That's Eastern Conference Quarterfinals to you.
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens
The season series wrapped up 2-2, which makes for probably the best record against the Caps in the regular season of anyone. Still, don't be fooled. To beat the Caps, you need to knock their skill players (Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom, Green) off the puck to render them ineffective. While the Habs aren't Verne Troyer-sized by any means, they are a very small team. Don't expect much of a series.
Prediction: Caps in 4
(2) New Jersey Devils vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers
5-1, Flyers. Ouch. Pretty surprising, all things considered. Honestly, I don't know what to make of this series. I think the Flyers are fading fast, and I believe the Devils can get over the hump against the Flyers to move on in the playoffs. Nothing else to say.
Prediction: Devils in 6
(3) Buffalo Sabres vs. (6) Boston Bruins
The matchup to watch, for sure. I can see all types of results playing out for this one. Boston is really starting to gel, and could be this year's Carolina. However, Miller is a better goaltender than Rask, and only Boston's D has the advantage in this matchup. The playoff push may have gassed the Bruins, but I'm obligated to pick an upset in the EC. And I can't bet against the Pens yet.
Prediction: Bruins in 7
(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Ottawa Senators
So. 3rd time in 4 years. One series taken by either team. I think the quick strikes are over, and we should get ready for a marathon. No matter who survives this matchup, it's going to wear down the victor a considerable amount. Sens are out Kovalev and Kuba, but Phillips and Volchenkov have been instrumental in holding Sidney Crosby to his lowest point average against ANY Eastern team. But with Malkin and Staal playing as well as they are, it's hard to see the Senators definitively having an answer for the Pens. It's all on the Pittsburgh D to not leave Fleury out to hang.
Prediction: Penguins in 6
Western Conference preview later today. Maybe.
- Matt
Showing posts with label Penguins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Penguins. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Headshots and Starfuckers
Could be a pretty good album title.
This of course has to do with the Matt Cooke hit everyone is bitching about. I'll try to keep this as short and sweet as possible. Here's my thesis statement, dumbass:
The Matt Cooke hit will be good for the league.
OMG u r so bias!
1. People who talk like that have no rights as human beings, in my opinion.
2. Let me finish.
The Matt Cooke hit, like the Mike Richards hit before it, was a brutal, dirty hit. Why was it dirty? Because it gave a guy a friggin concussion. Sure, Savard was playing with his head down. Sure, Cooke tucked in his elbow so the hit was legal. Sure, he eased up slightly before his shoulder collided with Savard's head. If Savard gets right back up, is it still dirty? YEEEEESSSSSSS.
There's a reason the IIHF gives automatic two-game suspensions for headshots. Because they are, by definition, cheap shots that don't belong in sports. It's not like Cooke decided to show up on highlight reels around the country by lighting someone up. Richards didn't, either. Cooke followed through with the hit because it's a contract year, and he's paid to walk on the thin line between legal and illegal. If you were a contract employee that relied on finding loopholes to get paid, and right before your current contract expired, you found a big one, you'd take advantage of it. If you pretend you wouldn't, die.
So again, why is this good for the league? Because now Colin Campbell has to make a very tough decision. He's already set precedent with allowing this kind of hit to go unpunished, thanks to the starfucking double-standard set by the league offices, in which superstars only get suspended if they draw 2 major penalties for cheapshotting in 3 games. If Crosby hits Savard like that, I guarantee the league isn't even thinking suspension. But seeing as David Booth still can't watch TV without feeling dizzy, and Savard is probably (and should be) done for the season, hopefully the pressure is on to do something about headshots, regardless of who's doing the hitting.
In shortish, this has potential to bring about necessary change in a flawed system. I'm not pleased that it took someone's life being changed permanently to make it happen, but if there's any win in this whole situation, it's that the NHL may have had its hand forced on these matters.
And the Pens better resign Cooke. I don't want him on any other team in the league, much less an Eastern Conference one.
- Matt
This of course has to do with the Matt Cooke hit everyone is bitching about. I'll try to keep this as short and sweet as possible. Here's my thesis statement, dumbass:
The Matt Cooke hit will be good for the league.
OMG u r so bias!
1. People who talk like that have no rights as human beings, in my opinion.
2. Let me finish.
The Matt Cooke hit, like the Mike Richards hit before it, was a brutal, dirty hit. Why was it dirty? Because it gave a guy a friggin concussion. Sure, Savard was playing with his head down. Sure, Cooke tucked in his elbow so the hit was legal. Sure, he eased up slightly before his shoulder collided with Savard's head. If Savard gets right back up, is it still dirty? YEEEEESSSSSSS.
There's a reason the IIHF gives automatic two-game suspensions for headshots. Because they are, by definition, cheap shots that don't belong in sports. It's not like Cooke decided to show up on highlight reels around the country by lighting someone up. Richards didn't, either. Cooke followed through with the hit because it's a contract year, and he's paid to walk on the thin line between legal and illegal. If you were a contract employee that relied on finding loopholes to get paid, and right before your current contract expired, you found a big one, you'd take advantage of it. If you pretend you wouldn't, die.
So again, why is this good for the league? Because now Colin Campbell has to make a very tough decision. He's already set precedent with allowing this kind of hit to go unpunished, thanks to the starfucking double-standard set by the league offices, in which superstars only get suspended if they draw 2 major penalties for cheapshotting in 3 games. If Crosby hits Savard like that, I guarantee the league isn't even thinking suspension. But seeing as David Booth still can't watch TV without feeling dizzy, and Savard is probably (and should be) done for the season, hopefully the pressure is on to do something about headshots, regardless of who's doing the hitting.
In shortish, this has potential to bring about necessary change in a flawed system. I'm not pleased that it took someone's life being changed permanently to make it happen, but if there's any win in this whole situation, it's that the NHL may have had its hand forced on these matters.
And the Pens better resign Cooke. I don't want him on any other team in the league, much less an Eastern Conference one.
- Matt
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Penguin Trades. Not Feeling Creative Today.
Trade #1: 2nd round pick for Jordan Leopold
ANALysis: Classic Ray Shero. A late second rounder for a guy who plays against the top lines of other teams. The Pens' D was looking really shitty for the last month or so, and adding another d-man to the mix, especially a good one, is just super cool. Was this move made with the Caps in mind? Most likely, yes.
Trade #2: Martin Skoula and Luca Caputi for Alex Ponikarovsky
What the Leafs get: Trade bait and a prospect. As I write this, Skoula has been traded to the Devils. So basically the Leafs get a prospect and a pick. Or what they should have expected for Poni all along. This is hardly a steal for any side. Caputi will put up 4th line numbers this year for the Leafs, and maybe third line numbers next season. Eventually, he could be a top six forward. He could also drop off the face of the Earth. One thing's for sure: I'll miss his name more than his play.
What the Pens get: Ponikarovsky is the "winger for Geno" that fans were hoping for. He's a 20-goal scorer on other teams, and a career +56 on the friggin Leafs. He should get a medal for that. He's also childhood friends with Ruslan Fedotenko, so here's hoping the new Russian Connection line (Feds and Poni are Ukranian, but they speak Russian) has a base for some chemistry. I'd say Poni seems like a younger Sykora in production, but I've only seen him play against the Penguins. And I didn't pay attention then. In short, the Pens' offense gets better.
Overall: Penguins upgraded their defense and offense while sacrificing a pick, prospect, and 8th d-man. Tell me any team wouldn't do that, and I'll call you a liar.
- Matt
ANALysis: Classic Ray Shero. A late second rounder for a guy who plays against the top lines of other teams. The Pens' D was looking really shitty for the last month or so, and adding another d-man to the mix, especially a good one, is just super cool. Was this move made with the Caps in mind? Most likely, yes.
