Stiffy

"Gutsiest post I ever saw man." Sorry, just had to use a Top Gun line! :-) Still, your analysis is spot on.

Here, let me try. Hmmmm, let me think now. This is complex. Okay, how about this. If were to lose game 5 then win game 6 and 7 that is one way it might work out! Here are some other combos to ponder. We win 5, lose 6, but win 7. We win 5 and 6. We win 5, lose six and 7 goes to OT. Then we win in OT. You can even do this from the Penns perspective. They win 5, lose 6, lose 7. Try it!

Here here. You have a guy who scores two SCF goals and sit him.... with this team's performance? In the finals all should be on pure merit. If you suck, you sit. If you play well, you get more minutes.

Where is this from? Honestly, it might not be a bad thing. If I was Osgood I would be chirping like a maniac at all the D in the locker room. Of course he never would. Good old Roy did this in Montreal to Schneider (I miss him) and Matt told Ray, "Shut the f*** up and keep the puck out of the net" then they almost got in a fight. For example, Osgood to Kronner. "Hey Kronner, could you please hold off on your one lame ass penalty per game until the second period next time. I just want time to settle in a bit more. Really would appreciate it. Thanks buddy."

You are absolutely right and it has been creeping up on us in all 4 games (IMO). Serious question, how do you change this? How do you tell players to make better passes and outlet passes? I got as far as high school hockey and no coach I had ever had an answer, but there must be some adjustment, some shift in how we play that keeps things like this from happening. For example, if we lock them down at the blue line like we did before, they will dump and we have to be committed to getting back for any dump. Also, it seemed we tried to throw in our D more on the PP and other plays and THAT is when all the awful TO's happened. That was an awful move. Seems a more patient strategy would have been better to stick with.

He has to be ready for Saturday. He was a last minute decision here. As to the diving, it reminded me of guys in those old war movies the way they would sort of spass out when they were shot. Did you see Crosby when Hossa's stick touched him or something, it was beyond dramatic. B movie over acting.

Well, I just wrote it somewhere else, but in a way such a lousy performance is a good thing in that it is a huge wake up call. I think coaching and players will adjust. I'd like to see Abdelkader back, I might even like to see Chelios in and maybe Lebda out, I definatly want Hossa to either play with Flip or give Flip to someone else, but I would give anything for Dats to be back and to be a force. He HAS to come back. He seemed so damn close today, how could he not be ready in two days?

Whatever we think about this game, I am certain we will see something new from the Wings Saturday. Who wouldn't like a cakewalk to the Cup, but this is going to be a nail biter. Question. Seriously, if we expect this to go 6 or 7 that means we lose 2 or 3. What did you expect those losses to look like? Perhaps you imagined the Wings were tied at 13 a piece only to have a blatantly bad call in quadruple OT? Losing is ugly and this was ugly. I can certainly remember a few ugly losses with the Ducks. The good thing about ugly losses is they are a wake up call to coaching and the entire team. After game 3 you could make some excuses, but all the signs were there. Now they are clear. We need some major adjustments. I think the Wings will not "embarrass" anyone again in this series.

I'll take all those!

I can't wait to see the reactions on this board if Hossa tied it up with his patented game 4, 2 goals. Honestly, it would be too much. If any of you were old time Samurai, such an occurrence would demand your immediate self inflicted suicide.

See, I think this is constructive. I'm sure you won't go search, but I have posts all over the place on this. Flip can make plays and has made Hossa a game 4 star plenty of times, but he can't do that if Hossa isn't willing to actually play with his line mates. As long as Hossa continues to be an ineffective puck hog, why waste Flip on him? Think what Flip could do with Hank or even Pav come Saturday. Thing is, will Babs shift things around? I think he is far too stubborn with line combos. When things are falling apart or stagnant, you simply have to shake things up. Not just random combos, but put the better performing players on higher lines and the lower performing players on lower lines. Homer for example, belongs on the 4th line. He is not helping the skills guys and is more a liability. We can barely keep the puck, so a net camping expedition really isn't needed right now. Hossa - he needs a talking to.

