Wingman

Wow, these NBC commentators are tossing some Pittsburgh sallad...

The current team has yet to enter its prime (the transition seem to be taking place as we speak though; Lidstrom is eg averaging almost 5 min less in TOI these playoffs compared to last year)...still there's Howard, Ericsson, Axelsson, Abelkader and other top prospects knocking on the door. How can you not smell a golden age coming for the Red Wings? (knock on woods)

If one would try it wouldn't be too hard to feel a lot of sympathy for the Pens players, organization, reporters and everyone else that root for this team and want them to be successful. It's obvious this team is completely lost and frustrated, grabbing every straw and excuse. How else should you feel after cruising your way through the east, going 12-2, and then hitting a red, impenetrable brick wall. I guess this doesn't matter until the series is indeed over, but still.

I love how Dats is protecting Hank everytime someone tries something. "Don't mess with my eurotwin-brother!"

Geee, the VS studio is like a graveyard...

cheapshot

What a #¤% goal!

Irony? How else do you "commemorate of the perished" by recruiting even more people to potentially the same fate...hm, no, I won't go here. Here's to a strong third period!

"We don't make compromises. We make marines" Sorry to get political, but all these military commercials scare me

Franzen got back at Malkin!

Hulder = most heart per pound of bodyweight

Gotta say, Franzen look fresh and hungry. Might not last all game but still, he doesn't exactly do any harm...

He's absolutely clueless, just like most Pens players. They know what they're supposed to do, dump the puck, forecheck hard, but it doesn't work. Frustrating to say the least.

Agree. This is a display of elite hockey. Every cog of the Red Wings machinery is doing its part. A pleasure to watch! I think the Pens had a few minutes of good jump and initative, but it just never materilaized. Go Wings!

Haven't seen too much of him in recent years but what he'll bring, if anything, is more ecclesiastical (correct use of this word??) qualities. Just like Obi-wan in Star Wars after Darth Vader kills him and he becomes a ghost, he can't do s*** by himself but but Luke can get guidance from him. Luke would be Crosby I guess...

On a sidenote, hasn't Lidstrom both swedish and american citizenship nowadays? I heard this somewhere...after all he's lived in NA almost half his life.

My mistake! Merge/remove?

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Grrreat news, I hope the abstinence for game action will turn him into an enraged bull insetad of a mule

Excellent post, as always. Made me think though, how the the Red Wings players can make it look like it's the season opener (energy-wise) every single game. They've even played two more games than Pens so far in the playoffs. Still everyone's got fire both in their legs and eyes, playing like there's no tomorrow. You kind of answered it but still, it amazes me even more put into this kind of perspective. I wouldn't count Malkin out just yet though. He might be in his "uphill" mode now physically and mentally -- and that's where we want to keep him -- but if the pucks suddenly bounces his way, he gets to score a nice one on a breakaway or put someone down with a hit, he can reignite I promise.

He blame Red Wings fans for living in the past, yet gloats about that many teams has won more cups than them since 1960

Wow. Just wow. The Pens have a lot to think about. Sammy & Cleary heating up AS WELL, Kronwall deadly, Franzen on his way back and all 4 lines steamrolling. They'll play better but the adjustments are upon them.

Wow, gameplan + dedication = no room for the Pens All lines play well.

Complete organizational dominance right now.

Good period by the Wings after all. The two first penalties by Lids & Homer was correct I think, but the no-goal call was a complete ebarassment. Hopefully the players will keep cooler about it that we do bacause they'll need to keep playing their own game. Not particulary impressed by the Pens this far.