2009 NHL Playoffs

[Clutch]

Great game, great series. Pitt rolled in strong but Washington did not EVER give up. to two excellent teams.

[hsf]

Just got in from going over to PA to watch the game. (Fuck the NHL and their blackout rules!) It was certainly nice, but, to be honest, even after the big lead, only being up three, then four, it was STILL scary. With their fire power, it was never quite out of reach until the last few minutes.

 

Gotta say, much as I hate the Steelers, these Pittsburgh sports fans were fun to hang around! And the flowing Coors Light and good food didn't hurt either!

 

Probably will end up back in Sharon, PA for some game in the Eastern Conference Finals as I'm sure the NHL will screw with me again.

 

Good luck tomorrow night Chris!

[hsf]

F! Detroit! F! Detroit right in their overly-European, crappy citied asses! Sadly, I know it probably won't happen, but I'd love to see the Young Guns in Chicago knock out Detroit, just to teach Hossa a lesson. (Regardless of if the Pens win or lose in the ECF, though, obviously, I hope they win.)

 

Not gonna make a jinx here. Just keep it up 'Canes. Good luck Chris!

 

*** Congrats Chris! Looks like we're set to do battle here in a few.

 

Good luck!

[Clutch]

F! Detroit! F! Detroit right in their overly-European, crappy citied asses! Sadly, I know it probably won't happen, but I'd love to see the Young Guns in Chicago knock out Detroit, just to teach Hossa a lesson. (Regardless of if the Pens win or lose in the ECF, though, obviously, I hope they win.)

 

Not gonna make a jinx here. Just keep it up 'Canes. Good luck Chris!

 

*** Congrats Chris! Looks like we're set to do battle here in a few.

 

Good luck!

 

Of course I want the Canes to come out of this but if they don't, go Pens. Gonna be another tough series as they all have so far. Best of luck Brother Jay!

 

Side note: Sat up until almost midnight night watching the game when a friend of mine from down the street called. He was as drunk as I've heard (or seen) him in a looonnnnggg time. Very excited about the Canes.

[hsf]

SHIT! What a nailbiter! If Pittsburgh doesn't learn not to sit on a lead, Carolina's going to make them regret it! I knew, going in at the end of the first only up 2-0, after all the chances they could've/should've/did have, that it was going to be rough.

 

Glad to get the win, but hopefully, and more importantly, hope they learned a valuable lesson.

 

GEEZ! Can't wait til Thursday.

 

Good luck Chris!

[hsf]

I hope the Pens' "full-court press" is in effect again tonight at Game 3 in Carolina. That game the other night was WAY too close for well over 40 minutes. In the 3rd period, they finally woke up and put the Canes away. I have a feeling, with that crazy Carolina crowd, we're in for quite the "edge of the seat" night again.

 

Good luck Chris! (Can't say I'm disappointed about how the series is turning out so far, but I'm also not nearly foolish enough to count Carolina out. Hope you're getting to enjoy the games!)

[hsf]

Up 3-0. I'd like to breathe a sigh of relief, but I'll wait for that fourth win. Not taking anything for granted. Once again, the Canes refused to go away for almost 2 periods today. (Scored first, kept it close.) Those 2 goals in the 31 seconds at the end of the first seemed to deflate them. (Although, the Canes got the next and made it a one goal game again.)

 

Malkin's a beast! If not for him, who knows how this series would look right now. The rest of the Pens are playing well (although Gill didn't seem to play great and Adams' letdown against Samsonov on the Canes second goal was bad). It seems to be a good combo. Scary if they could get it ALL together.

 

I can only imagine what you're going through Chris. (Been there before, my friend.) Still not counting out that Canes, though. They are a scrappy bunch!

[hsf]

Much as I hate to say it, Detroit looks tough. They're missing SO many pieces and they still throttled Chicago yesterday. (Yes, Chicago's poor play didn't help, but Detroit, with all they're missing, still took advantage of Chicago's undisciplined, lackluster play and embarrassed them.)

 

Once again, the East is going to have trouble facing the best of the West, which looks more and more like Detroit..... again.

[Clutch]

Been away since Thursday for a wedding. We were basically on an island in S.C. and I had no game access except for text messages from friends. Can't say I'm sorry I missed them.

[hsf]

Been away since Thursday for a wedding. We were basically on an island in S.C. and I had no game access except for text messages from friends. Can't say I'm sorry I missed them.

 

Oh wow!

 

Gotta say, despite the scores, they were fairly tight games for a good part of it. Pittsburgh didn't really pull away until some point in the 3rd in both games. Then things just fell apart.

 

It's about the most uphill climb a team can have, but I'm not counting Carolina out. (With Pittsburgh's strength, I don't see Carolina coming back, and they've got to be drained after the two previous 7 game series, but the Pens need to nut up to be able to take this in 4.)

