Nobody Can Beat the Wings at their Own Game

[titanium2 867]

That's what I mean. Once they got over the shock of actually being in the Cup Finals, they played us even.

I don't know how I ignored the two games. I specifically pointed them out, and that we're not getting those two games this year. We got a 2-0 boost last year and rode it to the Cup. That's not going to happen this year.

The Red Wings were nervous too though. It was the first final for a lot of them.

[betterREDthandead 58]

The Red Wings were nervous too though. It was the first final for a lot of them.

There's nerves, which they all have tonight no matter what, and then there's simply not being prepared. The Wings had the leadership in place that wouldn't allow that, including a coach. The Pens had nothing at all.

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

I think the Wings are sick of being looked over for the next hot thing. Osgood made mention of the NHL Center Ice commercial earlier this year, and Babcock made mention of it (along with others) two days ago. The Wings are a prideful bunch. The fastest way to get your butt kicked is to tell them they're not all that or question their heart (Like Patrick Roy used to like doing). The Penguins, via the NHL marketing machine, have done just that. I think they are sick and tired of being disrespected and they have the weapons to go take it out on someone.

The Hawks young guns and fast fresh legs were supposed to give the Wings fits. Didn't happen. The league learned the Wings aren't all that old to begin with. The Wings were supposed to be battered and broken by the physical style of the Ducks and yet the Wings outhit Anaheim for the series. The league learned the Wings are no softies.

Now the Penguins roll in supposedly a year older and wiser and because of that a much bigger threat. They have two superstars and a motley cast of backups who are supposed to wear the Wings down over six or seven games and break their will. Look, the Wings have faced every young or huge scoring hot line (Legion of Doom--Forsberg, Sakic, Hejduk--Crosby and Malkin last year, the big Carolina line in 2002) for the last 14 years. They've faced all the supposed impenetrable defenses out there and done quite well.

They'll win the same way they always do; by being harder working, more focused, better prepared, never flinching, deeper in talent and smarter than any of the other teams that were supposed to be able to put one over on them for WHATEVER reason.

Tonight my guess is that they will come at the Penguins in waves chomping at the bit to send one clear message they've sent countless times before;

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

[Firehawk 305]

I meant' to say you could say they were not acclimated the first game, but not both games. My fault. I mean, you just played your entire season and fine, you want to take 1 game and say you weren't expecting such a tough task, but come on. 2 games? And you don't even score A GOAL in 2 games? I think it's a bit more than that...

They shut down Crosby and Malkin for the entire series.

[Firehawk 305]

Jersey Wing,

I agree with you. I think Babs is going to use the league giving them no respect as bulletin board material. 4 cups in 12 years and they're getting no respect. It's pretty amazing. The commercial showing the Pens coming back in the series and not showing the Wings hoisting the cup is, in my opinion, a slap in the face to the Wings.

[BlueMonk 102]

I'm not sure how much should be made of the Pens "playing the Wings even over the last four games" last year. The problem with spending too much time on that is it isolates those games as if they existed in a vacuum. But they didn't. The Wings were up 2-0 in the series and that impacts the way the rest of the series is going to be played. Teams with a lead in a series have a natural tendency to play with less urgency than their opponent, who has their backs up against the wall.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I was just looking at hte plus/minus...How does Malkin have 28 points and he's only a +3?

12 of his 28 points come from the PP. That works out to about 58 PP points in the regular season.

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

I swear to God, if I were someone who didn't know much about hockey and I read all teh supposed experts previews I'd take from it that the Wings were lucky to be on the same ice with the Pengiuns and had no chance.

Lots of 'experts' are gonna be eating a LOT of crow

[Firehawk 305]

I swear to God, if I were someone who didn't know much about hockey and I read all teh supposed experts previews I'd take from it that the Wings were lucky to be on the same ice with the Pengiuns and had no chance.

Lots of 'experts' are gonna be eating a LOT of crow

If i were not a fan and I were tuning in, I'd think the Pens won it last year...

[CanadaBoy 151]

Hehe... Now try beating us WITh datsyuk

[CanadaBoy 151]

Before making it to the finals again, I say the Pens tank a couple more seasons and get 5 ,1 ,2 ,1 ,2 picks