The Caps and Pens are in the Leastern Conference. The Caps would not have had anywhere near as much success in any of the Western divisions. The Pens are not as good as last year either. I honestly believe that any of the Western Conference top 5 would beat the Caps or Pens in the SCF.
The Eastern Conference also doesn't destroy each other the way the West does, and so whoever makes it out is much fresher and healthier and in a better position to take out a worn-down, half-broken Western Conference champion. Look what happened last year. 2006. 2004. 2003.
Anaheim would have given the Pens a hell of a fight if they had beaten the Wings -those teams were both better than the Pens, but the Ducks took so much out of the Wings that by the time the back end of the Finals came around the whole Wings roster was gimping around on bad legs, arms, ribs, backs, and balls.
I think thw Wings can play the way they played game 7 if they do they can sweep and if they sweep they get more rest for the next round.
IF the Wings can keep up the kind of play they had in the second period of game 7, there's no one in the West that beat them. I don't think they can
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heaton
There's a history here. Wings fans bring up the correlation between the Wings being looked at as chokers in the '90's and the Sharks now, but the big difference is the amount of time that label was placed on each respective team. The Sharks have been looking to break through for over a decade. So when I say it's on paper, I'm talking about the SJ Sharks big, fast, skilled team that everyone fears. We know it's there, it just rarely comes out in the post season. I'm probably coming off as arrogant, but we see this every. single. season.
For over a decade? What reference point are you using? I'd say 93-94 or 03-04 are better reference points, as there's a lot of doldrum-esque play in the in-between years.
Last edited by Fugu: 04-29-2010 at 07:21 AM.
Reason: we don't do those gifs on this board ;)
Are the Sharks afraid of the Wings after watching the game 7?
Who is the favourite in the series, the Sharks as the top seeding, or the Wings as the conference champs?
I sure hope all the Wings fans making fun of the Sharks remember what kind of reps that Yzerman (can't win big games), Datsyuk (game is too soft for the playoffs), Lidstrom (Dickless Lidstrom) and Zetterberg (too soft for the playoffs) had earlier in their career.
The pressure is on them that is true, it seems the pressure is always on the Sharks. The Wings weren't even in the playoff spots as late as March and have had a tough season, have already won a playoff series against a higher seed, if they don't make it back to the conference finals and lose to the #1 seed nobody will throw them under a bus. Now with the Sharks there would be talk of shipping out their best players if they lose to us. It's do or die for the Thornton/Marleau Sharks.
As much as I would like to say it's going to be different this time around, I wont. As long as the have Joe "Tin Man" Thornton and Patricia Marleau, this team will not make it past the second round.
I fully expect the sharks to lose this series and it would not be choking because it is expected. If the sharks win (very doubtful) it will be a nice suprise, if they lose Thornton, Marleau and Nabokov are gone.
I think Turco will be the starting goal tender for the sharks next season.
If getting by the Wings is the goal for the Sharks, that would probably be the single worst goalie decision Wilson could make. Turco's record vs the Wings mirrors the Sharks record at Joe Louis Arena.
If getting by the Wings is the goal for the Sharks, that would probably be the single worst goalie decision Wilson could make. Turco's record vs the Wings mirrors the Sharks record at Joe Louis Arena.
Don't mind him, he's a Red Wings bandwagoner in disguise.
I sure hope all the Wings fans making fun of the Sharks remember what kind of reps that Yzerman (can't win big games), Datsyuk (game is too soft for the playoffs), Lidstrom (Dickless Lidstrom) and Zetterberg (too soft for the playoffs) had earlier in their career.
Are the Sharks afraid of the Wings after watching the game 7?
Who is the favourite in the series, the Sharks as the top seeding, or the Wings as the conference champs?
The pressure is on the Sharks.
I don't think they are afraid because of game 7. They know how the Wings play.
I would have to assume a majority picks the Wings in this match up considering the Sharks awesome 2nd round history
Last edited by Fugu: 04-29-2010 at 07:19 AM.
Reason: this is the Wings board after all
I sure hope all the Wings fans making fun of the Sharks remember what kind of reps that Yzerman (can't win big games), Datsyuk (game is too soft for the playoffs), Lidstrom (Dickless Lidstrom) and Zetterberg (too soft for the playoffs) had earlier in their career.
And how, of course, those reputations change.
Be honest. How many of those things were you saying?
Be honest. How many of those things were you saying?
Honestly? None of them. I've been a big supporter of all four guys. At one point, when it appeared the Wings were going to be unable to sign Datsyuk, I felt it might be prudent to trade him (gah, in retrospect), but to me, the problem with the Datsyuk-Zetterberg era wings was Lang, Schneider, Williams, Ozzie, Legace and a bunch of other older guys (even Shanny in the later years) who lacked the speed/work ethic for the playoffs.
And with Yzerman, I was one of those guys who was livid that Detroit might trade him. I was stoked when he raised the cup the first time. And his performance in 2002, to me, is the greatest example of leadership in sports I've EVER seen.
I've been a big fan of Lidstrom since he was a rookie and I've never felt he was "the problem" when Detroit had tough years.
Don't worry wings fans, this guy has it figured out. seriously though, it should be a barn burner series. Too close to call at this point.
To be honest, he's entirely on point. IF the Wings play the way they did in game 7, there is no team in the league who will stop them. The problem is there were 6 games in the first series in which the Wings didn't play like they did in game 7.
To me, this series will play out much like the Phoenix one did. Two teams battling back and fourth. I expect this series to be 2-2 after 4 games, each team taking one in each others buildings. Would not be surprised at all to see this go to 7.
And, I think it's an absolute no brainer to put Z on Thorton's line. Let Pavel play against Pavelski for game 1, and until Thornton starts scoring I don't think you change anything. At the end of the day, Thorton, Heatly and Marleau are the Sharks most dangerous players. You put your best defensive forward against them.
If Babcock wanted to, he could play Lidstrom again Pavelski/Setoguchi/Clowe and Zetterberg against Thorton/Heatley/Marleau or vice versa. Having one of those lines against the 2nd defensive pairing scares me a little though.
Last edited by PocketGnome: 04-29-2010 at 10:55 AM.
To be honest, he's entirely on point. IF the Wings play the way they did in game 7, there is no team in the league who will stop them. The problem is there were 6 games in the first series in which the Wings didn't play like they did in game 7.
To me, this series will play out much like the Phoenix one did. Two teams battling back and fourth. I expect this series to be 2-2 after 4 games, each team taking one in each others buildings. Would not be surprised at all to see this go to 7.
And, I think it's an absolute no brainer to put Z on Thorton's line. Let Pavel play against Pavelski for game 1, and until Thornton starts scoring I don't think you change anything. At the end of the day, Thorton, Heatly and Marleau are the Sharks most dangerous players. You put your best defensive forward against them.
If Babcock wanted to, he could play Lidstrom again Pavelski/Setoguchi/Clowe and Zetterberg against Thorton/Heatley/Marleau or vice versa. Having one of those lines against the 2nd defensive pairing scares me a little though.
You do remember that game 7 from last June, right? When the Wings had a better team? Ugh.
