GDT: 2016 PLAYOFF PUSH|'The Fight' to be Formidable Playoffs Foes|Pittsburgh Penguins

[barbosa]

I'd rather face Hank than have our D try to deal with the Isles big forwards. They seem to give us fits.

Well then, sir, we can respectfully disagree.

This isn't the same pens team that eeeked by them in a tight 6 games a couple years ago...whereas they basically are.

 

[Will Hunting]

In order to finish 2nd in the division, we have to probably win 5 out of our 6 remaining games. NYR´s schedule is pretty soft down the way, hard to imagine them winning less than 4 out of those 6. Islanders can make things interesting there, as they play both, PIT and NYR still. Also, NYI is regularly beating the NYR, so there is that.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I don't care who the Pens play, or where they start, home or away.

In fact I am very wary of getting a so-called 'easy' match-up of say a Florida. This team of late has played up to the challenge of some of their biggest rivals like the Caps and Rags, and outplayed them for large parts of the game. They would be sky high in a Rag-Pens series. I have seen them be less up for games not against their long time rivals. The Devils game, tonight. I want them to be as high as a kite going into a series with a hated rival.

So while I do not care on one level who they play, and respect but am not in awe of any of them, I almost want the team which will get them most riled up. Bring on the Rags.

Just no more injuries and get injured players back.

For once we have a team whose play is perfect for playoff hockey. That style can be beat, but more than one team has ridden a lot of speed up and down the lineup to a cup. So I like what we have been doing and feel better about the team this year than I have in a long long time.

 

[Will Hunting]

I hate the Flyers, but a part of me wants them to make the playoffs. They deserve it more than Det & Bos and if they end up playing the WSH in R1, then I really like it. I hate the Capitals more than the Flyers now and that would be the toughest possible matchup for them. Also, PIT-PHI for R2 would be absolutely fantastic.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Interesting analysis in the Washington paper of all places that gives a nice stat based analysis of the Rangers and Pens.

They use it to argue that Washington should pray to get the Rags in round two rather than us, but as we are pretty close to locked into a series with NY, it is a nice statistically look at the two teams:

Teams that drive puck possession tend to do very well in the playoffs. Analyst Shane O’Donnell concluded that 14 of the past 18 Stanley Cup finalists finished in the top ten for score-adjusted shot percentage, and that seven of the past nine Stanley Cup winners finished in the top five for that same metric.

.......

Pittsburgh, the fourth-best puck possession team, is 8-2-0 over the last 10 games and has the fifth highest adjusted scoring margin in the NHL (.036). Plus, they feature Sidney Crosby, who, after a slow start to the season, ranks third in points scored with 78.


The Rangers, meanwhile, are one of the worst puck possession teams (48 percent, 22nd in league) and have been in a free fall over the past 25 games.

Sure, the Rangers still have goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, but not even the best goaltenders can weather a storm of high-danger chances for very long. And right now, there are only five teams that yield more high-danger scoring chances than New York does at even strength (currently 11.3 per 60 minutes).

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...hould-want-to-face-the-islanders-and-rangers/


It goes to what I had shared earlier about shot differential. The Pens have put the most rubber on the net of any team (AINEC) since the end of December. Scored the most goals per game (AINEC) since the end of December. Have the largest shot differential in the league (AINEC) since the end of December.

The above article explains why that has been so. And why we should be fine about facing NY. That is not a lack of respect, NY certainly can send the Pens golfing. But I like HOW the Pens are playing against everyone, and statistically this match up looks good if you dive into the numbers absent NY going to a level they have not been statistically playing at.

 

[Nakawick]

I still think the Pens finish in WC1.

NYR - CAR, BUF, CBJ, TB, NYI, DET

NYI - CBJ, PIT, TB, WSH, BUF, PHI

PIT - NSH, NYI, PHIL, OTT, WSH, PHI


April 2nd looms large

something is impossible in that schedule

wot?

If the Islanders are on the Rags schedule,...April 7th.

 

[Will Hunting]

If the Islanders are on the Rags schedule,...April 7th.

Yeah, there is just missing "NYR" in the Isles schedule. They have 7 games remaining, not 6 as written there.

