On-going NHL PLAYOFFS '12 thread

[Sinclair Promotions]

Both the Canucks & Penguins are facing elimination after going down 3-0 in their opening rounds series.

The Canucks were beaten 1-0 by LA in game three with the series shifting to LA

The Penguins were doubled up 8-4 in game three with that series now in Philly. In the last two games the Penguins have been outscored 16-11.

[Shon Maxx]

Wow, what a Flyers/Pens game! 133 penalty minutes, 7 gues (4 Flyers, 3 Pens) thrown out of the game! I think at the end, the Pens stopped caring about scoring and were just trying to raise their morale while knocking down Flyers' morale. We'll find out in Game 4 if it actually worked.

BTW, I know Fleury wasn't happy about being pulled, but it's actually a good idea. If the Pens manage to turn things around, they're going to need him rested and recovered.

That all being said, one more game, Flyers, and you can rest for a bit. Too bad I have to be up early the next day.

[Matt]

The Penguins are a train-wreck of a team right now. Total state of disarray, led by the head whiner himself (Crosby). Can't believe Bylsma let his team get that out of control.

And if (when) Vancouver gets ko'ed in the first round, well, at least their city won't burn to the ground this year since no one really riots over a first round loss (although maybe that's cool to do in Vancouver idk...)

[swarm]

The Pens are getting destroyed mostly thanks to Fluery having some kind of god damned nervous breakdown or something. I don't know what it going on. But watching the Pens pound on the Flyers physically, including King Sid himself beating the piss out of some guy, made the loss just a tinier bit easier to take. Despite being an admitted Pens fanatic, I really admire and respect the Flyers. I love the toughness. We don't normally get that kind of hockey here in Detroit, home of the figure skaters on ice. The Pens-Flyers series, despite my Pens being down 0-3 has been the most I've enjoyed hockey since Crosby hoisted the Cup in the Joe.

Watching Smashville beating up on that blabber mouth Zetterburg and the Wings doing absolutely nothing about it has also been great fun. Well, Bertuzzi tried for revenge but he more or less romanced Weber with a backward skate rather than fight him.

If the Flyers out the Pens they become by B pick in the East. If Vancouver drops to the Kings I'll take the winner of Preds vs Wings in the West as my B picks.

[payback]

Pens - Flyers has been one of the most entertaining hockey series I've ever watched. There is very little goaltending on either team going on but you don't even realize it most of the time because of all the big hits and fights.

The Flyers are definitely in the Pens' heads and it has been their undoing. Anytime you get Crosby focussed on fighting, you've won. He's most deadly when he's focussed on scoring goals. I can't believe Sid would even entertain fighting with his recent concussion episodes. That's why when he pulled that Flyer from behind to try and get him to fight near the end of the game, one of the other Pens took over and fought.

Definite blood feud between these 2 teams. Great to watch.

I wouldn't want to be Brendan Shanahan right now. Between Pens - Flyers and what happened between the Rangers and Senators, Shanny's got a lot of fines/suspensions to hand out.

This is great for hockey though. Can't wait to see what happens the rest of the way.

[Sickman]

I thought the same as you Payback about Crosby. Guy has been out most of the season because of concussion issues and he's trying to fight? Not smart.

[Sinclair Promotions]

While I agree that Crosby can be one of the biggest cry baby's in the league, I do respect him for being a captain and stepping up and doing everything in his power to make his team better.

When Crosby was first named Captain I thought it was the biggest mistake the Penguins could make at the time. There are very few players like Steve Yzerman who can step into that role and be successful. I think that despite the concussion issues Crosby has been a decent captain up til this point, now he's starting to become a great one in my eyes.

[Matt]

Steve Yzerman would never have done the "push the glove away with the stick" act. That's 12 year old behavior. Crosby is not a great captain. I won't bag on Sid for his leadership too much, as up to this series, as a captain I think he's been ok. But he's not a "great" captain IMO and looking just at the last 3 games, he's been a terrible captain.

[Matt]

I loved Shanny when he played here, but I'm getting tired of his 'dartboard' suspensions. 3 games to Shaw, but Lucic got none earlier in the year and of course Weber got none for the turnbuckle shot. Much like with the officiating (or lack of it based on some of the incidents already in the playoffs), I just want to see some consistency. Shouldn't be too much to ask.

[swarm]

Apr 16, 2012 14:52:21 GMT -5 Sickman said:

I thought the same as you Payback about Crosby. Guy has been out most of the season because of concussion issues and he's trying to fight? Not smart.

I of course cannot speak for Crosby or the mind-set of anyone else but it is well documented that the best athletes in the world all suffer from the same thing - the idea of invincibility. Especially at very young ages, to say nothing of guys like Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Emmitt Smith, Micheal Jordan and so many others who truly believe they are different than everyone else and can keep going despite their physical breakdowns. Injured players and players past their prime are ridden with this. I'd bet Sid is no different. And honestly, the mind is the most powerful tool available to mankind. If an injured players *thinks* he is no longer at risk for re-injury often enough that's the edge the player needs to over-come the trauma left behind both physical and emotional. As they say, there is a fine line between stupidity and bravery. Combine the pressure, adrenaline and split-second decision making required to survive in the NHL and it's easy to see why Sid wanted to whoop that dudes ass.

Apr 17, 2012 14:32:00 GMT -5 Matt said:

of course Weber got none for the turnbuckle shot.

I understand Wing fans are biased and I am too but I've yet to see any video that shows me Weber did anything to Zetterburg but push his visor into the glass a little. People are acting like he fing bulldoged him or something. And didn't some expert say it was retaliation for Zetterburg sticking him in the arm anyways? I saw it live, didn't think anything of it then and still don't. And while I'm ranting I'm so sick of that dork Babcock always crying to the media about the officiating. He could take a page of Schwartz book when it comes to showing some class despite his opinions about the officials. It's playoff hockey buddy. You have a finesse team. You're bound to get your ass handed to you a lot. Happens every year fans. You'd think Babcock would be used to it by now.