Jersey Wing

No team in professional sports sans the New York Yankees over the last 15 years has tried harder to put a winning team on the field of play. The Ownership has spent when spending was allowed. They hired great scouts to pilfer Europe. They were the first ones to have their own personal plane to make all the travel the easternmost team in the western conference does. They paid them well, they treated them right. The fan support has been off the charts. Collegiate fans in love with a professional team. So, OK, things look grim now down 3-0 to a very fine San Jose team who looks yes, a little fresher at the ends of games and thus able to make that more quality plays in crunch time. What was the stat that over the last 15 years or so the Red Wings have played a full season's worth of extra games than the second closest team? These aren't just regular season games, everybody plays 82 games. They extra games the Wings are playing are the most mentally taxing, physically destructive and bone crushingly difficult ones -- the playoff games. We've all seen so much top flight, beautiful, hard nosed, Kronwallian hits, Datsyukian dangles, Yzerman playing on one leg, Brent Gilchrist taking a 12 inch needle into his groin just to play kind of efforts. We're seen them chase Patrick Roy in a game 7. We've seen them hoist 4 Stanley Cups and grab enough awards they could become richer yet using cash for gold. It's my opinion they are simply running out of steam right here at this moment in time, it's nothing that would keep them from challenging for the cup next year, they'll be better yet. I'm more than willing to cut this franchise some slack after all the high intensity hockey they have played now for decades. I'm going to be mighty proud seeing this team go through the handshake line win or lose.

Who was the chickensh*t that tripped Z into the boards after Stuart scored?

As someone who watches the Devils quite regularly I think their #1 issue is something Mike Babcock refers to as 'competing'. The Devils simply did not compete but for games 2 and 4. Even though they finished second in the east they simply didn't look all that good post-Olympics. Kovalchuk looked lost in Lemaire's system. I counted more than once where he'd start to pinch and then stop when in all fairness pinching would have been a safe bet. He'd just turn and skate back up ice with no scoring chance or opportunity to create one. If I were him I'd look to play in a more offensive system. The Devils don't have a lot of finishers. After it was apparent the Devils weren't scoring Philly started checking Parise into the ice. I'd honestly bring in at least 4-5 new faces up front next year. Martin Brodeur has lost not an entire step but let's say 3/4 of one. His range has diminished. He doesn't nearly play the puck behind the net and seemingly doesn't head the puck off before it hits the corners. I thought the best evidence of Brodeur's slippage as he let in two bad goals in the last 2 minutes of round 1 vs Carolina last year. He did nothing to dispel those goals this year. Scott Clemmensen looks pretty good in retrospect. They should have kept Clemmensen and carried both knowing Brodeur would play in the Olympics and said Marty you're welcome to hang around in 2010-11 but Clemmensen is where we're headed.

Damned if the curse doesn't continue. Bryzgalov DID kick an octopus did he not?

I'm sick of seeing this crap and a suspension during the playoffs, especially to a star player is the only real punishment available to the league. I really don't care if it's borderline legal or open to debate legal. It's just a downright stupid play on Hossa's behalf and I'm all for sending a message for injuries caused by stupidity.

Nice game boys! Keith Jones: "I thought the Coyotes were going to win tonight". No, Keith, we've heard you for years, you were HOPING the Coyotes would win.

WOW. Last night was the first time I've ever really gotten to cheer FOR the Devils out here. Normally I'm just there to soak in NHL hockey and going to a couple of last year's opening round disaster to Carolina I didn't really care they lost. I HATE the Flyers. Always have. The color scheme makes my eyes bleed, their overall persona as ogres with sticks, plus now they have Carcillo, Pronger, Hartnell, just more reason to detest them. I chanted some horrible things about the city of Philadelphia with my new brethren last night, as did my wife in her Reg Dunlop jersey. I had NEVER heard the Prudential Center SO into a game. Now granted there were a good couple thousand Flyers fans (more on that later in 'the fighting' portion of this story) but the Jersey faithful were in full voice. In between faceoffs lots of Springsteen and Bon Jovi being pumped in. The Devils no name defense corps continues to get the job done. Richards and Carter were invisible last night. They chipped in offensively as well. Even though he took two penalties Kovalchuk kept himself off of the backs of milk cartons if only for a game. Without sounding like an arrogant jackass I think I'm a pretty good heckler. I honed my craft for many years in the first row of seats in left field at the old Tiger Stadium heckling opposing left fielders. A buddy of mine and I got Pete Incavigilia to stare back at us three times in one game, I mean GLOWERING. Early in the first period after a teevee timeout there was a faceoff right in front of us. The crowd quieted down just enough for me to yell and get a huge response "Chris Pronger, you ARE the father" ala Maury. He had to have heard it. OK, the fights. These people HATE one another. I mean screaming in each others faces during the games. Well in the restroom after the game a Flyers fan was talking s*** about "How come so many Flyers fans could get seats, you can't even sell out your playoff games losers". To wit immediately the Devils fans asked when they last century the Flyers won a Stanley Cup was. As the guy tried to go back to the ticket sales slant everyone started chanting "35 years, 35 years". another Flyers fan in a Brind'Amour sweater started pushing a big Devils fan but the Devils fan tried to be cool. The guy in the Brind'Amour sweater left and then came running back in swinging fists at like that guy and any one around him. It was a nasty dust up and there was some of Faux Brind'Amour's blood on the tile floor. Another fight started in the huge crush of people either using stairs or elevators to street level. Just 3-4 guys trying to throw punches but more rasslin than haymakers. When is game 5? Look at Pronger #20, looking to see when he can commit his next slash or other heinous stick foul and try not to get caught. The beady eyes give it away... A nice shot on the powerplay on Boucher, strangely referred to as '******' by Devils fans last night The Devils crash the net just before scoring the game winner with about 4 minutes left. Parise #9 got it on a rebound of a Zubrus backhand. You can see Zubrus starting to come out from behind the net here. 3 seconds later I'd have had the shot of a lifetime. And the crowd goes wild. Everyone agrees that next time they go to Philly they'll litter.

