Official Stanley Cup Finals Thread: Pens vs. Wings

Who will win it all in how many games?

  • Total voters
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I'm waiting for the Wings to choke... I think it's about to happen. Pens in 5. Crosby and Malkin will be just too much to contain.
 
Iceman said:
I'm waiting for the Wings to choke... I think it's about to happen. Pens in 5. Crosby and Malkin will be just too much to contain.
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Sounds like the same thing everyone said last year about the Ducks and Heatley/Alfredsson/Spezza would be too much for them..:)
 
I'm rooting for the Pens in 6. I've liked Malkins play this year and Staal has been pretty good during the playoffs. Mario should be credited for many things and especially for this opportunity to win the CUP. He's stuck with this team as a player and owner and had success putting a good young group of players together.

However, I agree with others that unfortunately the Crosby focus and highlights will go on for sometime. It'll be a great series.
 
Can't wait for this tilt to kick off on Saturday..

I think that I'm suffering from a mild case of Hockey TV watching withdrawl... :rolleyes:

At least there will be no afternoon games.. :dance:
 
horton16 said:
I'm rooting for the Pens in 6. I've liked Malkins play this year and Staal has been pretty good during the playoffs. Mario should be credited for many things and especially for this opportunity to win the CUP. He's stuck with this team as a player and owner and had success putting a good young group of players together.

However, I agree with others that unfortunately the Crosby focus and highlights will go on for sometime. It'll be a great series.
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VS and NBC have greatly cut back on the Crosby coverage in the last 2 series. Malkin's getting plenty of face time (unfortunately, what an ugly *******), and Staal's line made waves by nearly coming back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Flyers in Game 4. Fleury has probably gotten more coverage than any Penguin in the media these last few weeks. Not to make unnecessary comparisons, but when has a Cup winner's success ever been about one guy?

The Crosby focus only happens if Crosby produces big in the Finals. Sid's been steady throughout the playoffs, but he hasn't exactly made a great deal of highlight reel plays. Hell, his performance have been overshadowed by his linemate Marian Hossa, who is finally putting the years of playoff mediocrity behind him.

If the Penguins win the Cup, Crosby will be a large part of that. I don't believe media coverage is going to focus on him more than the rest of the team, though. Not with worthy focal points like Malkin, Hossa, Staal, Gonchar, Sykora, and Fleury available.

-m.
 
I think this is the best scenario for the finals that the NHL could hope for - their most popular american team facing off against the leagues marketing golden boy. Even better for the league if this series goes the full 7 games.

I don't really care about either team: I would be every bit happy seeing homeboy Tyler Kennedy come home with the cup as I would seeing Malkin and Crosby having to watch Zetterberg hoist it.
 
Game time in what? 3 and a half hours? Again, I think this is going to be the most entertaining 2 teams to watch in the Finals since the 2001 version.:cool:
 
The Big M said:
The Wings are one of those teams I'd like to see disappear for a few years. They've had their turn. (Cant' say the other teams I'd like to see go... I'd lose too many friends. And yes, I know the team I cheer for would be at the top of everyone else's lists... :laugh:)

I'm hoping the Pens in 6.

Michael.
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typical for a leafs fan to want to see an old rival out of the picture.;););):laugh::beer:

well, i say wings in five!

sean.
 
suitman19 said:
Should be a great SC Finals - and I would think it would go 6 or 7 games.

But reading through this thread is both tiresome and disturbing. The amount of dislike for both teams... why????

Pittsburgh - The Pens have put together a very good team with an abundance of high draft picks over the last 3 years. They did not buy this team - they drafted well and have the makings of a team for a decade that can only be broken up by the Salary Cap.
In this case - live by the sword - die by the sword.
As far as the attitude towards Crosby - BUNK. The 'Kid' has delivered in every aspect of advance billing. He is learning to pay 'D" - and he makes EVERYONE better around him better on offense. So what if they talk him up - to try and portray him as the new image of the league...... The league sorely needs any enhancement he can bring. We may be die-hard hockey fans, but in case you did not notice - the NHL needs a VERY public persona... very badly. I for one am pretty happy to see the likes of Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Malone and Fleury do well.

As far as my Wings - yep, they are overrated..... get real. And they have never seen a team like the Pens - surely. Hmmm - maybe you should look at the season point totals - the Wings scored 10 more goals than the Pens and allowed about 30 less. I am certain that Dats/Zetty/Homer were responsible for all of those goals - LOL!!! Next we will hear the tired old statement that the wings BUY their talent... instead of drafting them.

Even though Trevor has answered Magootz's items - I will provide my own.

Detroit has no "Pests" to piss off Crosby and Malkin.
I predict that Kronwall takes Malkin's head off at some point in the series - coming across the middle of the ice with his head down. And Dallas drake 9who has never played in the SC finals) will also provide at least 2 huge hits at some point.

