Off-day thoughts
by Hooks Orpik on Apr 19, 2010 12:39 PM EDT
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Bouncing around on the off day...
- Early Stanley Cup playoffs have been nuts, but what series has been the craziest? The Sharks fidning new ways to lose playoff games? The Capitals long predicted goalie/defense issues giving them problems? Philly holding a 2-1 lead against New Jersey? That no one gave Phoenix a chance against Detroit but they are very much handling their business there too, just as they have been all season long?
- So many storylines, so surprising. Especially when most observers saw a relatively predictable and peaceful first round with not too many bumps in the road. That's the beauty of hockey.
- Pittsburgh's injuries/illnesses really did a number on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Pens had to cherry-pick WB/S's top goalie and defensemen in Brad Thiessen and Ben Lovejoy, neither of whom played in the NHL. The Baby Pens have lost three really close games and are down 0-3 to Albany.
- With Jordan Leopold (who has a concussion history) out for the forseeable future, the Penguins are going to have to play Jay McKee more than the 13:28 they did last night. They can only lean on the Sergei Gonchar/Brooks Orpik pairing but so much, especially as the games go on.
- Think we'll ever see Ruslan Fedotenko again? Better question: have you even noticed Ruslan Fedotenko was not in the lineup these past two games?!
- April 28th, 2004. That was the last time Alexei Ponikarovsky scored a goal in the NHL playoffs. Of course, before last week 5/4/04 was the last game he had in the playoffs before last week, so maybe it's a little easier to understand why it's taking the UPT a little longer to make an impact in the second season.
- How's this for following the script: the Pens are now 22-5 all-time at home in Game 2 of a playoff series. And by virtue of last night's win they're 18-8 all-time in Game 3 on the road. From here there hasn't been as much historical dominance, Pittsburgh's just 12-12 on the road of Game 4's.
- Kris Letang has as many career playoff goals (5) as Sergei Gonchar does as a Pittsburgh Penguin. Just sayin.
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why can't they play back to back nights
1st round just takes so long, I mean play back to back nights then travel and play back to back again. even play home and home back to back if the teams are close to each other
by Rickfansince76 on Apr 19, 2010 12:50 PM EDT reply actions
I like the every other day schedule. I prefer the consistency. Play a game one day, next day you get to recover a bit and study some film, then get ready to play again the day after that.
14 wins to gol
Let's go Pens!
by PensAreYourDaddy on Apr 19, 2010 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions
and catch up on homework so your gpa does not implode.
STAAL FOR SELKE. SIDNEY FOR EVERY OTHER ONE.
by katielynn906 on Apr 19, 2010 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s why you have to prepare at the beginning of the semester. Build up a cushion. Playoffs roll around and that cushion saves you.
Pirates, Vikings, Hokies. I'm used to heartbreak. At least I have the Penguins....
"When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth."
-The Great One
by blackjackfishtaco on Apr 19, 2010 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Are you suggesting they played lots of back-to-back games? No way. The playoffs ran like a Swiss timepiece back then. All you needed was the date of game 1, and from there you pretty much knew your team would play every other day.
What’s that? Game 1 vs the Caps is April 19? Great, now I know what I’m doing the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th and May 1st. Done deal.
14 wins to gol
Let's go Pens!
by PensAreYourDaddy on Apr 19, 2010 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions
I had no idea Fedotenko wasn’t in the lineup. I had just become used to him not doing things even when he was on the ice. Good riddance.
Pirates, Vikings, Hokies. I'm used to heartbreak. At least I have the Penguins....
"When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth."
-The Great One
by blackjackfishtaco on Apr 19, 2010 12:58 PM EDT reply actions
Addition by subtraction.
14 wins to gol
Let's go Pens!
by PensAreYourDaddy on Apr 19, 2010 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions
I debated using that photo for the contest standings this morning. In the back of my mind I knew that if I didn’t you would. I can rest easy now knowing it did not go to waste.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
Yeah it was too good to pass up….I almost used it for the recap last night but kind of figured maybe you’d use it today. Either way I knew one of us would get it.
"Don't matter who did what to who at this point. Fact is, we went to war and there ain't no turnin' back. I mean, s---, it's what war is, you know? Once you in it, you in it. If it's a lie, then we fight on that lie. But we gotta fight."
