Red Wings

[jaadam4]

Its too bad that they gave up that goal with 34 seconds remaining because the prior 19 minutes of that period were fantastic.....I dont know if someone missed an assignment or what happened on that goal but they shouldnt have been able to score from point blank with no one on him.....They had a 6th man but you still have to account for the guys in front of the goalie.....It was hard to tell if Lidstrom was supposed to be closer to him or if the center was late getting to him but he was wide open to poke away and put it in.......

I totally agree.

[jaadam4]

The Three Men and a Baby one is hilarious Rocky!!

[Sharkbait]

I am thinking the 3 OT game will take it's toll on the Wings moreso than the Pens. Considering the goal in the waning moments and "short" day off, I am hoping the Pens come out overconfident and dreaming of game seven. Both teams are pretty evenly matched, and either is capable of stealing the others thunder in a moments notice.

[Rocky Bleier]

It's about time...


Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Wings coach Babcock questions officiating, takes shot at Pens coach Therrien

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH -- Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock faced very little resistance, or obstruction for that matter, in taking some shots at the officials and Pittsburgh Penguins counterpart Michel Therrien.


One day after the Red Wings absorbed as tough a loss in the Stanley Cup finals as possible, outside of an elimination game, Babcock took exception to a pair of goalie interference calls assessed to his team during overtime on Monday night.

Neither led to the deciding goal in the 4-3 defeat in triple overtime, but that didn't mean Babcock wasn't still burning on Tuesday after his team returned to Pittsburgh in advance of Game 6 on Wednesday.

Henrik Zetterberg was called for interfering with Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in the first overtime and Dan Cleary was whistled in the second -- a call that clearly didn't sit well with Babcock.

He passed up a chance to comment when first asked Tuesday, but he opened up when pressed a little more.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say here. I don't have any idea," Babcock said. "If you were me sitting here, tell me, what would you say?"

After the Penguins dropped the first two games of the series at Detroit by a combined 7-0 score, Therrien constantly complained that the Red Wings were limiting Pittsburgh's scoring chances through obstruction.

It was a campaign he harped on through Game 4 when Detroit took a 3-1 series lead.

Now that Detroit has had its lead cut to 3-2 after being 34.3 seconds away from winning the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in 11 seasons, Babcock is firing back.

"I think it's pretty evident they don't care what I think, either," he said. "I'll jump on the soapbox. We talk about scoring more goals in the National Hockey League. We want more goals. No they don't. Don't tell me that. I've never seen anything like that in my whole life."

Cleary bumped Fleury after a hard rush to the net 3:41 into the second overtime. Babcock doesn't plan to take his gripes to the league, instead using the media session to air his displeasure.

"I'm going to try what the other guy has been trying all series," he said in reference to Therrien.

Pittsburgh eventually won Game 5 on Petr Sykora's power-play goal 9:57 into the third extra session. No one took issue with that advantage, created when Jiri Hudler drew blood with a high-stick to the face of Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi.

"The disappointment phase ends about 15 minutes when you're out of the room," Babcock said. "For me it was when I got home. I talked to my wife for a second, and she was disappointed, too. When you get up in the morning, the sun gets up, and so do we and we're up 3-2, let's play.

"I'm a real big believer, if you do good things, good things happen. Just keep doing them," he said.

The numbers, as they have all season, suggested that the Red Wings have carried the play. The Penguins didn't have more than eight shots in any of the six periods Monday night and were outshot 13-2 in the first overtime.

If not for the three Red Wings penalties, Pittsburgh's shot total likely would have been even smaller. As it was, Detroit held a 55-32 shots edge -- including 24-14 in 49:57 of overtime play.

Fleury was the difference in saving the Penguins' season and could be getting into the heads of the Red Wings. Detroit has scored six goals in three games after outscoring Pittsburgh 7-0 at home in the first two contests at home.

"We had some great chances to score," Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "He did play a real solid game, real well for him, but I think we can do a better job of creating traffic in front of him. Be there for second chances.

"That's how we're eventually going to win, by continuing to shoot the puck," he said. "We had a lot of shots, a lot of scoring chances come off, too. But when you have traffic, that will make his job a lot more tougher, too."

[jaadam4]

PLEASE PUT CHELI BACK IN THE LINEUP. I cant stand Lilja being out there.

[-Deborah-]

Tiger Woods scoffs at Stanley Cup final

Last Updated: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 | 3:18 AM ET

It seems Tiger Woods isn't much of a hockey fan.