Detroit has ONE good Scoring line, oh and the Mule if he comes back.
Must be forgetting about Cleary, Filppula, Samuelsson and Hudler . Not huge scorers, but most of them missed at least 10 games this year and all scored more than 10 goals. Enough scoring to get through the first 3 rounds of the playoffs.

Detroit has not seen an offence like the Pens in quite some time.
Detroit has the ability to make every team in the league look worse than they are. It is not a fluke - it is not luck. the play a puck control game that the Pens have not had to deal with from any team they have played so far. No dumping the puck in - and letting the Pens get a breakout going - nope, by the time Detroit gives up the puck it is time for a line change. the other team is forced to get a change - or face running out of gas with fresh wings legs on the ice. This is the way the wings play - and it is tough on the opposing team.

Once Ozzie gets pulled, Hasek will be rusty
That's tongue in cheek right there. In case you did not watch the Wings for the the past 6 weeks - Osgood is nowhere near the same goalie you saw 10 years ago in Detroit. Absolutely different in his approach to tending the net. A nice combination of Butterfly and stand-up traits. More mature as well - so the odd goal does not bother him. I would be astounded to see Hasek for any reason - the team WANTS to play well in front of Oz.

The Pens are younger and have much more energy.
Biggest weapon that the Pens have right there. They need to hit the wings and skate, skate and skate. They need to stay out of the box and make the 3rd D-pairing (Chelios/Lebda or Lilja) pay for their continued mistakes.They are the weak spot on Detroit along with continued mis-cues by Brad Stuart - especially when he tries to keep pucks in the offensive zone. And last but not least - the Pens must score 25% on their PP. They will need all of these man-advantage goals they can muster.


And last but not least to all of you that 'hate' the Wings. Put together an owner/general manager/scouting corps/coaching staff like the wings have done. Have everyone in the organization on the right page - and the players WANTING to play there. you wont find too many people that would not want to be part of this organization.
These players were drafted by the Wings:
Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Holmstrom - Hudler - Franzen - Filppula - Kopecky - Helm - Drake - McCARTY - Lidstrom - Kronwall - Lebda - Osgood. That would be 60% of the team!!!!!
Draper was purchased for $1 from Winnipeg. Cleary signed - cause no one wanted him. Same with Samuelsson. Maltby was traded for - as was Chelios. Rafalski was the only real free agent signing.

Here's to a great Finals - and I predict the wings in 6 games!!!

bruce
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"hear, hear"!!!:beer:
 
Prime said:
Game time in what? 3 and a half hours? Again, I think this is going to be the most entertaining 2 teams to watch in the Finals since the 2001 version.:cool:
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Dunno Barrie... The 03 and 07 Finals were pretty entertaining ;)
 
Did anyone catch the "Pittsburgh ?Pwings? Steven Crosby" fumble just before the ceremonial faceoff? Or Marc-Andre Fleury eating ice as he came out of the dressing room?

*FUN*
 
The Wings just imposed their style of play and Pittsburgh didn't have an answer tonight, plain and simple. I said early in the 1st period that the Pens would regret it if they didn't score on one of their many powerplays. Granted, Osgood made some stellar saves during that stretch of Wings to the box, but Pittsburgh had their chances. Detroit played basically the entire 2nd period in the Pens' end of the ice working their puck-possession mastery that still baffles me as to just how good at it they are. Maybe it was just a case of a young team getting their first taste of the Cup Finals, but I hope they bounce back in Game 2 or this will be over quick.
 
I gotta say, besides the obvious guys who played well (Zetty, Kronwall, Samuelsson, Lidstrom...........as usual) I was most impressed with Datsyuk this game. He really took it to Crosby and was all over him the whole game.
 
Big Tall said:
The Wings just imposed their style of play and Pittsburgh didn't have an answer tonight, plain and simple. I said early in the 1st period that the Pens would regret it if they didn't score on one of their many powerplays. Granted, Osgood made some stellar saves during that stretch of Wings to the box, but Pittsburgh had their chances. Detroit played basically the entire 2nd period in the Pens' end of the ice working their puck-possession mastery that still baffles me as to just how good at it they are. Maybe it was just a case of a young team getting their first taste of the Cup Finals, but I hope they bounce back in Game 2 or this will be over quick.
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Even if the Pens lose game 2, you'll find that it is nothing for them to worry about until they lose a game at home. If they hold serve, not unlike several teams in the past, this series will go the distance.
 
When is somebody going to tell NHL that we don't tune in to see the refs. No one ever paid to see these guys. Call the stuff you really see and let the teams create some flow. There that's my rant for today.
 

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