Greetings from Pittsburgh

[Ms_Hockey 0]

the fact that you couldn't put a ducks team away in 5 or 6 shows you are vulnerable.

the team has not played with the same heart they played last year. it's foolish to think that just because a team reaches the conference finals that they've played with heart and determination. maybe they have some killer instinct but not as much heart as i've seen in the past.

You cannot be serious. The Ducks were easily the second best team in the playoffs. Their defense was pretty much unmatched. I can almost promise you that a Pens/Ducks series would've ended up with the Pens on the losing side. You're not giving Anaheim nearly enough credit. They're a gritty, take it to you, superior defense team. But they, like the Pens, consisted of a few good players and whole lot of fillers. They had ONE excellent line. After that.. they were done. It was their defense that gave us so much trouble and given that it was ranked as one (if not THE) top defenses in the league.. it's absolutely ridiculous to think that having a seven game series with Anaheim shows any kind of vulnerability.

I guess we're going to have to agree to disagree. I'm not remotely concerned about the Pens. The Pens are good... in the eastern conference. But the western conference for years now has just been plain better.

[RainingBlood 8]

Let's look at this objectively.

Offense - In the playoffs this year the Wings have 3.80 g/game and the Pens have 3.81. Dead even

Defense - Wings have 2.00 GA/g and the Pens have 2.88. HUGE edge for the Wings

5 on 5 (for/against) - Wings 1.83 Pens 1.17 Huge edge Wings

Powerplay - Wings 26.8% Pens 20.2% big edge Wings

PK - Pens 82.5 Wings 72.2 Big edge Pens

Shots/Game - Wings 39.1 Pens 35.6 small edge Wings

Shots against/game - Wings 28.6 Pens 28.8 Even

Face Off - Wings 52.7 Pens 50.0 small edge Wings

Goaltending save % - Osgood .921 Fleury .902 edge Wings

Experience - Big edge Wings

Coaching - Big Edge Wings

Home Ice - Wings

Scoring Depth (percentage of teams point by top 5)- Wings 49.3, Pens 56.2 edge Wings

Intangables - Hossa, Pens want revenge - even

Opponents- Wings played a tough Aneheim and weak Columbus and Chicago, Pens played weak Flyers, Capitals and Canes - Edge Wings

Injuries - Gonchar is playing hurt, Datsyuk sore foot, Lids ?, Draper out - Edge ?

Conclusion - Pens only edge is in the PK

WINGS IN 5

Best post of the week. Am I the only one who thinks Pittsburgh was more of a threat last year.

[sidthekid 0]

I'm not remotely concerned about the Pens. The Pens are good... in the eastern conference. But the western conference for years now has just been plain better.

you speak with complete arrogance. what's going to happen to your wings when lidstrom retires in a few years? he's 39 - he won't keep up his stellar play forever. rafalski is 36. your forwards are fairly young but you won't have any good puck moving defensemen down the line like lidstrom or rafalski. osgood is old too.

[sidthekid 0]

ms hockey,

as far as the anaheim series is concerned, we have more depth than the ducks up front. yes they have a better defense but we have better goaltending. hiller sucks- how many fluke goals did he give up to the wings? fleury on the other hand wlll be one of team canada's goalies next year. we are just as good as the ducks and perhaps better coached. believe me when i say we can make a good series out of this with you.

Edited May 25, 2009 by sidthekid

[Coffey77 0]

Let's look at this objectively.

Offense - In the playoffs this year the Wings have 3.80 g/game and the Pens have 3.81. Dead even

Defense - Wings have 2.00 GA/g and the Pens have 2.88. HUGE edge for the Wings

5 on 5 (for/against) - Wings 1.83 Pens 1.17 Huge edge Wings

Powerplay - Wings 26.8% Pens 20.2% big edge Wings

PK - Pens 82.5 Wings 72.2 Big edge Pens

Shots/Game - Wings 39.1 Pens 35.6 small edge Wings

Shots against/game - Wings 28.6 Pens 28.8 Even

Face Off - Wings 52.7 Pens 50.0 small edge Wings

Goaltending save % - Osgood .921 Fleury .902 edge Wings

Experience - Big edge Wings

Coaching - Big Edge Wings

Home Ice - Wings

Scoring Depth (percentage of teams point by top 5)- Wings 49.3, Pens 56.2 edge Wings

Intangables - Hossa, Pens want revenge - even

Opponents- Wings played a tough Aneheim and weak Columbus and Chicago, Pens played weak Flyers, Capitals and Canes - Edge Wings

Injuries - Gonchar is playing hurt, Datsyuk sore foot, Lids ?, Draper out - Edge ?

Conclusion - Pens only edge is in the PK

WINGS IN 5

You can't just use stats to determine what is going to happen. It's not all about the numbers. Who knows what the numbers are going to look like if they match up against eachother. But yeah, looking at this, Detroit are the definite favorites. But I don't think that stats would tell you that Pittsburgh was going to make it to the SCF, back when they were in 10th place earlier in the season. It's not all about stats. These Penguins have a lot more depth than last year. And the complete ass-whooping you guys gave us last year taught us a hell of a lot. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying the Pens are going to win ( though I hope). But I think the Wings are going to have a much harder time with them.

