BewareThePenguin

The point isn't that Detroit "earned" the right to play the lowly Columbus squad, the point is they got the same kind of "pushover" opponent you're all ragging the Pens for drawing. Double standard, anyone? And "ugh" -- I think I understand the mercenary player concept, but Hossa also left Pittsburgh talking about going to Detroit 'cuz you know, he really really wanted to win a championship. Kind of a slap at your old team on your way out the door. So pardon me if I don't quite care for him anymore. Besides, like Detroit needs another top player, they don't have enough of them already. P.S. I don't believe Gretzky talked that kind of crap on his way to New York.

I like your spirit. And now for the flip side of reality. Where do you get the nerve to rag on the Pens' run, when your guys played: 1. The weakest opponent in the playoffs in round 1. 2. An admittedly tough Ducks team. 3. Another pushover in the wet-behind-the-ears, aw-shucks-we're-just-glad-to-be-here Blackhawks. Really now. As for Hossa, why should he even get to be "motivated"? HE left Pittsburgh, which made him a pretty fair offer to stay. So it's quite the opposite -- should the Pens and Wings meet, it will be the Pens who are out to make his scumbag traitor butt pay for his scumbag traitorism (did I just invent a new word?). Poetic justice would be for Hossa the turncoat to watch the Pens lift the Cup and wave it in his traitor face. We now return you to your regularly scheduled discussion.

Hey, what am I, chopped liver or something?

You sure you were watching the same series? Washington's goalie is who pushed it to seven, not Ovechkin. He made some saves I still can't believe. Otherwise that series was over in 5. "Pushover" Caps? That team that smoked your guys 4-2 last time they met? Those pushovers? Washington's been a scoring machine all year. An easy draw they weren't. You drew Columbus, THE pushover in the playoffs. Might want to think about that before you go off on somebody else's bracket. Just sayin'.

That's about the size of it.

And did the "knowledgeable" Wings fans freak out when Detroit gave up FIVE goals against the lowly Blue Jackets? (Speaking of "who have they played"?) Did they all run around and scream "oh how will we EVER beat Anaheim if we give up 5 goals to Columbus?!?!" As for the Pens' run, well... Philly -- I won't argue with that one Washington -- Only the number two seed in the playoffs -- goalie stood on his head -- few players in the Western Conference compare to Ovechkin Carolina -- what, the Pens didn't just finish a grueling 7-game series themselves? IF the two teams play again, it well might be Detroit winning again. But it won't be "no different" I promise you.

So you guys have it all matched up already... uh, news flash -- series isn't over at 2-0 last I looked. Washington Capitals anyone? Re: Malkin. Despite some of the misconceptions, he WAS hurt during that play against Philly. Unlike Crosby, Malkin was a big factor in last year's playoffs -- right until that breakway play on the PP. From that minute on he was ineffective. You didn't hear about it until afterwards because what team broadcasts its injuries anyway? We still don't know exactly the injury, but to say the least it hobbled him. The idea the poster above has that "I don't think they will be any tougher than last year either" is as absurd as that "if it's Eastern Conference it's inferior hockey" snob garbage. Last year's squad was so wet behind the ears for the finals they should've played with towels around their heads. It took til Game 3 to get the deer-in-the-headlights look out of their eyes and start playing hockey. The defense I think was a bit better checking, but Crosby and Malkin weren't even CLOSE to playing at the dominating level they are now. Are you guys kidding me? That said, I'm not penciling in the Pens just yet... though last night's bombardment of the "unbeatable" Ward may have taken away some of their heart. Still a pretty scrappy bunch. We'll see.

Yeah, it's a bad beard. He oughta shave it.

As we all know, the fix is always in for the Pittsburgh Penguins, which makes last night's goalie interference non-call a real mystery. Here was a Pens' opponent being allowed to knock the stick out of Fleury's hands, the result being a late score that made the game much more dramatic than it should have ever been. Could it be that this amazing display of blindness on the part of the refs is actually part of a greater plan? Informed sources suggest that the league office actually sanctioned this as part of "Operation Red Penguin" (cousin of Red Herring) a ploy to keep the critics off balance. The plan is simple: favor the opposition early, saving a later time for when the league will award the Penguins their usual supply of calls and non-calls. When the viewing public howls, they then can point to Game 1 and the goal the Hurricanes got away with. I can hear the commish's Dr. Evil laugh right now, as he rubs his hands together in his office sipping a cognac with his cronies...

Hard to argue with your arrogance here... as I said, your team's the best til somebody knocks them off. Still, it boggles my mind that fans of the champions would actually be caught believing there exists some conspiracy to favor another team... to be honest, I'm kind of embarrassed for you guys. I also included examples of other teams' fans who believe the same nonsense about your team, just for perspective. (I thought you'd enjoy the one about Bettman giving Datsyuk a free pass, in particular.) True, Crosby's cuplessness is because of your guys, though I think the fact he's barely past the legal drinking age has a little bit to do with things too. Give him a little time.

Trolling? Hardly. I've been here since before last year's finals, and was the ONLY Pens fan to come back and congratulate your team after the series. I merely post my real opinion, which isn't going to be popular sometimes. If the two teams meet again, you would be favored I'm sure to win it wherever it's played. You're the best team in hockey until somebody knocks you off.

For all you conspiracy believers here, just a view from the outside, courtesy of actual posts by Chicago fans. Seems the Pens aren't the only team being accused of puposely injuring other players, and getting away with penalty murder -- and pampering by the commish too. There's even a classic "why play the game when it's been fixed from the beginning?" one for good measure. Enjoy!

Not you per se, but there are plenty of your board mates who spew out this line about Crosby and the Pens all the time, like it's some accepted fact. Just having a chuckle at the shoe on the other foot.

Well well well... You all seem to have no problem crying out over the supposed conspiracy to favor the Penguins. But let it be said about your guys and.... watch out! Suddenly all such talk deserves the tin-foil hat treatment. Amusing to say the least.

How about 6. The Plain Simple Truth, Mr. Minister of Disinformation there? What, the stick didn't get knocked out of his hands? Sometimes facts are just facts.

Screw me? NOTHING was as blatant as that stick knockout. Take off your red glasses and maybe there'll be enough room to get your head out of your ass-hat. Asshat.

Do me a favor -- check out the Pens-Canes thread. See how many instances of supposed "favoritism" the posters says the Pens got, then look how many times these eagle-eyes mentioned the worst non-call of all, the goalie interference that -- let's not forget -- the announcers were even crowing about. Double standard anyone? Btw, go on most other hockey forums and you'll hear all about how the Red Wings get treated like royalty by the refs.

"Apparently"? Yeah, I know, the fix is all in again for the Pens. Never mind that Carolina got away with the non-call of the night, the lovely interference their guy pulled off knocking the stick out of Fleury's hands right before their last score. Or did you all miss that one? That is what you call the "non-deserved goal of the game." No doubt even this was a ploy by the commish to tell the refs to let the 'Canes get away with one, so the league has an alibi for later on in the series when they REALLY start handing the games to the Pens. Some diabolical guy, that commish. You guys don't miss a trick.

THAT would be what you'd call "poetic justice."

Just like your guys only beat the Ducks because their goalie put in the deciding goal himself as a gift in Game 7, right? Sometimes I'm amazed at what I read. Varlamov pretty much stood on his head that last series, he was hardly what you'd call a liability. In fact some of his freakish saves are what kept Washington in the series to begin with. None of the "weak" goals he gave up -- actually two overall -- made the difference in either game. And nothing came close to the total Xmas-present goal Fleury served up to Ovechkin when he passed him the puck from behind his own empty net. While we're busy counting fluke gift goals. IF the Pens should make it past Carolina (a team that will get tougher as the series goes on) and IF they should meet Detroit again, this time it will be an epic series. I said last year before the series the Pens simply couldn't match Detroit's gang of battle-hardened vets who knew what it took to win the finals. Too many good players with too much knowledge of what it takes to win at crunch time. This time the Pens would come in armed with some of that; whether or not it's enough yet would tell the tale of the series.

The headline right now on the Sports Illustrated NHL page says "The Pens and Sidney Crosby played a near-perfect game." Maybe these things actually happen once in a while? I don't think SI is a Pens homer, btw. Truth also -- had the it been the Red Wings in the Pens' place, you wouldn't be posting about how "suspect" you found it all.

Oh yes you've figured out the awful truth. Lemieux paid off B-man and the zebras in a secret backroom deal that involved 14 Croatian prostitutes and a case of '81 Chateau Lafitte-Rothschild. Meanwhile, Bylsma bribed Ovechkin to let Crosby totally embarrass him and steal the puck for an easy breakaway. Then, Versus got to Varlamov offering a free XBox and a six-pack of Old Style in return for letting 4 go by him -- the network of course knowing how good Crosby is for ratings. Once again, it was all fixed for the Pens.

See this is exactly what I was talking about. Everybody here was all objective and benefit-y-of-the-doubt-y when it came to Ovechkin's knee shot on Gonchar, I mean accidents do happen and all that... but when it happens to YOUR guy, then it's clearly intent to injure! And go get the lousy bastidge!

I seem to remember after one recent playoff loss, a Red Wings fan calling for the original 6 teams to mutiny and form their own league. Talk about your irony.

P.S. Sorry about the dupe posts, guys, don't know how that happened.