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Datsyuk is probably the Red Wings best neutral zone player -- I just feel so much better knowing he is back.

Yeah, Anaheim and Chicago also had limited bouts of success with it -- but the Wings countered it with conservative, short and crisp first passes in their own zone, with a forward down low to help the D out. I really think their best chance would be playing the trap. Hope Bylsma does not do it.

They should also consider playing the trap -- and pouncing on mistakes to create odd-man rushes - which they have also had a lot of success on. Pittsburgh is over-matched playing their game -- I do think they should alter it.

I think Pittsburgh would be best served to dump & chase and then dump & chase some more. Get the puck in deep, make the Detroit D turn around and skate hard for it and then hit them. Detroit swallows the Pens up when they play puck possession, but they have had a lot of success when they get the puck in deep and are able to disrupt our D.

I think he just wanted Pavel to have some game time after missing so many games. The whole team was pretty cautious in the third.

I agree that call was a 'weak' call -- and feel it was probably a 'makeup call' in that period. I can't stand makeup calls (one bad or missed call is not corrected with another bad call), but not so much that I would decline them when my team benefits from them.

The press after every game always gives Babcock the most loaded questions possible, just begging him to lay into the refs or some cheap play from the Pens with a juicy quote -- I think he does an extremely commendable job of only merely stating the obvious, rising above what the press is pandering for, and calling them out with the Babcock Death Stare.

If you want to award the Conn Smythe like the Hart - sure - of course you have to give it to a great player on a not so great team.... they are easily "more valuable to their team." It's a fact that great teams ususally beat out great individuals, so the Conn Smythe should go to a player from a losing team virtually every year. Great individual effort can often get you deep in the playoffs, but it rarely gets you the ultimate prize without being surrounded by a great team.

I'm actually getting sick of "Datsyukian Deke" - I swear, Daniels was using it almost every shift towards the end of the season.

How sickening would that be, if the Wings win in 6 or 7 and the Conn Smythe was awarded to Crosby? I am actually thrilled to see Malkin nicely ahead in points, because there is no way they would give it to Malkin over Osgood or Zetterberg... if it was Crosby leading in points, however....

Although if the Pens were missing Crosby or Malkin the first few games, that is ALL we would be hearing about and every Detroit win would be tainted. Datsyuk, whether he is producing offensively or not, makes a big difference out there. This series would be over now if he was in - there is no doubt in my mind about it.

Questions as to how effective he would be, but also... The overwhelming mentality around the league that Detroit is comprised of merely decent players, who simply excel because of the "system." This is the number one reason Nicklas Lidstrom has never won a Hart, much less made the top 3.

After watching Fedorov with the Caps in the playoffs the past two years, I still find it hard to believe he will go the KHL -- the guy still has it, especially in the playoffs.

Decent article - though I gotta be honest, the Penguins did not come close to outplaying Detroit in games 1 and 2 - especially if you consider Osgood's play as part of the "team". Detriot controlled the puck more and was in front of Pittsburgh's crease a lot more. Some of Detroit's goals may have been "lucky", but they were created from bouts of extended pressure placed on Fleury (which Osgood rarely faced those games). Game 3 was the closest this series, and the only one I could see going either eay.

Oh, I certainly think about it - a Conn Smythe could literally be the icing to get Chris Osgood into the Hall of Fame. And back-to-back Conn Smythes for Zetterberg would be only the third time it has happened - the last being Lemiuex in 91 and 92.

If I could have Fedorov's best one or two seasons over and over again (for 6 years or so), I would pick him.... if not, Datsyuk takes over by consistently producing at a higher level on a year-to-year basis.

But it worked once for Brian Campbell! ... who can't seem to give it up either.

It was a legitimate concern at the start of this Series, that if Detroit won Crosby would get the Smythe (obviously a distant, distant runner-up prize... but still, I would rather a Wings player get it). I do believe Malkin being ahead of Crosby literally ensures the Smythe goes to Detroit if they win.

The best comparison to Datsyuk is Larionov, not Fedorov --- On the KLM Line, Larionov was an incredible playmaker and also the defensively responsible one. One of the most underrated russians ever. Just smart players, with high on-ice IQs and the skills to make it happen. Like Datsyuk, Larionov had a deceptively quick and accurate wrister as well.

I'm curious what was being yelled at him, from those that might have been in the section.

Truth.

Bettman looked like he was crying there!

oops... wrong thread.

If the Penguins had scored there.... it would have been brutal.