[RainingBlood 8]

the fact that you couldn't put a ducks team away in 5 or 6 shows you are vulnerable.

the team has not played with the same heart they played last year. it's foolish to think that just because a team reaches the conference finals that they've played with heart and determination. maybe they have some killer instinct but not as much heart as i've seen in the past.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME. You need the dunce of the week award for that statement. You act like Pittsburgh's s*** don't stink. If Fleury dosent make that save on Carter in game 2 Flyers win the series.

[sidthekid 0]

But I think the Wings are going to have a much harder time with them.

these red wings fans who think the cup is theirs are so foolish. i think we are as good as the ducks team they had trouble against.

[sidthekid 0]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME. You need the dunce of the week award for that statement. You act like Pittsburgh's s*** don't stink. If Fleury dosent make that save on Carter in game 2 Flyers win the series.

and if cleary doesn't score a fluke goal on hiller the ducks would have won. so what' your point?

[Snazzy 0]

I just read the "Bring it on Hossa" thread on the pens msgboard.pittsburghpenguins board. And they are probably the most ignorant hockey bunch that I have ever witnessed. Right from their Moderator down to their posters/fans.

Here's a brief episode. The are talkin about how GREAT their Malkin and Crosby is, and how overrated Datsyuk is because he hasn't scored any goals. So a Wings fan pointed out that Malkin giveaways vs Dats takeaways, +/-, and ice time. Instead of having a hockey discussion, they bash Dats "lack of goals" and talk trash about Michigan and the unemployment rate.

The moderator gets on and says "Stop trying to reason with Red Wings trolls." - So Pens fans begin on their rant that Red Wings fans have no reasoning and continue to bash Michigan....

Not one Pens fan (Or their moderator) wants to talk about defense (or about hockey and what it takes to be a complete player). Instead, they wish to brag how many goals their top two players score and talk trash about Michigan.

It's so funny how ignorant they are. Even pee-wee players know that defense is the best offense and Penguins D (and goalie) isn't nearly as good as the teams that we already faced in the post-season.

Teams that can score lots of goals doesn't scare me. Teams that play solid tight defense have a stellar goalie scares the s*** out me... Thankfully the Penguins don't have either. They depend on the ONE LINE WONDER, and as Wings have already proven, we can shut that down.

Lastly, it's just bad juju that they are already talking about the SCF, shouldn't they be worrying about their ECF first?

[Coffey77 0]

these red wings fans who think the cup is theirs are so foolish. i think we are as good as the ducks team they had trouble against.

\

They are overconfident. But you have to expect that from what happened last year. They are the clear-cut favorite........We'll see what happens. As for the Ducks, yes. I believe we are just as good as they are.

[RainingBlood 8]

and if cleary doesn't score a fluke goal on hiller the ducks would have won. so what' your point?

How was it soo Fluke he got to the net used his stick to put the puck under his pad. He never interfeared with Hiller. Thats called hard nosed hockey.

[Ms_Hockey 0]

you speak with complete arrogance. what's going to happen to your wings when lidstrom retires in a few years? he's 39 - he won't keep up his stellar play forever. rafalski is 36. your forwards are fairly young but you won't have any good puck moving defensemen down the line like lidstrom or rafalski. osgood is old too.

There's a difference between arrogance and confidence and I think you're confusing that.

We've played games without Lidstrom and Raffy.. and we've still won. It's not so much the players we have, it's the system we have. But even if you are right... what does it matter? Lidstrom and Rafalski are on the team THIS YEAR.. and isn't that what we're debating anyway?

When they retire, I'll still be a fan of this team - even if our skill drops dramatically. But we're not talking about when they retire. We're talking about the matchup THIS season.

[NHLrules? 32]

ms hockey,

as far as the anaheim series is concerned, we have more depth than the ducks up front. yes they have a better defense but we have better goaltending. hiller sucks- how many fluke goals did he give up to the wings? fleury on the other hand wlll be one of team canada's goalies next year. we are just as good as the ducks and perhaps better coached. believe me when i say we can make a good series out of this with you.

HAHAHA

Get real, the Ducks would have knocked you guys out in any round you played them. Hiller was on fire this year.

It would have been fun to see how deep the tears gotten on the ice if the Pens met the Ducks in the cup.

[Ms_Hockey 0]

ms hockey,

as far as the anaheim series is concerned, we have more depth than the ducks up front. yes they have a better defense but we have better goaltending. hiller sucks- how many fluke goals did he give up to the wings? fleury on the other hand wlll be one of team canada's goalies next year. we are just as good as the ducks and perhaps better coached. believe me when i say we can make a good series out of this with you.

