Pens vs. Wings II

It's appropriate that the Penguins are being compared to the early Gretzky led Oilers. Crosby has been hyped as the "Next One" since he was 10 years old. The Oilers lost their first Cup attempt to the veteran and savvy Islanders. That is a mirror of last season's Penguins against the Red Wings. Both sets of teams re-matched in the Cup Final the next season.

 

I've said before that the Penguins are not a better team than last year and the Red Wings arguably are, assuming full rosters. But Detroit doesn't have a full roster. The Winged Wheel was able to win two big games against the Blackhawks without Lidstrom and Datsyuk. They finished the series last night without Eriksson and Draper as well. It's a testament to the Red Wings, their system and organization that a team can win without 4 key players. The Red Wings often expect and get key performances from all four lines as they go deep in the playoffs. They seldom rely on one uber-skilled line, yet can put one together if the need arises. But I think they need some fast healing to effectively deal with the Penguins.

 

That's where the NHL comes in. The Finals start this Saturday. That's a pretty quick turnaround, even for the NHL. The original plan was to start next weekend; but 10 days is WAY too long of a layoff. So, I guess I have to agree with the scheduling, even though it handicaps the Red Wings. In an effort to get some sort of TV ratings, there will be back-to-back games. I'm not on board for that. If TV was that important to the NHL they should have cut a deal with ESPN and not Versus.

 

I'm just hoping that scheduling doesn't cheat the hardcore hockey fan (me) from a great series. Injuries are definitely a big part of the NHL playoffs and I accept that. But that day-off between games is pretty important for both teams, but especially the Red Wings at this point. It could mean the difference between getting a top forward, defenseman, veteran grinder, or rookie back into the lineup.

 

Eriksson underwent an emergency appendectomy yesterday morning, which allowed Chelios into the game. But he is possible for Game 1 this Saturday. Wow. That's pretty hardcore.

 

I'm still calling Red Wings. A lot will depend on the injury situation and how it plays out. But regardless, I still like Detroit. I see them better in all areas except penalty killing, which has been down this year. Crosby and Malkin may steal a game or two. But the Wings should win the series. Ultimately, it should come down to Detroit containing the Penguins stars, and outworking Pittsburgh. While the Pens are not able to deal with Detroit's depth and powerplay.

Cup Finals Revisited

It was all Red Wings, in a 6-1 blowout. Since I was out of town, I'm only going by Sportscenter highlights, I will watch the Tivo'd game tonight. But it was a golden opportunity for the Blackhawks. Lidstrom and Datsyuk were both out due to injury. The Blackhawks were playing at home. Apparently, Khabi was injured and didn't play. Huet had a chance to prove his worth. A golden opportunity.

 

Huet laid an egg. The 'Hawks even went to their third string goalie in an attempt to gain momentum. I think it was a desperate move. It went horribly wrong for a young team that needed a big win. Chicago faces elimination tomorrow. While the Hurricanes face the end of their season tonight.

 

It's looking more and more like a re-load of last year's Cup final with the Red Wings and Penguins all over again. I'm sure Bettman would love to see his poster boy, Crosby, in the Final for the second year in a row. I can already see the sub-plots being hyped: Hossa and Conklin both former Peguins being signed by Detroit over last summer, facing their former team.

 

As for me? Not so crazy about this. I don't really feel a huge rivalry between these teams. I think most of the drama was felt last year. I also think the Red Wings have improved their team more than the Penguins. So, there's little intrigue for me. At least the Conference Final series are not officially over just yet. So there's hope. But not much hope.

Puck Luck

If I were to read the write-up of last night's game, it would probably say: "Despite getting outshot, out hit and taking a few too many penalties it was the team that pounced on a few turnovers and cashed them into goals, that won." I would also assume that the Blackhawks won. That's not the case. I think the Red Wings were fortunate to win last night and Osgood was at the top of his game. The 'Hawks only scored on a couple re-directed pucks. But they came out hard and played a smart, defensive game. A very solid road game. But ultimately, they still didn't get the win.

That said, the 'Wings were due for one. The Ducks won 2 games last series that they had no business winning. This game wasn't nearly as lop-sided as those, but Detroit was bound to get a game to go their way. It's too bad. I didn't think the 'Hawks could play such a tight game and it should be an even series right now. I think they will open things up playing at home in Chicago and that may not be such a good thing.

Ravage

This is about the coolest USB dongle EVER! (I could be a tad impartial since I had the original Transformer toy)

 

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/transformers-usb-flash-drive-is-ready-to-ravage-your-files-brin/

1-0 Red Wings

Well, I'm a bit conflicted about yesterday's game. On one hand it was a convincing 5-2 victory. But the 'Hawks stuck around until the third period, tied 2-2. Both Khabi and Osgood had a shaky early goal. And yet Osgood made all the crucial stops and Khabi ended-up with 42 saves. Ultimately, the 'Hawks had their young guns contained. I think depth and patience won out. That will probably be the story in most of these games.

 

On the flip side, I haven't seen much scoring from Datsyuk and Zetterburg and Holmstrom. All three have played very solid games, especially on the defensive end. But the points aren't coming. I think this speaks volumes about the Red Wings. They don't rely on offense from only one line. In fact, Zetterburg made three crucial shot blocks in a 5-on-3 against the Ducks in game 7. Most superstars offensive players aren't even on the ice at that time.

 

Lakers made it through. All the former Ducks fans can jump onto that bandwagon.