I just wanna do Karen Newman.

Posted by RWBill from jabbing a six inch sewing needle into my eye. on 06/02/08 at 11:51 PM ET

Because that, motherf***ers, is how red wings playoff hockey rolls…

Posted by drgdado from A2 on 06/02/08 at 11:54 PM ET

LOL...I’ll see what I can arrange for you big guy.  Night.

Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 06/02/08 at 11:54 PM ET

Exhale and crawl off to bed.

Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 06/02/08 at 11:56 PM ET

I just wanna do Karen Newman.

Lol.

I think I’m too tired to be sad, too exhausted for my emotions to…

Posted by Osrt on 06/02/08 at 11:57 PM ET

This is going to be a freaking long 2 days...Thanks Gary. Ass. (and I won’t forget the refs either...)

Posted by C3091 on 06/02/08 at 11:59 PM ET

Does anyone know if Joevision will be back for game 6?

Posted by Sp4r7an on 06/03/08 at 12:26 AM ET

At least we show up after a loss.
Wooooooo

We love you, Bill

Posted by Pensblog on 06/03/08 at 02:30 AM ET

1 hour of sleep and pissed off, people better get out of my way today…

But we still show up, don’t we

Posted by steph from Bonn, Germany on 06/03/08 at 06:01 AM ET

A few things…

First of all, Chief, I understand the light posting.  I think we all do.  Frankly, I think there’s enough pent up angst amongst the (impressively expanding) 19 to carry the conversation here. 

Second, can we stop bitching about the refs?  Enough.  They did not lose that game for us.  We did.  We were the ones that couldn’t get that puck up over the left pad or under the crossbar...the ones that failed to lock off the man next to the net...not the zebras.  Losers like Michelllle bitch about the refs.  Be better than that.

Third, enough with the eulogies on the Pens season.  It’s one thing to be confident going into a potential clincher.  It’s another to treat it like the thing’s in the bag, which, honestly, is what a lot of the rhetoric looked like yesterday. 

Last, this is the playoffs.  Despite the rise in blood pressure, the slack in office productivity, the increase in weeknight beverage consumption and decrease in clean shirts I haven’t thrown up on...despite all that, it’s the best time of the year.  It’s been half a decade since we were playing past Memorial Day (ballpark date).  Soak it up with the knowledge that the good Lord just wasn’t ready for this season to end...wasn’t ready for this romance to hit the skids. 

The Wings still have two games to win one and no matter how you break it down, I’d rather be us than them right now. 

I never took the foil off from last night.  I hope none of the other 19 did either.

Posted by disch from bat country on 06/03/08 at 07:46 AM ET

I thought last night I would wake up in a horrible, just horrible, mood.  If I managed to drag my self out of bed at all.  But I don’t feel any angst about last night’s game.  Can’t afford to, angsted out for about an hour after the game ended.  Shoulda, woulda coulda.  We know it, the players know it.  It sucks that it turned out that way last night (and I agree, disch, the pens have moaned enough about officiating to make up for both teams) but this team has proven they can overcome adversity.  And this is the Stanley Cup Finals, who didn’t think there’d be a little bit of that?  Bottom line is although the wait for game six will be long the Wings need only keep doing what they’re doing. Mistakes in the first buried them, but they never quit.  That third period, minus the game tying goal by the pens, was an amazing display of what this team is capable of.  I think they get off to the kind of start they should have in game 5 on wednesday and never look back.

Posted by AndrewB from TN on 06/03/08 at 08:16 AM ET

disch:

I never took the foil off from last night.  I hope none of the other 19 did either.

Foil is untouched…

I agree, though extremely disappointing, we’re fortunate to be in the position that we’re in. Let’s not forget that it took six games to put down Bubba and Bubba Sr. Cliché alert: Nobody said it would be easy. Likely the biggest disappointment is that most of us thought they would get it done last night. Ugh!

The boys need to finish tomorrow night. Period. Make it so.

LET’S GO RED WINGS!!!!!

