Pagin bobsticks.

[ForeverAutumn]

What time zone are you goons in? The game is tomorrow night!

[bobsticks]

I'm in Stary Oskol, Belgorod, Russia. When I fly home tomorrow, it'll be today...

[Swish]

What time zone are you goons in? The game is tomorrow night!

I had my nights mixed up and realized it shortly after commenting about Weeds, but I was too busy to correct myself last night. Weeds was on last night, of course, and the game tonight...unless you're bobsticks and living in Russia.

[ForeverAutumn]

I'm in Stary Oskol, Belgorod, Russia. When I fly home tomorrow, it'll be today...

So who won? I still have time to call Vegas and place my bet.

[ForeverAutumn]

Hoooo Boy. Game 7. I suspect that Swishy won't have any fingernails left by the end of the game. Me? I'm looking forward to watching a good tense game. I love game sevens! I love the electricity when everything is on the line. Especially when I don't have the personal tension of caring who wins (although I would really like to see the Pens take it).

[kexodusc]

Pittsburgh's 2nd goal should not have counted (a penalty should have been called on the play) but they completely out-hit and dominated the Wings for 2 periods. The home ice/line-matching game continues to be the single biggest factor in the series. Pittsburgh can get its stars on the ice at key times to wear down the Wings defence.

The 3rd period went in favor of the Wings, though Pittsburgh was obviously playing not to lose rather than to score so we'll discount that a bit - still they were outplayed and the Wings are showing they can adapt fast and match the Pen's speed.

Game 7 is going to be interesting.

At some point you have to think the Wings' strategy of shutting down Crosby will not work - sooner or later he beats every check. But they've been so incredibly good at it, hard to argue against going back to the same plan for game 7.

This series has now come down to every cliche in hockey:
Which goalie will make the key saves/let his team down?
Which stars will rise to the occassion (Zetterberg/Datsyuk vs Crosby/Malkin)
Which teams secondary scoring will tip the scales (Marian Hossa, where are you?)
Who wants it more?

The Wings caught a huge break with the extra day off. I think the wacky boards at the Joe will be the difference....Wings win game 7.

[ForeverAutumn]

You know what would be great? If they had shootouts in the playoffs.

Can you imagine game seven of the Stanley Cup series ending in a tie and then tying up the shootout after two shots each and then having the whole season come down to one shot?

That would be wicked!

[kexodusc]

You know what would be great? If they had shootouts in the playoffs.

Can you imagine game seven of the Stanley Cup series ending in a tie and then tying up the shootout after two shots each and then having the whole season come down to one shot?

That would be wicked!

They already have that - it's called the Olympics....

[Swish]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090602/BLOG2401/90602068

[bobsticks]

Wings win it...it's a lock...

[ForeverAutumn]

Wings in five...you heard it here.
...
Wings win it...it's a lock...

Hmmmmm. You don't know very much about hockey, do you?

[bobsticks]

Hmmmmm. You don't know very much about hockey, do you?

.
Clearly not....the Wings looked horrible....aged and half-drowsing through the second period and it cost them, and us, dearly. I'll probably go into seclusion for a few days. I can't stand the thought of Bettmen and his buttboy on the celebratory media run. At least it was painful for him.

In the spirit of sportsmanship congrats to Malkin and Talbot...and to Fleury for shaking the bagaboo...lotta talent on that team and they did play well...

...there's no smiley which aptly describes my feelings at this point

[kexodusc]

Not the result I wanted, but this year has been some of the best playoff hockey in quite some time. In hindsight - I think the series was decided by Babcock. By assigning Zetterberg to shut-down the Penguins' best player, he also took Zetterberg off his game a bit. Since Detroit's secondary scoring couldn't match Pittsburgh's, they lost.

The whole night I kept think about Marian Hossa. What an ass he must fell like today. Turns down more money from the Pens to win with Detroit, only to lose to the Pens.

I don't like how the team was built, but anyone that wins it is deserving. It took Crosby 4 years to win a Cup. A 2nd Staal has a ring. Fleury has silenced the doubters, and Malkin has some ammo to stick in the face of his enemy in Washington now.

I question how long the team can stay together with Gonchar getting on, Guerin likely to leave, and a slew of young talent soon to look for their 2nd and 3rd contracts. But then again, Crosby, Malkin, Staal etc are nowhere near reaching their primes yet so we might have to get used to this...ugh...

As for Detroit, they'll still be good, but I think we've seen the beginning of the end of an era there.

I will subscribe to any theory that this year's playoffs were rigged.

[Swish]

Wings win it...it's a lock...

Oh, and don't give up your day job.

[Swish]

.
Clearly not....the Wings looked horrible....aged and half-drowsing through the second period and it cost them, and us, dearly. I'll probably go into seclusion for a few days. I can't stand the thought of Bettmen and his buttboy on the celebratory media run. At least it was painful for him.

In the spirit of sportsmanship congrats to Malkin and Talbot...and to Fleury for shaking the bagaboo...lotta talent on that team and they did play well...

...there's no smiley which aptly describes my feelings at this point

I forgot all about it. My mind was on the Hershey Bears playing for their league record 10th Calder Cup, and they won of course. I was a Bears fanatic when they were the Flyers AAA team. Now that they're aligned with the Capitals, it makes it difficult when their players move up to the bigs and I have to root against them. Oh, well. Such is life.

[bobsticks]

Oh, and don't give up your day job.

I didn't...you'll know when I do...won some ducketts playin' golf though and am eternally grateful I didn't stick a load on UFC 99....

[bobsticks]

I forgot all about it. My mind was on the Hershey Bears playing for their league record 10th Calder Cup, and they won of course. I was a Bears fanatic when they were the Flyers AAA team. Now that they're aligned with the Capitals, it makes it difficult when their players move up to the bigs and I have to root against them. Oh, well. Such is life.

