Well, if the hawks do come back, they will have a lot of powerful momentum. If the Wings advance, heck, they are the Wings… Uncle Brother Walker, you can sleep well knowing that the team that beat yours, moved on. Despite the play of your beloved Crosby and Malkin
I do have a question for the group:
In the last game, for those who saw it, the Canes scored into their own empty net at the end. It was off a face off and goalie was pulled.
Was this a coaching gaffe? Should there have been a player stationed deep to stop such a play? Normally, isn’t the goalie still in the net until the face off is won?
That wasn’t a Carolina own-goal in game 3 – the Penguin centre (Adams) slapped the puck forward on the face-off, a set play from the way he lined up, I believe. I’m surprised the Carolina centre (forget who it was) didn’t try to scramble the draw in that situation, instead of trying to win it clean.
Kinda feel bad for the Hawks right now. Everyone has written them off already despite the fact they have a good chance to win tonight. Remember, Detroit didn’t really win on Sunday as much as Chicago lost. If they’d been as disciplined in game four as they’d been in games one through three, it would’ve at least been a closer game if not a victory for them. And let’s be frank here, Lidstrom by himself is more important to his team than Havlat and Khabibulin combined. Now factor in not only the loss of Nick “the perfect human” Lidstrom, but the loss of Pavel Datsyuk (who I think even managed to get nominated for the Vezina trophy this year) and you’ve a game that could easily go either way.
I’ll say it. Barring another complete flameout (or a “we’re sorry for getting in the way of your rematch” fizzle) by the Blackhawks, this series is going back to Chicago. As bad as Huet was last game, he’s still not much worse than Khabibulin has been in the playoffs. There will also be the emotional boost from every single hockey writer in the country if not the world expecting them to just step meekly out of the way.
And if Datsyuk, Draper, and Lidstrom weren’t enough, dependable rookie Jonathan Ericsson is out with acute appendicitis.:smack: He underwent surgery today and is expected back if there is a next game.
Harborwolf: 43 Me: 42 drm: 39 Hockey Monkey and Rysto: 35 Hap Shaughnessy: 26 Leaffan: 20 Yeticus Rex: 16 Uncle Brother Walker and mhendo: 12 dogbutler: 8
I’m doubling the points for the final. 16 for correct prediction. Another 8 for calling the number of games, but only if you get the winner right. I’d like to do a tie breaker as well. Final special. Maybe a total points prediction for the series. Throw in an extra 8 points to the winner/s. Maximum 32 points are possible.
Red Wings fan here, but I keep thinking back to 1984, and how the Oilers finally figured out the Islanders. Similar situation here (tho Pittsburgh hasn’t amazed me nearly as often as Gretzky and Co. did).
Personally I wish they would just give the Wings the cup, and let the Pens and Hawks play a second place series. I have a feeling the two best young and upcoming teams would make for better overall hockey to watch.
We’ll see how this goes. Detroit has got to be feeling worn thin with the injuries they’ve got.