Obligatory annual 'Go Wings!' post for playoff time.

[Wulfran]

the Wings shoulda won that game, they totally dominated the entire game. To bad for Lilja, I think he is a decent Dman but that is going to haunt him for a long time.

Well its not the first time a goalie has stole a game for a team that didn't deserve it for the most part... its definately not the first time Giguere has done it

As for that last goal, Lilja shouldn't feel any worse than the other guys on the ice: where was his support when 2 Ducks came hard on the forecheck? Where was his partner and where the forwards that he could dump the puck off to? They were cheating up high to get an odd man rush and it bit them. It was a bad team defensive play by the Wings that the Ducks capitalized on.

[Leonaerd]

the Wings shoulda won that game, they totally dominated the entire game. To bad for Lilja, I think he is a decent Dman but that is going to haunt him for a long time.

Well its not the first time a goalie has stole a game for a team that didn't deserve it for the most part... its definately not the first time Giguere has done it :p

As for that last goal, Lilja shouldn't feel any worse than the other guys on the ice: where was his support when 2 Ducks came hard on the forecheck? Where was his partner and where the forwards that he could dump the puck off to? They were cheating up high to get an odd man rush and it bit them. It was a bad team defensive play by the Wings that the Ducks capitalized on.

Did anyone see Lilly break his stick over his knee afterwards? They didn't even mention it on SC. I was surprised.

[miir]

Wings looked nice last night. I really like that Johan Franzen kid!

Er, I mean, it's too bad the Ducks lost that one! (since the Wings can do nothing on their own) I heard that the Wings' brass will probably be talking to the league today and trying to get Pronger suspended for a game since it was actually him who went head-hunting on Holmstrom, moreso than Rob Niedermayer.

After the first series, the Wings have earned every one of their victories.

They are even earning wins when they lose!

[Xouqoa]

Ah well, was a good run. Congrats to the Ducks. It's 3-0 at the end of the 2nd period... I don't see the Wings coming back tonight unless they drastically alter their play in the 3rd period.

Go Senators, I guess! (Since I don't really care for Pronger.)

3 goals on last 9 shots for Ducks... ouch.

[Sylvus]

Hell of a finish though, who would have thought the 4th goal would be the game winner.

I consider game 5 to be karma for game 4 of the San Jose series. Oh well!

[masteen]

The real irony is that ESPN dropped their coverage of hockey just in time to miss what might be the best post-season since the 1990s.

Fuck ESPN, they're going down the same road MTV did.

[Wulfran]

Hell of a finish though, who would have thought the 4th goal would be the game winner.

No kidding! I was impressed by the "never say die" attitude the Wings showed in the 3rd but it goes back to the old sports adage about needing to play the full 60 minutes.

Going to be an interesting final with the size and defense of the Ducks vs Ottawa's speed and skill but I think the 4 lines of the Sens will be too much for the 3 lines the Ducks try to play. I can just imagine the Leaf angst if the Sens do win in the face of Toronto's 40 year drought: that alone has me cheering for Ottawa a bit

[Animalor]

GEtting to the cup finals is great for Ottawa. In the 8 years I've lived here, this is the most civic pride and excitement I've seen in this place.

We're a city full of government employees and students (2 universities and 3-4 colleges within the city limits) so a lot of people don't have any type of attachment to the city. These playoffs have really rallied everyone together and made people proud to be here, which is great.

[Al]

As much as this Sabres fan hates it, he is rooting for the Senators to thrash some waterfowl in the upcoming series. I hate when my team loses to a loser team... Go Sens!

[Animalor]

You know what really sucks. The Sens are playing in Lord Stanley's finals AND I'M LEAVING TOWN TODAY FOR A WEEK FOR WORK =( Headed to Calgary.

I'm packing my jerney and a bunch of us are going to go watch the games at Flames Central in Calgary. Seems like a pretty decent joint.

http://flamescentral.com/

[Lynks]

Pronger needs to get 1 game suspension for hitting McAmmond, 10 games for receiving a second suspension during the playoffs and another 10 games for his history.

What a dirty player. Makes me feel bad for cheering for the Ducks.

[Trek]

I really dont like Pronger anymore, I must admit I thought he got a bad wrap most of the time but I never really got to 'watch' him play. He is a piece of crap

[Xouqoa]

Old and busted: Todd Bertuzzi's suspension
New hotness: Chris Pronger's suspensions

[miir]

I don't see what the fuss is about.
The hit wasn't that bad... he maybe should have got an elbowing penalty but I think a suspension is pretty ridiculous.

Pronger didn't take a run at him... he was actually moving slowly backwards.
Mcammond had just shot the puck and the hit was a split second after.

Look at the replays.
If Mcammond had not been injured on the play it would have been a total non issue.

Here's a similar hit from the same game.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZG99kRovlZI

How is that not a fucking suspension?
Niel took a 30 foot run at Mcdonald... left his feet and applied a flying elbow to his face.


Sheesh!!

[Lynks]

He didn't get a suspension because he missed. Thats Campbell's excuse. I think he should have received 1 for "intent to injure".

Look at the replays for Pronger again. He was aiming for the head and he wanted to take him out with his elbow. His threw a punch with his elbow.

