Series Thread: Pens v BlueJackets Rnd 1

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Only reason we won this series is because we were playing against the Blue Jackets. Every remaining team in the playoffs takes us within 6. I give us no chance against the Flyers or Rangers, not if we continue to play like this. We go up 4-0 & even that lead isn't safe? Against the Blue Jackets? FML!

 

[element1286]

Well props to Malkin for finally stepping up and actually shooting, funny how the puck starts going in the net when he does that.

Also, Letang and Martin are a dynamite pairing. If it's me next round defense pairings are:

Martin - Letang
Maata - Nisky
Orpik - Borts

And that Bennett - Goc - Stempy third line is a treat to watch.

As for the collapse, it should have never come to that, but I can see how they lost their edge up 4 and all those powerplays. CLB was unraveling and taking stupid penalties, and the Pens just assumed it was over. But they escaped.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Well props to Malkin for finally stepping up and actually shooting, funny how the puck starts going in the net when he does that.

Also, Letang and Martin are a dynamite pairing. If it's me next round defense pairings are:

Martin - Letang
Maata - Nisky
Orpik - Borts

And that Bennett - Goc - Stempy third line is a treat to watch.

As for the collapse, it should have never come to that, but I can see how they lost their edge up 4 and all those powerplays. CLB was unraveling and taking stupid penalties, and the Pens just assumed it was over. But they escaped.

How could we assume the game to be over when we blew a 3 goal lead in game 4?

 

[scoutyjones2]

No doubt...they should never ASSume it's over...no lead was safe the entire series! They got lazy and played prevent. Games 5 and 2/3rds of 6 is how the series should have gone.


It does appear that Letang has made great strides which should bode well. Skid on the other hand isn't impressing...


And the Pens don't lose with GOC! that line was phenomenal...


I hold little hope next round

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

No doubt...they should never ASSume it's over...no lead was safe the entire series! They got lazy and played prevent. Games 5 and 2/3rds of 6 is how the series should have gone.


It does appear that Letang has made great strides which should bode well. Skid on the other hand isn't impressing...


And the Pens don't lose with GOC! that line was phenomenal...


I hold little hope next round

If we struggled against the BJ's I don't like our chances against the Flyers or Rangers. Hopefully they flip the switch, find their game, & prove me wrong.

 

[Darkstone42]

We won a playoff series against a good hockey team. Yes, the Blue Jackets are a good hockey team. They have grit and toughness in spades, a core of guys who can play very good two-way hockey, and a dynamite goaltender, perhaps the best in the game. They are a professional hockey team who beat enough other professional hockey teams to get to the playoffs.

The Penguins didn't play the ideal series, not by any stretch, but teams seldom do. Martin and Letang look to be shaking the rust off, Goc is back, hopefully Sutter, Gibbons, and Vitale are ready to go next round, and Fleury has looked pretty solid. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the Pens to do alright.

 

[evolver115]

No doubt...they should never ASSume it's over...no lead was safe the entire series! They got lazy and played prevent. Games 5 and 2/3rds of 6 is how the series should have gone.


It does appear that Letang has made great strides which should bode well. Skid on the other hand isn't impressing...


And the Pens don't lose with GOC! that line was phenomenal...


I hold little hope next round

Eh, I disagree with you about Sid. He ragged the puck through the offensive zone and made the play to stop the puck below the blue-line where Kunitz eventually got a hold of it and moved it to Malkin for the first goal. Sid also set up Geno with a beaut of a sauce pass for the PP goal that made it 2-0.

True, he hit the post and didn't pot any goals in this series, but through games 5 and 6 he's looked a hell of a lot better than he did in games 1-4. He's progressing.. and it's only a matter of time before he gets that first goal.

 

[Darkstone42]

Eh, I disagree with you about Sid. He ragged the puck through the offensive zone and made the play to stop the puck below the blue-line where Kunitz eventually got a hold of it and moved it to Malkin for the first goal. Sid also set up Geno with a beaut of a sauce pass for the PP goal that made it 2-0.

True, he hit the post and didn't pot any goals in this series, but through games 5 and 6 he's looked a hell of a lot better than he did in games 1-4. He's progressing.. and it's only a matter of time before he gets that first goal.

He's snakebitten, but I agree, he's playing well, getting back to his puck possession game. He is, after all, a playmaker first and foremost. And he's hit, what three posts in the last two games or something like that, plus Bob robbed him on the doorstep in game 4 or 5 with a pretty sick pad save. The shots are good, they're just not going in yet, but they will.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

We won a playoff series against a good hockey team. Yes, the Blue Jackets are a good hockey team. They have grit and toughness in spades, a core of guys who can play very good two-way hockey, and a dynamite goaltender, perhaps the best in the game. They are a professional hockey team who beat enough other professional hockey teams to get to the playoffs.

The Penguins didn't play the ideal series, not by any stretch, but teams seldom do. Martin and Letang look to be shaking the rust off, Goc is back, hopefully Sutter, Gibbons, and Vitale are ready to go next round, and Fleury has looked pretty solid. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the Pens to do alright.

IDK if the Blue Jackets are really that good. Felt they just did well because we sucked so bad. If we play like that against the likes of the Bruins, Canadiens, Rangers, or Flyers we would probably lose within 6 (maybe even get swept). What concerns me is that the BJ's were the team we were supposed to matchup best against yet we barely matched up at all. Imagine if we faced a team with more skill, talent, & experience. IDK I don't feel all that positive about the way we beat the BJ's, we only had 1 good game the whole series (game 5). We need to up our game tremendously is we're going to advance past the 2nd round IMO.

