b.shanafan14

I've never seen a player hound a superstar like Crosby an entire game, just smothering him with defensive effort. Zetterberg's defensive effort is incredible. If Sid wants a Cup, he is going to have to beat a team without Zetterberg.

Yeah, it was bad in the Chicago series, which I suppose is like asking Mickey to do national broadcast and not be biased, but still, their are other commentators who did other games, don't know why we had Olcyk the whole time. Finals he has continued his "Red Wings interference" foil-hat theory to the point that every play a Red Wing bumps a Penguin when both players are simply owning their ice you'll hear Edzo pop in with "more subtle interference by the Red Wings". Let it go, Eddy.

Once again, the NHL is a joke. Goes against their own cut and dry rule. I hate the instigator rule in every game situation EXCEPT final minutes of a loss teams throwing tantrums and jumping players. Malkin should have a one game suspension, not only for starting a fight at the end of a losing effort, but his clear jumping of unsuspecting smaller player with stick and gloves still in hand. Hell, our two best players got one game for missing Bettman's tea party in Montreal called the All-Star game. The NHL never ceases to ruin its own legitimacy. Congrats Gary, your legacy is intact.

Automatic is automatic. Its not maybe or the player should be suspended, its cut and dry no? If Pittsburgh is sans Malkin, they are without the only player I've felt to be a genuine threat, and if this is so, Zetterberg has officially neutralized both of their top guns single-handedly.

"hurt" or "hammer"

Too early to talk about Conn Smythe, like where your head's at tho. Lets worry about the 3 wins the Wings need against a damn good opponent to get Stanley, then we'll worry about Smythe.

BIG E! haha what a guy!

Great point. Red Wings have offensive caliber similar to, maybe even more than the Capitals that took the Penguins to seven games. Difference is that the Capitals have terrible team defense and unproven goaltending, while the Red Wings have the ability to neutralize even the best offensive threats, and a goaltender plenty capable of cleaning up whats left. If the Red Wings defense can clear their crease, Red Wings make the Penguins offense look pedestrian.

GO OZZY! *man-crushes on clutch goaltender*

Damn Penguins fans are all hyper sensitive children. Suppose thats what you get from a fan base that didn't exist until Bettman instated his "Free Crosby sweater to every NBA fan" program 3 years ago. I'm sure NumbSixty-Six has gotten much use out of his/hers.

Ericsson was cleared to play when, during surgery? Not buying it. The other stuff is speculation anyone could make.

CBC if I have a choice. Noticeably less bias towards the teams the NHL is trying to market. Don Cherry is becoming more and more of a hockey-bigot, so thats annoying sometimes, but he still has his moments. I enjoy Doc Emmerick, hate McGuire, hate the Nothing But Crosby tint to everything, with every intermission piece trying to sell Crosby to a world of hockey fans that don't want it.

Crosby and Malkin have already been firing on all cylinders, Penguins playing as good as they can possibly play getting to this point. Have yet to see team defense the likes of the Red Wings. Zetterberg, Franzen, Hossa, and Datysuk when healthy have not played near to potential, Red Wings playing depth hockey, getting production from every line and solid defense from every player. Have seen offensive threats the likes of Kane and Toews, and Perry and Getzlaf. Unless Malkin and Crosby start canning hat-tricks each game, its unlikely they'll play any better than they already have been, they have been great. The Red Wings have gotten this far and haven't even shown their offensive trump cards. Wings have handled the superior Western conference without their top offensive threats dominating. If the Penguins didn't have Crosby and Malkin producing, they wouldn't have made it pass the first round. Time to step it up, fellas. GO WINGS!

