Stanley Cup Finals

[Geordie]

B-Payne's got it pretty much right, except Byfuglien's actually in his third season. 

Anyway, I'm definitely looking forward to tonight's game I think the Flyers will come back with a stronger effort this time around because they've proven that they don't allow opponents to really get under their skin in the playoffs.  Plus, I expect them to have a bit more of an edge tonight as I believe Daniel Carcillo (One of the league's best agitators, even if his discipline's called into question) should draw back into the lineup.

We'll see what happens, though.  If Philadelphia can escape with a split of the first 2 games heading back to the Wachovia Center for the next two, look out.

[Level-One]

I want the blackhawks to lose just because of Hossa. The Hossa curse strikes, AGAIN! I mean, three years now. Three years in a fucking row, this would be. The guy hops from team to team, makes the conference finals and loses. Please, LET IT BE!

I'm cruel; and bitter, my Flames didn't make the playoffs. So, might as well cheer on bad will, right?

At least, my Lakers are still in the NBA playoffs. Finals. They'll do it again.

[Bryan Payne]

'Hawks pulled out the second game 2-0, putting them two games up in the series as it moves to Philly for game three.  The first period was more hardnosed, but it seemed a bit forced....  for evidence consider the decapitation two Flyer's players committed on each other trying to hit one of the Hawks.  They take a running start the hawk player just stops and crash bang boom I'm surprised one of them even got up... and top it off one of the two guys who just killed their own team got a penalty called on them for their trouble!

Second period it seemed like Philly went on offense trying to change the pace of the game now that they had confidence that their goalie had regained his confidence... one problem...  the hawks are still better at that open ice style of game than Philly is.   The penalty kill for Philly held up pretty well considering, but I'm not sure what they do for game three... if they get any more physical they're going to spend half the game shorthanded and that goalie has got to be rocked right now mentally.. not sure you want to open him up for that kind of target practice with blood already in the water.

[Geordie]

The Flyers actually scored in the 3rd, so it was 2-1.

With that aside, I think your depiction of the game was pretty accurate.  Philly tried to do a bit too much in the early going, and they're lucky they didn't get burned.  In fact, it looked like Philly was about to break through when Chicago scored twice in a span 28 seconds toward the end of the 2nd period.

Hawks are 2 games from the Cup one way or the other, though.  With the incompetency of their previous GM (Incorrectly filing new deals for players coming out of their entry-level contracts, forcing them to be signed at a much higher price), I think they realize that this might be their one really good shot at it.

[Duckman]

I know nothing of this sport you call Hockey, but did find this little snippet on the wrestling observer website that is quite funny:

-- CM Punk and Tony Chimmel have a Stanley Cup playoff bet going, as revealed last night on Right After Wrestling Radio. The bet is that is the Hawks win the Stanley Cup, Tony Chimmel has to announce CM Punk hailing from "The home of the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago IL" and if Philly wins the Stanley Cup then CM Punk has to cut a promo where he says "this city is not nearly as good as Philadelphia".

Peace

Duckman

[Bryan Payne]

Nice, lol.  It's looking like a pretty safe bet for Punk actually... 

[Bryan Payne]

oops forgot to update this the other day.  Philly did manage to pull out Game 3...  4-3 in OT.

I think it might be becoming clear that Philly has the best single line on the ice when it's on the ice with Pronger.  But overall I think the Blackhawks are a bit deeper at forward.  If all the games are going to be this close I still have to give the advantage to the Hawks.  Game four will tell us a lot.. we already know that it doesn't look like we're going to see any stoppage of the game being decided in the closing minutes of the all the games.... don't expect to see blow outs in this one and that's a good thing.

Side note as far as the blackhawks are concerned... christ.. Philly might want to consider trying to avoid the bad penalties... oh and while they're at it...  maybe watch Sharp when he's on the ice...  just a thought.

