Don't hassle the Hoss!

[scotvm 0]

a sleeping giant has awoken! doubters you may now declare your man love

[ComradeWasabi 109]

I was upset that he didn't get much done in the first three but I repent! I repent! For now I love the man.

[thedisappearer 291]

Word. Him *and* Franzen get hot? Me likey.

[SoDakWing 8]

somebody quick.

disable these guys snooze buttons. we can't allow them to keep snoozin

[Jake Ryan 1]

I have been bagging on Holmstrom and sometimes Babcock for not demoting Holmstrom, but I didn't believe for ONE second that Hossa's lack of success was due to Pavel Datsyuk or Marian Hossa. Holmstrom is OUT OF PLACE out there 5 on 5. It's that simple. Play any two forwards 2 on 3, and it doesn't matter who they are, Gretzky and Lemieux in their primes, and they're going to get shut down. Holmstrom puts his 2 linemates on a penalty kill. Simple as that.

[thedisappearer 291]

I have been bagging on Holmstrom and sometimes Babcock for not demoting Holmstrom, but I didn't believe for ONE second that Hossa's lack of success was due to Pavel Datsyuk or Marian Hossa. Holmstrom is OUT OF PLACE out there 5 on 5. It's that simple. Play any two forwards 2 on 3, and it doesn't matter who they are, Gretzky and Lemieux in their primes, and they're going to get shut down. Holmstrom puts his 2 linemates on a penalty kill. Simple as that.

Man, you turn every damn thread into a mindfly "this is horrible" thread. Simple as that.

[VM1138 1,921]

I knew he'd get his chances. Zetterberg was really great this game, too. Datsyuk was a little invisible. I don't know why he's having such a hard time. Is he hurt/psyched out or something? I feel bad for him, because we all know he's the best player on the team and the most reliable. He's a workhorse and I feel bad he's snakebit at the moment.

[Jwo 7]

I was never worried about Hossa, it's Datsyuk I'm worried about.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Nobody said Hossa sucked (well, most people didn't). People said he didn't fit in on the first line. Same thing with Datsyuk. Those two together do. not. work.

He was comfortable on his line tonight, and it showed. Then again, Franzen, Filppula, and Hossa ALL looked phenomenal tonight. Great chemistry.

[SetecX 139]

OK. Time to hassle Datsyuk...

[Jake Ryan 1]

Man, you turn every damn thread into a mindfly "this is horrible" thread. Simple as that.

Maybe I should just put "Epic Fail" for every post, eh? That might land me some more points around here.

So here, I'll do it to you first:

EPIC FAIL

[ComradeWasabi 109]

Clearly, Flip has superior chemistry with both Mule and Hossa. Mule/Flip/Hoss is great, D/Z/H is great, I don't see any reason to change 'em back.

[David 2]

For anyone who's trying to say Datsyuk is sucking or not playing up to par: Are you watching the same games as the rest of us? He's up against perhaps the stingiest defense in the league and he's not being counter-productive. He hasn't put up crazy numbers, but he isn't getting scored on left and right. What's wrong with you people?

He's still making amazing, hard to notice plays - perhaps that's why so many people who don't pay close enough attention are ragging on him - and he's not in the least bit a liability.

As many of us say around here all year: There's more to hockey than putting up goals and assists. He's not backing down to intimidation and he's holding his own. It doesn't really matter whether or not he gets a 2nd assist or a goal if the team wins and he does his part as far as keeping the team in the game.

Get over your absurd "He's not putting up points; he sucks" garbage and really watch what's going on.

[titanium2 867]

Hossa should've passed on that 2-on-1. I was genuinely upset about that. I want my free arby's.

Now that the negative is out of the way, I must say that Hoss was great. He did all the little things right and he really battled.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Hossa should've passed on that 2-on-1. I was genuinely upset about that. I want my free arby's.

Now that the negative is out of the way, I must say that Hoss was great. He did all the little things right and he really battled.

Not that I know what was going on inside of his head in any way, but perhaps the subconscious cries of thousands of Detroiters for Arby's threw him off. He had a lot of room to move in, deke, whatever, but he shot if from like 40 feet away.

[dat's sick 1,002]

For anyone who's trying to say Datsyuk is sucking or not playing up to par: Are you watching the same games as the rest of us? He's up against perhaps the stingiest defense in the league and he's not being counter-productive. He hasn't put up crazy numbers, but he isn't getting scored on left and right. What's wrong with you people?

He's still making amazing, hard to notice plays - perhaps that's why so many people who don't pay close enough attention are ragging on him - and he's not in the least bit a liability.

