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Wings_Dynasty

Welcome Pens Fans

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I hope that you guys here have some kind of appreciation for how much this means to Pens fans. Hockey's "savior" team was ever-so-close to being unfairly moved due to some crooked political work and a botched gambling license deal.

We were very near the point where the history of a franchise that is forever intertwined with a city was almost flushed away in order to put a team in Kansas City.

My points are....

Detroit Fans: Be glad you're still playing the Pittsburgh Penguins, with their two cups, hall of fame and legendary owner, with a rabid fan base who two years ago could not have imagined reaching this point. It will be much more interesting than playing to a half-full Sprint Center in Kansas City.

Pens Fans: Nothing needs to be said. You know what this means to you.

It's a great validation to go from the "almost" Kansas City Penguins to having earned respect from the fans of an original six market, moving into a new arena in a couple of years, and building the kind of legacy that the Wings have always had and Pens fans worked so hard to build for many years, only to almost lose it.

I can't wait until Saturday. I've never been so excited for anything in my life. For both cities, for the game, and for the players and fans.

Spoken as a true Pens fan and Western Pennsylvanian....kudos :thumbup:

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Spoken as a true Pens fan and Western Pennsylvanian....kudos :thumbup:

Let's just hope Wings fans don't discover the Pensblog en masse. We'll surely be hated around here then. :rolleyes:

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We were very near the point where the history of a franchise that is forever intertwined with a city was almost flushed away in order to put a team in Kansas City.

I hated that possibility. Hated it. Before the series was official, the Penguins were my second-favorite team, and they'll go back to being that way win or lose the series. (During these seven games all bets are off :ph34r: ) I was really glad to see that Mario was able to pull off the arena deal because there are some times where a team needs to move because it just can't get the support it needs from the fans. (Hartford.) That was not one of those times. I do hope the Pens get a Cup or two in the future, just not this year.

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I hated that possibility. Hated it. Before the series was official, the Penguins were my second-favorite team, and they'll go back to being that way win or lose the series. (During these seven games all bets are off :ph34r: ) I was really glad to see that Mario was able to pull off the arena deal because there are some times where a team needs to move because it just can't get the support it needs from the fans. (Hartford.) That was not one of those times. I do hope the Pens get a Cup or two in the future, just not this year.

Well-said.

I must say, you guys have been amazing in welcoming us and providing good hockey talk. The picture of class. Exactly what you'd expect from a franchise that has nothing left to prove, because they've done it all. I hope my stay in Detroit is as pleasant as my short time on the boards here.

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Welcome, Pens fans! :thumbup: Good to play a good hockey city in the Cup Final. This will be more fun than the Flyers in '97 and the Caps in '98, and certainly more fun than the Canes in '02 and the Devils in '95.

The Wings get the edge defensively, although the Pens play an all around better team defensive game. I feel the biggest difference heading into the series is goaltending. Osgood has been playing well, almost too well lately. I wouldn't be surprised if he's your Achilles heal when all is said and done.

Not ragging on your post overall, but I take issue with these two parts of it. The Wings gave up quite a bit fewer goals than the Pens in the regular season and have played an outstanding defensive game for 13 years. They have two Selke nominees, a former Selke winner in Draper, and with perhaps the exception of Anaheim the best top four defencemen in the league (However, I do think Pitt's top four are underrated). Yes, the Penguins have a slightly lower GAA so far in the playoffs, but I don't think that all things considered that qualifies them as having the better team defence.

But anyone expecting Ozzie to be the Wings' Achilles heel hasn't watched him play nearly enough this year. (Which is understandable as the Wings and Pens play once every 27 years. Thanks Bettman!) Ozzie led the league in GAA, started the All-Star game, and has sent three teams packing who thought he would be the Wings' Achilles heel. Fleury might outplay Ozzie, but Ozzie won't cost the Wings the series.

But yeah...lol...we get real sensitive when our defense isnt recognized...so..it is what it is....

But absolutely yes. Like I said in a different thread, the Pens became legitimate Stanley Cup contenders not when Malkin stepped up in the absence of Crosby or when they acquired Hossa, but when they learned to play great team defence in February. Their defence is very, very good, and it clearly frustrated the Flyers in the last round.

