2009 NHL Semi-Finals: Washington vs Pittsburgh

[V-HAB]

VS

Schedule
GAME 1: @ Washington, Sat. 5/2, 1 p.m. ET
GAME 2: @ Washington, Mon. 5/4, 7 p.m. ET
GAME 3: @ Pittsburgh, Wed. 5/6, 7 p.m. ET
GAME 4: @ Pittsburgh, Fri. 5/8, 7 p.m. ET
*GAME 5: @ Washington, Sat. 5/9, 7 p.m. ET
*GAME 6: @ Pittsburgh, Mon. 5/11, TBD
*GAME 7: @ Washington Wed. 5/13, 7 p.m. ET

[Vodka]

3-2 win for the Caps!

The boys started off a little shaky at first, I thought, but they got over that after Steckel's goal. Varlamov's save in the end of the 2nd period was INSANE.

[Carson!]

Varlamov could be the next Cam Ward..in terms of being a rookie goalie saving his team in the play-offs. I don't think the Caps would be in the second round if Theodore had stayed in nets.

[Vodka]

No, we wouldn't be. I love Theo; he's a totally awesome and nice guy, but Boudreau putting Varly in net for game 2 was one of the best moves he's done.

[razer]

I agree Varlamov reminds me of cam ward as you mite remember in 2006 Gerber started first two games. In game 3 Cam ward starts and saves the team on their way to the cup. I must admit at first when boudrou put him in was wondering how he would do under the pressure, well he has done awesome.

[V-HAB]

The similarities with the whole Cam Ward thing in 2006 are striking. Not the first time I see the two situations being compared, but it's so true.

[V-HAB]

Ovechkin with the Hat Trick!

[V-HAB]

Crosby with the Hat Trick!

Haha.

[Vodka]

Again, Varly saved the Caps' arses. They were really disorganized at first. Again. Green was especially terrible tonight.

The horrid reffing didn't help matters. I can go on an explosive rant on that, but I'd probably get banned for my excessive and/or creative use of foul language.

Glad to see Ovie got a hat trick! Not so glad to see Squidney get one.

[Carson!]

Still, how often do you see games when two players get hat-tricks!? Especially on different teams. That game was really entertaining.

[Vodka]

Yeah. Because getting a goal after the goalie got a vicious cross-check to the back of the head/neck with obvious intent to injure is so entertaining. And getting a guy's legs hooked out from beneath him and getting injured after his head cracked on the ice was so entertaining.

If the game weren't reffed so damn one-sided, yeah, it'd be fun. Kunitz deserves a suspension after what he did to Varly there in the third. If Brashear gets a five game suspension for a legal hit, Kunitz needs a similar punishment doled out.

...I need a drink.

[Mr. Hockey]

Wow, when was the last time you saw the 2 top NHL players get a hat trick in the same game. wow

[V-HAB]

May 4, 2009 22:07:00 GMT -5 Vodka said:

Yeah. Because getting a goal after the goalie got a vicious cross-check to the back of the head/neck with obvious intent to injure is so entertaining. And getting a guy's legs hooked out from beneath him and getting injured after his head cracked on the ice was so entertaining.

If the game weren't reffed so damn one-sided, yeah, it'd be fun. Kunitz deserves a suspension after what he did to Varly there in the third. If Brashear gets a five game suspension for a legal hit, Kunitz needs a similar punishment doled out.

...I need a drink.

Kunitz probably will be suspended, but either way, your team's players are probably less mad about it than you are because they won.

And you weren't watching the same game I was if you didn't find this to be an entertaining hockey game. A guy being cross-checked and hooked, which happens multiple times every game especially during the playoffs, does not suddenly make a game boring.

I thought the only bad penalties in that game were the ones on Letang when Kozlov (I think) was walking in (Letang hit the puck before the Caps player fell), and the one on Jurcina at the end of the game.

[Vodka]

The Jurcina call I can't argue in itself, but when it's called after the Pens pull the stunt no less than THREE times right beforehand with no call, then I call bull. The reffing was horribly inconsistent, and unsurprisingly in the Penguin's favor. Hell, it was enough to get Backstrom mad. I've NEVER seen the guy mad before.

I doubt they'd be much less mad than me. What should be a fun entertaining series is quickly turning into an aggravating game of favorites in an attempt to pander to Bettman's prettyboy Crosby, despite him being... hell, he's not even the best on his own team. Sorry guys, but it's the big ugly Russians you should be marketing, even if Malkin's playing a vanishing act in the playoffs... and even though Crosby has been good in the playoffs.

On a much lighter and more amusing note, Sydney whines about the hats being thrown on the ice after Ovi's hat trick. You can read the story HERE. Honestly. Boy needs to learn some humility and manners.

EDIT: I honestly admit I'd be surprised if Kunitz got a suspension. I mean, as an example for the NHL's inconsistent suspensions, I'm bringing Brashear's hit on Betts vs Brown's hit on Hudler. Both were pretty much the same thing if you watch. But Brash got a 5-game suspension, and Brown got... a major and a game misconduct? What? Nice job enforcing the crackdown on headshots, guys. Real nice.

[Mr. Hockey]

the NHL is not doing a great job on suspending players for what they do wrong. DOnald gets 6 games and the next day Perry goes the same thing and he gets ZERO. Everybody should get the same treadment