2010 NHL Playoff Tracker - Round 4

2010 STANLEY CUP FINALS!!

#7 Philadelphia Flyers v #2 Chicago Blackhawks
Game 1 Flyers 5, Blackhawks 6
Game 2 Flyers 1, Blackhawks 2
Game 3 Blackhawks 3, Flyers 4 OT
Game 4 Blackhawks 3, Flyers 5
Game 5 Flyers 4, Blackhawks 7
Game 6 Blackhawks 4, Flyers 3 OT
#2 Chicago Blackhawks WIN 4-2

2010/06/11
It's over! The end of the world has been averted. The CRYERS have lost!! All hail the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks!!

2010/05/27
I cannot believe this is who is playing for the Stanley Cup this year. Ok the Blackhawks I have no problem with but the Flyers? What in the hell has gone on with the Eastern Conference? After the first round it looks like the Pens were good to go. Both of the teams we couldn't beat in the regular season (Devils, Caps) were out. Everyone sort of expected the Flyers to be a good match up with Devils. They were the one team the Devils couldn't beat all year but who would have predicted the Caps going down like that. They were up 3-1 and Montreal just caught fire and came back. I know I was cheering for them at that point. That was one of the greatest upsets to ever happen in sports. Little did we know that was just the start of the craziness in the Eastern Conference.

When the 2nd round started we all seemed to be confident that OMG the Pens got this. Easy road back to the Finals. Take out the upstart Habs and whichever team limps out of the other series and we're in. When depleted Boston went up 3 games to none of the Flyers that one seemed like it was a no-brainer, we'd play them, but the Flyers fought back. Just like the Habs in the first round they found their game and won one game at a game, eroding Boston's confidence and posting only the 3rd series win when down 3-0 in NHL history. I didn't get to see every game in that series but the difference from Game 1 to Game 7 was like nothing I've ever seen.

Well good for them but it didn't matter. The Pens took out the Flyers in the 2 previous years we went to the Cup Finals. It's no thing to do it again but first take care of these Habs and that was proving problematic. Just like the Caps before them the Pens dominated play for large stretches of time and pounded them with shots. We should have won every game 5-1 but it wasn't happening like that. They were just taking our punishment just like they did with the Caps and holding strong. Then one little turnover or slip up and they would charge back and put a shot past Fleury. I don't put all the blame on Fleury. He had to sit there for long stretches of time and not see any play then all of a sudden a guy would be barreling all alone on him and that's not exactly fair but still, you got to make those key saves. No doubt the Habs were in Fleury's mind and had his number for this series. We were still able to eke out some wins and Fleury did play exceptional in a few games (had 1 shutout, should of had 2) but the series still went win-loss up until Game 7 when it would have been our turn to win. However this was not to be. It was 4-0 at one point and we lost sending the Habs on to the next round and our dreams of repeating as Champions crashing down.

The Habs took out the (arguably) two best teams in the conference. Was this their year of destiny? Alas it was not to be. The Flyers much as they easily handled the Devils trapping style took care of Montreal in 5 games and punched their ticket to the Finals.

No matter what happens. I strongly dislike the Flyers and their fans. They are our hated rivals and they probably want us to win as much as I want them to: NOT AT ALL!! I would have been okay with the Habs winning. To lose to the eventual winner is one thing but the stinkin' Flyers? They didn't even make the playoffs until the last day of the regular season. They had to win in a shootout versus the Rangers to get in. I'll accept that they have played their best games at the best times but I will not accept that they will win this year.

The problem is if the Blackhawks win then Marian Hossa will finally get his Cup. This will be the 3rd year in a row he made it to the Finals. Amazing! Three years in a row on three different teams even. First player to ever do that. Boy would it suck to lose all three times. Now I know some people in Pittsburgh have a huge problem with him. He made some regrettable comments when he left Pittsburgh to go to Detroit and yeah so what? He may be a douchebag but he's suffered enough. Losing in the Finals is bad enough but two years in a row is worse. It's not like he is the reason the Blackhawks are doing so well anyway. He was mainly a passenger on all his Finals trips except for when he was a Penguin. Crosby made him better and he's not contributed that much at all this year either but him winning doesn't matter to me at all. Good for him.

Much as I can't imagine how my sporting life as a Steelers fan would have gone on if the Patroits would have completed that undefeated season I don't know how I'd cope having to call the Cryers the Stanley Cup Champs!! Not going to happen. Chicago in 6!

Winter Classic 2011 Announced

The Winter Classic has been announced for next year. Source

Apparently there will be a more formal announcement tomorrow than I will link here then.

The game will be played on JANUARY 1, 2011 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

between our hometown PITTSBURGH PENGUINS and our hated rivals the WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Luckily Matt and I have season tickets. There better be no way that we get screwed out of this like how we couldn't get tickets for when it was in Buffalo. I was on the website and the phone from 30 min before ticket sales started to 15 after and they could not get us 6 tickets. Needless to say I was not happy about that. I have faith though that since it's in Pittsburgh this time we will find a way to hook up with tickets. We'll have to book a room down Pittsburgh that night and have ourselves a New Year's party for the ages!!

LET'S GO PENS!!

