The Official Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

[CrazyCarl40]

Is that as classless as the hit on Franzen?

Roberts shouldn't have done that, but in all fairness, if Franzen isn't wanting to get hurt he should stay on the sidelines. Osgood was diving every chance he got. This series kind of looks like the old NHL where clutching and grabbing was allowed.

Not complaining, just want it called both ways.

And JadeGreen, even without a few "favorable" calls their way the Penguins were obviously the class of the East. You don't lose only 2 games in 3 rounds because of great luck and beneficial calls, which are really a joke.

[Jade Green]

Roberts shouldn't have done that, but in all fairness, if Franzen isn't wanting to get hurt he should stay on the sidelines. Osgood was diving every chance he got. This series kind of looks like the old NHL where clutching and grabbing was allowed.

Not complaining, just want it called both ways.

And JadeGreen, even without a few "favorable" calls their way the Penguins were obviously the class of the East. You don't lose only 2 games in 3 rounds because of great luck and beneficial calls, which are really a joke.

I never said that was the reason, but they got every call to boot. I wonder why?

Why worry about me, worry about your team getting a goal in the finals already.

[Mavrik]

Roberts shouldn't have done that, but in all fairness, if Franzen isn't wanting to get hurt he should stay on the sidelines. Osgood was diving every chance he got. This series kind of looks like the old NHL where clutching and grabbing was allowed.

Not complaining, just want it called both ways.

And JadeGreen, even without a few "favorable" calls their way the Penguins were obviously the class of the East. You don't lose only 2 games in 3 rounds because of great luck and beneficial calls, which are really a joke.

I'm sorry, but there's a clear difference between diving and trying to put someone in the hospital. There's also a clear difference between getting hit with a clean check and someone coming up from behind you and punching you in the face. Saying "if he didn't want to get hurt, then he should have stayed on the sidelines" is like saying Steve Moore had it coming to him from Todd Bertuzzi a few years back because "he should have stayed off the ice if he didn't want to get hurt". What Roberts did was gutless and if a Wing did it to someone on the Pens who just got back from a concussion, I would expect the same reaction.

The Penguins need to stop whining about what doesn't go their way and worry about playing hockey. That's why they're losing.

[Jade Green]

Thanks for clearing that up Mavrik, I figured Crazy Carl's explanation was ridiculous.

Sounds like it was a dispictable move by Roberts, SHOCKER!!!

[Gainzo]

Yup, buttman is a disgrace, he and his love for cindy has made the nhl a joke.

I would not be suprised if the wings sweep.

buttman & cindy? Your immaturity is embarrassing.

[faba]

Detroit has simply outplayed the Pens -simple as that no need to go looking for excuses.

[Jade Green]

buttman & cindy? Your immaturity is embarrassing.

As if I care what you think Gonzo.

[Gainzo]

As if I care what you think Gonzo.

Gonzo. Yet another example of you being under the age of 18.

[Jade Green]

Gonzo. Yet another example of you being under the age of 18.

Yet you respond to everything I post, grown up.

[Gainzo]

Yet you respond to everything I post, grown up.

What bizarro world do you live in? Don't you have a spygate thread to post in?

[CrazyCarl40]

I'm sorry, but there's a clear difference between diving and trying to put someone in the hospital. There's also a clear difference between getting hit with a clean check and someone coming up from behind you and punching you in the face. Saying "if he didn't want to get hurt, then he should have stayed on the sidelines" is like saying Steve Moore had it coming to him from Todd Bertuzzi a few years back because "he should have stayed off the ice if he didn't want to get hurt". What Roberts did was gutless and if a Wing did it to someone on the Pens who just got back from a concussion, I would expect the same reaction.

The Penguins need to stop whining about what doesn't go their way and worry about playing hockey. That's why they're losing.

Franzen did a ton of acting on that too. Roberts barely touched him.

[war ensemble]

Franzen did a ton of acting on that too. Roberts barely touched him.

Are you serious? The man just came came back from post-cuncussion syndrome and you're accusing him of acting after being punched in the face nowhere near the puck? That makes no sense at all.

[nyjetsjetsjets]

hahaha, gotta love it being here in pittsburgh.

