Lord Stanley's Cup

[Tony]

Mitch Albom (easily my favorite columnist) writes a great piece about the decision to start the Stanley Cup Finals with back to back games this weekend instead of the regularly scheduled start of June 5th;

http://www.freep.com/article/20090529/COL01/905290355/1082/Here+s+your+finals+--+what+s+your+hurry?

Other situations to consider include;

* Will the depth of the Red Wings continue to make a difference, or will injuries offset this advantage?
Will Dan Cleary (Newfoundland's own!) continue to star?

* Will Crosby and Malkin continue to dominate? (The no-look backhand goal by Malkin was sick!)
Or, will the defensive prowess of the Red Wings forwards inhibit their freewheeling style...like last year?

* Will handling the Conference Championship trophy (like Crosby did) be a bad omen...as many hockey purists think?
Or, is it better to avoid contact with it like Zetterburg did (and Lidstrom last year, and Yzerman in years past)?

*Who will be watching?


Some other random thoughts:

* Now that the Carolina posers and the Chicago youngsters have been dispatched with relative ease, I expect a very entertaining finals.

* The Marion Hossa storyline is fun, although as usual the media make way more out of it than the players.

* Speaking of storylines, I will gag if I hear that "the whole state of Michigan is counting on a Cup to lift its spirits".
When MSU was in the Final Four in Detroit they made a huge deal about "how important it was for the state" and I got real sick of hearing it.

* I'd love to see Detroit in four, but I'm predicting Detroit in six.

[Tony]

Somebody should tell Evgeni (NBC) Malkin that you're supposed to drop your stick before you fight.
The networks gush over you...but I say you suck.

The Pens are frustrated, even though (supposedly, and often-reminded to us by NBC) they had "learned a lot from last years' finals".
They are just not used to anyone playing the type of smothering defense the Wings are noted for.
Ever since Scotty Bowman , the Wings consistently have had the best "two-way" forwards in the league.

Helm, Abdelkater, Cleary, Ericsson, the depth of the Wings is incomparable.
Even the timeless warrior Chelios played some solid minutes against the Blackhawks.

Hossa, Zetterburg, and Ozzie are playing great!

I'm revising my prediction...split in Pittsburgh, hoist Lord Stanley's Cup in Hockeytown next weekend.

Anybody seen Sidney Crosby lately?



http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=C4&Dato=20090530&Kategori=SPORTS05&Lopenr=905300801&Ref=PH&Item=1&MaxW=600&MaxH=450&border=0&Quality=100

[Carl C]

Sweep:yes:

[wannabe]

Fleury is the difference in this series with his average play. Both these games could have gone either way. Go Wings !!!!!

[olredalert]

-------Its Monday morning and I just watched ESPNs game discussion and I couldnt believe it. They are so stilted the Pens direction its just stupid. They made Sundays game sound as if the Pens played the better more upstanding game and the Wings won it in some sort of undetermined underhanded way. ESPN now absolutley has NONE of my respect. Im not sure the talking heads have ever read the rule books or seriously watched a game!!!!!!!!!!!..........Bill S

[Carl C]

Bill, we sure noticed that too. I would've put the radio audio on if not for the slight time lag. The Wings will set them straight though, just like they did that moron who kept saying that the 'Hawks would come back and win the last series. Wow, two goals by albdekader, do you scratch him to put 'Drapes back in?

[Ghost]

Wings in 5

[boxy]

Somebody should tell Evgeni (NBC) Malkin that you're supposed to drop your stick before you fight.
The networks gush over you...but I say you suck.

The Pens are frustrated, even though (supposedly, and often-reminded to us by NBC) they had "learned a lot from last years' finals".
They are just not used to anyone playing the type of smothering defense the Wings are noted for.
Ever since Scotty Bowman , the Wings consistently have had the best "two-way" forwards in the league.

Helm, Abdelkater, Cleary, Ericsson, the depth of the Wings is incomparable.
Even the timeless warrior Chelios played some solid minutes against the Blackhawks.

Hossa, Zetterburg, and Ozzie are playing great!

I'm revising my prediction...split in Pittsburgh, hoist Lord Stanley's Cup in Hockeytown next weekend.

Anybody seen Sidney Crosby lately?






Sweep:yes:


Wings in 5



i smell a sweep, then on to pens for a rematch.
then to woodward for another parade


So exactly how do you get to the Mellon Arena from Woodward Ave ????

It was a great series played by 2 teams who I didn't think would make the Finals

[chappy]

Great series.

Detroit can hold their heads high. Class organization.

Happy for the Pens and Pittsburgh. Seeing Lemieux, who fought hard to keep them there, win on the ice and in a suit, had to be special for a lot of their fans.:)

[Cuda]

I'm from Florida where the land is flat, and the lakes don't freeze.