June 02, 2008

Watching a powerless 5-3 powerplay be killed with ease, killed my confidence with the same blow. Would love to see a Yankee/Boston type comeback, but I am running out of positive vibes.

posted by Debo270 at 10:10 AM on June 02, 2008

I'm with you, Debo. After the Pens failed to even appear to have an advantage on that 5-on-3--nevermind have a shot at scoring--I was pretty sure the game (and likely the series) was over.

posted by bender at 10:15 AM on June 02, 2008

Detroit is just too good at closing off shooting and passing lanes. I'm not an X's and O's type of guy, so I'm not sure what the Pens can do to overcome that.

posted by NoMich at 11:13 AM on June 02, 2008

The 5 on 3 penalty kill was huge. Zetterberg proved why he is one of the best defensive-forwards in that minute and a half, basically shutting down Sidney Crosby while also almost getting a shorthanded goal. I highly doubt the Penguins will be able to mount a comeback, I cannot see them winning three in a row. Crazier things have happened but the Red Wings are clearly the better team. Plus I'd love to see the Wings close it out tonight in Detroit.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 11:28 AM on June 02, 2008

Zetterberg was phenomenal. That penalty kill was unreal. Unless something weird happens, he seems a shoe-in for the Conn Smythe.

posted by fabulon7 at 11:50 AM on June 02, 2008

I remember when Zetterberg first came up, he was being touted as the next Bob Gainey. I can see that now. He's at least that good.

posted by chicobangs at 11:56 AM on June 02, 2008

The great thing about the Wings winning a post-salary cap Stanley Cup is that it shuts up the "best team money can buy" garbage. Holland and the organization have an amazing eye for talent, particularly young players in whom they can see something that they can mold into league elite. When you think of all the notable departures and retirements they've had and still keep on winning, it's staggering. Konstantinov, Larionov, Fedorov, Shannahan, Yzerman, etc. Losing that much talent over the years would cripple most teams.

posted by Stavro99 at 12:17 PM on June 02, 2008

I am at a loss. Beaten at home when the pressure is on. Now we have to go to their house and win. Tough, tough, tough. I really thought the Penguins had some momentum in the Play-offs. Detroit is amazing! and that Sucks!

posted by adammcd at 12:24 PM on June 02, 2008

Holy shit. Unbelievable game heading into OT.

posted by wfrazerjr at 09:43 PM on June 02, 2008

Alright, 2nd OT coming up. Who scores the winner? What OT? I say Hossa scores in the upcoming 2nd OT. And Malkin will just stay sprawled out on the ice until noon on Tuesday.

posted by NoMich at 10:42 PM on June 02, 2008

Amazing indeed. Couple of thoughts... WTF is up with that OT reffing? Iffy interference calls when everything else and then some has been allowed in OT. It looks like Malkin finally decided to try showing up. Fleury is currently saving the Pens' season.

posted by jmd82 at 11:05 PM on June 02, 2008

Obvious penalty at the end on the Red Wings and good job for the Pens using the PP successfully. Still, horrible officiating. Equally obvious tripping of Zetterberg on Red Wing's previous possession and countless interferences against both teams. After the OT playoffs and especially this game, I no longer buy the "don't let the penalty decide the game" OT mantra. By not calling other obvious penalties, you are in fact deciding OT outcomes be depriving teams of what should have been a PP. Or in the case of interference/hooking/etc, taking away possible scoring chances.

posted by jmd82 at 11:55 PM on June 02, 2008

AW Man!! Here come another of those young goalies who for some reason decide that is time to stand on their heads and do the unbelievable against the Red Wings. Stopping 50+ shots is something Fleury hasn't done in two games all year still does it last night or this morning. Makes this an interesting series. NBC could do away with the intermission break announcers that are sooooo pro Pittsburg. They can't even finish a sentence about something the Red Wings did without adding opinions about Pittsburg.

posted by coach at 06:36 AM on June 03, 2008

Great game last night. Detroit was around 37 seconds from the cup when they gave up the tying goal on that second chance stuff-in. After taking an emotional gut punch like that, I thought it was Pittsburgh's overtime to win. Sixteen hours later in the sextuple overtime, I wasn't so sure. Pittsburgh was getting a lot more open ice in regulation last night. Detroit can't afford to give them that much space in Game 6 in front of the rabid Pens crowd.

posted by rcade at 07:06 AM on June 03, 2008

Iffy interference calls when everything else and then some has been allowed in OT. I thought they were good calls. You can't shoot the puck at the goalie and THEN run into him after he makes the save. In neither case was the Detroit player pushed into the goalie. He simply didn't alter his direction and just kept going. If Fleury makes the save, gets bowled over by the Red Wing, and then someone else taps in the loose puck with Fleury knocked out of the way, then you've got yourself a HUGE problem. I am, however, very glad that the penalty that led to the powerplay goal was a no-brainer. No controversy there at all.

posted by grum@work at 08:20 AM on June 03, 2008

Arrrrrrrrgh. We were fortunate enough to have tickets and were half a minute from seeing them win the Stanley Cup... Fleury was terrific, he is the reason the Penguins were able to win that game. He faced over fifty shots and stopped just enough to allow them to win. I thought the officiating was terrible. It began with a tripping call in which the Penguins player was already falling down before he came in contact with the Wings player's stick. They also were giving way too much leway, there were numerous instances where a penalty should have been called but wasn't. And the Red Wings aren't the only one with a goalie who dives.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 08:37 AM on June 03, 2008

If Fleury makes the save, gets bowled over by the Red Wing, and then someone else taps in the loose puck with Fleury knocked out of the way, then you've got yourself a HUGE problem. During the regular season, when this happens, it was regular practice to disallow the goal and not call a penalty. There were some goaltender interference calls during the reg season, but players have typically been allowed to bump into the goalie if it was part of their drive to the net and wasn't intentional. I would argue those fall under that, but I see your point. Just hoping for another entertaining game 6.

posted by jmd82 at 08:40 AM on June 03, 2008

I am just happy to finally see Malkin on the score sheet. He assisted on the OT goal. YYM, i will give you that trip was a bad call, the problem is the refs need to call everything or nothing. They seem to change period to period as to how they are calling the game.. That was the right call in OT. My favorite part of the game was watching that guy put the cup back in its crate. I just hope Fluery can keep it going. Dont stop believing.

posted by Debo270 at 10:10 AM on June 03, 2008

During the regular season, when this happens, it was regular practice to disallow the goal and not call a penalty. There were some goaltender interference calls during the reg season, but players have typically been allowed to bump into the goalie if it was part of their drive to the net and wasn't intentional. Exactly. They must have thought Zetterberg was Holmstrom or something. The officiating in that game was awful. Super inconsistent. And I say this as someone who's not really pulling for either team. As mentioned though, at least it was an obvious call for the game-winning power play.

posted by fabulon7 at 11:10 AM on June 03, 2008

And the Red Wings aren't the only one with a goalie who dives. I didn't see Fleury fishing for a call. Especially in OT, when you'd be crazy to think you're going to get any calls.

posted by rcade at 12:27 PM on June 03, 2008

There was an interference call where Fleury was barely touched with a stick and went sprawling. It is essentially the same situation as some of the times that Osgood has gone sprawling due to the same sort of thing.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 01:25 PM on June 03, 2008

so coach, are you a Detroi fan? Do you like the Detroi team? I think the PittsburgH Penguins played a helluva game, but Detroi will probably still win the Stanely cup. Just not in Detroi.

posted by scully at 09:15 PM on June 03, 2008

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.