So…are last night’s 2nd and 3rd period Penguins the real Pens? They’ve started putting it together a bit this series, playing much better overall than they did against the Isles (though I’m still pissed about that garbage shorty they gave up that led to this not being a sweep…30 more seconds of hard work and they’re resting already). Anyway, great to have the offensive explosion. Sid’s goal was sick (one of many this series).
The pass, easily.
As much as people talk about the Pens’ speed, what stands out for me as the key difference between the two teams is the simple, basic skill of stickhandling. The Senators, as a team, suck at handling the puck. The Penguins, as a team, are terrific at handling the puck. Some are better than others - Spezza, obviously, or Karlsson are better puckhandlers than Matt Cooke - but for the most part the Sens simply aren’t an especially good team at handling the puck. They can skate and hit with anyone but are just plainly clumsy, whereas the Penguins are not. Take any random five minutes of any of the games and watch each team’s players when they receive passes or pick up loose pucks. At a far greater rate, the Penguin player will successfully control the puck and move it in a fashion that allows him to mak the next play, whereas the Senator player has a greater chance of failing to control the puck in time to continue the play. It’s a subtle difference, measured in tenths of a second, but at the NHL level taking a third of a second more to get the puck under control is an eternity, and they suck at it. Two or three tenths of a second is the difference between getting the pass away or not, having a set play run correctly or not, having a guy open or not, letting the opponent hit you or not, getting a shot off that scores versus one that doesn’t. In fact, I’d argue this is by far the greatest difference between the two teams - to a large extent it might be THE difference. Simple puck control; without it, you can’t shoot or pass or move the puck out of the defensive zone effectively.
The worst player, by far, is Zack Smith. He is one of the clumsiest stickhandlers I have ever seen who was not actually a goon (in that regard he’s taken over the role from Nick Foligno, who was almost as bad.) Smith is a physically talented player but time and again he just cannot get the puck on his stick in a controlled fashion. Make a point of watching him over a few shifts; it happens again and again and again. His speed and size is of no use to him again and again because he doesn’t have the puck under control, thereby ruining the play.
Jimmy…Jimmy…Jimmy 
Howard with a spectacular performance. I’m extremely impressed with the Wings. As long as they keep playing hard and don’t act like the lackluster bunch of blunderers they were midseason, I’ll be happy with the result no matter if they win or lose. With Nyquist showing some spark and Kindl/Smith starting to play like actual defensemen, we have a lot of up and coming talent.
That said, if they actually want to put Chicago away, the offense is going to have to do much better. This game would have been in Chicago’s pocket without Jimmay.
Is red the official beard colour of the NHL, or what?
Hmmmm…potential Red Wings Penguins rematch in the works, provided both teams continue playing this well. Of course, both need to closeout their current series (which should happen, but could also be tough, especially in the West), and then both face potentially very strong opponents in the conference finals (Boston is quite dangerous, and Quick seems to be back into top form for LA), but it could be interesting if it happens.
Damn Hawks :mad:
I should have done laundry.
A long anticipated rubber match between the two would be nice.
I was really hoping the Rangers would tank, because at the moment there’s a .05% chance Lundqvist would join the Pens in free agency, but a 4-0 sweep might push it up to a 1% chance. Can you imagine that? It’s financially feasible - say, a 4 year, $28 million dollar deal that’d give him a slight raise while having the same cap hit as Vokoun and Fleury combined - even though it’d never, ever happen since he’s ATLEAST the 2nd best Rangers of all time and they are flush with cash. Plus, he’s Swedish, who are all loyal to a fault - among about 100 other reasons why it’d never happen. But if it did, that’s an instant dynasty, something that should never even be possible in the salary cap era. But if anyone can pull it off, it’s Ray Shero…
The Kings FINALLY played their game last night.
I know most of you guys are sawing logs when they are playing, but seriously, LA/SJ is the best series of the playoffs by far, regardless which team wins the series.
1% is a high guess. I have difficulty imagining why the Rangers would not go to the mattresses to keep Lundqvist. He is pretty much 55% of the team.
Lundqvist is also pretty heavily invested into being a New Yorker. He owns a restaurant there, he and his wife had their child there, and he appears to be fond of being in the fashionable jet set, which, no offense, doesn’t count Pittsburgh as a go-to destination.
I’m much more interested in what might happen to Marc-Andre Fleury.
I don’t fucking understand what a kicking motion is anymore. That was an absolutely absurd ruling.
The skate must clearly and unambiguously kick towards the net. I see no replay in which that clearly happens, so the ruling was certainly not absurd.
That said, the rule as it stands really should be made clearer. This isn’t an egregiously bad call, but there are too many of them.
If that is the NHL’s current interpretation of the rule they are splitting a very fine hair here. It doesn’t even make any sense; as the intent of the rule is for safety reasons, and kicking parallel to the goal line isn’t any safer than kicking towards the goal line.
However I will concede that there was no replay that clearly showed his kick going towards the net. But still, he kicked at the puck, the puck contacted his blade during his kicking motion, and the puck was therefore directed into the net. Seems clear enough to me.
Thats some good analysis. The fact that you just happen to know that makes me nervous to ever argue hockey with you. 
Though I do believe the Swedes are loyal, that is why so many of the Swedish Red Wings stay in the city of Detroit. :dubious:
Up thread someone mentioned the hockey announcers and all Ottawa had to do was to “shoot pucks at the net” to beat Pittsburg. I remember hearing something similiar to that and thinking it was possible because of their goalie trouble. Looks like Pittsburg is blowing that out of the water.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis has just left the building!” - Mike Lange
Well, Ottawa went two playoff rounds deeper than anyone thought they would. I love this team. Look for even more improvement next year. Imagine if their two best players were actually healthy!
Kudos to Ottawa.
Brian Murray has made some really good trades and picks in the last couple of years.
The organization is in great shape.
See you next year.
ETA: Go Wings!
I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not. 
However, I will tell you that yinz were a worthy opponent, and it was a great series.
(I have to ask – did Karlsson shake Cooke’s hand? They were commenting about it on Twitter, but they didn’t show it on TV)