GDT: 82|Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators|The Grandest Stage of Them All!!!

[ColePens]

This is so dumb on so many levels. Even if we win it's a stupid tactic.

At worst... and I mean AT WORST a person can say they disagree. Dumb on so many level? No. Not even close. CBJ was in a close race and like Korpi the other night. Over playing a goalie is not the best for the team.

 

[Shockmaster]

Not really. Still need our backup to be sharp. Just in case. We had the luxury of having both Murray and Fleury the last two years.

Desmith has a solid game tonight and that gives him some more confidence heading into the playoffs. We already played Murray on the last set of back to backs. Played last night. If he started again tonight, that kinda shows they dont have much faith in DeSmith.

Its less about resting Murray, and showing some confidence in our backup and letting him get another game in before the playoffs

Yeah... DeSmith's confidence is one of the last things the Penguins should care about in this situation.

 

[Shockmaster]

At worst... and I mean AT WORST a person can say they disagree. Dumb on so many level? No. Not even close. CBJ was in a close race and like Korpi the other night. Over playing a goalie is not the best for the team.

How is Murray being "overplayed?" He's gone through stretches with injuries and missed time due to his father's passing. He'd get 5 or 6 days off between tonight and the start of the playoffs. Murray has hardly been run into the ground this season.

 

[Ryder71]

At worst... and I mean AT WORST a person can say they disagree. Dumb on so many level? No. Not even close. CBJ was in a close race and like Korpi the other night. Over playing a goalie is not the best for the team.

Disagree, when you're in a position to secure home ice, a place obviously where we have excelled, and it comes down to one game, you don't play your back up. It is stupid. Particularly when you consider we have nearly a week off between tonight and the start of the playoffs.

The only way it makes a modicum of sense is if Murray has a minor injury.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Not really. Still need our backup to be sharp. Just in case. We had the luxury of having both Murray and Fleury the last two years.

Desmith has a solid game tonight and that gives him some more confidence heading into the playoffs. We already played Murray on the last set of back to backs. Played last night. If he started again tonight, that kinda shows they dont have much faith in DeSmith.

Its less about resting Murray, and showing some confidence in our backup and letting him get another game in before the playoffs

I'm actually on both sides of the coin here, and even if De Smith falters Murray is right there.

 

[ColePens]

How is Murray being "overplayed?" He's gone through stretches with injuries and missed time due to his father's passing. He'd get 5 or 6 days off between tonight and the start of the playoffs. Murray has hardly been run into the ground this season.

It's fine if you disagree with me. Here is my reasoning:

- Don't want to play him in a back to back that the team can win without him.
- Don't want to risk injury.
- Would rather be on the road with a healthy Mur than at home with an injured one.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Yeah... DeSmith's confidence is one of the last things the Penguins should care about in this situation.

So if Murray gets hurt again, which in his case isnt unrealistic...you want a backup to come in who hasnt seen the ice in a long time? Nothing wrong with playing him tonight .

 

[ColePens]

Disagree, when you're in a position to secure home ice, a place obviously where we have excelled, and it comes down to one game, you don't play your back up. It is stupid. Particularly when you consider we have nearly a week off between tonight and the start of the playoffs.

The only way it makes a modicum of sense is if Murray has a minor injury.

I'm shocked. You panic no matter what the situation is.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Just win and no injuries!

I will settle for no injuries.

 

[Ryder71]

I'm shocked. You panic no matter what the situation is.

I'm not panicked, I just don't like stupidity.

 

[Shockmaster]

So if Murray gets hurt again, which in his case isnt unrealistic...you want a backup to come in who hasnt seen the ice in a long time? Nothing wrong with playing him tonight .

Any player could get hurt in any game. So that's an invalid reason unless you plan on never playing any of the good players in fear of injuries.

 

[Shockmaster]

It's fine if you disagree with me. Here is my reasoning:

- Don't want to play him in a back to back that the team can win without him.
- Don't want to risk injury.
- Would rather be on the road with a healthy Mur than at home with an injured one.