[CrazyCarl40]

Are you serious? The man just came came back from post-cuncussion syndrome and you're accusing him of acting after being punched in the face nowhere near the puck? That makes no sense at all.

I don't see what the correlation is between his injury and the acting. He did get hit, but not nearly hard enough to flop around like that. In fact.t was such a devastating punch that there was no penalty on it. Roberts was finishing a check and got up high. Franzen acted as if he was hit by Mike Tyson full on. Give me a break.

[Sharrow]

First of all, the Pens got beat in two games against a better team. Thats a fact. Doesn't mean they can't come back in the series, but the reason they lost is painfully obvious after watching the last two games.

Second of all, Bugg and Jade are both tools. Keep making up excuses and conspiracy theories to dry up all your tears after your team got beat handily by the Pens in 5 games. The team is probably out on the links enjoying themselves and you are still crybabying about it. Jade, you admitted that you didn't watch any of the Detroit/Pens series and saying that the Pens "got every call" in the Rangers series proves that you didn't watch any of the games in that series either. You're not even a real hockey fan, why are you wasting our time being a troll on this board?

Third, I can't say I condone going after a guy coming off an injury like that but you can't expect players to take it easy on someone just because he's coming back from an injury. I agree with Carl, if he isn't healed enough, he shouldn't be out there. It wasn't a big shot he gave him either, it looked to me like a pretty weak shot and that there was a little bit of hesitation before Franzen went down, and he stayed lying there a bit long imo, so yeah I think he embellished it a little too. I don't blame him though, you shouldn't be going after a guy like that after coming back from an injury. But they're playing for the cup; if he's back on the ice, you have to assume that he's completely healed and treat it like he did it to any other player. Its not like it was bare knuckle or anything, those gloves are pretty thick. Punches aren't really an uncommon thing in hockey either.

[nyjetsjetsjets]

I don't see what the correlation is between his injury and the acting. He did get hit, but not nearly hard enough to flop around like that. In fact.t was such a devastating punch that there was no penalty on it. Roberts was finishing a check and got up high. Franzen acted as if he was hit by Mike Tyson full on. Give me a break.

yep, the pens are just getting their asses handed to them

[CrazyCarl40]

yep, the pens are just getting their asses handed to them

Never said that they weren't. I think you'll see a much better game out of the Pens tonight. Detroit has had trouble closing teams out. This series is far from over.

[nyjetsjetsjets]

Never said that they weren't. I think you'll see a much better game out of the Pens tonight. Detroit has had trouble closing teams out. This series is far from over.

yeah, i think i heard the same thing from sidney when he was crying on tv last night.

[Mavrik]

Franzen did a ton of acting on that too. Roberts barely touched him.

This is a joke right? You do know the difference between a check and a punch? Just because the guy is out there in spite of the fact that he previously has an injury (which I'm sure if he were a Penguin, you'd be applauding his strong determination) doesn't justify intentionally going after his head with a punch. If he gets injured with a clean check, then I won't sit here in argue. But you apparently know less about hockey than I thought if you honestly think that was Roberts finishing a check and not a punch.

Funny too, because just about everything I've read agrees that it was a chickensh*t move, including your city's own newspaper.

Reputations falling as fast as Penguins

Roberts' punch to Franzen's head was team's low point

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

DETROIT -- Sidney Crosby hasn't scored a goal since Mother's Day.

Evgeni Malkin skates in quicksand.

Ryan Malone can't function unless he's under the world's largest formerly retractable stainless steel roof.

And that Marian Hossa trade so widely hailed? Did it really happen? I mean, is he here?

Marc-Andre Fleury looks as though he could jump out of his skin, at least the portion of it he didn't leave on the ice with that memorable entrance in Game 1.

It's not just that the Penguins are losing badly in the Stanley Cup final, reputations are being lost as well. Unless they want to be remembered for nothing more accomplished than Gary Roberts' awful, chicken-scat cheap shot left hook to the temple of concussion-recovering Johan Franzen, some kind of magical adjustment that currently seems beyond their capability is needed before 8 p.m. tomorrow.

If all that weren't embarrassing enough, Penguins coach Michel Therrien was intent on blaming the officials, who are about the 82nd most impactful architects of this 2-0 well the Penguins find themselves in.

