Jon22

Even though we've outscored Pittsburgh 15-10 so far in this series, I dare you try to find a picture on NHL.com's "Stanley Cup Finals Featured Galleries" of the Wings celebrating after a goal. In fact, you won't even find a shot of the Wings in which it appears that a Red Wing is scoring. Yet in the same galleries, in all but Game 5 (for obvious the obvious reason that Pittsburgh was shut out), you will find a picture of Penguins in celebration of a goal, or in the act of scoring a goal. Reading the captions may even be more discouraging than the pictures. More often than not the captions somehow show Pittsburgh being dominant, or the Wings struggling to be involved in the play. Now go to the Game 4 (Det 2, Pitt 4) gallery, and what will you find? 3 pictures of either Pittsburgh in the act of scoring (the puck crossing the line) or in a celebration. There's 1 picture of Helm shooting the puck from God-Knows-Where. You wouldn't know it was a goal unless the caption beneath told you so. Game 3 (Det 2, Pitt 4) shows Pittsburgh celebrating after a goal. Detroit is not to be seen scoring or celebrating at all. Game 2 (Det 3, Pitt 1) shows Pittsburgh celebrating after their only goal. Detroit is not seen scoring or celebrating. Goalie save highlights are 3 for Fleury, 1 for Osgood. Game 1 (Det 3, Pitt 1) shows Pittsburgh in the act of scoring their only goal. Detroit is not seen scoring or celebrating. 2 or 3 games worth of pictures, I'd call it coincidence. After 5 games I think it's clear to see who NHL.com's favorites are.

If you find video of it anywhere on the internet or DVD, let me know and I can make you a ring tone. That applies to anyone. PM me for info.

There's evidence above of me caring. I like looking through the pictures, and I don't like when it seems like I'm at pittsburghpenguins.com

The short of my thoughts is that I think the Pens are really unlikely to come out flat on Tuesday. IF the Wings play on Tuesday how they did on Saturday AND Osgood has a phenomenal game, then yes, they can pull it off. Right now we are the hounds and Pittsburgh are the rabbits. We're running for our lunch, but they're running for their lives. We will come out to win as usual, but they will come out with the death of their season on the line in front of an energetic crowd. It's gonna be tough. As to your questions, I hate speculating as to what different players are going to do this time of year. The Wings need to come out as one ass-kicking robot and dominate on Tuesday. Drapes can step up, so can Datsyuk, but if they're not getting the passes or their passes aren't ending up anywhere, it won't make a difference. We come out hot and stay hot, we win. We have one of our flukey games where we're in it for a period, out of if it the next, then I'll being going to the Joe on Friday.

Not sure if someone posted it earlier in this thread, don't feel like looking over all 4 pages, but I found it a different thread. Youtube video of "Crosby sucks" chant from Game 5:

Take the bear trap off of your leg.

What made everything better was the Penguins fans sitting with their chins in the palms of their hands the entire game. The louder we got, the more their hands started to cover their face. There was an amazing "giddy" feeling to the Joe, the kind that comes with a complete blow out of a game in your favor.

The chant started in my section (213) before the game. There was a guy with a "Crosby Sucks!" sign, and he was pumping it up and down as he went to his seat before the 1st period. We started the chant then, and it got picked up later a couple of times. Also, "Malkin Sucks" whenever he was penalized.

"Ssssssss.....We're live, guys."

That's what she said.

Since the idea of the Refs being the main reason that the Wings lost Game 3 is as realistic as most of the car scenes from the 'Transporter' movies, I propose a new theory for the downfall of our team. Two things of Tuesday night's game are true: 1. The Refs missed a Too Many Men penalty, but did not put the puck in the net for Pittsburgh 2. The Wings skated like Sally's in third period. Sally's who thought they had a 5 goal lead Since #2 is likely a greater culprit for why the Wings lost the game, I suggest this. The Wings obviously anticipated the return of Draper and Datsyuk for Game 4. This, along with being reacquainted with Pittsburgh, the fans, the ice, etc., coupled with the fact the Wings are a better team, makes for an almost obvious win on Thursday. Looking through last year's photo album on Tuesday morning, the Wings realized how little fun it was to win the Cup in Pittsburgh as opposed to Detroit. Suddenly, an ever-possible sweep seemed that much less sweet. Wanting to save face, the Wings came out in the 1st and made it a competition. We know that because they scored two goals. In the 2nd, the Wings game out and simply shut down Pittsburgh. We know that based on Pittsburgh's low shots on goal. In 3rd, to execute Operation: Win it at Home This Time, the Wings laid back and took what mama was giving to them, simply to bring it all home on Saturday. You nay-sayers can blame the officiating and missed calls all you want, but that's just #1 not accurate and #2 dismal. Though my theory above is not very accurate either, it keeps our heads up and gives us something to look forward to. Stop crying. Jump on this bandwagon. I'll see you all in the morning.

