Echolalia

The only way they can know for sure that you're from Michigan is to order online, and thats easy enough to fix. Just put in a fake address, order tickets to be picked up at the arena, and stop by a web proxy to make your ip address come from Canada or some state other than Michigan when you go to the website to order.

I have to agree with the OP. Although its nice to see the calls going the other way, I still think its a bit cheap. Oh, and don't try to kid yourselves. Osgood sold all the hits.

Excellent list, and I can't help but look at the names that have DET next to them and wonder if it will be the league's next superstar, based on how our scouting staff can pick needles in haystacks in this regard.

Actually, if I have my facts straight, I believe its the other way around, in that ESPN has repeatedly tried to get a deal with Bettman to have sole rights to nationally broadcast NHL games, with a few other bullets in ESPN's favor here and there and Bettman has refused to give sole rights to ESPN. Especially after how little success the previous contract had, he is instead utilizing shared rights in NBC and VS; two lesser sports media outlets, where NHL would be the dominant sport and wouldn't have to compete with all the NFL and NBA bias. Of course I could be mistaken, but I believe I did hear this a couple times, which would also make sense as to why ESPN jumps on any chance it gets to "sabotage" the nhl's ratings with insults and biased comparisons to other sports and players, so long as they're profiting off a competator sport's news channel.

"Not comfortable there [on the point during powerplays]," Malkin said prior to the Stanley Cup final, adding that Detroit's proficiency at generating shorthanded chances "worried (him)." The Wings are in his head before the series even began. That is how inexperience will take its toll.

During this year's playoffs: Times shorthanded: 76 (most penalized team in playoffs) Power play goals against: 9 (most with less than us were eliminated in the first round) Shorthanded goals for: 6 (leads playoffs) That means over 76 times penalized, we only have a -3 goal differential through the entire playoffs. That is ridiculous, and a great example of how explosive we are.

thats badass

He's not out of gas. 'He has no runway to take off' would be a better analogy, because the moment he or Crosby gets the puck theres absolutely no where our team allows them to go. The Wings did a spectacular job of suffocating the Pens last night; Malkin and Crosby in particular.

Go take a look at the video at tsn.ca, they have a beautiful angle of the goal. Not only does the entire controversy take place outside of the crease, but Homer doesn't swing his stick at Fleury or put it between his legs. His stick is on the ice, in front of the net, also outside of the crease, and in front of Fleury's pads until Fleury skates outside of the crease and Homer is pushed into him. Any contact that may have been made was the result of a Pittsburgh defensman. The bird eye view is not a good angle to use, because it appears that Homer's stick is under Fleury's pads, but Fleury hasn't fallen into the butterfly at that point yet.

5-2 and we get into Fleury's mind to rattle him for the rest of the serires

Has anybody noticed that in every single interview with a pro sports player or coach, the word 'obviously' is used at least once?

Because its Lilja, I have to ask: who wins the cup on the wrap-around?

hahaha

I know this topic comes up before every new series, and up until this point it was always a no-brainer to me to play McCarty over Downey, mainly because he has a better history of puck handling and general hockey ability, that somehow continues to float over Downey's head. However, the Pens have been playing a pretty physical game of hockey this post season, including a couple fights, and if I know Babcock (which I do not, but would like to think so) he's telling Stuart, Kronwall, and Drake to give Crosby and Malkin the special treatment, giving the Pens a good reason to start fights with us. If it comes down to that, I would prefer Downey over McCarty. Also, based on the past couple games, Downey seems to be better disciplined than McCarty, and taking a penalty to the Pens really scares me. But first and foremost: if the Pens two losses taught me anything, its that Crosby and Malkin still have their teenage hormones raging through them, and they still get pissed off and lose their cool very easily. If during games three and four either of them are slipped onto the ice while our forth line is out there, I would feel a little more comfortable knowing Downey is flying all over the place. Not to mention the energy he brings to the table. Although with Franzen back in the picture, neither one of them could be playing...

"Fellas, its been a good run, but those losers over in Dallas couldn't get the job done. The only thing I ask when you guys take the ice is to remember all the good times we had. Well, I'll see ya in the Fall."

That kid was so close to exploding too

I don't know, according to my calculations, Franzen at 90% is as good as Malkin at 100%

I hear that during practice, when its Sammy's turn to shoot, the entire team races out from the corners to in front of the net to avoid getting their jaw broken.

They make those??

Draper definitely gets his share of ice time against top lines as well, but he's getting old, so its more of a liability to have him playing 20-30 minutes a game compared to a decade ago.

I don't really know if I can make a list of the top ten best players in the world, but I think you should know that the bolded comment is false, as Datsyuk and Zetterberg are almost always out against the other team's top line, and not only shut it down, but continue to produce themselves. They're also our top penalty killers. Keep an eye on that in the next round.

The West is full of great teams, the East is full of great individuals

Thanks for the classiness, and I hope you decide to stay at the forums long after the playoffs end. I like the diversity we tend to get in the post season, but its rare that anyone ever continues to post.

We make up for that statistic by out-shooting our opponent by 15 shots a game.

No. I mean one year ago. You know, when he was tearing teams apart in the playoffs in scoring, tight play in the corners, physicality, and defensive play, and was arguably the wings MVP up until their elimination. And yes, considering the way he has been playing, he has a long way to go to get back to that level.