Pre-Game Talk: Pens @ Dallas

[Shady Machine]

Stars D:

Goligoski-Klingberg (their Olli Maatta)
Oduya-Demers
Benn-Jokipakka

vs

Cole-Letang
Maatta-Scuderi?
Dumo-Lovejoy

The top pairings are a wash. Letang is better than Goligoski but Klingberg is better than Cole. I give them the edge on the second pairing since MJ and co want one of Scuds/Lovejoy there. Third pairing is probably fairly even as well.

As constructed, their D has more upside since they don't have a Scuds or Lovejoy that won't get better. Oduya could start a slide, but he hasn't shown many signs of slowing down.

 

[cajal]

I'm just happy the Pens are back to playing real games. With all of the changes/acquisitions during the summer (we got Kessel? Holy ****) this is one of the longest off-seasons I can remember.

LGP!

I hope the Stars have a D that is as shaky as ours so we can see a bunch of goals. They've probably gotten better since last year with their additions, we'll see.

 

[gopens66]

Hockey.......tonight!.......REAL..Hockey.......Tonight!

 

[Speaking Moistly]

They don't have a lot of guys in "oh dear god" territory as far as being slow goes, so there's at least that. Scuderi is irredeemable and slow, at least Bonino does other things when he eventually gets somewhere. They need to start cutting the old fat instead of shooting themselves in the foot. Kunitz is lazy and aging, Scuderi is awful, Lowejoy isn't that good and had a bad preseason, and Dupuis is someone who I now consider unable to stay healthy. Clendening should be playing tonight, at least that should be happening if they can't bring themselves to hurt Kunitz's feelings.

No more Adams, no more Adams.

 

[Smasher]

 

[gopens66]

They don't have a lot of guys in "oh dear god" territory as far as being slow goes, so there's at least that. Scuderi is irredeemable and slow, at least Bonino does other things when he eventually gets somewhere. They need to start cutting the old fat instead of shooting themselves in the foot. Kunitz is lazy and aging, Scuderi is awful, Lowejoy isn't that good and had a bad preseason, and Dupuis is someone who I now consider unable to stay healthy. Clendening should be playing tonight, at least that should be happening if they can't bring themselves to hurt Kunitz's feelings.

No more Adams, no more Adams.

I'll take up the call!

No more Adams! No more Adams! No more Adams! No more Adams!

 

[Daeni10]

I'll take up the call!

No more Adams! No more Adams! No more Adams! No more Adams!

Scuderi top4! Scuderi top4! Scuderi top4!

 

[madinsomniac]

Where is the GDT... It better have Hot Dogs in it.....

 

[madinsomniac]

So which would you prefer... Kuhnhackl or Kunitz on the top line?...lol

 

[Randy Butternubs]

They don't have a lot of guys in "oh dear god" territory as far as being slow goes, so there's at least that. Scuderi is irredeemable and slow, at least Bonino does other things when he eventually gets somewhere. They need to start cutting the old fat instead of shooting themselves in the foot. Kunitz is lazy and aging, Scuderi is awful, Lowejoy isn't that good and had a bad preseason, and Dupuis is someone who I now consider unable to stay healthy. Clendening should be playing tonight, at least that should be happening if they can't bring themselves to hurt Kunitz's feelings.

No more Adams, no more Adams.

 

[Daeni10]

So which would you prefer... Kuhnhackl or Kunitz on the top line?...lol

Kühnhackl because im german xD

 

[Ignatius]

I'll take up the call!

No more Adams! No more Adams! No more Adams! No more Adams!

I can't decide what is more surreal, having Kessel on this team or having Craig Adams off of it...

 

[IcedCapp]

we gon' lose, i guar-ronnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-teeeeeeeeeeee it

 

[HandshakeLine]

This is fun.

This game could end up being 8-7. Tons and tons of offensive firepower.

I'm up for some good old-fashioned firewagon hockey (which again is another reason I'm also not as bummed about the defense as so many posters). I'd rather watch a team winning 6-4 than 2-0 nine times out of ten.

 

[Shady Machine]

I'm up for some good old-fashioned firewagon hockey (which again is another reason I'm also not as bummed about the defense as so many posters). I'd rather watch a team winning 6-4 than 2-0 nine times out of ten.

Agreed but the having Scuds and Lovejoy play as opposed to Clendening makes the offense worse and the defense only marginally better, if at all.

If we are going with 4 scoring lines, we might as well go all out with PMD's while we are at it. I mean if Scuds was some awesome shutdown guy, sure, but he's not anymore (if he ever was).

The good news is, this could legitimately be our defense by mid season:

Cole-Letang
Maatta-Clendening
Pouliot-Dumo

 

[Coastal Kev]

I'm up for some good old-fashioned firewagon hockey (which again is another reason I'm also not as bummed about the defense as so many posters). I'd rather watch a team winning 6-4 than 2-0 nine times out of ten.

I agree with this statement big time!! I miss the hockey that I grew up with.

 

[DegenX]

 

[SEALBound]

Let's go boys! Light em up up up, light em up up up, light em up up up!

I can't wait for the new Fall Out Boy song that defines this season

 

[HandshakeLine]

I can wait forever for a new Fall Out Boy song. Hopefully until the universe implodes.

 

[JTG]

We are definitely better off icing all PMD's, honestly. If you're going to win games 7-5, better have the horses to run that race, and we do.

 

[madinsomniac]

I'm up for some good old-fashioned firewagon hockey (which again is another reason I'm also not as bummed about the defense as so many posters). I'd rather watch a team winning 6-4 than 2-0 nine times out of ten.

I dont mind 2-0 as long as there are a ton of legit chances and great defensive plays to thwart them... I hate obstruction and grinding games that result in nothing exciting. two teams gaining the line and dumping it in or mucking around in the neutral zone all game isnt exactly enticing hockey

 

[madinsomniac]

Let's go boys! Light em up up up, light em up up up, light em up up up!

I can't wait for the new Fall Out Boy song that defines this season

She want to Dance Like Uma Thurman.... didnt you know?

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I can wait forever for a new Fall Out Boy song. Hopefully until the universe implodes.

Death is a far better fate than having to listen to another Fall Out Boy song, that's for damn sure.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I dont mind 2-0 as long as there are a ton of legit chances and great defensive plays to thwart them... I hate obstruction and grinding games that result in nothing exciting. two teams gaining the line and dumping it in or mucking around in the neutral zone all game isnt exactly enticing hockey

Yeah, the problem is usually these lower scoring games aren't because of outstanding play, they're just a return of the trapping/obstruction heavy hockey that I hated in dead puck era and hate even more now.

 

[SirBrad]

I can wait forever for a new Fall Out Boy song. Hopefully until the universe implodes.

Oh please no more Fall Out Boy this year.

Please no more!