I miss The Sheriff. Life is a little duller, a little less full with him gone from the public eye.

[kexodusc]

OUCH! Pronger for Luca Sbisa, Joffrey Lupul, two first-round picks and a conditional third-round pick in 2010 or 2011.
That's a bit more than double what the Ducks wanted for him at the trade deadline. I like Pronger, but Sbisa and Lupul alone would have been plenty at this stage of his career.

Either this deal makes the Phantoms the best team in the AHL or Holmgren's obviously not done dealing because the Flyers have cap problems more than any other team for the next few years...

Still...this makes the Flyers a slightly better team next year. Pressure's on.

There is one intangible - Pronger might be able to teach Coburn how to play a bit meaner game while still being effective. That isn't inconsequential. Coburn's a good one.

[bobsticks]

Um...yeah...I too suspect there's more to this one than what appears on the surface. I would imagine that you're seeing the first step in a multi-player deal that'll bring Phili a world-class goalie. Not sure how thar plays out but, for Swishy's sake, I refuse to believe that the Philadelphia heirarchy hasn't learned from what I call the "Hatcher Syndrome".

Btw, I agree completely with your assessment of Coburn...a true sleeper that needs only some motivation and wise words to break to the next level. True dat.

[Swish]

OUCH! Pronger for Luca Sbisa, Joffrey Lupul, two first-round picks and a conditional third-round pick in 2010 or 2011.
That's a bit more than double what the Ducks wanted for him at the trade deadline. I like Pronger, but Sbisa and Lupul alone would have been plenty at this stage of his career.

Either this deal makes the Phantoms the best team in the AHL or Holmgren's obviously not done dealing because the Flyers have cap problems more than any other team for the next few years...

Still...this makes the Flyers a slightly better team next year. Pressure's on.

There is one intangible - Pronger might be able to teach Coburn how to play a bit meaner game while still being effective. That isn't inconsequential. Coburn's a good one.

Pronger is 34 and in his prime, but how many more years can he go at his current level? 4 or 5 years at most? I'm sure they would be pleased if he helped them win one cup, but they have other needs too, like a goalie. I like your comments regarding Coburn, and the Flyers have so much young talent that they're almost bursting at the seams. They just need better players on defense, and Pronger will elevate things for sure.

[kexodusc]

Pronger is 34 and in his prime, but how many more years can he go at his current level? 4 or 5 years at most? I'm sure they would be pleased if he helped them win one cup, but they have other needs too, like a goalie. I like your comments regarding Coburn, and the Flyers have so much young talent that they're almost bursting at the seams. They just need better players on defense, and Pronger will elevate things for sure.

Just to put things into perspective, Pronger is 10 years removed from his MVP season, and a minimum of 2 years removed from his prime. This ain't the old Chris Pronger you're getting...he's no longer a lock for Team Canada at the Olympics and there's a reason the Ducks decided to chase the older Neidermeyer and Beachemin than stick with the guarantee of Pronger. He's slowing down a lot. Common for guys that play his type of game...he has been reasonaby healthy though, and even though he's no longer a superstar, he's still damn good makes them an early favorite in my mind. This move looks like it was made just to help the Flyers beat Pittsburgh. It could work.

He's still got 1 or 2 good years left in him as a top pair defenceman and he brings it for the playoffs. He's one of the few players whose game improves when the games mean more. I don't know if his defensive numbers will hold up as well in the East playing the likes of Crosby and Ovechkin in a much faster more wide open conference. He's not going to get top play 20 games against cannon fodder opponents in LA, Phoenix, and Dallas next year to pad his stats, either. He's in a much tougher division now. Even the Islanders can't help but be better this year.

Sometimes you have to mortgage the future to go for it today though. I like that the Flyers had the balls to go for it.

The only problem the Flyers have is the question of who they're going to have to give away - I really thought we would have seen Briere or Gagne dealt for picks this weekend to partially replace what they lost in the deal for Pronger. Sort of makes it a Briere for Pronger swap if/when that happens. They might need to send guys to the AHL until the trade deadline if something doesn't happen soon. If the cap doesn't go up next year they're going to have a hard time keeping their talent together. I think Pronger is just a 1-year rental for them. They're going to go for the Cup this year. Windows of opportunity are too small now and they're as good a pick as any going into next year.

I don't think we'll see them snag a goalie like Bob says...they have no cap room for anything better than the cheap Ray Emery, even after they unload Gagne/Briere. And any team that has a quality starter isn't giving it away. Emery should be good enough to not lose big games for them. The Flyers are good and deep enough to win with him if things go right. Pronger will clear the loose rebounds the Pens fed off of this spring.

I expect the deal to happen shortly after Free Agent season begins July 1. Once teams strike out with the big forwards they'll call Philadelphia for one of their forwards.

I'm curious to see what Pittsburgh does to respond. They could really use a guy like Pronger themselves, but lots of rumours of them going after Gaborik.

[bobsticks]

I don't think we'll see them snag a goalie like Bob says....

I forgot about Cocaine Ray...

[kexodusc]

deal that'll bring Phili a world-class goalie

Genius! Bobby Styxx called Boucher...the NHL's all-time record holder for most consecutive shut-outs, as I recall.


How do you do it?

[kexodusc]

I forgot about Cocaine Ray...

They don't call him "Razor" because of his skating...

[bobsticks]

Genius! Bobby Styxx called Boucher...the NHL's all-time record holder for most consecutive shut-outs, as I recall.


How do you do it?

M'kay...I feel your sarcasm...I've read your book, you magnificent bastage...

Anything that puts Esche and Nitty on the pavement is a good thing. Laperriere will be a good fit too.