Here's to a great series!

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I hated that possibility. Hated it. Before the series was official, the Penguins were my second-favorite team, and they'll go back to being that way win or lose the series. (During these seven games all bets are off :ph34r: ) I was really glad to see that Mario was able to pull off the arena deal because there are some times where a team needs to move because it just can't get the support it needs from the fans. (Hartford.) That was not one of those times. I do hope the Pens get a Cup or two in the future, just not this year.

Pens are one of my favorites as well, and I was truly mixed on it. I didn't want to see some franchise in Kansas City lay claim to Mario Lemieux's accomplishments (the way Carolina talks about Ron Francis' acheivements in Hartford). But when it became a possibility for the Wings to move into the East if Pittsburgh moved West, I was all for it! :)

Still, that said, I'm very happy Pittsburgh is still Pittsburgh. As far as I'm concerned, this Stanley Cup Final should have occurred in 1996, when the league could have pushed Yzerman vs. Lemieux. Sadly, we got Colorado-Florida instead.

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Still, that said, I'm very happy Pittsburgh is still Pittsburgh. As far as I'm concerned, this Stanley Cup Final should have occurred in 1996, when the league could have pushed Yzerman vs. Lemieux. Sadly, we got Colorado-Florida instead.

Good call!!

I DIED when we lost that series......

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The Eastern Conference has pretty much an entire division of teams that would be good candidates to move west to allow the Wings to move to the East. I'm really glad the Pens stayed put. After seeing Winnipeg-->Phoenix, Hartford-->Carolina, Quebec-->Colorado (even though Denver's a good hockey market), and expansion to Tampa Bay, Miami, and Nashville, teams like Pitt and Edmonton staying put was a victory for hockey fans.

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Welcome Pens fans! I hope you enjoy your time on these boards. I feel like this is the best possible matchup for the cup this year and am looking forward to some great hockey. I think you find that the Wings "have the taste of blood" in their mouths and beating them will be a "fight to the death". I have to give your team kudos though, you have overcame a lot of adversity in the past couple of years and now look where you are at! IMO, it is NOT your year to win the cup though but we will see soon enough. Win or lose, your team has a core group of players that you can build on for many years. May the best team win (which, we will :D ). Good luck!

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Thanks so much for the welcome! It is a very refreshing sight to see a classy fanbase. The Flyers, Rangers and Sens fans were so brutal. I have not seen one reference to officials impartiality, or NHL fixes, or diving. I love it!

In my biased opinion, this series could go either way.

What do the Wings fans think Babcock's approach will be, lock down or run 'n gun? I think both teams can play it either way. Our defense is very underrated, but not quite in the class of the Wings. Our offense is very potent, and I think a little deeper than the Wings in some respects. The goaltending matchup, with the way that Fleury is playing RIGHT NOW is a wash. The Wings have defined team defense and wouldn't be a bit surprised if Therrien is taking notes from Babcock in this area. It all leads up to a Seven game series with my Pens skating the Cup at the Joe. Sorry Wings Fans.

Here's to heated, civil hockey talk for the next 2 weeks, once again, thanks for the hospitality.

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Good call!!

I DIED when we lost that series......

I was stunned. Now, granted history shows that as a Wings fan, I was paid back for that in the form of Detroit-Colorado becoming one of the greatest rivalries in sports. But at the time Colorado was simply a relocated franchise and a market that lucked into a success built on the backs of Quebec fans, and Florida was just another expansion team. In 1996, what hockey purist wanted to see that garbage? Everyone wanted Yzerman vs. Lemieux! :)

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The Eastern Conference has pretty much an entire division of teams that would be good candidates to move west to allow the Wings to move to the East. I'm really glad the Pens stayed put. After seeing Winnipeg-->Phoenix, Hartford-->Carolina, Quebec-->Colorado (even though Denver's a good hockey market), and expansion to Tampa Bay, Miami, and Nashville, teams like Pitt and Edmonton staying put was a victory for hockey fans.

