Well, that was disheartening. There goes Ottawa’s chances of winning the series on aggregate.
The good news is, if they can just win at home and force a game seven, the franchise has a scintillating 0-5 in those. Maybe it means we’re due?
Losing 1-0 and losing 7-0 still yields the same results: a 3-2 game advantage for Pittsburgh. Ottawa might be able to draw strength from this.
Wow. Pens really firing on all cylinders. Hope they can keep it up and put the series away next game. Don’t want to see an anything can happen game 7.
Wow the Preds might be wrapping it up tonight. Surprised they took the last game in Anaheim, and with tonight’s game in Nashville, well, not a guaranteed win, but with their home play-off record and the famous intensity of that arena’s smaller-capacity crowd, it should be entertaining, and hopefully not a blow-out like some of the Pens/Sens games have been.
Without Johansen and Fisher (the latter still questionable for tonight) that would be especially impressive if Nashville can pull this off. Might all come to down to Pekka.
One thing I’ve always loved about hockey is that the playoffs are unpredictable. Nashville was one of the last if not the last team in but they might well wind up in the finals. When was the last time an NBA team came out of nowhere to win the title?
Against the Pens, if Ottawa lets the Pens forwards float around in the slot the way they did, they’re not going to win. They have to glue themselves to those guys.
How 'bout them Preds, despite getting outshot 41-18!
Amazing that Lavoulette is only the fourth coach in NHL history to take three different franchises to the the Stanley Cup finals. Glad to hear Bernier was going to be in net for the Preds - never had much faith in him - just shoot on him, basically. (like, the second goal) The tone was definitely set early in the game when the refs called penalties that in other games they would’ve kept their whistles in their pockets.
Interesting seeing Nashville also doing the 1-3-1 thing formation sometimes, but with their offensive breaks and shot-blocking - still entertaining hockey.
3rd consecutive time Nashville has eliminated Anaheim from the play-offs!
ETA: Getzlaf played some ASTOUNDING hockey this series. Jesus.
Missed edit window: oops - that should say “…Bernier was going to be in the net for the Ducks.”
also - if I hear “Smashville” one more time…
I’m a little closer to this joyous occasion (though if Nashville wins the Cups it’ll be Pekka Rinne who wins the Conn Smythe) though my first preference remains Ottawa pulling out a miracle.
It would be a miracle, though.
Adios Anaheim. I hope the door smashes you to oblivion on the way out. What a bunch of thugs!
Bieksa has to be one of the most classless pieces of shit in the league. Throwing debilitating cross checks from behind with 7 seconds left and down 6-3. Cummon butthead, get a clue. Then he goes down the tunnel and knocks down all the sticks. Class act! He should get a season misconduct just for being an idiot. Good to see Kesler have to pull out his razor.
Go Preds! Good for the players, the franchise and mostly the fans. Great article yesterday in the New York Times about selling hockey in Nashville:
There have been some great series in this playoff. A lot of back stories. I don’t expect any less in the finals. Bring 'em on!
As Rick said, “one step closer to watching Milbury’s head explode.”
Who the hell decided it would be a good idea to hire Milbury in the first place? Everything that guy touches turns to shit.
Thank-you, Pens, for having goalie names that rhyme.
Anderson with 45 saves and Ottawa survives another game. Not a great first half of the game, but they were a lot better in the second half.
Well, back to Pittsburgh. Which arm is the one that hurts when you have a heart attack?
I love game 7s. Either way it’s going to be fun!
Way to go, Ottawa! Claesson’s goal was fuckin eh beauty - round-the-world - those are silly sweet, and insanely rare. (ting ting ting!)
There was a particularly nasty cross-check Cullen gave to Karlsson in the second period (nowhere near the net - into the boards, actually) so I just hope next game 65 will have a flying hip-check or something waiting for 7.
I figure Murray will be the Sens’ biggest opponent Thursday. The Pens are lucky to have such a valuable young commodity. His style is great - very economical, making it look easy with his limited movements. His even-keeled composure is especially impressive for a young’un!
Is it just me, or does Bobby Ryan always have a sort of…spooked*…look about him?
Claessen didn’t score a goal so that’s confusing. I think you mean Hoffman. The nice thing about that goal was that, in breaking with long franchise tradition, they didn’t try to make three more passes before shooting; Hoffman had a chance to rip one and took it. I also agree with your assessment of Matt Murray, who was a B-level prospect and just sort of emerged from nowhere to become an elite goalie.
I’m a die-hard Sens fans but I’ll be honest; the series really should be 5-1 Penguins. Except for Game 3 Ottawa has appeared to be the inferior team in every game (well, you could argue over Game 1) but either the bounces went their way or, in the case of last night, Craig Anderson stood on his head.
I fervently hope Ottawa makes it but wouldn’t take them for real money at three to one. If they do pull of this miracle it’ll be exactly that.
Whoa - no idea what I was thinking. :smack:
If it ends up being Nashville vs Ottawa I’ll have a hard time deciding which underdog to root for. (If it’s Nashville and the Pens it won’t be a difficult choice at all :D)
That’s what I’m thinking.