Posted by Cwix from Roanoke, VA on 06/03/08 at 08:18 AM ET

And Sykora pompously calling the goal to douche canoe...where were you on that one, God?  Why does God let things like that happen? Chief, lift our spirits today and bring back some of that nastiness.  In fact, I’m pretty sure there will be a lot of nastiness on these boards today.  If not, then you can all go f@$%^ yourselves.  There.  Let’s get psyched for Wednesday’s game.

Posted by AndrewB from TN on 06/03/08 at 08:21 AM ET

disch and AndrewB,

You are both far better men/people than I this a.m. But with your sterling example, I am going to do my best to hold my tongue and avoid saying anything I may regret later.

GO WINGS!!!!!

Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 06/03/08 at 08:37 AM ET

Sorry, but I must say that I’ve never, ever seen so much slack given to a team by the officials as was given to Pittsburgh last night. Just an observation.

And I hope NBC lost its ass on advertising last night.

Posted by KevinC from Central NY on 06/03/08 at 08:45 AM ET

Second, can we stop bitching about the refs?  Enough.  They did not lose that game for us.

Glad to see someone said that right off the bat. I was worried I’d come on here today and everyone would be complaining.

Make no mistake—had the refs called the game in OT the way they would’ve called any other game, it would’ve heavily benefitted the Wings considering the ice was tilted to the Pens’ end for the last 5 periods of that game.

But the bottom line is that Detroit had a lead with less than a minute to go in regulation and didn’t take care of business in front of their own goal. And give Pittsburgh credit for that, because they did a good job drawing guys away from the extra skater so someone would be free for a scoring chance.

Three games in a row the Wings have shot themselves in the foot by starting the game… apprehensive… that feels like the right word. In two of them, they were able to come back to take the lead. They can’t expect to be able to do it again. They have to come out and get a lead. You can’t keep going back to the well… eventually it will dry up.

Posted by Nathan from Jonny Ericsson's ice cream truck on 06/03/08 at 08:53 AM ET

GOOD GOD YOU PEOPLE MOANING ABOUT THE REFS TAKE A BOTTLE OF MIDOL YOU’RE FLOWING HEAVILY

Posted by Evilpens on 06/03/08 at 09:00 AM ET

“Mr. Kettle calling Mr. Pot, Mr. Kettle calling Mr. Pot”.  Your right Evilpens we do need Midol.  Unfortunatly it’s all been bought out by the Pens coach, players and fans who did nothing BUT moan throughout the series.  We should be better than that because we ARE better than that.  See you on Wednesday.

Posted by Mike from La-La Land on 06/03/08 at 09:10 AM ET

GOOD GOD YOU PEOPLE MOANING ABOUT THE REFS TAKE A BOTTLE OF MIDOL YOU’RE FLOWING HEAVILY

Posted by Evilpens on 06/03 at 10:00 AM

Michelle, is that you? I mean who else would know so much about flowing, other than the queen of whiny bitches?

Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 06/03/08 at 09:14 AM ET

I feel like a wolf ate me and shit me off a cliff today.

Posted by jmara85 on 06/03/08 at 09:14 AM ET

Did anyone say that the officiating cost us the game?  I was too busy commiserating with my SO to read the post-game comments.  Even if that was said last night, I’d be surprised if people repeated such sentiments in the light of day.  I am definitely appalled by the incompetent officiating, but that’s quite separate from the general emotional weariness I feel after watching such a long, intense game end in a loss.

It was an incredibly exciting game, and the Wings dominated almost everything but the first period, and I’ll be able to appreciate all this a lot more once they’ve won the Cup.  I thought six games, I think almost everyone thought six or seven games before the series started.  It was nice to get a respite from the stress after those first couple wins, but we’re just finally seeing the playoff series we all expected.  Actually the way the Wings and the Pens have been playing, it’s not half as bad as I expected.

Doesn’t mean that I’m not feeling a bit sick this morning, though.

Evilpens, put away the bold, the caps, and misogyny.  I’m really not in the mood.

Posted by Sadie from Ann Arbor, MI on 06/03/08 at 09:16 AM ET

Well, Evilpenis, that was insightful. A taunt is one thing, but at least make it relevant.

That game was a heartbreaker. Here I sit bleary eyed at work. That would’ve been acceptable with a W and an extra 40 minutes of celebration. But damn.