I agree. Don't get me wrong. I'm very, very glad we still have the Pittsburgh Penguins. But Pitt to Kansas City was the "mechanism" at the time to get us East, so I personally would have taken it and chalked it up as "the price that had to be paid." Personally, I'd say moving Carolina or Florida to Winnipeg would be a much better option.

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You'll have to excuse us for our vehement defense of our defence (lol).

For 20 years the Pens have been associated with "fire wagon" hockey....all offense...no defense.

10th in the league this year...1st in the playoffs through 3 rounds....

You guys have a TERRIFIC defense....anyone saying any different just doesnt get it.

But yeah...lol...we get real sensitive when our defense isnt recognized...so..it is what it is....

Is ours better...on paper of course not...but thats why they play the games.... :thumbup:

Recognize it all you want, it isnt close to being better.

1st in the league this year, first in the playoffs... weve allowed our opponents 100 less shots on goal, so yes that is better.

Anyways, welcome, and good luck.

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Recognize it all you want, it isnt close to being better.

1st in the league this year, first in the playoffs... weve allowed our opponents 100 less shots on goal, so yes that is better.

Anyways, welcome, and good luck.

Thanks for the welcome

No where did I say ours was better

And Im sorry...youre 2nd in the playoffs...behind us.... :siren:

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Thanks for the welcome

No where did I say ours was better

And Im sorry...youre 2nd in the playoffs...behind us.... :siren:

There was a post I think on LGP or the official board that showed some alarming inflation in the Wings playoff stats due to the thrashing of the lowly Avs.

Granted, we played the lowly Sens, so it's not much of an argument, but it does provoke thought.

What would the stats look like if the Wings played a better team than the Avs?

Here's a snippet of the OP, from PittsburghPenguins.com board poster MarioisBack:

Now let's look deeper.

Goals For Average:

Round 1: 17 in 6= 2.83

Round 2: 21 in 5= 5.25

Round 3: 12 in 4= 3.00

Power play percentage:

Round 1: 3 for 31= 10%

Round 2: 7 for 24= 29%

Round 3: 4 for 26= 15%

Look at the anamoly in the stats. I'll give you a hint, it's the cream in the Oreo, which is exactly what Colorado was. Their goaltending dropped off the face of the earth as injuries built up game after game culminating in an 8-2 drubbing to finish the series off.

That Colorado team was far weaker than any team the Pens played. They'd be equal to the Senators, save for Gerber who kept the Sens in every game. Theodore/Budaj were nothing more than shooter tutors behind a shredded defense.

Lets look at the numbers WITHOUT the cream filling:

GOALS FOR:

Round 1: 17 in 6= 2.83

Round 3: 12 in 4= 3.00

Round 1+2: 29 in 10= 2.90

POWER PLAY:

Round 1: 3 for 31= 10%

Round 3: 4 for 26= 15%

Round 1+3= 7 for 57= 12%

Those adjusted numbers make them 4th overall, 3rd remaining in goals per game. And they are 13th overall, 4th remaining in power play numbers.

Granted, you may find similar numbers if you examine the Pens numbers without the Sens series... But it is worth noting that both teams do have some inflated numbers. Also doesn't take into account defensive stats, which I'd also like to look at for both teams.

Moral of the story: What's always on the surface doesn't always reflect what lies beneath.

Edited by Pens66

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I have a feeling Game 1 will see the Wings come out flying. These teams are evenly matched, and Babcock will want to make sure the youth of the Pens will come into play. The Wings are going to make the Pens "grow up" or die. The Wings won't play defensively til they have to. They'll be pummeling your net in the hopes of getting the early leads and making Pittsburgh buckle down and play catchup. He knows the danger of letting a young, talented squad like the Pens get any momentum.

I'm not a fan of the Pens, never have been, but I will not bad-mouth them. This is the best matchup, and the Pens have earned their right to be here. This Final will be the best in....well, as far back as I can remember. Finally, a hockey matchup outsiders will want to watch!

