 12 down - 4 to go

GO PENS

Malkin and Crosby shine - Pens up 2 - 0

Well - so much for Cam Ward's game 2 winning streak - Pittsburgh blew that out of the water thnx to Sid and Geno.
Both played better than usual (if possible) and seemed to be playing their own game against each other to see who could play better.

The Pens started the scoring, but the Canes answered Pittsburgh's first two goals with quick ones of their own, and scored to take a 3-2 lead after one period.

The Pens came out flying in the second, which resulted in a goal from "superstar" Max Talbot, with a nice feed from Geno.
Kunitz finally got off the playoff shneid scoring a nice goal with 7 seconds left in the period.
It was Kunitz's first goal in 24 games
Glad we don't have to hear about that little stat anymore..


Staal (Jordan) seemed to have a lot of chances, but I can't wait until he actually get some confidence in his offensive abilities and scores with a little regularity.

The third period was Geno time
The game was in doubt, and he took over the game - with extreme prejudice
The goal he scored - his third of the game - was a goal we will see in highlights for years to come.



Unreal

When I see Malkin play, I sometimes see Mario (the highest compliment you can give) and sometimes I see Jagr out there....

Unreal

The was some rough stuff at the end of the game - the Canes were trying to win something tonight
And guess what - Mr Miroslav Satan even fought!!!

And did well.


I like you as a player Mr. Sykora, but if Miro is gonna mix it up like this, you're not going to see the ice for the rest of the playoffs unless there is an injury.

Nice to see Satan has saved his best hockey for the playoffs.

The Pens have done their job, and won the first two games at home. Now they have to win at least one game in Carolina, and the series is very much in hand.

10 down - 6 to go

GO PENS

Pens win a nail biter - up 1-0 in series

WOOOOOO

What a freaking game


I haven't seen goaltending this good on both sides in a loong time. Fleury and Ward went save for save until Satan got the puck coming out of the penalty box - and made a killer move to beat Ward.


That seemed to light a massive fire under Pittsburgh, as they became relentless in the offensive zone. Geno got the Pens second goal in under 2 minutes, to really get the crowd into it.


Pittsburgh kept the pressure on the Canes for a while after that, but Ward made several spectacular saves.
I really think all those nice saves would have really taken the momentum away from most teams - and it did to a small degree - but Pitt held off the 'Canes with Fleury making several spectacular saves of his own.

The second period was pretty much like the first, with the goalies playing unbelievably....see a trend here?
Carolina's LaRose scored in the second, although the Pens outshot them 12-6.
This game turned out to be quite physical for two teams with "no rivalry"


Orpik and Cole went at each other throughout the game, until Cole left the game with an apparent knee injury after being hit by Matt Cooke.

They call carolina the Cardiac Kids because they seem to find a way to win late in games.

And they almost did it again in this game

Carolina scored on a powerplay late in the game with Ward on the bench - then they almost scored againon a goofy shoot in from center ice that Fleury somehow fought off.

I said this would be a tough series, and if this game is any indidcation, we are in for a doozy.

If you would have told me before this game that Satan and Boucher would have more impact on this game (in a positive way) I would not have believed you - hats off to them. Its nice to see Satan playing so well - he might just redeem himself with Penguins fans yet.

Thats not to say Crosby and Geno had bad games at all - they would each have had 2-3 points if the 'Canes tender wasn't on fire. Ward also stoned Guerin twice...

Penguins that really stood out for me tonight:

Kennedy, Boucher, Malkin, Orpik...and of course Fleury

Next Game Thursday (too long between games)

9 down - 7 to go

GO PENS

Eastern Conference Finals - Pens vs 'Canes

It is fitting that the two hottest teams in the last quarter of the regular season finally face each other in the playoffs.

From what I'm reading online, a lot of Pens fans are disregarding these Hurricanes, and already planning for the Red Wings in the final.

That is a mistake - this will be a tough series.

These teams have no playoff history, or any real rivalry to speak of - no time like the present to start.


Everybody is talking about the Staal brothers facing each other, but I'm not going to get into that, because everyone is already sick of hearing about it - me included.

I think this series will come down to goaltending - more so than most other series.

Marc Andre Fleury vs Cam Ward.

Something that really surprised me is that Ward is younger than Fleury.


The last four series Ward and the 'Canes have played have gone to seven games, with Carolina winning them all.
Ward is the type of goalie that can and will steal a series - but so is Fleury...

