Wings DOMINATE Pens 4-0 :-)

[drdtroit]

DETROIT (AP) -- It's no surprise the Detroit Red Wings have a Swede to thank for a prime-time performance, but Mikael Samuelsson?

The demoted forward busted out of a slump with two goals, and Chris Osgood stifled the Pittsburgh Penguins' young and talented stable of forwards with 19 saves to lift the Red Wings to a 4-0 victory in the opening game of the Stanley Cup finals on Saturday night.

Samuelsson doubled his playoff goal total with two in the biggest game of his five-season NHL career. He had been dropped to Detroit's third line earlier in the playoffs and had posted only two assists since his two-goal outburst on May 1.

Detroit overpowered goalie Marc-Andre Fleury with a 36-shot barrage. Osgood has two postseason shutouts this season and 12 in his playoff career.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280524005

[drdtroit]

1. Wings win again (I guess nobody is into hockey) n/t

[PRETZEL]

2. No doubt the Wings dominated the 2 games in Detroit.

I can't figure out what Detroit is doing that we can't seem to match.

We have been very good at home in the playoffs so I'm not throwing in the towel.

No matter what happens, we need to steal a game in Detroit.

But I hate to say it, we looked very confused last nite. And frustrated. We're trying to win the series in one game. We need to let the game come to us and relax.

[1gobluedem]

3. Wings looked FANTASTIC

Almost unbeatable. It'll be interesting to see what happens in Pittsburgh.

Go Wings!

[Upton]

4. Doesn't look so good for the Pens

but who would have thought they would be shut out the first 2 games. The Penguins are getting very few chances and when they do get one, they're not converting. Malkin has one SOG in the first two games combined. Unfortunately, what set up to be a classic series has turned out to be boring so far. Hopefully, home ice will be just the tonic the Penguins need.

[LisaM]

5. I have to disagree about the boring part!

What is Gary Roberts doing punching Franzen (just off 18 days with a concussion-like symptoms) in the head?

He should be suspended one game. It's one thing to sucker punch. It's another to sucker punch someone who's had 18 days off resting off a head injury.

[Upton]

6. This is hockey

it's supposed to be physical. You can't have special protection for individual players dependent upon their last injury. If Franzen can't take a punch he shouldn't be out there.

Unfortunately the finals generally lack the physicality demonstrated in the earlier rounds and, so far, this year has been no exception. The Penguins need more players like Gary Roberts, because right now they are being pushed around.

[LisaM]

7. Except he was just standing there and Gary Roberts skated by and punched him

I agree that if Franzen had been mixing it up he should not be treated differently. I guess you didn't see the game, but he was just standing there and Gary Roberts skated by and punched him right over his eye.

[Upton]

8. I saw the game

and if you are referring to the incident in the 3rd period, Roberts wasn't even penalized and Franzen didn't miss a shift.

[LisaM]

9. LOL. I guess we're going to have to agree to disagree

I like this take on it:


http://seanberry.blogspot.com/2008/05/michel-therrien-cry-babys-coach.html

[1gobluedem]

10. I saw it too

Definitely a sucker punch.

[devilgrrl]

12. If Franzen can't take a punch he shouldn't be out there.

That has got to be the stupid thing I've ever read. How about if Gary Roberts can't play the game without sucker punching someone, perhaps he shouldn't be out there.

I'm assuming that you find the following physical action acceptable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HerZdQmigLs

Oh yeah, he was just following up on his check, Dean McAmmond is just a big pussy right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht6RyAI9370

If Ryan Hollweg can't take a stick to his head, then why is he out there huh?

And let's watch Matt Johnson end Jeff Beukeboom's career:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTM8ocJJkY4

Yeah, hockey is physical, if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

:sarcasm:

[Upton]

13. Cry me a river

to compare some of those shots, with the one Gary Roberts layed on Franzen is ridiculous. That so called punch was actually more of a push in the face, Franzen himself said he should have protected himself better. This isn't baseball or women's figure skating, this is hockey, if you can't take it, don't watch it.

I, for one, feel this series needs a little spicing up. The Pens need to get a lot more physical, if it takes going after Franzen or anybody else, so be it.

[1gobluedem]

14. One of the columnists from Pittsburgh even called it a cheap shot

Franzen, I'm sure, was just trying to play it down.

Sure, let the Pens come after the Wings. We can take 'em. Darren McCarty will just skate with every line.

[devilgrrl]

16. Oh, don't listen to him, he just a tough-talking windbag.

A chick could put him through the boards.

Penguins haven't a chance in hell.

[andres hunter]

11. What a beating

royal ass-kicking.

[Forkboy]

15. But enough about what the Mods did to you.