b.shanafan14

I'm so angry, I could actually hurl... I'm.... still speechless... EXACTLY the same situation as dealing with fumbles in football. If you rule it a fumble, it can later be reviewed to see if it was a fumble. But if you decide its an incomplete pass or rule the runner down, it can NEVER be a fumble again. Tonite was the worst blown call based on the obviousness and the overall impact of losing a playoff game in the NHL. Bad enough the refs are blowing the usual calls and the Wings are sans two of their top 6 defenseman and number one faceoff winner, without the refs handing the Ducks the game. The best part: how many times have we seen the puck knocked from our goaltenders and put in the net with no such whistles.... pure unbridled rage is the only emotion I can muster right now....

The game definitely seemed to drag on. Not that it wasn't exciting, it was just that I was exhausted, and nerve-shot from watching for 4.5 hours. I'm a college student with a huge final presentation this week which requires long hours spent on campus. I wish they would have just lost in regulation instead of me wasting an extra two hours just to watch them lose more fantastically

Was on ESPN.com today and saw a feature on Vladdy posted yesterday. Very nice, and still a tear jerker. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4131301&a...egoryid=2378529

Chelios has shown his age a great deal this year. He doesn't pass with authority, he gets caught with players behind him, he takes lazy/stupid penalties. If Rafalski was healthy, Chelios would be done. Love Cheli and we've had some great years, but its time to go. He isn't an asset anymore, he is a liability.

was thinking the same thing. he looks tired, disengaged. he looks like when he gets the puck he is getting little/no support and feels like he needs to try to split two or three guys, which doesn't happen this time of year.

I've looked at them both side by side. You ignoring other opinions and explanations as homerism to justify your own makes you look like an ass. I respect your opinion, and I think the whole hit to the head thing is still muddy water. That said, not suspending Brown for at least a game goes against every precedent set this season with regards to head hunting. Brashear hit: Betts dumps the puck, Brashear goes out of his way to lay a high blind-side hit to a guy without the puck. Brown hit: Hudler dumps the puck, same time between release of the puck and unneccessary hit as in the Brashear situation, Brown goes out of his way to lay a high blind-side hit to a guy without the puck. Watch the follow through of the arms and stick and tell me his motion isn't to aim high and target the head of a player who is in a vulnerable position. I understand the argument of the flow of play and he had him lined up, but there was plenty of time to pull up and even if he did want to finish his check, there are plenty less injury-intending ways to do so. The only difference in the situation is Brashear's track record and the damage to Betts. If Hudler has a concussion because of the targeting of the head, there would have been a suspension, and that isn't right.

Very stupid, goon play by Downey.

Greatest offensive threat in hockey. Most energetic and explosive player I've ever seen. Great guy. haha Loved his robot thing about not celebrating haha. The guy deep down is a sweet guy, and the funny thing is that because he is emotional, he is more relateable then Crosby who is only emotional in a negative way when he is complaining. I think Ovechkin has done a lot for hockey already. Not that I want the over-the-top crap we see in NBA and NFL, but he has lifted a bit of stuffiness from the game, and I like that. Love the quote from a few days ago when asked about Crosby: "He's Superstar", when then asked about himself in contrast: "Me? I'm just like you guys!" (obvious pander, but great stuff all the same)

Not surprised, but its definitely the wrong call. Letting the goons goon because Hudler wasn't concussed. I guarantee Hudler sit out games so does Brown, and that ain't right. That along with word Rafalski will be out for Game 2 has me plenty pissed off today. The Ducks better be on thin ice with the gonnery from here on in.

I was stomping mad about this, because I'm a firm believer that if you start a fight with someone sans visor and you're sitting there with the windshield Perry is always hiding behind, it should be a two minute minor on top of the fighting major. Same as when he fought Drake last season, hides behind his visor. Glad Big E made him look like a sissy for Don Cherry.

Look at the Brashear hit and the Brown hit on Hudler side by side, there is very little difference. It was a hit that shouldn't have been taken. All of the acceleration of Brown's body isn't going for a "good body check" its going up and through Hudler's head, which is at a convenient height considering his size. Loved the Orr quote, because its true, this stuff, these head shots didn't happen in the old days, this is a recent trend. I say at least a 1 game suspension. The s***ty thing about the way they enforce these shots to the head, which this definitely was, is that if Hudler was concussed and missed the rest of the playoffs, Brown would be suspended indefinitely, but since Hudler got stitched up and got back out there, some are saying the remainder of Game 1 he had to sit out was punishment enough.

