Babcock sums it up in one sentence...

[Nev 1,085]

Out of gas?

Playing with injuries?

Tell that to guys like Mr. Steve Yzerman. With all due respect, that's not good enough.

If we had just 1 player playing injured, I could accept your argument, but we didn't. We had Datsyuk, Lidstrom, Draper, Cleary and Ericsson all playing injured (at least 2 coming straight back after surgery). Lilja was out all playoffs. Other Wings rumoured or suspected to be injured is some way include Sammuelsson, Homer and Hossa. I mean FFS, Lidstrom had bollock surgery and was back next game playing against 2 of the best offensive talents in the world

Babcock himself has said it repeatedly ever since he arrived here - you need to be healthy to win the cup. That we managed to get so close as badly beat up as we are is incredible.

As for out of gas - yes they were. They never recovered from the Anaheim series physically, and again, Babcock himself said they won games 1 & 2 on will alone. It wasn't lack of effort, there was just not enough left in the tank to overcome a much better Penguins team. Anyone who has ever played competetive sport should know that when you're tired out, sometimes no matter how hard you try you just don't have that extra jump that you need.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

We looked tired because we had all our young guys sitting. Babs blew it big time for sitting Abdelkader. Leino should have been playing as well after our sorry Game 6. Malts and Draper or Holmer should have sat Game 7. Sorry, it hurts to sit those guys, I love them; but this is professional sports and the Wings have to figure that out. We wasted a roster spot with McCarty and Chelios this year. We need to sack up every season and make the cuts that have to be made.

How much better would Helm be if he played at this level all season?

I do agree re Abdelkader. Scores in two consecutive games, plays in Game 3 and then isn't to be seen again. I realise he had to shift to wing when Draper came back and Babs thought he would've have been effective on the wing but cmon, stick with the hot hand. It was a poor decision.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

If we had just 1 player playing injured, I could accept your argument, but we didn't. We had Datsyuk, Lidstrom, Draper, Cleary and Ericsson all playing injured (at least 2 coming straight back after surgery). Lilja was out all playoffs. Other Wings rumoured or suspected to be injured is some way include Sammuelsson, Homer and Hossa. I mean FFS, Lidstrom had bollock surgery and was back next game playing against 2 of the best offensive talents in the world

Babcock himself has said it repeatedly ever since he arrived here - you need to be healthy to win the cup. That we managed to get so close as badly beat up as we are is incredible.

As for out of gas - yes they were. They never recovered from the Anaheim series physically, and again, Babcock himself said they won games 1 & 2 on will alone. It wasn't lack of effort, there was just not enough left in the tank to overcome a much better Penguins team. Anyone who has ever played competetive sport should know that when you're tired out, sometimes no matter how hard you try you just don't have that extra jump that you need.

Brilliant post, agree with every word.

[Doggy 130]

I do agree re Abdelkader. Scores in two consecutive games, plays in Game 3 and then isn't to be seen again. I realise he had to shift to wing when Draper came back and Babs thought he would've have been effective on the wing but cmon, stick with the hot hand. It was a poor decision.

I just had to laugh at the sudden appropriateness of the caption beneath your avatar.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

I just had to laugh at the sudden appropriateness of the caption beneath your avatar.

I guess I forgot to change it.

[Doc Holiday 0]

Out of gas?

Playing with injuries?

Tell that to guys like Mr. Steve Yzerman. With all due respect, that's not good enough.

Haven't slept since I got home a couple hours ago. I just can't believe this is happening ...

One guy compared to the majority of the team isn't a fair comparison.

Also, it is silly to compare anyone currently one the Wings roster to him. Steve Yzerman is a legend.

[IceMunkee 15]

If we had just 1 player playing injured, I could accept your argument, but we didn't. We had Datsyuk, Lidstrom, Draper, Cleary and Ericsson all playing injured (at least 2 coming straight back after surgery). Lilja was out all playoffs. Other Wings rumoured or suspected to be injured is some way include Sammuelsson, Homer and Hossa. I mean FFS, Lidstrom had bollock surgery and was back next game playing against 2 of the best offensive talents in the world

Babcock himself has said it repeatedly ever since he arrived here - you need to be healthy to win the cup. That we managed to get so close as badly beat up as we are is incredible.

As for out of gas - yes they were. They never recovered from the Anaheim series physically, and again, Babcock himself said they won games 1 & 2 on will alone. It wasn't lack of effort, there was just not enough left in the tank to overcome a much better Penguins team. Anyone who has ever played competetive sport should know that when you're tired out, sometimes no matter how hard you try you just don't have that extra jump that you need.

Man. I love this post. Someone makes sense!

[Offsides 21]

I agree that we were too injured. I hate when people say you can't use injuries as an excuse. If you are playing through an injury it WILL affect your performance. How could it not? I felt like they were a bit bored in the regular season, but stepped it up in the playoffs and really wanted it, but could not sustain the level all the way through for whatever reason (possibly just lagging fatigue and/or injuries). They played a lot of games to get these 15 wins.