Trade #2: Martin Skoula and Luca Caputi for Alex Ponikarovsky
What the Leafs get: Trade bait and a prospect. As I write this, Skoula has been traded to the Devils. So basically the Leafs get a prospect and a pick. Or what they should have expected for Poni all along. This is hardly a steal for any side. Caputi will put up 4th line numbers this year for the Leafs, and maybe third line numbers next season. Eventually, he could be a top six forward. He could also drop off the face of the Earth. One thing's for sure: I'll miss his name more than his play.
What the Pens get: Ponikarovsky is the "winger for Geno" that fans were hoping for. He's a 20-goal scorer on other teams, and a career +56 on the friggin Leafs. He should get a medal for that. He's also childhood friends with Ruslan Fedotenko, so here's hoping the new Russian Connection line (Feds and Poni are Ukranian, but they speak Russian) has a base for some chemistry. I'd say Poni seems like a younger Sykora in production, but I've only seen him play against the Penguins. And I didn't pay attention then. In short, the Pens' offense gets better.
Overall: Penguins upgraded their defense and offense while sacrificing a pick, prospect, and 8th d-man. Tell me any team wouldn't do that, and I'll call you a liar.
- Matt
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Playoffs 'n 'at
So, the Pens now have 69 points in 56 games, or a 1.23 points per game average. Projection of season average would indicate a finish at 101 points, probably good enough for Top 5 seeding in the Eastern Conference.
But there's been some great and not-so-great runs this season for the Penguins. Let's establish an upper-bound, lower-bound, and streak-free case.
If you're still laughing at 69 and "streak-free", your maturity level is perfect for this site.
Upper-Bound Scenario:
Remember that 5 game losing streak earlier in the season when the Pens mustered an absolutely pitiful amount of goals? Pretend it never happened. The Penguins play average at worst, and keep their amazing 11-2 start as part of their points.
69 points, 51 games. PPG = 1.35. Pens have 26 games left this season, so...
Projected finish: 104 points
Definitely good enough for Top 4, possibly even enough for the division.
Lower-Bound Scenario:
Switch the above scenario. Say the Pens keep that awful stretch and lose their best one. 11-2 means 22 points out of 26, in 13 games.
47 points, 43 games. PPG = 1.09
Projected finish: 97 points
I'd consider that good enough for at least a playoff spot. Typically the cutoff is 95 points or lower.
Streak-free (shut up) Scenario:
Let's eliminate both of the above situations. 11-7 in 18 games.
47 points, 38 games. PPG = 1.24
Projected finish: 101 points
It seems that taking away the streaks makes for a consistent metric of how the season has gone, even with the streaks. So the Penguins' current record is realistic with their overall performance this season.
Random other topic, the best coach in the West. I don't know how voters on nhl.com could pick anyone but Dave Tippett. With the "great" Wayne Gretzky coaching, the Yotes are a last place team. Tippett has made them into a bona fide contender behind solid D and a great team play strategy. People who want to anoint Quenneville for managing an appropriately highly-achieving club are fools.
Joe Sacco getting more votes than Tippett is more understandable, however. I still say Tippett has done most with the least.
- Matt
But there's been some great and not-so-great runs this season for the Penguins. Let's establish an upper-bound, lower-bound, and streak-free case.
If you're still laughing at 69 and "streak-free", your maturity level is perfect for this site.
Upper-Bound Scenario:
Remember that 5 game losing streak earlier in the season when the Pens mustered an absolutely pitiful amount of goals? Pretend it never happened. The Penguins play average at worst, and keep their amazing 11-2 start as part of their points.
69 points, 51 games. PPG = 1.35. Pens have 26 games left this season, so...
Projected finish: 104 points
Definitely good enough for Top 4, possibly even enough for the division.
Lower-Bound Scenario:
Switch the above scenario. Say the Pens keep that awful stretch and lose their best one. 11-2 means 22 points out of 26, in 13 games.
47 points, 43 games. PPG = 1.09
Projected finish: 97 points
I'd consider that good enough for at least a playoff spot. Typically the cutoff is 95 points or lower.
Streak-free (shut up) Scenario:
Let's eliminate both of the above situations. 11-7 in 18 games.
47 points, 38 games. PPG = 1.24
Projected finish: 101 points
It seems that taking away the streaks makes for a consistent metric of how the season has gone, even with the streaks. So the Penguins' current record is realistic with their overall performance this season.
Random other topic, the best coach in the West. I don't know how voters on nhl.com could pick anyone but Dave Tippett. With the "great" Wayne Gretzky coaching, the Yotes are a last place team. Tippett has made them into a bona fide contender behind solid D and a great team play strategy. People who want to anoint Quenneville for managing an appropriately highly-achieving club are fools.
Joe Sacco getting more votes than Tippett is more understandable, however. I still say Tippett has done most with the least.
- Matt
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Thursday Morning Hockey, part 1
I promised hockey articles, so here this is.
Normally I don't post about hockey because the Pens are my team, and the Pensblog and Empty Netters do way better jobs covering them than I could ever do, even if I were unemployed and did nothing but use the Internet all day.
Most of the amateurish posts on the Pens are from armchair GMs and other "geniuses" who know, just KNOW, how to solve the Pens' woes during a dreaded 2 game losing streak. These people suck. For future reference, during events of Penguin non-dominance, you may visit the following site:
[Arethepensgoingtobeok.com]
Meanwhile, the rest of the league. In the Eastern Conference, the Caps have basically clinched their division by now and are hoping they can clinch the number one spot in the East. If you're also trying to remember the last time a 1st seed in the East made the Stanley Cup Finals, much less won it all, you're not alone. The highest seeds to make it recently: 4th (Penguins and Senators), 2nd (Penguins, Hurricanes, and Lightning). The "race" for 3rd seed, meanwhile, is more meaningful in my book. The 6th seed in the playoffs is usually the hottest team. Both of the last two years, the 6th seed has lost to the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Coincidence? Yes. But also, there's a lot to be said for finishing your season on a high note. If I were a betting man (OK, if I were a GOOD betting man), I'd put money on the Islanders to be that seed, since their play of late has been very solid. I wouldn't be surprised to see Philly there, either.
In the West, we have an orgy of talent at all levels. The Sharks lead, to no one's surprise, but we can all remember how well they've done each spring. I don't see their playoff push being a particularly long one this year, either. The Hawks are good, but in the same way the Sharks are. I see a lot of people picking them to win it all, but right now I don't see them winning the Cup. The two most bizarre things about the "other" conference right now are:
1. Nashville?!? PHOENIX?!?
2. Calgary plummeting in the standings.
Obviously, Calgary will be fine. They always make the playoffs, and they're also always a tough out. I hope that both the aforementioned unpopular teams make it, and then move to a city that cares. Nashville had great seasons a few years ago, and their attendance still sucked. These teams deserve better.
And can we briefly talk about Gretzky's legacy? The second he stops coaching the Yotes they go from punchline to powerhouse. Coincidence? NO!
Finally, your game of the night. This one should be obvious:
Capitals @ Penguins, 7:30
WHY: If you need to ask, you haven't been paying attention to hockey.
WHY NOT: You don't like either team?
CAPS WIN BECAUSE: Theodore is on a hot streak, and you always take the hot goalie. Revenge factor is in play (the Pens haven't thought too much about the Caps, whereas the Caps are obsessed). Caps on a winning streak against decent teams. Home ice seems to mean nothing to these teams. Ovechkin desperately wants to embarass the Pens at home.
PENS WIN BECAUSE: Brent Johnson may start, and goalie playing against former club is most of the time an extra edge. Crosby shows up huge against rivals, and right now he's the best goal scorer in the league. The Caps are better than last year, and the guys will be motivated to test themselves. Fuck the Caps.