Hiller was a rookie. He was going to make mistakes. But even so, you should know that hockey is a certain percentage of luck. Fleury has given up fluke goals as well.. it's just part of the game. To say Hiller sucks is just asinine.

I'm not denying that you're going to give us a run for our money. I'm not an idiot. I just don't think you're going to win the series.

[donfishmaster 62]

All I ask when it is all said and done...and Pittsburgh is holding that Cup. I would like the majority of you to admit you no absolutely nothing about hockey. You are disgracing the sport and your team. You clearly dont watch the EC if you think it's that weak.

Do you mean when all is said and done Pittsburgh will be holding their cup? Cause historically Datsyuk has left many defenders holding their cup in their hands...it is no shame.

[RainingBlood 8]

ms hockey,

as far as the anaheim series is concerned, we have more depth than the ducks up front. yes they have a better defense but we have better goaltending. hiller sucks- how many fluke goals did he give up to the wings? fleury on the other hand wlll be one of team canada's goalies next year. we are just as good as the ducks and perhaps better coached. believe me when i say we can make a good series out of this with you.

Oh I guess that's why Hiller is team Switzerland's goalie huh. Ok lets take about bad goals to give up how about this gem in last years Stanley cup finals

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[NomadFromKazoo 42]

Am I the only one who thinks Pittsburgh was more of a threat last year.

No...You're with Hossa.

[Holmstrom96 347]

and most of you wings fans are acting way too cocky. no team in sports is unbeatable. you too were a team that got schooled by the devils only to learn from experience to put together your run over the past 12 seasons.

Yeah, we're all acting cocky and biased, like we're on a forum dedicated to Red Wings!

But I generally believe in being not cocky, as I think it makes bad karma for our Wings.

Edited May 25, 2009 by Holmstrom96

[NomadFromKazoo 42]

the fact that you couldn't put a ducks team away in 5 or 6 shows you are vulnerable.

That you want 6 against the Flyers and seven against the CAPITOLS shows you aren't that good. If we put the Hawks away in 5 we will have decisively beaten two teams we should have beaten. If you beat the Canes in the next game or two, you couldn't beat a team decisively until they were spent from back to back seven game series the other team had home advantage for.

Edited May 25, 2009 by NomadFromKazoo

[REDThirteen 0]

As long as the Wings do not take this Pens team lightly, then if we beat them last year, we should certainly beat them this year. I always thought the winner of the Ducks/Wings series was going to win the cup, and I still think that. Wings in 6.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Pens fans are missing the point in many situations.

Yeah you've scored more goals than us. How is that different than last year at this point? How is anything the Pens have done different than what happened last year?

Yeah, Datsyuk is playing like crap. However, the fact that we've made it this far with him playing like crap or not playing at all should scare the s*** out of opposing teams. How far would the Pens get with their best forwards playing like s***. Imagine if Datsyuk starts playing like he's capable of.

Anaheim would have given the Pens a tough series also, because if our great defense had trouble with that top line, imagine the Pens average defense having to face that same line.

And the Wings will be just as good in the future as the Pens are despite having many veteran players. We handled Yzerman, Fedorov and Shanahan leaving, and it didn't phase the team. The Pens didn't handle s*** when Lemieux and Jagr left. It's not as well run an organization, although they do now seem to be turning it around.

[Snazzy 0]

That you want 6 against the Flyers and SEVEN against the CAPITOLS shows you aren't that good.

Pens fans are not too knowledgeable about hockey at all. It took 7 games for them to beat the Caps and 6 for the Flyers, and they think Ducks are a walk in the park.. LOL.

Ducks are the Best defensive team in teh league, arguably the hottest goalie in the league, the strongest power forward in the game and a rough nose resilient hockey club with loads of experience.

They played the Caps and the Flyers. Lol!

No reasoning with Pens trolls. They just don't have any hockey intelligence.

[wingsgirl001 983]

...How on EARTH did a "greetings" thread get so long

Anyway, welcome to the boards, Coffey! While we're not always sane around here (), we're always more than willing to talk hockey! It's always nice to have a different perspective on the boards. Hope you enjoy your time here and good luck in the rest of the playoffs.

[sidthekid 0]

How was it soo Fluke he got to the net used his stick to put the puck under his pad. He never interfeared with Hiller. Thats called hard nosed hockey.

just because it was hard nosed doesn't mean it wasn't a fluke. that was an easily stoppable shot but because hiller sucks the puck went in.

[FedorovGurl 2]

They talk a bunch of ridiculous, know-nothing crap on the Pens board (yes, I am a member.. I have a good friend who is a Pens fan . I know.. go figure) but I never gave a damn what they say over there ... UNTIL someone made a derogatory comment about Mickey Redmond on the Hossa thread over there. THAT pissed me off! Mickey has forgotten more about hockey than any of those ignorant f***ers will ever learn in their lifetimes! Mickey knows his stuff and never talks s*** about other players or teams. (Refs are a different story .. ha!)