Bibs' List for Playoff Success Omits One Obvious Item

from Jamie Baker of the Seagate Broadcasters Blog:

Bob Errey was captain of the San Jose Sharks as the team prepared for the 94 playoffs. A couple of nights before the playoff series with the #1 seeded Red Wings began, Bob was laying in bed and couldn't sleep. Bob had won a Stanley Cup while in Pittsburgh and was thinking about what it takes to succeed in the playoffs. After awhile he decided to jot down what he was thinking which he shared with the coaches and all the players. While many of these seem obvious, it's the mental part of hockey that ultimately takes you to the top of the mountain. Make no mistake, you have to have skill, but that alone will not win you a championship in hockey. Here are the 16 Keys for Playoff Success.

1. It takes 16 WINS to win the Stanley Cup
2. 4 Wins per series
3. Never dwell on the past (good, bad, win, lose)
4. Never take anything for granted
5. One shift is as important as 20
6. Rest
7. Confidence
8. Momentum
9. Throw statistics out the window
10. Luck
11. Play bigger
12. Never retaliate
13. Get pucks out, get pucks in
14. Never out of a game (ie. high sticking major = 5 minute PP)
15. Have fun
16. Heart is more important than skill

That's all fine and good but he forgot one thing: make sure you have 66 on your side

GBoF visited with old pal Dave Dameshek on his ESPN Radio podcast to discuss many things of interest including the glory of the NHL playoffs, the Pens chances vs the hated Philly Phlyers, the Steelers schedule and how easy it really is and who you should vote for in the Land of the Fox.

To listen in, go
here.

Elvis Is Going Back to the Burgh!!

vs.

Sykora Nets the Winner while Bugsy puts his nose in the way again

Classic Game 5. Has to rank as one of if not the best games in Pens history.

Hop in the Cordoba, Get in the Fast Lane, or Get Down to Archie's on Carson St for Game 6!!

Notes & Links:

• Who else but Mike Lange for the calls. His call of Talbot's tying goal is perfect.
• Some losers don't think Sykora should have been able to score the winning goal. Why do they insist on this stupidity??
• Mario Trasher Burnside tries to get back Burghers good side.
• Seems like lots of people, including Muir at si.com, are amazed at the Pens fighting spirit. And lots were saying they had to compete harder. Baloney. They were competing hard just couldn't do what they wanted because of Detroit. That's why last night wasn't a total surprise.
  
• What if it was Mario, or Gretzky, or NYC media darling Messier who called his shot instead of Petr Sykora? Movie producers would be fighting to make it. Instead, it's a nice mention.
• Little Mitchy Albom chimes in with a decent but typical story about the despair in Detroit.
• How many writers need to chime in on how difficult it will be for the Pens to keep the team together after this season? We've all heard it, there is nothing new to write. Just sit back and enjoy it while you can.
• The Flower's amazing save just before Sarge hits the boards:

• Talbot's goal with 34.3 seconds left was the latest goal scored in regulation in a Stanley Cup Final game by a team facing elimination.
• The Cup has been won on a goal that went further into OT: Brett Hull's skate in the crease goal that won the Cup for Dallas in 1999.
• Things That Made Me Smile This Morning:
  
• From the Grand Rapids Press: "Get Ready for a Championship Parade Detroit!"
• From the PG:
  "With a little less than six minutes left in the third period, workers rushed down a large corridor of Joe Louis Arena pushing carts of champagne on ice.

  Elsewhere in the bowels of the building, the Stanley Cup was receiving a final white-glove polish."

• Paul Kukla wonders if that was the worst loss in Detroit history.
  
• Game 6 is on.
  

You Can Spit Shine Your Shoes, the Pens Are Going Dancing With Lord Stanley!

The Pens absolutely demolished the Filly Flyers this afternoon, 6-0, to clinch a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals vs Detroit or Dallas. The game was reminiscent of game 6 vs the North Stars in the 91 Cup Final and was never in doubt after about 30 minutes of action.

Pens Up 2-0; How Long Will This Series Go?

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Another impressive win for the Pens last night. Impressive because the other team actually showed a little push back - a little, not enough. After the calls are some of my thoughts on this series so far.

Mike Lange is the best.

