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

[Gurglesons]

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.

People writing about this series are just trying to make it interesting. This should be an easy Pens win and if it isn’t then it is the Pens as always shooting themselves in the foot and one of Lehner or Greiss shutting the door.

 

[molon labe]

Too bad Mike Lange isn't available...

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

 

[KIRK]

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.

It was. It actually was the best possession line in the playoffs for any team. And Malkin's 18 points were 1 fewer than Sid, while Kunitz and Rust had the same total of ES points combined as Hornqvist and Sheary. So, yes, there's a rewriting in some circles of this forum of what Malkin did in the 2016 playoffs-- with one good arm, mind you. Hardly surprising, even after all the years, yes?

 

[pokey10]

Remember all those seasons when Halak and Elliott were winning the Jennings and how that tandem led the Blues to multiple WCFs?

Well said.

 

[pokey10]

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

Isnt the "first goalie off the ice" practice just a Pen's thing? I'd bet both my nuts that Lehner starts.

 

[Shady Machine]

Dude has won I believe, 7 of the last 8 playoff series he’s been in goal, and the red flag on him is losing his only playoff series to the goalie who got his name on the cup?

That’s some hard hitting analysis.

Holtby's career legacy is still up for debate, but he's statistically one of the best playoff goalies of the last 20+ years. Being worse than that guy shouldn't be a negative.

 

[domaug]

just win, baby!!

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Holtby's career legacy is still up for debate, but he's statistically one of the best playoff goalies of the last 20+ years. Being worse than that guy shouldn't be a negative.

I'm just going to stay offended that Murray finally lost a playoff series. I mean, I get that no goalie can win every playoff series, but he lost to Holtby and I can't trust any goalie that loses to a goalie with a neck beard.

Thats how it is.

f*** that guy. And I mean both of them.

 

[MrBurghundy]

You didn't learn that lesson already?

I have a short attention/memory span.

 

[pistolpete11]

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.

"If you have 2 quarterbacks, you've got none"

- Some guy
​

I think the same is true of goalies.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I'm just going to stay offended that Murray finally lost a playoff series. I mean, I get that no goalie can win every playoff series, but he lost to Holtby and I can't trust any goalie that loses to a goalie with a neck beard.

Thats how it is.

**** that guy. And I mean both of them.

We may disagree on many things, Jiggy, but I will always back your play on hating neck beards.

 

[Gurglesons]

Holtby's career legacy is still up for debate, but he's statistically one of the best playoff goalies of the last 20+ years. Being worse than that guy shouldn't be a negative.

Let’s be honest, Holtby has never been the issue for the Caps. Dude seems like a really chill guy also.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

"If you have 2 quarterbacks, you've got none"

- Some guy
​

I think the same is true of goalies.

I kind of agree but then I look at our run in 2017 where I think having 2 starters was supremely beneficial.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I kind of agree but then I look at our run in 2017 where I think having 2 starters was supremely beneficial.

That was a unique case, though. Fleury knew he was on the way out and is, by whatever measure you use, an outstanding locker room guy.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I kind of agree but then I look at our run in 2017 where I think having 2 starters was supremely beneficial.

They didn't have 2 starters on that run, they had 2 starting caliber goalies. Murray was clearly the starter and Fleury was clearly the backup, and Fleury was fine with that role.

 

[Gurglesons]

I kind of agree but then I look at our run in 2017 where I think having 2 starters was supremely beneficial.

We didn’t have two starters. Fleury was immediately replaced with Murray once Murray was healthy.

 

[pokey10]

We didn’t have two starters. Fleury was immediately replaced with Murray once Murray was healthy.

Though im not a MAF fan boy, im confident he could have won us that Sens series. Not sure about the NSH one though.

 

[pistolpete11]

I kind of agree but then I look at our run in 2017 where I think having 2 starters was supremely beneficial.

When both were healthy, there was a clear cut #1.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Oh god, it’s going to be another dumb thread about Flehhhhreeee now isn’t it?

I shouldn’t have opened my stupid mouth.

 

[Shockmaster]

We didn’t have two starters. Fleury was immediately replaced with Murray once Murray was healthy.

No he wasn't. Murray was the back-up in Game 7 against the Caps. His first start wasn't until Game 4 of the Ottawa series.

 

[Gurglesons]

Though im not a MAF fan boy, im confident he could have won us that Sens series. Not sure about the NSH one though.

Well, that’s insane considering Murray had a .946 SV to MAF’s .910 in that series.

I’d argue we don’t make that move and Ottawa is a very different looking team.

 

[dogthateats]

Fleury has a great smile and is funny though

 

[Gurglesons]

No he wasn't. Murray was the back-up in Game 7 against the Caps. His first start wasn't until Game 4 of the Ottawa series.

Sorry. They gave Fleury rope until he started to suck as he always does. He basically got replaced as soon as made sense. And from what I remember Murray was not seen as fully healthy until Game 2.

 

[ChaosAgent]

They didn't have 2 starters on that run, they had 2 starting caliber goalies. Murray was clearly the starter and Fleury was clearly the backup, and Fleury was fine with that role.

I viewed it more as riding a very hot MAF until the wheels fell off and then going to Murray. But maybe Murray was actually legitimately still hurt during the Caps series and couldn't go.

Given how well Fleury was playing - he stole the Caps series - it would have been foolish to go to Murray until Fleury imploded. Once he did, Murray assumed the starting role according to the initial script.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I viewed it more as riding a very hot MAF until the wheels fell off and then going to Murray. But maybe Murray was actually legitimately still hurt during the Caps series and couldn't go.

Given how well Fleury was playing - he stole the Caps series - it would have been foolish to go to Murray until Fleury imploded. Once he did, Murray assumed the starting role according to the initial script.

That's exactly what it was, they stuck with the hot hand and then went back to their starter when the hot hand got questionable. It's the same thing the Capitals did with Grubauer and Holtby last year. That's not a team with a tandem like Halak-Elliott.