4 Pittsburgh Penguins v. 5 Tampa Bay Lightning Series Thread

[awaz]

did stammer continue to play after orpik rocked him?

 

[Darkstone42]

did stammer continue to play after orpik rocked him?

He was on the ice, but he didn't do much.

 

[evolver115]

I'm still amped up about the game one win, and I am impressed with this teams' battle-level that they brought to bear on Tampa last night. I just watched the replay on the NHL network, and here are some thoughts I have from it...

My thoughts on the Penguins:

- The top four defensive pairings of Orpik-Letang and Martin-Michalek were their absolute best performances of the season, particularly in the last forty minutes

- Even though the power-play didn't cash one in last nite, you have to like the chemistry that has been created by adding Michalek to the right point for his accurate one-timer, and moving Martin to the second PP

- The Neal-Letestu-Kovalev line looked dangerous for the first time since it was created, they generated a ton of chances all night, and eventually cashed in what proved to be the game-winning goal

- Fleury is playing a brand of goal-tending that is other-worldly, his save against Lecavalier fancy between the leg shot, and the rebound save against Malone were just eye-popping gems. The Pens didn't get their defensive bearings straight until the last 6 or so minutes of the first period I thought.. and up until then, Fleury kept them in it


My thoughts on Tampa Bay:

- Outside of Brewer and Hedman, the other four defencemen for the lightning didn't impress me, at all. Kubina and Lundin looked lost and ineffective.

- St. Louis and Lecavalier are super-dangerous, and when they are on the ice without the top four D pairings for Pit to counter, they are downright scary

- Stamkos got his clock cleaned by Orpik, and he seemed invisible from that point on. I don't think this will hold true in game 2. He has game-changing ability and you know he's going to get it rolling at some point

- Bugsy looks much like i remember him when he was wearing the Pens sweater... great agitator in the blue-paint with a big body and grit, still lacks the polish and finishing ability of a Holmstrom, though

- Roloson was the Lightning best player through the first forty-five minutes, but once the Pens cracked him the first time, he got rattled pretty quickly. Rolo also seems to get agitated by high traffic in his crease... so hopefully guys like Kunitz, Staal, Rupp and Adams can continue to make their presence felt


Great win, always nice to get game 1 in a best of seven. Hoping these guys can take another on Friday, and put Tampa Bay's backs against the wall before heading to Florida

 

[dare2be]

Replay on NHL Network? I didn't see that in my program guide this morning...

 

[dare2be]

Replay on NHL Network? I didn't see that in my program guide this morning...

Turns out the replay on NHL Network was blacked out here...

um, wut?

 

[evolver115]

Tampa must still be having trouble selling out, eh?

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

No posts from last night, or am I missing the GNT?

 

[MISKO]

If we lose ,we lose .. But last night they killed themselves, that is fixable... Plus, wtf refs? Way to move the strike zone. Wow... the Orpik call was just brutal and of course they scored as soon as the power play started.... 4-1 is too much for this team to come back from right now.

And get ready to throw rocks at me... Pens miss Cooke. Penalty kill, physicality, and a goal or two from him are sorely needed

 

[Automattic]

If we lose ,we lose .. But last night they killed themselves, that is fixable... Plus, wtf refs? Way to move the strike zone. Wow... the Orpik call was just brutal and of course they scored as soon as the power play started.... 4-1 is too much for this team to come back from right now.

And get ready to throw rocks at me... Pens miss Cooke. Penalty kill, physicality, and a goal or two from him are sorely needed

Born ready...

 

[MISKO]

yea so was I auto

 

[Automattic]

yea so was I auto

lol sorry...I was really just staring at your butt.

 

[MISKO]

thanks .. glad ya like the avi ...lol

 

[evolver115]

my thoughts on game 2:

On the Pens

- The Penguins powerplay hit rock-bottom last nite. I thought they had turned the corner when Michalek was slipped into the right point in place of Martin, and Letestu started taking more of the draws, but apparently I was wrong. It seems like they have a serious lack of confidence in it, and they are doomed if it doesn't get turned around

- Letang followed up perhaps his best performance of the season in game one with an absolute stinker in game two. He looked tired last nite, which would make sense considering he skated 27 minutes on Weds. Dan might want to consider lightening his load, and I would start with his power-play minutes because he doesn't have any mojo there, right now

- I know Talbot couldn't really be held responsible for that horrendous call on him to open the game... but he needs to be more in control of his emotions. The team looks to him for leadership, and he needs to keep his mind on whats important and not jawing and stick-sword fighting with the opponent. The combo of Dupuis-Talbot need to show up on the scoresheet at some point, as well

- Fleury let in two goals that I thought he probably would have liked to have back. Brewer's goal, he was left out to dry, and Thompson's rebound goal, much the same, but the two ppg from Lecav and St. louis were weak. He's their most important cog on the PK, and he has to be better than what he was on Friday

On the Bolts

- The play of Tampa's defensive pairings was a complete 180 from Wednesday night. They generated zero scoring opportunities from the blue-line on Weds, and lo and behold they get their first goal of the game from the D. Great job by Brewer, last nite.. he was a stud

- Tampas trap game is lethal once they have a couple goal advantage. Fleury only faced nineteen shots last night! Pretty much tells the tale of what type of mentality Tampa was playing with once it was 1-0. I give them credit, because pit had no answer for it

- The bolts third and fourth line, along with Brewer and Hedman carried them on 5v5 play. Other than on special-teams, Lecav, St. Louis and Stamkos have been relatively quiet through two games. Give those grinder lines credit, they are forcing the play on pittsburgh

- Roloson played another strong game, last nite... even though he gifted Pit their lone goal of the game when he misplayed the puck outside of the trapezoid. If the pens don't get on him quick, it seems he gets stonger as the game goes on

 

[evolver115]

Is it the hair?? WTF is the problem with this thread??

 

[pixburgher66]

Unlike some of the other threads, our GNTs are separate, so it kills the mood a bit I suppose. Agreed with most of your points though. If the Pens want to break Roloson they have to get in his face. Also, I now hate Ryan Malone for being a complete jerk off on the ice. The play will be dead and 5 seconds later he skates into the crease to get in Fleury's face. He needs to pay for that.

 

[dare2be]

Gee, I wonder who started the separate GNTs and broke up the mood and took away the momentum???

 

[pixburgher66]

Hey....HEY! I'm 1-1. I kept it going because it worked for game one. Do we wanna switch it up? *superstitious*

 

[dare2be]

Whatever works. I was just busting on ya after giving evolver a complex.

 

[dare2be]

I certainly won't be starting the next GNT...bad luck aside, I won't be around unless I do it from my hotel room in Tampa.

/not rubbing it in...ok, ok, just a little

 

[postmaster]

Whatever works. I was just busting on ya after giving evolver a complex.

Want to give evolver a complex?
I heard PenVolution is a better poster than he is. PenVo said it himself.