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RussiaMalkin

Pens fan here...first post. NO SMACK!

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Nothing is for sure yet, but I am very nervous about facing the Penguins. The Wings haven't faced a team as good offensively as the Pens, and the Pens haven't faced a team as good defensively as the Wings. But as the old cliche goes, "Defense wins championships."

All I know is I'll be requesting a lot of time off from work. I am not missing a second of the finals.

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You all may be right. The Pens have over-achieved this year and at this point...I'm not sure they know whats about to hit them when they play Detroit. That may be good or bad for Pittsburgh...who knows.

Personally...I think if you take the Pens top 2 lines and the Wings top 2 lines...they are pretty even. Hell, I hope this is a yearly tradition in the Finals with you guys!

I agree, it wouldn't suprise me at all if they meet next year, too.

Seems like the Flyers were ruff as hell with the Habs, cross check after crosscheck, knockdown after knockdown. Seems i don't see that same play vs the Pens. Is it because of the Pens speed? Flyers just can't line em up like they could the Habs?

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Good thread but to tell it all, the Wings are too deep in D and forwards. The Kid has not played against the D and the forwards we have that are great on D. Just a suggestion that you may put reality into perspective.

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Guest Crymson
Hello Everyone,

I decided to post after reading some posts on here and I must compliment all of you on your insight and knowledge of the game. I must admit that the Red Wings are my second favorite team in all 4 sports. I really found a new appreciation for Detroit after the Super Bowl a couple years back where Detroit felt like "home."

That being said, I am a die hard Pens fan as you are die hard Wings fans. With both teams us 3-0, I think it's a given that we will meet in the finals. Without being bias I think the series breaks down like this:

Offense: EVEN- I think that the Crosby-Hossa-Dupuis and the Malkin-Malone-Sykora line are 2 of the best in the NHL with as much firepower as anyone in the league. That being said Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary and Holmstrom-Draper-Samuelsson are just as explosive. I see a very even series on offense. I may have to give a slight advantage to Detroit because of their experience. Jordan Stall is 19, Evgeni Malkin is 20, Sidney is 21.

Defense: DETROIT- Even though this is close as well, advantage because of Lidstrom. He is clearly the best offensive d-man in the league. I am not really familiar with the rest of the guys but with the way you guys play, I think they are a solid bunch. I am going to say now though...Gonchar, Whitney, Orpik and Gill may surpise you. The Rangers and Flyers had star power and were totally shut down by us. The conception among most is that Pittsburgh is weak on defense but, that is not fair.

Goaltending: EVEN- This may not be popular. However, Flurey is 11-1 in the playoffs and playing his best hockey right now. He is finally living up to his billing as the number 1 overall pick a couple years back! Osgood is a fantastic goalie as well and so I think this is even.

Special Teams: PENGUINS- On the PP, the Pens are flat out deadly. Crosby-Malkin-Hossa-Malone-Gonchar are on the firstline and they make teams pay on the PP. The Pens PK isn't bad either. They are killing close to 90% of the opponents PP in the playoffs.

Overall, this will be a series for the ages. I hope for everyones sake it goes 7 games. I thank you all for allowing me to put in my 2 cents on this board. Good day to you all.

Offense? Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Cleary and Holmstrom - Draper - Samuelsson are not regular lines for the Red Wings. You're thinking of Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom and Cleary - Filppula - Samuelsson. Mind you, the Wings are right now beating the snot out of Dallas without their top goal scorer (Franzen). If he's back on the second line by the time the finals start, we'll be much stronger for it. As is, we're doing fine without him. Your top line will go against a line containing two of the three Selke candidates (Zetterberg and Datsyuk); I can't imagine that'll go well.

Defense? The Pens have a terrible blueline. Gonchar can score. Whom else? How can you possibly compare Whitney, Orpik, Gill and Gonchar to Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall and Stuart? The latter group has a tremendously larger number of points, and in general play better defensively. The Pens` defense doesn't really score, and none of them are two-way. Kronwall, Rafalski and Lidstrom are all tremendous two-way players. You call Lidstrom the best offensive D-man in the league? Well, you're right... but he's also indisputably the best defensive D-man in the league. Gonchar, your best D-man, doesn't even nearly measure up to Lidstrom, and you've got nobody else on the blueline who can score. Detroit has three in the double digits in points. Further, the Wings don't play an eastern conference style. Good luck shutting them down; no other team in this entire season has succeeded in doing so. Really, no team last year could... and this year's Wings are better than last year's Wings.

Special teams? The Wings have a very good PP. The Wings` PK is the best in the playoffs so far, and the Wings can certainly score on the PK. I don't see any advantage on the part of the Pens. Further, the Pens play a 5-man umbrella on the PP; most of those shots won't get past the Wings defense, nor will those that get through beat Osgood should there be no traffic in front of him.