"They're good at obstruction," Therrien said of the impending Stanley Cup champions. "It's going to be tough to generate any offense if the rules [are going to be enforced] the same. It's the first time we've faced a team where the obstruction is there. We took two penalties against the goaltender. We never do that. He's a good actor. He's diving. He did the same thing against Dallas."

This is merely Therrien's way of trying to take some heat off his stars, ultra-profile forces suddenly reduced to non-entities by Detroit's near flawless backchecking. It can't be their fault. He can't lose them now, so it has got to be somebody else's fault. At least he didn't blame the octopi.

"I think our guys just realize it's the opportunity of a lifetime," said Detroit coach Mike Bab****. "You've got to be jacked up to play against these guys. Malkin is a candidate for the Hart Trophy. Malkin and Hossa and [Jordan] Staal, we've got to shut those people down if we're going to win."

Asked about how the Red Wings were neutralizing Crosby, Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom actually said, "Who?"

Didn't mean to be flip. He just didn't hear the question. When it was repeated, he explained the whole clinical process.

"I'm working my [butt] off out there trying to keep up with Crosby and Hossa," he said.

Pranksters might have awakened the Penguins by activating the fire alarm at their hotel at 1:30 a.m., but the fellas were fast asleep again by 8:15 p.m., which just happened to be game time.

Having slept fitfully through a miserable third period at Joe Louis Arena Saturday night, managing the somnambulant total of three shots on goal, the Penguins seemed determined to get through a period entirely shotless before the end of the Stanley Cup final, now approaching rapidly.

Nothing but nothing could awaken them, not even Niklas Kronwall's thunderous hit on Jarkko Ruutu along the boards three minutes after the opening faceoff.

In Game 2, the Red Wings had eight shots before the Penguins had even one, and two of those found the net behind Fleury. Sergei Gonchar's power-play chance nearly 12 minutes into the first period was the first time anyone noticed that goalie Chris Osgood had reported for work.

When the first period ended, the Penguins had gone 95 minutes, 57 seconds since they last scored a goal. Perhaps you recall it. Early in the third period against Philadelphia nine days ago?

Naw, me neither.

It's now 135 minutes and change, if you're still interested.

Unless the Red Wings fall on their faces, the degree of difficulty for the Penguins in this championship round has just tripled. It was only when Red Wings defenseman Andreas Lilja fell to all fours in his own zone that the Penguins got a first-rate scoring chance late in period two. Roberts collected the puck and fed it to Staal, who fired it at Osgood, collected the rebound, backhanded it again, and got nothing.

There's a lot of talk about goalie equipment surrounding the final, but no one has said out loud that Osgood seems to have a mattress and box spring in front of the Detroit goal. Of course he doesn't, otherwise the Penguins would be all over it, tucked in for the night.

Still, Staal's appearance in the slot ended a long stretch in which the Penguins appeared to abandon the center of the offensive end. Like real Penguins in those Discovery Channel shows, they're standing around on the edge of the ice flow, waiting for something I could identify if I'd just stay off the mute button.

We all might have a lot more time for that kind of programming by the weekend.

[Jade Green]

First of all, the Pens got beat in two games against a better team. Thats a fact. Doesn't mean they can't come back in the series, but the reason they lost is painfully obvious after watching the last two games.

Second of all, Bugg and Jade are both tools. Keep making up excuses and conspiracy theories to dry up all your tears after your team got beat handily by the Pens in 5 games. The team is probably out on the links enjoying themselves and you are still crybabying about it. Jade, you admitted that you didn't watch any of the Detroit/Pens series and saying that the Pens "got every call" in the Rangers series proves that you didn't watch any of the games in that series either. You're not even a real hockey fan, why are you wasting our time being a troll on this board?