PREDICTION: Capitals 5, Penguins 3. Injuries have given the Penguins unfamiliar line combos, and Washington will jump out to an early lead. Should progress slowly until it gets interesting at 4-3, then the Caps ice it with an empty netter. Ovechkin leads the game with 1 goal, 2 assists, and Crosby leads the Pens with a goal and assist.
If you don't want to watch that one, there's always... Rangers at Flyers or... Predators at the Coyotes? Hey, what do you know? I must be prescient.
- Matt
Normally I don't post about hockey because the Pens are my team, and the Pensblog and Empty Netters do way better jobs covering them than I could ever do, even if I were unemployed and did nothing but use the Internet all day.
Most of the amateurish posts on the Pens are from armchair GMs and other "geniuses" who know, just KNOW, how to solve the Pens' woes during a dreaded 2 game losing streak. These people suck. For future reference, during events of Penguin non-dominance, you may visit the following site:
[Arethepensgoingtobeok.com]
Meanwhile, the rest of the league. In the Eastern Conference, the Caps have basically clinched their division by now and are hoping they can clinch the number one spot in the East. If you're also trying to remember the last time a 1st seed in the East made the Stanley Cup Finals, much less won it all, you're not alone. The highest seeds to make it recently: 4th (Penguins and Senators), 2nd (Penguins, Hurricanes, and Lightning). The "race" for 3rd seed, meanwhile, is more meaningful in my book. The 6th seed in the playoffs is usually the hottest team. Both of the last two years, the 6th seed has lost to the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Coincidence? Yes. But also, there's a lot to be said for finishing your season on a high note. If I were a betting man (OK, if I were a GOOD betting man), I'd put money on the Islanders to be that seed, since their play of late has been very solid. I wouldn't be surprised to see Philly there, either.
In the West, we have an orgy of talent at all levels. The Sharks lead, to no one's surprise, but we can all remember how well they've done each spring. I don't see their playoff push being a particularly long one this year, either. The Hawks are good, but in the same way the Sharks are. I see a lot of people picking them to win it all, but right now I don't see them winning the Cup. The two most bizarre things about the "other" conference right now are:
1. Nashville?!? PHOENIX?!?
2. Calgary plummeting in the standings.
Obviously, Calgary will be fine. They always make the playoffs, and they're also always a tough out. I hope that both the aforementioned unpopular teams make it, and then move to a city that cares. Nashville had great seasons a few years ago, and their attendance still sucked. These teams deserve better.
And can we briefly talk about Gretzky's legacy? The second he stops coaching the Yotes they go from punchline to powerhouse. Coincidence? NO!
Finally, your game of the night. This one should be obvious:
Capitals @ Penguins, 7:30
WHY: If you need to ask, you haven't been paying attention to hockey.
WHY NOT: You don't like either team?
CAPS WIN BECAUSE: Theodore is on a hot streak, and you always take the hot goalie. Revenge factor is in play (the Pens haven't thought too much about the Caps, whereas the Caps are obsessed). Caps on a winning streak against decent teams. Home ice seems to mean nothing to these teams. Ovechkin desperately wants to embarass the Pens at home.
PENS WIN BECAUSE: Brent Johnson may start, and goalie playing against former club is most of the time an extra edge. Crosby shows up huge against rivals, and right now he's the best goal scorer in the league. The Caps are better than last year, and the guys will be motivated to test themselves. Fuck the Caps.
PREDICTION: Capitals 5, Penguins 3. Injuries have given the Penguins unfamiliar line combos, and Washington will jump out to an early lead. Should progress slowly until it gets interesting at 4-3, then the Caps ice it with an empty netter. Ovechkin leads the game with 1 goal, 2 assists, and Crosby leads the Pens with a goal and assist.
If you don't want to watch that one, there's always... Rangers at Flyers or... Predators at the Coyotes? Hey, what do you know? I must be prescient.
- Matt
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Interesting
Apparently the Pens are launching the first Russian NHL radio show. The subject of the first interview? Take a wild guess.
[nhl.com]
Igor Larionov will also make an appearance, while Malkin's former (maybe current) interpreter will be hosting the show. Good move by the NHL, especially the Penguins, to spread the brand to Russia as a preemptive strike on the KHL.
I'd be surprised Washington wasn't the first club to do this, but then again, Texas Ted probably ate his radio guys.
- Matt
[nhl.com]
Igor Larionov will also make an appearance, while Malkin's former (maybe current) interpreter will be hosting the show. Good move by the NHL, especially the Penguins, to spread the brand to Russia as a preemptive strike on the KHL.
I'd be surprised Washington wasn't the first club to do this, but then again, Texas Ted probably ate his radio guys.
- Matt
Friday, October 30, 2009
What the Hell Is Happening with the Red Wings?
Look up Jimmy Howard's performance last night against the Oilers. Conveniently, the Pensblog added commentary.
I took the liberty of looking up some stats for the Wings, thinking they couldn't be as bad as their 4-7 record. However, it looks like they are. Osgood and Howard rank 30th or worse in the league in both GAA and SP. Detroit has given up 41 goals, good for tying for 2nd worst in the league, although Edmonton has played one more game. LA is one of the worse teams with 42 GA, but they've played 3 more than the Red Wings. Toronto is... Toronto.
If the Wings can't play D well, what can they do? Score? They're in the middle of scoring prowess, but they're out Filpulla (broken wrist) and Johan Franzen (Bear AIDS). Combined with the players they lost abroad and to free agency last season, where are the goals to counterbalance the shoddy goaltending/defense going to come from? I believe the Wings make the playoffs every year until proven otherwise, but seeing them without home ice in the first round would be incredibly weird.
This is something that's been discussed in Pittsburgh lately: the talk of being like the '84 Oilers. Winning the Cup has already accomplished at least the superficial portion of the comparison. But the alternate theory seems far more credible - the Penguins are the new Red Wings.
Under Bylsma, individual talents have still been able to succeed, but if you don't think the new Pens are all about team play and getting the win, no matter how dirty, you're delusional. Tight-checking, swarming, (during the playoffs, especially with Gill) borderline interfering style of play? Check. Reliable goaltender with an excellent defense around him? Check. 1 or 2 year rentals alongside stars with long term contracts? Check again. Stanley Cup season followed by regular season dominance? Check and mate.
And while Pens fans hate the Red Wings, is there a team you'd rather be in the modern NHL? The Devils always do better than expected in the regular season, then fold under pressure in the playoffs. The Avs haven't been a threat for like 8 years, though they're off to a great start in this one. The Ducks are a mess right now. Those are the only 3 teams that even approached dynasty in the last 15 years. Red Wings after the lockout:
05-06: Lost in 1st round to 8th seeded Edmonton
06-07: Lost in conference finals to eventual champion Anaheim
07-08: Won Stanley Cup
08-09: Lost in Stanley Cup finals
That's 9 playoff round wins in 4 years. The Penguins have 7, the Hurricanes have 6, the Ducks have 5, and Buffalo has 4. Those are the only other playoff teams even worth mentioning since the lockout. Teams could do far worse than being the Red Wings.
- Matt
I took the liberty of looking up some stats for the Wings, thinking they couldn't be as bad as their 4-7 record. However, it looks like they are. Osgood and Howard rank 30th or worse in the league in both GAA and SP. Detroit has given up 41 goals, good for tying for 2nd worst in the league, although Edmonton has played one more game. LA is one of the worse teams with 42 GA, but they've played 3 more than the Red Wings. Toronto is... Toronto.
If the Wings can't play D well, what can they do? Score? They're in the middle of scoring prowess, but they're out Filpulla (broken wrist) and Johan Franzen (Bear AIDS). Combined with the players they lost abroad and to free agency last season, where are the goals to counterbalance the shoddy goaltending/defense going to come from? I believe the Wings make the playoffs every year until proven otherwise, but seeing them without home ice in the first round would be incredibly weird.