Again, any player could get injured in any game. Should all the good players have played 0 games this season in fear of injury?

 

[Ryder71]

So if Murray gets hurt again, which in his case isnt unrealistic...you want a backup to come in who hasnt seen the ice in a long time? Nothing wrong with playing him tonight .

Murray can get hurt the first minute of tonights game, he could get hurt in practice also. Or in the first period of game one next week. You can't be afraid to play your number one goalie in a game that matters.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Any player could get hurt in any game. So that's an invalid reason unless you plan on never playing any of the good players in fear of injuries.

Thats not what I was talking about. I was saying if Murray ends up getting hurt in the playoffs and misses a game or two, itd be nice to have a backup with some confidence.

Playing De Smith in our last game of the year tells him they do have some confidence in his ability. Goes a long way.

Its fine you dont care, Im sure he feels good about.

 

[Brandinho]

Any player could get hurt in any game. So that's an invalid reason unless you plan on never playing any of the good players in fear of injuries.

I don't think it's an invalid reason. Murray's started 7 games in a row in a season where he's had some weird patterns of not playing for stretches due to injury/bereavement. It's a back to back. I think that's a perfectly valid reason to start DeSmith. I also think that there are some very real downsides to starting DeSmith and that Murray gives us a better chance to win a game that isn't meaningless. As a result, I could live with either decision. Given the long break until the first game of the playoffs, I lean towards starting Murray, but the other perspective certainly has merit.

 

[Shockmaster]

Murray can get hurt the first minute of tonights game, he could get hurt in practice also. Or in the first period of game one next week. You can't be afraid to play your number one goalie in a game that matters.

Agreed. A lot of irrational fear about Murray. Then again, irrational fear and looking as hard as possible for a reason to panic is just how Yinzer Nation rolls.

 

[Shockmaster]

Thats not what I was talking about. I was saying if Murray ends up getting hurt in the playoffs and misses a game or two, itd be nice to have a backup with some confidence.

Playing De Smith in our last game of the year tells him they do have some confidence in his ability. Goes a long way.

Its fine you dont care, the players do.

You really think the outcome of this game will make or break the other players' confidence in DeSmith?

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

Man that Ottawa lineup is a trashpile.

 

[ColePens]

Any player could get hurt in any game. So that's an invalid reason unless you plan on never playing any of the good players in fear of injuries.

I would say 5 days away from the playoffs is a unique situation. We need 1 point. Get 1 point and we are gold.

 

[Ryder71]

Agreed. A lot of irrational fear about Murray. Then again, irrational fear and looking as hard as possible for a reason to panic is just how Yinzer Nation rolls.

If someone told me all we had to do to secure home ice was to win or get a loser point in our last game of the year at home against a struggling team I couldn't imagine we'd start anyone but MM. Again, unless there's some injury we don't know about. Hopefully we'll get away with it. I hope the game is an easy one, but I'd guess the sens would see us playing our back up as a slap in the face.

 

[Beau Knows]

I think I probably would have gone with Murray since this is an important game and he could still use some confidence going into the playoffs, playing against a bad team like the Sens might have helped him there if he could allow less than 3 goals.

But DeSmith has been good and should be good enough tonight if everyone else shows up.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

You really think the outcome of this game will make or break the other players' confidence in DeSmith?

No clue how you keep misunderstanding the point I was making. That response above has nothing to do with what I was talking about.

Anyways it isnt as big of a deal you two are making it out to be.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

If the Pens can't beat this depleted Ottawa roster with DeSmith in nets, then that means they've got bigger issues than just not starting Murray tonight.

 

[GoSensGo6172]

Wow really, DeSmith? f*** that. Murray was fine to start and would have been plenty of rest before the first round started. Such a dumb move.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Wow really, DeSmith? **** that. Murray was fine to start and would have been plenty of rest before the first round started. Such a dumb move.

Pickup DeSmith in fantasy