 

[IcedCapp]

If the Islanders are on the Rags schedule,...April 7th.

There fixed.

 

[deakka]

With our luck Florida will lose out on the 2nd place and we will have to face tampa. Thats the 2nd worst matchup for us imo after Washington and maybe Boston.

Tampa is among the only teams that can match our speed . And they have the hottest goalie in the NHL right now, and we all now how good we are against hot goalies :-P

 

[Ogrezilla]

I don't think its some bad luck thing that the 2nd wildcard has to play the 2nd best team though. That's kind of working as intended.

 

[WhatsaMaatta]

I don't think its some bad luck thing that the 2nd wildcard has to play the 2nd best team though. That's kind of working as intended.

It just punishes tams in the stronger division, which sucks.

 

[Ogrezilla]

It just punishes tams in the stronger division, which sucks.

true, that part sucks. Though its not out of the question that the 1st WC and Tampa will be 4th and 5th in the conference anyway, so they would have played in the old system too.

 

[Will Hunting]

true, that part sucks. Though its not out of the question that the 1st WC and Tampa will be 4th and 5th in the conference anyway, so they would have played in the old system too.

The problem is elsewhere though. Compare those 2vs3 divisional matchups. As it stands now.. NYR vs PIT aaaand possibly FLA vs DET. That´s just laughable.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I really don't get fretting about playoff matchups. I'm just happy we're likely in the post-season.

We can beat any team in the East. We can also be beaten by any team in the East. Either way, it's light-years beyond where we were at the start of the season. Besides, if somehow, we do end up contesting for the Cup, we're gonna have to go through the best of the best anyway. Might as well just embrace it.

 

[barbosa]

I really don't get fretting about playoff matchups. I'm just happy we're likely in the post-season.

We can beat any team in the East. We can also be beaten by any team in the East. Either way, it's light-years beyond where we were at the start of the season. Besides, if somehow, we do end up contesting for the Cup, we're gonna have to go through the best of the best anyway. Might as well just embrace it.

i agree with your comments, but are you truly indifferent to who we match up with in the playoffs? literally, there is no team you'd rather not face compared to others?

i know it's juvenile to *hope* to face a team in the first round...i'd done this in years past only to be disappointed, so i get the basis of your thinking...

 

[Shady Machine]

Interesting analysis in the Washington paper of all places that gives a nice stat based analysis of the Rangers and Pens.

They use it to argue that Washington should pray to get the Rags in round two rather than us, but as we are pretty close to locked into a series with NY, it is a nice statistically look at the two teams:




https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...hould-want-to-face-the-islanders-and-rangers/


It goes to what I had shared earlier about shot differential. The Pens have put the most rubber on the net of any team (AINEC) since the end of December. Scored the most goals per game (AINEC) since the end of December. Have the largest shot differential in the league (AINEC) since the end of December.

The above article explains why that has been so. And why we should be fine about facing NY. That is not a lack of respect, NY certainly can send the Pens golfing. But I like HOW the Pens are playing against everyone, and statistically this match up looks good if you dive into the numbers absent NY going to a level they have not been statistically playing at.

Good piece. Thanks for sharing.

 

[HandshakeLine]

i agree with your comments, but are you truly indifferent to who we match up with in the playoffs? literally, there is no team you'd rather not face compared to others?

i know it's juvenile to *hope* to face a team in the first round...i'd done this in years past only to be disappointed, so i get the basis of your thinking...

Yup, I don't care in the slightest. If we win, we win. If we lose, so what? We weren't even supposed to be here this year.

But people like to carry around emotional baggage, so I can see why posters are still seething over series that happened nearly a decade ago. It's just how we're wired.

 

[Will Hunting]

Playoffs matchups absolutely do matter. Saying that you have to beat anybody in order to win the Stanley Cup is cliche and it is a stupid cliche. No team would beat 29 teams in a playoffs series. You have to beat 4 particular teams that you will draw. Pens had the luck in their SC run when they faced the mediocre Carolina team instead of Boston. Carolina shocked boston in game7, then had no answers for the Penguins. Classic example of the playoffs matchup that did matter. There is a difference between facing.. let´s say.. Washington or Florida, Tampa or Florida, Rangers or Islanders etc..

