[boondocksaint]

Originally Posted by ret030

He's 21 and has carried the Pens the majority of the season... he has played around a 100 games... and being his 2nd year in the league... he's not used to that length of play... me being a penguins fan... I... of course... don't see all the 'cheap shots' he apparently throws... but if he does... he's certainly not the only one in the league that does it... the league needs these players to make things more interesting...


what if i were to say that I thought kronwall was playing dirty by just sniping people out as they cross into neutral ice?? Like the other night when he left his feet for a hit on ruutu... i believe it was... just my 2 cents...

I still can't get around the fact that the red wings are completely destroying the Penguins... I'm not trying to make up excuses or blame people on other teams like the Flyers/ Rangers / Ottawa fans did to us... calling dives and stuff on Crosby...

Or like people have said about Osgood diving... I'm not gonna stoop there... the Pens are getting beat... in every aspect of the game... and I will fully admit that...

Everybody dives. Osgood just has veteran timing. Not saying it's right, just saying. Crosby will learn to pick his spots. You've got a good young team without a Cup-winning veteran in the locker room to stabilize them.

Three different Pens have been caught on camera slough-footing. Malkin did it THREE TIMES in one play against the Rangers in the only game they lost - ostensibly because he was frustrated. I saw it happen at least once last night. I watched the Wings all season. The only guy who did that was a call-up. And he got his *** sent right back down. Mike Bab**** does NOT like stupidity and that kind of stuff is stupid.

We get called for the dumbest stuff as it is, so we don't need any help getting ourselves in trouble. Holmstrom's big Swedish rear-end has been called for interference more times than Gordie Howe got fighting majors. And typically, when the Wings get one penalty, they end up getting three or four. We've been lucky in the Finals to stay the heck out of the sinbin, but that's partially thanks to the Pens.

Dump and chase is not a good strategy against the Wings. The Avalanche didn't learn that lesson. Giving up possession against a puck possession team is puzzling to me.

The Pens are also puck-hawks. You have a lot of individuals trying to do too much, and you just can't do that against a collapsing defense with back-checking forwards. How many times has a Penguin player carried it across the blue line and held on to the puck, trying to make a play, only to have his pocket picked?

Contrast that with when they come across and pass the puck. Much better pressure when they pass it around. We've been really good positionally so far in the Finals, so you have to have people moving without the puck. And the defensemen have to be really smart about when they jump in on the play.

We've got a good team this year. I've been impressed with the Wings throughout the playoffs, excepting games when we - for reasons I do not know - STOP SKATING.

I get so pissed off when that happens...

[boondocksaint]

Originally Posted by RuralSTI

I think viewing the kid as a dirty player is a bit of a one sided view of things. Once he started to be big play maker at the end of the season and into the playoffs he has been getting nothing but cheep shots with few calls being made on them. I think he is simply reacting to what has been comming his way. The Flyers seemed to be really good for pulling cheep/dirty hits on him and getting away with it. I think a large part of his actions are simply action/reaction. Plus I don't see him as taking that many "cheep" shots.

Yeah, the Flyers play much like the Sharks. Lots and lots of cheap shots.

Originally Posted by RuralSTI

The Tired comment really upset me when I heard it and the Media in Pitt really jumped on it. Then I think he made a statement saying it was a error in translation to english, which he still does not know well. Believe what you will. I'm not sure if I buy it myself.

I'd be interested to know the truth of this. As you can imagine, not much news filters out of Pittsburgh up to the 'D'. With as many Swedes and Euro guys as we have, I can certainly understand a translation problem.

Originally Posted by RuralSTI

I would say the wings are holding up better, if that is the case, because they have had more experiance dealing with the lengh of the playoffs. But when I made a comment before about them being old I was told they are not that old. So I don't see the difference then.

Lidstrom has been around since 91. Draper, McCarty, Chelios (who is sitting injured), Drake, Holmstrom... those guys are pushing over the average age. But we do have a lot more young guys than people give us credit for. Lebda, Filppula, Kronwall (our cheapest player), Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and a few others are all young or in their prime.

I think the difference is that we play better as a team. That's something that will come to the Pens. I hope it waits til after the Finals, though.

[ret030]

Of course everyone dives... its happens... and I am not doubting the fact that Detroit is a very good team! I thought the Pens were gonna give them more of a series than they have so far though... although maybe something can happen tonight back home...

I also agree with RuralSTI... I think malkin is taking what is thrown at him... at least he did last series...

I just think that the media is completely wrong for trying to pinpoint one player... like malkin... and say he is the reason for the lack of penguin offense this series... its definitely a group effort and I know the whole team needs to step it up.

Hopefully they can do that tonight... and turn this into a better series and get some more interest back into hockey... the NHL was loving this matchup for the finals... maybe its not the Pens year and they are too young... but it would be a lot better if they somehow managed to push it to a Game 7! At least make a series out of it ya know?

Until the pens get a goal on the board though... it doesn't look good!

LETS GO PENS!

[RuralSTI]

[quote=boondocksaint;1879121]Everybody dives. Osgood just has veteran timing. Not saying it's right, just saying. Crosby will learn to pick his spots. You've got a good young team without a Cup-winning veteran in the locker room to stabilize them.

quote]

Gary Roberts won the Cup in 1989 with Calgary. Just a FYI

(not that it really makes too much of a difference lol )

[boondocksaint]

[QUOTE=RuralSTI;1879150]

Originally Posted by boondocksaint

Everybody dives. Osgood just has veteran timing. Not saying it's right, just saying. Crosby will learn to pick his spots. You've got a good young team without a Cup-winning veteran in the locker room to stabilize them.

quote]

Gary Roberts won the Cup in 1989 with Calgary. Just a FYI

(not that it really makes too much of a difference lol )

Roberts is about as stable as Iraq.

[ret030]

[quote=boondocksaint;1879220]

Originally Posted by RuralSTI

Roberts is about as stable as Iraq.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! now thats funny!

[RuralSTI]

Lets not forget that the Pens where down 2-0 durring their cup run in 91 and they ended up winning the cup. different team, but...could happen

[ManInABox]

I can't wait i have been pumped all day today for the game tonite! Go wings! Looks like im gonna have to dvr the Ultimate Fighter.

[AKhick]

I want a game seven for the cup final! Can't get any better than that in sports.

[ret030]

wow... that was game!! action packed!! maybe the Pens can actually make this into a series now!! definitely have to come out with that intensity on saturday now... GO PENS!