Big Phil
Registered User
- Nov 2, 2003
- 31,703
- 4,144
Okay, so has there been a weirder start for a team that actually won the Cup? Enter the Pens. They are reigning champs, they lost Letang for the whole postseason and to be honest there were times it looked like their defense was just running out of gas. I honestly think if there were 5 playoff rounds they would have just run out of gas regardless of who they were playing. He ate up 30 minutes of ice time and they just didn't have that replacement on the back end. This was a postseason where Crosby and Malkin took the bull by the horns more than usual and more than the previous year.
Plus they played a tough 7 game series vs. Washington and then another 7 gamer vs. Ottawa surprisingly that needed overtime to finish it off. They were gassed.
But in Game 1 they won 5-3. Looks normal right? Wrong. They had 11 shots, NONE in the 2nd period and if I remember correctly they went over 30 minutes without a shot. Then with the score tied 3-3 they score a late goal and then add an empty netter. Bad game by Pekka Rinne in net, but what a game to lose.
Game 2 they get their legs back a bit, but are still sluggish. They are outshot 38-27 and win the game 4-1 with three 3rd period goals. They still look like they are running on fumes. They lose the next to in Nashville and then in Game 5 is when they finally look like the Penguins as expected, winning 6-0 and having a big game by Crosby. Game 6 they ice it 2-0.
So here is the question, has there been a time when a team played so poorly in the first game or two (especially in Game 1) and still won and then won the Cup? I've never seen a team look so bad in Game 1 that actually won in the Cup final.
Plus they played a tough 7 game series vs. Washington and then another 7 gamer vs. Ottawa surprisingly that needed overtime to finish it off. They were gassed.
But in Game 1 they won 5-3. Looks normal right? Wrong. They had 11 shots, NONE in the 2nd period and if I remember correctly they went over 30 minutes without a shot. Then with the score tied 3-3 they score a late goal and then add an empty netter. Bad game by Pekka Rinne in net, but what a game to lose.
Game 2 they get their legs back a bit, but are still sluggish. They are outshot 38-27 and win the game 4-1 with three 3rd period goals. They still look like they are running on fumes. They lose the next to in Nashville and then in Game 5 is when they finally look like the Penguins as expected, winning 6-0 and having a big game by Crosby. Game 6 they ice it 2-0.
So here is the question, has there been a time when a team played so poorly in the first game or two (especially in Game 1) and still won and then won the Cup? I've never seen a team look so bad in Game 1 that actually won in the Cup final.