Crosby's goal:


Hossa on the PP:


Talbot with the GW:


Staal gets the EmptyNetter:

Are the Flyers better than the Sens or Rangers? Ok, they're better than the Sens, but how about the Rangers, who the Pens easily dispatched? I thought the Habs, Rangers, and Pens were the top three in the Wales coming into the playoffs. I guess the Flyers have to be in the mix since the beat the Habs, but are they better than the Rangers? Nothing I've seen so far makes me think they are.

Lots of lauding of the Flyers play in game 2 - I ask why? People have mentioned the Flyers play 5 on 5 and their sightly upgraded physical play. Problem is, power play goals count, especially when the Flyers keep committing fouls on the Pens in 5 on 5 situations because they aren't good enough or are too tired, and the Pens won't wilt in the face of physical play. I say the Flyers have to be shaking their heads wondering what they have to do to beat the Pens.

If they come out in game 3 and hit the Pens at every turn, they are liable to be assessed penalties, putting the Pens on the PP, not a good strategy for the Flyers. If they try to skate with the Pens, that's not going to work either. They don't have a strategy or way of playing that can beat the Pens 4 out of 5 games.

Someone needs to explain to me how the Flyers outplayed the Pens last night. anyone remember a good scoring chance for the Flyers? All I remember are lots of shots from very far away. They definitely didn't crash the net like they did in game 1.

Dupuis' SH breakaway, Crosby's backhander off the crossbar, Crosby's dash down the slot and deke to the left that Biron robbed him on, Crosby's goal that was reviewed but not allowed, Hossa's one timer from the circle off a pass from Malkin, Crosby and Hossa's 2 on 1 that somehow didn't result in a shot - those are 6 glorious scoring chances for the Pens off the top of my head that were better than any Flyer scoring chance other than the two they had that led to goals.

The Flyers can't get the puck through the neutral zone and deep in the Pens zone. That is a major problem for them. How many times last night did you see the Pens D corralling the puck in their own zone without having to turn their backs and chase it down in the corner and then be able to turn it the other way?

The way the Pens take advantage of opportunities and make the other team pay dearly for mistakes is reminiscent of the NY Yankees when they were winning World Series in the late 90s. Any little opening was exploited and the game was never over because of it. It put a ton of pressure on the other team and led to them committing those errors or bad plays the Yankees would capitalize on. The Pens skill and ability to capitalize puts the same kind of pressure on the other team. There really is no way for the other team to get out of this rut, it's a sign that the Yankees were and the Pens are, a better team.

What do the Flyers take from this game? That they played better and still lost? That they shut down Malkin for a game and still lost? Maybe they played the Pens even for a bit, but the Pens still had the better scoring chances and better play...I'm not sure what the Flyers can take from this. That said, they will be an energized team on their home ice.

Downie...Talbot...which coach made the better call last night?

Pens are 10-1 in the playoffs. Pretty good, but don't forget the 11-0 run of the 92 Pens, that started in the second round (not the first against a weak Sens team) without the world's best player as well as without Joey Mullen and ended with the Pens hoisting the Cup.

Actually it didn't end with the Cup, they continued the streak the next year, running it to 14 by beating the Devils three straight to start the 93 playoffs.

I don't want to get ahead of anything here, but forget Hossa, Malone, Orpik and other Penguin free agents, except for one. If the Pens sign only one player this offseason, it has to be the goalie. Fleury is playing lights out and can be the anchor for a team for the next decade. He is a restricted free agent but some team will likely make him a big offer. The Pens can't let him get away.

Does anyone, including the Flyer players, really think the Pens can be beaten 4 times in 5 games by the same team?

Pens vs Rangers - Game 1 Friday Night

vs.

The schedule for Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs is out, it's Pens vs Rangers. Here are the dates and times:

Friday, April 25 7:00 PM Rangers at Pittsburgh VERSUS, CBC
Sunday, April 27 2:00 PM Rangers at Pittsburgh NBC, CBC
Tuesday, April 29 7:00 PM Pittsburgh at Rangers VERSUS, CBC
Thursday, May 1 7:00 PM Pittsburgh at Rangers VERSUS, CBC
*Sunday, May 4 2:00 PM Rangers at Pittsburgh NBC, CBC
*Monday, May 5 7:00 PM Pittsburgh at Rangers VERSUS, CBC
*Weds, May 7 TBD Rangers at Pittsburgh CBC

Pens Shuout Sens; Lead 1-0

The Pens looked dominating last night, the Sens a little less so. Sure the PP failed to put the Sens away, they were shorthanded too often and Whitney continues to fumble the puck away, but those factors were insignificant in the end. Pens win 4-0 and the Sens have to really be wondering about themselves.

