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Post by jan on May 12, 2009 12:17:20 GMT -5
Yeah, if the NHL is closed for the Olympic games and all the good players participate in the tournament, the situation can change in favor of the US, Canada, and also small European countries like the Czech Republic or Slovakia. However, the Russians are currently very very good and they are definitely the biggest champion for the Olympics.
What was interesting in this Championship was the difference between the European and American styles (as usually). Most of the Europeans were technically very good and advanced and skilled, but they tended to "over-combine" in the corners or simply relatively far from the net, rather passing the puck than shooting, still trying to get to the best position, and often their game ended in a melee or by losing the puck. The Americans and Canadians were much more straightforward, shooting from any position, and trying to get the puck into the net *anyhow*. This approach is less beautiful, but in most of the matches more productive (sadly, I must say). The Russians were however able to combine their technical abilities and speed on the skates (as usually), and (when compared to previous years) they also made a real team (I mean a cooperating team, not a group of selfish individuals), so they won.
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Post by Simey on May 12, 2009 17:40:37 GMT -5
It's a shame if one style of hockey really dominates another - ideally they'd counteract each other and be equally successful, but in different ways. It's hockey at a different level, of course, but it's a problem I've seen at Coventry where the Blaze are trying far too hard to get into the perfect position to shoot the puck - passing it around all over the place - and therefore hardly ever actually taking a shot on goal. And this is a team with a good number of Canadians in it!
I suppose the North American style will have even more of an advantage at the Olympics next year if the matches are to be played on NHL-size rinks.
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Post by Black Cat on May 15, 2009 11:46:22 GMT -5
The second round of the NHL playoffs is over and I've made 3 good guesses on 4.
Conference Finals:
DETROIT vs CHICAGO: Hehe... The Baby Hawks vs the Old Wings... Both goaltenders have won the cup in the past, so that's pretty equal between the pipes. However, even if the Hawks have a good offensive power, I have my doubts on their defensive line I think Detroit will get this one, but it's going to be hard.
CAROLINA vs PITTSBURGH: Mmmh... Another tough choice to make... Simply because Malkin and Crosby are on fire, I'll say that the Pens will win.
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Post by Simey on May 15, 2009 16:38:35 GMT -5
Hey! Three out of four for me too! ;D I only saw the highlights, but game six of Chicago vs. Vancouver looked extraordinary - who'd'a thought Luongo would ever let SEVEN get past him!? And three of the four semis went to seven games - yikes! It's a shame Anaheim couldn't quite make it past Detroit, but fair play to them - they only squeaked into the play-offs, but they pushed the Red Wings right to the edge. Saw game six and it was terrific stuff - Jonas Hiller was awesome. As for final picks, in the East I'll go Pittsburgh too, but I have to pick Chicago for the West - such an exciting team, and Detroit winning again would be so dull.
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Post by Simey on May 25, 2009 16:46:37 GMT -5
Gah! An enthralling game 2, but the Blackhawks couldn't quite pull out a win in Detroit, despite having the better of the match, I think. Then they manage a win first game in Chicago, but then lose the second. It's gonna be very tough now - three out of three, with two of those coming in Detroit. But it's not impossible! Not quite! Pittsburgh doing well though.
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Post by Black Cat on May 27, 2009 11:54:36 GMT -5
Pittsburgh sweeping Carolina is somehow surprising. However, the end result is not: Penguins are back to the Stanley Cup Final. What is really surprising is that Crosby touched the Prince of Wales Trophy! WHAT DID HE DO? HE TOUCHED THE TROPHY GIVEN TO THE EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPS!
For those not knowing it, it is considered bad luck for the teams winning their conference to touch the trophy given to them (the Prince of Wales trophy in the East, the Clarence Campbell Bowl in the West) when their is the Stanley Cup that they can still win after that. However, last year, Crosby didn't touch the trophy and still lost the final. Is it going to be different this year?
Wow, it has been since 2001 that a team have not made a back-to-back appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. In 2000, the New Jersey Devils won the Cup but the next season, they lost it to the Colorado Avalanche. We have to go back to the 1983-1984 season to see the same two teams than the previous year to meet in the Stanley Cup final. In 1982-1983, the New York Islanders won their 4th cup against the Edmonton Oilers. The following year, it was the Oilers who won their first cup against the Islanders. This year, if the Red Wings win their series, we'll see a repeat of last year with maybe a different result.
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Post by Black Cat on May 28, 2009 11:59:15 GMT -5
This is it!
