Will the Penguins win game 7?

[ColePens]

Out of all the series, I do think we will get a slight advantage w/ home ice. There are a few matchups to exploit.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I literally have no idea how this one is going to play out.

Heart says Pens.

Brain say:

 

[SEALBound]

Anderson vs the Pens. That's what it comes down to.

Run: Jake-Sid-Horny, Wilson-Geno-Phil, Rust-Bones-Rowns, Hags-Cullys-Archi and it will take everything Ottawa has to keep up.

Key is, they need to get the first goal. If Ottawa gets the first goal they will sit on it. They've proven that they can keep 1 goal leads for long periods. Awful for the game but good for them. Key is, get the first one. Then the second. Force Ottawa out of their own trap.

 

[Palumbo]

Pens need four lines pressing hard. They have to play like what got them past Columbus. If they can get a couple in the 1st, they'll be fine. Keep pouring on the offense and let MM or MAF do his thing.

 

[Rossi Rat]

Anderson vs the Pens. That's what it comes down to.

Run: Jake-Sid-Horny, Wilson-Geno-Phil, Rust-Bones-Rowns, Hags-Cullys-Archi and it will take everything Ottawa has to keep up.

Key is, they need to get the first goal. If Ottawa gets the first goal they will sit on it. They've proven that they can keep 1 goal leads for long periods. Awful for the game but good for them. Key is, get the first one. Then the second. Force Ottawa out of their own trap.

This. It was extremely aggravating that Sid had multiple great chances and Anderson stopped them all last game. Not a whole ton of trouble with two Vezina caliber guys in Bob/Holtby, but 3 goals in 3 losses to Craig Anderson... random.

 

[Bob Kudelski]

It really comes down to Matt Murray vs. the Sens.

 

[farscape1]

Pens will lose. Probably get shut out.

 

[ColePens]

It really comes down to Matt Murray vs. the Sens.

Offense has to score. Period. Can't let Andy steal another one. Even if Andy is unreal like last game, you cannot let him steal a game. Similar to Vasi/Jones last year. You just cannot let them steal a game. Will yourself to goals.

And Murray has to make sure no softies go in. For sure.

 

[larueskee]

Relax you got this guys. The Sens do not have the recent history of winning games at this stage of the tournament. Pens at home, it will be hard for the refs to mess this one up. Now the big question I ask is who do you put in goal? You all realize that if Murray is in and he loses it will be a big question for decades.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Relax you got this guys. The Sens do not have the recent history of winning games at this stage of the tournament. Pens at home, it will be hard for the refs to mess this one up.

Are you new to the NHL?

Now the big question I ask is who do you put in goal? You all realize that if Murray is in and he loses it will be a big question for decades.

You realize that if MAF is in goal and he loses it will be a big question for decades.

 

[cheesedanish87]

Almost every playoff game this year comes down to which goalie plays the best game.

I expect a solid game from Murray, that's just the type of goalie he is.

Anderson is more of a wildcard, he could stand on his head or he could give up 5 goals.

Its hard to predict, puck luck will also have a big say in who wins tonight.

 

[larueskee]

Are you new to the NHL?



You realize that if MAF is in goal and he loses it will be a big question for decades.

No I was all in before the expansion six. Last game Pens had to face what I call the Canadian bias. When a Canadian team plays at home the calls will go the Canadian team's way. Pens just need to get the first goal tonight. Yes you are right if MAF plays it will be another question of the decade but today Fluery has played 861.9 minutes of playoff hockey and scene 490 shots. Murray has played 224.57 and scene 101 shots. Tough call for the coach but I know what I would do.

 

[Coach Travis]

Pittsburgh has this in the bag. A switch was flicked after Game 3 and we've utterly dominated Ottawa since.

It's tough to win 3-straight playoff games, even tougher to eliminate a team on your first try.

Ottawa got every. Single. Bounce. In Game 6. Boucher is going to try and win in the same fashion... Good luck, ugly!

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Almost every playoff game this year comes down to which goalie plays the best game.

I expect a solid game from Murray, that's just the type of goalie he is.

Anderson is more of a wildcard, he could stand on his head or he could give up 5 goals.

Its hard to predict, puck luck will also have a big say in who wins tonight.

Special Teams and Goaltending. Rote but true.

 

[Fordy]

No I was all in before the expansion six. Last game Pens had to face what I call the Canadian bias. When a Canadian team plays at home the calls will go the Canadian team's way. Pens just need to get the first goal tonight. Yes you are right if MAF plays it will be another question of the decade but today Fluery has played 861.9 minutes of playoff hockey and scene 490 shots. Murray has played 224.57 and scene 101 shots. Tough call for the coach but I know what I would do.

it's not a tough call at all. can you tell me how many goals murray has given up?

 

[zacharoni16]

I'm thinking the Pens are the better team for sure, but with stuff the Sens are allowed to get away with, who knows. Only way to beat them and the refs is to play like they did in Game 5 and score 5+ goals

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

This game 100% comes down to Anderson.

 

[larueskee]

it's not a tough call at all. can you tell me how many goals murray has given up?