[miir]

He didn't get a suspension because he missed. Thats Campbell's excuse. I think he should have received 1 for "intent to injure".

Look at the replays for Pronger again. He was aiming for the head and he wanted to take him out with his elbow. His threw a punch with his elbow.

Niel took a run at Mcdonald and his elbow hit squarely on his head. It even shows it in slow-mo. You can see his neck snapping to the side from the impact.
He threw a flying elbow.

In hockey:
If you jump to make a hit, it's a penalty.
If you lead with your elbow (and not your shoulder), it's a penalty.
If you take a 20+ foot run at a player to check him at the boards, it's a penalty.

If you do all 3, it should be a suspension.



Compare that to Mcammond running his head into Prongers elbow. Pronger was coasting slowly backwards and made a slight shift to his left and put his elbow up. Mcammond was admiring his shot and looked up at the last second to see Pronger's elbow.

I have no bias here.
I'm a bigger fan of the Sens than the Ducks.

If I was a Ducks fan, I'd be saying it's Mcammond's fault for taking a run at Pronger's elbow. He should have gotten a penalty on the play... a penalty for being stupid. One of the first things you learn in hockey is to keep your head up.

It was an open ice hit.
Pronger was virtually standing still.
The only infraction he's guilty of is getting his elbow up.
If you've been watching this series at all, there have been dozens of plays (by both teams) that could be considered far worse.

[Lynks]

Pronger WAS NOT standing still. Look again. Pronger WAS NOT skating backwards. He was leaning into McAmmond. Was McAmmond caught admiring his shot? Yes, clearly he was. BUT, you can see his elbow come up and he rammed it towards his head.

No, I'm not biased. I've been cheering for the Ducks to take this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QphT0Wg9 ... ed&search=

[miir]

I watched it live and have seen replays ad nauseum.

Look at it again.
Pronger was moving backwards and to his left.. he had very little momentum and his feet were barely moving.

Hockey players are used to absorbing hits from 200+ pounders skating at full speed.
It was only Pronger's arm and shoulder that moved in the direction of Mcammond.
There is no way the impact of the hit could have caused any sort of injury.

[Trek]

I see it differently then Miir, looks like he leans into him to me. But I do see Miir's point that there are a lot of hits like that so they should let em all go.

[Lynks]

GMs got together today and discussed hits to the head. Starting next year, it will most likely be a penalty.

[Wulfran]

Well deserved or not, he got a game and it didn't matter. I really don't think he deserved a game but got one because the refs missed a call, which under the current rules should have been a 2 min call (possibly 4 if you wanted to call it roughing and elbowing or something). That it was a head shot was as much or more McAmmond's fault as Pronger's. Yes it was cheap and late but I didn't see any real intent to injure in it, I think it was as Pronger claimed "reflex. Dirty reflex but thats where the 2 min for elbowing comes in.

I was somewhat on the fence with his suspension against Detroit too, because I look at it in terms of "what happens if Niedermayer didn't hit Holmstrom at the same time?" in which case it might have more blatantly obvious he was headhunting and netted him more, he might have missed and looked like an ass. Add that to the fact that they tagged Anaheim with a major and misconduct on the play (albeit to the wrong guy) and I thought the Ducks if not Pronger paid in full for the foul (and sorry Wing fans, Niedermayer's play on Holmstrom was clean... it was the same reason you guys love Draper and Maltby). I think they need to have an option to fine the players in these cases (or exercise that option if they have it): the hit on McAmmond was worth say $10 K to the players pension and disability fund or some such. If the players don't show respect to each other on the ice, take it out of their wallet and at the same time cover the long term effects of the injuries they cause.

I'm glad the GM's are talking about this, and I hope they can come up with something to clean things up without impacting the physical aspect of the game. I think the players need to be accountable for themselves as far as keeping their head up but the aimed headshots and up-thrusting hits need to be eliminated. In a way its kind of funny because I always thought the definitions of Charging, Boarding and Roughing were all flexible enough to allow this crap to be called but as long as they can reduce the number of head shots and concussions...

I'm just having a hard time with the notion of the "Stanley Cup Champion Ducks of Anaheim" It ain't quite over but the Fat Lady is warming up...

[Animalor]

Gratz Ducks, Stanley Cup champs.

[Lynks]

Booyah! The Cup is coming to my hometown for a day!

[Waran]

Some people will do anything at the chance to win a championship, but it's really sad what Pronger has turned into since leaving St. Louis. I guess he changed his target to people's heads now.

Fuck a Duck!

But oh well, grats Ducks I guess. Glad you have a slimeball player on your team.

[Lynks]

As long as Heatly and Spezza never win the Cup, I'll be happy. Those 2 are the biggest dicks off the ice.

[Trek]

I was hoping for Ottawa to take it...Grats Ducks

[masteen]

Pronger never gets the benefit of a doubt because he is a dirty fucking asswipe. Even if he didn't deserve the game for that, I guarantee threre were at least 3 others that the refs missed that he could have been bounced for.

But grats Ducks anyway. Hell of a playoff.

[Wulfran]

Anaheim Ducks, Stanley Cup Champions. Who would have thought a couple months ago? Well deserved by the solid team effort they displayed all throughout the playoffs.

Mawafu you bandwagon hopping bitch, are ya happy now?