God no.... this has shades of '07 written all over it. Chelios is absolute garbage these days. Please let us survive replacing one of the best defenseman in the league with one of the worst, let it just be a hiccup.

hahahahahaha perfect for these hours before Game 1

haha Pretty much. It is getting pretty pathetic how transparent the NHL is in their marketing regarding the fact that EVERYONE in the NHL offices are sour about the Penguins losing in 6 games to the Red Wings last year. I don't think there is a way that these ads don't get pitched without someone saying basicly: "ok, so this and that is happening, and make it look like the Penguins won the cup last year" Here's better ideas for time/second related references to the 2008 Stanley Cup finals: - 13 seconds: the time when blatant trips in the neutral zone are no longer called. - 2 minutes: way too much time to spend in the box for alleged "charging" penalties... twice. - 1:40 minutes: not enough time to score a 5-on-3 goal against the champs.

Well deserved! He won't win it, but the recognition is terrific for a Red Wing, shame Lidstrom never got that much credit. Should be among finalists for Pearson too. GO PASHA, GO WINGS

DET/ANA 4-1 VAN/CHI 4-1 BOS/CAR 4-3 WSH/PIT 4-2

You are just flaming your ass off today ain't ya. Its cute, if not so transparent. The best part is bringing up an "unfair suspension" in the first place and then reprimanding others for the facts on the situation. Insecure some?

Take your trolling elsewhere.

Chelios has been BRUTAL this season. Not average. Not bad. BRUTAL. I love Chelios as much as the next guy, but I'll take Lebda's speed and horrible defense over Cheli's slow and horrible defense.

Better than any photoshop.... "Quack Attack" eh?

-Move Thorton for less-heralded, more playoff proven depth. -Re-retire Claude Lemeiux -Give Jeremy Roenick to a team whose actually serious about winning a Cup -Tell Cheechoo he sucks

Washington wins because NYR are in their usual focus on drama, rely solely on Lundqvist mode. Carolina because the NHL is desperate to see Caps-Pens in the playoffs, and even more desperate for the Pens to win such a matchup.

Good read, similar to what I've been saying about this years Wings vs. two seasons ago. Forgot one more piece, Brian Rafalski. Lidstrom-Rafalski-Kronwall-Stuart-Ericsson-Lebda vs. Lidstrom-Markov-Lilja-Lebda-Chelios-Quincey.... NIGHT AND DAY. Then mentioning an improved Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Franzen, Filppula, and Hudler. Huge 4th line boost from Darren Helm, and I guy named Marian Hossa. Have the Ducks changed alot? Yes. Have they improved the leaps and bounds through the lineup the way the Wings have in the last two years? Hell no. Ducks Idea of Toughness: New and Improved Wings Idea of Toughness: The Wings have a much greater frustration factor than the Sharks, and more composure, leading to even more PP than the Sharks enjoyed with the ability to actually finish. As for Hiller, last playoffs Turco was a god, then he met the Wings. Theodore single handedly got the Avs to round two, then he met the Wings. Fluery was near unstoppable, see 2008 Stanley Cup winning goal. And Mason.... you get the point.

In the series against Anaheim two years ago, we had neither our number 2 or 3 defensemen in injuries to Schneider and Kronwall. The cheap shotting, especially by Pronger went largely unpunished by the league that is now buckling down huge on shots to the head ala Pronger+Neidermeyer on Holmstrom that year. Pronger is less untouchable being as he is no longer a Norris contender and his rap sheet has gotten longer. A team that was largely unphysical in the Wings of '07, now has bigger bodies, and seasoned guys like Datsyuk who will meet incoming hits with some of his own. Helm's speed and physical play is going to be pretty big and the ability of the Wings to stay calm as the other team takes stupid hissy-fit penalties after the whistles (unless you count Samuelsson, who loves to put on the angry face and slap people but never fight, almost like he would rather play 4 on 4 than take the PP). The top line on the Ducks is big and dangerous offensively, but I'll take either of our top two lines against them in a stalemate anyday. The Wings depth and poise is going to have to shine through and we are going to need Game 1-3 Ozzy to show up for the rest of the run. Should be a good one! GO WINGS!

The ONLY time I have EVER heard PTI mention hockey, its was the biggest joke ever: Discussing which event that happened the night before was more significant, Crosby's first fight or Gaborik's 5 goal game. PTI is the most classic case of sports media in the USA snubbing hockey, preferring to talk about baseball players who sit and text message for 3 hours and get paid ridiculus amounts or the latest T.O. me-fest. Haven't watched much ESPN this year, it will always bother me how a goal you'll see once a year will be 6th of the Top 10 behind 5 catches in baseball/dunks in basketball you will see 3 times a game.