The difference is, the Penguins offense is much more potent than Carolina's - and I don't think Ward will be able to slow Pittsburgh down...especially since it seems Sid is on a mission.

On a side note - keep an eye on the Orpik vs Cole subplot - Cole is still pissed at Orpik for breaking two of his vertebrae with this hit a few years ago:

OUCH

Hopefully this doesn't wake Cole up - he is scoreless in the last 14 playoff games.

I predict the Pens will win this one in 5 or 6 games

Here are a few funny Hurricane pics I found online:



This will get the 'Canes fans excited
speaking of 'Canes fans.....

GO PENS

Pens blowout Craps - advance to 3rd round

People are calling this game a dud - to me this was freaking artistic.

I said in a previous post that I thought the Pens would win game 7 due to experience in a close game.
Well, I was pretty much right, but I was shown how valuable experience really is.
It was not a tight game - not even close.

To me the "TSN turning point" happened three minutes into the game.

Ovechkin started the game flying, and had a few pretty decent shots on goal - but then he was sent in alone on a breakaway, I knew that whatever happened, this was the play that was going to dictate the outcome of the game.
Here's the result:



Fleury stoned Alexander Ovechkin on a breakaway.

If Ovechkin scores on that play, he would have a taste for blood, and would have been nearly unstoppable.

If Ovechkin scores on that play, the crowd would have went NUTS adding to the momentum already generated by the goal.

If Ovechkin scores on that play, this game would have had a very different outcome.

But he didn't score.

Everyone was on Mr. Fleury for a bad game in game 6 when he gave up 5 goals at home. They were saying that he hasn't "stolen" a game this series like he did against Philadelphia in the first round.

Well, I think you can officially say Fleury stole a game, and he couldn't have picked a bigger game to steal.


I said at the beginning of this series that the winner between OV and Crosby would be the face of the NHL. Well, although Crosby and the Pens won, Ovechkin scored 14 points to Crosby's 13 points in the series - both unreal in my opinion.
But the CBC announcer (I think it was Bob Cole) hit it right on the head when he said that they are both awesome, Crosby is a more complete hockey player.

Let me say that again:

Crosby is a more complete hockey player.

And he plays on a more complete team.

How fitting was it that Crosby stole the puck from Ovechkin to score a beautiful breakaway goal.

Games 7's define careers - tonight the better player lead his team to victory. Period.


It was nice to see Gonchar back in the lineup tonight - I would have LOVED to hear what was said between him and Ovechkin in the handshake line after the game....should be interesting - hopefully we can find out. Gonchar did not want to talk about it in the post game interview.

Here is Ovechkin nailing one of his own teammates....

BAHAHAHAHA

I could continue on Ovechkin, but he is now officially old news


Bring on the winner of the Boston/Carolina series - I am hoping for Carolina based solely on the fact that we would have home ice advantage....both teams are deadly, and will give the Pens all they can handle.

8 down, and 8 to go!!

GO PENS

Caps win in OT - Series tied at 3-3

AAARRRGGGHHHHH

#$%^#^@#%&^&*%*%(^&*($^&#$%^&

Pens blew a golden chance to put away the Craps at home. The dominated the first period, out shooting Washington 18-5.
With the chances they had, they should have scored more than one goal.
I believe the turning point in the game was when the Pens couldn't score on the lengthy 5-3.
The Caps used that momentum to outplay Pittsburgh in the 2nd period, regardless of the goal Pitt scored late in the period.


Sid played awesomely in the third and finally scored with about four and a half minutes to play in regulation.
In OT, Pittsburgh never really got anything going (other than hitting the crossbar) and of course the Caps scored on a nice deflection by Steckel.


I dunno - there's three things that really piss me off right now:

1. The Pens blew it tonight - this doesn't bode well for Wednesday. If they thought tonight's game was tough, just wait until game 7

2. I'm going to miss half of game 7 because I'm going to a Fleetwood Mac concert

3. If Washington wins, Ovechkin will be called the next Messier because he "guaranteed" they would win the series after game 5...blech - that's all we need - to hear more crap about this monkey.

I'm not going to be like a typical Caps fan - I've been reading their message board after last game, and it was like rats jumping off a sinking ship.

With fan support like that, I'm not surprised the Caps never win anything...

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and predict the Pens win based on experience....Fleury has got to beat the inconsistent rookie Varlamov

Pens will win 4-3

Classic series either way

GO PENS