Series Thread: Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 - Rangers vs. Penguins

[3riverbabe]

The Pens will rise again when Dupuis comes back healthy!

I've always liked him. I hope he does come back.

 

[thedddd]

Fleury is probably the only reason we haven't been swept.

I'm trying to remain optimistic about tonight, but it's hard. Of course, I may not last the whole game...went to see the Who last night & I'm dragging!

Outside of Horqvist, Fluery has been their best player all series.

 

[thedddd]

BTW....I am going out on a limb here but the Rangers will win tonight 2-1.

 

[scoutyjones2]

LOL...yes! I will go counter...Pens win 5-3...Fleury goes empty net

 

[pixburgher66]

LOL...yes! I will go counter...Pens win 5-3...Fleury goes empty net

This would make the series worth it for me.

 

[Darkstone42]

NostraDarkstone says cue the comeback!

I hover around 50% for my predictions, and I was wrong last time, so...

 

[element1286]

What's the difference between Spaling, Winnik, and Adams? Answer nothing. The Pens problem this year is that they have a ton of the same types of players who can kill penalties and forecheck well but do nothing else.

When all of your scoring has to come from Crosby, Hornqvist, Malkin, and occasionally Perron when he isn't going through his well known slumping streaks you got major problems. Now take two of those players in Malkin who is now injured and has been rendered ineffective and Perron who is slumping at the wrong time and is basically useless right now and you have a perfect recipe for failure. This offseason the following changes need to be made. One let Martin (5 mil a year) and Ehrhoff (4 mil a year) walk away in free agency. You see Martin last night stand in front of the net and do absolutely nothing while Kevin Hayes stood right next to him punching a rebound in for the game winning goal? Paul Martin sees the writing on the wall and for well over a month now is simply trying to avoid injury at all costs to cash out in free agency this offseason.

The fact is that its time for the young D-men in the Penguins system who also happen to play on entry level deals to step up next year. Two get rid of Scuderi (3.75 mil a year) and Kunitz (3.85 mil a year) one way or the other even if it means using the standard buy outs and paying them not to play on the team and absorbing slightly lower cap hits for the next x number of years. Three cut even more dead weight contracts off the books by trading single role players like Spaling (2.2 mil a year) who at 1 mil a year would be a good player to have but at 2.2 mil a year is just another example of this Pens team overpaying for marginal talent.

The cap room is there its simply been spent on the wrong players because of previous and current management mistakes.

The fact that Spaling and Winnik are 30pt guys, and Craig Adams struggles to score 10 pts.

 

[Darkstone42]

Lapierre, Downie, and Spaling work pretty well together. I like that line for energy and to wear down the Ranger D.

 

[Darkstone42]

Have to do a better job tying guys up in front of the net than that.

 

[Darkstone42]

Did Fleury make that save? If so, it was incredible.

 

[Darkstone42]

Oh, it was shot right into his chest. Never mind.

And Brassard just got called for an interference that was pretty marginal. Does this mean they're going to call it today?

 

[Darkstone42]

Great chance for Malkin on the power play. Lundqvist up to the test.

 

[scoutyjones2]

No sense of urgency from the pens.

 

[Darkstone42]

Tie game!

 

[scoutyjones2]

Finally out working the Rags. Nice and dirty

 

[thedddd]

Looking better.

 

[pixburgher66]

Dirty goals are what the NHL is today...so put on those coveralls and get to work.

 

[forty_three]

LOL - slashing in the throat = not a penalty.

Having Crosby fall down near you = penalty

 

[elocomotive]

Pens coming out on fire in this 3rd period. Where has this intensity been?

Crowd chanting "Crosby Sucks," virtually insuring he'll have a point before the period is over.

 

[elocomotive]

LOL - slashing in the throat = not a penalty.

Having Crosby fall down near you = penalty

The slash was a penalty, but Girardi grabbed him by the skate and pulled him down. It was a wrestling move and an obvious penalty.