Barrie

I don't live in the Detroit area, but I know there are people on this message board who have been effected by the "Big 3" cut backs and Mortage crisis, so in the future yeah watch out when saying things about the Michigan economy. Media people in Denver for some reason like to point out the economy as well when we play the Avs. It has nothing to do with the game played on the field.

Just a few things that stand out to me when looking at this series and listening to Sports Talk Radio: -All the big named players on the Pens are 23 and under. It's their first trip to the finals, none of them have ever faced this kind of pressure before. I'm wondering with their young age, how they'll handle it. I'm wondering too, if Detroit's style will really frustrate Crosby, Staal, and Malkin. -The Pens are horrible in the Faceoff circle, while the Wings are #1. We have the puck all the time and rarely give it up, again creating frustration for the Pens YOUNG forwards. -Darren Eliot from CBC's Hockey Night in Canada thinks that Malkin is injured a little bit more than Pittsburgh is letting on. -Most people agree that the Western Conference is a lot tougher to play in than the Eastern Conference. I'm a firm believer that in sports, and in life, you need to lose or experience failure before you win and succeed. I've heard comparisons that this series looks a lot like the 1983 Finals, when NYI swept Edmonton, and I don't disagree. Pittsburgh is an excellent team, but I think this will be a year where they learn a lot about how to win, and win it all in either 2009 or 2010. With that said, Wings in 5, but the series will be close, similar to 2002.

I don't understand why people say, "mark my words".

Yea it's funny when people say they want to go back to 80's style hockey.

Hell of a run by The Stars Congrats to you guys as well.

Why press it when we're up 3-2? Lets just see what our boys are made of. Despite what happens this year, we'll still be one of the best teams in the League for the next few years atleast.

Yea, if the wins didn't come in the first 3 games, the mood around here would be different. I'm not making any excuses, but we're still up 3-2. Last round SJ fought back against Dallas after being down 0-3 to force a Game 6. And the last few years, teams forcing a Game 5 and 6 after being down 0-3, has happened often, only to still lose the series. All we need to do is win one game before they win two. Each Game Dallas wins increases their chance of coming back, so whatever happens happens, nothing I can do about it. I'm just glad I'm not the kind of fan who shoots his mouth off, just in case the unthinkable happens.

Well Turco has had to make some really big saves in their two wins. All we can really do is just keep shooting and they're going to go in again, just like against Ellis.

We're still up 3-2 and outshot them every game. Just keep outshooting them.

And I'm sure the NHL, NBC, Vs., and CBC would want a Detroit-Pittsburgh Final. It's a dream matchup.

Despite losing, we outshot Dallas in Game 4, and there was that goal that was called back. It's good to be concerned, but people are looking to much into things here. We have three shots at winning one game, we're in control.

Everyone plays banged up this time of year.

Yea I hear ya. We've got 3 chances to win one game, with two games at home, against a goalie who has never won in our building. I like those odds. I understand the concern and up and down emotions during the playoffs, but imagine the mood around here if we lost Game 3 and won Game 4, instead of the other way around. Everything would be upbeat and everyone would be pumped about a 3-1 lead. In the 1995 Playoffs, in two rounds we went up 3-0 three times, twice we lost Game 4 on the road, only to win both Game 5's at home. We're fine. We're back home, the crowd will be pumped, our boys will be focused, we're 7-0 at home this playoffs, Turco has never won here, we have the last line change, our faceoff guys put their stick in last, etc.. We got this!

Yea it allows us to win the Conference Title on home ice. That's more fun!

Think of how much different the message board would be if we won tonight to make the series 3-1, instead of losing. I understand how emotions go up and down, but there's no reason to panic or be worried. We split in Dallas, we're up 3-1, and Game 5 is at The Joe where Turco has never won a game in the NHL. We're in control here.

Different team, different year, and our two best players aren't injured.

Yup. Dallas had great momentum right away and was able to keep it going all game.

Yea we still outshot them by a good amount. The puck didn't go in the net for us, and it went in for them, that's how it goes sometimes. No worries here, we're up 3-1 in the series, and Game 5 is at The Joe where Turco has never won a game. We're still in complete control!

Oh well, tough game to lose. However, after winning both games at home, I'm sure the goal was to split in Dallas, and we did. Winning both games would have been a bonus. Despite the goal being called off, I thought Dallas was the better team tonight, and deserved to win. Sometimes when a team is on a roll like we were, you get a little lazy because things are always going your way. I don't want us to be lazy going into the Stanley Cup Finals. We'll be refocused, and ready to win the Western Conference Title at home on Saturday.

Oh really? There's a pre-sale going on for Stanley Cup Finals tickets at redwingsworld.com, and I've heard they're going fast. And to 2nd, 3rd, 4th, whatever, Xitium's comments about the tv mics at The Joe. Don't be fooled by tv, the place has been rocking all playoffs, and the Wings, just like the Pens, are unbeaten at home.

Yea I agree. It's pretty obvious Dallas has nothing left in the tank after beating Anaheim and San Jose. They've had the toughest road in the playoffs, playing the 3 best/toughest teams in the league. Props to The Stars for making it this far.

Welcome RussianMalkin. Today on the local sports talk radio station, I heard that a 2008 Detroit-Pens Final maybe similar to the 1983 Edmonton-NYI Finals. Edmonton was taken to school by the Islanders, before they went all the way in 1984. I don't disagree. Also I heard, on the same station, that the Pens last night were playing the trap against Philly. I'm wondering, and it was being discussed on air, that the Pens maybe getting ready to play the Wings that way. I didn't see the Pens-Flyers game last night so I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Pens change their game against Detroit. In Game 3 of the Wings-Stars on CBC, it was mentioned by Glen Healy that Dallas shouldn't be trading chances with the Wings. Dallas instead should have been trying to limit Detroit's chances, because the Wings convert on their chances, and Dallas, not as much. Maybe the Pens heard/noticed that too?

I don't have a problem with corporations buying tickets. The main thing is, the tickets are sold, and the team gets their money. A lot of times too, employees are given those tickets for free from work, which is kinda cool when you think about it.

Every Wings Playoff Game Summary on NHL.com said attendance was 20,066 (sell out). Other than a few empty seats in the lower bowl (seasons/corporate tickets anyway), the arena looks packed. Look at some of our playoff games from 1997, 1998, and 2002 (if you have them on dvd/vhs), there were some empty seats in the lower bowl those years as well.

Well the main thing is The Wings aren't looking ahead to the Finals, they're a bunch of pros and know the 4th game is the hardest to win. It's our job as fans to get ahead of ourselves and act like a bunch of Homers, and I'm not talking about the Holmstrom kind.