Add another 2 questions to the Blog...

How many games should Neal get for intent to injure?

Will Crosby shake hands with "people he doesn't like" at the end of the series?

6. Do you think the Pens would be down three nil against a different opponent? Should the league make a change to reward teams that finish second in conference points yet play the team with the third-most points in Round 1?


I absolutely think rewarding a team for winning a weak division is a joke. Seeing the Flyers/Pens, Preds/Wings go at it in the first round while the Panthers and Coyotes get the 3rd seed is laughable.....but that is me

Yesterday can really be summed up in a few words.


When it comes crashin' down and it hurts inside...

Should firing Blysma at least be in a discussion?

Should firing Blysma at least be in a discussion?
- mapisles2025

Next year should be a year that he is under more pressure IMO

As far as playoff seeding...cry me a river! The Predators are in the same position in the Western Conference. A Phoenix team that barely squeaked into the playoffs is the #3 seed, while Nashville's 104 points draws them the Red Wings in the first round. That's just the way the system is set up. Does it suck for a really good team that doesn't win their division...kind of. But it's not a death sentence either.

The Pens playing the #5 seed, whom they were virtually even with in regular season points, should equate to a fairly close series. Which is what the 4/5 series should be. And the Pens had home ice.

Listen, the Pens choked away game one. And then went into panic/goon mode over the past 4 periods of hockey. If they keep their heads, this is probably a 2-1 series. It has nothing to do with seeding.

One other comment. A couple years ago, Don Cherry held up Sidney Crosby as an example of a "real" hockey player. A good Canadian kid that's smart, savvy & plays with class & skill. He lashed out at Ovechkin & said he was an emotional player that was overrated. He said Ovechkin's outbursts & celebrations were degrading to the game & that Crosby would never lower himself to that level. Hmmmm. Kinda funny in retrospect. Especially considering what went down with Crosby yesterday.

Add another 2 questions to the Blog...

How many games should Neal get for intent to injure?

Will Crosby shake hands with "people he doesn't like" at the end of the series?
- RooNosHockey

1000000

He will have taped tacks to his hands, because he is a villian.

Should firing Blysma at least be in a discussion?
- mapisles2025

No.

Think Asham played his last game as a Pen yesterday

Think Asham played his last game as a Pen yesterday
- ryman1566

Yup.

Add another 2 questions to the Blog...

How many games should Neal get for intent to injure?

Will Crosby shake hands with "people he doesn't like" at the end of the series?
- RooNosHockey

I can't wait to see that handshake line!

Yesterday was difficult to watch on any number of levels. In over 30 years of watching hockey, I can't recall a Penguins team imploding like this. They are all culpable and at fault. SHero, Bylsma, the players. All of them.Its clear that the Flyers are in their heads, and the way the team behaved yesterday when the game started to get away from them was simply embarrassing to watch. Bush league stuff. They look simply beat.

Fleury looks simply shell shocked. This is not the same goaltender who backstopped the Penguins to a Stanley Cup win. He's had too many pucks go behind him into wide open nets due to all the Penguins defensive gaffes. He hasn't been great or even good this series, but his play is a symptom of the larger problems this team has defensively. What is even more mystifying is that this same team, with largely the same players, same coach, and same system played great defensive hockey all last season and solid hockey most of this year. I really believe that Crosby's return lulled them into a belief that they could just simply outscore everyone...this attitude started with the Winnipeg game and went downhill from there.

I also have to wonder if we underestimated how much of an effect Talbot's defection has had on the Pens. Talbot has obviously amped up his game after 2 disappointing post cup years. Obviously, if he'd played with this kind of passion and effectiveness leading into last offseason, the Pens would have re-signed him. I also have to wonder how much he was able to relay to the Flyers about what the Pens do schematically, especially killing penalties, because the Flyers certainly are carving up the Pens PK, which is compounded by all the selfish, idiotic penalties they are taking.

On the Flyers: Kudos to them. They clearly have done a masterful job of re-constructing their team with an eye to a model that defeats the Pens. As good as they have played, I still think Bryz is the weak link. He just lets in too many softies.

Ugly Stuff: I've heard some calling for Mario to issue an apology for the way the team acted yesterday. Maybe he should. But I don't want to hear that kind of talk coming from Philly unless they are willing to apologize for several decades worth of goonism, thuggery, and mayhem in return. This year's version of the Flyers has certainly been more poised and composed than other Philly teams and certainly more so than the Pens. That said, their persona throughout its history has been built around that kind of play, so please spare us the act of being the aggrieved party. Just to be clear, the Pens cheap shot display yesterday was embarrassing to watch and is indefensible, but they have a long way to go to measure up the the Flyers in that department from a historical perspective.