[Bryan Payne]

Philly wins game 4 ties up the series which now heads back to Chicago.  Most of this game was all Philly who proved they really can dominate this game...

but then, heading into the last half of the third period with a three goal lead they came within a single inch of this game being set to overtime.  In the last half of the third period it was like the Philly team forgot the discipline and hard nosed mentality that got them the lead and frankly got banged around the the blackhawks who almost stole this one.

Philly has at least proven they've got a shot here.... cause at some point Philly has to be able to do this at chicago as game five and seven are in chicago to have a shot at winning this series. 

What I'm digging about these games is that even in a mostly one sided game the winning team barely pulled it out in the end.  Exciting stuff to watch.

[Doug E Fresh]

The Cup Playoffs have been the most exciting in sports this year. Upsets and close and exciting games in the majority of the series in every round. People though Chicago/Philly would be a wash but it's proven to be exciting.

Marian Hossa is a curse. Philly may very well find a way to win Lord Stanley's prize and put Hossa on the losing side of the cup finals for the first time in three years.

If Chicago wants to break up the monotony, then they need to split up their front line. Toews, Kane, & Byfuglien have a total of 1 goal and 4 assists in these four games against Philly and as good as Pronger is, he's not the singular reason why these talented players are not getting the job done. Mix it up a bit.

Philly has all the momentum now. The goaltending is so questionable giving up one goal the one night and then five the next.

Chicago SHOULD win this series in 6. But I'm going to go bold and say Philly in 7. It's difficult for a team to lose the first 2 games of the Cup finals and still win it all.

But then again, the Pens did it last year!

[Bryan Payne]

Thoughts on Period one of game five.

Someone had better remind Philly that they have a hockey game to play tonight....

[Doug E Fresh]

I'll give thoughts since I'm here lol.

Chicago did what they needed to do and that was break up the front line. Not surprised they pulled Leighton after that crazy period but Philly stayed right with it entering period 2.

Too many penalties are killing Philly. And just saw Chicago go up 5-2 on a Byfuglien goal.

Big stat. Byfuglien/Kane/Toews in the first 4 games had 5 points combined. So far in this game they have 5 points combined. Good thing they split them up.

[Bryan Payne]

I think splitting that line up rather than not giving them that one great first line has given them three lines that you just can't point to one being the weakest. 

Kane really seemed on his game tonight when he was on the ice he really seemed to generate a lot of puck movement and scoring chances it was exciting to see as he's kind of gotten lost in the series to this point.

Unsurprisingly Sharp again  just always seems to be here when things to right for the Hawks in this series.

It was interesting  in this game... much like in the  last half of the third period last game... it was like Philly forgot that THEY not the blackhawks were supposed to be the physical team...  and got banged around quite a bit.   I don't know what Philly can do at this point to answer, if the hawks come at with his aggression where in the hell do they go for an answer?  I don't think it was really Leighton is the problem, they are allowing way too much puck movement and set up time for the blackhawks there was one of the scoring plays where literally they passed the puck to all five guys and then as soon as the fifth guy got it.. pop into the net...  I mean...  THAT's the time to put someone on their ass not stand there like you're watching a tennis match watching the ball go back and forth...

but... they've got an extra day of rest...  time to see if the hawks can capitalize and close out the series in game six.

[Bryan Payne]

4-3 OT win by the blackhawks to win the Stanley Cup.

The game followed most of the games of this series very back and forth anyone's game until the very end.  Game five was the only exception to that.

It seemed like the blackhawks just adjusted better that Philly... the flyers willed themselves back into it again and again, but the hawks were just too good up front... constant and there was always someone coming up  with good chances.

In the end it was Patrick Kane who made the winning goal in OT.   

Thus ends the longest championship drought in the NHL. 49 years.

[Fnord]

It was a good game. 

[Doug E Fresh]

I agree good game. Lots of "how the fuck did they not score a goal" moments in the 3rd. Good stuff.