That Sharks game was just…hilariously disappointing FOR them. I mean, what an incredible game that they really had no business losing. I mean, SJ had Colorado out-shot 42-7 after the second period. 42-7! And then O’Reilly comes out as a star of the game with the “game-winning goal,” which just added to the comedy. If I were him I would’ve just shrugged and tipped my hat to Dan Boyle.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
I said it in the game thread, that we need a player like Shane Doan from the Coyotes. Doan had 16 hits before he got hurt in that SNAFU of a play yesterday. I hope he can come back soon. But anyway, back to point, I think keeping Rupp in the lineup provides that element that Doan is for Phoenix. And thank God Feds is out, I’m liking this Talbot on the second line again, especially since Max has been playing extremely well so far. And I’m really hoping now that since Poni Boy got that monkey off his back, he’s ready to light the lamp quite a few more times, or at least set people up with some great assists.
"Half the game is mental, the other half is being mental." - Jim McKenny
A few thoughts-
Pens DMan have played a lot better lately, and I have to give some love to Gologoski, hes turned into pens fans new Ryan Whitney (not completely without cause), but hes been playing very well.
Jordan Staal has been dissapointing so far. Doing worse than Geno on faceoffs is never a good thing. Staal had a better game 3, but really Ottawa’s 3rd line has been better than the Pens 3rd so far in this series. Thats really surprising to be, that 3rd line needs to get going, cuz in my opinion when they are playing well, thats what puts the Pens a cut above most other teams.
One last thing, I threw up in my mouth a little bit, watching fata** Boudreau celebrating like it was game 7 of the SCF after that game on saturday. Show some class, act like youve been there before you fat, whiny, slob. that is all..
My favorite part about the Caps this postseason is Mike Green forgetting that he is supposed to play defense…again. They wouldn’t have needed that comeback (and Bruce’s dancing) if Green could just cover someone. At least try.
Pirates, Vikings, Hokies. I'm used to heartbreak. At least I have the Penguins....
"When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth."
-The Great One
by blackjackfishtaco on Apr 19, 2010 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions
oh I know. He was SO BAD in game 2. He let everybody and their mother get behind him. He was just as bad as Sutton in game 3. Gotta give Green props though he looked better in game 3 in Montreal.
I've told [a 9 months pregnant] Nathalie that she can't have the baby on a game night. I'm not missing a playoff game. -Mario Lemieux in 1993
One last thing, I threw up in my mouth a little bit, watching fata** Boudreau celebrating like it was game 7 of the SCF after that game on saturday. Show some class, act like youve been there before you fat, whiny, slob. that is all..
My thoughts exactly. And this description: “fat, whiny, slob” is perfect.
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
Boudreau has always looked like Humpty Dumpty (sp?) to me. He’s just so…round.
I've told [a 9 months pregnant] Nathalie that she can't have the baby on a game night. I'm not missing a playoff game. -Mario Lemieux in 1993
I wish I could use photoshop, cuz i swear if you painted his face green and put a bandana on him he’d be a ninja turtle.
by genomachine-O on Apr 20, 2010 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions
I find it interesting that Sens fans are so upset about the Reffing in this series. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to hold up the calls/non-calls so far as some ideal of how to ref; far from it. I just hate it when opposing fanbases resort to pulling the “Ref-card” when they lose a game. My view is that its a 7-game series for a reason, everything gets evened out by series end…and its not our fault that our Capt. lit your Capt. up like fireworks display.
Pensburgh.com
I like it. Bill Guerin’s uppercut is so awesome it wins fights he’s not even in.
- OlenWhitaker
"...as a matter of law, the house is haunted."
- Judge Rubin, New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Stambovsky v. Ackley, 572 N.Y.S. 2d 672
by Hockey Beard in SLC on Apr 19, 2010 3:40 PM EDT reply actions
I was thinking about this while listening to Mark Madden (shutupdon’tjudgeme!) on the way home today. He was complaining about the lack of some call or another (maybe Ruutu? (probably Sutton)), and it occurred to me that the officiating has been pretty typical so far: annoying-but-consistent. There’s lots of stuff they haven’t called when it seems like they should, and other things they have called when it seems like they shouldn’t — and there seem to be things on either side of the competition (haha — some flyers fan is complaining on the nhl network right now about their team being unfairly penalized. Yeah right!). I’m with you: the 7-game format helps to even it all out.
