Pens still alive...

[FrozenPuck 0]

I am not happy, but I must admit the Pens deserved to win Game 3. The Pens are still a threat, but now the Wings have seen the Pens play their best game it's time to shut'er down.

The Wings won first two vs Nash, then lost two then won two.

The Wings swept thru the Avs

Then Went 3-0 on the Stars, eventually winning in 6

And now here we are again. Up 2-1. Even if they lose on Saturday. The Pens need to learn how to win in Hockey, not to mention score a goal in JLA.

[Reds4Life 51]

We will win game 4 and 5. I belive

[CincyWINGnut14 0]

Penguins did deserve to win, they capitalized on the Wings turnovers. Something your supposed to do. Plain and simple. Lets just focus on game 4 Saturday night. GO WINGS!

[Chris L 0]

We will win game 4 and 5. I belive

Yeah, I want to see that perfect record @ home the Pens have shattered.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I found Kukla's article more interesting.

[toby91_ca 620]

Here's the thing.....both of these teams have been pretty unbeatable at home, in Fact, Fleury hasn't lost at home since sometime in November. Let the Pens win every game they play on home ice, as long as the Wings win their home games, they win the series, simple as that.

With all the talk about how useless the regular season had become (though, probably less so after the lockout), I think we are truly seeing payoff for getting the top seed.

[Bad Vlad Forever 1]

The only thing that kept us from winning last night (my opinion) was crisp passing and turnovers. Even at that, it was still a one goal game. I'm still confident

[kylee 727]

i could just tell it wasn't the Wings game last night.

homer hit the post, the costly unfortunate "turnover" that hit Zetterberg's skate and led to a Crosby goal and yet the Wings were still RIGHT THERE. im expecting saturday night to be a real dog fight. but if the Pens win then.... i dunno what to expect.

[C-TownWing 0]

Here's the thing.....both of these teams have been pretty unbeatable at home, in Fact, Fleury hasn't lost at home since sometime in November. Let the Pens win every game they play on home ice, as long as the Wings win their home games, they win the series, simple as that.

With all the talk about how useless the regular season had become (though, probably less so after the lockout), I think we are truly seeing payoff for getting the top seed.

Interesting that you mention that, I've been thinking about it a lot and how both teams have had it relatively easy to this point...

Detroit: #8 Nashville, injury-riddled Colorado, #5 Dallas coming off of two very tough series

Pittsburgh: Falling-apart Ottawa, highly overrated Rangers and a #6 Philly that was missing its top 2 D for most of the series.

Compare contrast with the other two teams that could've been playing for the Cup:

Dallas: Defending champ Anaheim, EVERYONE'S preseason and pre-playoff pick San Jose, President's Trophy-winning Detroit

Philly: On-fire Washington, top-seeded Montreal, second-seeded Crosby/Malkin-bearing Pittsburgh

Maybe I'm blowing it out of proportion, but the #1 and #2 seeds still playing had a much easier road to get here than the #5 and #6 seeds that lost in the CF would have. So yeah, to me, the regular season definitely mattered this year.

[Graybeard 0]

The Pens finally remembered that you can forecheck in hockey and that it is a good thing. They spent way too much time , beside and behind our net with noone laying them out. This is how we give up most of the goals/PP that we do. Most of the goals other teams score on us you can see it a minute or two in advance as they cycle the puck around without being knocked on their ass. Ringing the post on a wide open net from 3 foot didn't help much either.

[maltbymaniac 13]

I found Kukla's article more interesting.

if i was a writer thats exactly what i would write.

[Guest NumbaSixty-Six]

I humbly disagree, the Pens played that game with desperation. When the Pens play their best Detroit will be no contest.

[Viperar 16]

I humbly disagree, the Pens played that game with desperation. When the Pens play their best Detroit will be no contest.

when you play with desperation and win doesn't that usually entail some of your best play? Otherwise playing with desperation and it being correlated to not playing well wouldnt make much sense.

I believe 2 shutouts, and only winning a game by a goal, if thats the level of no contest? That sounds good to me

[Matt 1,048]

When the Pens play their best Detroit will be no contest.

