NHL Season 08-09

[Brill Weave]

Well in this context Rata being level headed means you're making comments based simply on the facts and not personal thoughts/feelings. You make informed comments which shows that you aren't just a fan of Montreal, but a fan of hockey in general. So it's a good thing.

He was a 2 way beast during that series with the Rangers, it's rare to see a superstar play as hard as he did.

Honestly we've been watching Malkin do it all year. The guy led the league in takeaways if I'm not mistaken. So for us it's just a given that our "superstars" play aggressive two way hockey. Both Malkin and Crosby are amazingly responsible in their own zone. Which is impressive considering A. How young they are and B. How offensively gifted they are(much like Ovechkin.) But to me it seems like Ovechkin takes shifts off sporadically. Which is what the Pens need to capitalize on.

And not to knock Vancouver, they are a great team. But look at the game last night. They had it in the bag and very nearly collapsed. Now that the feeling out process is over, I expect Chicago to come into the next game balls to the wall. If Luongo gives up a couple of goals I just don't see Vancouver being able to match that. The Sedins play spectacular hockey but aside from them the only reliable scoring threat that is someone to watch is Burrows. But once again, this is just my opinion. But if they can get to Khabibulin early and often, they could come out with the win. Khabibulin no longer has the ability to steal a game. He's still solid, but nowhere near where he once was.
Any way you look at it, they are all going to be fun series to watch.

[Arnwulf]

I'm not a fan of either team, but I can't wait for the start of that Pens-Caps series. I'll probably be closely following the Detrot-Anaheim series as well.

[Brill Weave]

Since I think almost all of you are fairly well informed hockey fans I am going to chirp about it here. This is nothing more than a rant. I am so fucking sick and tired of every article I read concerning Crosby and Ovechkin and how they are the faces of the NHL etc. I can't fucking stand it. I've gotten to the point where I don't even bother going to Espn or Yahoosports because every article degrades into a bunch of bandwagon fans bickering back and forth about how Cindy whines or how Ovechkin is a showboat.

Fuck that shit. A new column on Yahoosports is saying that this matchup could potentially decide who the face of the NHL is. How about no you fucking moron. The face of the NHL is the wealth of young amazingly talented players that are in the league now. It's not just one person and to think that is sheer stupidity. You have Malkin, Ovechkin, Crosby, Carter, Getzlaf, Staal, Zetterberg, Kessel, Kane, and Toews just to name a few. Those are the faces and future of the NHL. Not one fucking player. Get over this stupid fucking media inspired rivalry, which let's face it, makes it seem worse than it is, and watch some fucking hockey. Fuck.

[Abraxas]

Ratata, its a not a bad thing. Brill summed it up. all i meant was that you say it how it is.

i really think the pens will put Theodore back in net. Varlamov played alright. but it was against the NHL's most offensively challenged team. wait til he sees some real offensive pressure.

theres just something anaheim. they are a playoff team, kinda like the devils were. they mosey around, barely make the playoffs, then start winning. and they have alot of experience. if there's any team in the west that could beat the red wings, its the ducks. i felt the same way in the first round.

the only series that doesnt appeal to me is the bruins/canes. not for any reason in particular either. boston is just boston, and the canes have always been a boring team to me. no offense to canes fans!

[Ratatapa]

Honestly Brill atm here i would like they put more emphasis on other series, all the sports show in MTL keep talking and will keep talking about at least 1 of these 3 subjects

1- Who will replace Carbonneau as Head Coach

2- Will gainey Stay

3- MTL got 10 free agents who will stay/ who will leave.


And with the next draft in MTL people keep thinking that Lecavalier will be traded to MTL lol.


as for head coaches we got too many people in list lol

Mark Crawford, Patrick Roy (yes you read right), Bob Hartley, Michel Therrien (i wonder if he will come back), Larry Robinson. and others


Kinda annoying lol

[Brill Weave]

I would be surprised if Therrien came back to be honest. He and Montreal never seemed a good fit. But he's such a disciplinarian that he could do some good there with all the personalities in the Montreal locker room.

[Thoronas]

I can't imagine Crawford coaching Montreal. It seems like most people in Montreal want a francophone behind the bench, its honestly amazing to me sometimes how much they put into that. I can't imagine they'd be thrilled about having an Ontario boy behind the bench.

Also, I'm totally in agreement with Brill about the whole OvechkinVSCrosby bullshit in the media. It's hyping it WAY too much. People are going to expect this epic clash and if they come out and play, you know, hockey, people are going to be let down. They shouldn't be hyping this shit so much, it will end up disappointing casual fans that Bettman & co seem so desperate to secure.

[Ratatapa]

Well yeah they ( i saw they cuz personally i don't give a damn) want a coach that has 2 things

1) speak at least french and 2 has Experience in the NHL coach

Which elimnate Roy and Crawford, unless Habs goes ok with roy since he was a kind of messiah lol


Why they want a french coach? simple. How the Media explains it is this When a coach is in a locker room he can speak w/e he want but when he speaks the the media it's his duty to be understable by his fans aka French people in Quebec.

