I ate that people think the PP's have to be even!!! Of course Pittsburgh is going to draw more calls because they have more talent.
- lloyd095

That's not how it's supposed to work.

A simple yes or no will do ... are the players supposed to follow the directions of their head coach?

Hockey is a simple game, especially when you have the power play and a 1-0 lead in the closing moments of a play-off game. Our players are very smart when it comes to the man advantage. Hell, where did we rank during the regular season. That was a drastic change from what we usually do. Players were doing what they were told. It's obvious. If it was up to the players, they would have attacked like they normally do. It was a prevent power play. You attack like normal, Ottawa doesn't have a chance to tie it up. It's simple.

Great pass to Alfredsson ... can't take that away. However, if the Pens do what they always do on the power play - attack, you don't have a chance to even get into the offensive zone.
- Oneonta Penguin

The failure in strategy is only matched by the failure by the players to execute basic defense anyone learned at a rudimentary level.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/statistics/team/_/stat/special-teams/sort/powerPlayPct


Stats speak louder than words. Check out power play opportunities it's crazy how many Pittsburg gets. This is the playoffs and one team is leading in power play opportunities and it is Pittsburg obviously. Boston has 12 less power play opportunities than Pittsburg with the same games played. In past two games Pittsburg doubled Ottawa with power play opportunities.

Against the Canadiens we got a lot because of game 3 brawls! Obviously Islanders have the lowest and in this series Ottawa is almost 50% behind Pittsburg in last 3 games.

Quite a massive difference if you ask me.
- Canadianhero80

In hate to be nitpicky, but please stop leaving the "h" off of Pittsburgh or I will have to respond in kind by saying bad things about Ottaw. I don't want to do that because Ottaw is a lovely city with lovely people. I would very much enjoy seeing a game in Ottaw sometime.

See how that looks?

Ottaw just looks incomplet withou th "a" a th en.

Regarding the officiating, as I said in the Sens board, the only thing lamer than blaming the officiating when you lose is griping about the officiating when you win.

In hate to be nitpicky, but please stop leaving the "h" off of Pittsburgh or I will have to respond by saying bad things about Ottaw.
- Emperor Filonius

Game 4 is going to be fun.

That's not how it's supposed to work.
- wolfhounds

other than the star treatment crap, there is something to be said for harder players to defend drawing penalties on those trying to defend them. guys like crosby and malkin getting by their man or catching people out of position are going to draw more penalties than not. also, if youre trying that hard to stay out of the box, guys like smith shouldnt be rapping malkin on the head after the whistle. dont get me wrong, its a smart strategy as a few love taps will often cause malkin to spiral out of control like an idiot, but if they are supposedly calling it that tight dont give the refs something to call there. have discipline

That's not how it's supposed to work.
- wolfhounds

It is though. The skill players should be allowed to play. No one wants to watch the plugs....like New Jersey.

That's not how it's supposed to work.
- wolfhounds

It is though. The skill players should be allowed to play. No one wants to watch the plugs....like New Jersey.

It is though. The skill players should be allowed to play. No one wants to watch the plugs....like New Jersey.
- Ben37

No doubt, I agree with the fact that skill players are more likely to draw penalties. That makes sense. I was only saying they shouldn't draw penalties simply because they are more talented. Right?

other than the star treatment crap, there is something to be said for harder players to defend drawing penalties on those trying to defend them. guys like crosby and malkin getting by their man or catching people out of position are going to draw more penalties than not. also, if youre trying that hard to stay out of the box, guys like smith shouldnt be rapping malkin on the head after the whistle. dont get me wrong, its a smart strategy as a few love taps will often cause malkin to spiral out of control like an idiot, but if they are supposedly calling it that tight dont give the refs something to call there. have discipline
- stayinthefnnet

Agreed. When Malkin and Crosby dodge and weave through 2 or 3 players, the odds of a penalty occurring go way up. And there's no doubt that once an opposing player sees one of those guys skating toward them with the puck, panic can set in pretty quickly, and then dumb plays follow.

