What a riot. You know the Pens have turned completely to the dark side when Isles, Rangers, and Devils fans are openly rooting for the Flyers

Put the dagger in on Wed. All the motivation you'd need in the world to complete the 2012 Embarrassment of The Pens was served up right there in Periods 1 & 3 yesterday. They need to come out with a workmanlike, all business Finish Them attitude and then go through the handshake with respect to the tradition, but without acknowledging the opponent's existence. Shake their hands, then move on. Not a word to them.
- Lexington Flyer

+5

it doesn't lead to another, but one part of leadership is knowing those you lead. he should have known his teammates would take similar actions given the circumstances. the asham crosscheck was completely spur of the moment, so that's not crosby's fault. but the pens lost focus on playing hockey, they followed their leader and acted like petulant children, that is his fault
- flyerscup2011

The Pens have been losing focus all series. Yesterday was the first instance of it leading to physicality and fights.

In the cases of Adams and Letang, they came to the defense of their star player. Which is exactly what you or I would want Hartnell or Simmonds to do.

What I am saying is, regardless of Crosby's actions, the Pens were sure to be frustrated because of how the series has played out. Yes, Crosby was a punk. But he was not alone.

Crosby didn't send Neal back out after he ran Couturier. Crosby's antic were an attempt to draw the Flyers off their game and get them in the box. If he's doing that, I'm happy, because it means he's not focused on scoring.

would not have a problem at all with hartnell jumping in didn't have a problem with adams sticking up for Crosby what i did have a problem with was the 9 punches to the back of the head and then the hair pulling he is nothing but a coward...... and you are right it all starts up stairs the great Mario Lemieux has been very quit on what happened yesterday ... when this happened with the islanders he made his comments known to the media but in that situation the Islanders were the aggressors but this time it was his team and no comments no putting down the attitude no being disappointed with what happened.... i will give him credit for 1 thing tho what ever he said to Matt Cooke has worked cause he has calmed right down.. maybe it is time to talk to the rest of his team ???
- flyer186

I have an issue with the hair pulling too. But Craig Adams did that, not Crosby.

Watching the broadcast yesterday, was it my imagination or did the following occur:

Laviolette and Berube confer

Berube pulls Simmonds aside and says "No BS just fight him, ok?"
Simmonds nods "Yeah, I got him"

Simmonds then goes out and tries to goad Neal, who was not willing...
- TimB

video of this? watching the replay right now. do you remember when/

Watching the broadcast yesterday, was it my imagination or did the following occur:

Laviolette and Berube confer

Berube pulls Simmonds aside and says "No BS just fight him, ok?"
Simmonds nods "Yeah, I got him"

Simmonds then goes out and tries to goad Neal, who was not willing...
- TimB

I actually thought the complete opposite.

Berube seemed to be irate at what was going on and Lavy was calming him down telling they just had to get out of the period alive.

I thought Berube told Simmonds no BS, just get on with it. No fighting.

Watching the broadcast yesterday, was it my imagination or did the following occur:

Laviolette and Berube confer

Berube pulls Simmonds aside and says "No BS just fight him, ok?"
Simmonds nods "Yeah, I got him"

Simmonds then goes out and tries to goad Neal, who was not willing...
- TimB

Absolutely did

It seemed to me, Kimmo went up to Crosby to just say that wasn't cool. Then Crosby started pushing Kimmo in the face. Only then did Letang come over and take on KImmo. He didn't want to fight, but had too once Letang got involved.
- Deasr1

Again, if Giroux was in the middle of that, would you want Hartnell involved or not? And Giroux is more than capable of stirring the pot himself.

Again, if Giroux was in the middle of that, would you want Hartnell involved or not? And Giroux is more than capable of stirring the pot himself.
- Jsaquella

Crosby lost his composure. That simple. I hope he continues to worry about the dumb stuff instead of playing hockey. Great stuff. I approve Sidney to keep acting like a punk and hopefully more of his teammates will follow. PP's sound good to me.

