Who's Your Pick for the Stanley Cup?

[gogolfing]

Please don't start this again. The NHL stats say the opposite.

I'm not "starting this again", I'm stating the facts. The Habs finished with 262, and the Sens with 261. The numbers you quoted earlier were the totals with one game to play. I checked 6 websites, including NHL.com, and they all confirm this. If you go to NHL.com and look under standings, and then goals for, it will confirm this.

[gogolfing]

Congratulations to all you Pens fans. A sweep and some time to rest.

If all of the series in the east hold as they are currently, it would be Pens-Rangers. That would be a great physical series as the Rangers are much more aggressive than the Senators. Have to wait to see if the Flyers can hold the form they displayed last night.

[Big_M]

I'm not "starting this again", I'm stating the facts. The Habs finished with 262, and the Sens with 261. The numbers you quoted earlier were the totals with one game to play. I checked 6 websites, including NHL.com, and they all confirm this. If you go to NHL.com and look under standings, and then goals for, it will confirm this.

hahahahha... this is funny stuff.

Looks like Ottawa is done now anyway. I wonder if a Canadian team will EVER win another cup. I'm pulling for Calgary to at least beat the Sharks. Friggen Wings are down 2-0 after the first... I'd hate to see this series drag on for 6 or 7 games, the Wings need to preserve strength and energy to come out of the West (the elite conference).

[gogolfing]

I wonder if a Canadian team will EVER win another cup.

Yes it has been a while; Habs in '93 the last to do it. Things are getting so bad that many Canadians will cheer for any Canadian team. I work with guys who are Canucks fans and always say how much they hate the Habs, and now that it is playoff time and Vancouver is out, they are cheering for Montreal because they want a Canadian team to win. My how times have changed

I'll tell you one thing, I'd play golf naked before I cheered for the Leafs Any other Canadian team I'll go for if the Habs are out.

[iacas]

I'm not "starting this again", I'm stating the facts. The Habs finished with 262, and the Sens with 261. The numbers you quoted earlier were the totals with one game to play. I checked 6 websites, including NHL.com, and they all confirm this. If you go to NHL.com and look under standings, and then goals for, it will confirm this.

I see that, but oddly

nhl.com's stats page differs from their standings page . On the stats page, GP: 82 for both teams. Goals: 258 to 257. Oh well. Regardless, fine, Ottawa is the second-ranked scoring team (or first), and the Pens just swept them. Only sweep possible this round. Time to rest up and get ready for the Rangers or Devils. Go Pens.

[MrKadash]

Fleury with another 95% save percentage game.... Pens roll on.

[Pat007]

I think the Pens have the best two goaltenders in the league. They've regularly outplayed some of the superstars. The Penguins were ranked tenth in goals against, which says a lot as well.[/QUOTE]

Huh? Ty Conklin? The guy that the Oilers, Blue Jackets and Sabres passed up on? Give me a break! Fleury maybe, but even then....

[Big_M]

Yes it has been a while; Habs in '93 the last to do it. Things are getting so bad that many Canadians will cheer for any Canadian team.

Yeah... I remember that Habs team back in 93'... the comeback against Quebec, it was a good run. I was actually a huge Canadians fan back then (my good friend was a Bruins fan)... I was all about Stephan Richer (SP?) and Patrick Roy (until he came to Colorado). I even won some money on that cup run. I also remeber when the Wings trounced Roy and the Canadians so bad Roy got boooed out of town. Don Cherry was pissed at the fans, said something to the effect of "ran the best Canadian athlete out of the country"

Anyway... I'm happy to here you still have some integrity left... not rooting for the Leafs and all. I'm still pissed at the Leafs for the seven game series they beat Detroit in back in the 93 when they were in the same conference, that same year that the Habs won it.

[Pat007]

uh...Big_M, Stephane Richer wasn't on the Canadiens in 1993. He was with the Devils. Sorry to burst your bubble!

[Big_M]

uh...Big_M, Stephane Richer wasn't on the Canadiens in 1993. He was with the Devils. Sorry to burst your bubble!

I'm aware... he was traded before that season... my point was that I was a Habs fan back in the day of Stephane Richer and Patrick Roy. Trust me, I remember his stint with the Devils and his cup he won with them when they beat the Wings. So... NO bubble busted. Roy and Richer were together back 85' or 86' for a cup and it was at that time that I started liking the Canadians. I also had a book when I was young about the Rocket Richard, another reason I liked the Habs.

