I don’t think that the Canucks are a bad pick at all, Rick, despite the fact that I have them going out in the first round. All of the big contenders this year have one gigantic fatal flaw or another, but Vancouver has an excellent first line and good scoring depth, a good(but injury prone) defence and Roberto Luongo. Like I said, I went with my gut with the LA pick.
Fleury was awful tonight, wasn’t he? His rebound control was atrocious and Ottawa really made him pay for that. And that last goal was completely indefensible. Elliot wasn’t much better. The third goal was terrible and while I wouldn’t call the first goal a weak one, if a team is to make any noise in the playoffs their goaltender has to have shots like that.
Crosby had about the quietest three-point night I’ve ever seen. He made a very nice play on the last Penguin goal but I didn’t even know that he’d assisted on the Malkin goals until the game was over.
Man, 2-2 Wings-Coyotes going into the third. This is gonna be a big period. If They can get the win Jimmy will get a lot more confident, but if they lose it, things can go downhill fast with a rookie.
I think the main problem with Fleury is a lack of confidence sometimes. We know he can do it – remember that awesome triple save from last week? Holy shit!!!
Even if we don’t make the Cup this year though, I really, REALLY do not want to see it go to the Crapitals. If I have to see that asshat Ovechkin lift it, I think I’ll puke.
Ugh.
Too many bad bounces.
Too many errant passes.
Too many Colorado penalties ignored.
One bullcrap goal.
Well, at least the Sharks aren’t the only high seed to have been embarrassed, and Ryan Clowe is making my prediction of 1 point per game look prescient.
Fleury wasn’t great, but the rest of the team didn’t exactly help him defensively either. There’s no reason that the penguins should be giving up five goals to the Sens. Not only did they look lazy out there, I’m wondering if they know that there is a whole other side to the rink. I hear they call it the “defensive zone.” Kinda like the Twillight Zone only less spooky and more worky.
Course half the team is so young, the coach may have to explain that the twillight zone has nothing to do with sparkly vampires or waxed werewolves. And yes, waxed werewolves is available for a band name. Sparkly Vampires is not having been taken by a troupe of goth drag queens. Their cover of Marilyn Manson’s “beautiful people?” Fabulous!
Maybe I should’ve gotten more sleep. Think I’m getting a bit weird.
And of course the other half of my double header was Detroit/Phoenix. Is it a good sign that the Wings got curb stomped by one of the statistically worst power plays from the regular season? Yeah. I didn’t think so either. Game did look vaguely familiar though, what with the Wings racking up forty shots with maybe a quarter of them being worth a damn. Quality, not quantity. And they better start helping Howard out. He’s a rookie goalie, so mentally speaking he’s a little funny. I still think he can do well, but that’s if he gets on a roll. For that, Detroit’s vaunted defense is going to have to play up to their reputation.
On the other side, Phoenix is going to have to clean themselves up a bit if they want to win the series. There was a lot of late hitting and chippy garbage going on out there last night and the refs aren’t always going to miss it, especially with Lidstrom getting stitches after a high stick that wasn’t called. More likely than not the refs are going to turn around and try to keep the game dainty and clean. It’ll affect both teams for sure, but it will hurt Phoenix worse as long as Detroit keeps themselves above it.
Still, it would be great if Montreal can drag the series out. Making the Caps go to 7 games and a couple of OT games will help tire them out and hopefully allow any other team to take the East.
I don’t make predictions, because I suck at them, but I am very pleased at the outcome of this first game against the Caps. I think Montreal has the capability to steal this series, though I’m not really sure they will. I am certainly hoping they do!
Ottawa only had 26 shots, and remember that that includes the added shots taken on the huge rebounds Fleury allowed. It’s hard to find fault with the defense; if anything I thought the Pens’ problem was OFFENSE. They weren’t sustaining pressure in the offensive zone except for a few short flurries. A team with that talent should have had multiple sustained pressure attacks and peppered Elliott with shots. 21 shots against the Senators? Can anyone outside Eastern Ontario name two Sens defencemen? Unacceptable. The Pens scored four goals only due to sheer luck and Elliott being shaky.
Fleury has not been the same since mid-season; I think the busted finger might still be hurting.
As to the Montreal upset, great game. I’m still thinking the Caps will be fine.
I am at work right now, no tv, how is the Canucks /Kings game going? Canucks.com gives me the score 2-2 after 2, but I can’t read enough into the stats… who’s strong, who’s lucky, whats happening?
Suspense is Killing meeeeee. Darn working for a living, and no you tube, tv or streaming video content at work. Of course, I bet no one is doing anything but watching the game in Vancouver.