Woods, the world's No. 1 golfer, told reporters Monday that he had no preference when it comes to who captures the Stanley Cup, the Detroit Red Wings or Pittsburgh Penguins.

"I don't really care," he said. "Let's talk about the Dodgers.

"I don't think anybody really watches hockey any more."

Woods made the remark on a conference call promoting the PGA Championship, to be played Aug. 4-10 at Oakland Hills Country Club in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Township.

Detroit leads Pittsburgh 3-1 in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup final ? the first championship showdown between the two cities since the 1909 World Series, won by the Pirates in seven games over the Tigers.

Since then, Detroit teams have won 21 pro sports titles: the Red Wings with 10, in 1936, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1997, 1998 and 2002; the Pistons in 1989, 1990 and 2004; the Lions in 1935, 1952, 1953 and 1957; and the Tigers in 1935, 1945, 1968 and 1984.

Pittsburgh's pro franchises have won 11 titles since 1909: the Penguins with two, in 1991 and 1992; the Steelers in 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979 and 2005; and the Pirates in 1925, 1960, 1971 and 1979.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/06/02/nhl-woods.html

[The Cat]

He's just upset 'cause the wings and pens can play his game but he can't play theirs.

[jaadam4]

pretty harsh there mr woods..

[L-kxng]

I feel worse today than the other night, since I was really drunk during the game. This is definitely the most crushing devastating defeat in Detroit sports history - unless they come back to win the Cup.

I aways liked Woods, I think and hope he will catch some shit when he come to town (or sooner) over remarks like the ones he through out there.

[L-kxng]

Well, not to brighten anyone's day but check out a couple posts from the Michigan forum:

my friend who hosted the "party" last night. He got up and walked out of the room with about 40 seconds left in regulation. During the intermission I asked him what the hell he was doing. HE WENT TO GET A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE THAT WAS CHILLING IN THE GARAGE.

[L-kxng]

Unbelievable

the Stanley Cup was VISIBLE to (some) fans in the arena in the final minutes of the game as it awaited it's grand entrance from the Zamboni tunnel. The souvenir stands were closed down with about 5 minutes to go in the game so workers could furiously unpack boxes of 2008 Stanley Cup Champions hats and shirts to sell to fans on the way out. The Wings dressing room was stocked with champagne and beer only to be quickly wheeled out before the players made their way back after the 3rd period.

The heartbreak factor just killed my buddy who was at The Joe last night. He said the atmosphere was absolutely "insane"; starting with the euphoria that the Wings were going to win it and then...oops. Followed by total domination throughout the first OT. After the 3rd OT winner, he said there were actual fist fights breaking out around the arena and concourse. Pens fans were giving the Wings supporters all the lip they could muster, and some were getting punches in return. Total pandemonium.

[L-kxng]

The NHL has released a statement about Tiger Woods comments:

"The National Hockey League has enormous respect for Tiger Woods, for all his accomplishments and for his work with the community," NHL spokesman Frank Brown said. "We think he's a great golfer."

[gjdodger]

"I don't think anybody really watches hockey any more."

Hockey fans should be furious. Not at Tiger; he's just expressing an honest opinion. At Gary Bettman.

[Panoptes]

Oh so much bitterness in this thread!

Triple-OT showdown draws highest ratings for Game 5 since 2002
Associated Press
*Updated: June 3, 2008, 8:17 PM ET

NEW YORK -- The triple-overtime thriller in the Stanley Cup finals Monday night drew the highest ratings for a Game 5 since 2002.

The Pittsburgh Penguins' 4-3 win to avoid elimination against the Detroit Red Wings earned a 4.3 overnight rating and an 8 share on NBC. That's a 79 percent increase over last year's 2.4 for Game 5 between Anaheim and Ottawa.

It was the best Game 5 rating since the Carolina-Detroit matchup in 2002 drew a 4.5.

Game 4 on Saturday earned a 2.3 national rating and 5 share, up 21 percent over last year's 1.9.

The rating is the percentage watching a program among homes with televisions, and the share is the percentage tuned into the broadcast among those households with TVs on at the time. Overnight ratings measure the country's largest markets.

*I also previously read that the NHL playoffs overall ratings have been way up all the way through.

I watched Game 5 in its entirety from So Cal.

[gjdodger]

An eight share on a Tuesday night. For a potential elimination game. Whoop-de-shit.