There's no denying the talent of Crosby, Malkin, or Pitt in general (one of the reasons most cheer against your team...you're at the top), but I think the NHL is solid regarding parity, and in my opinion - on average - the penalties should be fairly even from game to game. That doesn't mean teams or players won't have a bad night - they most certainly will - but over 7 games, things should balance out.

I'm guessing Game 4 will be closely called game. And should be a lot of fun to watch. And luckily, there's next to no stress for me while watching.

Skill players who have the puck a lot draw a lot of penalties. That isn't a new thing.
- Ben37

Another thing many people totally forget about

In hate to be nitpicky, but please stop leaving the "h" off of Pittsburgh or I will have to respond in kind by saying bad things about Ottaw. I don't want to do that because Ottaw is a lovely city with lovely people. I would very much enjoy seeing a game in Ottaw sometime.

See how that looks?

Ottaw just looks incomplet withou th "a" a th en.
- Emperor Filonius

Nicely done

Hit was clean. He got away with a spear besides the net earlier in the game.
- thejet

A spear now? A spear that only people in Ottawa think they saw or want to believe they saw. Stop making things up. I can say Neil got away with a spear too. See how that works?

Alrighty, so many penalties could have been called going either way why should one team continually get more power plays in this series and throughout the season?
- Canadianhero80

You guys just don't get it...WE ARE SUPPOSED TO WIN THE CUP EACH AND EVERY YEAR!

Bettman tells the refs to make sure we get more calls than any other team so our chances of winning are increased.

I thought you guys all read the conspiracy book...and some of you even authored a few of the chapters, did you not?

It's one of two things...either it is a serious love affair between Bettman and Crosby OR...Lemeiux has pictures of Bettman in various 'compromising situations' - and because of that, the Pens get preferential treatment by the officials.

Let's all just ACCEPT this and move on already!!!

Cant wait; finally its a hockey night in Pittsburgh, o wait no its not. Thanks NHL for making an awful schedule.

In hate to be nitpicky, but please stop leaving the "h" off of Pittsburgh or I will have to respond in kind by saying bad things about Ottaw. I don't want to do that because Ottaw is a lovely city with lovely people. I would very much enjoy seeing a game in Ottaw sometime.

See how that looks?

Ottaw just looks incomplet withou th "a" a th en.
- Emperor Filonius

I se no proble wit wha he typ.

That's not how it's supposed to work.
- wolfhounds

It works that way in every sport. As probably a 76ers fan you are, Iverson got tons of calls back in the day.

Star players get calls. Giroux gets calls; Seaver and Ryan got calls; Kobe and Lebron get calls.

Some are very good calls, some aren't. In most cases, they are good calls.

I just need to point out a bit of irony.......the pens fans who are telling sens fans that it's only "one game" are the EXACT same guys who were declaring this series over after game 1.

the sens can stay with your team, and when our PK can take away your PP, we see how even the games are.

did anderson save ottawa's ass on several occasions last game? Definitely, but no more than vokoun saved the pens ass......as evidenced by the fact that they were the 1st and 2nd stars of the game.

the pens biggest advantage in this series is their PP, but people forget that ottawa had the #1 pk in the league this year. if ottawa can stay out of the box, and kill off most of the penalties they take, this series is up for grabs.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/statistics/team/_/stat/special-teams/sort/powerPlayPct


Stats speak louder than words. Check out power play opportunities it's crazy how many Pittsburg gets. This is the playoffs and one team is leading in power play opportunities and it is Pittsburg obviously. Boston has 12 less power play opportunities than Pittsburg with the same games played. In past two games Pittsburg doubled Ottawa with power play opportunities.

Against the Canadiens we got a lot because of game 3 brawls! Obviously Islanders have the lowest and in this series Ottawa is almost 50% behind Pittsburg in last 3 games.

Quite a massive difference if you ask me.
- Canadianhero80

First numbnut, Pittsburgh is spelled with an "h" at the end.