2010 NHL Playoff Tracker - Round 3

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#7 Philadelphia Flyers v #8 Montreal Canadiens
Game 1 Canadiens 0, Flyers 6
Game 2 Canadiens 0, Flyers 3
Game 3 Flyers 1, Canadiens 5
Game 4 Flyers 3, Canadiens 0
Game 5 Canadiens 2, Flyers 4
#7 Philadelphia Flyers WIN 4-1

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 San Jose Sharks v #2 Chicago Blackhawks
Game 1 Blackhawks 2, Sharks 1
Game 2 Blackhawks 4, Sharks 2
Game 3 Sharks 2, Blackhawks 3 OT
Game 4 Sharks 2, Blackhawks 4
#2 Chicago Blackhawks WIN 4-0

Marc's Penguins Playoff Beard Progress

2010

Playoff Beard Week 3
Playoff Beard Week 2
Playoff Beard Week 1

Well I guess I don't have to keep doing this since we lost. It didn't seem to work this year. :(

2009

The playoff beard worked last year here is the video of me shaving on the successful 2009 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins playoff run beard off.

Pens vs Habs Game 7 POST

Well I feel like saying 'I can't believe it!!' but for some reason I can. Getting beat in Game 6 must have prepared me for this. Truthfully I don't even feel as bad now as I did after Game 6 even though the season is over. No Stanley Cup for us this year. All the top seeds fell and we had a clear, easy shot to the finals but we couldn't get it done. We can't even make fun of the Caps fans that much now because we lost too. It's crazy! We all need to root for them to win the Cup now so neither of us look that bad.

From what I saw the Canadiens just wanted it more. They had nothing to lose so they just went for it. We could not win any battles in their end. It was extremely disheartening to watch. We could pound away at them over and over and with their collapsing five guys around the net strategy we could not get to any rebounds. Eventually the puck would squirt loose and they race away down to our end and put a wild shot on net and score. I love Fleury as much as the next guy and I don't want to pick on any particular player or call anyone out but the Canadiens just had Fleury's number this round. No one can deny that. They were just putting the most wild shots on net and somehow picking corners on Fleury. In any other game against any other team Fleury would be stopping those shots. I don't understand that either. Whatever it was I can only think what if we would have pulled him when it was only 2-0? At 4-0 it was just a little too much to come back from. I think everyone could just feel the security when Beej went in. Now we could concentrate on offense and not have to worry about some random flopper shot getting in. I hate saying that but it was true. What were you going to do? I have faith though that Fleury will work hard during the summer and be even better next year.

Very disappointed is the only way I can describe this year's playoffs. We had a great season but we wanted the Cup. We were supposed to win. :( At least it's only ~140 days till next season starts. I'm going to have a lot more time on my hands until then to get stuff done.

Pens vs Habs Game 7 PRE

Well on 05/12 there will be a game 7. I can't believe it. I have been in a mega sour mood since the loss last night but I am hoping to snap out of it soon. I don't know how the Habs are doing this to us. I didn't know how they did it to the Caps either but at least then I thought it was funny. I don't like it going on to us though. Fleury looked like he let in another couple of softies but for the most part we played a good game. It's just mind blowing to me. We've played excellent all series. It shouldn't even be close. We are dominating them for 5/6th of every game but it seems like one teeny tiny mistake and they get an amazing rush of it and score. Their goalie can't hold up like that to us for much longer. We will crack him and be victorious. All I can hope for is the Win one, Lose one game keeps playing because it should be our turn to win one next and that's all it will take. We will not go down like this!!

2010 NHL Playoff Tracker - Round 2

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins v #8 Montreal Canadiens
Game 1 Canadiens 3, Penguins 6
Game 2 Canadiens 3, Penguins 1
Game 3 Penguins 2, Canadiens 0
Game 4 Penguins 2, Canadiens 3
Game 5 Canadiens 1, Penguins 2
Game 6 Penguins 3, Canadiens 4
Game 7 Canadiens 5, Penguins 2
#8 Montreal Canadiens WIN 4-3

#6 Boston Bruins v #7 Philadelphia Flyers
Game 1 Flyers 4, Bruins 5
Game 2 Flyers 2, Bruins 3
Game 3 Bruins 4, Flyers 1
Game 4 Bruins 4, Flyers 5
Game 5 Flyers 4, Bruins 0
Game 6 Bruins 1, Flyers 2
Game 7 Flyers 4, Bruins 3
#7 Philadelphia Flyers WIN 4-3

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 San Jose Sharks v #5 Detroit Red Wings
Game 1 Red Wings 3, Sharks 4
Game 2 Red Wings 3, Sharks 4
Game 3 Sharks 4, Red Wings 3 OT
Game 4 Sharks 1, Red Wings 7
Game 5 Red Wings 1, Sharks 2
#1 San Jose Sharks WIN 4-1

#2 Chicago Blackhawks v #3 Vancouver Canucks
Game 1 Canucks 5, Blackhawks 1
Game 2 Canucks 2, Blackhawks 4
Game 3 Blackhawks 5, Canucks 2
Game 4 Blackhawks 7, Canucks 4
Game 5 Canucks 4, Blackhawks 1
Game 6 Blackhawks 5, Canucks 1
#2 Chicago Blackhawks WIN 4-2