Comments on: An approaching nightmare

By: The Ice Sheet: Sid, Geno and the Pens Break Down Door to Finals | Sportsaholic Daily

Tue, 20 May 2008 03:19:03 +0000

[...] Despite Detroit’s 3-2 series lead, Matt Saler thinks Dallas is in control of the Western Conference Finals. [...]

By: hockeychic

hockeychic — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:24:50 +0000

Matt, I agree with you, Dallas is in control now. As evidenced by that annoying smirk on Morrow’s face at the end of the game (yes, I am a homer and I can’t stand him.). I had a bad feeling about the game from the opening faceoff and it held up. They better bring it tonight. I don’t want to consider what happens if they don’t.

By: ludmeister

ludmeister — Sun, 18 May 2008 18:51:09 +0000

Matt,

I think you’re right about that (the Wings can win for sure if they play as well as they can). Game 5 proved that the Wings could be in trouble if they don’t bring their “A” game.

I don’t blame Gary for last night’s debacle. I was fairly sedate in admitting that the Stars won that one fair and square. I blame Gary for Game 4 (especially since he validated Kelly’s call), and I know I have to put the whole Game 4 stuff in the past, because it is.

There were a few bright spots in last night’s game, I thought. I thought that “Happy” Hudler played a great game, and not just he got his goal. He seemed to really be making the right plays when he had the puck. And I really was impressed with Helm; he was a forechecking force.

Thanks for being the cool voice of reason in my league doubting moments here. Happy thoughts. Must think happy thoughts…

Maybe… Hudler gets a hat trick in Game 6 and beats Dallas 3-1? That’d be pretty cool…

By: Matt Saler

Matt Saler — Sun, 18 May 2008 14:19:53 +0000

I absolutely buy the theory that the NHL would love to see the poster boy win the Cup, but like Brian said, suggesting they’d orchestrate it ignores the fact that the Penguins are an actual talented team that has put forth a lot of hard work to get to this point. The League has been pretty even-handed with Pittsburgh this run, with that waived-off goal last week being the prime example.

If they League is considering helping the Pens win, I’m sure the higher ups would realize that the sport could not handle the kind of scandal that would arise out of that.

Whoever plays the Pens in the Finals will have to win on their own merit, just like any other team.

And ludmeister, if the Wings don’t win the Cup, it will be because they didn’t play to their potential, not because of Bettman. I firmly believe no one can stop them if they play their best, but if they don’t, they run the risk of falling short.

By: Justin

Justin — Sun, 18 May 2008 08:08:11 +0000

That was the worst game I’ve seen the Wings play in a long time. The turnovers, the failed passes, the hesitations, the poor line changes, the inability to generate any good offensive chances…the list goes on. The body language of the Wings today said it all. Chelios’ lack of hustle to touch the puck and get an icing when the Wings were down 2-1 and time was running out. Maltby’s soft shot into Turco’s pads during that last penalty kill instead of firing it at the Dallas net with some purpose. Cleary standing still and holding the puck right outside Detroit’s blueline instead of passing it or clearing it down the ice, and turning it over for more Dallas pressure. The way the Wings played today made me sick.

I don’t know what the problem was, but they better get their act together for Game 6 or they’ll be in HUGE trouble.

By: Baroque

Baroque — Sun, 18 May 2008 03:18:29 +0000

Just frustration with the entire league and it’s pathetic attempts at marketing. They aren’t smart enough to stage anything that Machiavellian, but it says volumes about their lack of overall competence that normally rational people (like me, usually) even for a couple moments think that crackpot conspiracy theories are remotely possible. It’s just stupid.

And I’ve wanted Samuelsson to sit for AGES! No matter how solid he is defensively, and he is very good most of the time, his aim is HORRIBLE!

And thanks for the compliment, ludmeister. Nice to know I’m not just ranting at myself sometimes.

By: Ron Landrus

Ron Landrus — Sat, 17 May 2008 23:39:53 +0000

The wings need a shot of energy at this point hopefully just a case of the blahs, or the shots are a bit hurried and the blob that Turco happens to get in the way. We have seen this before, remember Jee-gair?
A bit of a wakeup call is in order for some guys. How bout Abdelkader for Sammy? and Quincey or Ericsson for Cheli? He needs a rest any way. We got one more game to experiment. COME ON BOYS GET YOUR HEADS OUT YOUR ASSES! LETS GO GET THE CUP!

By: ludmeister

ludmeister — Sat, 17 May 2008 23:16:06 +0000

Baroque-

I sure would like to hope that you’re wrong about this, but then again, I wanted to believe HTT was wrong about the third goal of the game deciding the outcome. I had the same thought after the first period ended and I knew that he was right. The Wings had a resigned look about them in the last 30 minutes of this game, and that is so uncharacteristic of them. Especially when trailing. *ESPECIALLY* at home!!

Anyway, I’ve been reading A2Y for a good year now, and I have especially enjoyed reading your comments; I appreciate the angle that you have. I respect your position, and worry that you are correct. I am firmly on the Stress Train “Hasek” in my own way. I’m not sure I’ll have the intestinal fortitude to listen to Ken Kal and Paul Wood for Game 6, much less to watch it.

I still want the Wings to win the Cup this year, and I sure think that have the personnel to do it. I will hold Gary, Ass. responsible if they don’t for some reason. With the Game 4 crap that happened (no I still haven’t forgotten about it, as I feel that it effectively calls the league’s credibility into question), but it makes the Stanley Cup not look like the prize that it really should be. It makes it seem like a popularity contest trophy, not the trophy of true athletic champions. I am shocked and dismayed that I am saying this. Good players lose blood over this trophy. Good players play through all kinds of “flus” and broken bones and injuries for this trophy. How is it possible that a few people can trash what it represents? I’m still in shock.

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 17 May 2008 22:26:46 +0000

I don’t like the implication that Pittsburgh’s success is being staged or will be…So if the Pens win this year or ever with Crosby as captain are you going to just call it a sham set up by the league? I think that overlooks a lot of hard work and great play by the entire Pens roster…and let’s wait until the Finals (and wait until the respective teams QUALIFY) before throwing stuff like that around. And no, I don’t think we’re watching the WWF…

By: Baroque

Baroque — Sat, 17 May 2008 21:40:13 +0000

I’m starting to think it doesn’t matter. Whoever wins the west is going to lose to the Penguins, and the league will have exactly the champ they want – a team with some history, rabid fans, a Canadian captain whose name everyone can actually pronounce, and they are young and charismatic.

I don’t believe in conspiracy theories, but this one I’d think the league would engineer IF they were clever enough and IF they thought they could get away with it. With so much bleating about teams losing money, anything that would increase profits the owners would go along with.

Professional wrestling indeed – I wonder increasingly why I bother.