Can we play some clean hockey again? What happened to the effort of Games 1-2 and previous series. Even the win in Game 4 wasn’t “A” game. Finish this!

Posted by Nate A from Dark side of the moon on 06/03/08 at 09:22 AM ET

34.7 was all I could think about as I tried to go to sleep last night, and in the shower this morning.

Good frigging grief!

Wings failed to START THE GAME ON TIME, and other than that played a quite good game, carrying the vast majority of play.

Credit to MAF, the only reason the PENS had a chance to win.

I liked BABS splitting the Flying Circus, I hope he does it in PIT too.

I will be most interested to see how much physical and mental gas each team has left in the tank after that marathon.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 06/03/08 at 09:29 AM ET

And Sykora pompously calling the goal to douche canoe...where were you on that one, God?

well, he did take a hooking penalty on his next shift.

my mind was racing when I tried to go to sleep.  lo and behold, I had dreams of playing hockey.

I feel like a wolf ate me and shit me off a cliff today.

LMFAO

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 06/03/08 at 09:32 AM ET

As much as last night feels like a kick in the gut, I have to agree with Nathan. The Wings did not have a good start again.  They were too tentative.  Also they shot themselves in the foot with the own goal.  Stuff like that happens and good teams shake it off and come back even stronger.  The Igloo will be rocking tomorrow night and the Wings must have a better start.

Evilpens, whatever.  You guys have cried so much about the officiating that it is really ironic for you to point fingers at us.

34.7 seconds and the Wings couldn’t clear the puck.  I woke up with the image of Talbot poking that puck in and I can’t shake it.  I need to think about something else for awhile.

LET’S GO RED WINGS!!!!!

Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 06/03/08 at 09:34 AM ET

It was definitely a poorly officiated hockey game.  They couldn’t even get an icing call right.  However, it was poorly officiated both ways.  The two early calls against the Wings in OT were weak, and the call against Pitt after that was weak.  Officiating cannot be blamed for this loss.

I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest (a la Temple of Doom) last night.  I’m still trying to snap out of my funk, but I’m starting to feel better about tomorrow night’s prospects.  Game 6’s have gone well so far, and we seem pretty relaxed on the road.  It would have been perfect to clinch on home ice, but I think I made the mistake of being too picky.  I don’t care where or how we win it, I just want to win it.  Roll on Wednesday…

What an unbelievable game for the neutral.  If you hadn’t seen a hockey game before and couldn’t get excited by that, then you have no pulse.  2-0 Pens, 3-2 Wings, 4-3 Pens… incredible.  This is why hockey is the greatest sport on the planet.

Posted by Incognetis from Exile in Alabama on 06/03/08 at 09:37 AM ET

If the Wings show up in the First Period last night and that’s not even a game.

Also, if my aunt had balls, she’d be my uncle.  Neither thing happened.  Leave this as yet another lesson this year that you need to be ready from the very start.  The first period last night was a horror show of turnovers and God-awful play for the Wings, easily the worst of the playoffs.

Don’t do it again.

Posted by HockeyJoe from NY on 06/03/08 at 09:37 AM ET

YOU HAVE EXTRA TAMPONS IT’S GETTING MESSY AROUND YOU, CLEAN YOURSELF UP

INTERFERENCE !! Is INTERFRENCE

AND I GUESS THE REF GAVE SCUDERI A RAZOR BLADE TO CUT HIMSELF RIGHT YOU DOUCHEBAGS ?????

Posted by Evilpens on 06/03/08 at 09:37 AM ET

Helluva game last night.

1. Re: the refs - stop it.  PIttsburgh won this game because of Fleury.  Both teams had numerous opportunities to win this game, and neither could capitalize until Sykora finally put it home.

2. Saying that the Wings “dominated” for over 5 periods is an overstatement.  The Pens had the better of the 1st period as some of you have noted, and while the Wings certainly had the edge in periods 2-4, I think the game shaded the Pens way starting in the second OT and into the 3rd.

3. Seriously - stop with the refs.

4. Looking forward to what is hopefully yet another epic game tomorrow.

Posted by D. Myers on 06/03/08 at 09:42 AM ET

Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Fact is, we didn’t. But that’s OK. There’s game 6 and I know it will be a better game. I’m drained today but that’s OK too. It’s playoff hockey and it’s to be expected.