As many of us say around here all year: There's more to hockey than putting up goals and assists. He's not backing down to intimidation and he's holding his own. It doesn't really matter whether or not he gets a 2nd assist or a goal if the team wins and he does his part as far as keeping the team in the game.

Get over your absurd "He's not putting up points; he sucks" garbage and really watch what's going on.

I think people just expect him to be more than someone who goes out and plays 0-0. We're talking about a Hart Trophy nominee here, a player in the league of Ovechkin, Malkin and Crosby. I personally agree that he's playing well (saying he's sucked is just wrong), but I don't think he's been at all on the top of his game so far this playoffs.

He can single-handidly dominate games, but we haven't seen that. As long as we win, it's all good. But we lost 2 games in a row where he didn't put up a point and honestly didn't exactly play out of his mind. If that happened to any of the other star players I mentioned on other teams, they'd get a ton of critique.

I love Pasha, but no one should be above being criticized when they're not delivering.

If we're going to have a chance at winning the cup, he is one of the guys that have to be better.

[Jake Ryan 1]

I think people just expect him to be more than someone who goes out and plays 0-0. We're talking about a Hart Trophy nominee here, a player in the league of Ovechkin, Malkin and Crosby. I personally agree that he's playing well (saying he's sucked is just wrong), but I don't think he's been at all on the top of his game so far this playoffs.

He can single-handidly dominate games, but we haven't seen that. As long as we win, it's all good. But we lost 2 games in a row where he didn't put up a point and honestly didn't exactly play out of his mind. If that happened to any of the other star players I mentioned on other teams, they'd get a ton of critique.

I love Pasha, but no one should be above being criticized when they're not delivering.

If we're going to have a chance at winning the cup, he is one of the guys that have to be better.

Soon as Babcock gets Ninety-Sux off his line, Datsyuk will be just fine again.

[David 2]

I think people just expect him to be more than someone who goes out and plays 0-0. We're talking about a Hart Trophy nominee here, a player in the league of Ovechkin, Malkin and Crosby. I personally agree that he's playing well (saying he's sucked is just wrong), but I don't think he's been at all on the top of his game so far this playoffs.

He can single-handidly dominate games, but we haven't seen that. As long as we win, it's all good. But we lost 2 games in a row where he didn't put up a point and honestly didn't exactly play out of his mind. If that happened to any of the other star players I mentioned on other teams, they'd get a ton of critique.

I love Pasha, but no one should be above being criticized when they're not delivering.

If we're going to have a chance at winning the cup, he is one of the guys that have to be better.

I agree with a lot of your post; but I think many people here are being over-critical.

Sometimes the definition of being "most valuable" means not hurting your team when you're unable to contribute otherwise.

In that respect, I feel Zetterberg has been pretty bad in this series. I know he wants the matchup against Perry, Getzlaf, et al. but he hasn't been able to stop them at all. And he hasn't exactly contributed to the offense against that line.

Anyone who knows about the Ducks knew that going into this series. That line for the Ducks was the only legitimate threat to Detroit - and they've capitalized every single game.

Many people underestimate the stifling defense the Ducks can put up against a top line (like Datsyuk's). Even the best players in the world can be stopped by the right combination of personnel on the other side of the puck. Just look at Malkin in the Pitt-Washington series until game 4. Malkin (a -3 in the series until game 4) was more of a liability to his team than Datsyuk (a -1 with an assist in this series).

Also, was anyone watching the first 10 minutes of game 1? I'm still amazed Datsyuk wasn't rewarded with a point. He was EVERYWHERE, as he has been for the majority of this series. He consistently makes barely noticeable plays that would result in a goal if it weren't for the opposing teams' goalie standing on his head.

[Husker BigGuy 0]

Hossa scored last game with a minute left. He scored twice tonite. He hasn't been slumping.

Datsyuk is playing very well, So is Hank. there's an entire fabric to look at, not just pucks in the back of the net.

[under_par_00 45]

Datsyuk is playing well, and he will get on the boxscore soon. Him and Zetterberg now together is dynamite.

[pockets 9]

damn you Hoss i was predicting a trick outta you FFS cant you do anything

j/k Babs needs to keep The Hoss and Franzenstein together

[zenway9 1]

a sleeping giant has awoken! doubters you may now declare your man love

I have always had mad man-love for Hossa, it's a certified bromance!

[bellarina 1]

OK. Time to hassle Datsyuk...

ummm NOOOOOOO!!!