GDT: ECQF Game 1|Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers|An ode to our old friend!

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ColePens

RIP Fugu Buffaloed & parabola
Mar 27, 2008
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Pittsburgh
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Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers
ECQF Game 1 - 7:00PM EST
Wednesday April 11, 2018 @ PPG Paints Arena
NBCSN, CBC, TVAS, ATTSN-PT, NBCSP


Quotes

"I still pinch myself almost every day that you get to be a part of something like this," said Pittsburgh goaltender Matt Murray, who won each of the past two Stanley Cups while technically a rookie under NHL rules.


"We didn't expect very many people to pick us to come out of this series, and that's OK," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. "There's a quiet belief in our dressing room. ... We're the underdog. We're pegged that. We know that. We're playing against a hell of a hockey team that has a lot of experience at the playoff level. We've got to go out and earn it, and that's what we'll do."



The Matchup (Thanks @MiamiScreamingEagles)


Philadelphia Flyers

Lines
28 Claude Giroux - 14 Sean Couturier - 12 Michael Raffl
54 Oskar Lindblom - 19 Nolan Patrick - 93 Jakub Voracek
11 Travis Konecny - 51 Valtteri Filppula - 17 Wayne Simmonds
21 Scott Laughton - 15 Jori Lehtera - 24 Matt Read

Pairings
9 Ivan Provorov - 53 Shayne Gostisbehere
47 Andrew MacDonald - 6 Travis Sanheim
23 Brandon Manning - 3 Radko Gudas

Goalies
37 Brian Elliott (expected starter) - 34 Petr Mrazek



Pittsburgh Penguins

Lines
59 Jake Guentzel - 87 Sidney Crosby - 17 Bryan Rust
62 Carl Hagelin - 71 Evgeni Malkin - 72 Patric Hornqvist
43 Conor Sheary - 19 Derick Brassard - 81 Phil Kessel
46 Zach Aston-Reese - 15 Riley Sheahan - 34 Tom Kuhnhackl

Pairings
8 Brian Dumolin - 58 Kris Letang
3 Olli Maataa - 4 Justin Schultz
6 Jamie Oleksiak - 2 Chad Ruhwedel

Goalies

30 Matt Murray (expected starter) - 1 Casey DeSmith




Cole's "How They Win"

Flyers will win if:

- I think more than any team, Philly can hurt us on the powerplay. I know it was average all year, but they had good success against us in the past when we were overly aggressive. They pass well and can use our over-aggression against us. In our recent game - they went 1/3. Back in the 3/7 game they went 0/5. That would be nice. So if we can stick to making it average, we should have a nice advantage.

- I have said it before that they are one of the best transition teams in the NHL. They pass, chip, and get to the weak side of the ice with space. It creates odd man rushes quickly. Especially if we are not rotating our F3 back. We need to make sure we rotate our F3 back. That is something we always see with Philly. We need to make sure we are getting our even numbers.

And when we have even numbers, we have to be smart defensively. Don't crash too low, or else they'll hit a high guy. A couple of their high guys can flat out snipe with wrist shots. Especially Ghost and Provorov.

- Confidence: Pens can give the Flyers confidence 2 ways. 1) By making Elliott look better than he is. 2) By giving up a SHG at the wrong time. Steer clear of giving them belief. Do not give them any belief or confidence.

Players to watch: Konecny and Giroux. These are the two players who can spark belief in the Flyers. If they are flying around stirring the pot, the Pens have to focus on their game.


Pens will win if:

- Pens be Pens and Murray be Murray. No doubt we are, on paper, the better team. The Flyers are young and upcoming. The Pens have the experience and have the team. All they have to do is not kill themselves.

- I don't think many of us have our usual confidence in Mur's rebound control. He was so good after his father's passing. He was not so good after his concussion. I hope, like hell, he starts to get into his groove. He's the rock back there. He doesn't have to be a a star. He just has to make the saves he has to make. That's all.

It's that simple. IF the Pens are the Pens, the stars are the stars, and Murray is playoff Murray - we go forward. If we want to give them confidence and feed their only way of winning, that's how the series opens up.

Players to watch: Murray needs to be his old self. It starts with his rebound control and glove hand. After that, we need our stars to be stars.




An Ode to Lord Stanley with memories of 2009/2016/2017 on HF:

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JimmyTwoTimes

Registered User
Apr 13, 2010
19,958
5,281
Guentzel scores off his first shot first shift, picking right up from last year? Becoming the new playoff warrior?

