NHL Playoffs '09

[naum]

Well, when Matt Cooke is your tough guy…

[Azaroth]

It's true. The Wings clutch & grab and play the 1-2-2 better than anyone in the league right now. Pittsburgh is being outplayed and BADLY outcoached. Zetterberg is a fantastic shadow and Lidstrom is the best defenseman in the world x years running.

I won't go so far as to say the Penguins are playing pussy hockey - but close enough to it that they're not currently replicating the success that the Ducks had against the Wings by playing rough and dirty.

[Paelos]

Wings commit the cardinal sin early and fail to make an easy clear. Pens up early.

EDIT: And that lasted about a minute. 

[Paelos]

Ok it's true, the refs have no fucking clue what's going on in this game. Holy lord.

One interference called, next one let go, then Pens run 6 on the ice for 30s. I'm not making excuses for them anymore. That was terrible.

[naum]

Ok it's true, the refs have no fucking clue what's going on in this game. Holy lord.

One interference called, next one let go, then Pens run 6 on the ice for 30s. I'm not making excuses for them anymore. That was terrible.

Officiating is awful but at least it's being equally applied tonight. Missed Red Wing interference calls on one hand, Penguins skating with six on the other… …though the non-interference call resulted in Red Wing PP goal…

[Azaroth]

Yeah that was quite a call.

Edit: Another one of those fantastic calls on Satan there.

But you gotta even shit up, right.

[Paelos]

I really wouldn't be shocked if this game went deep into OT given how tired these guys have to be with 3 games in 4 days.

[Azaroth]

I was shitting myself in the second half of that period. We had so many chances to put it away.

And Kunitz, by the way, is exactly what I fucking said he was. Glorified third liner.

[Montague]

Yeah but that was a nice hit on Franzen. Pens were much more physical in the third period than they have been. They need to keep it up, frustrate the Wings into more penalties.

[naum]

WTF Versus? Game over, and straight to that silly "Sports Soup" show… …/thank DirecTV for NHL channel…

Kunitz missed his opportunity, but Talbot could have easily netted a 4 goal night (though had banged the others in, no empty net would have been there…).

Lots of missed interference calls, but at least the bad calls were evenly distributed this game. And both teams got saved by the metal posts…

Dupuis, for all his speed, looks like a giant 0. Cooke at least throws his body around and drew a penalty.

I like Gill, but his game seems to have slipped a notch. No, I didn't expect Chara like performances from him, but I'd settle for just clearing Red Wings out of the crease and eliminating rebound shots…

Odd, they played better in the first two games, but they did clutch it up in the closing 3rd period minutes…

Every game's been a battle and I expect game #4 Thursday night will be no different.

[Azaroth]

CBC hasn't had a postgame show since the Canucks went out.

You can switch to TSN, NHL Network, or Sirius/The Score which is what I do. But honestly - it's the Stanley Cup Final and *CBC* doesn't have a pre OR post-game show?

Come on, guys. They fucking run Jeopardy and shit for the half hour slot leading up to 8:00.

[Slayerik]

Best game yet I say, even if my boys lost. The first was the kind of period that really gets the blood flowing.

Pens showed some will in the third. I honestly don't like seeing Crosby without any points (of course I do) because he's too good not to and will get some soon.

Osgood, average tonight. But he did what he has a knack of doing....giving his team a chance to win the game. Just wasn't their night. I know a bar owner that is quite happy about tonight's loss :)

Coaching was a factor tonight. Don't know his name, but he obviously did better with the last change and may be starting to figure some shit out.

Babcock is still a beast though. TBH, I think he may be better than Bowman at working lines. Game 4 should be great.

[naum]

Coaching was a factor tonight. Don't know his name, but he obviously did better with the last change and may be starting to figure some shit out.

Babcock is still a beast though. TBH, I think he may be better than Bowman at working lines. Game 4 should be great.

Dan Bylsma, former Phoenix Roadrunner and Anaheim Duck who played under Babcock when he coached in Anaheim 2002-2004

http://hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=42688
http://hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=6406

Bylsma is a total coaching no0bler, it's his first season ever as a head coach in any league (he started season as head coach of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) though he served as an assistant for 3 years, including a season with the Islanders in 2005-2006.

[Azaroth]

Oh my God Rumble In The Bronx is on Peachtree TV and it's just starting!!!!!!!!!


See you losers later!

GO PENS!

[Surlyboi]

Like I said, Wings in six.

I want it to be in five, so they win at the Joe, but I don't think that's gonna happen.

[Paelos]

I'm quietly hoping it will go to 7, but I'm not sure.

[Azaroth]

It all depends on what happens Thursday night.

If the Red Wings win, you're looking at 5 or 6.

If the Penguins win, probably 7.

[Azaroth]

So Detroit just added an MVP finalist to their lineup.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/26573-Datsyuk-may-return-for-Game-4-will-play-in-Game-5.html

Rut roh.

Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary
Holmstrom-Datsyuk-Hossa
Filppula-Helm-Sameulsson
Hudler-Draper-Maltby

It's a fucking all-star team. Not to mention the defense, which is one of the best in the league.

[naum]

It's a fucking all-star team. Not to mention the defense, which is one of the best in the league.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

[Azaroth]

It's that your pickup line?

[naum]

It's that your pickup line?

I don't need pickup lines

[Paelos]

I prefer checking lines. 

[El Gallo]

Officiating is a joke.  We're well on our way to 1998-style calls.  I don't think there was a single time there was a dump or loose puck in the Detroit offensive zone where a Penguins defender did not interfere with the Wing trying to get to the puck, rarely even pretending to play the puck.  The Wings only interfered half the time, but made up for it with hold after hold on Pens who had the puck. 

