Pens April...3 games till postseason!
- Thread starter torontoeers
- Start date
Avs vs Blues tommorow night winner goes to the playoffs loser goes home. I'll be there. Getting some early playof action in.
Wife just mentioned HBK lol...can we do this with Brass? Yes we damnwell can! Lets get him back...
One more thing guys...this has been fun chatting reg season with all of you as we all drop in here or there. I know @Euell fairly well over the last few years, and have been lucky enough to hang with him a bit when in Motown...any of you have plans to do do football games in the fall I'd love to meet one or two more of you and have a pint or two at the tailgate. I know most of you are out of town like myself except I think @WVRON is actually in town or close to it? Rrmember to hit me up as that season begins...I have seasons(4) and usually make it to at least 3 of em at home. If you guys are looking for seats for friends etc and I have em will sell em at face no matter the game. I'll be at TCU, Baylor and trying to figure out one more on top of a roadie to either NC St or Tex...Horney!!! Here we go boys...the second season is HERE! LETS GO PENS!!!
I’m in Motown bro. And in the blue lot on gamedays. I’d love to meet all you beautiful bastards for a beer or 10. Lol! Let’s Go Pens!!!
Atta boy Ron...I am dropping by for certain. Crown Royal or Canadian Suds?
![[roll]](http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/img/emoticons/classic/roll.r191677.gif "roll [roll]")
Gotta give DeSmith credit for his performance in a game in which it didn't seem anyone in black and gold had much real interest in playing......and I certainly understand why that would have been the case.
But the Pens seem to be a pretty good counter-punching team this season......go ask the Blojax and Flyers about that.......and it was in clear evidence last night where they took advantage of the few things the Sens gave them. But that kind of approach really can only work when you have enough skill to take advantage of fewer opportunities.....which they clearly have......but also have goaltending good enough to stand up......which we don't as yet know is the case in 2018.
I'm on record as not wanting to play Jersey in the 1st Round for the same reasons everyone else has voiced. But the one thing that doesn't seem to be discussed is how much of NJ's success against the Guins resulted from the borderline absurd goaltending they got in the season series from Keith Kincade.
It's one thing to come in once a month (as KK was doing) and play an unconscious game vs Pittsburgh. But it's something else altogether to do it in a 7 game series over 2 weeks with the pressure of the playoffs in your shorts. And while NJ obviously has Schneider in reserve in the event Kincade falters, neither goalie statistically has been much better than average this season.
In the final analysis, maybe the Guins need to just go out and win over Jersey......the one team in the 1st Round who won't try to beat them up physically......and just let the Craps, Blojax, and Cryers deal with one another (and Boston).
But the Pens seem to be a pretty good counter-punching team this season......go ask the Blojax and Flyers about that.......and it was in clear evidence last night where they took advantage of the few things the Sens gave them. But that kind of approach really can only work when you have enough skill to take advantage of fewer opportunities.....which they clearly have......but also have goaltending good enough to stand up......which we don't as yet know is the case in 2018.
I'm on record as not wanting to play Jersey in the 1st Round for the same reasons everyone else has voiced. But the one thing that doesn't seem to be discussed is how much of NJ's success against the Guins resulted from the borderline absurd goaltending they got in the season series from Keith Kincade.
It's one thing to come in once a month (as KK was doing) and play an unconscious game vs Pittsburgh. But it's something else altogether to do it in a 7 game series over 2 weeks with the pressure of the playoffs in your shorts. And while NJ obviously has Schneider in reserve in the event Kincade falters, neither goalie statistically has been much better than average this season.
In the final analysis, maybe the Guins need to just go out and win over Jersey......the one team in the 1st Round who won't try to beat them up physically......and just let the Craps, Blojax, and Cryers deal with one another (and Boston).
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Just read some interesting stats/tidbits from Eklund's site
- Among the 37 goaltenders to play at least 1,000 minutes (which, doing the math, is a little under 17 full games) since the beginning of the New Year, the worst save percentage (.894) is shared between Carey Price and Braden Holtby
- Speaking (as I did in the previous post) of Cory Schneider, he's allowed at least 3 goals in his last 11 starts......with a save percentage of .900 or less in all 11 games. Additionally, he hasn't won since beating Detroit on 12/27/17.
- Staying with the Devils, it's currently believed they'll sit Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri, and Sami Vatanen tonight versus the Craps. Also, it's evidently thought Schneider will get the start in the Devils cage.
- B's blogger is talking about how exhausted the Bruins have been looking after collecting only 1 of a possible 6 points on their just finished 3 game road trip. I don't know about you, but I thought they'd pretty much locked up 1st in the Atlantic. Well, that was true a week ago; but this bad road trip has actually dropped them into 2nd place
- If I have it figured right, the Bolts can clinch 1st place......and home ice in the East.....if they beat the Canes in regulation or OT in Raleigh tonight (giving them a ROW of 49, which the B's can't match)..
"T" and his buddies from the Great White North are tremendous guys! They make a mean Canadian Bacon sandwich also!