Goaltending? Yeah, Fleury's stats right now look good. So do those of all goaltenders before they play against the Red Wings. Ask Theodore and Turco if you don't believe it. Theodore was the star of the Avs` first-round victory, and Turco was the story of the playoffs for the Stars. Theodore had a 6.72 GAA against the Wings, and Turco is currently being lit up. When said goalies are facing dozens of shots with traffic in front of them, they don't do too well anymore. Only the Wings bring that; the Pens don't.

While I appreciate the spirit in which your post is made, I don't know from whence a lot of your data came. I predict Wings in four. I'd not mind five, as it'd give us the 4th win at home. I also predict that Crosby, at some point in the series, will be flattened by Kronwall. Mark that.

Edited by Crymson

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Offense? Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Cleary and Holmstrom - Draper - Samuelsson are not regular lines for the Red Wings. You're thinking of Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom and Cleary - Filppula - Samuelsson. Mind you, the Wings are right now beating the snot out of Dallas without their top goal scorer (Franzen). If he's back on the second line by the time the finals start, we'll be much stronger for it. As is, we're doing fine without him. Your top line will go against a line containing two of the three Selke candidates (Zetterberg and Datsyuk); I can't imagine that'll go well.

Defense? The Pens have a terrible blueline. Gonchar can score. Whom else? How can you possibly compare Whitney, Orpik, Gill and Gonchar to Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall and Stuart? The latter group has a tremendously larger number of points, and in general play better defensively. The Pens` defense doesn't really score, and none of them are two-way. Kronwall, Rafalski and Lidstrom are all tremendous two-way players. You call Lidstrom the best offensive D-man in the league? Well, you're right... but he's also indisputably the best defensive D-man in the league. Gonchar, your best D-man, doesn't even nearly measure up to Lidstrom, and you've got nobody else on the blueline who can score. Detroit has three in the double digits in points. Further, the Wings don't play an eastern conference style. Good luck shutting them down; no other team in this entire season has succeeded in doing so. Really, no team last year could... and this year's Wings are better than last year's Wings.

Special teams? The Wings have a very good PP. The Wings` PK is the best in the playoffs so far, and the Wings can certainly score on the PK. I don't see any advantage on the part of the Pens. Further, the Pens play a 5-man umbrella on the PP; most of those shots won't get past the Wings defense, nor will those that get through beat Osgood should there be no traffic in front of him.

Goaltending? Yeah, Fleury's stats right now look good. So do those of all goaltenders before they play against the Red Wings. Ask Theodore and Turco if you don't believe it. Theodore was the star of the Avs` first-round victory, and Turco was the story of the playoffs for the Stars. Theodore had a 6.72 GAA against the Wings, and Turco is currently being lit up. When said goalies are facing dozens of shots with traffic in front of them, they don't do too well anymore. Only the Wings bring that; the Pens don't.

While I appreciate the spirit in which your post is made, I don't know from whence a lot of your data came. I predict Wings in four. I'd not mind five, as it'd give us the 4th win at home. I also predict that Crosby, at some point in the series, will be flattened by Kronwall. Mark that.

Leg-En-Dary!!!

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I agree with a lot of what you said. I think there are lots of untangibles too taht can't really compare. I think the Wings by far have the best transition ability of any team in the playoffs. Their ability to catch fast breaks and quick turnovers will make you pay. I think the Pens do a great job at closing the deal. What I mean by that, there are a few times these playoffs the Wings have left themselves open only to have the opposing team drop the ball and not capitalize. I think this will make for a good series and am excited to see how Crosby reacts when taking a real hit.

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I also predict that Crosby, at some point in the series, will be flattened by Kronwall. Mark that.

Followed by Kronwall being suspended for the rest of the series and possibly the next season, for a new, made-up-on-the-spot penalty, "Desecrating a Sacred Relic" ... because we all know that the NHL treats Crosby like the 2nd coming of Howe Gretzky Christ.

(Don't take this as a bash against Crosby, I actually like him. He has some growing up to do, but then again, so do I, heh. I'm more annoyed with how he's treated like a deity than anything else. Hell, I wonder what sort of person he is and if he's annoyed with it as well at times...)

Edited by The Wheeled Winger

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Welcome, and great first post.

Like a lot of the other Wings fans I agree with things like our D being far superior to yours, and Datsyuk/Zetterberg will come as a real shock to Crosby with their superior defensive play. That top line usually plays with Lidstrom/Rafalski against the opponents top line, power on power - and shut them down.

Where I think Pittsburgh have a real advantage is the 2nd line. Malkin/Sykora/Malone is much better than our 2nd line, even if Franzen comes back.

