Penguins

Huge win, huge.

 

Very timely non-penalty with 1:52 to go voiding a Caps empty net and dominant surge. Almost felt sorry about this but recalled several actual Cap penalties never called. All evens out.

 

Yeah the high stick to Guetzal that actually drew blood and was focused on in the HNIC broadcast would be one.

 

Without the dirty play on Crosby, this series would be over. It's still over, just going to take an extra game or two. The Caps orginazation is truly beyond help. Now I'm thinking 3 peat. Never happened before, it's time to make some history.
Lots of bandwagon people now jumping on board the Penguins train. The more the merrier.

 

You don't seem to be too concerned about the Predators perhaps standing in the Pens way to a 2 peat? Would Pens have home-ice over Preds? Hopefully it's not a wacky rule like who wins the All Star game.

PS - who is last major pro-sports team to 3 peat? Lakers? Bulls?

 

I worry about anyone standing in the Pens way of a Stanley Cup repeat. I just think the Pens can win in any series. I think the last (2) 3 peats were Lakers in 2002 and the Bulls in 1998. It's been a fun Hockey season so far this year.

 

Interesting that Crosby is skating with the team this soon. Who knows he might be back for some of the playoffs? This season has a little magic to it with old man MAF playing lights out and Crosby being bush wacked by a couple of thugs.

 

Biggest surprises have to be MAF (trade bait at mid-season) and rookie Jake Guentzel. Both deserve some type of post-season honors if their high level play continues. Everybody else is playing at their respective talent levels. Didn't you love that Hornqvist breakaway goal?

 

I can't figure out which team I hate more.

The Crapithugs or the Cheatriots.

Let's go Pens! Here we go Steelers!

 

Nah, I'd say the only way he goes is if the Caps get a whole lot for him.

He's just not a strong captain in that locker room. They have pieces and talent, they just have a goon it up mentality that they're going to overpower every team they play, because that's what works in the regular season. He talks a good game to the press, but he doesn't have that calm the team down ability. He can fire them up, but there are times you need to be the calm guy that encourages them to play within the boundaries.

From what I've been seeing, their offense comes from having a guy come from the bench (or D-man pinching) when the puck is along the boards and getting some chaos going.

 

The Pens are 11-5 favorites to win the Stanly Cup again for the 2nd year in a row.

 

Lakers 2000-2002.

 

damn great game 5 so far. Let's keep it going, Flower has played incredibly this series and throughout the playoffs. surprised they played Sid with a 2 game lead, but guess they want to close it out. Love how Ovechkin has shrunk as the post season drifts on.

 

........whoops - guess they want to win at home like the first round.

 

I still think the Caps are the toughest team the Pens have to face and I agree they should win on Monday at home.

 

Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.................Pens were outplayed for 60 minutes in every phase of the game. You have to wonder if they were believing all the press clippings of them having this series already wrapped up and making hotel reservations for the next round. Very sad performance these past 2 games.

 

Actually, after the 2 offsides and the hand pass negating a scoring opportunity, I felt they were not going to be allowed to generate any momentum in this game.

The Obstruction in front of Holtby was insane! The Crosby hooking call, although the correct call, was ridiculous when they let Cullen get hooked on a breakaway (same situation and position on the ice) in Game 3.

I understand missing some calls, but for most of the game the Pens were playing like they expected to get a game play stoppage if they had any pressure.

Even on the Powerplay! They looked like they were just waiting to get a whistle for something.

Two word's:

Game 7.

Two more words:

Ad Revenue.....

 

If the Pens can't play any smarter and with anymore energy, they don't deserve to win tomorrow night. In a way if they can't step up and close this one out they should lose. Then we can watch another team beat them and the Caps still will be non-winners of a Stanley Cup. I don't like not winning the 10,000 but it will be what it will be and it's early in the year so plenty of time to make that loss up if it becomes a loss. Horses are running in California and I've been lucky enough to hit on a couple of them and football isn't far away. Maybe the Pens need a players only meeting like the Caps had.

 

Pens looked gassed these last 2 games - combination of Caps connecting on lots of stretch passes that had the Pens sprinting endlessly down the ice and perhaps the toll of playing into the final Stanley round last year. Looks like MAF's fountain of youth is running low as well. Pens have survived on precision and shot efficiency, not mass quantity of shots like the Caps, but the low number of shots on goal is taking its toll when the few open shot lanes are blocked.

 

Pens win, moving on 8 wins down, 8 to go the March continues.

 

Ottawa's Craig Anderson I think will be tougher to solve than Holtby. Great game 7 though, Caps came out buzzing but ended with a fizzle. Pens stayed the course.

 

Great game plan, great coaching, great execution - especially the defensive hits on Ovetchkin - absolutely awesome game start to finish. MAF got his groove back.

Next!!!

 

ONWARD

 

Good win. The best game the Pens have played so far in the playoffs. They should have a clear path to their 2nd straight Stanley Cup IMO. The trouble with prediction a repeat before the season starts is that it almost becomes somewhat unexciting when you expect them to win. The Caps did make it close but I think it is downhill from here on out. I probable won't send the check for the $10,000.00 until they win 8 more games just to be safe.
I'm seeing a three-peat next year which will be fun because its never happened. Just hope they don't let down and stay focused like they were last night,

 

Quote of the day: ''Without goals, you can't win the game,'' said Ovechkin

Most impressive stat of 2nd round - 3 of 4 Pens W's came on the road (after a so-so road record in regular season).

Does anyone know which conference will be home team for final round? Do they flip a coin? Alternate from year to year? Base it on regular season record? Reason I ask is that the Western Conference teams and ultimate winner will likely have some jet lag should they go games 6 or 7 due to the cross-country travel from Nashville to SoCal. Not so much with Pgh and Ottawa. Should Pens make the final round AND have home advantage, the Western team will have to travel again to PGH for first 2 games. I like it.

PS - Predators finished 12th in final regular season Power Rankings and then simply started on the road and began their sweep of the Blackhawks. They look like a team of destiny this year - but then they were saying that about the Sharks last year. Lord Stanley's avenue of broken dreams.