  Jrvass Member Username: Jrvass Post Number: 692 Registered: 01-2007 |
Just wanted to be the first!  | ||
Hockey_guy Member Username: Hockey_guy Post Number: 38 Registered: 11-2007 |
Detroit Red Wings are in the Stanley cup finals!••••••••• Bring it on Pittsburgh your in for a world of hurt :D | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 2024 Registered: 03-2006 |
go wings! | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7864 Registered: 11-2004 |
This is a great match-up from the point of fan appeal. You've got the stalwart near dynastic team in Detroit with the up & coming youngsters in Malkin & Crosby contending. The NHL must be drooling over this series and I think if there was ever a series that could conceivably sway a few casual fans over, this could be that sort of series. That being said, I'd still want our vaunted Wings to clobber the Penguins! | ||
Thnk2mch Member Username: Thnk2mch Post Number: 1247 Registered: 02-2006 |
This should be a great series. I, for one, cannot wait! | ||
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua Post Number: 1610 Registered: 01-2004 |
As a relatively new Hockey fan, it's been nice seeing the Wings beat everyone's asses in each playoff series. What's the scouting report of the Penguins / Wings series? | ||
7andkelly Member Username: 7andkelly Post Number: 572 Registered: 04-2008 |
Match-up, smatch-up! I can't stand watching the Penglosses! They're beneath even the Versus channel. Their uniforms are the worst in all of sports. Their team is filled with jerks and pansies like Mal Kin, The Flowery, Roo Too, Sick Ora, Bathroom Stall, Dim Whitney, Marian Hoza and Cindy Cosby. And their barn is a dump. Penglosses...I cantstanzia! GO WINGS! | ||
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua Post Number: 1611 Registered: 01-2004 |
How do you REALLY feel about the Penglose 7andkelly? | ||
Tkshreve Member Username: Tkshreve Post Number: 347 Registered: 07-2006 |
"What's the scouting report of the Penguins / Wings series?" Offensively, the Wings and the Penguins match up pretty even. Great speed and talent spread across 4 lines. Defensively, The Wings are deeper and stronger not only on the blue line, but also our forwards have an edge when considering defensive capabilities, like keepaway - passing - play breaking - shutdown lines. We have some of the best talent across our first 2 defensive lines. In the net, I would say both Osgood and Fleury have been playing quite well. Each has had moments of brilliance, however I give an unbiased edge to Osgood because IMO he will probably face less shots than Fleury, and I can give him the benefit of the doubt to just outright save more shots than Fleury. Wild Card - Depth of benches will be big in this series. Pittsburg has had a lot of guys working for them as of late. Talbot, Staal, Malone, DuPuis have all been producing for the Penguins. If Cleary, Hudler, Holmstrom, Filpula and Sammuelson don't start consistently creating chances, then our teams' road to the cup will be inclined that much more. Hitting, well, the Wings have been hitting much better this year than what I recall over the last several years. Our team is stronger and younger than it has been for a while also. Cats like Kronwall, Stuart, Drake, Draper, Maltby and McCarty are expected to give the Penguins superstars a hard time. Go after Malkin because the last 3 teams did and he has got to be tired of being a target. Contrary to what people may think of him, Datsyuk leads the team in hits. He has become a complete player at the ripe age of 29. For his size and skill, it is very uncommon to see such committment on a skill players behalf. Furthermore, Datsyuk being so nimble as he is, has the prowess to escape "bad scenarios" like someone teeing him up or crushing him along the boards. He just knows how to get hit, how to fall, how to avoid blind hits, etc. Overall - I really haven't a clue who will win where. It should be the toughest series for each team. Pitt has moved effortlessly to the SCF, but also showing excellent play along the way. Detroit has shown blips of weakness while contending with the tough and gritty Western Conference teams. Even Nashville hurt was a strong competitor. Bottom line, when Detroit is clicking, there game is second to none. We have seen them show up to most of the games this post season, making it a treat to watch their efforts pay off in majority of the games. That is all we will need in the SCF series........ majority of the wins. Latest I've found on Franzen = "Franzen is feeling better and is no longer bothered by persistent headaches, though he hasn't been cleared to practice yet, the Detroit Free Press reports. It's virtually certain he won't play Monday at Dallas. (May 19)" Go Wings Go! ••••• | ||
Hornist9 Member Username: Hornist9 Post Number: 130 Registered: 05-2005 |
 GO WINGS! This should be a great series. I was reading earlier this morning that 4 of the 5 best players in the World are going to be in this series. I don't think Malkin will be able to cherry pick as he did against Philly...Detroit's defense will have something to say about that. | ||
Tkshreve Member Username: Tkshreve Post Number: 349 Registered: 07-2006 |
"I don't think Malkin will be able to cherry pick as he did against Philly...Detroit's defense will have something to say about that." Will that be said in the form of an elbow? | ||
Umbound Member Username: Umbound Post Number: 152 Registered: 02-2008 |
YES!! Go WINGS in Six!! for an honest prediction. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7869 Registered: 11-2004 |
