Why the Wings will lose this series

[greenrebellion 415]

First let me say that I've been a huge Wings fan since 1993 and was HIGHLY confident that we would win each time we've been in the Finals (even against the NJD, but that didn't turn out so well). However, after watching the first two games of this series and taking into account some other factors, I am extremely concerned that we will lose this series in 6 or 7 games despite being up 2-0. I'm usually not an ultra pessimistic person so I'm a bit concerned that my thinking may have some merit.

Here are my thoughts:

In the first two games, I felt that from an overall effort and quality of play perspective, the edge has to go to the Penguins. Detroit has been outshot, had way too many giveaways, and spent a significant amount of time chasing the puck rather than playing our puck possession style of game. The Wings are dumping it in more than usual as the neutral has been effectively clogged and Malkin and Crosby are getting some looks but we've had some luck with posts (and of course Ozzy has played well).

But as this series transitions to Pittsburgh, the major concern I have is matchups. With the Pens getting the last change, I believe this gives them a significant edge, more so than against most other teams. Zetterberg has been huge on Crosby, and whenever the wrong lines have been out against the Pens, you can tell that the danger level of Malkin and Crosby is elevated significantly. The absence of Datsuyk only exasperates this problem, and I believe that he is likely gone for the series.

So with this in mind, I truly believe the Pens will take the next two games bringing it back to Detroit tied 2-2 with all the momentum. Our guys will be more exhausted then theirs at this point given injuries and the fact that our top D-man and guys like Zetterberg are actually playing more minutes than their top guys (this will begin to affect us immensely as this series roles on). And if they can make it 2-2, they'll have the momentum, the energy, and they'll be able to smell the trophy at that point and I believe they'll have that extra bit of desperation to put them over the edge in a six or seven game series.

I don't know guys, I'm not your average mindfly pessimist. I was highly confident the Wings would win in past SCF, but I have no confidence this time around and I hope I am dead wrong about them.

Go wings....

[#18 the _Hoss_ 2]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_dadd...?urn=nhl,167228

Where do you get your optimism? You're down 2-0 in the series against the defending Stanley Cup champion.

You're right, we don't have a 100 percent chance. But still, remember our series against Washington. We came home 2-0 down and still managed to win it.

Well, Gonchar is wrong too.

Wings in 5 !

Edited June 1, 2009 by #18 the _Hoss_

[rinkleroot 0]

I don't know guys, I'm not your average mindfly pessimist. I was highly confident the Wings would win in past SCF, but I have no confidence this time around and I hope I am dead wrong about them.

Go wings....

[Mike 0]

Go post this "the Wings are going to lose" crap on the Pens forum. Wings in 5.

[Doc Holiday 0]

Wooooo.

I'm sorry, if they can't get more than 3 goals in a game where they "outshoot" the competition, they don't deserve to win.

Detroit will do fine with matchups. Crosby won't go an entire shift without Zetterberg on the ice.

[e_prime 1,936]

*shakes head*

I... I don't even know how to respond to this...

The Wings are playing well. Plainly. Simply. We are getting great effort from all lines.

I do not know why your confidence has been shaken so.

Yes, the Pens will probably get some momentum from being on home ice, but I think the Wings are going to take a game on their ice.

I pray for your soul.

[Mike 0]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_dadd...?urn=nhl,167228

Well, Gonchar is wrong too.

Wings in 5 !

Yeah, plus the Wings have a defense, unlike the Caps.

[TSM 0]

I have two words for you: Chris Osgood. Wings in 5 games.

[Firehawk 305]

The wings have over a 96% chance to win this series based on history.

If you can't be optimistic with that type of statistic, why don't you stop watching sports?

[Mike 0]

I have two words for you: Chris Osgood. Wings in 5 games.

Exactly. To say Osggod is playing well is a joke. Osgood is playing out of his mind and is a major reason why the Wings are up 2-0. Osgood is playing fantastic and the Wings forwards and defensemen are playing well.

[Theophany 110]

You're wrong.

Crosby has disappeared. Malkin isn't very far behind him.

We may lose game 3, but we're a team full of winners. We don't do anything but win when it counts.

We'll come back and win game 4, just like we did versus the Ducks, and just like we did versus the Hawks, after we lost game 3 against both of them.

This series is over. Barring something happening to Ozzie, Zata, and Lids, the Pens are done. If we get Dats back, the series is even MORE over.

Our depth is destroying the Pens. It's ridiculous. The Pens 3rd and 4th lines are so over-matched that it's retarded.