This is something that's been discussed in Pittsburgh lately: the talk of being like the '84 Oilers. Winning the Cup has already accomplished at least the superficial portion of the comparison. But the alternate theory seems far more credible - the Penguins are the new Red Wings.
Under Bylsma, individual talents have still been able to succeed, but if you don't think the new Pens are all about team play and getting the win, no matter how dirty, you're delusional. Tight-checking, swarming, (during the playoffs, especially with Gill) borderline interfering style of play? Check. Reliable goaltender with an excellent defense around him? Check. 1 or 2 year rentals alongside stars with long term contracts? Check again. Stanley Cup season followed by regular season dominance? Check and mate.
And while Pens fans hate the Red Wings, is there a team you'd rather be in the modern NHL? The Devils always do better than expected in the regular season, then fold under pressure in the playoffs. The Avs haven't been a threat for like 8 years, though they're off to a great start in this one. The Ducks are a mess right now. Those are the only 3 teams that even approached dynasty in the last 15 years. Red Wings after the lockout:
05-06: Lost in 1st round to 8th seeded Edmonton
06-07: Lost in conference finals to eventual champion Anaheim
07-08: Won Stanley Cup
08-09: Lost in Stanley Cup finals
That's 9 playoff round wins in 4 years. The Penguins have 7, the Hurricanes have 6, the Ducks have 5, and Buffalo has 4. Those are the only other playoff teams even worth mentioning since the lockout. Teams could do far worse than being the Red Wings.
- Matt
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Quality of Pens' Playoff Opponents
Another short entry!
I decided to rank the Pens' 7 playoff opponents under Crosby as captain. This is only based on the level of playoff prowess the opponent showed, not on any regular season statistics or whatever.
1. 2008 Detroit Red Wings (L in 6, opp. won Stanley Cup)
2. 2007 Ottawa Senators (L in 5, opp. was runner up in SCF)
3. 2009 Washington Capitals (W in 7, opp. went 7-7)
4. 2009 Philadelphia Flyers (W in 6, opp. lost in first round)
5. 2008 Philadelphia Flyers (W in 5, opp. upset two division winners)
6. 2008 New York Rangers (W in 5, opp. took Pens to OT in game 5)
7. 2008 Ottawa Senators (W in 4, opp. was completely outclassed)
It's hard to contest that the Wings were the best team of the 7. Numbers 4 and 5 are debatable, but I think the edge went to this year's Flyers, as the last year version kind of died after game 2.
The aggregate record for the "new" Pens:
2007: 1-4
2008: 14-6
2009: 8-5
Total: 23-15
In particular, Crosby's statistics over that span:
2007: 5 gms, 5 pts
2008: 20 gms, 27 pts (T-1st)
2009: 13 gms, 21 pts (T-1st)
Total: 38 gms, 53 pts. Holy crap.
- Matt
I decided to rank the Pens' 7 playoff opponents under Crosby as captain. This is only based on the level of playoff prowess the opponent showed, not on any regular season statistics or whatever.
1. 2008 Detroit Red Wings (L in 6, opp. won Stanley Cup)
2. 2007 Ottawa Senators (L in 5, opp. was runner up in SCF)
3. 2009 Washington Capitals (W in 7, opp. went 7-7)
4. 2009 Philadelphia Flyers (W in 6, opp. lost in first round)
5. 2008 Philadelphia Flyers (W in 5, opp. upset two division winners)
6. 2008 New York Rangers (W in 5, opp. took Pens to OT in game 5)
7. 2008 Ottawa Senators (W in 4, opp. was completely outclassed)
It's hard to contest that the Wings were the best team of the 7. Numbers 4 and 5 are debatable, but I think the edge went to this year's Flyers, as the last year version kind of died after game 2.
The aggregate record for the "new" Pens:
2007: 1-4
2008: 14-6
2009: 8-5
Total: 23-15
In particular, Crosby's statistics over that span:
2007: 5 gms, 5 pts
2008: 20 gms, 27 pts (T-1st)
2009: 13 gms, 21 pts (T-1st)
Total: 38 gms, 53 pts. Holy crap.
- Matt
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Why Caps Fans Can't Feel Bad About How Their Team's Season Ended
Before I get to the topic at hand, I have some thoughts:
* Holy shit, what a series. I can't honestly remember a series this intense and entertaining in the 20 years I've been watching hockey. I don't think I've ever seen a playoff series in any sport live up to the hype quite like this one.
* Pens fans - can you believe how far the team has come in 3+ months?!? Eastern Conference finalists again! Never take it for granted!
* The new Green Day song is so fucking terrible
* X-Men Origins: Wolverine was also fucking terrible
* It was so nice to see Crosby's skills on display on the national level. This is why he's a big deal. If only they'd covered his off-ice work ethic and beyond-the-call-of-duty charity work. But enough gushing about my favorite player.
Washington Capitals fans:
1. The emergence of Alex Semin and Simeon Varlamov cannot be taken lightly. These two names will be household next season, and they're both amazing players who will make Ovechkin's job so much easier to dominate.
2. Ovechkin is clearly the real deal. 11 goals in 14 games, 21 points in that same span. He was a force on the ice every shift. Whenever he had the puck, my buttcheeks clenched. Point is, he established himself as a true great this postseason.
3. The Caps won their first playoff season in a long, long time (first under Ted Leonsis). If that isn't progress, I don't know what is.
4. Caps fans showed an amazing amount of maturity during the last few minutes of Game 7. Cheering their team constantly, even though there was a clear losing effort, shows an enormous amount of class. This is a foundation of true fanhood, as well as heartbreaking playoff loss. The Caps' fanbase should be in good shape for many years to come.
5. The national exposure generated by this series ensures that the Caps will be one of the most popular NHL franchises for at least the next 5 years. This can only help Caps fans and the organization as a whole. Think about going to NYC for the weekend and being able to talk Caps with random people on the street. If that doesn't make you feel good, I don't know what can.
Anyway, hopefully that shows why the Caps are in good shape for years to come. If Ovechking doesn't win a Cup in the next 10 seasons, I don't know shit about hockey.
- Matt
PS- LET'S GO PENS!
* Holy shit, what a series. I can't honestly remember a series this intense and entertaining in the 20 years I've been watching hockey. I don't think I've ever seen a playoff series in any sport live up to the hype quite like this one.
* Pens fans - can you believe how far the team has come in 3+ months?!? Eastern Conference finalists again! Never take it for granted!
* The new Green Day song is so fucking terrible
* X-Men Origins: Wolverine was also fucking terrible
* It was so nice to see Crosby's skills on display on the national level. This is why he's a big deal. If only they'd covered his off-ice work ethic and beyond-the-call-of-duty charity work. But enough gushing about my favorite player.
Washington Capitals fans:
1. The emergence of Alex Semin and Simeon Varlamov cannot be taken lightly. These two names will be household next season, and they're both amazing players who will make Ovechkin's job so much easier to dominate.
2. Ovechkin is clearly the real deal. 11 goals in 14 games, 21 points in that same span. He was a force on the ice every shift. Whenever he had the puck, my buttcheeks clenched. Point is, he established himself as a true great this postseason.
3. The Caps won their first playoff season in a long, long time (first under Ted Leonsis). If that isn't progress, I don't know what is.
4. Caps fans showed an amazing amount of maturity during the last few minutes of Game 7. Cheering their team constantly, even though there was a clear losing effort, shows an enormous amount of class. This is a foundation of true fanhood, as well as heartbreaking playoff loss. The Caps' fanbase should be in good shape for many years to come.