But I think this is the year, Cup or not, that Pittsburgh becomes a full fledged dynamo in the league. There's nothing like playing the Red Wings to force you to play the best hockey of your life. Whatever youthful inexperience they have will be gone next year.

Look forward to classy interactions and an amazing series.

Edited by VM1138

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I'm glad to see such a great base of Pens fans minus a couple trolls.

I have an enormous amount of respect for your organization, espeacially Mario Lemeuix.

I'm willing to admit that I am very scared of the Pens. I think that they might find a way to crack Osgood, and their youth and enthusiam could carry them if they get a great start in the series.

With that being said, I also have a lot of confidence in the Wings and their experience.

There's a lot of possibilities of what could happen in this series and I can't wait for Saturday to see them get played out.

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Sorry for the ecomomy posts, they were a little below the belt.

I don't live in the Detroit area, but I know there are people on this message board who have been effected by the "Big 3" cut backs and Mortage crisis, so in the future yeah watch out when saying things about the Michigan economy. Media people in Denver for some reason like to point out the economy as well when we play the Avs. It has nothing to do with the game played on the field.

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There was a post I think on LGP or the official board that showed some alarming inflation in the Wings playoff stats due to the thrashing of the lowly Avs.

Granted, we played the lowly Sens, so it's not much of an argument, but it does provoke thought.

What would the stats look like if the Wings played a better team than the Avs?

Here's a snippet of the OP, from PittsburghPenguins.com board poster MarioisBack:

Granted, you may find similar numbers if you examine the Pens numbers without the Sens series... But it is worth noting that both teams do have some inflated numbers. Also doesn't take into account defensive stats, which I'd also like to look at for both teams.

Moral of the story: What's always on the surface doesn't always reflect what lies beneath.

I think what this says is that the Wings and Pens knew how to put away teams in disarray, as they should. But after that, not much else!

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Welcome one, welcome all. I was certainly glad to see the Pens stay put - no team that has won 2 Championships and has #66 in the rafters should be forced to move.

As for the series, what an incredible matchup! Clearly the best team in either conference, lets be honest - without Crosby's injury, the Pens are the #1 seed in the East.

For both teams this is going to be far and away their toughest matchup of the playoff, both offensively and defensively they are going to be tested like they have not been so far. Certainly they're not going to bully the opposition from the outset like they have every series this year, and here I feel Detroit have an advantage - Pittsburgh are not going to take early control of the series with a 2-0 lead. Lets be honest Pens fans, if you go back to the Igloo 1-1 you'll be stoked.

Here goes for an epic, strain-inducing, see-saw series with the Wings capturing the cup in game 7 at the Joe ;)

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There was a post I think on LGP or the official board that showed some alarming inflation in the Wings playoff stats due to the thrashing of the lowly Avs.

Granted, we played the lowly Sens, so it's not much of an argument, but it does provoke thought.

What would the stats look like if the Wings played a better team than the Avs?

Here's a snippet of the OP, from PittsburghPenguins.com board poster MarioisBack:

Granted, you may find similar numbers if you examine the Pens numbers without the Sens series... But it is worth noting that both teams do have some inflated numbers. Also doesn't take into account defensive stats, which I'd also like to look at for both teams.

Moral of the story: What's always on the surface doesn't always reflect what lies beneath.

You can't totally discount Colorado and then take any kind of credit for beating a broken Philly defense.

Hatcher was really the sum total of their defensive talent that was actually playing so you shot their lights out.

Foote was basically the same for Colorado and we did the same thing to them in less games.

The offenses you have been up against so far have been weak at best making your defensive numbers look way better than reality.

The Sens missing Alf? The vaunted Rangers? Who's dreaded offense consists of two geriatrics in Jagr and Shanny who were undoubtabley great when they played for the Pens and Wings but their best days are way back in the rear view mirror.

If you're going to start cherry picking stats and discount any high numbers the Wings have because you think Colorado was weak, I think we should just go ahead and reset all the stats you've wracked up playing three weak ass teams to zero.

I would have rather played any team you have in the east and spotted them a one game handicap than play Dallas.

No doubt your team is playing great but you've basically had a free ride so far.

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