They add some jizz icing to the shitcake by making two random interference calls, one of which won the game.  The only thing worse than the refs letting a game devolve into a 60 minute clutch-and-grab shitfest is the refs letting the game devolve into a 55 minute clutch-and-grab shitfest but then throwing somebody in the penalty box for doing the exact same thing both teams had done about 67,000 times thus far in the game.

At this pace, Hal Gil will be the best player on the ice by game 6, if not by game 5.  Which is exactly how the morons who run the league like it.  I swear those fuckers are still crying that the 1996 Florida Panthers never got to play the 1999 Devils for the Cup in a 29-game series held in tar pit.

Anyway, go Pens.  I'm sad Mario had to watch this, but at least He didn't have to play in it.

[naum]

Officiating is a joke.  We're well on our way to 1998-style calls.  I don't think there was a single time there was a dump or loose puck in the Detroit offensive zone where a Penguins defender did not interfere with the Wing trying to get to the puck, rarely even pretending to play the puck.  The Wings only interfered half the time, but made up for it with hold after hold on Pens who had the puck. 

They add some jizz icing to the shitcake by making two random interference calls, one of which won the game.  The only thing worse than the refs letting a game devolve into a 60 minute clutch-and-grab shitfest is the refs letting the game devolve into a 55 minute clutch-and-grab shitfest but then throwing somebody in the penalty box for doing the exact same thing both teams had done about 67,000 times thus far in the game.

At this pace, Hal Gil will be the best player on the ice by game 6, if not by game 5.  Which is exactly how the morons who run the league like it.  I swear those fuckers are still crying that the 1996 Florida Panthers never got to play the 1999 Devils for the Cup in a 29-game series held in tar pit.

Eh, Penguins noted the Red Wings getting away with it and adopted the tactic themselves. Red Wings trapping, clutching and grabbing like its 1998…

Red Wings still better at the holding… …actually was shocked when they called a few, though watching game on Versus, most of the penalties are simply phantom calls, as they go to commercial and never give you video of what actually happened…

Really sad deal about it is that it's an aberration from the way the game's been called all season long, and for 3 rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Most all the post-season games I watched called it real tight in the 1st, sometimes bordering on the ridiculous, and there were quite a number of 5 on 3 situations too (something unheard of in NHL postseason). But the officials were fairly consistent and skaters learned quickly what was not acceptable. With the finals, it's seems so blatantly off kilt and totally random, I don't understand it.

NHL needs more accountability for the officials, similar to steps NFL has taken.

[Azaroth]

It's exactly what the league said they didn't want when they changed the fact that games were called different in the third period and in the playoffs. Now the game is just called differently in the Stanley Cup Final.  And that's still stupid.

[Paelos]

- 10 average minor penalties per game in the Eastern and Western finals combined.
- 4 average minor penalties per game in the Stanley Cup finals.

I'm going to blame the economy. We simply can't afford as many power plays as we used to, so the refs are cutting back. 

[naum]

- 10 average minor penalties per game in the Eastern and Western finals combined.
- 4 average minor penalties per game in the Stanley Cup finals.

I'm going to blame the economy. We simply can't afford as many power plays as we used to, so the refs are cutting back. 

That's not an accurate assessment.

Evaluating officiating on # of penalties called misses two thirds of the story. Even just looking at raw numbers of minors, need to at least break down obstruction calls (holding, tripping, interference, hooking) vs. roughing/boarding/high sticking…

Calls made in 1st period that reinforce what's not going to be tolerated and skaters adjust, especially in the post season, especially when you're not a top line skater and that boneheaded hook, hold or act of interference will translate into ice time reduction. All of the Penguins previous postseason matches had this effect — it got noted early that officials were not going to "let 'em play" and disregard the obstruction.

[Paelos]

Well, I was GOING to make a spreadsheet to really get in-depth about it, but you caught me. 

Next time I won't be so lazy when I agree with your point about refs ignoring things.



Dick. 

[naum]

Well, I was GOING to make a spreadsheet to really get in-depth about it, but you caught me. 

Man, you're hardcore 

[Slayerik]

No one gonna bring up the 6 men on the ice Pitt had for like 30 seconds? Laughable. Detroit has been hosed on called throughout the playoffs, trust me on this one.

I enjoyed the game, maybe cause I don't sit around waiting for my team to get some wishy washy call.

[Paelos]

Ok it's true, the refs have no fucking clue what's going on in this game. Holy lord.

One interference called, next one let go, then Pens run 6 on the ice for 30s. I'm not making excuses for them anymore. That was terrible.

I'll quote myself because you obviously didn't read. That's ok though since you're a Detroit fan. We get it. 

[Slayerik]

Whoops :)

[naum]

No one gonna bring up the 6 men on the ice Pitt had for like 30 seconds? Laughable. Detroit has been hosed on called throughout the playoffs, trust me on this one.

Did you read the most recent posts in this thread?

Officiating is awful but at least it's being equally applied tonight. Missed Red Wing interference calls on one hand, Penguins skating with six on the other… …though the non-interference call resulted in Red Wing PP goal…

The bad calls got evened up in game #3… 

[Azaroth]

Bickering about refs and shit aside, this game tonight is fucking huge.

Not just because of the 3-1 deficit to the best team in the league if the Penguins lose, but because they'll be having fucking flashbacks and their confidence will go out the window.

Penguins secret weapon = fucking hilarious players:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN28CYsbw8A

[Slayerik]

Pens are about to get.........