NHL Season 08-09

[Brill Weave]

Terrible game for the Flyers. Horrible. They really only showed up in the second period and couldn't get any offense going. Bad penalties and the Penguins got inside Biron's head early. I had forgotten how dirty a player Hartnell is. He reminds me of Bryan Marchment the defenseman from San Jose. That dood used to put at least one guy out a year with knee on knee hits. Loved seeing that retard take what, four penalties for his idiocy?

Penguins played their game and took a page out of the Flyers book. Hitting everything that moves. I'm just shocked the Flyers fans aren't bitching about the officiating yet. Should be a very entertaining series. If the Pens can pull Philly out of their game plan like they did last night, the Pens are going to skate away with the win.

[Arnwulf]

The Flyers got frustrated and took a lot of bad penalties. They never really recovered from that first goal the way it went in. It's funny, I was watching the game with my wife and the second I saw a Flyer mow down Marc Andre-Fleury I instantly said "I'll bet that was Scott Hartnell". That dude ALWAYS runs the goalie whenever he gets the chance.

[Brill Weave]

Hartnell is going to continue doing it until someone steps up and tattoos him. The guy is a coward. He's always the third person into a scrum and he's always hitting people in the back of the head/neck/face. He's one of the few people in the game that I would actually laugh at if he ended up getting a career ending injury. The hit he put on Letang was pathetic. Letang had made the move to get past him and Hartnell in a classy move, after he clearly beaten, sticks his leg out for the knee on knee hit.

The guy is trash. Which is a shame, because he is a talented player. He just chooses to play dirty and tries to injure people. Which sadly is what we all have come to expect from the Flyers.

[Makaveli]

They have taken way too many dumbass penalities all year, no need to complain about the refs. Hartnell was actually pushed into the goalie he just didnt try to stop himself. Biron needs to play alot better and they need to stop giving up pucks in the neutral zone. Bandwagon Pens fans are pretty funny tho, Where were you guys a couple years ago when they couldnt give tickets away?

[Brill Weave]

Oh I definitely agree that Hartnell was shoved. He just embellished the shit out of it and made sure to take a swipe at Fleury's head as he went down on top of him. Maka, don't start saying stupid ass comments about bandwagon Pens fans that you can't back up. I've followed the Penguins since I started watching hockey. I've been to over two hundred games in my life. When they were winning. When they were losing. When their only "talented" player was Ryan Malone in his rookie season. So don't start making idiotic baseless comments about shit that you know nothing about.

Where were you guys a couple years ago when they couldnt give tickets away?

I was in line buying my tickets.

[Abraxas]

there's no doubt Harts took bad penalties, but the goalie interference wasnt one of them. Letang pushed him into Fleury. On the Pens first goal, Crosby did the same thing but of course he doesnt get a penalty.

The Flyers were out-hustled, no doubt. they didnt match the intensity. however, the Pens got 4 goals on 4 gifts. and none of the blame was on Marty. he made good saves when he had to. the pens just got the bounces tonight. the Pens last goal was one they did earn, though, by wining the faceoff and getting it back to the point and getting the shot on net. even then, a lucky bounce of Giroux's stick put it in the net. Malkin's goal was a gift, as was Kennedy's and Crosby's.

sorry Brill, but you have the luxury of not having a stigma on your team. when Matt Cooke slashed Biron in the first period, he got a minor while the flyers got two. you guys end up with a PP. idc what you say, thats just bullcrap. a memo went out before the playoffs started saying there was a no tolerance for goaltender's being hit in any way shape or form. of course that doesnt apply there.

Makaveli is right. ive been saying it for the past 2 years. it took the penguins being a shithole for two straight years to get #2 pick in '04 and #1 in '05 for the people of Pittsburgh to remember they had a hockey team.

edit: Brill im not doubting you've always been a Pens fan, cause at least you know what you're talking about. but you cant be oblivious to the fact that the Pens didnt start selling tickets until a couple years ago. the same way the Capitals became revived when Ovechkin was found, Blackhawks with Toews and Kane.

[DAKPluto]

Whoever wins the Blues - Canucks series isn't going to have a prayer in the 2nd round. Winner of that series gonna be to beat up to move on. Man, they were trying to kill each other last night, I loved it.

Just didn't love the score

[Brill Weave]

Crosby didn't even touch Biron on the first goal Abraxas. His stick hit Biron's at the same point where the puck was crossing. To be honest though, I expected them to take that one away. I'm not convinced Crosby touched it with his stick.

But before we start talking about penalties and officiating and how the Flyers were wrong, I'm eager to hear your response on how Philly avoided a four minute double minor after high sticking Matt Cooke. Since we're on the topic of course.

I love the fact that the second that first loss occurs you guys are pulling out the "You needed draft picks to make people remember you had a team." Come on cut the shit. Last I checked neither one of you live in Pittsburgh. But I'm sure you're able to make an accurate assessment from watching the handful of games the Pens and Flyers would play in the regular season.

I'm sure after you read this you will no doubt move onto the Crosby bashing. Call him a diver. A whiner. Crybaby. Call him Cindy. And I don't mind talking with you Abraxas, you're pretty fluent in the game and seems like most teams/players etc.

As far as selling tickets though, I will be the first to admit that ticket sales jumped when they drafted Crosby/Malkin/Fleury. But the way Maka sees it apparently the arena was empty for every game before then.

[Makaveli]

Brill you were the only pens fan here i wasnt referring to

[Brill Weave]

I think both of you will appreciate this though. I was listening to Mark Madden on the X radio station yesterday. I loathe the guy. He's a complete and total moron. But he did say something that I would agree with in a heartbeat.

