WCF GAME 4 GDT: Red Wings 2 at Penguins 4

[RedWingsFanatic 4]

Yea, its clearly obvious that it's all Hossa's fault that we lost. No way he should have allowed Stall to manhandle Raffi on that shorty.

What...?

[Wings_Rule_1010 4]

Rafalski!!! What was that? Holy hell

Yeah, exactly. Is that a new style of defense or something? He was so slow and just let Staal take the puck to the net. It was poorly played, just like the entire game.

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

The best team doesn't always win. I think we still do have the best team, regardless.

on paper sure....on your XBOX 360, sure thing.

But they don't play like it.

It appears they don't have the swagger like it.

The best team in the NHL doesn't have a 65% PK or a PP that looks this horrible.

And honestly, the best team in the NHL gives a s***. They don't.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

Pete, whoever he is, should be fired.

Damn doctors never do anything right.

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

Some of the posters here make it sound like we won the game.

bandwagon

[Firehawk 305]

on paper sure....on your XBOX 360, sure thing.

But they don't play like it.

It appears they don't have the swagger like it.

The best team in the NHL doesn't have a 65% PK or a PP that looks this horrible.

And honestly, the best team in the NHL gives a s***. They don't.

I don't have an NHL game for my 360 lol...

The best team doesn't always play the best, doesn't mean they're still not the best. In the big picture, I still think they are. They certainly haven't played like it in this series though.

[detroitneighbourfan 0]

I don't believe we "sucked" - had 39 shots on Fleury.

The bounces went their way, and Staal got a nice goal oaginst two tired defencemen. Normally he would never be able to do that - just fortuitous timing, that's all, for the Pens.

One thing to note - refs gave us FOUR POWERPLAY OPPORTUNITIES vs TWO FOR THE PENS, in the Mellon arena no less, so can everyone

PLEASE STOP REF-WHINING NOW?? The reffing has never had anything to do with the games going one way or another, and only Pens People whine about refs - Wings fans (atleast the ones I know and whenever I have gone to Jo arena) focus on the players and their plays.

That's my take on it, anyways - now it's back to Motor city, and there's no way the Pens win the next one.

cheers

Edited June 5, 2009 by detroitneighbourfan

[Outsider 42]

the announcers think that the short handed goal by the pens will be the series turn around. the wings are way too experienced to let something like that get to them, they know what they have to do, they just need to get out there and do it. i think they are gonna win game 5, and 6. Lets not get too frustrated people. wings in 6!!!

And I think they're right, and you're wrong.

The Wings are coming off of their worst Defensive season in a long, LONG time.

They were lazy, sloppy and undisciplined all Season long, and won more than a few games they had no business winning.

The lollygagged into the Play Offs with a crappy close to the Season.

They're injured.

They're tire.

And they look like they just want to go home and rest. With OR without the Cup.

The Scumguins look like they're willing to do ANYTHING to Win it.

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

I don't have an NHL game for my 360 lol...

The best team doesn't always play the best, doesn't mean they're still not the best. In the big picture, I still think they are. They certainly haven't played like it in this series though.

right now my big picture ecompasses games 5 and 6 and, if possible, game 7.

and right now they aren't even the best in this series in all honesty.

Doesn't mean they can't win, but Pittsburgh is playing a TON better than Detroit is.

[evilmrt 636]

Rafalski!!! What was that? Holy hell

I completely echo this statement. Rafalski not only looked physically tired....he looked MENTALLY tired tonight. I expect giveaways, dumb plays, and missed passes from Stuart.....but Rafalski? COME ON MAN!

[Stiffy 0]

If it's true that our players were chirping at each other, then we're falling apart. Not looking good...

Where is this from? Honestly, it might not be a bad thing. If I was Osgood I would be chirping like a maniac at all the D in the locker room. Of course he never would. Good old Roy did this in Montreal to Schneider (I miss him) and Matt told Ray, "Shut the f*** up and keep the puck out of the net" then they almost got in a fight.

For example, Osgood to Kronner.

"Hey Kronner, could you please hold off on your one lame ass penalty per game until the second period next time. I just want time to settle in a bit more. Really would appreciate it. Thanks buddy."

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

I don't believe we "sucked" - had 39 shots on Fleury.

The bounces went their way, and Staal got a nice goal oaginst two tired defencemen. Normally he would never be able to do that - just fortuitous timing, that's all, for the Pens.

One thing to note - refs gave us FOUR POWERPLAY OPPORTUNITIES vs TWO FOR THE PENS, in the Mellon arena no less, so can everyone

PLEASE STOP REF-WHINING NOW?? The reffing has never had anything to do with the games going one way or another, and only Pens People whine about refs - Wings fans (atleast the ones I know and whenever I have gone to Jo arena) focus on the players and their plays.

That's my take on it, anyways - now it's back to Motor city, and there's no way the Pens win the next one.

cheers

No they sucked. it was painfully obvious.

You can have 100 shots but if 60% of them come from bad angles and/or along the boards with no traffic in front, you aren't going to score much.

but you are right about the refs.

[RedWingsFanatic 4]

I mean, I actually didn't think we were AWFUL tonight, either. We certainly weren't very good and we made a lot of mistakes, but we were able to sustain pressure for some fairly long stretches during the third period. It was pretty clear that our fatigue caught up with us, which is very worrisome as we move forward.

