2016 Stanley Cup Finals: Metro (#2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs Pacific (#3) San Jose Sharks

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Game 6...Kill, Sharks, KILL!! 

[Polaris922]

A lot of radio talk about officiating ensuring Game 6.  Thought I agree there were a LOT of non-calls it's not like our PP has been stellar.  I credit Jones more.  

 

Interesting ... 2009 the Pens won the Cup on June 12th...

[nossagog]

2 hours ago, Polaris922 said:

A lot of radio talk about officiating ensuring Game 6.  Thought I agree there were a LOT of non-calls it's not like our PP has been stellar.  I credit Jones more.  

 

Interesting ... 2009 the Pens won the Cup on June 12th...

At this time of year you just have to play on and forget about it.  No matter, you still have to put the biscuit in the basket.  

 

Pens had their chances with 42 shots, but Jones simply said "WE WILL NOT GO QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT . . . !".        Simple as that.

[Polaris922]

The Pens outplayed the Sharks every single game this series. I'm not worried one but.  Murray has stumbled twice and the Sharks capitalized with two wins, largely to the credit of Jones.  That's why it's the finals.  The up and down roller coaster ride! 

[Polaris922]

Watching the replay I'm even more impressed with the play of Jones.  He really did put forth a stellar performance.  

[J0e Th0rnton]

"Martin Jones! Martin Jones!"

[J0e Th0rnton]

[J0e Th0rnton]

The reffing in this game is killing me. 3 icings now they didn't call and the penalty no calls drastically favoring the penguins

[sarsippius]

18 minutes ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

 the penalty no calls drastically favoring the penguins

I find that hard to believe 

 

I reallt need a sarcasm ninja.....

[hf101]

Just now, sarsippius said:

I find that hard to believe 

 

I reallt need a sarcasm ninja.....

 

[Samifan]

WTF did 87 do to deserve MVP, oh wait his boyfriend works for NBC and his Uncle is the commissioner. Disgusting!

 

 

[B21]

[swflyers28]

Dumbest saying ever.  That guy has some of the stupidest sayings I've ever heard.

[ScottM]

@Samifan I can't make that selection math in my head either. Crosby was a non-factor too often in the playoffs. I would have given it to Murray, though I acknowledge that there's a very strong case for Kessel. I think I would have gone with Bonino ahead of Crosby as well.

[Polaris922]

FOUR!! 

[OccamsRazor]

25 minutes ago, Polaris922 said:

FOUR!! 

 

 

Congrats to the Pens fans here. F**KERS! 

[Polaris922]

10 hours ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

The reffing in this game is killing me. 3 icings now they didn't call and the penalty no calls drastically favoring the penguins

 

I actually thought it was the most evenly called game of the series.  I know it doesn't help right now but congrats on a great season.  

[Polaris922]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

 

Congrats to the Pens fans here. F**KERS! 

 

Thanks OR!! 

[Polaris922]

9 hours ago, Samifan said:

WTF did 87 do to deserve MVP, oh wait his boyfriend works for NBC and his Uncle is the commissioner. Disgusting!

 

 

 

And  @ScottM ...

 

 

 

I agree it was a debatable call, but a lot of folks felt it would come down to who would have the best last game.  Murray fell out of contention by giving up soft goals in not only game 3 but then again in game 5.  Games we should have won.  Game 3 would've been overlooked if he'd closed out 5 but instead we went to 6.  That left Kessel and Bonino competing with Crosby in my book.  Crosby has been a driving force this series.  He has outplayed any other player just hasn't shown points to go with it.  I STILL say his wrist was hurt. 

 

Anyway... Bonino was never really talked about though up until this series he was a clear option.  Kessel hasn't produced as much this series as the others, despite his hitting and back checking making him who I would probably pick.  

 

The media votes on this.  More importantly a lot of CANADIAN media vote on this.  Did you really expect the Toronto media base to support Kessel for it? 

 

Crosby had the best game 6.  Was a force in game 6 again, assisted on the GWG and the EN insurance that sealed the deal.  He won it in game 6.  

[ScottM]

@Polaris922 I have no doubt at all that was th rationale. I'm just too much of a purist, and since the Conn Smythe is supposed to go to the MVP of th entire playoffs, I couldn't have even considered Crosby, personally. If it were Finals MVP, he's right in the thick of it, but not for the entirety of the playoffs.

 

And yeah, you're right about the Toronto media and Kessel, though I absolutely despise the politics involved. As far as Bonino goes, I'd still put him above Crosby. His overall postseason performance was better than Crosby's in my opinion, and I don't think a guy should lose it on the basis of just one off series when the rest were strong, and I certainly don't think a guy should win it based on one strong series when he was otherwise lacking.

 

Ultimately, I think the whole thing is further evidence of the dumbing down of some of the awards that we've talked about on here before.

