You Had To Be There To Believe It - Pens Beat Flyers

Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Wow. Thats all I can really say concerning Game 6 against the Flyers. I was a mess the entire day, since I had to work real late the night before. I opted to listen to Mike Lange and the Ol' Two-Niner, but the warm April sun was putting me to sleep, so I watched the game on NBC instead. From the time I left my radio to the time I got the TV warmed up, it was 2-0 Flyers. Ouch. Next thing I know it's 3-0 Flyers and as much as it pains me to say this, I thought the game and possibly the series was over. I couldn't believe it. But I should have kept telling myself that momentum changes in the blink of an eye. And it did. Max Talbot sucks Daniel Carcillo into a fight, which wasn't the time for the Flyers to be dropping the gloves. It recharges the Pens. Malkin drives to the net and all of a sudden you realize that hope is not lost. Fedotenko picks up the trash and it's a 3-1 game. I honestly think that the Flyers thought they had it won at that point however. Braydon Coburn knocks down Fedotenko for no reason at all right after the goal. Typical Flyers being dumb and tyring to be tough guys. All of a sudden the momentum changes. Momentum is what the Stanley Cup Playoffs are all about. Mark Eaton knocks one out of the air to make it 3-2. Then Crosby does the same thing after Biron juggles the puck. 3-3 hockey game. You just knew that all the Pens had to do was play mistake free hockey the rest of the way. Fleury was AMAZING in the 3rd period. Gonchar rips a slapper from downtown. 4-3 Pens. At that point you knew the Flyers were toast. Crosby gets the empty netter and seals a 5-3 win for the Pens and the series. What a comeback. Now we will await the next opponent for round 2. It should be pretty exciting from here on out.


Some real quick tidbits.....

• How nice was it to not have to listen to Pierre Mcguire during the broadcast yesterday. Darren Pang was a blast from the past to the days of ESPN. Mcguire is a joke and I've lost all respect for him.


• Fluery was MVP of the series without a doubt. He played out of his mind when he needed to and thats all you can ask.


• Not sure what happened to Scuderi, but hopefully he can return to play the next round.

What a way to beat the Flyers. They had a 3-0 lead and then watched it fall apart faster than Donovan McNabb in the final two minutes of a super bowl. This could be a momentum changer for the Pens. Lets hope so. GO PENS!

Some Hockey Thoughts

Well....can I first say how much I love this time of year? Hockey has now moved into it's second season and it's getting warm outside. I LOVE THIS! This is the time of year when moments are made. Hockey fans will become so consumed with the game and their team, it will be like nothing else matters. Every shot will make you jump from your seat. Every save makes you breath a sigh of relief. Every win makes you more and more excited, while every loss makes you feel deflated. You will lose your voice cheering every goal. It truely is the most wonderful time of the year for a hockey fan. With that being said, I'd like to share some thoughts on the opening week of this playoff year.

Flying Into Philadelphia

The Penguins have a 2-0 series lead heading into the game tomorrow with the Flyers in Philly. Although last nights OT was the first playoff hockey I have gotten to see all season, I have listened when I can to Mike Lange and it really sounds like the Pens are simply out playing the Flyers. The OT last night also showed how undiciplined and stupid the Flyers can be. Here is my prediction: If Pittsburgh wins game 3 tomorrow and takes a 3-0 series lead, look for this series to get ugly. Philly will try and beat the snot out of the Pens and take as many cheap shots as possible. Keep you fingers crossed the Pens can get out without any major injuries. If Philly wins game 3, it's going to be a whole new ballgame. No series lead is safe until it is won. Even some of the best teams have blown 2-0 and even 3-0 series leads. I doubt that happens to the Pens, but momentum in hockey can change with one big goal, a huge save or a devastating body check.

Chicago Revival

How great is it to see the Blackhawks back in the playoffs. I think it was great to see them play so well this season and to have the city behind them again. Let's not forget that home games used to be blacked out in Chicago. It's nice to see an origional six team doing well again.

Big Screen Gone?

By now most know that the big screen will not show games broadcast by NBC. I will let you read what the Tribune-Review (here) and Pittsburgh Post Gazette (here) reported and what Channel 11 (here) had to say in response. Basically what it boils down to, is that NBC has poor ratings and doesn't want it to suffer anymore than it already has. It's too bad. I always wanted to go to a game and watch it outside. It's funny that this is all happening now. If it was such a big deal why didn't it happen before this playoff season? I guess thats the way the cookie crumbles. It just shows however that the hockey has a poor TV package and NBC has a shitty broadcast team. Mike Emerick is the only person I can stand to listen to during their games to begin with.

Comments On The Super Genius

I was listening to Mark Madden before the Pens game on my way to work the other night before game 2. Madden does offer solid insight to hockey and the Penguins, but i admit some nights I love him and some nights I don't. Madden was pretty good last night. One caller specific was asking about an update on Jaromir Jagr possibly coming back to the Pens (won't happen for future reference). Madden simply responded by saying "what? Didn't you hear? He's playing tonight!" First of all, Jagr is the farthest person from anyones mind right now, so why bring him up? Second, don't worry about it, cuz he ain't comin back to Pittsburgh. If he does return to the NHL it will be to the team that will pay him the most.

Some Thoughts On A Crazy Week

It's been a crazy week. Not just for me, but in the sports world too. I can't blog like I want to, since I work 60 hours a week, but this is a chance I can mention some stuff, so here it goes....

• How about the Buccos? A pretty solid start for a team that isn't supposed to do much this year. I hope they continue to play this way for the entire season. Could this be the year? Maholm looks like the ace the Pirates need him to be. The Buccos are hitting well too. Home opener is on Monday against the Astros at 1:30pm. They finish up the weekend against the Reds tomorrow.


• Penguins won tonight meaning they will play the Flyers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs! If Philly loses on Sunday, then the Pens will have home ice in the series. Malkin also won the Art Ross trophy (scoring title). He now joins Mario Lemieux (6), Jaromir Jagr (5), and Sidney Crosby (1) as the only Penguins to win the Art Ross trophy. Some early keys to the Flyers/Penguins playoff series will be the Penguins ability to score on the Power Play and Fleury's ability to shut down the Flyers. Also the physical factor always is important with the Flyers, but I think the Pens can give it right back if they need to. I think they can win the series. I say Pens in 6.


• Tiger Woods is four under par at the Masters. We never talk golf on here, but everyone wants to know about Tiger. It doesn't look good since the leaders are at 11 under par, but ya never know with old Tiger in the hunt going into the final day. I'd watch but I have to work.


• On a sad note, Nick Adenhart, a pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels was killed by a drunk driver on April 9 (my birthday for those that care). But needless to say I felt so horrible when I found out about this. Its really sad to hear about such a great young player with such talent being taken away by someone so careless. It really makes me realize how important it is to enjoy life and take advantage of every opportunity. Adenhart was only 22 and had his entire career and life ahead of him. Just a very sad incident that should have never happened. R.I.P, Nick