[BewareThePenguin 1]

Hey, this guy said some stuff that wasn't all rah-rah about the Wings!

Get out all those troll signs guys!

The nerve!

[Char Renee 0]

sounds like one of those opposing fans trying to pose as a longterm redwings fan.

theirs a diffrence between saying the series isn't over and saying wings are gonna lose.

sorry fool someone else!

[RusDRW 155]

Only one question. Didn't you believe Anaheim got even bigger advantage putting Ryan-Gets-Perry against our lines while playing at home? We somehow managed to win one of those away games in that series. And I'm sure that Anaheim firth line is much better than Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin. The only difference is that we had Dats back then and I admit he is a huge factor...

[Mike 0]

Hey, this guy said some stuff that wasn't all rah-rah about the Wings!

Get out all those troll signs guys!

The nerve!

It's not that. He just said something stupid, like you.

Edited June 1, 2009 by Mike

[Firehawk 305]

Only one question. Didn't you believe Anaheim got even bigger advantage putting Ryan-Gets-Perry against our lines while playing at home? We somehow managed to win one of those away games in that series. And I'm sure that Anaheim firth line is much better than Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin. The only difference is that we had Dats back then and I admit he is a huge factor...

1. That line would beat the living hell out of Crosby. The pens should be happy they're playing the wings, who while they check hard, don't play dirty.

2. Anaheim plays solid, shutdown defense, with 2-way forwards. No Pens fan knows what this means.

3. Anaheim's goalie was far superior to MAF.

And we still won...

[greenrebellion 415]

Only one question. Didn't you believe Anaheim got even bigger advantage putting Ryan-Gets-Perry against our lines while playing at home? We somehow managed to win one of those away games in that series. And I'm sure that Anaheim firth line is much better than Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin. The only difference is that we had Dats back then and I admit he is a huge factor...

Ya, that was basically my point on that. Its a lot easier to match up during an away game when you have Dats and Z that can play against anyone and will be on the ice for 40 minutes of the game (at least one of them). Without Dats on the road, I think we lose games 3 and 4.

[timothy1997 0]

First let me say that I've been a huge Wings fan since 1993 and was HIGHLY confident that we would win each time we've been in the Finals (even against the NJD, but that didn't turn out so well). However, after watching the first two games of this series and taking into account some other factors, I am extremely concerned that we will lose this series in 6 or 7 games despite being up 2-0. I'm usually not an ultra pessimistic person so I'm a bit concerned that my thinking may have some merit.

Here are my thoughts:

In the first two games, I felt that from an overall effort and quality of play perspective, the edge has to go to the Penguins. Detroit has been outshot, had way too many giveaways, and spent a significant amount of time chasing the puck rather than playing our puck possession style of game. The Wings are dumping it in more than usual as the neutral has been effectively clogged and Malkin and Crosby are getting some looks but we've had some luck with posts (and of course Ozzy has played well).

But as this series transitions to Pittsburgh, the major concern I have is matchups. With the Pens getting the last change, I believe this gives them a significant edge, more so than against most other teams. Zetterberg has been huge on Crosby, and whenever the wrong lines have been out against the Pens, you can tell that the danger level of Malkin and Crosby is elevated significantly. The absence of Datsuyk only exasperates this problem, and I believe that he is likely gone for the series.

So with this in mind, I truly believe the Pens will take the next two games bringing it back to Detroit tied 2-2 with all the momentum. Our guys will be more exhausted then theirs at this point given injuries and the fact that our top D-man and guys like Zetterberg are actually playing more minutes than their top guys (this will begin to affect us immensely as this series roles on). And if they can make it 2-2, they'll have the momentum, the energy, and they'll be able to smell the trophy at that point and I believe they'll have that extra bit of desperation to put them over the edge in a six or seven game series.

I don't know guys, I'm not your average mindfly pessimist. I was highly confident the Wings would win in past SCF, but I have no confidence this time around and I hope I am dead wrong about them.

Go wings....

thanks for the input. please exit the bandwagon.

[Bannedforlife 403]

First let me say that I've been a huge Wings fan since 1993 and was HIGHLY confident that we would win each time we've been in the Finals (even against the NJD, but that didn't turn out so well). However, after watching the first two games of this series and taking into account some other factors, I am extremely concerned that we will lose this series in 6 or 7 games despite being up 2-0. I'm usually not an ultra pessimistic person so I'm a bit concerned that my thinking may have some merit.