 

As always, good luck bro.

[Clutch]

Good series for the Pens. Firing on all cylinders at the right time. Wish the Canes would have had a little more left in the tank after 2 very tough rounds. Best of luck to you Jay. Hope you boys can take the cup home. I'll be here pulling you through.

[hsf]

^Thanks Chris!

 

For all that the Pens (team/system) did right, it was as much one or two players standing on their heads and Carolina's tiredness after two rough 7 game series. Hopefully the Pens can ramp it up even another notch or 12 against Detroit. (I'd LOVE to believe Chicago can come back, but Detroit's got them in a stranglehold, it appears.)

 

Congrats Canes on a great season finish/playoff run. You shocked the NHL! (BTW, those Canes dancers/cheerleaders are HOT! Let's go NHL!)

 

Let's Go Pens!...... All the way to the Stanley Cup! (Hoping this is a repeat of the Islanders/Oilers series of the 83 and 84 post-season, where the tough Islanders taught the young Oilers a lesson in the Finals one year and the next the Oilers came back and swiped the Cup from the Isles.)

[Clutch]

The finals have begun! 2-1 Reds in the 2nd. Fuck 'em. Go Pens!

[hsf]

The finals have begun! 2-1 Reds in the 2nd. Fuck 'em. Go Pens!

 

That was ridiculous! Not even what I feared. The Pens actually carried the play for much of the game. While you need to put yourself in a position to be lucky, 2, if not all 3, of Detroit's goals were not there, if not for a lucky bounce off the boards and/or Fleury being unlucky/out of place.

 

I think the Pens have to take Game 2 tonight. Can't go down to the Red Wings 0-2. They'll put that stranglehold on again.

[VinceNeilfan]

Crosby needs to find his balls and step up if the Pens want any chance!

[Clutch]

Even series! Great game from the Pens last night. I'm stoked and fully hope they can pull this championship run off. Have a great weekend Brother Jay.

[Dead Planet]

I'm cheering for the Pens....since my team is history....

[martinsane]

Even series! Great game from the Pens last night. I'm stoked and fully hope they can pull this championship run off. Have a great weekend Brother Jay.

The Penguins played grewta last night no doubt and certainly since coming to Pittsburgh the Clipped Wings have not had the "lucky breaks" they had at home...

 

Not that it matters in the end, but the open net "non goal" in the third because "he did not have possesion/control" was a bad call. I mean if he did not have possession and the puck kept a rolling as it looked to be it would have not even hit the end of the ice with the goal.. ALso saw a good number of tripping penalties that went uncalled/unnoticed...

 

Here is hoping the momentum keeps as they head back to Detroit for game 5.

[hsf]

It sure feels much better being tied 2-2 than being down 0-2.

 

Now the Pens need to steal one in Detroit. (And hopefully enjoy the home cooking in Game 6 again.)

 

Looking forward to tomorrow night's game a few cold ones!

 

(Thanks Chris!)

[hsf]

Wow! Embarrassing all the way around last night. And, leaving MAF in a bit too long, wonder what his confidence will be like in Game 6 on Tuesday.

 

Between stickwork, stupid penalties, horrible defense, and a sieve-like goalie, I'm just praying for the pattern to continue and the Pens to win at home. And then PRAY TO GOD for some miracle cure in game 7. (Datsyuk was tough last night in his first game back. Scary what he did to bring the Wings' game up. Wonder how that'll play out in Game 6.)

[Clutch]

Holy shit! The Wings threw everything, including the kitchen sink, at the Pens in the 3rd. Damn, what a great game and great series. Major congrats to the Pens on an incredible season. Jay, you can breath now my friend.

[heavyharmonies]

That was a heck of a game! Interesting listening to both ESPN Radio and Mad Dog Radio the last few days - NO ONE and I mean NO ONE gave Pittsburgh a shot at winning tonight's game. Considering that homes teams had won the first 6 games, not surprising, but I think Fleury deserves one big-assed bonus check playing the way he did tonight on the heels of the embarrassment in game 5. He was the deciding factor tonight.

[Doksdad]

Congrats to the Pens! They deserved it after tonight's game!

[Evil Rick]

Hardly anyone (including myself) gave the Pens a chance, but that is as they say, why they play the game. This is exactly what the NHL needed at this point in time. The young team with the new face of the NHL Sid the Kid winning the Cup and defeating one of the most storied franchises in the NHL in the process. Now the league just needs a decent television contract.

 

Congrats to the Pens. I'm very happy the Wings lost.

[Dead Planet]

I'm happy for the Pens....I really didn't want to see Detroit win back to back cups.....the biggest surprise for me was that Fleury played so well as I didn't think he was good enough to carry the Pens to victory..I'm happy to be proven wrong...