I'll be interested to see how game 4 goes. I'm hoping the Penguins show more than we saw yesterday, but considering how bad yesterday was, I doubt it could be much worse.

Mario started none of it, wasn't on the ice for 1 single shift. Should he rip his team and apologize to the fans instead of placing the blame elsewhere, like other GM's, teams, and owners have, Yes. To suggest he go away.
- ryman1566

Mario - Feb 2011 concerning the Gillies hit
"If the events relating to Friday night reflect the state of the league, I need to re-think whether I want to be a part of it."

Neal has 2 separate hearings with Shanaban tomorrow morning. Asham has one after, in person for obvious reasons. Looks like Neal will get some sort of suspension, Asham gone for the series. Not sure about the NHL rescinding the Adams auto 1 game suspension yet.

It won't take long on Wednesday to see which way this team goes. maybe 5-10 minutes tops. They either respond with heart, or fold like a cheap lawn chair.

HAHAHA I just recieved a text from Root Sports for a chance to win Nickleback tickets.

Looks like Pitt will be without Neal, Asham and Adams...

It won't take long on Wednesday to see which way this team goes. maybe 5-10 minutes tops. They either respond with heart, or fold like a cheap lawn chair.

HAHAHA I just recieved a text from Root Sports for a chance to win Nickleback tickets.
- ryman1566

LOL, now that is a low point.

Add another 2 questions to the Blog...

How many games should Neal get for intent to injure?

Will Crosby shake hands with "people he doesn't like" at the end of the series?
- RooNosHockey

Have you ever played hockey?

Looks like Pitt will be without Neal, Asham and Adams...
- Flyers2821

As they should be. No excuse for any of it. For Adams, it's automatic. For Neal and Asham, both repeat offenders, it's a no-brainer. That it's a no-brainer is Neal's only hope for avoiding a suspension.

Honestly, for Neal, its unconscionable to think you should run around like that--and selfish. His 3rd pd antics summarize in a nutshell the play of the Penguins in this series.

Mario - Feb 2011 concerning the Gillies hit
"If the events relating to Friday night reflect the state of the league, I need to re-think whether I want to be a part of it."
- jtb3rd

Right, Mario will take ownership for what his team did, even in that instance, notice how he never once said any Islanders should be fined or suspended, and he will agree with whatever discpline is put into place for yesterday with his own players. Like what happened with Cooke. He didn't say a word when his own player got 17 games, most other owners in those situations blame the other team/players. Mario hasn't and won't. He may reflect on the state of the game, sure, but if you look at the end of John's last blog, we were doing the same, as to how out of control it is.

Do we have any refs on hand for this new blog? Probably gonna get fun in here real quick.
- ryman1566

Looks like you got a little Crosby in you too. First check to see if an official is on hand to get in the middle of a fight and then look to start scrapping.

Mario - Feb 2011 concerning the Gillies hit
"If the events relating to Friday night reflect the state of the league, I need to re-think whether I want to be a part of it."
- jtb3rd

Mario is the biggest hypocrite in the league. He says that while signing Matt Cooke's paychecks and now watching his team embarrass the league in the playoffs

I hope other posters are taking note of how we are not defending what happened yesterday before they decide to troll, we are just as mad and scratching our heads too.

Looks like you got a little Crosby in you too. First check to see if an official is on hand to get in the middle of a fight and then look to start scrapping.
- TheRat14

1. How many games will the Penguins win against the Flyers in this series?
Not 4, so that's all that matters

2. Is Sidney Crosby’s explanation of his actions Sunday credible because it’s “playoff hockey?” Would Sunday’s scenario played out any differently had it been the regular season? Should Crosby received the benefit of the doubt within the context of playoff hockey?
Who's Sidney?

5. Are the Flyers this good or are the Penguins that bad?
Both teams obviously have forgotten about Defense, 32 goals in three games is ridiculous. Flyers offense has been unbelievable, Penguins aren't that bad.

6. Do you think the Pens would be down three nil against a different opponent? Should the league make a change to reward teams that finish second in conference points yet play the team with the third-most points in Round 1?
Probably not three - nil, but teams that don't play defense don't win, they'd probably be down 2-1 against most teams

And no, Playoff seeding should not change unless the league gets restructured. Either way you go, you still have to beat the best to move on. It's probably easier on teams to have a harder opponnent early