Pens/Bolts-Eastern Conference Finals
- Thread starter Euell
- Start date
Well, nice to welcome the new morning with continued and newfound life in this series. Concerning Game 7, I find myself wondering casually if Shawn Michaels will be asked to return to the CEC tomorrow night (which I believe he's already said he'd like to do IF the team so desires). I get the other impression he was a fairly big hit with the crowd the other night.
Meanwhile, I just realized that BOTH teams have won 2 of their 3 series games on the road thus far; and the Bolts now have to win their 3rd of 4 away from home to advance. I guess the home team justifiably is ALWAYS considered to be advantaged playing Game 7 at home.....and I'm certainly NOT trying to say I'd prefer playing in Tampa. But it's really kind of shocking to recognize how little home ice has actually meant in this series.
Meanwhile, I just realized that BOTH teams have won 2 of their 3 series games on the road thus far; and the Bolts now have to win their 3rd of 4 away from home to advance. I guess the home team justifiably is ALWAYS considered to be advantaged playing Game 7 at home.....and I'm certainly NOT trying to say I'd prefer playing in Tampa. But it's really kind of shocking to recognize how little home ice has actually meant in this series.
One more rant before getting my dead ass moving today......are any of you as sick of of all this MALKIN GUARANTEED IT talk we've been forced to read from all these "we gotta report everything even if it's bullshit" reporters as me ???
Now, I don't for even a microsecond deny he (on Monday) said he expected his team to play well in Game 6 and to return to Pittsburgh for Game 7. But it's been reported in such a way that you'd swear he was up on the dais making proclamations to the huddled masses in the auditorium.
Anyway, I may be as happy for Geno as anyone this morning because the League media in Toronto would probably have had a hitman waiting for him in the locker room in the postgame if they'd lost. But the poor guy can barely speak the language, and he was being compared from the get-go to loudmouth Messier's NYR act.
Shutting up Toronto's (and New York's) nonstop "anyone but Pittsburgh" obsession......and at the same time, burying Tampa loudmouth Dave Mishkin's screaming (along with his running mate, drunken old fossil Phil Esposito).....is reason enough (and that's ASIDE the Cup) to pray for the Pens to go all the way.
Now, I don't for even a microsecond deny he (on Monday) said he expected his team to play well in Game 6 and to return to Pittsburgh for Game 7. But it's been reported in such a way that you'd swear he was up on the dais making proclamations to the huddled masses in the auditorium.
Anyway, I may be as happy for Geno as anyone this morning because the League media in Toronto would probably have had a hitman waiting for him in the locker room in the postgame if they'd lost. But the poor guy can barely speak the language, and he was being compared from the get-go to loudmouth Messier's NYR act.
Shutting up Toronto's (and New York's) nonstop "anyone but Pittsburgh" obsession......and at the same time, burying Tampa loudmouth Dave Mishkin's screaming (along with his running mate, drunken old fossil Phil Esposito).....is reason enough (and that's ASIDE the Cup) to pray for the Pens to go all the way.
Well, one MORE rant; keep an eye out today for all the reporting on the HUGE break......and it WAS.....when replay wiped out the Drouin goal, but how little media effort will be devoted to the reality Tampa didn't even score its own first goal, or that they probably don't even score their second if Cullen doesn't interfere with his OWN goaltender.
Last night is the reason me and others ride Sid so hard. he was pure beast last night. That goal was classic power-forward. The beast fought off two checks and buried it through the 5 hole. Beside that goal, he was good over all 200 feet. When we see that, many of us expect to see that performance most of the time. I heard a stat last night that the Pens are 6-0 when Sid scores this year. Not sure if that stat is meaningful but it sure seems that when he is engaged and going at 100%, the team seems to respond.
I wonder if the Pens finally got to Vasilevski last night? He was emotional especially after the Crosby goal. Hopefully he melts down like Varlomov did in game 7 in 2009..
I wonder if the Pens finally got to Vasilevski last night? He was emotional especially after the Crosby goal. Hopefully he melts down like Varlomov did in game 7 in 2009..
I hate that offside challenge. Ok we benefited from the call. Technically it was obviously correct. But is that what we really want in the game? Hard enough to score without overturning goals due to the toe of a skate blade being off the ice.
As far as the 2nd Kessel bunt goal into the own goal, I chalked that up to the fact that he has little experience over his career playing defense that close to his goal and just didn't react well!! :flushed:
Is it just me or are hangovers even enjoyable after a big win? Lol! My coffee table is covered in empty beer cans, my head is pounding yet I'm smiling ear to ear. Gonna be a good day boys. Mission NOT accomplished yet though. Pens have come too far now not to finish this series off with a "W".