Crosby lost his composure. That simple. I hope he continues to worry about the dumb stuff instead of playing hockey. Great stuff. I approve Sidney to keep acting like a punk and hopefully more of his teammates will follow. PP's sound good to me.
- stveshdy

Absolutely my point. Or one of them, anyhow.

The Flyers an Pens have played 9 games. Even if you have guys like Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic as your captains, play a team that much and you're going to have things happen. Look at the Red Wings and Avalanche in the late 1990's. Classy guys, great captains, violent rivalry

Again, if Giroux was in the middle of that, would you want Hartnell involved or not? And Giroux is more than capable of stirring the pot himself.
- Jsaquella

I'm not in disagreement with you. I am simply saying that Kimmo was just trying to say, "Hey, that's not cool". Kimmo had both hands on his stick and was just being a leader and a smart vet pointing out a childish situation. Crosby started that junk out of sheer fruitiness. I know why Letang did what he did, I understand and agree he should. But Kimmo in not Simmonds, Rinaldo, Hartnell, Schenn or anyone else who may be looking for a fight.

I'm not in disagreement with you. I am simply saying that Kimmo was just trying to say, "Hey, that's not cool". Kimmo had both hands on his stick and was just being a leader and a smart vet pointing out a childish situation. Crosby started that junk out of sheer fruitiness. I know why Letang did what he did, I understand and agree he should. But Kimmo in not Simmonds, Rinaldo, Hartnell, Schenn or anyone else who may be looking for a fight.
- Deasr1

Yes, he did. But it doesn't show that Crosby's a bad leader or that he's to blame for the head hunting.

I don't care who it is, if I see Giroux getting shoved by an opponent, I want somebody to step in

Absolutely my point. Or one of them, anyhow.

The Flyers an Pens have played 9 games. Even if you have guys like Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic as your captains, play a team that much and you're going to have things happen. Look at the Red Wings and Avalanche in the late 1990's. Classy guys, great captains, violent rivalry
- Jsaquella

Honestly the Pens as a whole are to blame. The coach lost total control of his team and his players are going to pay the price for that. Nothing better in the world then beating the Pens with Sid the baby.

Honestly the Pens as a whole are to blame. The coach lost total control of his team and his players are going to pay the price for that. Nothing better in the world then beating the Pens with Sid the baby.
- stveshdy

Yup. The leadership issues were as evident in games one and two, when the Pens were blowing big leads.

Honestly the Pens as a whole are to blame. The coach lost total control of his team and his players are going to pay the price for that. Nothing better in the world then beating the Pens with Sid the baby.
- stveshdy

exactly, there's so much blame. where does one even start? i think wearing that c and being the face of the league should hold him to a higher standard, sadly it seems to hold him to a far far lower standard. the organization deserves a lot of blame for having such a thuggish attitude. the coach absolutely deserves blame and the rest of the team is responsible for their own actions

Yes, he did. But it doesn't show that Crosby's a bad leader or that he's to blame for the head hunting.

I don't care who it is, if I see Giroux getting shoved by an opponent, I want somebody to step in
- Jsaquella

Maybe not for the season, but for game 3, yes it has. Your captain is to lead by example. Crosby could have just pushed Kimmo away, left the glove alone and so forth. He choose to be a little brat and act accordingly. The rest of the team started to follow suit. Are captains human and prone to blow ups? Absolutely I'm sure Mr. Pronger has had his fair share. But the team started to loose their composer and control when Crosby did. This is where Talbot is missed the most on that team. Crosby is a cup winner, gold medal winner, a captain, and so on and so forth. He should be held to a higher standard. His team does. And they follow him accordingly.

"I don't like any guy on their team," (Crosby) said. "His glove was near me and he went to pick it up, so I pushed it. I don't like him."

Any particular reason?

"Because I don't like him. I don't like any guy on their team," he replied.

Told of Crosby's sentiments, Voracek - whose overtime goal in Game 1 turned around the series - smiled.

"It's the playoffs. I don't think there's room for liking each other too much," Voracek said. "Obviously, they are riled. He doesn't like me, and I don't like him, either."