I expect the Sens to come out harder on Friday but how hard can thy bring it anymore? Lots of injuries and a stunning lack of confidence could spell an early doom, which is how it sounds from around the internets this morning:

• It was pretty much a nightmare for the Sens last night.
  
• Alfredsson not totally ruled out of series
• If you are feeling sorry for the pitiful Sens this morning, our playoff yahoo (seems like a recurring problem) Donnie Brennan will get your blood boiling again with another "article" aimed at agitating. Brennan is doing his job about as well as Chris Neil did last night.
  
• From the Trib:
  

  Heading into last night, they were 17-23 overall in openers, including a pedestrian 10-10 record at home. When they win the first game of a series at home, however, they have been able to close things out. They are 7-3 in series in which they retain home-ice advantage in the first game, 5-5 when they lose Game 1 at home and 12-8 overall when they have home-ice advantage.

• Let's hope the new arena also has a new, modern ice-making machine:
  

  Poor ice conditions at Mellon Arena have been a point of contention all season for the Penguins, and it hasn't improved in the postseason. "In the morning there was no crowd and there was no heat and it was pretty bad," Penguins forward Maxime Talbot said. "Both teams have to play on it, and it's not an advantage for either team."

• If you still think the Senators are one play or win away from becoming dangerous, even good, here is a great chart showing how each team fared in each quarter of the season. Teams don't play that bad for half a season and all of a sudden turn it around. Only the Isles and Thrashers have fewer points in the Wales Conference in the 2nd half than the Sens.
  
  
• From TSN host James Duthie:
  

  Okay, so what happens when Martin Gerber plays poorly?
  
  For all of you who believed there was some magic playoff pixie dust Bryan Murray could sprinkle on his team and wipe away the mess of the last five months, sorry.
  
  It is what it is. Or, the Senators are what they are: a wounded, shattered, lost, hockey team. The 4-0 score was kind.
  
  I know. You should never judge a series by the first game. Things can happen. Momentum can change. But there is a sense of inevitability creeping in here. The shots of all the injured Senators sitting helpless in the luxury box spoke volumes. It was questionable whether they could have won with them. Without them, a one-game hole seems like a canyon.

• WWGRD? He definitely wouldn't discriminate based on age.

Game 1 is Tonight!

Let's Get It On! What can be said that hasn't already been said other than to acknowledge that this is a wonderful time of year. The Pens spoiled their fans throughout the 90s but the early 2000s brought us back to reality and last year's brief flirtation only whetted the appetite for playoff hockey. The Igloo will be rockin tonight.

To help you pass the time at work or wherever you are until 7, here are a few interesting items:

• Some yahoo named Don Brennan at the Ottawa Sun thinks:
  "Crosby's got a bad RIGHT ankle? How will it stand up to a two-hander? The Senators have to find out. As much as they will be looking for timely goaltending and scoring, the Senators need somebody to emerge as a modern-day Bobby Clarke. Maybe hockey historian Jason Spezza can explain to his teammates what the former Flyers captain did to Russian star Valeri Kharlamov when the latter had a bad ankle in the 1972 Summit Series."
• It's Crosby's LEFT ankle.
• The Toronto Globe and Mail's David Shoalts thinks the Pens learned from last year and will be ready.
• So does ESPN's Scott Burnside.
• Bucci's Back with his season review and playoff previews.
  
• Optometrist who prompted Fleury to switch from yellow to white pads is from Ottawa.
• Empty Netters has compiles its own stellar playoff preview, videos, and tidbits.
• James Mirtle offers his prediction of Pens in 6 at Fanhouse.
• We've said it before: Marc Andre-Fleury is the key for the Pens. The Toronto Sun thinks he is the 12th best out of 16 goalies in the playoffs, while ESPN likes him a lot more.
• Can't get a ticket? You can still battle the crowds and traffic to watch the game.
• Don't forget to vote in the second round of Going Five Hole's Mike Lange Quote Tournament! Our current favorite (Great Balls of Fire inexplicably lost in rd 1) is: "He hasn't scored since the 8th grade picnic!".
• Do you know the very first Penguin?
  
