As a Red Wings fan I’m very happy with the result but can’t help feeling a little disappointed with the spectacle of the six games. The Pens were all but a no-show for the first two games and didn’t dominate for longer than a period for the remaining four; so what’s not to like as a Wings fan? I still feel that this could have been such a boon for the NHL as a whole, if you’d offered this match-up to Bettman at the beginning of the season he would have bitten your hand off up to the shoulder; the best team in hockey, an original six team, President’s Cup winners, a team that’s going to roll four lines just about all the time, a team with very good secondary scoring potential behind a potent top line against a team with two of the best young talents in the game, along with a good supporting cast, a team with some fairly recent history of success and has come through some tough and uncertain times in the past few years to win the East. But the gloss was knocked off the series somewhat by one man, Mike Babcock, he clearly indicated to Zetterberg and Datsyuk that they were to concentrate on their defensive duties and wanted no part of an out and out offensive uprising. This is not meant as a criticism, the result justified the means, he could have been out of a job had he turned his offensive players loose and things had not turned out as they did. Clearly Babcock’s responsibility is to the success of the Red Wings and not the NHL as a whole. Maybe I was expecting too much, maybe the casual fan has been beguiled by the series, one game went to OT, a last minute goal, some physical play and, despite what might be inferred from everything above, some good skill play but a small window may have closed, the Pens roster could look quite different next year and the odds on a rematch don’t look too promising to me. Zetterberg was the deserving winner of the Conn Smythe but when it doesn’t go the winning goalie and the actual recipient is a forward who hasn’t piled up a shed load of goals in the finals then you have to conclude the offensive side of the game hasn’t been all it could have been.
-
- Saturday, 07. Jun, 2008 @ 17:27:45
-
- Saturday, 07. Jun, 2008 @ 21:11:43
So how are you liking Mr Malkin now? Pens will have to make some sort of a move as I think he's a restricted free agent. Which was the real Malkin, the one that lit up the league when Crosby was injured or the dog that sleep walked through the finals?
-
- Monday, 09. Jun, 2008 @ 10:40:53
Who knows!
-
- Sunday, 08. Jun, 2008 @ 06:13:18
I think the big hype on Crosby, Malkin, Stahl and Roberts became the worst enemy of the Pens. The game billed as the return of the classic Oilers (Gretzky's) vs the dynasty N.Y. Islanders almost turned into the biggest mismatch in Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers under the maestro of Gretzky was a solid team playing together, with Coffy, Messier and Moog at the goal, whereas the Crosby's, Malkins and Stahls are individual pursuits to live up their superstar image, there was no teamwork, no passing, no puck control compared to the old
guards who played beautiful hockey, outskating, outshooting, efficient passing, beautiful plays, control of puck-instead of individual plays. Pens have to start playing smart and as a team.-
- Sunday, 08. Jun, 2008 @ 09:10:10
You have to cut the Pens a little slack as a younger team and they've now bought some experience, at a price, and only time will tell if they're good enough to use it. The Pens will have to think long and hard about Malkin, I'm no expert but I was embarassed for the guy and everyone on HNIC ripped him, and deservedly so, but maybe the focus on Malkin let some of the others get away too lightly.
Comments are closed for this post.
A gutted (but optimistic) Pens fan is happy he can shift his attention to Baseball, NASCAR and IndyCar.