Was I watching correctly?

Question

Or did a 2 time Lady Byng winner (Datsyuk) defeat Scary Gary in a fight. Roberts did not expect that from Datsyuk!

Answer 1

No, Pavel didn't win, not even close - but it wasn't about winning the fight, it was about saying, "I'll fight."  Datsyuk has never backed down - the Lady Byng thing is deceptive.  People often think it denotes a meek player, but that's usually far from the truth.

Answer 2

I expect to see Dallas Drake take a run at Roberts sometime during the next game. If nothing else just to send him a message that there is a North American player or two still on the wings who will not tolerate that sort of play.

Answer 3

Not only did he get some good shots on Roberts, he tried to fight Malone after he took down Zetterberg.

It kind of reminded me of game 1 when Crosby got so frustrated that he shoved Stuart down.

Added: And I didn't see what Talbot did.  What happened there?

Answer 4

Surprise and delight!  It's not the very first time I've seen Datsyuk throw a punch, but it makes me smile because it seems nobody even expects Pavel to make hits, but he does so very effectively.

I'm glad it didn't go the distance, though.  He might have gone home in an ambulance, and we need him healthy right to the end.

God luck to him for Lady Byng #3!

Answer 5

Datsyuk did take a few shots on old man river Roberts and I don't blame him. All the late hitting and dirty play by Pitt was just disgusting to have to watch. They played like a bunch of apes. All the late head shots on Franzen was deplorable, if the ref's would have called the game fair Pitt would have had a man in the box almost all game. Sad to see a team that makes it all the way to the finals have to resort to such dirty tactics to try and hurt other players. Some should have received game misconducts and tossed from the game for playing like that, they could have really hurt somebody. GO WINGS!

Answer 6

Maybe it was just a measure of Heart. I never thought I'd say this but Robbie looks defeated.

Answer 7

Noone won since there was no real fight, but JS is wrong when he says no major penalties. According to the stat line I read, Roberts got a 10 minute misconduct...last i checked that was a major penalty. And of course no game like this would be complete without the game misconduct handed out at the end of the game. Talbot needs to learn to control himself I guess...

Answer 8

It was funny to me.  Although I gotta admire Datsyuk for his tenacity to do something like that, by the time it happened I think Roberts (and everybody else) realized that it just wasn't worth it.  By then the game was pretty much a blowout and there was no reason to fight.   I love Datsyuk but if Roberts would have fought back, I fear for what might have happened.

Go Wings!!!

Answer 9

I couldnt stop laughing at Cherrys comment.  Classic.

Add:  Just watched the replay.  Datsyuk did actually get 2 good right hands in, alhtough he did have his gloves on.  It wasnt that Roberts decided not to go after him either, the ref just had him tied up too well.  He tried going back after Datsyuk once he got back up too but the ref wouldnt let him.

Answer 10

From the postgame interview w/ Babcock:

"Is it a good thing or a bad thing when Pavel is running to the defense of some of the other guys on the ice?"



COACH MIKE BABCOCK: Well, I guess the way our team's built is we don't have as many North America guys that would be dropping their gloves and fighting right there. The way we try to do it is we try to play as hard as we can between the whistles, and we try to shoot the puck in the net when you take penalties. And to me, we just try to keep our poise and play. And the stuff after the whistle and all that, that's not going to win us any games. Between the whistles is. And we're just going to try to continue to play the way our team's built to play.

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Answer 11

You were not watching correctly, because Datsyuk certainly was not close to winning that match-up, Gary never even bothered to fight back.

When Babcock addressed it after the game, he even chuckled and said he told Datysuk he would have been killed.

Answer 12

I was surprised by it too. But Datsyuk was lucky, Roberts was caught by surprise. But I still gotta give Datsyuk high marks for trying! If it had been a toe-to-toe, Datsyuk would have been creamed.

Answer 13

I missed that.

If you are referring to the scuffle at the end of the 3rd period, it looked to me like Datsyuk was punching and Roberts never felt a thing as he skated away as if nothing happened while the refs restrained Datysuk.

Don Cherry was laughing about it after the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBgsaRFZJ...

Answer 14

LOL.....I think he was so mad about Osgood going down he forgot who he was.......bravo!!!

Answer 15

I don't think either of them really got any punches off. If you watch the replay, as soon as they started scuffling, the refs pretty much tackled them, especially Roberts. Still though, I give props to Datsyuk for actually attempting to throw down with Roberts. Especially since he's such a clean player. I don't imagine Datsyuk would've won though if they squared up, but hey whatever. Good to see Datsyuk stick up for himself and his team mates.

Answer 16

I think you we're Correct Scary Gary is older and Smarter then Datsyuk I was watching too.

Answer 17

No major penalties - no fight.

Besides, what I saw was Datsyuk flailing away at somebody who had no interest in fighting.  As a huge Datsyuk fan, I was disappointed.  

The last thing you want to do is rile up Pittsburgh before you go into their building.  Pittsburgh has only beaten Detroit once since 2000..............Detroit needs to keep it that way!