5. The national exposure generated by this series ensures that the Caps will be one of the most popular NHL franchises for at least the next 5 years. This can only help Caps fans and the organization as a whole. Think about going to NYC for the weekend and being able to talk Caps with random people on the street. If that doesn't make you feel good, I don't know what can.
Anyway, hopefully that shows why the Caps are in good shape for years to come. If Ovechking doesn't win a Cup in the next 10 seasons, I don't know shit about hockey.
- Matt
PS- LET'S GO PENS!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Playoff Situation
Of course I'm talking about the NHL. If you like the NBA, you don't read this site.
As it stands, the Eastern Conference looks like this:
1. Boston, 102 (9 GR)
2. Washington, 99 (6 GR)
3. New Jersey, 98 (8 GR)
4. Philadelphia, 90 (9 GR)
5. Pittsburgh, 90 (6 GR)
6. Carolina, 89 (6 GR)
7. New York Rangers, 87 (6 GR)
8. Montreal, 85 (8 GR)
9. Florida, 83 (7 GR)
10. Buffalo, 80 (8 GR)
As you can see, it's pretty easy to imagine the current top 8 will be the field of 8 in 3 weeks time. Buffalo is fighting the clock at this point, and probably won't make it. More importantly, the Penguins hold tiebreakers against almost everyone else in the wild card field:
vs. PHI: 4-2-0
vs. CAR: 2-1-0 (1 GR)
vs. NYR: 3-1-2 (win tiebreaker based on points percentage)
vs. MON: 1-2-0 (1 GR)
vs. FLA: 2-1-0 (1 GR)
vs. BUF: 2-2-0 (lose tiebreaker based on points percentage)
Because of the tiebreaker against Buffalo, the Penguins' magic number (to clinch a playoff spot) is 9.
Finally, the Pens went 10-1-2 in March, making it a very productive month. And best of all, the playoff push is happening against playoff contenders. Certain teams should be worried about the ease of their schedule down the stretch (cough Washington), and you have to wonder if they can't grab the number 1 seed if they'll be victims of a first round upset.
On to the Western Conference, which is shaping up to be an extremely entertaining race:
1. San Jose, 107 (8 GR)
2. Detroit, 107 (7 GR)
3. Calgary, 90 (8 GR)
4. Chicago, 91 (9 GR)
5. Vancouver, 89 (8 GR)
6. Columbus, 85 (8 GR)
7. Edmonton, 81 (7 GR)
8. Nashville, 80 (8 GR)
9. Anaheim, 80 (7 GR)
10. St. Louis, 79 (8 GR)
11. Minnesota, 78 (7 GR)
12. Dallas, 75 (8 GR)
Dallas is more or less in the same position as the Sabres in the East. Columbus is looking good, but is far from a lock. St. Louis is my personal favorite contender, but they have 3 games left against my other favorite, Columbus, including one tonight. Additionally, the Blues have 6 of their final 8 games on the road, meaning I wouldn't bet on them reappearing in the postseason this year. The 7 through 11 spots are kind of anyone's guess at this point.
I'm just assuming that someone from the Western Conference is winning the Cup this year, so let's take a look at who should be favored:
Detroit- No holes in this team. It's all about luck and favorable matchups at this point.
San Jose- Need to recapture the fire from earlier this season, and have a short playoff memory if they want to go far.
Calgary- Never an easy out in the playoffs. They'll go to the Conference finals I think.
Vancouver- Luongo is incredible. Team is clicking at the right time.
Chicago- Could be this year's Penguins, but lack of recent success has many worried.
Columbus- A guy can dream, right?
- Matt
As it stands, the Eastern Conference looks like this:
1. Boston, 102 (9 GR)
2. Washington, 99 (6 GR)
3. New Jersey, 98 (8 GR)
4. Philadelphia, 90 (9 GR)
5. Pittsburgh, 90 (6 GR)
6. Carolina, 89 (6 GR)
7. New York Rangers, 87 (6 GR)
8. Montreal, 85 (8 GR)
9. Florida, 83 (7 GR)
10. Buffalo, 80 (8 GR)
As you can see, it's pretty easy to imagine the current top 8 will be the field of 8 in 3 weeks time. Buffalo is fighting the clock at this point, and probably won't make it. More importantly, the Penguins hold tiebreakers against almost everyone else in the wild card field:
vs. PHI: 4-2-0
vs. CAR: 2-1-0 (1 GR)
vs. NYR: 3-1-2 (win tiebreaker based on points percentage)
vs. MON: 1-2-0 (1 GR)
vs. FLA: 2-1-0 (1 GR)
vs. BUF: 2-2-0 (lose tiebreaker based on points percentage)
Because of the tiebreaker against Buffalo, the Penguins' magic number (to clinch a playoff spot) is 9.
Finally, the Pens went 10-1-2 in March, making it a very productive month. And best of all, the playoff push is happening against playoff contenders. Certain teams should be worried about the ease of their schedule down the stretch (cough Washington), and you have to wonder if they can't grab the number 1 seed if they'll be victims of a first round upset.
On to the Western Conference, which is shaping up to be an extremely entertaining race:
1. San Jose, 107 (8 GR)
2. Detroit, 107 (7 GR)
3. Calgary, 90 (8 GR)
4. Chicago, 91 (9 GR)
5. Vancouver, 89 (8 GR)
6. Columbus, 85 (8 GR)
7. Edmonton, 81 (7 GR)
8. Nashville, 80 (8 GR)
9. Anaheim, 80 (7 GR)
10. St. Louis, 79 (8 GR)
11. Minnesota, 78 (7 GR)
12. Dallas, 75 (8 GR)
Dallas is more or less in the same position as the Sabres in the East. Columbus is looking good, but is far from a lock. St. Louis is my personal favorite contender, but they have 3 games left against my other favorite, Columbus, including one tonight. Additionally, the Blues have 6 of their final 8 games on the road, meaning I wouldn't bet on them reappearing in the postseason this year. The 7 through 11 spots are kind of anyone's guess at this point.
I'm just assuming that someone from the Western Conference is winning the Cup this year, so let's take a look at who should be favored:
Detroit- No holes in this team. It's all about luck and favorable matchups at this point.
San Jose- Need to recapture the fire from earlier this season, and have a short playoff memory if they want to go far.
Calgary- Never an easy out in the playoffs. They'll go to the Conference finals I think.
Vancouver- Luongo is incredible. Team is clicking at the right time.
Chicago- Could be this year's Penguins, but lack of recent success has many worried.
Columbus- A guy can dream, right?
- Matt
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Mid-March State of the Blog
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Ok, just gentlemen.
Here's a long-awaited post from me, as I've been slacking a lot, after giving Will a lot of shit earlier. With the Penguins streaking (10 straight games with at least a point earned), I've been spending a ton of time on the Pensblog in a state of maddening joy. But it's time to rap, gents. About the sports.
Baltimore Orioles: Orioles Hangout had a very good post on Brian Matusz's pitching mechanics recently. I recommend reading it, but you may not like what you hear. In short, he needs a lot of work, meaning he probably won't make an impact in the majors until at least 2012. Whatever keeps the arm fresh is good with me though.
And, uh, Orioles will flirt with .500 as late as September. Bank on it.
Baltimore Ravens: It's good that the dirty birds kept Ray Ray. He's one of the most beloved players in Baltimore sports history, no matter what the rest of the country thinks. The only thing to watch is a potential "old guard" versus new D coordinator situation, much like the Steelers experienced with Alan Faneca in their offensive line. Which reminds me, Steelers suck.
San Diego Chargers: Good move restructuring LT's deal without trying to rip him off. He's still a top 5 back in the league, he just needs to get healthy. Cutting down on the money while including guarantees for the roughest position in all of sports is a fair compromise. It's even better that this got resolved early in the offseason, rather than creating a boiler pressure situation after the draft. I'm feeling good about the Bolts next season.