Off the top of my head 3 maybe 4. He has the better GA but its only over a 3+ game spread. One thing I look at is the bad game the flower had and throw that out of the stats and the fact that Murray has not had his bad game yet ( they always happen even to the best of them ) concerns me. I also like the veterans in these moments. Yeah Murray won a cup last year but this is a different deal. This ain't last year.

 

[Finesse]

It really comes down to Matt Murray vs. the Sens.

I think it really comes down to Anderson.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Off the top of my head 3 maybe 4. He has the better GA but its only over a 3+ game spread. One thing I look at is the bad game the flower had and throw that out of the stats and the fact that Murray has not had his bad game yet ( they always happen even to the best of them ) concerns me. I also like the veterans in these moments. Yeah Murray won a cup last year but this is a different deal. This ain't last year.

Safe to say you're in the overwhelming minority.

It'd be a huge mistake to go back to Fleury. Murray has been great, and the better goalie over the entire course of his career.

Fortunately, there's no way Sullivan goes back to MAF tonight anyway.

 

[SalutGilles]

This series reminds me a lot of the 1996 ECF. They should have won that series back then, but got done in by Vanbiesbrouck stepping up when he needed to. The parallels to that series are strange in that Ottawa has won the numbered games Florida won this year in 1996, and the Pens obviously have won the same numbered games they won in 1996. Game 5 was a shutout win by the Pens at home in 1996 just like 2017. Then they lost in game 6 at Florida after having the lead.

1996:

May 18 Florida Panthers 5–1 Pittsburgh Penguins
May 20 Florida Panthers 2–3 Pittsburgh Penguins
May 24 Pittsburgh Penguins 2–5 Florida Panthers
May 26 Pittsburgh Penguins 2–1 Florida Panthers
May 28 Florida Panthers 0–3 Pittsburgh Penguins
May 30 Pittsburgh Penguins 3–4 Florida Panthers
June 1 Florida Panthers 3–1 Pittsburgh Penguins

2017:

May 13 Ottawa Senators 2–1 OT Pittsburgh Penguins
May 15 Ottawa Senators 0–1 Pittsburgh Penguins
May 17 Pittsburgh Penguins 1–5 Ottawa Senators
May 19 Pittsburgh Penguins 3–2 Ottawa Senators
May 21 Ottawa Senators 0–7 Pittsburgh Penguins
May 23 Pittsburgh Penguins 1–2 Ottawa Senators

I'm not really optimistic tonight and I'm praying I'm wrong, but I think the Senators pull this one out. Anderson is the key to winning or losing for the Pens, and if he plays tonight the way he did in game 6, I don't see the Pens solving him.

 

[larueskee]

Safe to say you're in the overwhelming minority.

It'd be a huge mistake to go back to Fleury. Murray has been great, and the better goalie over the entire course of his career.

Fortunately, there's no way Sullivan goes back to MAF tonight anyway.

I'm afraid you are right.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Yes

Season is not ending tonight!!!!!

 

[zero8771]

This series reminds me a lot of the 1996 ECF. They should have won that series back then, but got done in by Vanbiesbrouck stepping up when he needed to. The parallels to that series are strange in that Ottawa has won the numbered games Florida won this year in 1996, and the Pens obviously have won the same numbered games they won in 1996. Game 5 was a shutout win by the Pens at home in 1996 just like 2017. Then they lost in game 6 at Florida after having the lead.

1996:

May 18 Florida Panthers 5–1 Pittsburgh Penguins
May 20 Florida Panthers 2–3 Pittsburgh Penguins
May 24 Pittsburgh Penguins 2–5 Florida Panthers
May 26 Pittsburgh Penguins 2–1 Florida Panthers
May 28 Florida Panthers 0–3 Pittsburgh Penguins
May 30 Pittsburgh Penguins 3–4 Florida Panthers
June 1 Florida Panthers 3–1 Pittsburgh Penguins

2017:

May 13 Ottawa Senators 2–1 OT Pittsburgh Penguins
May 15 Ottawa Senators 0–1 Pittsburgh Penguins
May 17 Pittsburgh Penguins 1–5 Ottawa Senators
May 19 Pittsburgh Penguins 3–2 Ottawa Senators
May 21 Ottawa Senators 0–7 Pittsburgh Penguins
May 23 Pittsburgh Penguins 1–2 Ottawa Senators

I'm not really optimistic tonight and I'm praying I'm wrong, but I think the Senators pull this one out. Anderson is the key to winning or losing for the Pens, and if he plays tonight the way he did in game 6, I don't see the Pens solving him.

while the results of the 1996 series is good trivia knowledge, it has no impact on tonight's game. none.

 

[stratosphere]

Anderson is the key to winning or losing for the Pens, and if he plays tonight the way he did in game 6, I don't see the Pens solving him.

In game 6, the Pens sent big floppy pucks into his belly and/or allowed him to cover wide open nets before they did so. It's not an Anderson problem--its a Pens problem. No one can pick a corner??? Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Rust, Hornqvist, Guentzel...isn't that like $40 Million worth of offensive talent?

46 shots and 1 goal sounds like a great goal-tending performance until you look at the chances. After that it looks like a poor goal-scoring performance. If that is corrected, adjusted, executed, this game is a rout tonight. If pucks keep being sent into the center of Anderson, the Sens will win.