VM1138

AO is great, but what the hell is wrong with the announcers tonight? It's like they've been drinking or something.

I don't know about you guys, btu that was a much better finish by the Wings. They keep playing like that and they'll win this game. Pittsburgh looks vulnerable again. Keep generating those rushes and carrying the puck in. Oh boy, 2nd Intermission. Crosby part 2? Wow...."2 of the greatest players are in the building tonight: Crosby and......Ovechkin?" What the hell? They've totally ignored the Wings tonight. Which is hard to do considering they're playing tonight.

My God, Mark Messier looks like such a badass.

Have faith, guys. Intermissions can often signal the changing of momentum. Things can change so fast in this game, how can you count a team out after only 1 goal scored?

These guys are way too excited about Sidney Crosby. They're like...literally drooling over themselves. It's embarassing. There are no other players on the ice, obviously. They haven't talked about ANYONE or anything other than Crosby, and that is NO exaggeration. I'm confident. It's early in the game, Pittsburgh is playing about as well as they had all series, they just got a goal finally. The Wings just have to keep doing what they're doing and putting the pressure on. They cannot, absolutely cannot, allow Pittsburgh to play the game they want. I wonder if next intermission will have a video retrospective on Lidstrom or Zetterberg? Or even a recap of the Red Wings history or season? Doubtful. That would be too fair.

What's so dumb about the play, honestly? If that would've gone to Zetterberg's stick nobody would have had a problem with Stuart's play. It was bad luck. These announcers are drooling over themselves, reminding people that Detroit has NO GOALS! and they revealed that while the game was going on they were giving each other pep talks about how Pitts would take the lead, they were just "one play away!" Disgusting.

So Pittsburgh has a goal? So what? The Wings can keep it together and come back. They just need to be a little smarter defensively and get back to passing tape to tape. They need to hustle a little, too. Lots of pucks were nearby when a Wings player didn't pressure. We just need something to take back momentum.

Wow, NBC looks terrible on my TV. I can't see the puck, the ice contrast is way too high, can barely see the lines, and it's blurry. And this is supposed to be in HD.

Well, they have the Iso-cam on Malkin, Crosby, Zetterberg, and I think someone else. Yet I haven't seen anyone but Crosby on it so far. Interesting.

Yeah, if you don't have the puck Detroit lets you go wherever you want. They just don't let you receive the puck on a pass.

It's that Russian sense of humor.

Well, I'm glad Downey and Kopecky get their names on the cup, though I'd still be miffed that it's on there withotu me having to do anything in the playoffs.

I really hope tonight isn't poorly or unfairly reffed. What a crappy way for Pittsburgh to win. Only makes them look worse, I think, having to be handed goals.

Frankly, the obstruction crap is a fraud. Why bring it up now, in the Finals, and not earlier? And the dead puck? I'm sorry, what is dead about having one team play keep away and CONSTANTLY moving the puck? I can see how it's not fun for the losing sides' fans, sort of like how the Superbowl always sucks because of a blowout. I can understand frustration that the series is not that even yet. But this is not the Wings fault. Everyone acts like they're supposed to play down to the level of Pittsburgh and let them back in.

I understand your frustration, but the story is clearly how the Pens can avoid self-destructing. The Wings are steamrolling, yes, but there have been tons of articles about this. How many different ways can you say "The Wings will continue doing what they are doing?" Really the interesting part isn't that the Wings will play the same, but the revolving door of roster spots and the panic in the Pens dressing room. So I understand why all the focus is on the Pens RIGHT NOW.

Chelios is, but why would Downey be eligible? He hasn't played at all in the playoffs.

Burnside's usually pretty fair to the Wings. But yeah, the Pens are the NHL's golden team, so it's going to test the limits of the most objective people.

Isn't Therrien up for the Adams award? How far the mighty fall.

I'm hoping Pittsburgh is as disoriented as their fans seem to think. Hopefully we take their home ice advantage away from them by scoring first and often. Hopefully Pittsburgh remains a muddle mess. I don't want to lose a game to Pittsburgh because I don't want them to have any hope. As always, the Wings need to step it up a notch!

You know, I get the same vibe. I think Datsyuk ENJOYS embarassing people like Turco and whatnot. Not to mention all teams need a boost on the road, and maybe he and Zetterberg have some sort of arrangement that one of them will work harder at home and the other on the road. All that aside, I hope Pav dominates tonight.

Actually, I just perused their forums, even the Pens fans seemed to be pretty upset about the line changes. Apparently they think it'll hamstring them worse. Amazing. Therrien is either the most brilliant coach or the worst the game has ever seen.

Believe it or not, there is a name for the system the Wings play. In Enlightened circles it is called: Total Domination.

That's absolutely stupid. No one in any form of business is stupid enough to believe that crapping all over ESTABLISHED fan bases in favor of creating non-existent ones is a smart policy. Sure, cultivate new fanbases, but totally neglecting and abusing the EXISTING ones that are keeping your league afloat is ridiculous. This should've been hyped as the Finals to establish a Dynasty, not just a Pens dynasty. If the Wings win this thing, they're best positioned to win next year. Maybe they need to add a role player, or a more consistent scorer, preferably someone who has never won the Cup. I think the key to breaking the second-Cup-run-itis is to bring on fresh faces who are just as eager to win it and can infect the team with that energy. So after a Cup win, secure what we have, and replace with a better scorer. Honestly, I see the Wings as the dynasty to beat in the next few years. If any team can repeat in this day and age, it's the Wings, who have shown they only get better each year and have shown they can break all the assumed conventions of the post-cap era.

Let's not get cocky, let's just hope anythign they do backfires on them.

We should really push to get at least Mickey Redmond to do a game, to give him a chance. I think all of America and Canada will fall in love with his friendly yet old-man curmudgeonness. Wow.....I don't even think that made sense in English. Anyways, he's got to be one of the oldest announcers in the league, they should do something to recognize it. Daniels is good, too, but he'll get his chance someday, priority goes to Mick. Has either one ever done a Finals?