Leafs fan living large in the Pitt and pretending like the drought is over. Go Pens!
Agree, HBSLC. Listening to the competition and their fans, the only series the Pens deserved to win over the last 9 playoff series was last year against Carolina. Otherwise we got by on bad officiating and injuries to our opponents’ key players.
14 wins to gol
Let's go Pens!
by PensAreYourDaddy on Apr 19, 2010 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions
And that fact that Bettman personally wants the Penguins to win because the Poster-child of the NHL is on the team…don’t forget that one.
Pensburgh.com
I like it. Bill Guerin’s uppercut is so awesome it wins fights he’s not even in.
- OlenWhitaker
"...as a matter of law, the house is haunted."
- Judge Rubin, New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Stambovsky v. Ackley, 572 N.Y.S. 2d 672
by Hockey Beard in SLC on Apr 19, 2010 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, when your PP is clicking at 44% and the refs are letting a lot of things go, even though they’re letting them go consistently, I think I would want a more tightly called game too. I honestly really haven’t had a problem with the officiating but, when you look at it from the other side, you can see where they’re coming from.
I've told [a 9 months pregnant] Nathalie that she can't have the baby on a game night. I'm not missing a playoff game. -Mario Lemieux in 1993
Several Thoughts
1. The Sharks AMAZE me with their ability to find new ways to shit-the-bed in the playoffs! Did you see that Danny Boyle own goal? Have you ever seen anything like that? OMG!
2. Ruslan who? The only question about Tenks is who is going to wear #26 next year?
3. If the Caps lose Game 2 they are done, by coming back to win that game I now have no doubt they will win the series in 5. But, a weakness has been exposed that a more talented team can exploit. They don’t have the D or the goaltending to win a Cup.
4. Never had I thought that the day would come where I would root for the Flyers.
5. WBS Pens out in the first round, dude, come on, the minor league club exists to serve the major league club. Its sad, but true. I live in a minor league city now, I know from experience.
Life is about one simple choice, get busy living or get busy dying
wbs pens aren’t out yet!
STAAL FOR SELKE. SIDNEY FOR EVERY OTHER ONE.
by katielynn906 on Apr 19, 2010 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions
well, uh, now they are. poor baby pens. =(
STAAL FOR SELKE. SIDNEY FOR EVERY OTHER ONE.
by katielynn906 on Apr 19, 2010 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions
4. Never had I thought that the day would come where I would root for the Flyers.
As PensAreYourDaddy pointed out in the game thread, it’s a lot easier if you call them the Numbnuts. It really does make you feel better!
Leafs fan living large in the Pitt and pretending like the drought is over. Go Pens!
i can second this. also, think of it as the place that gave you me. and where would you be without my inane, pointless, staal and sidney loving comments?
yeah. i know. dark place.
STAAL FOR SELKE. SIDNEY FOR EVERY OTHER ONE.
by katielynn906 on Apr 19, 2010 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Go Numbnuts!
That is hilarious.
Now is the time boys to make a big noise.
No matter what the people say,
For there is naught to fear, the gang's all here,
So hail West Virginia, hail.
by JP Fanshawe on Apr 19, 2010 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Just think of it as rooting against the Devils
by genomachine-O on Apr 20, 2010 7:36 AM EDT up reply actions
That just makes me feel like I’m back in church.
14 wins to gol
Let's go Pens!
by PensAreYourDaddy on Apr 20, 2010 8:27 AM EDT up reply actions
1. The Sharks AMAZE me with their ability to find new ways to shit-the-bed in the playoffs! Did you see that Danny Boyle own goal? Have you ever seen anything like that? OMG!
The Vs. guys blamed it on Nabokov, which is absolute bs to me. Boyle had more than enough time to turn and get off of O’Reilly’s pressure. Instead, he turns around real quick and makes an ultra quick “pass” to his defenseman. So quick, that the CBC and the Colorado guys thought that O’Reilly had actually snuck on in there. Colorado guys were actually calling it a “beautiful goal”…until they saw the replay.
I've told [a 9 months pregnant] Nathalie that she can't have the baby on a game night. I'm not missing a playoff game. -Mario Lemieux in 1993
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