Czechy

Maybe not for the season, but for game 3, yes it has. Your captain is to lead by example. Crosby could have just pushed Kimmo away, left the glove alone and so forth. He choose to be a little brat and act accordingly. The rest of the team started to follow suit. Are captains human and prone to blow ups? Absolutely I'm sure Mr. Pronger has had his fair share. But the team started to loose their composer and control when Crosby did. This is where Talbot is missed the most on that team. Crosby is a cup winner, gold medal winner, a captain, and so on and so forth. He should be held to a higher standard. His team does. And they follow him accordingly.
- Deasr1

All Crosby is doing is confirming what we already know. Hes a punk, crybaby, diver, coward, who is being outplayed by the new face of the NHL Mr.Claude Giroux.

Bill, shouldn't the background be black sir?

All Crosby is doing is confirming what we already know. Hes a punk, crybaby, diver, coward, who is being outplayed by the new face of the NHL Mr.Claude Giroux.
- stveshdy

Don't forget that 19 yr old drinking Malkin's milkshake either.

All Crosby is doing is confirming what we already know. Hes a punk, crybaby, diver, coward, who is being outplayed by the new face of the NHL Mr.Claude Giroux.
- stveshdy

All the Crosby chatter, the amazing part for me is the vanishing act of Malkin. The five man shut down unit of Coburn-Grossmann with Wellwood-Coots-Talbot and poof Malkin has been eliminated. He is so frustrated he is missing the net badly on his shots.

What I'm saying is, that even if Crosby wasn't instigating stuff, do you think that Asham doesn't go after Schenn after his big hit?

Do you think that after Couturier hit Neal in the first period, Neal didn;t have that number 14 in the back of his mind and knew that if he had an open chance he was going to take it?

Letang and Adams do have direct links to Crosby's actions. But at the same time that stuff is garden variety stuff that happens from time to time. What if Giroux was locked up with somebody because he whacked at the guy? Would you criticize Hartnell for jumping in? No, we'd praise him for having Giroux's back, just like we all praised Schultz for having Clarkie's back and Tocchet and Dave Brown for having guys backs in the 1980's.
- Jsaquella

Im not pissed at Letang or Adams.. but if I were a Pens fan I would absolutely be pissed at Crosby. He is the reason they had to jump in and bail him out.

Don't forget that 19 yr old drinking Malkin's milkshake either.
- hereticpride

Absolutely. Couturier is that kid who keeps taken Malkins lunch everyday. Only issue is Couturier is the younger kid.

Im not pissed at Letang or Adams.. but if I were a Pens fan I would absolutely be pissed at Crosby. He is the reason they had to jump in and bail him out.
- jak521

If I'm a Pens fan, I'm pissed at the entire team. In each of the last 6 Flyers Pens games, the Pens have blown leads, and lost 5 of them.

That's the real issue. The Flyers are in their heads. They're out of answers. The frustration took over. Want to blame Crosby more because he's wearing the C? Have at it.

If I'm a Pens fan, I'm pissed at the entire team. In each of the last 6 Flyers Pens games, the Pens have blown leads, and lost 5 of them.

That's the real issue. The Flyers are in their heads. They're out of answers. The frustration took over. Want to blame Crosby more because he's wearing the C? Have at it.
- Jsaquella

You know just as well as I that Flyer fans and the rest of the fans around the league have been waiting for this opportunity to go lock stock and barrel on Crosby. All we can do is sit back and laugh Jsaq! It's kind of a mob mentality but hey Crosby had a hand in getting the lynch mob riled up.

All the Crosby chatter, the amazing part for me is the vanishing act of Malkin. The five man shut down unit of Coburn-Grossmann with Wellwood-Coots-Talbot and poof Malkin has been eliminated. He is so frustrated he is missing the net badly on his shots.
- ravishingone

Thats cause Grossmann is a monster. Two knee braces and still getting the job done. Would like to see the Flyers close this thing out and let some guys rest up and maybe get back some players from injury as well.