By Hockey Guru
Beware of the Penguins. Much has and will be written about how punchless Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have been in this series and their struggles to score to this point. The Guru won't rehash the same materials.The Montreal formula for success has been laid out and it's almost impossible for teams not to get sucked into that "trap." In trying to close out their opening round series - Washington began to just throw everything at the net - it didn't work.
Sure, unloading a barrage of shots would seem to make sense - it would seem to give the greatest chance of scoring - and maybe it will. Maybe the dam will burst and Malkin, Crosby and the Pens can put up a big number and take game 5. It's ironic though, that the more a team "dominates" the Canadiens and carries the play - the less success the team has had.
The key to success is playing the same style the Canadiens want to play: be patient, focus on defense responsibility, look to attack in transition and capitalize on opportunities. So as much as the Canadiens must Beware of the Penguins - the Pens best beware themselves. Beware of falling into the same trap the Capitals did - the trap of believing that merely firing shots at the net is the formula for success against these Habs.
The Guru has the a ton of respect and confidence in Penguins' coach Dan Bylsma - fully expecting him to recognize the best opportunity in this game is to remain patient and wait for their chances. That belief lead to the prediction of a low scoring game (but beware, the Penguins fire power could capitalize break this open),with the Penguins taking the lead back in this series. The broken crystal ball doesn't really have a final score - but since the fans of this site demand a prediction: Penguins 3 - Montreal 0. (How's that for going out on a limb).
"The Sharks close this series out tonight and will look the part of Stanley Cup Favourite in the process. Prediction: San Jose 6 - Detroit 2."
Great call in game 4 - let me wipe that goose egg off my face.
The domination of that game - the other way makes game 5 a lot more difficult to predict. Detroit didn't have to exert every last ounce of energy to keep the series alive. They will be ready to come out in game 5 and may be re-energized by Franzen's game for the ages.
San Jose - particularly the fan base - has to have the shakiest confidence with a 3-1 lead ever. The momentum in this series could snowball and it isn't hard to envision a 7-game scenario and we all remember how well Detroit stepped up in game 7 against Phoenix.
The Sharks know fear. The past failures have fueled their fear of failing. The fear in this game is more in San Jose's room right now than in Detroit's. The Wings may feel they accomplished more than they actually did in game 4. They won one game - and nothing will carry over.
The Shark Tank will be rocking and this will be one of the memorable games available on the Sharks DVD if their run doesn't come up short this year. Tonight, they don't come up short. Tonight they end the season and possibly career for Hall of Famer Nick Lidstrom with a 4-2 victory.
Who here belives that Lids will hang em up for good?
ReplyDeleteI say he takes a job alongside Forsberg and Naslund on the oldest roster in the SEL.
The Crystal Ball predicts Lidstrom will be back in Motown.
ReplyDeleteWhen you reach a certain age, it becomes less about the hockey and more about family, so I guess when faced with the choice between a cold, desolate landscape covered in darkness for much of the year .... and Northern Sweden on the other hand ....
ReplyDelete.... like the guy in the $3400 suit is gonna play another year in front of the guys shuttling back and forth to Grand Rapids?
C'mon!