Third, I can't say I condone going after a guy coming off an injury like that but you can't expect players to take it easy on someone just because he's coming back from an injury. I agree with Carl, if he isn't healed enough, he shouldn't be out there. It wasn't a big shot he gave him either, it looked to me like a pretty weak shot and that there was a little bit of hesitation before Franzen went down, and he stayed lying there a bit long imo, so yeah I think he embellished it a little too. I don't blame him though, you shouldn't be going after a guy like that after coming back from an injury. But they're playing for the cup; if he's back on the ice, you have to assume that he's completely healed and treat it like he did it to any other player. Its not like it was bare knuckle or anything, those gloves are pretty thick. Punches aren't really an uncommon thing in hockey either.

You my freind are clueless, I have not watched the finals because the extended cindy coverage makes me sick. I shed no tears this, I never thought the Rangers were all that good at all this season. The pens got a bulk of the calls, and the missed calls went heavily in their favor too, those are the facts, people all over the world saw it, it's not my fault you are a drenched in denial and blind. Now you cry over Franzen over reacting, please are you the pot or the kettle, get a life.

[Jade Green]

This is a joke right? You do know the difference between a check and a punch? Just because the guy is out there in spite of the fact that he previously has an injury (which I'm sure if he were a Penguin, you'd be applauding his strong determination) doesn't justify intentionally going after his head with a punch. If he gets injured with a clean check, then I won't sit here in argue. But you apparently know less about hockey than I thought if you honestly think that was Roberts finishing a check and not a punch.

Funny too, because just about everything I've read agrees that it was a chickensh*t move, including your city's own newspaper.

He does not now jack sh*t, he is a retarded penqueens fan, the most fair weather in all of sports!!!

[Jade Green]

What bizarro world do you live in? Don't you have a spygate thread to post in?

Why are you so interested in me, I don't go that way talk to your boy ALK.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I heard that Sidney Crosby is on the injury report for Game 3 with a Yeast Infection.

Penguins fans are showing their true colors and the Penguins themselves are realizing that, gasp, they're not as good as advertised. Quit your crying already for Christ's sake. The Penguins are getting outplayed in every aspect of the game and if you knew $hit about hockey you'd realize it.

You're a Jets fan, you should be able to immediately recognize a choke job when you see one. The Jets have been doing it for 40 years.

[Jade Green]

A yeast infection!!!

[Jade Green]

I heard that Sidney Crosby is on the injury report for Game 3 with a Yeast Infection.

Penguins fans are showing their true colors and the Penguins themselves are realizing that, gasp, they're not as good as advertised. Quit your crying already for Christ's sake. The Penguins are getting outplayed in every aspect of the game and if you knew $hit about hockey you'd realize it.

You're a Jets fan, you should be able to immediately recognize a choke job when you see one. The Jets have been doing it for 40 years.

POTW!!!

[124]

As I said before the Finals, even Conference Finals ever started, Detroit is going to humiliate whoever steps in their path. I predicted it go six or seven games beacuse of Pittsburgh's play at home, but now I'm not so sure if it will go five games.

Detroit is just too good and finally put all the pieces together.

[faba]

I heard that Sidney Crosby is on the injury report for Game 3 with a Yeast Infection.

Penguins fans are showing their true colors and the Penguins themselves are realizing that, gasp, they're not as good as advertised. Quit your crying already for Christ's sake. The Penguins are getting outplayed in every aspect of the game and if you knew $hit about hockey you'd realize it.

You're a Jets fan, you should be able to immediately recognize a choke job when you see one. The Jets have been doing it for 40 years.

The familiar has returned - the Jets have not even come close to choking- first they have to reach the big game.

[CrazyCarl40]

He does not now jack sh*t, he is a retarded pens fan, the most fair weather in all of sports!!!

Name calling. Nice. Fair weather? Right. Check the baseball board for all those Yankee fans who are keeping up hope.

they're not as good as advertised.

I stopped reading there. If the Penguins are the best team in the East, and they were by a substantial playoff run, then it just goes to show you how weak everyone else is in the Eastern Conference.

And as far as Roberts/Franzen is concerned, Franzen didn't even miss a shift and there was no penalty. That about sums it up right there.

[Jade Green]

Check the baseball board for all those Yankee fans who are keeping up hope.

You mean the 11 playoff seasons in a row, more championships than anyone Yankees? Those Yankees?

I think you are more used to we need a good team or we won't show, and go bankrupt fair weather fan type teams, you know.

