I don’t get it.  Were these not the same people who just a couple of seasons ago during the lockout were screaming for the return of skilled hockey.  Let the skill of the players come through they all yelled.  Stop the lesser teams from mucking it up to the point where the skilled players couldn’t show their skill, is what I remember most of people saying.

So now the two best skilled teams are on their way to meeting in the Stanly Cup Final and people are saying it is boring.  BORING????!!!  I would love to see the Pens and Wings duke it out in the Finals.  It would be a skill fest galore.  I say bring it on.  This is what we have been waiting to see since the lockout.

Posted by Tim on 05/12/08 at 07:58 AM ET

Yeah, there’s nothing entertaining about tape-to-tape passing, speed through the neutral zone, dominance in front of goal, and 40+ shots and 20 scoring chances per game.

BORING.

Posted by Nathan on 05/12/08 at 08:00 AM ET

You know what’s wrong?  Too many idiots at cable sports and print news organizations lacking topics to discuss sufficient to justify their own paychecks.

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 05/12/08 at 08:01 AM ET

There are some great comments after the Tom Benjamin blog on his site… Check it out.

Could it be that “Red Wings hockey” is the evolving, state-of-the art game as first played by the Russian National team, then adopted by Canadians… Devallano, Bowman, Holland, Yzerman and Babcock?

Could it be that the opposition is not good enough to draw out the toughness of this team?
Was there any lack of grit last year when this team beat Calgary, San Jose, and almost beat Anaheim?

If you want fights, watch cage fighting. 

If you want to see excellent hockey, watch a Mike Babcock team.

Posted by w2j2 on 05/12/08 at 08:11 AM ET

So, I’ve never fully understood why people call some games boring and others exciting.  Games are exciting for me because I’m invested in them--because I’m rooting for someone.  I’ve never been bored watching a Wings game.  Plenty of the Washington/Philadelphia games in the first round were boring, because I just didn’t care.

So maybe it’s just me, but I really don’t understand what Tom is looking for in a hockey game if he thinks the Red Wings are a boring team.  Fight?  Check.  Big hits?  Check.  Incredible skill level?  Check.  Do people think the Wings play an emotionless game?  Watch them win battles for loose pucks.

Last night was boring because the Wings dominated it defensively, which they have the ability to do.  But they’re not a one-dimensional team like the super-trappers of the past.  They counter-attack, they apply pressure in the zone, they cycle.  I’m not biased enough to call Red Wings hockey the most exciting in the league, but Dead Wings?  Not even close.

Posted by Ryan from Toronto on 05/12/08 at 09:55 AM ET

...the European style and the “puck possession” game, this group is giving new meaning to the phrase the Dead Wings.

Homer and Mule driving goalies insane. Pavel dangling the puck like a puppet on a string. Nick Jr. knocking guys into the first row. Yah, these guys are really boring. Idiot!

Are Detroit and Pittsburgh so much better that they can win games at three-quarter speed?

Both teams may well be good enough to win at three-quarters speed, but that’s not what they’re doing. Ask Turdco if he thinks Helm was moving at three-quarters speed the other night. Ask any of the Stars who’ve found themselves doing 180s and racing up the ice after the puck if the Wings are either passing or skating at three-quarters speed.

Both Detroit and Pittsburgh are built for speed...and they’re using it very effectively. A Cup Finals between the Pens and the Wings would be anything but a “tea party” for either team...or for the fans.

A “tea and crumpets” affair? More like beer and brats!

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 05/12/08 at 10:11 AM ET

The reason why the Wings first two games lacked the edge is because of the 2000000 million penalties called. Seriously, so many.

Posted by moore00 on 05/12/08 at 10:13 AM ET

Sure, some of the Wings games ARE boring…
BUT
that can be blamed on boring opponents, and their poor game plan.  Cannibalizing all your lines to come up with a kick ass #1 line is suicidal.  A team is only as good as its 4th line.
The Wings do plenty of hitting, the critics don’t watch enough Red Wing hockey....and even worse..they are starting to listen to one another (jumping on the bandwagon).

They say they want rougher hockey, but what they are really advocating is more cheap shots and muggings after the whistle.

The Nashville series was not boring at all, even though the Preds skill level was no where near the Wings.  Of course, these experts were busy watching E/conf hockey at the time.

Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don�t live up to my expectations on 05/12/08 at 11:53 AM ET

Something IS missing - quality competition.

The regular season games between Detroit and Chicago were fantastic because the Blackhawks really pushed the Wings hard.  Detroit doesn’t need much more than a solid, business-like effort to beat the Stars so far.

Maybe it would have been different if they had managed to finish off San Jose more quickly after they established a 3-0 lead...Detroit had two tough six-game series in the first two rounds last season, and the toll showed by the time they played Anaheim.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/12/08 at 12:01 PM ET