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The Champs are the Champs until dethroned and should be considered the favorites. Should be a good series.

This is a different style Pens team than last year.

Last year the Wings out shot the Pens by an average of 13 1/2 shots per game.

This Pens team doesn't get out shot very often.

waiting for right, lots of good arguments for the pens in this TD

As I recall, Al picked Carolina to beat the Pens.

Waiting for ----------->'s argument/rebuttal, but in the meantime...

"a motivated team pulsing with confidence"

Yep, that's it. That's ALL they have. Nothing else. No talent. No skill. Terrible goaltending. Terrible defense.

Boy, you would have thought the Pens "mailed it in."

"...but there's a big leap between knocking off the sixth-place 'Canes and knocking out the reigning champs."

Again, Al picked the Canes to beat the Pens, so I am not sure why the Canes are being dismissed as a fluke now.

lil ricky will win the cup!

"big leap between knocking off the sixth place Canes and knocking out the reigning champs."


There's also a big leap between knocking out a Blackhawks team with very little playoff experience and knocking off a team that was in the finals last year and has gotten better every single year for the past 4 years. What happened last year has absolutely no bearing on what will happen this year. Both teams have some differences in their lineups and the Pens don't even have the same coach as last year. The Pens hung with Detroid after game 2 last year. The Pens have that experience now and they will not come into the first 2 games in Detroit as nervous and overwhelmed as last year. Before every series I've seen many people on here saying that the Pens can't beat whomever they were playing but then after they beat them all of the sudden the excuses come out. The Flyers were undisciplined (or, of course to Flyers fans, the refs cheated), the Caps don't have any defense, Carolina was a fluke the first two rounds etc. Nobody wants to give the Pens any credit for what they've done. I'm sure if the Pens win the Cup everybody will have excuses as to why they beat Detroit also. That's OK though. I see the same thing with the Steelers. Some people just need to rationalize why they're wrong because it's hard for some people to admit that they didn't know what they were talking about.

If anyone has listened to anything the Pens players have said or watched any Pens hockey they will know it's a very different style and mindset from last fall nevermind last year. The Pens now dictate the tempo of the game. They aim to play the entire game in the offensive zone, create havoc, and score off opportunities. Very little is scripted except work your ass off, put a ton of pressure on the D and the goalie, and shoot. In the past including last years final Pens were reactive and let Detroit set the tone and hope to turn the puck over in the neutral zone and score that way. This is why the Pens will win the cup in 5 games. The speed, the aggressiveness, and the pressure the Pens will bring will be too much for the injured and slower Wings.

You're talking about a Red Wings team that has had more than 35 shots a game for 14 straight games this post season. Not to mention a team with a much better defense than the one you just faced in Carolina

QUOTE(#10):

Originally posted 03:19 PM ET  05.29 by AllPitt

If anyone has listened to anything the Pens players have said or watched any Pens hockey they will know it's a very different style and mindset from last fall nevermind last year. The Pens now dictate the tempo of the game. They aim to play the entire game in the offensive zone, create havoc, and score off opportunities. Very little is scripted except work your ass off, put a ton of pressure on the D and the goalie, and shoot. In the past including last years final Pens were reactive and let Detroit set the tone and hope to turn the puck over in the neutral zone and score that way. This is why the Pens will win the cup in 5 games. The speed, the aggressiveness, and the pressure the Pens will bring will be too much for the injured and slower Wings.

Have you ever watched a Red Wings game before? Do you know basketball? Red Wings hockey is a lot like watching professional basketball. The system warrants itself to surviving the "runs" that other teams will inevitably go on. It's as simple as that. The Wings are built to survive these runs with the front three and the blue liners. Punch, and counter punch. The Wings handle these pushes, and the other team thinks they are controlling the tempo of the game, heck, it certainly looks like it while you are watching it. Until the Wings keep forcing you to increase your tempo as your confidence increases, suddenly its like speeding down a highway at high speed. You think you are in control until you go into a slight skid, then you over-correct. Imagine getting a pass picked off at the blue-line, and because you think you have the Wings on their heels, you have 3 men down below the circle and a defensemen pinching in to pressure puck movement by the defense. Suddenly it's a 2-on-1 and the puck is in the back of the net with you left scratching your head...

"You're talking about a Red Wings team that has had more than 35 shots a game for 14 straight games this post season. Not to mention a team with a much better defense than the one you just faced in Carolina "

Right, but you have get out of your own zone and live in the offensive zone to get 35 shots on goal and that won't happen agains the Pens. The Wings will have spurts or flurries but they won't be able to sustain it for long streches. The Pens have too much speed this year.

QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 03:19 PM ET  05.29 by SpartyOn37

You're talking about a Red Wings team that has had more than 35 shots a game for 14 straight games this post season. Not to mention a team with a much better defense than the one you just faced in Carolina

thats why this has the markings of a great series. there will be plenty of shots and goals by both teams.

QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 02:04 PM ET  05.29 by MATTUSA

This Pens team doesn't get out shot very often.

This Red Wings team doesn't get out shot very often ethier. Should be a good series.

QUOTE(#12):

Originally posted 03:24 PM ET  05.29 by SpartyOn37

Have you ever watched a Red Wings game before? Do you know basketball? Red Wings hockey is a lot like watching professional basketball. The system warrants itself to surviving the "runs" that other teams will inevitably go on. It's as simple as that. The Wings are built to survive these runs with the front three and the blue liners. Punch, and counter punch. The Wings handle these pushes, and the other team thinks they are controlling the tempo of the game, heck, it certainly looks like it while you are watching it. Until the Wings keep forcing you to increase your tempo as your confidence increases, suddenly its like speeding down a highway at high speed. You think you are in control until you go into a slight skid, then you over-correct. Imagine getting a pass picked off at the blue-line, and because you think you have the Wings on their heels, you have 3 men down below the circle and a defensemen pinching in to pressure puck movement by the defense. Suddenly it's a 2-on-1 and the puck is in the back of the net with you left scratching your head...

Not this year's Pens sorry. Not with the forwards back checking every shift and not with the defense playing smart every shift. There have been very very few odd man rushes against the Pens in these playoffs. Goals given up have been individual effeorts like Ovechkin, shots from the circles, or 5 off deflections. That's all I am trying to tell you, forget last year, this is a very different team. But we'll see, enjoy.

QUOTE(#16):

Originally posted 03:30 PM ET  05.29 by AllPitt

Not this year's Pens sorry. Not with the forwards back checking every shift and not with the defense playing smart every shift. There have been very very few odd man rushes against the Pens in these playoffs. Goals given up have been individual effeorts like Ovechkin, shots from the circles, or 5 off deflections. That's all I am trying to tell you, forget last year, this is a very different team. But we'll see, enjoy.

When was the last time you saw the Wings win based on individual effort? I appreciate your homerism, everyone does. The Pens are a great team, but trying to compare the Wings against the Hurricanes, who had little business being in the Conference Finals, that just doesn't fly here.

QUOTE:

Originally posted by

Pretty good opening left.Lidstrom is the best d-man ever!

I think Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey have a say in that

I tend to think the Wings will take it, but I'll wait to see right's arguments.

What a lot of people overlooked last year was Detroit's ability to move the puck; the accuracy and liquidity of their passing game. That hasn't changed at all this year. Pittsburgh has a tremendously talented team, but it seems to me that they are a team that thrives on the mistakes of other teams, particularly when the other team fails to set the tempo. Detroit doesn't make a lot of mistakes and is far better at setting the game tempo than Washington or Carolina. However, you Pens fans are right. Last year's final doesn't have much of a bearing on this year's final, but I think the result is going to look the same; Detroit in 6.

PS - You Pittsburgh fans have got to love it this year. If only the Pirates didn't play AAA ball...

QUOTE(#16):

Originally posted 03:30 PM ET  05.29 by AllPitt

Not this year's Pens sorry. Not with the forwards back checking every shift and not with the defense playing smart every shift. There have been very very few odd man rushes against the Pens in these playoffs. Goals given up have been individual effeorts like Ovechkin, shots from the circles, or 5 off deflections. That's all I am trying to tell you, forget last year, this is a very different team. But we'll see, enjoy.

sup rookie

QUOTE(#19):

Originally posted 03:39 PM ET  05.29 by Nikolai

I tend to think the Wings will take it, but I'll wait to see right's arguments. What a lot of people overlooked last year was Detroit's ability to move the puck; the accuracy and liquidity of their passing game. That hasn't changed at all this year. Pittsburgh has a tremendously talented team, but it seems to me that they are a team that thrives on the mistakes of other teams, particularly when the other team fails to set the tempo. Detroit doesn't make a lot of mistakes and is far better at setting the game tempo than Washington or Carolina. However, you Pens fans are right. Last year's final doesn't have much of a bearing on this year's final, but I think the result is going to look the same; Detroit in 6.PS - You Pittsburgh fans have got to love it this year. If only the Pirates didn't play AAA ball...

nice one