DETROIT vs PITTSBURGH: Wings vs Pens, take 2. Last year, the Red Wings were heavily favorite against the Penguins because of the experience they had in the Stanley Cup final. This year, things might be different: the Wings got older and the Pens gained experience. The outcome might be different this year. Plus, there is one thing that could play in favor of Crosby and his gang: Marian Hossa.
Last year, Hossa had been traded from the Atlanta Thrashers to the Penguins on the trade deadline. The Pens went to the final but lost it to Detroit. Hossa became a free agent during summer and, although Pittsburgh offered lot of money, he turned down their offer and accepted the one of the Wings even if he would made less money than if he had stayed in Pennsylvania. He said that he accepted the offer of the Wings because he wanted to be sure to have a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Now, this year, Hossa is back to the final and so is his old team. The first thing his former teammates would like to do is to give him a lesson by showing him that they too had a legitimate chance to win the Cup. It will be a huge motivation to the players while the Red Wings might take it more easy this year, knowing that they can beat the Penguins.
Well, since I have to make a choice, I say this is the year that Pittsburgh will add its name on the Cup for a third time.
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Post by blazingsaddle on May 30, 2009 5:40:56 GMT -5
Wow! Since the Habs are gone, I don't really follow the NHL right now. As you say BC, that some nice outcome going on. I say that Pittburgs have the cup this year but this will not be easy for them.
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Post by Black Cat on May 30, 2009 22:04:32 GMT -5
Not easy as they already trail the series 1-0 after that 3-1 lost tonight. Hope they will win the next one tomorrow.
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Post by wildhare on May 31, 2009 9:11:12 GMT -5
Yeah Pittsburhg loss yippee I can't stand Crosby and Malkin the darlings of the nhl. Sid the kid has the worst playoff beard ever and Malkin only plays when he feels like it. Reminds me of that other floater Jagr. they used to have. Boo pittsburgh you don't deserve this you almost let your team fold and relocate because you didn't care, but wait! now we have decent players! Ok! I guess we'll watch. Go Detroit even though you won again last year and well you are an original six team and there's nothing wrong with that.
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Post by wildhare on Jun 1, 2009 18:23:18 GMT -5
Tee hee hee
Pens down 2 zip
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Post by blazingsaddle on Jun 2, 2009 4:51:43 GMT -5
Ok boys, just calm down. The next 2 games will be at Pittsburg, beginning tonight. The Penguins won't be easily beaten.
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Post by Simey on Jun 3, 2009 14:29:53 GMT -5
Tough loss for Pittsburgh in Game 2. Did Crosby score? Quite possibly. But without a dratted clear replay it counts for nothing. Did Malkin go after Zetterberg at the end 'cause of his having covered the puck? Whatever the reason, it was a darned stupid thing to do, and though I don't know much about Evgeni Malkin, it did surprise me that he should act like that. He might count himself lucky that with it being the Play-Offs he's unlikely to be prevented from playing Game 3. I think it's true that the home team gets the last change, and that might free Crosby up a bit more in Games 3 & 4, since he was all but shut down in Detroit - given that nearly every time he actually got hold of the puck he did something special with it, it was frustrating how little real action he saw in Game 2 due to being so heavily marked. MAF was the only reason last year's Stanley Cup final went beyond four games - if he can keep up his form, the Penguins surely have a decent chance of making some headway back home. And they did manage to squeeze out one win in Detroit last year - albeit in Overtime number 72 or something daft like that ;D - so it's by no means over yet. I hope!
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Post by Black Cat on Jun 3, 2009 16:01:01 GMT -5
There we go: Pens won game 3. And Malkin was indeed lucky to not get suspended for being the instigator of the fight at the end of game 2.
In other news: Habs have a new head coach: Jacques Martin, former coach of the Ottawa Senators. Let's see what will come out of this...
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Post by Simey on Jun 9, 2009 9:17:30 GMT -5
Yikes - Pittsburgh ripped to shreds in Game 5. They were great for four or five minutes, but then Detroit hit back and the Penguins' skates came off big time. Getting frustrated and losing discipline after going 5-0 down might be understandable, but they started taking stupid penalties having only conceded one goal! I felt sorry for Fleury, who I think was taken off just to give him a break, not because he was playing poorly - half the team in front of him had become so hopeless by half way through the match, and there's only so much he can do by himself. If that had been the match that clinched the title for Detroit, I wouldn't have minded them winning it since I thought Pittsburgh didn't deserve anything off the back of a performance like that. As it is, I'll be behind the Penguins again for Game 6, but they seriously need to sort themselves out or Detroit will walk it, even as the visitors. In other news: Habs have a new head coach: Jacques Martin, former coach of the Ottawa Senators. Let's see what will come out of this... Another change? What's your feeling about this, BC?
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