Here are my thoughts:

In the first two games, I felt that from an overall effort and quality of play perspective, the edge has to go to the Penguins. Detroit has been outshot, had way too many giveaways, and spent a significant amount of time chasing the puck rather than playing our puck possession style of game. The Wings are dumping it in more than usual as the neutral has been effectively clogged and Malkin and Crosby are getting some looks but we've had some luck with posts (and of course Ozzy has played well).

But as this series transitions to Pittsburgh, the major concern I have is matchups. With the Pens getting the last change, I believe this gives them a significant edge, more so than against most other teams. Zetterberg has been huge on Crosby, and whenever the wrong lines have been out against the Pens, you can tell that the danger level of Malkin and Crosby is elevated significantly. The absence of Datsuyk only exasperates this problem, and I believe that he is likely gone for the series.

So with this in mind, I truly believe the Pens will take the next two games bringing it back to Detroit tied 2-2 with all the momentum. Our guys will be more exhausted then theirs at this point given injuries and the fact that our top D-man and guys like Zetterberg are actually playing more minutes than their top guys (this will begin to affect us immensely as this series roles on). And if they can make it 2-2, they'll have the momentum, the energy, and they'll be able to smell the trophy at that point and I believe they'll have that extra bit of desperation to put them over the edge in a six or seven game series.

I don't know guys, I'm not your average mindfly pessimist. I was highly confident the Wings would win in past SCF, but I have no confidence this time around and I hope I am dead wrong about them.

Go wings....

Pierre?

[Mike 0]

1. That line would beat the living hell out of Crosby. The pens should be happy they're playing the wings, who while they check hard, don't play dirty.

2. Anaheim plays solid, shutdown defense, with 2-way forwards. No Pens fan knows what this means.

3. Anaheim's goalie was far superior to MAF.

And we still won...

QFT. +1.

[The Mule 0]

Don Cherry said it best last night when he said "Pittsburgh has outshot Detroit in both games so far, but the shot totals are irrelevant. Osgood is seeing everything, and Fleury isn't seeing everything." I'll take 25 quality shots where the goalie is effectively screened over 35 shots Ozzie can see clear as day from the perimeter any day of the week.

On another note, why do Penguins fans and pessimists alike keep bringing up the amount of posts Pittsburgh has hit? Hitting the post is no different than firing the puck 15 feet wide of the goal. If you don't hit the back of the net, it's a missed opportunity. Nothing more, nothing less.

Wings in 5.

[Barrie 900]

I heard today that 32 times a team has gone up 2-0 in a Stanley Cup Final, and only ONE team lost the series. Think of it this way, Pittsburgh HAS to beat us in 5 games or less to beat us.

I said Wings in 5 when the series started, with Pittsburgh winning Game 3. I'll stick with that, but I wouldn't be surprised if we win Game 3 too and the Pens get booed off the ice. Ozzie's on fire and Pittsburgh is probably more frustrated this year than last year.

True when you're on the road you don't get the last change, but sometimes that can be a good thing. I think the mindset at home is defense first, but when you're on the road you can throw out lines and challenge the home team to try and stop you. Now lets see if Crosby and Malkin can stop Zetterberg, Hossa, and Franzen.

We're a team of Champions and winners, we'll finish 'em off and win our 12 Stanley Cup.

[bdavis 28]

How could you say that you're a Wings fan? Shouldn't you be rooting for your team to win, no matter what? I don't care if they are down 3-0 in the series, I would still be optimistic and believe they could pull it off. My point here is that, if you are a real fan, you wouldn't be pondering a Red Wings loss of this series (ESPECIALLY since they are up 2-0). Sounds like you would make a better Penguins fan.

[Theophany 110]

1. That line would beat the living hell out of Crosby. The pens should be happy they're playing the wings, who while they check hard, don't play dirty.

2. Anaheim plays solid, shutdown defense, with 2-way forwards. No Pens fan knows what this means.

3. Anaheim's goalie was far superior to MAF.

And we still won...

Absolutely. I just got done texting a buddy of mine in Chicago who sent me an initial text message of, "hey, looks like you guys got this locked up. congrats in advance."

I replied with, "yeah, winning against [the Blackhawks] and the Ducks was a hell of a lot harder. Says something about the East, huh?"

[YoungGuns1340 1]

San Jose outshot and outchanced Anaheim, and carried a lot of the play. They lost.

Detroit outshot and outchanced Edmonton, and carried the majority of the play. They lost.

If you ask me, this is sweet, sweet retribution for all those games and playoff series where WE lost, despite carrying the play and outchancing/outshooting the opponent. The universe is simply repaying us.