Stanley Cup Finals Preview

With less than two days until the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals gets underway — between my beloved Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings — I thought it was about time I did my own Finals preview.  First off, my bias will not be ignored, obviously I love the Pens’ and believe they will win this series no matter what.  But I do acknowledge the Wings as a superb team, with very little flaws.  The thing is, the Pens’ in my opinion are playing at a slightly higher level than the Wings heading into Game #1 in Motown.  At 12-2 through three rounds, Pittsburgh has shown it’s not a one-trick pony with tons of offense and very little else.  In fact, the Pens’ are the top team statistically in the playoffs when it come to defence!  Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is the top-rated goalie, and the team has bought into coach Michel Therrien’s defensive system.  I also feel the Penguins have more offensive depth, and more lineup depth overall than the Red Wings.  Having said all that regarding Pittsburgh’s improved “own end” play, I think the Wings hold the slight edge with their d-crop.  Nic Lidstrom is perhaps a top three d-man of all time, and he leads by example on the back end.  So here is my breakdown of the main categories of both squads:

Goalie - Slight edge to Fleury (the Conn Smythe winner after three rounds if you ask me)
Forwards - As good as Zetterberg and Datsyuk are, you can’t compare to Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Staal
Defence - Wings have the bigger names, especially Lidstrom, but this isn’t as one sided as it appears
Coaching - Edge to Babcock only because he’s been in the Final before, but Therrien has been great in ‘08
Special Teams - Penguins have a better PP in the playoffs, and both teams are killing penalties at 87.3%

So my gut tells me the Penguins will win the series in 5 games.  Yes a shock to some that I’m even taking the Pens’, but even moreso that I’m calling it in 5.  I just have a feeling this is going to be a similar series to the New Jersey-Detroit Final of 1995.  A favoured Detroit team got absolutely buzz sawed in a sweep to the underdog Devils, when not too many people thought Jersey could even win a game.  Maybe this series isn’t seen in the same light, but the circumstances kind of remind me of that year.  So call me crazy, or call me lucky, but I sense Lord Stanley’s Cup will be residing in the “Steel City” for the next year, with Sid and the boys winning at least a year or two before anyone (including myself) thought they would.  It will be a great day for hockey if it comes to fruition!  LET’S GO PENS’!!!!

Land Of Hope & Dreams (May 20th-26th)

“Grab your ticket and your suitcase, thunder’s rolling down the tracks.  You don’t know where you’re goin’, but you know you won’t be back”.

…always one of the final songs played during the Reunion and Rising tours…i thought it was a fitting lyric with the Penguins on the verge of a Stanley Cup title…it truly would be a Land Of Hope & Dreams if they take out the Wings!!…

It Doesn’t Get Any Funnier Than This

 Just click on this link to see one of lifes great treats!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zqKQNEFMzI

Four More Wins, As Penguins Head To the Cup Finals!!

Talk about statement games!  The Pittsburgh Penguins not only beat the Philadelphia Flyers to advance to their third Stanley Cup Final in team history, they absolutely dismantled them.  And after the dust had settled in the Pens 6-0 pasting http://www.myxertones.com/ringtone:489560/  of the Cryers Sunday afternoon, it was quite clear to most, this Penguins team is a force to be reckoned with.  Led once again by the goaltending of Marc-Andre Fleury, the Pens buried the Flyers early and often, in a game that was very similar to their 8-0 1991 Stanley Cup clincher versus the then Minnesota North Stars.  This game was never in doubt, with Ryan Malone netting the game and series winner less than 3 minutes into the game on the PP.  Marian Hossa was a beast once again on both ends of the ice, and Sidney Crosby capped off a much better series than the Ranger 5-gamer, with two assists.  The Pens now await the winner of the West Final, with Detroit clinging to a 3-2 series lead.  On a personal note, I have tickets to Game #5 of the Cup Final in Detroit, so you know who I will be cheering for Monday.  LET’S GO PENS”!!!!  The three stars of the East Final:

1. Marc-Andre Fleury
2. Marian Hossa
3. Sidney Crosby

 

Terrible First Does Pens’ In

A lacklustre Pittsburgh Penguins effort in the first period resulted in 3 Philadelphia goals (including two on the PP), as the Cryers beat Pittsburgh 4-2, for their first win of the series.  Some shoddy play by the Pens’, along with some ticky-tack penalties were the main reason for the opening 20 minutes of ugliness.  However, for most of the 2nd period and just about the entire 3rd, the Pens’ outplayed Philly, and after Jordan Staal potted two in the final frame, the Flyers looked like a team that was out of gas.  Should bode well moving forward for Game #5 at Mellon Arena on Sunday, with the Pens’ leading the series 3-1.  It should be mentioned that Crosby and Malkin were a tad off tonight.  Hope that is out of their systems for the next game!

