Choking thread

[NeedleInTheHay]

93 NYI

96 FLA

98 MTL

00 Phi

10 Mtl

11 Tb

12 Phi

13 Bos


Sure the Pens have 3 cups but i've watched a lot of choke jobs in Penguins history, and it's getting really old.

Click to read more...

 

[Crafton]

 

[shizno*]

00 wasn't a choke IMO. Neither was TB. Or Montreal.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

yeah i guess that about sums it up

maybe the habs will trade us MT for DB

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

00 wasn't a choke IMO. Neither was TB. Or Montreal.

2000, win the first 2 game in philly then lose 4 in a row

2011 - blow 3-1 series lead


Which Mtl series are you talking about?

 

[plaidchuck]

Depends how you define choke. Choke as in blowing a big series lead or losing when you're a "favorite"?

 

[shizno*]

2000, win the first 2 game in philly then lose 4 in a row

2011 - blow 3-1 series lead


Which Mtl series are you talking about?

Losing in 5OT is doom for anyone.
'11 we didn't have either big gun.
'10 Montreal was just amazing at doing what they did. Only Pens fans thought we were going to cake walk it, everyone else knew better.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

Depends how you define choke. Choke as in blowing a big series lead or losing when you're a "favorite"?

both are choke jobs to me

sure Chi was better than Det this year but it doesn't mean that Det didn't choke away the series.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

Losing in 5OT is doom for anyone.
'11 we didn't have either big gun.
'10 Montreal was just amazing at doing what they did. Only Pens fans thought we were going to cake walk it, everyone else knew better.

the 5ot was just one game, they had many other chances to get 2 more wins

in 2011 you're correct but how did they manage to win 3 out of the first 4 games then?

 

[Ugene Magic]

When you are playing a closeout game and you lose 3/4 of those games in a row is a choke job.

 

[plaidchuck]

If you call a choke when a favorite loses, then 8 out of 10 Pres. Trophy winners the last 10 years were chokers.

 

[Kelly23]

Come on now Loseing to Tampa or MTL or Philly was a choke, The Bruins are an even team with you guys, yeah the series should be 2-1, Tuukka stole it last night the Pens did not choke.

Just like the Bruins choked to Washington both teams have had some rather lousy flame outs but Pitt is not chokeing this series away, the game they played like crap was game 2 but they kind of gave up after Marchands second goal, this has been a pretty even series Rask stole a game last night.

 

[irunthepeg]

Losing in 5OT is doom for anyone.
'11 we didn't have either big gun.
'10 Montreal was just amazing at doing what they did. Only Pens fans thought we were going to cake walk it, everyone else knew better.

I would say everyone was expecting the Habs to lose. But I definitely don't see that series as a chokejob. Just a favourite being overvalued and the underdog showing a great team effort.

I don't even see this series vs. the Bruins as a chokejob. It's a team not living up to it's potential, not a team being up 3-0 in the series and letting it slip away.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Tampa Bay really? I know we we're up 3-1 but had no Crosby or Malkin that year

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

Tampa Bay really? I know we we're up 3-1 but had no Crosby or Malkin that year

a million other teams have a won series after being up 3-1 with no crosby or malkin, it can be done.

 

[Crafton]

a million other teams have a won series after being up 3-1 with no crosby or malkin, it can be done.

i have to agree with this line of thinking. in the abstract as an isolated playoff series losing to Tampa wasn't that bad. but in the context of four years of playoff failure, pissing away a 3-1 lead is just...i don't even know...indicative of the lack of mental fortitude that has come to define this team in the post-season.

 

[specialized]

Not a choke,just getting out coached.

 

[Homebrew76]

The Toronto / Boston series was a choke by Toronto in game 7. If Toronto were to win, the Bruins would have choked the series away after being up 3 games to 1.

Losing a series when your the "favorite" going in is not a choke in my mind. Proclaiming one team a favorite is very subjective. Depending on who you asked the advantage the Pens had going into the series may not have been as great as others may have thought. Many analysts predicted the series going 7 games, meaning it could go either way.

Also, we don't know who may be playing injured. If it turns out the Crosby and Letang are injured and playing at 75%, would that affect your saying the team 'choked'?

 

[Dragon Priest]

Tampa Bay really? I know we we're up 3-1 but had no Crosby or Malkin that year

I agree, but still it was 3-1. I wouldn't call it a choke, though. They still should have had the ability to lock it down. They still had players more than capable.

 

[plaidchuck]

Also, we don't know who may be playing injured. If it turns out the Crosby and Letang are injured and playing at 75%, would that affect your saying the team 'choked'?

Sadly I am hoping this is the case. At least it would explain the series.

 

[Captain Hook]

This series wouldn't qualify as a choke. Boston is just better, imo. They were the other real dominating regular season team in the east before a late season slide and now they have their **** back together and are playing like the elite team they really are.

They are one of very few teams with the combination of an elite D-Man (Chara) and elite Selke caliber forward (Bergeron) to slow or even shutdown Crosby. I think it's the best shutdown center/D-Man tandem that Crosby has seen since the 08 and 09 finals against Datsyuk/Zetterberg and Lidstrom. Boston also has comparable depth and better goaltending. Not that Vokoun has been bad. Rask has just been better.

 

[Penguins87]

I say only this year would be the only year you can say we are truly choking since our last cup run. when playoff games are won by 1 goal in a wild back and forth action. thats called playoff hockey. so i wouldnt consider the other years as choke jobs.

speaking of this year tho.....losing both games, not by a small margain...but im talking about getting stomped and beat on lol....with no sign of adjustment or experience it almost seems. it was just a pure choke job. 2 goals in 11 periods is a choke job.

 

[Rico Fatastic]

Losing to Boston is not inherently a choke job. They're a very good team. But if they get swept it absolutely is a choke job.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

I didn't make this thread just about the Boston series but the last 20 years of Penguins playoff history. 3 cups is great but having the undisputed best player for a majority of those years and a lot of times the 2 best players, winning "only" 3 cups doesn't sit very well with me.

 

[Terrapin]

Add in the Steelers choke jobs since the 90s and it's been a heartbreak every year in this city. Thank God for the Pirates