Today, I’m going to ignore the people who think it’s funny to give me shit (even though I’ve never gloated or made rash statements about the Wings. Some people just like the salt/wound thing.) I’m going to avoid the MSM fellating the Pens, and I’m going to go about my day looking forward to game 6.

Posted by Margot from Atlanta on 06/03/08 at 09:43 AM ET

Margot leave Hockey to the Real Hockey fans

Fellating the Pens

Pierre Maguire had to have his stomach pumped after Each a& every game from “Fellating” the Wings 3

GOOD GOD Get a Clue, Then A life

Maguire X 1,000,000,000 Times OH THE WINGS ARE SO “PROFESSIONAL”

Posted by Evilpen on 06/03/08 at 09:47 AM ET

Evilpen, suck it. I’ve been following the Wings since ‘78 and I’m not going to get into a pissing match with you over who is a real hockey fan or the way I feel today.

Posted by Margot from Atlanta on 06/03/08 at 09:51 AM ET

Posted by AO on 06/03/08 at 10:00 AM ET

two people who probably went Emo today:

and

the difference in game 6 will be that the Penguins will not receive any gift goals like they got from Kronwall.

the biggest thing that worries me - we all know how strange plays like that can turn a playoff series.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 06/03/08 at 10:00 AM ET

sad to say it, but i called it. before the 3rd OT i told my dad that Wings had to score in the first 10 minutes or they’d be in trouble. *#$%@& 9:57, Sykora scores.

obviously it’s a penalty on Hudler. the only thing i’d like to say about the officiating is that the two interference calls in OT were ridiculous (at least the Zetterberg one was). and why wasn’t it a penalty on Malkin when he took down Datsyuk on the goal/cross-bar shot? ehh, whatever. besides the outcome, it was a damn exciting game filled with every emotion.

seriously, how is hockey not the greatest sport?

Posted by Alex from San Francisco on 06/03/08 at 10:02 AM ET

Credit to MAF, the only reason the PENS had a chance to win.

Absolutely.  He was incredible last night.  My best friend’s neutral in this series, but she ended up rooting for the Pens just because she thought MAF deserved the win.  I can’t say I agree with her, but I understand the sentiment.

Posted by Sadie from Ann Arbor, MI on 06/03/08 at 10:04 AM ET

Evilpen please be sure to stop by after Game 6.

That is all…

Posted by Dave on 06/03/08 at 10:06 AM ET

Margot you won’t because you can’t, saying the MSM “Fellate” the Pens all series shows your Bias & Ignorance

The Wings have the MSM talking up the Wings all Playoffs & SC, Which is to be expected they were the Best team in the League during the Regular Season & have Made it to the SC finals

I have no beef with the “Fellating’ they are getting from the Media They are a Machine

Dave Get a life, Then a Clue O.K.

Posted by Evilpens on 06/03/08 at 10:17 AM ET

Evilpens,

You’re bringing the ‘real fan’ argument into this?  Right.  I’m not saying you’re an idiot, but looking at your posts (we’ll go on content as well as grammar) you’re an idiot. The irony of your posts today is funny, though, so I’ll give you that.  What?  You’re not kidding?

Posted by AndrewB from TN on 06/03/08 at 10:18 AM ET

The Wings have the MSM talking up the Wings all Playoffs

rofl. Well, you’re right that as the best team in the league that would have been expected, in any case.

Posted by Sadie from Ann Arbor, MI on 06/03/08 at 10:23 AM ET

BLOW ME BLIND AndrewB!!!!

Bunch of God Damn Whiners

Posted by Evilpens on 06/03/08 at 10:41 AM ET

3. Seriously - stop with the refs.

I think we’re all saying that the griping about the officiating is unfair… It was bad, yes, but it was bad for both teams. Any fans that are stirring up the conspiracy talk are stupid.

This came down to the Wings not capitalizing on numerous chances, and the Pens executing a great play with the extra attacker. The result certainly didn’t hinge on the officiating.

