Stanley Cup Playoffs, Western Semifinals, Detroit Red Wings vs San Jose Sharks

• Laley23

  

  Well, us Detroit fans (and NHL fans) just used the Stanley Cup Playoffs thread for the first series. Figured since its the Western Semis I would start a thread for this series in particular.
  
  Thoughts.
  
  I think the Wings will get it done, like last year (in the Semis, not vs the Sharks), in 7 games.
• Laley23

  

  Game one is tonight btw, 9pm on Versus.
• gorocks99

  

  Oh hell yes. I was worried I'd have to go a day w/o hockey, and then this happens and saves the day.
  
  FWIW, the Sharks will probably score twice on themselves, Marleau and Heatley will combine for 0 points, and, following another earthquake, they will discover an ancient Indian burial-ground underneath the HP Pavilion.
• Laley23

  

  gorocks99 wrote: Oh hell yes. I was worried I'd have to go a day w/o hockey, and then this happens and saves the day.
  
  FWIW, the Sharks will probably score twice on themselves, Marleau and Heatley will combine for 0 points, and, following another earthquake, they will discover an ancient Indian burial-ground underneath the HP Pavilion.

  Same here. I couldnt believe they were playing tonight already, but I guess Detroit was only like an hr flight away really, so they did get an entire day off yesterday.
• Non

  

  I think Detroit wins the West
  
  Beating them four times is still a tough task
  
  could be Detroit vs. Pittsburgh for the third year in a row
• Fab1b

  

  Leaving the office tonight just before game time, will miss face off but will be home in time to catch if not all 98% of game 1 tonight, can't wait.
• Laley23

  

  If thats the case, lets stop the Washington/Pitt....Crosby/Ovechkin talk. It would be pretty tough to argue that these two arent the premiere teams/rivalries in the NHL. Detroit doesnt have a player like Ovechkin to match the personal rivalry with Crosby. But you can certainly create a Zetterberg/Datsuyk vs Crosby
• gabuckeye

  Here's how I see it.
  
  Game 1: Sharks
  Game 2: Red Wings
  Game 3: Red Wings
  Game 4: Sharks
  Game 5: Red Wings
  Game 6: Red Wings
  
  A lot of this may come down to whether Jimmy Howard gets it going early or not. If not Detroit is going to have to rev up the offense like they did in round 1, game 7.
• KnightXC1

  

  The only reason they are starting tonight is because the Sharks scheduled concerts for tomorrow and Saturday. Guess they didn't have much faith in their team to be playing this long if they weren't going to keep these dates open.
  
  Sharks biggest problem facing the Wings is going to be their lack of defensmen. After Blake and Boyle, they are very thin on the blue line and that could hurt them against a team as talented as Detroit. As long as Howard stays solid in the net, the Wings can keep going for another month and if they continue to play like they did in game 7, no one will beat them.
  
  Wings in 6
• Laley23

  

  San Jose opens the scoring 1-0. Right after the 4-3 ended, it was a 5-4 PP goal.
• Laley23

  

  that was quick.
  
  2-0 on a delayed penalty call (essentially didnt matter)
• killer_ewok

  

  3-0 Sharks. Wow.
• Fab1b

  

  WTF
• slingshot4ever

  Detroit really isn't that good. This game is no surprise to me.
• Laley23

  

  slingshot4ever wrote: Detroit really isn't that good. This game is no surprise to me.

  ok.
  
  3-1 now.
  
  Detroit was the best team in the NHL after the Olympics when their team was healthy.
• wildcats20

  

  Wings playing on a days rest. I think I read that the Eagles are playing the arena this weekend, so the game had to be today or something like that.
• wildcats20

  

  I'll be honest I don't know a ton about hockey, but I know enough to get it and like it.
  
  Why in the hell is that not a penalty?
• Laley23

  

  wildcats20 wrote: I'll be honest I don't know a ton about hockey, but I know enough to get it and like it.
  
  Why in the hell is that not a penalty?

  because you cant really enforce it as it is done everytime and sometimes cant be helped.
• wildcats20

  

  But when it is blatant like that? It's pretty obvious that Thornton did it on purpose and had the intent of doing it; he could have skated right on by, the puck was clearly dead.
• Laley23

  

  wildcats20 wrote: But when it is blatant like that? It's pretty obvious that Thornton did it on purpose.

  i agree. but then youd have so much complaining when someone else does it on purpose (blatant to the other team, but maybe not the refs like that was).
• wildcats20

  

  And Franzen gets an early goal in the 2nd, 3-2
• Laley23

  

  Great start to period. 3-2 now Sharks.
  
  Franzen...good to get him going.
• wildcats20

  

  You a Wings fan Laley??
• Fab1b

  

  Back in it!!
• Laley23

  

  wildcats20 wrote: You a Wings fan Laley??

  Since my first (and unfortunately only) game in the Joe. 7 years old, in 1993.