[CrazyCarl40]

You mean the 11 playoff seasons in a row, more championships than anyone Yankees? Those Yankees?

I think you are more used to we need a good team or we won't show, and go bankrupt fair weather fan type teams, you know.

It's kind of hard for me to show up for Penguins games when I live, oh, 7 hours away. And as far as being fairweather, I drove 4 hours to Boston to watch one of Trot Nixon's last games as a Red Sox in 06 when the Sox were no long in playoff contention.

So, in conclusion you have no idea what you're talking about. In fact, I have no idea why a fan of a team who got their backsides handed to them by the Penguins would be here talking crap in the first place.

[Jade Green]

It's kind of hard for me to show up for Penguins games when I live, oh, 7 hours away. And as far as being fairweather, I drove 4 hours to Boston to watch one of Trot Nixon's last games as a Red Sox in 06 when the Sox were no long in playoff contention.

So, in conclusion you have no idea what you're talking about. In fact, I have no idea why a fan of a team who got their backsides handed to them by the Penguins would be here talking crap in the first place.

I'm not talking crap, so you live in Ohio what's the city where the team actually plays excuse? You know that dive they call the burgh.

Like I said I did not think the Rangers were all that good this year congrats on beating a sub par team, in a series that has been proclimed as one of the poorest officiated series ever by the entire hockey community outside of debbie and fishstick fans and anyone with cindy's C0CK on ther mind.

Stop worrying about me, worry about if your team will score finally, they are getting their asses handed to them, I herad your boy cindy's Pu$$y hurts.

[Dr. Strangelove]

If the Penguins are the best team in the East, and they were by a substantial playoff run, then it just goes to show you how weak everyone else is in the Eastern Conference.

Thank you for validating my point. After sand bagging their finish to avoid having to play Washington and a red hot (and significantly better than Crosby) Alexander Ovechkin, by your own admission, the Penguins "routed" vastly inferior talent en route to the Eastern Conference berth in the Stanley Cup Finals. Therefore, with your aforementioned admission as substantial proof, the Penguins "routing" of their opponents in the first three rounds speaks highly of their substandard competition versus their overall superiority. You're basically saying that the Penguins are the class nerd who feels rough and tough every so often by picking on the kids in the wheelchairs.

[CrazyCarl40]

Thank you for validating my point. After sand bagging their finish to avoid having to play Washington and a red hot (and significantly better than Crosby) Alexander Ovechkin,.

When you make ridiculous comments like this, I stop reading your posts. The Penguins sandbagged their finish to avoid Washington? How so? The Penguins lost their last game of the season and rested a few guys who had injuries over the course of the season. And then to avoid Washington? A team they were 3-1 (Shootout loss) against in the regular season. You are just talking out of something other than your mouth right now.

Oh, and yes Ovechkin is a better goal scorer than Crosby. Crosby, however, is the more complete hockey player.

[Jade Green]

When you make ridiculous comments like this, I stop reading your posts. The Penguins sandbagged their finish to avoid Washington? How so? The Penguins lost their last game of the season and rested a few guys who had injuries over the course of the season. And then to avoid Washington? A team they were 3-1 (Shootout loss) against in the regular season. You are just talking out of something other than your mouth right now.

Oh, and yes Ovechkin is a better goal scorer than Crosby. Crosby, however, is the more complete hockey player.

THE TRUTH HURTS!!!

[Jade Green]

When you make ridiculous comments like this, I stop reading your posts. The Penguins sandbagged their finish to avoid Washington? How so? The Penguins lost their last game of the season and rested a few guys who had injuries over the course of the season. And then to avoid Washington? A team they were 3-1 (Shootout loss) against in the regular season. You are just talking out of something other than your mouth right now.

Oh, and yes Ovechkin is a better goal scorer than Crosby. Crosby, however, is the more complete hockey player.

You were 3-1 against them before the trade deadline, the were red hot down the stretch, nice try.

You have not scored a goal in the first 2 games of the finals, don't fogert to beat your chest about being the class of the east.

Ovechkin is a way better player than cindy who is not better all around.

She is a better play maker that's it, she also is surrounded by more talent so even that is skewed, her physical game is not even close, she is a bitch next to Ovechkin.