Lidstrom and Ericsson is all we could really ask for and I think that alone is terrific news, we are going to need two of our defensive studs back. Great TEAM defense, and unmatched scoring depth has gotten us here, now so long as those trends continue with the level of tenacity we've enjoyed through three rounds AND the likes of Hossa, Zetterberg, and Franzen stepping up their offensive game, the Red Wings are in great shape. Malkin and Crosby have already peaked, can't see them producing anymore then they have been against the East, definitely not against the Red Wings. The Wings on the other hand have yet to play to potential, as great as they have been as a team. Should be interesting. GO WINGS!

What? I thought he was complimenting Zata? Saying he usually doesn't have to worry about the players matched up against him as offensive threats, but Zetterberg is great at both ends. Whats wrong with that? I think everyone needs to take a deep breath. Everyone is a little antsy and people are starting thread after thread over the smallest comments they think to be insults to the Red Wings. Let it go, guys. Finals start tonite, you'll have a whole broadcast to ***** about the Crosby love. GO WINGS!

Marian Hossa

great news, even if only Lidstrom can go for Game 1.

Their fans make my girlfriend feel good, because they know less about hockey than her.

best news I've heard all day, but knowing how the NHL is run these days, much like the Red Wings without Lidstrom and Datsyuk, who'll be the one who steps up for Gary and Sid in the finals

Here's to a great series! Here's to reruns! Go Wings! Go Ozzy!

I would have preferred to face the 'Canes, easier team, slightly less depth, but more than anything, much less media hype. That said, Red Wings will take all comers, and you don't get the Cup hoping to avoid the hardest teams. Red Wings beat the Ducks in 7, I don't see another team beating the Red Wings in a 7 game series unless the injuries to Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Ericsson, and Draper (along with Lilja and Kopecky, WOW) really come into play.

The NHL is the only league of any of the 4 or 5 major sports that focusses not on a league full of superstars with different roles and playing styles, but instead a single player on a single team. All its done is make the Penguins fans feel entitled, non-Penguins fans hate Sid and the Penguins and NHL marketing, and make the novice/bandwagon fans easier to spot. Here's a hint: sidthekid hadn't watched hockey until Crosby's shirtless magazine spread.

This is just one article, I'd try not to let it bother you. Some people are idiots. Is it fair? Huet got a bad bounce, its true. Is life fair? Not by a long shot. Just wait til the finals against the Media/Ref darling Penguins, then you'll see something thats "unfair" (rewatching last years finals, pretty disgusting how many soft penalties they get)

Ozzy has played terrific, and sometimes I think we forget this is a 36-year-old goaltender. The last couple games he has really been battling flu and dehydration, but managed to play lights out both times. Scary indicator on just how banged up and tired Ozzy is playing right now: post-game press conference tonite, right after discussing the short layover between series, Osgood winces and tries to lean towards Cleary/away from the mic, but it clearly picks up him saying "ugh, I'm seizing up... my legs...", looks extremely impatient to get out of there, when the questions keep coming he lets out another wince and a "jeeze"

I find that there are less phantom calls, but they haven't been taken out completely. Often when the powerplays are given at 1:1 ratios between the two teams, one is getting a slight disadvantage because of the other teams style of play warranting more penalties than they actually receive, ala the Anaheim Ducks series. When this happens you find that the team that deserve less penalties gets called for soft or phantom calls, while the other is given more wiggle room under the rule book. This is actually how the Ducks have played for a long time. They are the most penalized team in the league a lot of the time, but they deserve even more penalties than they are assessed usually. The theory being that the refs will call the game, but in efforts not to make it completely lopsided on the penalty kill, they let many more penalties go uncalled. I like my games relatively penalty-free, and I like when they are allowed to play within the rules. My only problem with this style of officiating is that when you let a certain level of obstruction or roughing go all game, all you need to do is call ONE soft penalty, similar or less than what has warranted no penalties the rest of the game to throw that whole "let them play" system out the window. Unfortunately, hockey is much like football in the fact that on any given play, a holding or interference can be called to some degree, and that many of the rules fall on the refs discretion, which these days in professional sports is a horrible place to leave it with so much on the line.