Indianapolis Colts: are gay.
Maryland Terrapins: WOOOOOOOO! I like the first round matchup with Cal. It's a rematch of the football game last fall when the Terps surprised the Bears. MD has a good chance, I'm penciling them in the W column. They're starting to play well on neutral courts, which will be very useful in the very near future.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Streaking! Suddenly, the Pens find themselves in the 5 seed position with 82 points. With 11 games left to play, one figures the Pens need to go 6-5 the rest of the season to be assured a playoff spot. That would be 43 wins and 94 points, which is enough in the post-lockout landscape. Depending on their first round matchup, they could be doing a lot of damage. The first line is looking very good these days, Guerin, Kunitz and Crosby all had 3 points in this afternoon's game. It was good enough to make the scoring race a 1-2 Penguins punch, which is the first time since Lemieux-Jagr that it's happened this late in the season.
Washington Capitals: Whaaa?!? Considering a third of our readership is Caps fans, I'm giving legitimate space to reporting about them without calling them names. Given their stellar track record at home (despite recent struggles), their recent road power show speaks volumes. On the other hand, their first round opponent will come out swinging in the first two games, knowing that the Caps can clean up in another team's arena. Ovechkin in particular has picked up his game away from home, but bank on him creating more points at home in the postseason. The worry spot for fans has to be Green; teams are starting to pick up on his reluctance to take the body. The playoffs are a grind, and dirty goals are a must. The Ovechkin Play (TM) on the power play may not work, so the Caps have to find a way to adjust.
NHL: Red Wings have taken the points lead. Who's surprised? ...Columbus is the lovable underdog in the West, they're in good position to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. ...Philly may make a push for the Atlantic division title if Brodeur stops owning the league soon. They have several games in hand on most Eastern teams. ...It seems only one of the Sabres, Canes and Panthers will make the playoffs. I'm banking on the Hurricanes to finally snap their drought.
Totally wrong NCAA tourney predictions later this week.
- Matt
Here's a long-awaited post from me, as I've been slacking a lot, after giving Will a lot of shit earlier. With the Penguins streaking (10 straight games with at least a point earned), I've been spending a ton of time on the Pensblog in a state of maddening joy. But it's time to rap, gents. About the sports.
Baltimore Orioles: Orioles Hangout had a very good post on Brian Matusz's pitching mechanics recently. I recommend reading it, but you may not like what you hear. In short, he needs a lot of work, meaning he probably won't make an impact in the majors until at least 2012. Whatever keeps the arm fresh is good with me though.
And, uh, Orioles will flirt with .500 as late as September. Bank on it.
Baltimore Ravens: It's good that the dirty birds kept Ray Ray. He's one of the most beloved players in Baltimore sports history, no matter what the rest of the country thinks. The only thing to watch is a potential "old guard" versus new D coordinator situation, much like the Steelers experienced with Alan Faneca in their offensive line. Which reminds me, Steelers suck.
San Diego Chargers: Good move restructuring LT's deal without trying to rip him off. He's still a top 5 back in the league, he just needs to get healthy. Cutting down on the money while including guarantees for the roughest position in all of sports is a fair compromise. It's even better that this got resolved early in the offseason, rather than creating a boiler pressure situation after the draft. I'm feeling good about the Bolts next season.
Indianapolis Colts: are gay.
Maryland Terrapins: WOOOOOOOO! I like the first round matchup with Cal. It's a rematch of the football game last fall when the Terps surprised the Bears. MD has a good chance, I'm penciling them in the W column. They're starting to play well on neutral courts, which will be very useful in the very near future.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Streaking! Suddenly, the Pens find themselves in the 5 seed position with 82 points. With 11 games left to play, one figures the Pens need to go 6-5 the rest of the season to be assured a playoff spot. That would be 43 wins and 94 points, which is enough in the post-lockout landscape. Depending on their first round matchup, they could be doing a lot of damage. The first line is looking very good these days, Guerin, Kunitz and Crosby all had 3 points in this afternoon's game. It was good enough to make the scoring race a 1-2 Penguins punch, which is the first time since Lemieux-Jagr that it's happened this late in the season.
Washington Capitals: Whaaa?!? Considering a third of our readership is Caps fans, I'm giving legitimate space to reporting about them without calling them names. Given their stellar track record at home (despite recent struggles), their recent road power show speaks volumes. On the other hand, their first round opponent will come out swinging in the first two games, knowing that the Caps can clean up in another team's arena. Ovechkin in particular has picked up his game away from home, but bank on him creating more points at home in the postseason. The worry spot for fans has to be Green; teams are starting to pick up on his reluctance to take the body. The playoffs are a grind, and dirty goals are a must. The Ovechkin Play (TM) on the power play may not work, so the Caps have to find a way to adjust.
NHL: Red Wings have taken the points lead. Who's surprised? ...Columbus is the lovable underdog in the West, they're in good position to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. ...Philly may make a push for the Atlantic division title if Brodeur stops owning the league soon. They have several games in hand on most Eastern teams. ...It seems only one of the Sabres, Canes and Panthers will make the playoffs. I'm banking on the Hurricanes to finally snap their drought.
Totally wrong NCAA tourney predictions later this week.
- Matt
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Bill Guerin Is A Badass
From tPB:
Many years ago, I had tickets to a Boston Red Sox game at Fenway, and they were the cheaper outfield seats and fairly high up in right field. My buddies and I were drinking away when we noticed Bill Guerin and a couple other Bruins walking up the stairs to our section double-fisting beers at the start of the 1st inning. His walk was what got my attention: head down watching both beers as not to spill a drop but still moving quickly up the stairs.
After the second inning, Guerin went back down to get more beers.
Since I can't resist a chance to bust balls AND was sitting on the aisle, I stopped Guerin on his way up to his cheap seats.
I told him, "Didn't you learn from Lindros' and know you should keep your head up at all times?"
He stopped dead in his tracks, looked me dead in the eye and said, "I can handle a hit with my head down, but I'll be damned if I'm spilling my beer."
Clutch city.
Apparently he's a strong locker room personality, and sticks up for anyone on his team. This loyalty is just what the Pens need, so it should be interesting to see how he handles anyone taking a run at Crosby or Malkin. He seems to be loving it in Pittsburgh so far, especially because he's finally on a team that might make the playoffs. We'll see if he can produce at a top 6 forward level.
- Matt
Many years ago, I had tickets to a Boston Red Sox game at Fenway, and they were the cheaper outfield seats and fairly high up in right field. My buddies and I were drinking away when we noticed Bill Guerin and a couple other Bruins walking up the stairs to our section double-fisting beers at the start of the 1st inning. His walk was what got my attention: head down watching both beers as not to spill a drop but still moving quickly up the stairs.
After the second inning, Guerin went back down to get more beers.
Since I can't resist a chance to bust balls AND was sitting on the aisle, I stopped Guerin on his way up to his cheap seats.
I told him, "Didn't you learn from Lindros' and know you should keep your head up at all times?"
He stopped dead in his tracks, looked me dead in the eye and said, "I can handle a hit with my head down, but I'll be damned if I'm spilling my beer."
Clutch city.
Apparently he's a strong locker room personality, and sticks up for anyone on his team. This loyalty is just what the Pens need, so it should be interesting to see how he handles anyone taking a run at Crosby or Malkin. He seems to be loving it in Pittsburgh so far, especially because he's finally on a team that might make the playoffs. We'll see if he can produce at a top 6 forward level.
- Matt
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Condensed Thoughts
Damn it Will, make a post!