The reviews on the offside drive me bonkers as well...take all the air outta the game...although I am rather thankful the good guys benefited from it last night!
Anyone else think we see the linesman starting to pull the whistle out just a bit early down the stretch here? Cause I see it as a distinct possibility to avoid controversy of a goal allowed/disallowed 30-60 seconds after a 'potential' offside!
I was up to 1am last night.....I remember after the Sugar Bowl win in January 2006, I stayed up until 4am or so. I just can't sleep after big wins. Also finding it hard to concentrate today.
Nevermind Geno's 'predictions'...I would like to see another post along the lines of this one for tomorrow's game 7 tilt at home....
Ron...you have the floor...cause you are now officially the board soothsayer!!!
Let er rip!
Hockey Central @noon here (Rogers) absolutely lauded the Pens on their efforts last night while at same time roasting Geno for his lack of discipline. Mac- 'after such an effort before the slash how does Malkin do that?HOW? Both him and Letang better have cool heads because they won't get away with that in game 7 without paying for it, NO WAY'....'They play ANYWHERE CLOSE to the way they did last night and they'll punch their ticket to the final, Tampa won't be able to stop them! '
Another thing....think Doug Wilson is thanking his lucky stars that Thornton and Marleau REFUSED to waive their no trade clauses at season start???? Lmao....damn right he is...
Another thing....think Doug Wilson is thanking his lucky stars that Thornton and Marleau REFUSED to waive their no trade clauses at season start???? Lmao....damn right he is...
FYI CM....the talking heads here on radio were all over the idea that tonight's game could be Bob Cole's last??? Should the Sharks win...I personally find this hard to believe even at his age...he still sounds relatively good,and always goes on about how much he loves 'the rink' and the game...I heard him on a rare on air radio interview last week...he didn't sound as though he was hangin it up...
Pens gonna win boys! Time to call ghost busters and have all the home game 7 demons vanquished! This team has battled through too much to let it end now. Our core of superstars has suffered since 2009. We are on the brink and there is NO WAY this team won't get it done tonight! There is NO WAY we lose a 3rd home game in this series. I expect Murray to be stellar if not spectacular, and I expect every one to BRING IT tonight. Ice the beers and hide the women because it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! LET'S GO PENS!!!!
I need ya', Ron.......because this game all day has felt like Tampa to me.
And now they (evidently) dress Stamkos, which really seems more ceremonial to me than anything else. But he certainly gives them a useful emotional jolt if nothing else. I hope the Pens don't back off hitting him IF they can catch him in a corner; though I'm not sure he's going be mixing it up too much. Maybe he sees most of his time on the PP; hard to imagine him taking a regular shift. But who knows for sure.....
He also may be little more than a decoy; hard to imagine he wasn't cleared medically to play 2 nights ago when they had the chance to close it out at home, but is all of a sudden good to go tonight.
Interesting; more and more, I've gotten the impression over this past season Cole was going to force them to grab him around the neck and drag him out rather than retire voluntarily.
If he DOES quit voluntarily, it won't surprise me if he's found to have serious health issues. I don't know if you're familiar with the CBS show "60 Minutes" here in the US, whose 84 year old veteran correspondent Morley Safer FINALLY hung it up a couple weeks ago and was dead within a week of the announcement.
Hope this isn't what's going on with Cole......
Thanks again Geno!...actually on second look that was a horseshit call...in a game 7 they call that?
WVU beats TT on the diamond 9-4, Pirates won earlier today, C'mon Pens-let's hit the trifecta!
They look pretty good thus far...Sid is dominating Stamer on the faceoffs, and they are playing disciplined...but they need to be even better....and Tanger...you're not gonna do it on your own...settle down back there...
Grapes is RED HOT that Stamer is playing CM...'how was he no good 2 nights ago on thinners and now he's ok? Unacceptable!'....Yet again I disagree with this apparent 'tough guy' Don...Stamkos elected to play, likely under whatever advisement from his own and team doctors...HE assumes the risk...he's an adult and can make up his own mind whether coerced or not based on the facts given to him...and I somehow doubt they demanded he play...
Exactly what this is all about; maybe Stamkos figures this is last game in Tampa IF they lose, and he just doesn't want his local legacy to show he never even suited up for his last 2 full months in Lightning blue.
