Bitter Wings and Disrespecting Penguins

Despite being up 2-0 and 3-2, the Detroit Red Wings couldn't finish off the Pittsburgh Penguins. Just like they did against the Washington Capitals, the Pens came back to win the series after being down 2-0.

No one is debating the fact that the Pittsburgh Penguins are the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions, however, there has been a lot of talk about Sidney Crosby being disrespectful and of the Wings being sore losers.

Here is what I think.

Sidney Crosby gets away with a lot of stuff simply because he is young and inexperienced and most people seem to think he deserves to be protected like he's the new Wayne Gretzky. Don't get me wrong, I think Crosby is a great hockey player and he has a lot in common with the Great One, not just the fact that they both wine a lot. But as a captain he has a lot to learn.

Those who call the Detroit players sore losers fail to recognize that there is such a thing as a bad winner. Treating your opponent with respect comes with the title and Crosby failed to do that. At 22, he should have watched enough cup finals to know that you always shake hands with the losing team before you start doing interviews and going nuts celebrating. That is just how it's done, and noty just in hockey but in most other sports as well. There are no special circumstances because you're Sidney Crosby.

Another question that has been raised after Detroit's loss in Game 7, is whether the Red Wing dynasty is over because of it. Why would it be?

Not only was Detroit the first reigning champion to get past the first round of the playoffs in years, but they made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals and Game 7. Except the fact that Nicklas Lidstrom has one more year left on his contract, they have players like Zetterberg, Franzen, Datsyuk, Kronwall, Filppula, Helm, Ericsson who will be around a lot longer, making the Wings a contender for years to come. And even after that, there are new players ready to take their place. Detroit does not rely on one or two stars, but on the organization's ability to mold players to fit their system. Old players show new players how defense comes first and back checking hard is a must or you're gone. I honestly think both Datsyuk and Zetterberg would have been different players on any other team. They would have been great, but perhaps not the two best two-way players in the league.

Last but not least, I would like to say that I think Marc-Andre Fleury should have been awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy. In the end, he made the difference.

So, congrats Penguins! I can't wait for October to come around.

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Wheels Come Off Penguins

Still think Sidney Crosby is the best player in the world? Give me a break! The kid and his superstar side-kick are being schooled out there by the best.

The Red Wings are defending champions for a reason and they have the strength, depth and experience to win when it matters the most. Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have a lot to learn, and you'd think they would have by now. No they have not. The two "superstars" acted like upset and frustrated babies. Whenever things go against Malkin, he loses his head and starts acting stupid. He thinks he is some how inspiring his teammates by elbowing John Franzen, when all he is really doing is showing his lack of mental toughness.

I can understand how frustrating it must be for Sidney Crosby to always (and by always I really mean all the time) have Henrik Zetterberg in his face, constantly tearing his game to shreads. But seriously, if this is the best player in the world, he certainly isn't showing it in these finals.

Throughout the series, Crosby has been totally anihilated by Zetterberg. To be called the best in the world, in my book, you have to be a great two-way player, like Zetterberg and Datsyuk. Crosby is no way near those two, neither is Malkin, and it is made painfully clear in these finals.

The Penguins came out really strong early in the first period, only to totally lose it after going down 0-1 on a Detroit break-away orchestrated by the returning Pavel Datsyuk.

After that, the Pens were done. The defleated completely after one goal! In a post-game interview, the Penguin's captain said they had not played their best yada, yada... why didn't they try their very best in a Game 5 of a Stanley Cup Final? Beats me.

By the way, anyone still doubting the ability of Chris Osgood? No? Didn't think so.

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Best When It Counts

It is very familiar. Two games into the Stanley Cup Final, it's Red Wings two Pittsburgh zip. Clearly, the Penguins have finally found their match. Again. 

Henrik Zetterberg is proving how good he is when it really matters. The thicker his beard grows, the more he elevates his game. and by now, he is really amped up. Like the Anaheim Ducks, the Penguins have no answer for Hank's line that has shut down Sid the Kid. Who cares about the Art Ross Trophy?

Also, the Red Wings are getting goals from their ever so impressive supporting cast. Just like in Game 1, Justin Abdelkader provided that important 3-1 goal that sealed the win again for the red machine. And who would have guessed that Jonathan Ericsson completely shut down Evgeni Malkin? Boy, are the Red Wings glad they have the big Swede. As hard as it it may be to picture Detroit without Niclas Lidstrom, he won't be around forever. 

I have to admit, before this series started, I had some doubt about the Red Wings beating the Penguins. Just like last year, the Pens looked so good. They were so solid. And just like last year, I feel a little stupid when realizing just how good this Detroit team is. Marc-André Fleury was great last night and he kept his team in the game until Abdelkader's goal, but they still couldn't find a way to outsmart, outmuscle or outplay the Wings. 