We’ve read this book before. The MSM will make the “momentum” and the “emotional swing” into something bigger in our eyes than I think it really is. First they crowed Detroit after games one and two. Then they praised Pittsburgh after game three, only to go back to writing the same drivel they wrote after the first two games when Detroit went up 3-1. Now they’ll get the hype-machine cranking in full-force telling us that despite a 3-2 series lead, Detroit is somehow on the ropes.

Both teams are professionals. Both will prepare and both will play their game in game six. The Pens don’t suddenly become better for having won game five, and the Wings don’t suddenly become worse for having lost. Ultimately, what we have are two teams that are close like we all thought they were before the series started, and the MSM’s hyperbole and overreaction after each game has lead us to believe things that aren’t really true.

Posted by Nathan from Jonny Ericsson's ice cream truck on 06/03/08 at 10:45 AM ET

HockeyJoe:  I totally agree.  The first period was a nightmare.  Too many turnovers and just all around ugly play.  Wings must have a stronger start on Wednesday.  We need a strong first period.  It would be nice to get the first goal.

C’mon Uncle Mike, get the guys ready.  One of these games, Cleary, Val, etc have to hit the net....

Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 06/03/08 at 10:48 AM ET

Nathan: Well said.

Posted by Margot from Atlanta on 06/03/08 at 10:48 AM ET

Margot we agree on something

Well Said Nathan!!!!

Posted by Evilpens on 06/03/08 at 10:56 AM ET

I’m rather caustic today, so I’ll be brief.

I had no idea white noise could be typed - much less capitalized and bolded

Chief, you had a Lightfoot lyric in mind at one point before switching over to Seger.  I had no issue with that at the time, but I’d like to completely cleanse the lyrical palette after this morning.  I suggest you at least consider going back to Gordo for tomorrow…

Posted by Hoser from Downer Peninsula, Michigan on 06/03/08 at 11:02 AM ET

Chief, you had a Lightfoot lyric in mind at one point before switching over to Seger.  I had no issue with that at the time, but I’d like to completely cleanse the lyrical palette after this morning.  I suggest you at least consider going back to Gordo for tomorrow…

Gordo is appropriate for this morning, too:

“I was stone cold sober when I woke the morning after
Having shattered the illusions of the object of my passion “

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Gloomy Socal on 06/03/08 at 11:26 AM ET

Evilpen please be sure to stop by after Game 6.

That is all…
Posted by Dave on 06/03 at 11:06 AM

Dave you can be sure of one thing, he WON’T!

Posted by RWBill from jabbing a six inch sewing needle into my eye. on 06/03/08 at 11:31 AM ET

I always do Nipple Dick

Not like you Whining Wings fans, If & I say IF The Wings win I will be here to give them my congratulations & Kudos & all that other Good Shit

Posted by Evilpens on 06/03/08 at 11:45 AM ET

Evilpen:  Can you please just shut the hell up?

As a Pens fan, you’re not doing us any favors with the highly immature crap you’re spewing.  The Pens won.  Nobody is thrilled more with that fact than I am, but the bottom line is: they need to win the next two.  And let’s face it, if the shoe was on the other foot (and the Red Wings were fighting to stay in it), we’d be acting just like they are.  They felt the game got away from the Red Wings.  All of the opportunities to win it, especially when the team forgot to show for the first period (not a slight, RW fans, just facts.  The Pens finally showed up for their games in Detroit last night after two abysmal performances). 

The thing is the refs suck.  Not just for the Pens, but also for the Red Wings.  Staal fell.  Datsyuk just happened to be there and the refs blew it.  To quote Bender from ‘The Breakfast Club’, “Screws fall out all the time, the world is an imperfect place.” They make mistakes (too many for my tastes, on both ends), but they’re only human. 

I feel for these fans.  Had the Pens held their lead in Game 4, it would be 3-2 Pens up, but they didn’t.  We moaned and complained about everything as well (refs, obstruction, etc.), but the bottom line is the Pens blew it that game, the way the Red Wings blew it this game. 

In closing, Red Wings fans, I implore you, please disregard what EvilPen spews forth.  He doesn’t speak for the knowledgeable and intelligent hockey fans who root for the Penguins.  Thanks, and here’s to two more great games...hopefully.

Posted by Michael from Pittsburgh on 06/03/08 at 11:54 AM ET