Series Talk: MDSF: (3) Penguins vs. (2) Islanders

[ZeroPucksGiven]

They won one Jennings with Halak and got to play the 2012 Kings in the 2nd round.

Nobody was beating that Kings team that season.

His point was that StL was consistently in the top of GAA and having a 1A and 1B goalie situation tends not to work out so well historically.

 

[EightyOne]

Interesting.....

 

[LittleSpoon]

I like this.

 

[TimmyD]

Naw. We need Bjugs @ 3C. Done very well there.
You could put Bluegs on his LW tho if Simon-Bjugs-Phil looks like arse in their own end.

I prefer Sid getting Horny or McCann and Geno gets Rust stapled to either hip.

So my thought process is that I think Bjugstad would be just as good on RW (especially playing with Sid) and the Blueger gets to play center where he has also looked way better and more comfortable, not to mention with Blueger and Rust on that line you could let Kessel turn things loose and play his style more because you have two guys who are solid defensively with him

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Wow...figured it'd be Lehner for sure.
Is my memory correct that Griess robbed a couple games against us a couple years ago?

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

So my thought process is that I think Bjugstad would be just as good on RW (especially playing with Sid) and the Blueger gets to play center where he has also looked way better and more comfortable, not to mention with Blueger and Rust on that line you could let Kessel turn things loose and play his style more because you have two guys who are solid defensively with him

Eh...from the eye test it appears Bjugs is much more comfortable at C vs Wing
The opposite is true of McCann...seems like a natural wing

 

[Old Gregg]

Lehner didn't skate today. Lehner is starting tonight.

 

[EightyOne]

Mackey usually is not so lazy in his research, if true:

Lehner didn't skate today. Lehner is starting tonight.

 

[Old Gregg]

Mackey usually is not so lazy in his research, if true:

Ya...i found his follow up tweet

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Thomas Greiss also the last goalie off for the Islanders.

 

[EightyOne]

Careless social media posting! Lol

 

[HandshakeLine]

Oh, no! How will we ever survive such mind games and psychological rodgering??

 

[MrBurghundy]

Teaches me when trusting a Mackey tweet.

 

[EightyOne]

Oh, no! How will we ever survive such mind games and psychological rodgering??

Malkin just boarded a flight for KHL.

Kessel extended for 10 more years.

Letting retired. But rescinded to join Montreal.

Crosby went fishing.

 

[Riptide]

If the Pens can play like they did during that 10 game win streak, they should handle the Isle fairly easily.

If they can play like they did during that stretch they should be able to handle most of the teams in the POs.

 

[Pens x]

I’m excited the playoffs are finally here. What a roller coaster of a season, a lot of downs.

I am bit nervous for tonight.

I predict 2-1 Islanders.

 

[Trade]

What is keeping Muzz out of being part of the boy's club for goalies? It seems this dude just gets unjustified heat. I understand Pittsburgh media because they loved MAF. But it just seems no matter how many amazing things this guy does, he gets no love.

Product of Sidney Crosby?

 

[Gurglesons]

That wasn't the case in 2016. Because you can make an argument that Sid and Phil did a lot of the offensive heavy lifting
I'm not saying Malkin didn't contribute, because he had 18 points

But in 2016 it was L3 (HBK) moreso than Malkin
The next year Malkin/Phil had major contributions.

So that's why it's been echoed: there's more than 1 way to skin a cat.
And what was done in previous years isn't necessarily repeatable

Kunitz - Malkin - Rust was IMO our biggest lifter in terms of possession match-ups for the Pens that year. HBK scores points, but KMR was making coaches dictate match-ups.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Ugh, I previously said I'd go to this business dinner tonight not knowing that any Pens games were tonight. Hopefully the steakhouse has a TV in the bar.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Product of Sidney Crosby?

His secondary assist totals are totally inflated

 

[Riptide]

The edge in goaltending is not just Lehner though...I think anyone looking at the Isles goaltending has to look at Greiss too since they split starts pretty evenly...they both had over .930 save % and both were excellent this year...the combo of Murray and CDS wasn’t as good...

And let’s be honest about Murray...his year HAS been inconsistent and even though he’s been great since the TDL, there were some moments of letting in soft goals at the end of games during the pressure times that was troubling...I’m not supporting Biron’s criticism, I’m just saying Murray was outplayed last PO by Holtby, that is true...and it is true that he lets in the odd soft goal...and it could be that Lehner/Greiss will fall back to their norms this PO and Murray will outplay them...no one knows, but in a vacuum, looking just at the RS this year, you would have to give goaltending edge to the Isles and saying that is not wrong...

I actually think that's a detriment rather than a positive. In the RS when everyone is getting games (46/43) it's a great thing to have. But in the POs when you're playing, having a backup who's posted numbers like that could very easily lead to the coach pulling you in favor of him, which could very easily lead to neither guy getting into a rhythm. The POs are just a different beast where everything is heightened and the games are a lot more important, and thus there's a lot more pressure on everyone.

Don't get me wrong - I'd rather have a backup with a .930 svg% vs a .900, but I think giving one team the advantage over the other because of a .927 vs .916 is meaningless. Only one guy is playing nightly, and thus the importance of having a great backup is significantly less than say having a great 2/3C or 2/3D, etc. And I certainly wouldn't be using it to show why team A has an advantage in net over team B.

Edit. I see @Peat beat me to it.

 

[molon labe]

Ugh, I previously said I'd go to this business dinner tonight not knowing that any Pens games were tonight. Hopefully the steakhouse has a TV in the bar.

Should be able to listen to Mike Lange on your phone via bluetooth ear bud - which you need for 'business' calls.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Ugh, I previously said I'd go to this business dinner tonight not knowing that any Pens games were tonight. Hopefully the steakhouse has a TV in the bar.

We’re here for you with trenchant commentary and poop jokes

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Should be able to listen to Mike Lange on your phone via bluetooth ear bud - which you need for 'business' calls.

Too bad Mike Lange isn't available...

Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange will miss start of the playoffs because of illness

 

[KIRK]

Teaches me when trusting a Mackey tweet.

You didn't learn that lesson already?