 

[Darkstone42]

IDK if the Blue Jackets are really that good. Felt they just did well because we sucked so bad. If we play like that against the likes of the Bruins, Canadiens, Rangers, or Flyers we would probably lose within 6 (maybe even get swept). What concerns me is that the BJ's were the team we were supposed to matchup best against yet we barely matched up at all. Imagine if we faced a team with more skill, talent, & experience. IDK I don't feel all that positive about the way we beat the BJ's, we only had 1 good game the whole series (game 5). We need to up our game tremendously is we're going to advance past the 2nd round IMO.

I think we actually matched up best against the Red Wings, to be honest, and I would put the Rangers second on that list.

The Blue Jackets are built for playoff hockey. If they sign a sniper this off season, they're going to be very dangerous next year, and could make a deep run. A lot of folks are selling them short because of their history, but they are a legitimately good team.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I think we actually matched up best against the Red Wings, to be honest, and I would put the Rangers second on that list.

The Blue Jackets are built for playoff hockey. If they sign a sniper this off season, they're going to be very dangerous next year, and could make a deep run. A lot of folks are selling them short because of their history, but they are a legitimately good team.

Hopefully you're right.

 

[evolver115]

I think we actually matched up best against the Red Wings, to be honest, and I would put the Rangers second on that list.

The Blue Jackets are built for playoff hockey. If they sign a sniper this off season, they're going to be very dangerous next year, and could make a deep run. A lot of folks are selling them short because of their history, but they are a legitimately good team.

Yep, completely agree. In fact, the Pens dodged a bullet with Nathan Horton not being healthy enough to play in this series for Columbus. He might have been their missing piece.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Good thing they also traded Gaborik away, bet you he would've tore us up in a series.

 

[Darkstone42]

Good thing they also traded Gaborik away, bet you he would've tore us up in a series.

He may have, but he didn't really mesh in their system, so I'm not sure. I think they need a different type of sniper than Gaborik.

 

[scoutyjones2]

I have serious disagreements about how good some think the Blue Jackets are...they are barely a playoff team, with or without Horton. The Pens should have rolled these guys like they did in the regular season...


Sid maybe looking a bit better but I truly expect more from the man carrying the "best player" in hockey banner. Close only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes. Hitting posts on the outside of the net doesn't count...neither does missing the net from assorted angles with most shots. I want to see the best player in the NHL actually show up like I know he can...he hasn't for the last two series in the playoffs which is a disturbing trend.


I hope they keep the Bennett, Goc, Stemp line together...that is one slick, two way, puck controlling line

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I have serious disagreements about how good some think the Blue Jackets are...they are barely a playoff team, with or without Horton. The Pens should have rolled these guys like they did in the regular season...


Sid maybe looking a bit better but I truly expect more from the man carrying the "best player" in hockey banner. Close only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes. Hitting posts on the outside of the net doesn't count...neither does missing the net from assorted angles with most shots. I want to see the best player in the NHL actually show up like I know he can...he hasn't for the last two series in the playoffs which is a disturbing trend.


I hope they keep the Bennett, Goc, Stemp line together...that is one slick, two way, puck controlling line

I agree scouty, Blue Jackets are better than they were in the past but they're still barely a playoff team & no one on that roster has proven themselves in the playoffs before . Their greatest asset is Bobrovsky who was hardly impressive but for 1 game (which he lost ). If we played anyone else in the 1st round I think we would be eliminated by now. No way this type of play gets us anywhere going forward. We need to up our game big time or else we have no chance of beating the Flyers or Rangers, who have more talent, depth, & playoff experience than the Blue Jackets. I'm not excited about surviving the Blue Jackets at all.

 

[element1286]

Eh, not trying to discredit CLB, but I don't see them as a future great team. They remind me of the Rangers, consistent bottom half playoff team.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Eh, not trying to discredit CLB, but I don't see them as a future great team. They remind me of the Rangers, consistent bottom half playoff team.

Yeah the Rangers under Tort hockey but with less talent.

 

[mtm166]

He's snakebitten, but I agree, he's playing well, getting back to his puck possession game. He is, after all, a playmaker first and foremost. And he's hit, what three posts in the last two games or something like that, plus Bob robbed him on the doorstep in game 4 or 5 with a pretty sick pad save. The shots are good, they're just not going in yet, but they will.

This is true, but if they get this production out of the big 2 this upcoming round, the series won't be very long no matter who they play. Honestly, I want Philly. Let's just exercise the demons already and this just might be the match-up that jump starts Sid's goal production. With any sort of mental discipline, this match-up is not that bad. Why want Lundquist when you can have Mason. It's not even close who the better goalie is between those two.

 

[element1286]

This is true, but if they get this production out of the big 2 this upcoming round, the series won't be very long no matter who they play. Honestly, I want Philly. Let's just exercise the demons already and this just might be the match-up that jump starts Sid's goal production. With any sort of mental discipline, this match-up is not that bad. Why want Lundquist when you can have Mason. It's not even close who the better goalie is between those two.

I think most agree this isn't a Stanley Cup team, might as well like you said 'exercise the demons' if they win great, if they play like assholes like 2012 just another notch in getting Bylsma out of town.