[Opie 308]

Maybe I'm blowing it out of proportion, but the #1 and #2 seeds still playing had a much easier road to get here than the #5 and #6 seeds that lost in the CF would have. So yeah, to me, the regular season definitely mattered this year.

Wouldn't that be one of the main reasons teams want to be the #1 seed, to get the easier opponents throughout???????

[Barrie 900]

I found Kukla's article more interesting.

That's ok by me. The Pens can get congratulated, patted on the back, stroked, and hugged the next two days by the media. We'll stay in the background and prepare ourselves to win the series in 5.

[ben_usmc 253]

Wings in 5, the showed us all they had and we couldn't pass to save our lives. Stuart, Lilja, and Rafalski all had their worst games at the same time. Lebda has been playing some decent hockey, and Z/D as much as I love them have to get the lamp lit. Ozzie also seemed like he played to far out (I'm no goalie just an opnion). But we still only lost by 1, to a team that had been embarrased for 2 striaght games and finally were at home in front of their crowd. You can also see they are getting scared of Kronner because anytime he comes skating they will stop with the puck and just move, whether the puck is with them or not.

[Dr Rosenrosen 0]

if i was a writer whiney fat guy with an internet connection, thats exactly what i would write.

Fixed.

Edited May 29, 2008 by Dr Rosenrosen

[McCartyFanForLife 17]

Fixed.

What's wrong with fat guys and internet connections

Edited May 29, 2008 by McCartyFanForLife

[PaVel DaTsYuK fan13 0]

I humbly disagree, the Pens played that game with desperation. When the Pens play their best Detroit will be no contest.

Well if you're going to be an ass with blatant disregard to anything negative your team has ever done I'm glad your doing it humbly.

[LionsAndRedwingsAndPistonsOhMy 3]

Yeah, the Pens deserved the win, but I was heartened that that they just BARELY held on to it at the end.

[Marty Midnight 0]

Nice thread guys, this is the kind of discussion that makes Wings' fans the classy group that you are.

I think what we saw in games 1 & 2 was Detroit showing up, knowing what needed to be done and executing while Pittsburgh diddn't know what they were dealing with, or how to cope with this level of the game from an opponent as skilled as the Wings.

By game 3 the Pens have gotten it, somewhat, figured out. Detroit, however, still has it figured out.

From here on... out, I expect to see more games 'like last night' rather than the ones played last weekend. Who will come out on top should be up for grabs, with a lean toward the home ice, and subject to the all important 'first goal' momentum. We may be in for the series we were all hoping for.

Edited May 29, 2008 by Marty Midnight

[10 Minute Misconduct 104]

Nice thread guys, this is the kind of discussion that makes Wings' fans the classy group that you are.

I think what we saw in games 1 & 2 was Detroit showing up, knowing what needed to be done and exicuting while Pittsburgh diddn't know what they were dealing with, or how to cope with this level of the game from an opponent as skilled as the Wings.

By game 3 the Pens have gotten it, somewhat, figured out. Detroit, however, still has it figured out.

From here on... out, I expect to see more games 'like last night' rather than the ones played last weekend. Who will come out on top should be up for grabs, with a lean toward the home ice, and subject to the all important 'first goal' momentum. We may be in for the series we were all hoping for.

when the wings play at home i dont think the games will be close at all. i think you'll see carbon copys of games 1 and 2. when detroit can get the match ups they want pitts are screwed.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

The fact is that Game 4 is huge for both teams. If the Pens win even after Babs has a whole game of seeing lineup matches under his belt then we are in for a 7 game series. He should have a plan and the Pens matching figured out. If the Wings do crack the Pens first change and win Game 4, then the Cup is awarded after Game 5 because Les Infant Therrien couldn't solve the Wings in either game in the Joe.

[Marty Midnight 0]

when the wings play at home i dont think the games will be close at all. i think you'll see carbon copys of games 1 and 2. when detroit can get the match ups they want pitts are screwed.

Well, they sure didn't prove you wrong in the first two games. I guess it's a matter of a Pen's fan (that's me) wanting to buy into the "They're inexperience showed, and they have started to adjust" theory vs. a Wings fan (you guys) accepting the "Wings on balance have showed themselves to be significantly better over the first 180 minutes" theory. If the Pens don't win Saturday night, yesterday's game 'will' be pretty meaningless.