Who's Your Pick for the Stanley Cup?

[ERC7.5]

How do they not have a camera angle going straight down the line? Every shot that I've seen so far has been at an angle of some sort.

That is a hell of a good shot though!

[Jeepthrills]

yeah and if you really followed Hockey like some do you'd realize that the +/- stat is the most over rated stat around....means nothing....contrary to your thinking....add too that Briere's +/- was also negative during the regular season as well but I'd doubt you'd find too many (if any) people who said he's not any good because of it.......how many times was Timmo on the ice for a PK? or 2 men down? exactly....that's why it's a worthless stat...

Timmo is one of those players that just makes a team stronger by being on the ice. His loss is felt in a few ways. One, he is on the power play and it is weakened. Two, he eats up ice time. He is steady on defense and doesn't make as many mistakes as other guys. Both of these cause guys lower on the depth chart to log more ice time and puts them in spots where they are not always best suited. Granted, Lidstrom is the best in the game, but when he was down for 10 games it caused everyone to move up one spot. Guys were paired differently and the Wings struggled.

As a Wings fan, I was happy to hear that Timmonen had left Nashville to the East. they are one of Detroit's biggest rivals and were weaker from the loss of the guy.

[ERC7.5]

Philly looked a lot better last night. The Pens....they looked a lot like they did in Game 4 of their series with the Rangers..... Actually, the majority of the game resembled that of Game 4 vs. the Rangers.
I figured Philly was going to win one game at home....I'm just glad it wasn't game 3.
Sunday is going to be a long game for the Flyers!

[Undr Par]

yeah they played alot better last night, the 1st period they were pumped but as you seen that worn off some in the 2nd and was never there in the 3rd as the Pens were beating them to loose pucks and kept the action in their zone, the Pens had Wachovia on the edge of their seats...

That action late in the 3rd with Upshall stream rolling Staal behind the net was right in front of us. Let me ask you this? when will Ryan Malone stop fighting anyone on our team? (I mean I give the boy props for taking on the tough guys but I mean he gets his lunch handed too him everytime) 1st it was Smith earlier this season who pulled his shirt over his head and gave him a royal beating, then he even went at it with Riley Cote during the season (that lasted 2 hits, Cote hitting him and Malone hitting the ice) then last night it was Hatcher who stepped up and handed him his Dinner as well.... I mean come on Malone your a big boy and can't handle your business any better then that....

Kimmo and Coburn (the Post game show even stated it and Stevens did as well) will be suited up for game 5, I hope it's not to late though but it will strengthen the blue line alot for them in game 5,

the Pens are a perfect 7-0 in the playoffs at home this season.

[ERC7.5]

Yeah. After Staal scored his second goal it looked as though everyone in the building were saying "Oh sh*t!". It was actually pretty funny....still up by one and no confidence.

As far as Malone....probably after he actually wins a fight with one of them. That ending was a lot like the ending of Game 4 with the Rangers (another reason it reminded me so much of that game). The Pens really showed their frustration. They were pretty well composed throughout the game until the end....then what's his face started smacking Crosby with his stick after the faceoff....got him all riled up.

Kimmo and Coburn back on the ice? Wow.....didn't really expect Coburn to make it back....he was messed up!

I believe their perfection goes a bit further back than just the playoffs as well!

[Undr Par]

Yeah. After Staal scored his second goal it looked as though everyone in the building were saying "Oh sh*t!". It was actually pretty funny....still up by one and no confidence.

yeah their record goes back to the regular season as well.... going to be hard and if at to overcome them at home.....we'll see though. what's his name? c-mon now that is Mike Richards and the funny thing is he and Crosby played together in Juniors....but Smith was also upset with Crosby last night as well, I know alot of people smack on Crosby for being a baby and what not but if you do watch him after a play or during a TV timeout he does do alot of lobbying to the ref's........and I think that upsets alot of players....should make for a fun filled 5th game though.. Oh by the way Riley Cote was skating in the pre game skate but was scratched from the line-up...I want to see another Cote-BGL go around...as even BIg George has stated that Cote is pound for pound the best fighter he has faced.

[ERC7.5]

yeah their record goes back to the regular season as well....

Should be fun.

what's his name? c-mon now that is Mike Richards

Yeah! That Prick!! lol

but Smith was also upset with Crosby last night as well, I know alot of people smack on Crosby for being a baby and what not but if you do watch him after a play or during a TV timeout he does do alot of lobbying to the ref's........and I think that upsets alot of players....should make for a fun filled 5th game though..

I know...it seems he's always lobbying to the refs....but he's not the only one. It does happen a lot though. May be justifiable....don't know.

Oh by the way Riley Cote was skating in the pre game skate but was scratched from the line-up...I want to see another Cote-BGL go around...as even BIg George has stated that Cote is pound for pound the best fighter he has faced.

Yeah....I had heard that he said that....George is a big scary sumb*tch tho!

[MrKadash]

Kudos to the Flyers last night. Played with an intensity not seen so far this series, and they didn't roll over. I didn't expect a Penguins sweep, but that's easy to say now. Best that the Pens are going home, hopefully they won't let the Flyers get back in it....

[doin-it]

GO Flyers !!!

[Undr Par]

let's see if we can pull a Dallas Stars today by beating the Pens in their place and get the series 3-2..

Let's Go Flyers.......clap clap clap clap clap....Let's Go Flyers....clap clap clap clap clap........

[The Rambler]

Nah the Pens have the series won... knock on wood

[CG031]

haha, Flyers look like garbage.

[MrKadash]

After game 4 I expected the Flyers to show up today. Was I wrong. Congrats to the Penguins - Eastern Conference Champions. Nice to see Ryan Malone playing well, and Hossa playing like he's worth the millions.

[iacas]

Let's Go Flyers.......clap clap clap clap clap....Let's Go Flyers....clap clap clap clap clap........

Gee, that Timmonen, what a difference-maker.

OKay, I kid, I kid... Congrats to the Flyers for making it as far as they did.

[Undr Par]

wow that was freakin ugly......what a way to finish up your season.....Grats to the Pens and their fans.....simply the best team in the East and imho in the NHL.......

[Ian]

i put my money on the pens and detroit for the final, although i think detroit will pull through and win the final.

[MrKadash]

Penguins in six...

[Jeepthrills]

Short Rant followed by my take on the Finals. Once again, Gary Betman has shown why he is the worst commisioner in sports. Knowing that the NBA already has the Eastern Conference Finals scheduled, he schedules games 1, 2 and 3 at the same times that the Pistons will be playing games 3, 4 and 5. Detroit is a great sports town and the local ratings for basketball and even more so for hockey are usuallly far above the national average. The Red Wings have a great following both locally and nationally. Unfortunately they are still number 4 amongst the loacal teams when you ask the casual fan. It's bad enough that the first 2 games are only on VS, but now he is forcing one of the best hockey TV markets in the US to pick between games. Go figure that hockey's popularity fell off while this guy was in charge. Hockey is a great sport to watch, but it will not be succesfule when you can't get it exposed to the casual fan. OK..Rant over.

This Finals may be the most compelling one in years. Two great offenses. Tons of star power on both sides of the puck. Similar puck control offenses. Experience vs. youth. I can't wait. I give Detroit a slight edge as they have been there before and they are better on defense. Also, as I have said here before, Datsyuk and Zetterberg are the best two way players in the game. I think it will be Detroit in six, but I would not be at all stunned if Pittsburg pushes them to a game 7. There is so much talent on the Pens that it would not be a total shock if they won it all.