I wouldn't be adverse to a huge line-up change for Game 5, to be honest. If Datsyuk is ready, put him back in along with Abdelakder and take out Draper and either Leino or Maltby. Young, fresh legs are going to be key as this thing drags on, and I just don't think you can muster the justification for Draper to play. I love the guy, but Abdelkader just seems far more reasonable.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Horrible, horrible game...

Wings need to wake up. No more freaking turnovers.

Kronner was awful tonight. He needs to play a huge game for us on Saturday.

I don't even know what to say. They gotta play lights out from here on out. I still have confidence of course.

Also, thanks to Fil and Stewie for being the only Wings to show up tonight.

We still got this!

GO WINGS!!!!!!!

[Guest lilja4mvp]

wings are done like dinner.

stick a form in 'em.

[adtthosa 5]

Well this was a brutal game to watch. Talk about a turn of events, we're up 2-1 and get back to back PP's. Minutes later, we're down by 2 and nothing is going right.

We need Datsyuk back NOW. We also need Hossa and Hudler to start doing something. Our role players can only carry this team so far. I'm not worried yet though. Home ice advantage is huge in this series, and I predicted Wings in 7 from the beginning. Any team can win a best of 3, even a tired, injury plagued team like ours. We need to win game 5, that's all there is to it.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

Can anyone envision us winning this series if we lose game 5?

I can't.

Our season and our Cup is basically on the line Saturday night.

[Stiffy 0]

Here here. You have a guy who scores two SCF goals and sit him.... with this team's performance? In the finals all should be on pure merit. If you suck, you sit. If you play well, you get more minutes.

[Firehawk 305]

Where is this from? Honestly, it might not be a bad thing. If I was Osgood I would be chirping like a maniac at all the D in the locker room. Of course he never would. Good old Roy did this in Montreal to Schneider (I miss him) and Matt told Ray, "Shut the f*** up and keep the puck out of the net" then they almost got in a fight.

For example, Osgood to Kronner.

"Hey Kronner, could you please hold off on your one lame ass penalty per game until the second period next time. I just want time to settle in a bit more. Really would appreciate it. Thanks buddy."

It was in the presser, one of the reporters said in the Pit room they said they heard some Wings players on the ice chirping at each other...

This is the Red Wings. They have PROVEN to all of us that when they face big adversity, they come out on top. I still have plenty of faith that they'll get it turned around. The ONLY reason that I have any doubt though, is because of the brutal schedule. I think the Wings got pretty beat up on the way to the Finals this year, and then the schedule really hurt. I think they're tired, and Babs needs to probably tell the guys to just show up for the game on Satuirday night, no practices...

[Wingman 0]

Call me a ***** but I cant bear to watch game 5. Might be the nerves, might be the blood pressure, or might be the fact that I have a very unpredictable heart murmur but I just can't do it. I'll check the score after its done.

What makes it so hard is that you never really know what game they'll bring. It seem they can be breathtakingly impressive one night and equally disappointing the other.

Anywho, tonight the Pens pretty much solved us. They had a great forecheck and interferred with out transitions, they played great D and gave us very few good scoring chances. They have learned from the previous games. Unfortunately we lacked the creativity to adapt and respond. Not even by getting in their faces. Instead, we sunk back and started toi commit errors.

[randy 0]

I think the pens fans mirrored our own complaints when we were up 2-0, so lets just see what happens now!

[Firehawk 305]

right now my big picture ecompasses games 5 and 6 and, if possible, game 7.

and right now they aren't even the best in this series in all honesty.

Doesn't mean they can't win, but Pittsburgh is playing a TON better than Detroit is.

I'm not disagreeing with you...

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

If it's true that our players were chirping at each other, then we're falling apart. Not looking good...

Where did that come from?

[Stiffy 0]

Can anyone envision us winning this series if we lose game 5?

I can't.

Our season and our Cup is basically on the line Saturday night.

Here, let me try. Hmmmm, let me think now. This is complex. Okay, how about this.

If were to lose game 5 then win game 6 and 7 that is one way it might work out!

Here are some other combos to ponder.

We win 5, lose 6, but win 7.

We win 5 and 6.

We win 5, lose six and 7 goes to OT. Then we win in OT.

You can even do this from the Penns perspective.

They win 5, lose 6, lose 7.

Try it!

[NEpats1028 1]

I'm probably gonna get hammered for saying this, but let's all breathe and take a step back from this for a minute, and look at what we have:

We have the best team in the NHL, despite what happens in this series. We won a cup last year. We are 2 wins from back to back cups. Even if we don't lose guys, we took it as far as we could and ALMOST repeated.

That being said, I think things will change in Detroit. This series is probably going 7 at this point...

I agree with you actually. The NHL obviously wants this to go 7 games for its ratings purpose. When was the last time a Stanley Cup Final was over in 4? Probably the '98 Wings, but thats just off the top of my head. The NHL wants to make money and thats why this league is in a crisis mode.

On the other hand, 6 SCF in 14 years and 4 Cups in 11 is something to be pretty damn proud of. Lets hope we make it 5 cups in 12!