His quote was when it comes to the Penguins/Flyers rivalry "The joy of winning is nowhere near as emotional as the fear of losing to Philadelphia." Kind of made me chuckle because it is pretty much true. While winning is fantastic, I hate losing to the Flyers. And I'm sure it's the same for you guys.

That being said, we're going to butt heads and probably insult each other back and forth for the next week or two because of the series lol. I think it's a safe bet that we all agree that this is one of the top five hockey rivalries around. I can't think of many more that illicit more emotion and hatred than Pittsburgh versus Philadelphia.

[Brill Weave]

My bad Maka In that case I didn't mean to get nerd ragey. Or did I.........

[Abraxas]

Its not only Pittsburgh, as i said. the same thing happened in Washington.

watching the flyers on the road, you can see and hear how empty the buildings were. its hard not to generalize when speaking of teams and their fans, but you can see it. its the same thing with the Phillies two years ago. before that, no one was going to games, unless they were longtime fans/season ticket holders. but they made the playoffs two years ago, and people starting going again and gettin on their back.

tbh, i think Crosby is over the whining phase of his career. he did it the first couple years, but i havent seen him do it lately. i think he's realised that it wont get him anything, save for some weapons of trashtalking from the opposing teams.

I'm eager to hear your response on how Philly avoided a four minute double minor after high sticking Matt Cooke

the same way Gonchar avoided a 5-minute major, and game misconduct for butt-ending Hartnell last year.

[Abraxas]

I think both of you will appreciate this though. I was listening to Mark Madden on the X radio station yesterday. I loathe the guy. He's a complete and total moron. But he did say something that I would agree with in a heartbeat.

His quote was when it comes to the Penguins/Flyers rivalry "The joy of winning is nowhere near as emotional as the fear of losing to Philadelphia." Kind of made me chuckle because it is pretty much true. While winning is fantastic, I hate losing to the Flyers. And I'm sure it's the same for you guys.

That being said, we're going to butt heads and probably insult each other back and forth for the next week or two because of the series lol. I think it's a safe bet that we all agree that this is one of the top five hockey rivalries around. I can't think of many more that illicit more emotion and hatred than Pittsburgh versus Philadelphia.

its funny, thats actually a quote the Flyers used alot. Clarke said it, and Hextall said it when he was recognized for something (cant remember, some kind of appreciation thing)

"our love of winning is second only to our hatred of losing"

we've been hearing that for years here.

[Brill Weave]

I'm not a big supporter of the fair weather fans. I remember my dad having that conversation with me when I was five or six lol. He said, you either love the team or you don't. Whether they are winning or losing. I can only hope every game this series is going to be as intense as game one. While the score was a bit lopsided, the game itself was entertaining as hell. Now if I can just find a voodoo doll and a mini Hartnell jersey to put on it, I would be set.

.....Friday can't come soon enough. Though I'll probably watch one of the games tonight when I'm watching my three week old nephew. I'm hoping they televise either Detroit/Columbus or Calgary/Chicago here. Should the Penguins get knocked out I will be rooting for Columbus just because it's nice to see them finally make the playoffs with Rick Nash getting his first taste of the post season.

[Brill Weave]

I wouldn't put it past Madden to steal it and pass it off as his own comment.

[Thoronas]

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465...n?size=620x400

Luongo came up huge and the Sedins played awesome last night.


Also, I fucking lol'd hard during the second period when the camera guy caught some on ice banter between Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows and some St Louis Blues players.
"Give your balls a tug you pussy!!" God bless those guys

Whoever wins the Blues - Canucks series isn't going to have a prayer in the 2nd round. Winner of that series gonna be to beat up to move on. Man, they were trying to kill each other last night, I loved it.

I highly doubt this series will be the most physical of all the western series. I'm honestly expecting someone to get crippled in the Anaheim v San Jose series.

[Brill Weave]

Anaheim/San Jose is going to get violent. But I seriously think the most violent series is going to end up being Pittsburgh/Philly due to their longstanding hatred of each other. And let's face it, game one ended up being pretty rough and tumble from the start. It's just going to snowball from there.

Maka or Abraxas I meant to ask, did the Philly papers mention anything about Timonen? He did not look good(as in healthy) last night. He was gimping it up there and I don't remember seeing him get much ice time throughout the game.

[Abraxas]

i havent read papers or heard anything. he played all game, so i doubt its anything serious but who knows. he took a shot in the first period, that looked to be what started it.

the same thing happened last year though. he took a shot in the MTL opener, and it didnt do anything until the day before the Pens series

[Brill Weave]

He definitely did not look like his normal self. He's not the greatest skater in the world(but he is good) but he moves pretty smoothly and last night he looked like he was laboring the entire time.

[Abraxas]

Carcillo has a hearing set for 3pm today for something that happened last night.

if you dont believe how the flyers get the short end on this shit, you better start. what did he do differently than any other player? Cooke is the same way. he gets away with slashing Biron across the chest. the Asham penalty, where crosby scored, was really really weak. there were 3-4 hooking/holding instances that were more significant than that hook. Parent got a boarding penalty in the final minute, and he doesnt have a hearing today. thats because he isn't "labeled".

dont get me wrong, they take alot of bad penalties and this isnt one of those "the refs lost it for us", but they also really get the short end of the stick on some of them. Fleury punched Knuble in the back of the head after the Flyers scored their only goal, nothing happened to him.

the flyers have many more players that dont make the refs feel bad about sending them to the box.