Actually I would be more embarrassed by your post than our team. What are you in this for, shut outs and sweeps only? Why not try and be a little constructive instead of chicken little. The dumb penalties have to stop now. We don't seem to have the same jump all game long to get the puck. As Babs always says, you have to want the puck more than the other guy. When they Wings do that, they win. Panic needs to be replaced with smart positional play.

I'm all for ripping on a player or players for screwing up, but this board is really manic to suddenly bail on the entire team and season. Okay it is 4-2. We look horrible after looking great. This happens and is part of playing in the finals against a well matched opponent. We have another period to play and a 2 goal deficit is not insurmountable. Worst happens, we are 2-2 and it is a 3 game series with home ice and we will probably have Dats back Saturday. Remember, we are playing without our super star and we are still in this. That says something. Somehow, I don't see the end of the season happening here right now.

3-2, calm down. A one goal game. Jesus, it's not the end of the world. We can get our game back. Just need to settle down and re-establish things.

It's amazing!!! Some times when the Tigers win the Wings win and other times when the Tigers lose the Wings Win and then other times when the Tigers win the Wings lose! In addition, other times the Tigers don't play and the Wings win while some times when the Tigers don't play the Wings lose! Wow, the universe is indeed a very mysterious place.

It is pretty much a direct swipe of the Albom format/style (nothing new - Albom probably stole it too) and the sphincter line was rather contrived, awkward and forced. Hint, if someone on a hockey forum tells you that you have great writing, consider the source. Don't quit that day job just yet.

Why would you risk your Taco Bell wages on this? I mean, you work hard slinging all that salsa and refried beans. Take more care with your money buddy!

I personally find these, "High I'm a Pens fan, I respect your team, I am a hockey expert like you... blah blah blah" messages phony and affected. I mean, what is the point? You wanna feel welcome? Go visit your grandma.

God what simple minded fools. A little thought please. Yzerman played above a level of pain and though he was slowed down he was able to skate enough to be productive and not be a liability. Datsyuk may have less pain, but his foot just isn't working and as a result he will easily get beat by anyone on the ice. Let me make this clearer for those with the sub 75 IQ. Datsyuk can't skate You need to skate to play hockey You need to skate really well to play in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals

You know who beware... reminds me of - Dr. Smith from Lost in Space. Tries to be all polite and sugary, but is truly a conniving sniveling effeminate little coward who works to stir up trouble.

Absatootely. If he doesn't so much as make a shot, he will still help us in a huge way. Okay, I exaggerate a little.

You are not kidding. Apple, blueberry, cherry, with frosting and without, powdered sugar... any and all kinds of turnovers. The Wings have been coughing it up big time. I think a lot of it comes down to hustle. The Penns are just flat out out beating us to the puck and fighting harder for it. Here is what I am going to do. I am going to buy some really delicious turnovers and eat them to help alleviate this curse!

I wasn't interested in your pointless question. However, I can answer another one of your questions. Like this one, "What scent ****** did your mother use last night?"

Jesus, refs and Ozzie were the least of our problems. We got outworked in our zone and theirs far too often. We seemed unable to clear the puck out of our zone half the game. That leads to all kinds of bad things. Simple work ethic, gas in the tank, whatever you want to call it. As Babs would say, "The other guys wanted the puck a lot more than we did. " That is why we lost.

I'll jump in here. I'm sure they aren't too sad he is gone right now. Hossa is trying to do to much. His previous playoff successes have come from solid play with linemates like Flip. He seems to try be a one man show and it just isn't working. There were a few times he could have passed to Flip, but did the wanna be hero bit and lost the puck soon after. I can't understand why he doesn't use a skilled line mate every chance he can. If I was Flip I'd be a little frustrated with that s*** and tell him, "What the f*** am I out here for, to carry your ******* gatorade? How about trying to make some plays, cycle the puck, pass once in a while... I made you a star before and could do it again if you would stop being such a damn puck hog."