I don't know if there could be anything "plain and simple" about that. However, from reading over this thread and gathering what your idea of that transformation is, I think it's important to remember one thing: Hockey in the past decade has been a suffering sport. I remember a time where Stanley Cup Finals were merely mentioned on Sports Center, or the scores were scrolled across the bottom of the screen rather than extensive highlights being shown. That wasn't the one thing, but this is: Hockey is a BUSINESS of ENTERTAINMENT. Hockey players are paid performers who perform in front of paying customers. When you're talking about the entertainment business, you're talking about people in important positions making decisions, and those under them being directed certain ways. Now whether that would be referees, team owners, coaches, players -- you can decide that for yourself. As for me, I get pissed off about games last night. I almost threw my remote controller. SOME of it was frustration toward the refs, but MOST of it was watching the Wings skate -- no, stand around -- in the third period. The Wings had 3 shots in the third last night. I texted my dad last night and said, "As long as the Wings are up or tied going into the 3rd, they'll win." Let's face it, in a 20 minute game, I'd bet on the Wings over the Pens ANY night. But they didn't play last night. They had 20 minutes to win the game and didn't. The refs didn't lose it for them and the league didn't lose it for them. They came out like they sometimes do, and they underperformed.

Because it's all a big conspiracy. If there were 1,000 Red Wings fans there last night, the Wings wouldn't have played like Sally's in the third and we woulda won!

I'll play your games, Trebek. This is my, "I like you, but I may have to punch you if you get out of line" face.

I made a booboo. Corrected post forthcoming.

I think that the refs went into our locker room before the 3rd and said, "Hey, uh guys? You know how we missed that Too Many Men call? Well, we're gonna give you 5 goals on the scoreboard for that. So when you come out in the 3rd, you'll be up 7-2. K thanks bye." Then when Gonchar scored Pitt's 3rd goal, Detroit looked up at the scoreboard expecting to see a 7-3 game, and saw they were down 3-2. So they tried for like, 3 minutes. And that's how it happened.

I hope you're all right. I don't want to have to have to take June 12 off of work and drive up for a Game 7, only to have my vascular system tested to the max. I also don't want a repeat where the deed happens away from home.

I'll instantly start to seize on the floor, no matter where I'm at if that happens.

The Wings will come out more determined on Thursday because of tonight. They will have settled into Pittsburgh, Ozzie will get his A-Game back, and they will take this series back to Detroit up 3-1. In Detroit on Saturday, memories of last year's game 5 will spark the last needed flame. The heartache of having to pack up again, go to Pittsburgh, and win a Cup in front of maybe 1,000 fans as opposed to 20,000 fans will give them the determination to come out on top.

While I don't want to get into the ugly part of this thread, I have this to say: For the most part, the refs have been letting these two teams play. Fans at the Joe had several opportunities to "boo" the refs when calls weren't made against Pittsburgh. After a while, people settled down and realized that they were going to be somewhat tolerant and let these teams hash it out. #1 - Fedetenko circled around the net, from Ozzie's gloveside to the stickside. When the shot was fired, he was coming from the behind the net, and just hit the stickside of the net when the goal was scored. When was he interfered with? #2 - A horrible, horrible penalty that is a must-call was missed. Sometimes highsticks to the face that draw blood are missed. Maybe the refs look back on those high sticks and say, "Oh s***, how did I NOT see that?" Believe me, they are going to hear about missing this call. True, it won't change anything for tonight's game. But you can't say that it lost the game for us. Detroit coming out and playing as if they had a 5 goal lead in the 3rd - that's what killed us. #3 - As far as I can see, the call on Ericsson in the 3rd was made because the Pittsburgh player did not play the puck at all, the puck passed both he and Ericsson, then Ericsson hit the Pittsburgh player. THAT is why it was a penalty. As to why Orpik wasn't called for interference, I guess I'd have to watch each clip you're talking about and analyze it. I understand your frustration, but I think it's important to try to remain rational about all of this. I was at Game 5 last year with the triple OT. I tried to blame everything on the refs and whatnot. When it came down to it, Fluery had some 55 saves and the game of his life. Maybe the game was influenced, maybe it wasn't. One thing is true, out of all the shots that the Wings took at Fluery, they didn't get enough in.

A couple of things to consider, too. I'm not sure when the Wings actually flew into Pittsburgh, but you have to imagine that by Thursday they will be back in their comfort zone. Like vacationing to a new spot, you might feel out of place, off of time for the first day or two. Being there as a team Wed and Thur will help them settle in, I would think. Also, maybe I'm looking at this only as a desperate fan, but I would also imagine that the boys know what's on the line as far as winning it at home. If I were a player, I'd most obviously want to win the Cup at home, especially after winning it in the stadium of the team that you're once again playing. It's not as if they had any intention of losing tonight, but I think that because of last year, they'll want this Game 4 (and moreso Game 5) so much more.

I have tickets to Game 5, so to be honest, I was kind of hoping for a loss. I actually did not want it to happen tonight, as it would have been better to secure that 3rd win so that no matter what happens in the next 2 games, you're still 1 away from the Cup. When the loss happened tonight, I was surprised at how furious I was. I was at Game 5 last June when they lost in triple OT. My heart cannot take that agony again. My hope is that they take Game 4, and that Pittsburgh will not see the Penguins at Mellon Arena until October.

Did anyone else get the idea that someone told the Wings that they had a 3 goal lead at the start of the 3rd? They didn't put their skates on until after Pittsburgh's game winner was scored. Horrible showing.

I'm thinking that will be my signature. With your approval, of course.