[iacas]

IHuh? Ty Conklin? The guy that the Oilers, Blue Jackets and Sabres passed up on? Give me a break! Fleury maybe, but even then....

You obviously didn't watch him play this year. He started out going 11-0 or something crazy and was 14-2 or something when Fleury came back. Then Fleury went 10-2 or something.

I don't care what Conklin did or didn't do in the past. He's been a wall this year. Season save %: Ty Conklin, 0.923 (second), MA Fleury, 0.921 (fifth). The second and fifth best goaltenders in the league = "best goaltending duo in the league," yes.

[Big_M]

You obviously didn't watch him play this year. He started out going 11-0 or something crazy and was 14-2 or something when Fleury came back. Then Fleury went 10-2 or something.

I agree that Conklin has been very solid this year... as has Fleury... BUT, I don't think save % alone is the mark of who is the best goalie. Goaltending statistics are some of the most misleading. A teams defense has a lot to do with the stats. How good are the shots that goalie X is facing. Maybe they have a defense that are good at forcing teams to the perimiter, and/or play teams that shoot more than a more skilled or more puck possession team. I am not saying stats aren't at least somewhat indicitive as to who is playing well, but they aren't the gospel on who is #1, #2, etc.

That being said... I sure would feel good about my goaltending if I was a Pens fan.

[ERC7.5]

I agree that Conklin has been very solid this year... as has Fleury... BUT, I don't think save % alone is the mark of who is the best goalie. Goaltending statistics are some of the most misleading. A teams defense has a lot to do with the stats. How good are the shots that goalie X is facing. Maybe they have a defense that are good at forcing teams to the perimiter, and/or play teams that shoot more than a more skilled or more puck possession team. I am not saying stats aren't at least somewhat indicitive as to who is playing well, but they aren't the gospel on who is #1, #2, etc.

How many 50+ shot games did he go up against? The pens gave up a lot of shots on goal this year. In a lot of games they were on the losing end of that category!

I don't know....maybe they just seemed like 50 shot games... lol

[Big_M]

How many 50+ shot games did he go up against? The pens gave up a lot of shots on goal this year. In a lot of games they were on the losing end of that category!

yeah... that was kind of my point a) 50 shots with 5 scoring chances v. b) 30 shots with 10 scoring chances... both let in two goals... who played better? Save percentage says goalie A, but I would argue it was more equal.

[ERC7.5]

yeah... that was kind of my point a) 50 shots with 5 scoring chances v. b) 30 shots with 10 scoring chances... both let in two goals... who played better? Save percentage says goalie A, but I would argue it was more equal.

Hmm...I suppose. Don't really have time to evaluate this. But like you said, I feel pretty good with the goaltending the Pens have.

It's nice to have two decent goalies...leaves you options (Barrasso/Wregget come to mind). Kind of like have a solid back up QB.

[Big_M]

Hmm...I suppose. Don't really have time to evaluate this. But like you said, I feel pretty good with the goaltending the Pens have.

definately better than Hasek / Osgood... two big fat question marks. I think if we had Osgood in we may have won the last two, but who knows. I don't really trust either for the long haul, Osgood is too flimsy at the wrong time and Hasek is getting old.

[Pat007]

So you guys are banking on 2 goalies wit no playoff experience? As for Conklin, look at hi GAA stats over a full year. His best year, this year, he had a .923 save percentage in ONLY 33 games. His other years were .880 and .871 and .892...back-up goalie numbers.

As for Fleury, his has one playoff series experience against Ottawa last year. How did that finish? Oh yeah...not too well (.880 save percentage in losing 4 games to 1 against the Sens).

As for the Pens' defence, don't hold your breath. Other than Gonchar, I wouldn't take any of them on my team.

"I think the defense squad's goal is to be the worst defensive squad in the league. They're soft. I've never seen a soft squad like this."
- Pens' coach Michel Therrien

I think that quote pretty much sums it up right there.

[Pat007]

You obviously didn't watch him play this year. He started out going 11-0 or something crazy and was 14-2 or something when Fleury came back. Then Fleury went 10-2 or something.

Erik, yu know as well as I do that the playoffs is a whole different season. Experience counts for a ton.