I won't be surprised if Pittsburgh finds a way to beat Detroit once the series returns to Pennsylvania. I will be surprised if the Wings don't steal serve from the Pens and heads back to the Motor City with a 3-1 lead.

Big Red Machine Rolls over Ducks

What a game! It was everything you want a Game 7 to be. I admit, it was a little too close for comfort toward the end but the Red Wings prevailed and were able to push back a very good Ducks team. As usual, Henrik Zetterberg was nothing short of a giant on the ice when it mattered the most. Pavel Datsyuk, who's been a no show up until Game 7, worked hard, and, altough he didn't score, he did contribute a lot more than he did earlier on in the series.

Except for the fans down in Disneyland, I think pretty much everyone else was hoping for a Detroit - Chicago Conference Final. It really has the making of a classic. Now, there will be at least one original six team in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Should the Bruins win Game 7, it will be the first time since 1978-79, when Montreal beat the Rangers 4-1, that two original six teams meet in the final.

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This Year's Mule

We're into the second round of the playoffs and I am trying to see some early, or semi-early, signs of a playoff winner. Almost without any exceptions, a Stanley Cup winner will include one or more players who will rise well above their normal game providing that neccesary push on the way to cup fame.

This year, several contenders show no signs of this, including Detroit, Boston, and Pittsburgh.

Sure, Sidney Crosby leads all skaters in goals after his hat trick last night against Washington, but that's him playing on his normal level. Had it been Maxim Talbot or Petr Sykora scoring eight or nine tallies with Crosby and Malkin producing at their normal rate, it would have been a different ball game. But the supporting cast in Pittsburgh is not up to snuff and that's why they are being beaten by the Caps.

Last year, the Mule, or Johan Franzen as he is also known, was the the talk of the town. His scoring frenzy was a major factor the Red Wings went all the way. This year, there is no one, at least not yet. Detroit, however, have more problems than their secondary scoring. Their best players, Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Hossa haven't been their best players so far, and they really need to be.

For Boston, Tim Thomas has been great, but then again, he was all season long. The Bruins as a team are about even with Carolina and Thomas is matched by Cam Ward, who seems to be back in his 2006 form, which is a sign as good as any.

For the teams that do have players who have stepped up, those players have all been goalies. Jonas Hiller is turning in one solid performance after another, the last included turning away no less than 59 shots against the Wings.

Semyon Varlamov (he says he will change the spelling of his name to this because no one can get it right anyway) has people talking about Ken Dryden's breakthrough playoffs and that pretty much says it all.

So what about Vancouver and Chicago? Well, there are no real standouts in either of these two teams. It remains to be seen who will take the chance and seize the oppurtunity. One interesting fact is that the Canucks (1994) and the Blackhawks (1992) have waited almost as many years to revisit the Stanley Cup Finals. Also, Vancouver is the only team still in the playoffs without any previous cup winners on the roster. The Hawks have three.

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The Hart goes to...

The finalists for the Hart Trophy have been annonced. To no one's surprise, two of them are Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin. The trio is rounded out by Detroit's puck wiz, Pavel Datsyuk.

Like always this award is misintepeded. The Hart is constantly refered to as "given to the league's MVP", when it actually is supposed to be given to the player most valuable to his team. The team MVPs have always been overlooked, most notably during the 80's when Wayne Gretzky held on to it for eight straight seasons during 1980 to 1987.

Malkin gets the Art Ross Trophy for having the most points, Ovechkin recives the Rocket Richard Trophy for his 56 goals this season, and Datsyuk is arguably the best allround player in the NHL, but neither would get the Hart, not if I'm handing out the trophies.

My Hart Trophy goes to Zach Parise for being the most valuable player on a New Jersey Devils team playing most of this season without their star goalie, Martin Brodeur.

Special mentioning goes to Steve Mason for backstopping the Columbus Blue Jackets to their first ever Stanley Cup playoffs.

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Sharks blown out of water by Ducks

"The President's Trophy winners will make the process short with the some what struggling Ducks. Who ever the Ducks put in net, likely Jonas Hiller, will find it hard to match Evgenij Nabokov. Thornton, Boyle, Marleau, Setoguchi, Blake, Moen... there is no running out of resons why these Sharks couldn't go all the way to cup final this year. Sharks in five."

This is why I love this game. Not the fact that I was completely off the mark on this one, but because anything can happen in playoff hockey and there are no sure bets. While the Sharks deflated completely and collectively as a team, the Ducks rose to the occasion and stepped up, Jonas Hiller most of all.


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