Wake Up Pittsburgh, It's Only The First Round!

If you can’t beat them, at least run them into the ground!  You’re up 2-0 in the series and you heading into Philly for what will surely be the match-up of the series.  And you brought your pretty game?

We watched this team lose for two months straight with their pretty game. No look behind the back passes, passing 17 times in front of the net looking for the highlight reel shot, and spinorama skating that looks better when your wearing tights and have background music.

I was disappointed from the first puck drop. The penguins were lifeless. They let Philly skate right past them in both zones. They coasted on the skates, rather than keeping their legs moving. They took numerous hooking and crosschecking penalties. The only hope they had of keeping up was hoisting a sail to catch the wind of the Flyers skating past them on Mach 2nd.

Fleury was horribly out of position, and I don’t care how many saves he gets credit for, half of them were, “shot, rebound, score.”  

Sidney, don’t even get me started. SHOOT THE PUCK!  I couldn’t believe what I was watching.  Pass, pass, pass!  When Crosby elected to pass with an open net in front of him it told me, his head was not in the game.

I know the fans are all yelling Crosby sucks, but seriously enjoy that. I didn’t hear anyone saying a thing when Pittsburgh scored two goals 25 seconds apart. That’s right don’t start jawing the ref’s, just bury pucks in the back of the net.

Sykora, it’s called a one-timer because you shouldn’t take the extra two seconds to set the shot up.

Malkin, nice work! At least someone is coming with speed through the neutral zone with the intention of shooting the puck. And if you remember Eaton’s goal in the earlier game, not sexy at all.  He just put the puck toward the net and it went in.

Okay Pittsburgh, so there are only a few players on your team that can even grow a playoff beard, so use that to your advantage. Run the old men with their bad hips into the intermissions, wishing the game was over.  

Forget the pretty game, go back to the lightning fast game where you finish your checks, move your feet, and for the love of the game, set a time limit for how many passes you have to make before before someone takes a shot at the net.  

And if you need a little motivation, I’ll send you my TiVo copy of game six against Detroit last year.  

WAKE UP!!!! You are younger, faster, better shooters (when you shoot), and better skaters than this Flyers team, but yesterday they simply wanted it more and you let them take it.  Oh and if you forgot you have two of the top scorers on your team.  Don’t go into Tuesday thinking this win will just come, or the only thing that will come early is an exit from Lord Stanley’s run.