Around the League: Congrats Pittsburgh Penguins!

[nexttothemoon]

Once again have to pop up and note that I chose the Sharks to win the cup when the season began... so far so good... although that last series was closer than it had to be.

 

[Dakine879]

As great as the playoffs have been, they are about to get better!!

Pittsburgh / Tampa Bay

St Louis / San Jose

GO BLUES!!!

 

[McPuritania]

If the Sharks win the Cup, I'm gonna ****in' puke.

 

[PBandJ]

If the Sharks win the Cup, I'm gonna ****in' puke.

The image of that smug punk Couture lifting the Cup makes me dry heave.

 

[joestevens29]

You really think it would be a choke if the Sharks lost to the Blues? The two teams seem pretty evenly matched.

I agree. STL has a better defense IMO and when Steen and Berglund are your 7th and 8th leading scoring forwards with 8 points I'd say you have a pretty deep forward group. A forward group that punishes you physically as well.

Gonna be an interesting matchup.

The one interesting stat I noticed is the amount of giveaways SJ has had so far. They are damn near a -60 in the giveaway vs takeaway stat as opposed to STL being just about +30

Another odd stat. Take a look at faceoffs. I guess they really mean nothing if you can actually play smart hockey.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/team?repor...16&gameType=3&sort=faceoffWinPctg&aggregate=0

 

[Young Lions*]

The image of that smug punk Couture lifting the Cup makes me dry heave.

You'd rather that turd Backes or Hitchcock (again)?

Jumbo+Pavelski+Burns=no-brainer

 

[Replacement*]

You'd rather that turd Backes or Hitchcock (again)?

Jumbo+Pavelski+Burns=no-brainer

Yeah, Sharks are an easy team to like. Couture doesn't change that.

Clowns like Backes, Reaves, make it easy to dislike the Blues. Although they don't have Jackassman anymore.

Sharks in 6 games. Maybe quicker.

Would really surprise me if Sharks don't manage a split in STL.

 

[doulos]

Stamkos in full gear now. Pretty surprised by that as I figured he wouldn't be back at all this postseason. Could be massive for them if he returns.

 

[Philly85*]

Stamkos in full gear now. Pretty surprised by that as I figured he wouldn't be back at all this postseason. Could be massive for them if he returns.

They play better without him. I'd just tell him stay seated and rest up buddy. They make it through to the SCF then he can suit up cuz it's a guaranteed loss anyways. And Stamkos has never, ever been good in the playoffs.

 

[MoneyGuy]

All four semi-final series went as I wanted. Yay! Not as I predicted, but as I wanted them to go (especially Dallas, as I really wanted them to lose).

Cheering for San Jose from here on. I wouldn't mind Pittsburgh-San Jose.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Anyone else skeptical of all the mutual respect the winning teams like to flaunt when they win a series on the main boards.

 

[PBandJ]

Is it possible to have a quadruple knockout and no Cup awarded this year?

 

[doulos]

They play better without him. I'd just tell him stay seated and rest up buddy. They make it through to the SCF then he can suit up cuz it's a guaranteed loss anyways. And Stamkos has never, ever been good in the playoffs.

I disagree. They have won their series in quick fashion but they have not looked very good doing it.

If he's healthy enough they will want him in the lineup to add one more threat. But how healthy he is REALLY is key.

 

[McTrashBoat]

and bishop is done?

****

 

[JordanGalhanth]

Yikes. Watching Bishop get hurt brought back bad memories of Roli.

 

[Tarus]

Bishop played with a torn groin in the finals last year too.

Terrible luck for the Lightning in back to back playoff years to have their goaltender come down with injury.

 

[t0nedeff]

Matta looks like absolute trash this playoffs. I remember after his first years Pens fans were talking like he was already a surefire number 1 an wouldn't trade him for Hall.

 

[JordanGalhanth]

2-0 Tampa.

That was a pretty icky second goal for Murray to give up.

 

[BlackDogg]

Please no TB in SCF.

 

[doulos]

Lightning just know how to win. Been this way for years now. Very impressive.

 

[JordanGalhanth]

Penguins could sure use a young, elite powerplay quarterback like Schultz...

And as I type this, the Pens finally score.

 

[Quality Oil]

TB lit up the Pens that period!

I wasn't sure if either Letang or Johnson were coming back after those hits, damn.

 

[Philly85*]

Callahan driving Letangs head looked egregious. However did Letang turn and put himself in a bad position? Didn't watch the game just saw the highlights, was it that bad?

 

[Replacement*]

Watching this game after seeing SJ put on a clinic last night is like watching a whole other league. One where puck control is a foreign concept.

Sharks were operating skillfully in tight quarters all night last night. pens couldn't execute a basic break out or cross the blueline and retain possession with even a man advantage.

Could the Pens be any flatter, slow, and clumsy then they were tonight. Wow. Givng the puck away time and time again. Whole PP's where they do nothing but fan, miss the net, fall down, miss passes, and Pass it out or to Tampa players.

Virtually every Penguin fan had their hands crossed in disgust. As they well should. It looked like amateurs out there. painful game to watch.

 

[JordanGalhanth]

^ No kidding. I thought I was watching the Oilers for a split second.