• Calgary Sun's Eric Francis supports Yahoo Brennan's philosophy for the Flames vs the Sharks, just in a little less inflammatory way.

Let's Go Pens!

The Bibster Offers his 16 Points for Playoff Success

Before the playoffs start on Wednesday, we thought we pass along what Cup winner and Pens announcer Bob Errey believes are the most important points for playoff success. As per his TV analysis, Bob doesn't break much ground here or give a unique view into the mind of a player as he prepares for the playoffs, yet it's a nice parable to pass along to all the youngsters:

Bob Errey was captain of the San Jose Sharks as the team prepared for the 94 playoffs. A couple of nights before the playoff series with the #1 seeded Red Wings began, Bob was laying in bed and couldn't sleep. Bob had won a Stanley Cup while in Pittsburgh and was thinking about what it takes to succeed in the playoffs. After awhile he decided to jot down what he was thinking which he shared with the coaches and all the players. While many of these seem obvious, it's the mental part of hockey that ultimately takes you to the top of the mountain. Make no mistake, you have to have skill, but that alone will not win you a championship in hockey. Here are the 16 Points for Playoff Success.

1. It takes 16 WINS to win the Stanley Cup
2. 4 Wins per series
3. Never dwell on the past (good, bad, win, lose)
4. Never take anything for granted
5. One shift is as important as 20
6. Rest
7. Confidence
8. Momentum
9. Throw statistics out the window
10. Luck
11. Play bigger
12. Never retaliate
13. Get pucks out, get pucks in
    
14. Never out of a game (ie. high sticking major = 5 minute PP)
15. Have fun
16. Heart is more important than skill

Sens GM/Coach Murray says Pens tanked final game to face Ottawa

This is all kind of funny. Has a playoff game, let alone a 7 game series that ebbs and flows, ever been won by anything that's been said in the papers before the series even started? Still, I can't fault Murray for trying to find some kind of motivation for his team - they are so beat up and have played so poorly for so long that they need some kind of cosmic intervention to turn it around.

ottawasun.com - War of words with Pens begins

Bryan Murray has fired the first salvo in the Senators playoff battle with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Senators GM/coach accused the Penguins of tanking their final game against the Phildelphia Flyers Sunday because Pittsburgh wanted to face Ottawa in the first round the playoffs beginning Wednesday at Mellon Arena.

Asked by the Sun what he thought when he saw Sidney Crosby as a healthy scratch in the 2-0 loss against the Flyers which cost Pittsburgh first place in the Eastern Conference, Murray didn't mince any words.

"I knew what was going on," said Murray.

Which was?

"You guys all know they wanted to play Ottawa. That's fine. That was fairly obvious from the drop of the puck," said Murray.

4/8 UPDATE: Had to add this funny tidbit. It's amazing what coaches do and get away with during the playoffs that should rightfully earn them scorn and shame and how it turns around when they are on th other side of things. I just posted a story about Mike Keenan and Jeremy Roenick, but I found humor, legit laughing humor, in something I saw on TSN last night.

On their playoff preview show, Mike Milbury (why is this slow-witted ex-player on every hockey show?) reacted to Bryan Murray's tirade detailed above as something that he was trying to do to motivate his players but that won't work because those things never work. Milbury basically laughed at Murray.

But if you recall, this is the same Milbury, who coached the Boston Bruins in 1991 and during the playoffs that year, called Pens coach Bob Johnson a "professor of goonism". Johnson was about as far as an NHL coach could be from advocating goonism, yet here was Milbury trying to get under the Pens skin by trying outlandish tactics. Very similar to the very same tactics Murray was employing yesterday that Milbury laughed at.

The guess here is that Murray's tactics will enjoy as much success as Milbury's did in 1991 when the B's lost to the Pens 4 games to 2.

UPDATE: Penguins Ottawa series begins Wednesday

The Penguins' first-round playoff series against Ottawa will begin Wednesday at 7:08 p.m. at Mellon Arena.

Game 2 will be played there Friday before the series shifts to Scotiabank Place in Ottawa for Game 3 April 14 and Game 4 April 16.

Game 5, if necessary, will be at Mellon Arena April 19, with Game 6 the next day in Ottawa and Game 7 at Mellon Arena April 22.

The first four games are scheduled to begin at 7:08 p.m. Starting times for the final three have not been determined.

Television coverage plans for the series have not been announced yet.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08097/871101-100.stm?cmpid=latest.xml