Theophany

I think that ESPN has seen the huge popularity that the NHL has gotten this season in large markets like Boston, Chicago, etc and will pay the money (like they don't have it lying around) to get it out of the hands of VS and NBC. With the amount of pure crap on ESPN (I'm looking at you, pool, poker, bowling, etc), it would be pretty huge for them.

It was because Darren Helm killed 25 secs by himself.

And we went 3-1 vs Anaheim, split 3-3 with Columbus, and were 4-2 against the Hawks. Regular season record means little to nothing in the playoffs. I've been playing hockey since I was 4; we're coming up on my 21st year playing the game. Oh btw, here's a fact for you: our GDIF is 1.56 vs the Pens' 1.06. Boston was 1.09.

This is the big thing. Hossa seems to have realized that he can smell the cup that he's been chasing since 1997, and is willing to carry the team on his back to get it, if he needs to. It's just a good thing that the rest of our boys can smell it too, and have been ramping up their play.

Is it really that shocking to your feeble mind that it took 90% of what the Canes had left to beat the Bruins in 7 tough games that had a crazy amount of hitting? It's frankly obvious that like most Pens fans, you have zero knowledge of hockey other than putting a puck in the net is how you win the game.

Just gonna guess that a hockey player who's fine with picking fights with 250 lb guys is a bit tougher than you.

Until Zdeno Chara decided to put Crosby through the glass, sure. Then Lucic would come in and take care of Malkin, and then they'd get suspended for the rest of the playoffs for 'playing hockey'. The Bruins were (and still will be next year, hopefully) deep like the Pens will never be, with their stars taking huge contracts. Thomas is an absolute beast in the net, and Savard/Kessel/Ryder would make you wish you had lost to the Caps. The Bruins are essentially the Red Wings of the East, only with a little less talent and depth.

Getting taken to 6 and 7 games against teams with no goalie or defense to speak of and getting down on 'how easy the Wings have had it' is laughable at best. Varlamov was pretty good, yeah, but the Caps have ZERO defense. ZERO. The Flyers, uh, were the Flyers. 'Nuff said, pretty much. That you beat the Canes when they were exhausted and Ward was effectively a sieve in front of the net really doesn't prove anything. The Pens might have gotten 3-4 of their goals against the Canes off on the Wings team that was on the ice last night, much less with Lids, Dats, Big Rig, and Cleary on the ice. It's even more hilarious that you simply don't know your facts.

I would think that after the amazing playoffs that he's had (especially this season), he would be a top priority for Mr Holland to get locked up. Keep in mind he's getting 37 points in 55 games in the AHL (which is the AHL, but still), so when he learns the NHL system a little better, I think he'll be great on the third or fourth line, maybe eventually on the second or first line.

Because we'll lose some of the depth, as I can't see signing Hudler, Sammy, and Kopecky under what they're going for right now, especially with how Hudler and Sammy have stepped up in the playoffs. Hossa is great, but...

I put up a facebook status during the first period when he was pretty much the only one going balls-to-the-wall of "darren helm is my f*cking hero" and then in the second he kills 25 secs of penalty time solo and gets a GWG in OT. He's moving on up there in my 'guys on the Wings I have a man-crush on'. He's second to Lids and Ozzie at this point. If he goes back to GR, there's no justice in the world. (When he gets his long contract, I'm buying a Helm sweater right off, I'm thinking.)

Actually they only beat us when we were already slacking in preparation for the playoffs. The four games played before the last week of the regular season were all ours.

Hudler, Filppula, and Cleary don't scare anyone? The guys who have gotten most of the GWGs for the Wings thus far in the playoffs and are leading in assists in the playoffs don't scare you? Who does, if not the guys that are doing a hell of a lot of creating for the Wings? You Pens fans (in general) aren't really arguing with facts; you're arguing with 'well the Pens are better CUZ I SED SO'.

I can't really see it. There were some calls I didn't really see, but I think that for the most part, the refs try to call a tighter game after people create a big *****-fit about calls. In the end, IMO that will benefit us, as we're not pissed about last game, and they are. They'll lose their composure, we won't.

Helm really isn't first-line material, guess that's why I missed him. He's a great energy player right now to put on the fourth line to put some pucks deep and forecheck hard, but he doesn't have the net presence or the scoring ability to warrant putting him on the first line.

That's because there aren't any facts to back up stupid.

Absolutely. If we could get him for change, sure, but he's going to want some serious coin to stay here when he could go back to Russia and play for however much. I'd much rather keep our great forwards than grab an old forward and have him play D. I'd imagine that Kenny and Babs think the same.

You forgot Helm. His playoff performance this year and last has put him easily on the roster next season. I'd hate to see him go back down to GR. Also, we're not going to be able to keep Hossa and some of the other guys that are going to be RFA/UFA after this season unless people start taking massive pay cuts. Hudler/Sammy/Kopecky are all up after this season (and Hossa, obviously). Yeah it would be nice to keep Hossa around, but there's no chance of that lineup happening (i.e. bringing Feds back, keeping Hossa, and re-signing Sammy/Hudler/Kopecky).

I actually almost hope Lids and Dats are sitting. You just know that there will be (and was before game 4) a big conversation in the locker room about everyone needing to step up and play their best; keeping up pressure, etc. Hossa certainly seemed to take it to heart. Let's hope that this little break from Lids and Dats helped Babcock wake up the team and finally get them into their machine mode, where they play excellent hockey 110% of the time.

Desperation? We're up in the series 3-1, and we just won a game--that frustrated the hell out of the Hawks--6-1 without said players. We had guys step up, but that's the story of our depth and quality of our franchise. We're not desperate. We're in control. The Hawks are on the ropes, and it's just a matter of time.

The Wings have to get physical on the Pens, just like how we've had to get physical on Chicago. Getting physical slows down the play and causes mistakes. You're not going to get big turnovers from just poke checks and intercepting passes. We're lucky that our team has no problem getting physical.

That explains why Ozzie replaced Hasek in one of his two Cup runs as 'the' goalie for the Wings. Definitely a s***ty goalie. You're saying that the Wings don't have heart this year (or any year)? The Wings are the team I'd expect to have the most desire to win. Hossa has emerged as a big part of the team this year, and it's a well-known fact he came to Detroit to win a Cup. I'd expect the team that's won the most Cups in modern NHL history to know what it's like to get to the top, and have the most desire to get back there. The Pens had Hossa last year getting huge goals to keep the Pens in it; they don't this year. There's not enough defense on the Pens lineup to take away the tremendous scoring potential that the Wings have. If the games turn into offensive battles (which they won't, the Wings' defense is too good for that to happen for more than a game), the Wings will easily outscore the Pens. We have more weapons, we win. (Keep in mind there's really no possible way to argue that the Wings have less defense or offense than the Pens; our GDif is exactly double the Pens.)

I agree. Were they deep like other teams are, I'd be much more enthusiastic about the finals. Anaheim/Detroit was the SCF this year.

Age isn't relevant when talking about pay. Well, no, it is. Sorry. But you just compared Staal to a guy who's never taken a big contract, even when he could. It's ok, your organization is still learning what it takes to compete with the Wings. Maybe someday Crosby won't be overpaid and will have a decent supporting cast around him. I wouldn't hold my breath, though.

Age isn't relevant in this conversation. We're not talking about future prospects, we're talking about the likelihood that the Pens will win the Cup. And it's almost nil. No depth = screwed against the Wings. Don't get me wrong, they might take us to 6 or 7 games (might), but they won't win unless the Wings disappear. Turning the point to a player's age when it's not relevant to the topic won't win you points for intelligence in my book.