There was one stretch last night in the second period where the Devils just tilted the ice for a full 5 minutes Boucher stood on his head

So this is what it's like to cheer for the Nordilanche..... I'll be damned

I'm picking the Wings in 7 and the hell with the rest of the teams. Kill 'em all and let god sort them out. OK, now really Sharks over Avs in 5 -- Heads swell in SJ and parade routes are discussed. Fools gold starts early in NoCal as Detroit gives the Sharkies a bleeding, ill swimming first round opponent. Hawks over Predators in 6 -- The Hawks have just too much up front to be drawn into the Nashville quicksand. A couple of these games could go into overtime, it will be tough but Hawks prevail. Canucks over Kings in 7 -- This will be a great series. I can't wait to watch it. The Kings will see if the Luongo slide is real or he just got bored watching the sisters pile up numbers on secondary assists. Wings over Coyotes in 7 -- Duh, I have to pick them. This will be a hard, nasty, nightly beatings kind of series. Will the Wings overwhelm the Coyotes on special teams? Great storyline about the Vezina candidate for Phoenix vs the rookie who should be in the Vezina discussion in Jimmy Howard. Franzen is the X factor. East Washington over Montreal in 4 because it can't be 3. Unless the Canadiens powerplay which is good goes nuts I think the Habs will be overwhelmed. See San Jose premature proclamations of greatness after round one above. Devils over Failadelphia in 6 -- The Devils powerplay is good and the Flyers take a lot of penalties. Brodeur is slipping, he is but he will be good enough to win here. The Flyers netminding is as solid as the skiing Capital One goat. Has been for eons. Kovalchuk had better wake the hell up and start doing something. I'm not paying him to skate around the perimeter or skate like gangbusters across the opponents blueline then pull up or head to the sideboards (As a ticket buyer I pay his salary yes I do lol). Sabres over Bruins in 7. This'll be harder than many think. In the end the Bruins glass jaw presents itself. If it weren't for San Jose the Bruins would be known as the biggest headcases. Penguins over the Senators in 5. The reasons are obvious, besides the Simpsons are on...

Woo Hoo, Langenbrunner into an empty net. Buffalo guilty of perhaps THE most hideous pulling of the goalie evah. Even though they were killing a penalty Buffalo iced the puck and pulled Lalime anyhoo. Philly in the swamps of Jersey. I'm looking forward to these games. As we all know Chris Pronger is capable of any evil.

I'm watching the Devils right now HOPING they get a point vs Buffalo so they can host Philly in the first round. I have tickets to game 1 and 2 and for ONCE in my life I'd like a rooting interest FOR NJ. I hate Philly and with Hartnell, Carcillo and Pronger I could, in good faith hope NJ wins. I also think that series would be FAR MORE violent than one with the Bruins

Oh, and I would also like to point out yesterday was my 47th birthday and if Babcock is looking for a guy who can skate in as slowly as Bertuzzi or take a clownish spill while trying a shot like Eaves did, next time a shootout goes 11 rounds I'm your man.

Jimmeh!!

I was at this game, this was a tactical fight to be sure. It wasn't just 20 seconds of guys trying to land haymakers. It was AWESOME. I loved Janssen waving the linesmen and referees away twice. My view

My problem with it is something you didn't address about old time hockey, the body armor these guys wear now and those giant kevlar elbow pads. Heads haven't gotten harder, jaws haven't gotten stronger but the equipment today not only absorbs punishment it doles it out.

This is the same league that says you are automatically suspended for getting an instigator penalty in the last minutes of a game and yet there was Malkin playing in Game Six of the FInal

I can't believe there are people against him coming back. Haven't you seen the now classic 'THE HUDLERS' Photoshop? Don't you want that to mean anything? Where is your pride?

I fart in your general direction

ROMA VICTOR!!!

Not sure how bad it is but he got cut on the back of his leg and as he skated away he grabbed just below his knee. He skated a couple steps and then fell to all fours and slid to the Hawks bench and then had to be helped over the boards. Bears watching

Sergei Bautin, make it happen Kenny!

I never would have even posted this but he just went DOWN skating and slid and held his hands over the boards for his teammates to pull him into the bench. Strange.

Never mind, he's back. Funny he'd grab his leg and fall to the ice and look hurt.

That was a great game, very worthy of the gold medal. Congrats to Canada and good for their fans. I can't ever remember a silver medal feeling this good. USA Hockey made a lot of strides and have considerably closed the gap on Canada and Russia. I'm very very proud of the effort by the US team. A silver and they beat the Canadians in Canada, a big win to help build a program on. I also like the style the US plays internationally using the speed game. Congrats to Canada Very well done America :thumbup: