NHL Season 08-09

[Sepukku]

I think the Michelin Man can't complain about penalties on this one. You guys had more PPs than us and it was a pretty even no-call situation, I felt every team that got a no-call was equalled by one for the other side. although I'm sure there will be some boo-hoo'ing about the 2 "supposed" penalties on the Pens in OT.

The one on, I believe, Semin, coming into the Pens end along the right side and getting stood up just inside the blue line was in no way a penalty even though the crowd seemed to want it. The dude had the puck, its fair game to rub him out.

The other one, immediately before Malkin scored, with the open ice knockdown in the Pens end before the breakout was probably a penalty in a regular season game where the refs are calling everything, but in a close playoff series like this, where the refs had already swallowed their whistles, they can't call that in OT. Playoff OT penalties usually have to be pretty serious, directly interfering with a teams ability to score, like Malkin getting hauled down on the break.

Irregardless of the penalties situation, Caps had like 87 oppurtunities to score and hit the glass behind Fleury on 71 of them. As Bob Errey said, "If hitting the glass counted for a goal, Semin would be leading the league in scoring." AO had a pretty awesome first goal, second was more Backstrom setting him up than him doing anything talented, but I remember him flaking on what should've been a wide open net one-timer earlier off the heel of his stick. Caps had the chances, but just couldn't bury them.

[Brill Weave]

And this is why you never lower the stick at an angle when trying to break up the pass across the crease. This kind of goal happens. Lower it straight down or slide in front of it. Terrible defensive play on a fairly pedestrian passing attempt.

[Sepukku]

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/150...sotvictory.jpg

And look at my favorite, Alex Goligoski, celebrate. Oh yeahhh. Lets just hope we can close it out at home Monday.

[Brill Weave]

HAHAHAHA Yanni says he feels for the Penguins and Capitals since his concert made the scheduling a nightmare.

Singer Yanni says he empathizes with Pens and Caps - NHL - Yahoo! Sports

WASHINGTON (AP)—Yanni is singing a song of empathy for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.

The pop singer issued a statement Saturday reflecting his role in the scheduling of the teams’ playoff series. Yanni’s concert at the Penguins’ Mellon Arena on Tuesday night is the reason the NHL put Game 4 on Friday in Pittsburgh and Game 5 in Washington on Saturday—a back-to-back scenario that neither team likes.

Yanni didn’t express apologies or regrets. He instead cited his experience “as a former national champion swimmer” for native country Greece.

“I empathize with the athletes competing in the NHL playoffs and understand the pressures under which they perform,” the statement said.

Early in the series, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said it was “a shame” that the teams were forced to play back-to-back games, calling it “bad for the league, both fan bases and for the players.”

For his part, Yanni thanked all involved—particularly the Mellon Arena— for “recognizing the importance of presenting the highest quality sports and entertainment to the fans of the city of Pittsburgh.”

Since when was Yanni considered entertainment?

[Saphirea]

FLASH FLOOD WARNING: All residents of Washington D.C. are advised to take precautions tonight to guard against a likely flood by the Potomac River. Experts say a gigantic wave of tears emanating from the Verizon Center may cause the Potomac to overflow its banks.

I didn't write it, it was from Pensblog but man it made me laugh. Especially since I live in the DC Metro area and had to listen to comcast's we suck Ovechkin off for breakfast lunch and dinner network.

[Selamis]

I've yet to hear a single fan outside of Pittsburgh make a stink out of this.

I am from Chicago, it was a dirty hit. May have not started off with that intent but as soon as Ovechkin deliberately stuck his leg out, he knew damn well what he was trying to do. That is all.

[Selamis]

Hawks with a huge road win, and chance to close out at home!

[Arnwulf]

Usually the talking heads are all over a hit that's dirty, I didn't think it was dirty and they have made a point to say that THEY don't think it's dirty. As said before, aside from Pens fans and a few others. No one thought it was a dirty hit, just an unlucky one. BTW, did you notice that after that Ovie stopped hitting people during that game? It clearly affected him too. I realize that Pens fans are upset, but hey, cheer up, you're winning the series now 3-2

[Tythera]

Not televising the Ducks/Wings game is a crime, ffffffffffffff

[Oxyminus]

Only thing I'm sad about right now is that I don't have Versus since I moved. Even though their coverage sucks ass, and I think that's putting it gently, I'm missing some AMAZING hockey!

[Sepukku]

Varlamov (speaking through a translator) whines about the schedule and then accuses Sidney Crosby of trying to hurt him to get him out of the game when he drove the net and they collided.

Malkin said something too after the game, but he was man enough to speak English, so the resulting trainwreck was undecipherable.

Varlamov appears to be crying too in the interview:
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7388/varlamovcrying.jpg

[Oxyminus]

Varlamov had to crack sooner or later. It's really sad, and a testament to how offensively inept the Rangers are that they couldn't do it.

Fact of the matter is Varlamov is a rookie, who has now played more career Stanley Cup Playoffs games than he has NHL Regular Season games. Eventually the schedule, and the intensity were going to get to him. Seeing it happen against the Penguins, who have a boatload of offensive talent, is not surprising.

[Palin]

Not televising the Ducks/Wings game is a crime, ffffffffffffff

It'son NHL network if you get it.

[Tythera]

I wish I did, exclusive shit like this and the NFL network are retarded

[Ishido]

Here are some links which might or might not have streams for the Wings game

ATDHE.Net - Watch Free Live Sports TV
ustream.tv/channel/red-wings-live
ustream.tv/channel/hockeytown2

[Ivaden]

Grats on the game and probably the series. Couldn't have happened to a nicer, classier bunch of folks.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y27...eoofTalbot.gif


Anyway, I was pretty impressed with Goligoski but it seemed like he didn't have much ice time. It's good to see that he played as well as he did, hopefully he's up in Pittsburgh full-time next season. I will admit that I didn't like him paired with Letang, though, but they weren't too bad. A little too offense of a defensive pair in my opinion, but it worked out.

[Sepukku]

Goligoski handled himself in the defensive end pretty well against one of the more offensive teams of the league. On the one power play he seemed a little sheepish though, like he was scared to shoot it himself. I was almost expecting to hear Crosby yell "ITS OKAY, YOURE ALLOWED TO SHOOT" or something hahaha Goligoski is my favorite, I've got the #13 shirt for him - even got some props at the more crowded outdoor screen games from strangers for it. I was scared to get a jersey ordered for him pre-trade deadline though. If hes full-timing next year, he'll be my jersey of choice.

[Tythera]

Fuck yeah, Wings showed up to an entire game again. I think they easily could have said Hiller was interfered with but at least it wasn't the game decider like that terrible call in the earlier game.

[Ishido]

Wings dominated this one even more than the score showed. Hiller is playing very well, keeping games much closer than they should be. He can't carry the team though, and with Getzlaf looking tired or injured they aren't getting as much done.

[Bregor]

Varlamov appears to be crying too in the interview:

Or, you know, sweating.

If the Caps end up losing this series, they can look right at Mike Green and Alex Semin as the reasons why. Neither have scored a single goal yet against the Pens, and it seems like every time they gain the blue line, they end up turning the puck over, or shooting right into the Pittsburgh D or wide of the net. Someone other than Ovie and Backstrom really needs to step up tonight for them to have any chance to stay alive.