Either way, it should be a great series and I can see it going 6 or 7 games.

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i think a lot of wings fans are underestimating this pens squad. they've really come together as a team and have more offensive punch in their top two lines than we do. our defense is better, but the pens are playing excellent d right now. i'm scared of them. i think it'll be a good series and an exciting one for hockey. you'll get the most popular team in the nhl against the most popular player. i don't want to get ahead of myself, though, the wings still have a game to win in this series. let's hope we put dallas out of their misery tomorrow.

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I'm pumped for this series.

If the Penguins go down early in the series who's to motivate them, or keep there heads on straight throughout the series. Thats were veterans come in; Detroit has plenty, who do the Penguins have.........

Edited by Coolio Mendez

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Our captain's beard > Cindy's.

But I have to say, not bad for a girl :lol:

Offense: Even, but only because you have Malkin and Cindy.

Defense: Red Wings, not even close

Goaltending: Even, maybe a slight edge to Pens.

Special teams: Even

Face-offs: Red Wings

Coach: Red Wings, Michelle who? :lol:

Oh, and welcome to LGW :)

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One key factor, Pens are the worst faceoff team in the playoffs, along with the regular season. The Wings were the best in the regular season, as long as in the playoffs. Chasing the Wings is not good if they can start with the puck all the time. Like others i think some people are underestimating the Penguins D from a defensive standpoint, but they dont really have too many mobile defensemen besides Gonchar and LeTang a bit. I really hope you guys put Gill and Scudari i believe up against D and Z because they will have a field day.

Wings in 6 - Good luck.

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Guest Crymson
While Crosby and Malkin may lead the Pens to a Cup, I don't think it will be this year.

Also, the gap is much larger between the Wings Offense and Pens Defense than it is between the Pens Offense and the Wings Defense.

It'd better be next year for their sakes, as after that Malkin will get a huge payday and I doubt Pittsburg will be able to afford him.

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Totally disagree with those who call the Wings/Pens offensive matchup even. Not without Franzen it isn't. Crosby and Malkin are otherworldly.....then there's Hossa. If we get back the Mule, then we can call it even, otherwise a pretty solid edge goes to the Penguins. The series will have to be won on defense, defense, defense.

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Guest lnvincible

I was watching the game betweens pens and flyers yesterday , it seemed like flyers werent even trying at all... I mean i wanted to change the channel so many times because it was sooo boring. In my opinion , pens will go down in 5 - 6. Detroit is just to strong for them i think. Sure you have crosby and malkin but honestly , look at the defence pairs pens has beeing playing during these playoffs? No one special, you will TRUELY see a defence when you meet detroit in the final. I hate the facted that everyone expects detroit to lose, happens every playoffs. Ive grown to get used to it , but were finally getting the attention.

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Totally disagree with those who call the Wings/Pens offensive matchup even. Not without Franzen it isn't. Crosby and Malkin are otherworldly.....then there's Hossa. If we get back the Mule, then we can call it even, otherwise a pretty solid edge goes to the Penguins. The series will have to be won on defense, defense, defense.

The gap between Crosby/Malkin and Zetterberg/Datsyuk isn't that great. Plus, the Wings get much better offensive production from their blueline than the Penguins do. Kronwall has 11 points, Gonchar has 10, Rafalski has 10, and Lidstrom has 9. The next closest guy on the Penguins is Whitney with 6 then Scuderi with 3. So, that's 30 points from the Wings' top three defensemen and 19 from Pittsburgh's. I think you'll see Lidstrom's production increase too, because he's going to be playing at least 30 minutes a night this series.

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Well...if you go win the Cup....you will do so stopping 2 of the 3 best players in the world. Crosby-Malkin and Ovechkin..you mix up who goes where.

Ok, who is overlooking the opponent now? Zetterberg and Datsyuk are easily on par with Malkin, Crosby and Hossa. In fact, Id say they are better. Fourth and sixth in points, second in assists, fifth in goals and both are Selke candidates. Datsyuk didnt only lead the NHL in takeaways, he lapped the pack with 140+ to 80 for second. Datsyuk led the league in +/- in the regular season with Hank not far behind. In the playoffs Hank leads in +/-. Crosby leads the playoffs in points but hes a +5. Doesnt scare me much. Ill take the complete package over the one dimensional player any day on my team.

Detroits forwards are better than the Pens. You have some nice talent at the top but cant match Detroits depth. Our fourth line center has more points than anyone on your team not named Crosby, Malkin or Hossa. We roll four lines and they all score. Pittsburgh cant match that. Even with the top playoff goal scorer in the playoffs, a guy with 26 goals in 26 games, sitting.

And please dont kid yourself about the Pens defense matching up with Detroits. That is a complete mismatch. Your best defender would be on our third pairing.

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