2008 Stanley Cup goes to...

[semagic]

gotta love playoff hockey... it brings the passion out in all of us fans of the game.

[Spivonious]

Crosby is a baby because he flops to the ice whenever anyone touches him and if someone challenges him to a fight he drops the ice covering his head. Yet he's always instigating. He reminds me a lot of Matthew Barnaby.

[T@rgetDrone]

I try to remain objective about the violence in hockey and the ways it is delved out. I'm no Flyers fan by any means. But I don't see them as simply a team of cheap shot artists. They are very much a blue collar, lunch bucket team who can and will mix it up from the cradle to the grave. Sure they've committed their share of cheap shots. I can't think of a single team, ever, that didn't. Lepuke (lemieux, sp?) was a classic example of a cheap shot cross checking bitch. But let anyone so much as touch him and it was to the box. Messier was so good at using his stick blade that he could carve his initials into your cheek on a full speed flyby. Anyone remember when the Caps lost to the Islanders in the playoff (years ago)? Immediately after the last horn, Dale Hunter skated all the way across the ice and demolished Pierre Turgeon into the boards-never saw it coming. Broke his arm or some shit. The list goes on... forever. I don't like Philly. But I sure as fuck respect them.

As far as being a baby in pro hockey. Their idea of a baby makes me and the rest of us look like dried smegma. They all bitch and moan. It's the nature of the game. But it's a man's game when the puck drops. Crosby finished a series w/a broken ankle and scored numerous points in the process. He refused to sit. Again here, I'm no Penguins fan. But if Crosby is a baby then what does that make you, me, or the rest of us mere mortals? I may make an exception though in the case of Lindros. Still, I wouldn't fuck w/him on the ice. I'd like to keep what's left of my squash full intact.

[Spivonious]

^


Crosby =

[CharvelRocker]

I'm pulling hard for the Caps over the Flyers...hopefully skill can win out over cheap shots and dirty play. I was shocked at how dirty they played during their two late season meetings with the Pens prior to Pittsburgh letting them have the season finale. Hartnell is simply a cheap shot artist...anyone who says differently is a Philly fanboy. Going for Crosby's head after the the play??? What a POS.

Every team takes a cheap shot every once in a while (Roberts hit on Bass Wed night would have pissed me off if I were a Sens fan) but Philly seems to make it a part of their game plan. The "Legion of Doom" era team had class...these guys they have now are bums.

Anyone in a series with Philly is going to come out of it scarred and most likely less than ready for their next series. Part of me wants to see the Pens play those thugs but another part would prefer to keep the team healthy. We'll see where the chips fall.

I think the Rangers may be one of the toughest teams to beat in the playoffs. Their defense and penalty kill is top notch. If Jagr can step it up and Drury and Gomez get hot, watch out. I'm curious to see how the Devils respond to that thumping they took.

Obviously, you can't count out Montreal either...they are a complete team.

I love playoff hockey!!!

You know why? That prick Gonchar rammed the end of his stick and split Hartnells nose in half? It took CLASS for Stevens not to have Downie go out and break Gonchars face after that. Or Ruutu ramming his knees into Briere's gut? Oh by the way, want to mention how Gagne got knocked out for the season? People think the Flyers are dirtbags because they get called for it, while they let Crosby do anything.

Crosby is a big baby. He sits on the bench whining about a cut on his lip while Hartnell gets his nose stitched back on like a man. Roberts is a coward AND a cheap shot artist. He was like that with Tye Domi and Darcy Tucker in Toronto, and is still that way in Pittsburgh, along with Ruutu and Crosby. Crosby is the worse type, up their with Tucker who will only hit who he knows is smaller or won't hit back (unlike Scotty Upshall for the Flyers, who will hit just about anyone, but ends up bouncing off of them ). Lot of the Penguins team is like that. Malkin is always one for a great, clean hit though.

Part of the reason the Legion of Doom was "class" was because Lindros was a total wimp. I've never seen a Neanderthal (granted a skilled one) be such a pansy in ice hockey. Ovechkin is what that guy should of been. Kind of wish the Pens still had LeClair, but he wanted too much money, his production was way down, and Malkin pretty much replaced him.

[anuske9]

The Senator's "backed into" the playoffs as it was, plus this bs:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=b59LxkvpW8Y

Bell took out Alfredson in one of the last games of the season. Toronto finished 12th btw and ended up losing that game 8-2..
They apparently also lost MIke Fisher in that game.
Watch this goal:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=v-8fBzoRPws

They just couldn't get much together as far as offense during that game. Maybe they'll switch up the lines a bit again for tonights game. I like both teams but I'm a Spezza fan more like I like anybody on the Pens..

[Rupe]

I'm pulling hard for the Caps over the Flyers...hopefully skill can win out over cheap shots and dirty play. I was shocked at how dirty they played during their two late season meetings with the Pens prior to Pittsburgh letting them have the season finale. Hartnell is simply a cheap shot artist...anyone who says differently is a Philly fanboy. Going for Crosby's head after the the play??? What a POS.

Every team takes a cheap shot every once in a while (Roberts hit on Bass Wed night would have pissed me off if I were a Sens fan) but Philly seems to make it a part of their game plan. The "Legion of Doom" era team had class...these guys they have now are bums.

Anyone in a series with Philly is going to come out of it scarred and most likely less than ready for their next series. Part of me wants to see the Pens play those thugs but another part would prefer to keep the team healthy. We'll see where the chips fall.

I think the Rangers may be one of the toughest teams to beat in the playoffs. Their defense and penalty kill is top notch. If Jagr can step it up and Drury and Gomez get hot, watch out. I'm curious to see how the Devils respond to that thumping they took.

Obviously, you can't count out Montreal either...they are a complete team.

I love playoff hockey!!!

[CharvelRocker]

Flyers and Caps are even money. As a Caps fan I am a bit concerned about how well the Flyers put constant, calculated, and accurate pressure at the opponent's own blue line. But we have better net minders. And we have THE Weapon. I bought all the Orville Reddenbocker's popcorn I could find. I'm stoked! My only prediction is whichever team gets to the next round is going to be so spent that it will take its toll. Neither the Flyers or the Caps get past round 2.

Your new goalie had to play doormats though. The Flyers had like two push overs (two Leafs games and two Islander games) the rest were against Pittsburgh, the Rangers, and the Islanders (in regards to the last 23 odd). The caps played the Panthers, the Lightening, the Thrashers, the Hurricanes, and the Blackhawks. Then for 3 games you played the Flames, Penguins, and maybe you could consider the Bruins a though team.

Caps also lack the ability to beat up on the Flyers. Ovechkin and Brashear are tough. Poti is good for a cheap shot too. The Flyers have a whole line of bruisers (Dowd-Cote-Downie), along with Richards, Hartnell, Knuble, Hatcher. I don't think Patrick Thoresen or Ryan Parent is going to shy away from popping you one either.

Both teams do lack experience, but the Caps are better at finishing a game than the Flyers. In a 7 game series though, I give the Flyers an edge, as they ARE the team that will wear you out via physical play. Ovechkin is going to be tough to counter for sure, as the only guy they really have who is an all around complete player who can score and beat you up is Richards, but not to the same degree at all, plus he is much smaller than Ovechkin.

I think it will be an interesting series, but the Flyers are such a complete team, it's going to be tough for the Caps to compete with them. The only thing I do fear is there ability to implode over the series.

[semagic]

well so far so good for the stars 4-0 over the ducks... game two will be a hard win to to get... the ducks will come out blazing, hopefully the stars can match that intensity... we will see. the habs looked strong tonight as well, they are fast skating team... and carbo gave them the green light to hit in this series, game 2 in each of these series will be brutal...

[T@rgetDrone]

Getting Gary Roberts back in the lineup is the shot in the arm that the Pens needed. They don't have anyone else to play tough in front of the net. He's the physical presence that they've lacked since Kevin Stevens was in his prime.

Agreed. It's not like Ganchar is going to step up unless it's to step up into the play. While I appreciate his snipe abilities, he is legally a 4th forward. Not a defenseman. Roberts is the bad ass presence in the pits they were lacking. Another reason I consider Pittsburgh as the second best overall team in the league. No Fleury. They still win. No Crosby. They still win. No Roberts. They still win. Now that they have all 3 in the lineup, Ottawa is going to get a beat down! Damn that's hard to face and admit, being a Caps fan and all. But that's the way I see it.

I was going to say (before their 1st game) that NY shouldn't be overlooked. But I didn't want to post it ATF like one of those hind-sight 20/20 deals. NJ has their hands full. NY is dedicated and motivated to winning it all. It prolly won't happen but I'm confident it will get them past NJ.

Flyers and Caps are even money. As a Caps fan I am a bit concerned about how well the Flyers put constant, calculated, and accurate pressure at the opponent's own blue line. But we have better net minders. And we have THE Weapon. I bought all the Orville Reddenbocker's popcorn I could find. I'm stoked! My only prediction is whichever team gets to the next round is going to be so spent that it will take its toll. Neither the Flyers or the Caps get past round 2.

[Rupe]

Getting Gary Roberts back in the lineup is the shot in the arm that the Pens needed. They don't have anyone else to play tough in front of the net. He's the physical presence that they've lacked since Kevin Stevens was in his prime.

[Razor]

If the Pens play physical, then they have a chance. Who would have thought Ryan Whitney of all people would have stepped up and put a thumping on Wade Redden? They keep that up and they'll have a chance at the Conference finals anyway.

[Spivonious]

I made a western conference grid too.

Detroit      -- D
Thu           |----
Nashville    --   |  D
                  |-----
San Jose     -- S |    |
0-1           |----    |
Calgary      --        |   A
                       |-------
Minnesota    -- C      |
0-1           |----    |
Colorado     --   |  A |
                  |-----
Anaheim      -- A |
Thu           |----
Dallas       --

[semagic]

Pens looked awesome tonight while thumping Ottawa.

what happen to the senators? they looked disintrested last night, the penguins looked good... i thought the rangers looked the best out of last nights games.

[Spivonious]

It's playoff time. Anything and everything is possible. And a lot of it will happen - the predictable and the unpredictable.

Just the reason why the Flyers will make it to the Eastern Finals