I think one of the main comparison here will be between the Pittsburgh & Detroit superstars upfront in Malkin, Crosby, Zetterberg & Datsyuk. I'm inclined to give the Detroit duo a slight edge because they also excel on the defensive end whereas the Pittsburgh tandem isn't as skilled within their own zone- but that's just one of many stories to be told in this series. | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 1085 Registered: 09-2005 |
Comment on "dream cup match up" from Canada's Sportsnet.ca: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey /2008/05/20/kelley_final_fanta sy/ | ||
Defendbrooklyn Member Username: Defendbrooklyn Post Number: 890 Registered: 11-2005 |
As i said before, NHL playoffs are the best in sports. I hope the Wings control the series and dominate the Pens... GO WINGS! | ||
Paulmcall Member Username: Paulmcall Post Number: 1039 Registered: 05-2004 |
From what I saw of Penguins and Flyers, I'd say Red Wings in five. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 472 Registered: 11-2007 |
Why are they waiting until Saturday. So all 50 people can see it on NBC instead of 20 on versus? NBC doesn't even pay rights fees for the games. Don't worry about Pittsburgh's crappy arena. Don Barden's casino cash is helping finance a new one. | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 1086 Registered: 09-2005 |
And Mike Ilitch's wife's casino should help finance a replacement for the Joe.... | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 475 Registered: 11-2007 |
Despite some empty seats along the way, with the salary cap and going to the finals, the Wings can build their own arena. Casino profits are used so we can have the best last place team in baseball. | ||
Hockey_guy Member Username: Hockey_guy Post Number: 39 Registered: 11-2007 |
Well the tickets sold out real fast for the finals! | ||
Tkshreve Member Username: Tkshreve Post Number: 355 Registered: 07-2006 |
gone? | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7872 Registered: 11-2004 |
For game one, it looks as though the place will be packed. And why shouldn't it be? It's the frickin' Finals! | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1839 Registered: 02-2006 |
According to my dad (lifetime Pens fan and current Detroit resident, and erstwhile Red Wings fan), StubHub tickets in Pittsburgh are going for nearly 3x what they're going for in Detroit. Though Mellon Arena is about 10% smaller than the Joe. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7874 Registered: 11-2004 |
Interesting angle to mull over here: Joe Louis Arena and Mellon Arena both being the two oldest arenas in the league and now hosting the Stanley Cup Finals. It might be each arena's last run at a championship considering how both cities want (or secretly want) to ditch their respective arenas for new ones. | ||
Downriviera Member Username: Downriviera Post Number: 471 Registered: 02-2008 |
I think the new Pittsburgh arena is a done deal. Mellon Arena is a great place to watch a game. I've played there once too, really lively boards. | ||
Hornist9 Member Username: Hornist9 Post Number: 132 Registered: 05-2005 |
Smogboy, The building where the New York Islanders play in Long Island is older than the Joe... I think the economy has a hell of a lot to do with why the Joe isn't crowded every evening. For crying out loud, people have lost jobs, homes and many other things. You think someone's gonna shell out over 75 bucks for a game when they can sit to home, buy a 5 buck pizza from a Little Seizures and swill cheap ass beer for a lot less than the inflated prices charged at the Joe? At home, I can pause the game when I need to go to the fridge for a brew or a pit stop... | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7878 Registered: 11-2004 |
Good call regarding the arena ages there, Hornist. I think the lack of attendance at the Joe is also due to the fact that everyone's entertainment dollar has been stretched thin. And I'm willing to bet that a fair chunk of the Red Wing disposable income got switched over to the Tigers this year. Those 30,000 a game attendance figures at Comerica Park have to come from somewhere. Personally I'd love it people in this area were so prosperous that the JLA, Comerica Park, Ford Field and The Palace would be filled every night with dedicated fans. As far as beer at the JLA- it's got to be one of the biggest rip-offs in sports, but I guess one pays for the convenience as opposed to the taste. The Joe has never been my favorite venue for a myriad of reasons but it's where my beloved Wings play so I follow along. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 479 Registered: 11-2007 |
They keep having discussions on the Fan radio station in Toronto about why Hockeytown isn't filled this year. When someone suggests the economy, the other guy says "Look at the Pistons and Tigers though". The fact is the economy does play a big part. The blue collar Wings fans draw from mostly Western Wayne County and even Windsor. The Pistons fans are mostly in white collar Oakland County. The manufacturing layoffs, as we all know, have hurt the Wings fans harder. I also agree that a lot of Wings fans decided in March to buy Tiger tickets when they were a hot buy rather than hold out hope for the Wings again. Now if they can just swap 10 Tiger tickets for a pair of Wings. | ||
Downriviera Member Username: Downriviera Post Number: 483 Registered: 02-2008 |
Here we go again, waiting 5 days till they drop the puck. Should have started on Wednesday night. I'm getting antsy, ready to slam somebody into the wall. | ||
Tkshreve Member Username: Tkshreve Post Number: 364 Registered: 07-2006 |
GREAT NEWS!•••• My business trip has been pushed back two glorious weeks! Now I'll be in the D for Stanley. The next two weeks are going to poppin' for all Detroit sports so we all should be in for a swanky time. Go Wings!! Go Pistons! Go Tigers! Go Worthy! |