That is sad because we can kick so many good coaches due to that, but meh

Oh yeah just saying in a Hockey season a coach will have like 6 interview per hockey game.

1) Before the morning Practice
2) After the morning Practice
3) Before the game
4) After the game
5) After the game in the press conference

6 um i forgot but yeah life's hard when Hockey is a religion here, i do think people going overboard sometimes but hey welcome to human race

[Abraxas]

coming from a fan of the team that had Bobby Clarke as the GM for a long time, i hope they dont get Roy as coach.

just because they were good in the jersey, doesn't mean they will do anything in the managing department

[Ratatapa]

Well roy is in a excellent coach in the junior but yeah

Advantage for Roy

He's a rough guys that will surely make stuff changei n locker
He knows alot about MTL mentality

Disadventage

No NHL coaching experience


Personally i wouldl ike Bob Hartley. He made some nice proof in the NHL knows MTL alot and is bilingual

So

[Ivaden]

I'm singling this out because you obviously haven't been watching Ovechkin play. He was a 2 way beast during that series with the Rangers, it's rare to see a superstar play as hard as he did.

Look up takeaway stats. Ovechkin is not as good as Malkin defensively. Sorry this was so late.

[Sepukku]

Hudler = behudled.

[Bregor]

Since I think almost all of you are fairly well informed hockey fans I am going to chirp about it here. This is nothing more than a rant. I am so fucking sick and tired of every article I read concerning Crosby and Ovechkin and how they are the faces of the NHL etc. I can't fucking stand it. I've gotten to the point where I don't even bother going to Espn or Yahoosports because every article degrades into a bunch of bandwagon fans bickering back and forth about how Cindy whines or how Ovechkin is a showboat.

Fuck that shit. A new column on Yahoosports is saying that this matchup could potentially decide who the face of the NHL is. How about no you fucking moron. The face of the NHL is the wealth of young amazingly talented players that are in the league now. It's not just one person and to think that is sheer stupidity. You have Malkin, Ovechkin, Crosby, Carter, Getzlaf, Staal, Zetterberg, Kessel, Kane, and Toews just to name a few. Those are the faces and future of the NHL. Not one fucking player. Get over this stupid fucking media inspired rivalry, which let's face it, makes it seem worse than it is, and watch some fucking hockey. Fuck.

Even as a Caps fan, I've gotta agree with you. You can't force being "the face of a sport" on someone, and everyone who has been that has won multiple championships. For Ovechkin v. Crosby/Malkin to take off, one of their teams has to win the Cup, period. Gretzky didn't just set scoring records, he won four Cups in Edmonton. Right now they should be paying more attention to Zetterberg/Datsyuk, because they're the leaders in the clubhouse. But a Russian and a Swede... hm... I'm not saying the NHL is practicing jingoism but, well maybe I am saying that.

Even so, I don't get why there has to be a "face of the NHL." Football has done very well with parity, whether you think it's Brady or Manning or the other Manning or Tomlinson or whoever. If the Caps or the Pens or whoever ends up winning two or three Cups over the next ten years, then sure they can have a "face of the NHL." If not, then celebrate the wealth of young talent you already have.

[Ishido]

Hudler = behudled.

Ducks with a cheapshot? Color me surprised.

[Viq]

Nine day layoff didn't seem to hurt the Bruins at all. Their train keeps chugging hard towards the EC Finals.

[Thoronas]

Ovechkin is ready for this series!!

http://www.thepensblog.com/images/st...m_posts/-8.jpg

[Ratatapa]

LMAO

and why the fuck is the game needs to be in the afternoon

[Thoronas]

LMAO

and why the fuck is the game needs to be in the afternoon

Dude this game starts at 10am for me, you think it's weird for you eastcoast guys? I'm eating cereal in my Crosby underoos robe about to watch the game.

[Absolutely Virtue]

Varlamov denying Crosby with that preposterous stick save might be one of the highlights of my sports-watching career. Just fucking sick. Of course, that did come shortly after that incredibly soft goal. Sloppy but exciting game. Would watch again.

As for Crosby v Ovechkin, the league is just trying to make more money. More money will, in the long run, be better for the everyone in the league. You need to have these retarded rivalries in order to draw in casual fans. It's awful when your sport, a team game, is reduced to marketing ploys. But that's sports today. I'm a much bigger NBA fan than NHL. Let me tell you how much I love the LeBron James (0 NBA titles) cocksuckfest. Count your lucky stars, hockey fans. You only have to endure this Crosby v Ovechkin shit for a couple more weeks (at most). We have to deal with that LeBron faggotry year-round.

[Bregor]

Let me tell you how much I love the LeBron James (0 NBA titles) cocksuckfest.

The "0 NBA titles" thing will change in about six weeks.

On topic:

YouTube - Simeon Varlamov Amazing Stick Save on Sidney Crosby

Yeah he got handcuffed on the Eaton goal, but Jesus tittyballs was that the save of the season or what. I was pretty disappointed with the Caps' passing and puck control through the first two periods, and they were lucky to be tied 2-2. But a strong third, plus Varly, and I couldn't be happier with winning game one.