Anyway, here are some thoughts about the first half of this weekend:
As mentioned yesterday, Ty Wigginton is a fucking beast
[MASN, again]
Brian Roberts signed a 4 year, $40 million extension, meaning he'll get to see a winning Orioles season! Also, it means he could be the first lifetime Oriole since Cal. Who does that nowadays? Class acts, that's who. I'm buying a Roberts player-tee first chance I get.
Penguins win over Philly in the City of Brotherly Filth. If you play for the Flyers, you probably hate yourself. Their fans have confused being assholes with being enthusiastic. Every time the prompt is "Let's Go Flyers" they shout "Crosby Sucks". Yeah, because the 2nd best points scorer in the NHL who just dropped 4 points on your team, including the game-winning goal, sucks. Retards.
[NHL.com]
It'll be interesting to see if the fairweather Caps fans who've sprung up recently will emulate their cousins 2 hours northeast. I hope so, nothing motivates Sid like a bunch of retards saying he sucks.
Resign Ruslan ("ROOOOOOSE") Fedotenko. The guy is 100% heart and looks good on Crosby's line. The first line of Dupuis-Crosby-Fedotenko was absolutely dominant this game. Enough of amateur GM.
Has Maryland done enough to get into the NCAA tourney? Not yet. A win over Duke and an overall 2-2 finish would be enough I should think, especially on the heels of beating the... Heels.
But losing to Duke, and winning out the rest of the season would put the Terps at 20-10 (9-7), which in my opinion should be enough to get them into the NCAA bracket. If you let any PAC-10 or Big Ten or (your God forbid) a Big XII team in before them, there's something seriously wrong with your judgment. 3 of 7 losses against two of the top 10 in the country? Nothing to sneeze at.
It's going to take some falls by Arizona, Michigan, and other bubble teams to make this more of a reality. Two or three wins in the ACC tourney would be crucial as well. If Morgan State wins their conference, MD looks better as a result. Michigan State winning out would also help the Terps a ton. In short, it's one of those iffy situations that never seem to favor the Terps. I'm not expecting them to make the big 65, but they at least deserve consideration this year.
If you don't like Pitt's basketball team, there's something seriously wrong with you. In recent years, they've tried a lock-down, defensive style that only their mothers could love. This would be successful in the regular season, but kill them in the tourney. This year, after Blair was in foul trouble early for a few games, they decided to open up their play. The result was big wins, including in Hartford against UConn. Fields is a great quarterback for the offense. Blair is THE rebound machine. Dixon is Juan Dixon's brother. Young is also great. I sincerely hope these guys win the whole tournament, they're the most likable team since Curry appeared at Davidson. Plus I get to riot.
Tomorrow: even if the Pens leave Washington with no points, this weekend can't by any means be considered a loss. Going up against the 2nd and 4th seeds on their turf, would you have believed they could split? I'd hoped, but it seemed unrealistic. Now, the Pens have met their 2 point total.
2 games ago, someone brought up the point that 92 points, 43 wins should be enough for the playoffs. This required the Pens to go at least 16-8-0. So far, it's 2-0-0. The difference between 64 points and 60 points seems astronomical nowadays. Even if the Penguins miss the playoffs, they're putting on a hell of a show late in the season. I'm feeling every game like I'm rooting for a playoff club, and the atmosphere in Pittsburgh is frenetic, amazing. Camaraderie between true Pens fans is huge, and you can see the hope on everyone's faces. It's the stuff I usually sneer at when it comes from Steelers fans, but I've softened up a ton about that.
Being a sports fan in Pittsburgh is honestly better than being a sports fan everywhere else. This city suffered such a slow burn in the late 60s and 70s, and the population had to get their minds to something happy. This explains the slavish Steeler devotion. Think about what Detroit's going through now, and magnify that. If only the Lions were any good...
Anyway, that's my take on the early weekend. It's good to feel so good about all three of my favorite teams. Chargers will win Super Bowl 44, fact.
- Matt
Anyway, here are some thoughts about the first half of this weekend:
As mentioned yesterday, Ty Wigginton is a fucking beast
[MASN, again]
Brian Roberts signed a 4 year, $40 million extension, meaning he'll get to see a winning Orioles season! Also, it means he could be the first lifetime Oriole since Cal. Who does that nowadays? Class acts, that's who. I'm buying a Roberts player-tee first chance I get.
Penguins win over Philly in the City of Brotherly Filth. If you play for the Flyers, you probably hate yourself. Their fans have confused being assholes with being enthusiastic. Every time the prompt is "Let's Go Flyers" they shout "Crosby Sucks". Yeah, because the 2nd best points scorer in the NHL who just dropped 4 points on your team, including the game-winning goal, sucks. Retards.
[NHL.com]
It'll be interesting to see if the fairweather Caps fans who've sprung up recently will emulate their cousins 2 hours northeast. I hope so, nothing motivates Sid like a bunch of retards saying he sucks.
Resign Ruslan ("ROOOOOOSE") Fedotenko. The guy is 100% heart and looks good on Crosby's line. The first line of Dupuis-Crosby-Fedotenko was absolutely dominant this game. Enough of amateur GM.
Has Maryland done enough to get into the NCAA tourney? Not yet. A win over Duke and an overall 2-2 finish would be enough I should think, especially on the heels of beating the... Heels.
But losing to Duke, and winning out the rest of the season would put the Terps at 20-10 (9-7), which in my opinion should be enough to get them into the NCAA bracket. If you let any PAC-10 or Big Ten or (your God forbid) a Big XII team in before them, there's something seriously wrong with your judgment. 3 of 7 losses against two of the top 10 in the country? Nothing to sneeze at.
It's going to take some falls by Arizona, Michigan, and other bubble teams to make this more of a reality. Two or three wins in the ACC tourney would be crucial as well. If Morgan State wins their conference, MD looks better as a result. Michigan State winning out would also help the Terps a ton. In short, it's one of those iffy situations that never seem to favor the Terps. I'm not expecting them to make the big 65, but they at least deserve consideration this year.
If you don't like Pitt's basketball team, there's something seriously wrong with you. In recent years, they've tried a lock-down, defensive style that only their mothers could love. This would be successful in the regular season, but kill them in the tourney. This year, after Blair was in foul trouble early for a few games, they decided to open up their play. The result was big wins, including in Hartford against UConn. Fields is a great quarterback for the offense. Blair is THE rebound machine. Dixon is Juan Dixon's brother. Young is also great. I sincerely hope these guys win the whole tournament, they're the most likable team since Curry appeared at Davidson. Plus I get to riot.
Tomorrow: even if the Pens leave Washington with no points, this weekend can't by any means be considered a loss. Going up against the 2nd and 4th seeds on their turf, would you have believed they could split? I'd hoped, but it seemed unrealistic. Now, the Pens have met their 2 point total.
2 games ago, someone brought up the point that 92 points, 43 wins should be enough for the playoffs. This required the Pens to go at least 16-8-0. So far, it's 2-0-0. The difference between 64 points and 60 points seems astronomical nowadays. Even if the Penguins miss the playoffs, they're putting on a hell of a show late in the season. I'm feeling every game like I'm rooting for a playoff club, and the atmosphere in Pittsburgh is frenetic, amazing. Camaraderie between true Pens fans is huge, and you can see the hope on everyone's faces. It's the stuff I usually sneer at when it comes from Steelers fans, but I've softened up a ton about that.
Being a sports fan in Pittsburgh is honestly better than being a sports fan everywhere else. This city suffered such a slow burn in the late 60s and 70s, and the population had to get their minds to something happy. This explains the slavish Steeler devotion. Think about what Detroit's going through now, and magnify that. If only the Lions were any good...
Anyway, that's my take on the early weekend. It's good to feel so good about all three of my favorite teams. Chargers will win Super Bowl 44, fact.