I'm proud of them.

[10 Minute Misconduct 104]

i felt worse after the loss to the ducks in '07. i think the reason this is easier to accept is that in '07 the wings played great and were damn unlucky not to win. this time they played pretty flat throughout the whole series and thoroughly deserved to lose.

and as for babcock's comments - they certainly looked fatigued but should they have been? the pens played just as many games as the wings leading up to the final.

exactly my thoughts. i HATE when we outplay a team like we did to the ducks in 07' and lost. i didn't get over that for a while and it pissed me off. watching this series tho the pens were better, weither or not fatigue played a role who knows - only the players do.

im ok with losing to a better team, but still somewhat disappointed because we were up 2-0.

[j.hoop 64]

how about the whole season in one line?

"too little, too late"

dont get me wrong, i am proud of the wings for getting all the way to last possible game of the season, i didnt expect them to get that far, and i firmly believe we'll be back deep in the playoffs next year. it took anaheim a year after the cup to get back passion, and i think the same thing will happen with us.

[Firehawk 305]

I'm exceptionally proud of Datsyuk for playing on that F'd up leg of his, and extremely proud of Rafalski for playing through a herniated disk. Extremely proud of Draper and Cleary for playing with a severe groin injury. Extremely proud of Ericsson for coming back a day after appendectomy surgery to play. There's speculation that even Zetterberg was only at 70% yet still shut Crosby down completely.

I'm so very proud of this team. I was very pissed last night, but the more I find out about the injuries, and then you add that to having to start playing 1 1/2 weeks earlier than you should have after ending round 3 (might as well have been a 7 game series), how can you not be proud?

[motorcitykid 42]

Tired in the SCF?!? My God what a surprise.

Hint, every fricking team in the history of the SCF is tired, but they play through it. You don't think this was grueling for the Penns. Injuries I can accept, but tired I cannot. Tired is why you win, not lose.

Old story, but Wayne 99 himself told it. When he lost in the finals he walked by the Islanders locker room (they had just won the Cup). He said they were all sitting there and were completely exhausted. He clued into this. It was a sign of why they won. They left everything, absolutely everything on the ice.

No way I can say that about this team. Too bad, but it's true. Like the other poster said, we need a little Yzerman attitude back in this bunch.

Exactly.

Now I mentioned Yzerman earlier in the thread merely to say that it pains me knowing what he went through with the knees and yet NEVER EVER gave up!! EVER!!

I realize not many guys are made like him, but do not tell me they "left it all out on the ice". I was as saddened last night as I was embarrassed.

I remember Stevie trying to get up each time he was knocked down using his ******* stick. He had no strength. Remember??

Over and over. Knocked down. Got up!

Anyone using these bulls*** excuses are an embarrassment to me as a fellow fan.

1 game. 60 minutes. You're either able enough to get on the ice or you shouldn't be playing!! Did they learn nothing from him??

I see Yzerman in my mind right now. Then I see a pretty long list of no-shows on our present squad for the biggest game of their lives!! Not very impressive.

[Colorado'sdiehardwingsfan 0]

I'm not gonna take much away from what the Pens did in this series as it was. They made adjustments and played Ducks style hockey and did it well. Not to mention they had more forward depth than the Ducks. But I can't help but wonder if the NHL had stuck to it's ORIGINAL F'ING PLAN! And this series started Friday June 5th instead of May 29th, would the outcome have been different? One thing is for certain: Datsyuk would've been ready to go in game 2 on June 6th! It's a moot point and hindsight is 20/20 but I cannot help but wonder?

Yeah and dont forget to mention that they rescinded the Conn Smyth trophy winner Malkin's suspension for game 3. That series was BULLs***!!! The NHL got what it wanted and Detroit lost before the series even began.

[Doc Holiday 0]

Exactly.

Now I mentioned Yzerman earlier in the thread merely to say that it pains me knowing what he went through with the knees and yet NEVER EVER gave up!! EVER!!

I realize not many guys are made like him, but do not tell me they "left it all out on the ice". I was as saddened last night as I was embarrassed.

I remember Stevie trying to get up each time he was knocked down using his ******* stick. He had no strength. Remember??

Over and over. Knocked down. Got up!

Anyone using these bulls*** excuses are an embarrassment to me as a fellow fan.

1 game. 60 minutes. You're either able enough to get on the ice or you shouldn't be playing!! Did they learn nothing from him??

I see Yzerman in my mind right now. Then I see a pretty long list of no-shows on our present squad for the biggest game of their lives!! Not very impressive.

Funny how Yzerman is suddenly the rule and not the exception.

News flash: his number didn't go up to the rafters because he did what he is supposed to do. It went up because he did above and beyond what was needed of him. Every game and shift and year.

Hockey injuries will hurt other player's performances because they are hockey players. They won't be like Yzerman because no one can be him.

And what evidence do you have that they stopped trying exactly?