 

[HandshakeLine]

Playoffs matchups absolutely do matter. Saying that you have to beat anybody in order to win the Stanley Cup is cliche and it is a stupid cliche. No team would beat 29 teams in a playoffs series. You have to beat 4 particular teams that you will draw. Pens had the luck in their SC run when they faced the mediocre Carolina team instead of Boston. Carolina shocked boston in game7, then had no answers for the Penguins. Classic example of the playoffs matchup that did matter. There is a difference between facing.. let´s say.. Washington or Florida, Tampa or Florida, Rangers or Islanders etc..

Luck matters. But you're fixated on something that I didn't say. Go back and re-read the post. We weren't supposed to even be here, we were written off by our own fans. And now people want to be precious about who we draw? We play who we play, we'll prepare for who we get, and let the best team win. You can't plan more than one series in advance anyway.

If I wanted that kind of entitled nonsense, I'd root for Sparta.

 

[Will Hunting]

Luck matters. But you're fixated on something that I didn't say. Go back and re-read the post. We weren't supposed to even be here, we were written off by our own fans. And now people want to be precious about who we draw? We play who we play, we'll prepare for who we get, and let the best team win. You can't plan more than one series in advance anyway.

If I wanted that kind of entitled nonsense, I'd root for Sparta.

I (for example) never said that this season is dead or something like that. It was all about winning for me, all the time. Even though I was frustrated as hell from Johnston, I still wanted to win and I still hoped for it.

Now we are here and we are really good, the past is behind us. Probably the best team in the league since Christmas. We have the full right to think about the easiest ways to win or analyze them. Once again, playoffs matchups do matter. But yeah, we won´t play the Caps in R1 and we have the fair chance to beat anybody in the East now. Even those Caps, when it eventually comes to that point.

 

[HandshakeLine]

That's where we differ- I don't care about winning all the time. If that was the main issue, we could play like the 90s Devils. I'd rather we play good, exciting, up-tempo hockey even if we lose. Those Devils teams should be a lesson to us all about that.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

From then pgt

Ehat a freak

 

[billybudd]

I really don't get fretting about playoff matchups. I'm just happy we're likely in the post-season.

We can beat any team in the East. We can also be beaten by any team in the East. Either way, it's light-years beyond where we were at the start of the season. Besides, if somehow, we do end up contesting for the Cup, we're gonna have to go through the best of the best anyway. Might as well just embrace it.

Lets not forget that from October to February, we looked like we'd be lucky to be an 8. Ten games ago, we were in a dogfight for 8. That we might get home ice advantage is a huge victory already considering where we started.

 

[66-30-33]

Interesting analysis in the Washington paper of all places that gives a nice stat based analysis of the Rangers and Pens.

They use it to argue that Washington should pray to get the Rags in round two rather than us, but as we are pretty close to locked into a series with NY, it is a nice statistically look at the two teams:




https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...hould-want-to-face-the-islanders-and-rangers/


It goes to what I had shared earlier about shot differential. The Pens have put the most rubber on the net of any team (AINEC) since the end of December. Scored the most goals per game (AINEC) since the end of December. Have the largest shot differential in the league (AINEC) since the end of December.

The above article explains why that has been so. And why we should be fine about facing NY. That is not a lack of respect, NY certainly can send the Pens golfing. But I like HOW the Pens are playing against everyone, and statistically this match up looks good if you dive into the numbers absent NY going to a level they have not been statistically playing at.

JR still has work to do if he's going to re-sign with us. Need to get more players that support this style we now play. People mentioned trading for Zucker (upcoming RFA) as a Hagelin clone. If this team is the type that gets hot just before the playoffs then i am good with our direction for the first time in a LONG time. We got to realize though that these players wont be hungry forever, that's why you get new players who are hungry. Look at the Hawks? they always get new players who want to win all the time, they don't keep the same players like we have been. Hope they are paying attention to this, we are at a time they really need to see what is going on here and if they don't see it they never will.

 

[Sidney BrOSSby*]

From then pgt

Ehat a freak

He's the opposite of beau, who's an inverted hand grenade.