I try not to get overconfident but....F it, this is gonna be good! :boxing:
Ya...just unreal. No blame has been assigned as of yet, but 15 dead ...so sad....but as I first heard of the story and being in Saskatchewan, I thought instantly of the crash detailed in the links attached . The 1986 Swift Current (oddly also named) Broncos of the WHL. Joe Sakic was actually on that team and in the crash that killed 4. It was a pretty big deal back then, and it seems this one will rival it sadly.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...y-crash-swift-current-broncos-dec30-1.3916452
http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/a...s-of-the-1986-swift-current-broncos-bus-crash
Here's another link of what they did in Winnipeg tonight Doc...a nice tribute I think...
https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/1205422659894/
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I have to be honest, I was disappointed we didn’t draw Columbus. Like Washington, those dudes want no part of us. It’s awesome living rent free in their minds.
Will be interesting to see if Hakstol plays it straight forward this series and resists the urge to proactively hit/cheap shot like Laviolette and others behind the Cryers bench have done in the past. Obviously, he's still left to manage the dumb things Gudas and Manning will inevitably do no matter what he wants.
But I think he sincerely believes his team CAN skate with the Pens and has as much (or more) scoring ability.....which I don't personally feel his team has proven (at least not this season). Presumably, we'll see more rough stuff in the games in Philly, but I suspect he'll be urging his guys to focus on staying out of the box and play as much 5-on-5 as possible.
Meanwhile, I can't recall too many playoff series where there have been SO many questions on BOTH sides (though admittedly more so in Philly) about goaltending. I assume Hakstol prefers to play Elliott, but I don't know if he views BE as being playoff ready yet (even though he DID win yesterday by shutout.....against a headed-for-the-beach Rangers team clearly unprepared for a 40 shot buzzsaw before the biggest crowd in Cryers' history).
IMO, Mrazek played decent (and at times good) against the Pens after arriving, but I find it hard to believe ANYONE in Philly really wants to see him in the Cryers' cage. I assume it'll be Elliott the entire series.
But I think he sincerely believes his team CAN skate with the Pens and has as much (or more) scoring ability.....which I don't personally feel his team has proven (at least not this season). Presumably, we'll see more rough stuff in the games in Philly, but I suspect he'll be urging his guys to focus on staying out of the box and play as much 5-on-5 as possible.
Meanwhile, I can't recall too many playoff series where there have been SO many questions on BOTH sides (though admittedly more so in Philly) about goaltending. I assume Hakstol prefers to play Elliott, but I don't know if he views BE as being playoff ready yet (even though he DID win yesterday by shutout.....against a headed-for-the-beach Rangers team clearly unprepared for a 40 shot buzzsaw before the biggest crowd in Cryers' history).
IMO, Mrazek played decent (and at times good) against the Pens after arriving, but I find it hard to believe ANYONE in Philly really wants to see him in the Cryers' cage. I assume it'll be Elliott the entire series.
Hey @ColoradoMountaineer ! Looks like you saw a whale of a game! Congrats on making it in [cheers]...postseason is the best season!
Agreed on the whole...they KNOW if they take an inordinate number of penalties they're doomed. And I'll add to that in our case if 71 and one or two others allow them under the skin, it'll have us all pulling our hair out...
I'll happily take facing Elliott off the hop, there is a reason he has bounced around imo over the years...when the pressure is on it seems to eat him alive. In saying that we better hope our guy has his head focused and he is locked into playoff mode or this series could be a goal bonanza all around...
Well I get to see some extra action even. Preds vs avs now i will play the part of the villian. I was a bit disappointed in the way the blues played. They played like they wanted front row seats to augusta. The avs wanted it much more.
That trade of Stasny by them boggled my freakin mind seriously...your team of snipers with a Norris candidate on the backend has a bit of a lull and you trade one of the best snipes in the game? Contract due or not...the Jets will make every single effort to extend him...so you are all in on The Preds then? This is conflict in your mind for sure lol...I will make no secret of saying I am pulling for your Av's...I like the jam they have shown as a team under difficult management scenario. Pull for your current local boys Colo! :wink:
I was and original season ticket holder for the Preds.I was there at the beginning. The avs were a relocated franchise stolen from qubec. I have been to avs games in the last 2 seasons Philly and Chicago come to mind were there where just as many or more of the opposing fans there. Getting owned by the vistors fans in your own barn is pretty weak. I'm rooting for the preds. Av's fans don't deserve it.
I was somewhat joking anyway...I don't root for the asshats around here either. In fact I detest them and all they represent over the years...for multiple reasons lol. I enjoy bleeding Black and Gold ...however the only blood on the ice in PA this week will be that putrid orangey red or whatever the hell they call it of the Cryers...if there is another fanbase/ org that needs a good solid throat punch it's them .
If the av's werent playing the preds I would root for them. The Bronco's are the only team in the Denver area that have legit die Hards. I like the Rockies they get good crowds but I have been to yankee's,mets,redsox,cardials,and pirates games and the fans were 10 times louder. The av's ownership hasn't done a great job with community relations the Preds did a 1st class job.I was somewhat joking anyway...I don't root for the asshats around here either. In fact I detest them and all they represent over the years...for multiple reasons lol. I enjoy bleeding Black and Gold ...however the only blood on the ice in PA this week will be that putrid orangey red or whatever the hell they call it of the Cryers...if there is another fanbase/ org that needs a good solid throat punch it's them .