Still cant believe he had 13g 10a 23p last year. Those are better numbers than what any one of our guys did in the 2016 run.
 

Andy99

Registered User
Jun 26, 2017
50,010
32,181
1) Don’t be stupid
2) Play hard from the get-go
3) Forecheck and backcheck
4) Enjoy yourselves...quiet confidence
5) Make sure the iPads are charged
 

Ryder71

Registered User
Nov 24, 2017
22,831
11,036
Pens will win if:

We don't beat ourselves.

Flyers will win if:

We beat ourselves.
I was about to say that myself, that's really the major variable to consider here. That and potential injuries to key players.
 

cheesedanish87

Registered User
Jun 27, 2012
10,797
2,157
Pittsburgh
I feel like the Pens have home ice disadvantage this series.

The road team always plays better between these 2 teams.

I'd feel pretty confident going back to Philly with a split knowing the Pens play good in Philly.
 

JimmyTwoTimes

Registered User
Apr 13, 2010
19,958
5,281
Time to unleash Letang and not be worried about getting injured.

Time for Sheahan to be more physical.

Time to close those lanes and not let every shot get to Murray.

Time for Murray to get back to not allowing rebounds..swallow the puck.
 

Ryder71

Registered User
Nov 24, 2017
22,831
11,036
I feel like the Pens have home ice disadvantage this series.

The road team always plays better between these 2 teams.

I'd feel pretty confident going back to Philly with a split knowing the Pens play good in Philly.
I think PIT wins in five, as long as it happens in any particular manner I'm ok if we sustain a home loss. If we win and stay healthy it's all good.
 

The Old Master

come and take it.
Sep 27, 2004
17,402
4,757
burgh
Time to unleash Letang and not be worried about getting injured.

Time for Sheahan to be more physical.

Time to close those lanes and not let every shot get to Murray.

Time for Murray to get back to not allowing rebounds..swallow the puck.
time to remind them how rare a chance this is.
 

Ryder71

Registered User
Nov 24, 2017
22,831
11,036
Time to unleash Letang and not be worried about getting injured.

Time for Sheahan to be more physical.

Time to close those lanes and not let every shot get to Murray.

Time for Murray to get back to not allowing rebounds..swallow the puck.
I'll be very curious to see how we manage the puck tonight and beyond, that'll go a long way in defining this series for us. I certainly feel as though it's our series to lose.
 

JimmyTwoTimes

Registered User
Apr 13, 2010
19,958
5,281
I'll be very curious to see how we manage the puck tonight and beyond, that'll go a long way in defining this series for us. I certainly feel as though it's our series to lose.

Should be. If you take away the fact that they are our biggest rival(where weird things can happen and are instensified) this is the easiest matchup on paper out of the 3 teams we could have faced.

As long as the Pens are confident, remember what got them two cups and hungry to win another..theres no reason we shouldnt see their best.

One thing to pay attention to is the lucky bounces..and lack of. That can have a big impact on a game, and eventually in a series. We were , for the most part on the right side of that stuff. Got the dirty goals..lucky bounces, etc. While other teams didnt. If Philly gets a lucky bounce or two, thats what "may" get the Pens off their game a bit.

Its crucial to start off game 1 the right way, and we usually do.
 

Ryder71

Registered User
Nov 24, 2017
22,831
11,036
Should be. If you take away the fact that they are our biggest rival(where weird things can happen and are instensified) this is the easiest matchup on paper out of the 3 teams we could have faced.
This is definitely the match up I wanted. Doesn't mean it will be easy, but on paper it should be easier then some of the other potential opponents we could have drawn. I'm not overly excited for this because it's a long road (hopefully) ahead of us. Enjoy each game but don't get too high or too low. I'm sure the pens players view it similarly.
 

JimmyTwoTimes

Registered User
Apr 13, 2010
19,958
5,281
This is definitely the match up I wanted. Doesn't mean it will be easy, but on paper it should be easier then some of the other potential opponents we could have drawn. I'm not overly excited for this because it's a long road (hopefully) ahead of us. Enjoy each game but don't get too high or too low. I'm sure the pens players view it similarly.

Yeah Im also curious to see how these new guys will do in these playoffs. Sheahan, Oleskiak, ZAR, Jooris, Simon, and Brassard. Alot of turnover from the last two years. We need a few of those guys to step up and help support the star players.
 
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