 

Out In the Street (May 13th-19th)

“When that whistle blows, girl, I’m down the street.  I’m home, I’m out of my work clothes.  When I’m out in the street, I walk the way I wanna walk.  When I’m out in the street, I talk the way I wanna talk”.

…you may remember Adam Sandler re-creating this song in the movie “Reign Over Me”, about a guy who lost his family in the 9-11 terror attacks…his character was obsessed with The River album…saw this live during my first ever Springsteen show back in 2000 at the ACC…

One Win Away From A Date With Lord Stanley

The title of the post says it all!  After 16 long years, the Pittsburgh Penguins are one win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Finals.  The Pens totally dismantled the Filthy Flyers in a 4-1 Game Three victory on enemy ice Tuesday night, with a score that actually flattered Philly.  The Flyers were dominated defensively by the Pens, allowing them only 8 shots on goal through two periods.  Flyer-killer Sidney Crosby had two more assists, including a beautiful outlet pass to Marian Hossa, who absolutely embarrassed the Flyer defence with an array of dekes and cutbacks, before ripping a wrister past an ordinary Marty Biron http://www.myxertones.com/ringtone:484002/.   Make no mistake, the Penguins were the better team from the opening faceoff until the final buzzer, in what could be considered their best overall game of the playoffs IMHO.  Even Hal Gill got in on the scoring act, with an assist on Hossa’s second goal of the game into an empty net to clinch the victory.  Less than 48 hours until Game Four, with a likely date with the Detroit Red Wings (who are up 3-0 in the West Final) in the Cup Final!

Why not you?  Because your team sucks ballz!

Mad Max & Sid To the Rescue

The Penguin hockey machine just keeps on truckin’ through the 2008 NHL Playoffs, even when the team doesn’t put in their best “A” game effort.  Led by captain Sidney Crosby and new to the lineup Max Talbot (after missing three games with a broken foot), the Pens doubled up on the Filthadelphia Flyers tonight 4-2, to take a 2-0 best of seven series lead in the Eastern Conference Final.  Crosby, who scored in his second straight game, already has as many goals in this series (2), as he had in the previous nine playoff games.  Fitting because he has flat out dominated the Flyers in his career.  Talbot was set up midway through the third on a fantastic pass by the ageless wonder “Scary” Gary Roberts to give the Pens the lead for good http://www.myxertones.com/ringtone:481222/, and Jordan Staal iced the game with an empty netter in the final minute.  It’s worth noting that Tyler Kennedy laid a pretty good beating on Scottie Upshall early in the game to give the Pens some life.  The scene now shifts to Philly for Games 3 & 4, with the Pens now owning an amazing 10-1 record in these playoffs.  One would think that if Pittsburgh can split in Flyer-land, it’s Stanley Cup Finals time!  Stay tuned.

 

Malkin Dominates Flyers In Game #1

The hockey world is starting to realize with each passing Pittsburgh Penguin playoff win, that Evgeni Malkin may be the best player on the planet.  With all the love (deserved) thrown at Sidney Crosby, Malkin continuely flew under the radar with his unbelievable play — not anymore.  Geno torched the Flyers for 2 goals (including a slapshot short-handed beauty http://www.myxertones.com/ringtone:478823/ ) an assist in the Pens 4-2 Game One win over their hated state-mates Filthadelphia at Mellon Arena tonight.  In fact after Philly took a brief 2-1 first period lead, the Pens basically shut them down the rest of the way, with little to no resistance.  Martha Biron looked shaky at times, and if this is the type of effort the Flyers are ready to give each game, this will be one quick series.  Game Two goes Sunday night in Pittsburgh, where the Pens have yet to lose in these playoffs (6-0).

 

State Trooper (May 6th-12th)

“Maybe you got a kid, maybe you got a pretty wife, the only thing that I got’s been both’rin’ me my whole life.  Mister state trooper, please don’t stop me, please don’t stop me, please don’t stop me”.

…tells the tale of a man on the run from the law…saw him perform it solo at the ACC during the Devils & Dust tour…he also had Canada’s Arcade Fire help him with the tune back in October in Ottawa during the first leg of the Magic Tour…