Second, its just as stupid comparing the power play numbers between Pittsburgh and Boston as it was saying Adams should have been suspended for his legal hit because Gryba was. Two different series folks against two different opponents. The Islanders were VERY undisciplined when we played them. They took too many penalties and Jack Capuano will be the first to admit it. Time for supposedly the fans of a hockey city to wake up and stop stupid comparisons that don't hold water.

I just need to point out a bit of irony.......the pens fans who are telling sens fans that it's only "one game" are the EXACT same guys who were declaring this series over after game 1.

the sens can stay with your team, and when our PK can take away your PP, we see how even the games are.

did anderson save ottawa's ass on several occasions last game? Definitely, but no more than vokoun saved the pens ass......as evidenced by the fact that they were the 1st and 2nd stars of the game.

the pens biggest advantage in this series is their PP, but people forget that ottawa had the #1 pk in the league this year. if ottawa can stay out of the box, and kill off most of the penalties they take, this series is up for grabs.
- sensarmy_11

I didn't see anyone say this series was over after one game. We demolished the Islanders in the first game and we endured a battle the rest of the way out. Stop making things up.

I would also say we have another advantage. It's talent. While teams don't win on talent alone, we have capable scorers when its five on five or on the power play. Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Dupuis, Kunitz .. we have a major advantage in that department too. Saying we don't is utterly foolish.

Cant wait; finally its a hockey night in Pittsburgh, o wait no its not. Thanks NHL for making an awful schedule.
- nbartley9

I hate the schedule too, but I've got to say, it probably helps us out considering some of the old guys throughout our lineup. Not only is the NHL conspiring to give us more PP time, but they're giving us extra recovery time too.

As these playoffs continue, I'm becoming increasingly convinced that we should worry about inking Duper and Cooke over Iggy and Morrow.

I'm also convinced these are Mark Eaton's last days as an NHL player. I can't possibly understand why Bylsma insists on sitting Despres while giving a spot to Eaton or Eng.

I just need to point out a bit of irony.......the pens fans who are telling sens fans that it's only "one game" are the EXACT same guys who were declaring this series over after game 1.

the sens can stay with your team, and when our PK can take away your PP, we see how even the games are.

did anderson save ottawa's ass on several occasions last game? Definitely, but no more than vokoun saved the pens ass......as evidenced by the fact that they were the 1st and 2nd stars of the game.

the pens biggest advantage in this series is their PP, but people forget that ottawa had the #1 pk in the league this year. if ottawa can stay out of the box, and kill off most of the penalties they take, this series is up for grabs.
- sensarmy_11

No one declaimed that, after the next 2 games though; that's a limb I would be willing to go out on.
Enjoy.

No one declaimed that, after the next 2 games though; that's a limb I would be willing to go out on.
Enjoy.
- nbartley9

you're right, you didnt' claim it after game 1, you claimed it before the series even started.

I didn't see anyone say this series was over after one game. We demolished the Islanders in the first game and we endured a battle the rest of the way out. Stop making things up.

I would also say we have another advantage. It's talent. While teams don't win on talent alone, we have capable scorers when its five on five or on the power play. Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Dupuis, Kunitz .. we have a major advantage in that department too. Saying we don't is utterly foolish.
- Oneonta Penguin

i didn't say the PP was your ONLY advantage, i said it was your biggest advantage.

and for all that skill, the play at even strength has been even......if anything, the numbers show that ottawa has been a bit better.

as for the skill vs skill......obviously malkin and crosby are better than everyone else, nobody is gonna deny that.....but as for the rest. i'd say the next 2 most skilled players are on ottawa's roster (spezza and karlsson). they aren't 100% right now obviously, but they've been as effective as neal and kunitz. and there is no comparison in skill in teh bottom six, ottawa just has more of it.

zibanejad, condra, pageau, greening, smith.....all talented players, all in the bottom six, all having an impact in this series, and all as good or better than what pitt has in their bottom six

you're right, you didnt' claim it after game 1, you claimed it before the series even started.
- sensarmy_11

"im out of it for a little while, I wake up and everyone has delusions of grandeur"

Don't think so.