[mojo1917]

Congratulations to our Pens fans in the forum.  enjoy your team's victory, They were the best team playing since February.

Martin Jones only delayed the inevitable. 

Crosby winning the Conn Smythe really tells me the voters had no idea whom to give it too.  Malkin excluded, it could have been one of 6 to 9 guys. This was a total team victory 4 good lines playing fast and aggressively.  I hate typing this, but this Pens team was fun to watch. 

 

Winning the cup is damn hard, That Pens team, with all that talent, together for as long as they have been, has 2 championships. That speaks to the arduous nature of 4  best of 7 playoff series.  

The Pens have been in win now mode for a while the emergence of guys like Rust ,Doumolin and Bonino will help keep that window open longer.   

 

[mojo1917]

11 hours ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

3 icings now they didn't call

I noticed that in the second period, the pens got a couple of freebies that really helped get some tired guys (who were getting worked over hard ) off the ice.

[J0e Th0rnton]

1 hour ago, Polaris922 said:

 

I actually thought it was the most evenly called game of the series.  I know it doesn't help right now but congrats on a great season.  

Congratz to you too and your team.

 

I had to log off abruptly last night. Not because I am a poor sport, but just......... Being this close hurt more than the reverse sweep the kings gave us 2 years back despite all the embarrassment associated with that. In this case, we lost to a superior team, but thinking "2 wins from the first cup of my lifetime" and the game being so close just hurts. After years of having awful goalies who could never steal a game, we finally got one who could do just that and we came up 2 games short and were outplayed the whole series.

 

I suspect I would be a Chris Chelios type of NHL player in this situation, so infuriated on the ice that I would storm off before the handshake, but for myself I would probably return to try to do the handshake after. I literally turned the TV off when they called that Penalty in the last 10 seconds just infuriated unable to watch the celebrations going on before the horn. I have never been this down after a game. It might not be, but it feels like my favorite players last chance to win just passed by.

[B21]

1 hour ago, Polaris922 said:

 

And  @ScottM ...

 

I agree it was a debatable call, but a lot of folks felt it would come down to who would have the best last game.  Murray fell out of contention by giving up soft goals in not only game 3 but then again in game 5.  Games we should have won.  Game 3 would've been overlooked if he'd closed out 5 but instead we went to 6.  That left Kessel and Bonino competing with Crosby in my book.  Crosby has been a driving force this series.  He has outplayed any other player just hasn't shown points to go with it.  I STILL say his wrist was hurt. 

 

Anyway... Bonino was never really talked about though up until this series he was a clear option.  Kessel hasn't produced as much this series as the others, despite his hitting and back checking making him who I would probably pick.  

 

The media votes on this.  More importantly a lot of CANADIAN media vote on this.  Did you really expect the Toronto media base to support Kessel for it? 

 

Crosby had the best game 6.  Was a force in game 6 again, assisted on the GWG and the EN insurance that sealed the deal.  He won it in game 6.  

 

I can't recall a Conn Smythe call as tough as this one.  Jones was terrific in the SCF but the Conn Smythe is the MVP for the duration of the entire playoffs.

 

4, 2, 3, 6, 5, 3, 5, 5, 4, 3, 6, 5.  Those were the Sharks' goals totals in their wins prior to the SCF.  That's 4.25 goals for per game. No doubt Jones has been great. Even better than great in the SCF.  But Conn Smythe? At least 4 goals in 2/3 of their wins? What games did he steal? Just can't go Conn Smythe there.

 

As for the Pens - I personally would have gone Kessel but can't quibble too much.  When you have the team effort the Pens did (12 different players scored in the SCF. 12!) you roll with the captain if he's in the mix.  I liken it to picking the Super Bowl MVP.  If there is no clear cut choice and the QB played "good" you give it to the QB.

[B21]

12 minutes ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

Congratz to you too and your team.

 

I had to log off abruptly last night. Not because I am a poor sport, but just......... Being this close hurt more than the reverse sweep the kings gave us 2 years back despite all the embarrassment associated with that. In this case, we lost to a superior team, but thinking "2 wins from the first cup of my lifetime" and the game being so close just hurts. After years of having awful goalies who could never steal a game, we finally got one who could do just that and we came up 2 games short and were outplayed the whole series.

 

I suspect I would be a Chris Chelios type of NHL player in this situation, so infuriated on the ice that I would storm off before the handshake, but for myself I would probably return to try to do the handshake after. I literally turned the TV off when they called that Penalty in the last 10 seconds just infuriated unable to watch the celebrations going on before the horn. I have never been this down after a game. It might not be, but it feels like my favorite players last chance to win just passed by.

 

Keep your head up, man.  Your boys played well.  Even with Thornton and Marleau closer to the end than the beginning you have a nice corps with the likes of Burns, Pavelski, Courture & Co.  And of course - you have your goalie for the next 7-8 seasons.