- Matt
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
WOOOOOOOOO
(Click on it to make it bigger)
Fuck Filthadelphia! Next up: the Crapitals. If the Pens win, they'll have beaten their two main rivals in two days and the momentum on the season will have shifted.
Also, the Pensblog is now on www.thepensblog.com. Amazing recaps there, which is why I only recap Chargers/O's games on this site. Go Pens. Fuck Philthy/DC.
- Matt
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Dark Times
First update in a week. Good thing no one reads this blog.
Can't say much positive about the Chargers, other than statistically. So I'll talk about how much I like Drew Brees. It's no secret he's my favorite player in the NFL. If you look at his career quarterback rating, you might not think he's very good. Fortunately, that's a meaningless statistic. He's only had more interceptions than touchdowns one year (2003), and you can count on him to get at least 4000 yards in recent years. If he had better people to throw to, there'd be no stopping him.
Anyway, the Penguins are still doing well. Shootouts are kind of a crap shoot in terms of final result, so it's not a backbreaking loss. Still, to lose out on 2 points by blowing another 3rd period lead is disconcerting. The Rags will come back down to Earth sooner than later, and at any rate it's early in the season.
Lastly, while I'm glad the Devil Rays are in the world series, it sucks for the Orioles. A lot. 4 of the top 10 teams in the league sit in the AL East, which doesn't bode well for the O's. Fortunately, the Yankees might be on a downturn, and the Blue Jays can as easily be bad as good. And of course time will tell with the Rays.
No real substance to this entry. It's like I write for CNN or something...
- Matt
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Quick Entry
Some notes, don't care.
1. Washington is very fortunate the Pens mailed in the last period. In case you think it was because of any other reason, I submit to you a stat line:
A. Ovechkin: 0 G, 0 A, 0 pts
Probably the only game the Caps have scored 4 or more without the Joke on the scoresheet.
2. San Diego, what the fuck.
3. Good to see the Pens winning games they should win. Keep Malkin with Crosby until he stops contributing to EVERY POINT the Pens score. Seriously, check the league leaders: Malkin has 10 pts, 7 of them coming in the past 2 games. He's a beast.
And King Crosby is the best player in hockey. If you disagree you're a Flyers fan or you assume goal scoring is the only important mark of a good player. In which case get Gretzky's dick out of your mouth. Watch his passes in the past 2 games and you'll see what I mean.
4. Satan should be kept off Crosby's line. Satan is the best winger on the team in potential, but he doesn't play as well as he could until he's on a lower line. Last night he was a beast.
5. Dupuis is an amazing signing. He gels with Sid in ways only Colby could. Speaking of awesome signings, Zigomanis is the biggest steal of the decade for the Pens. What a player.
6. Bob Smizik wrote some joke column about fighting turning more fans off to hockey than on. It's funny, you can write anything you want as long as you have no facts to back it up, and you only desire baiting people into arguments.
...
Moving on.
7. As much as I love the parity in this year's NFL, I have never been more bored by it. Not even the results, but the actual games too. The best team is starting Kerry Collins to great success. UGH.
Fuck it.
- Matt
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Arch-rivalry part 1: Capitals on the Rise
So here's the event that happens only four times a year. Hopefully more than that, but it's only October. The Penguins have owned the Caps after the lockout, going 10-1-1 in 12 games (10-1-0 without King Crosby). Ovechkin is the best goal scorer in the game. Crosby is the best player in the game. Malkin is not far off, but not nearly as clutch.
Not blog style this time, but things bear mentioning early in the 1st. Crosby starts things off with a bang by out-Ovechkining Ovechkin. The next 10 minutes is hardcore defensive battle.
The Caps' power play is a thing of beauty. Semin is a hilarious name. The Pens' PK is even better.
Go-Go scores on a silly PP. The Pens control the puck on their man-up for the first time this season (at least it felt like it). After a good pass by Bing, Malkin fires it in and Goligoski gets a great chance. He bobbles, shoots once he gets control and Theodore demonstrates why he shouldn't be a starter. 1-0 PENGUINS!
Another thing of note is that Zigomanis might be the best pickup in recent Penguins history. They got him from the Coyotes for "future considerations" aka a sammich.
The Caps look really good, and will most likely win their division once the Canes pull their annual choke job. However, two things will keep them out of the SCF barring a lot of luck:
1. Jose Theodore. You can take Olie the Goalie out of Washington, but you can't... take the spirit of Olie the Goalie out of Washington. Hm.
2. Penalties. I know you're all fired up and stuff, but play smarter. Your defense is not exactly stellar and your goaltenders are atrocious. UPDATE: As I typed this, Malkin scored a PP goal. 2-0 PENGUINS!
3. Fewer games vs. Southeast opponents. That's at least 4 fewer wins this year, meaning crucial jockeying for position in the East. They absolutely have to win the division to get home ice at any point.
Getting time to go to practice. Bing (Crosby for you Pensblog virgins) has 2 A before the end of the first, and the Caps just got the gayest penalty (Too Many Men). Malkin has 1 G and 1 A, meaning the dry spell is over for both.
Earlier today I predicted 5-3, decided by an empty netter, in favor of the home team (PIT). I stand by this prediction even with a 2-0 lead. GO PENS, I'm out to buy beer. I mean play water polo >_>
- Matt
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
First Period Bloggery
Decided to put my watching Pens to good use. Broadcast is on Versucks, sadly, which means we can expect "unbiased" commentary. Nothing like the owner of the network owning the Flyers and Capitals...
Start watching a couple of minutes into the game. Whoever the shitty announcers are spend 5 minutes talking about the Flyers' players. You can hear the slurping noises from Squirrel Hill.
Satan gets a good scoring chance in front of the goal. Still can't bury those, but he's getting closer every time. Nittymaki makes an easy save. Some other crap happens without scoring chances until an offsides call.
Godard vs some homo. After Godard gets his helmet whacked off, he starts beating on the other dude's head with both hands. Both get some good hits in, but I give the edge to Godard, not only for his dodging skills, but also the major hits he landed.
After the fight, Flyers get a penalty. PP time for the Pens. A funny Versus commercial about Sports Soup comes on. As shitty as the network is, its commercials are actually really good. Malkin, Goligoski, Crosby, Sykora and Staal take a while to get going. Some bitch trips Crosby and for some reason Crosby gets hauled off for slashing. Another solid power play by the Penguins (rolls eyes). Solid PK by the Pens, Talbot gets a beast steal and a scoring chance on a breakaway.
Gill has a solidly accurate shot from the Pittsburgh goal line. Worth mentioning because someday that could come in handy in an empty net situation. Also, it prevented icing. Excellent setup by Malkin leads to a save by Shittymaki and a scrum in front of the net. Mike Richards gets his panties in a knot and tries to land a cheap shot on a player lying on the ice. Unsportsmanlike conduct and the usual crying by Philthadelphia, to no avail.
Midway through the power play, I begin to think the Versus guys are commenting on the broadcast and not actually at the game. They should just nationally broadcast the FSN Pittsburgh feed, it's so much better than this junk.
TK plays like a beast to keep the puck in the Flyers' zone for a long-ass time. The kid should get serious first-line consideration if he keeps playing like he has this season. The Tank-Talbot-TK line is looking like the best 3rd line the Pens have ever had. Once Syko gets healthy and the first line starts clicking, this is going to be a fantastic offensive unit.
Speaking of Tank, he gets called for Holding. Richards gets booed the second he touches the puck. Looks like people miss Jagr already. Free Candy basically ends the period with a monster interception and clear that settles in the corner of the Flyers end. End of period 1, and I guess I'll check the recap later since I have to go to practice soon (bleh). Go Pens!
- Matt
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