GDT: #52: Pittsburgh Penguins at Dallas Stars | 8:00 PM ET | ROOT, FS-SW

[Frederick Stanley]

Didn't have much time to prepare a GDT for this one, so this one will have to suffice.


Penguins@Stars
Saturday, January 25th 8:00 PM ET
American Airlines Center

Penguins Line-Up

Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Chuck Kobasew
Jussi Jokinen - Evgeni Malkin - James Neal
Taylor Pyatt - Brandon Sutter - Jayson Megna
Tanner Glass - Andrew Ebbett - Craig Adams

Brooks Orpik - Paul Martin
Rob Scuderi - Kris Letang
Olli Maatta - Matt Niskane
Deryk Engelland - Robert Bortuzzo


Stars Line-Up

Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Valeri Nichushkin
Antoine Roussel – Cody Eakin – Ryan Garbutt
Erik Cole – Vernon Fiddler –Ray Whitney
Rich Peverley – Shawn Horcoff – Alex Chiasson

Alex Goligoski – Trevor Daley
Brenden Dillon – Jordie Benn
Aaron Rome – Sergei Gonchar


Goalies

Marc-Andrè Fleury - 28 Wins .916 Save % 2.30 GAA | Kari Lehtonen - 19 Wins .916 Save % 2.58 GAA

Injury report:

Penguins forward Andrew Ebbett (broken ankle) was activated off injured reserve Thursday but did not play. Goalie Tomas Vokoun (blood clot, hip) resumed skating this week. Forwards Beau Bennett (wrist surgery), Chris Conner (hand surgery), Pascal Dupuis (knee surgery), Brian Gibbons (lower body) and Joe Vitale (sprained right wrist) are on IR. … Stars forward Cody Eakin (upper body) left the game against Toronto in the third period and did not practice Friday, but is expected to play. Forwards Rich Peverley and Shawn Horcoff did not practice (maintenance). Defenseman Stephane Robidas (broken leg) is on IR.

http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/preview?id=2013020781
​

Click to read more...

 

[Randy Butternubs]

That 3rd line looks... adequate.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Let's go Pens. Smell another high scoring game here.

 

[Alistar]

Hey Stars fan here,

There was a question in your pre-game thread about Alex Chiasson being on the 4th line. Outside of the 1st line the Stars give basically an even allocation of ice time to everyone at even strength. The Stars' entire game is based around skating (they are probably the fastest team in the league when they are going well) and a hard forecheck, so Ruff likes keeps the ice time balanced and energy levels up.

 

[cheesedanish87]

Hey Stars fan here,

There was a question in your pre-game thread about Alex Chiasson being on the 4th line. Outside of the 1st line the Stars give basically an even allocation of ice time to everyone at even strength. The Stars' entire game is based around skating (they are probably the fastest team in the league when they are going well) and a hard forecheck, so Ruff likes keeps the ice time balanced and energy levels up.

Oh ok, fast team have given pens lots of problems in the past, it should be an entertaining game.

 

[switch23]

yuck @ Kobasew being on the 1st line

Oh well :-/


Let's Go Pens !!

 

[ColePens]

I wish Joey V was back. We are missing his ability to stir the pot in the bottom 6.

 

[Alistar]

Oh ok, fast team have given pens lots of problems in the past, it should be an entertaining game.

by way of comparison, probably the best match I've seen from the Eastern Conference for the way the Stars play is the New York Islanders. They beat us twice with our own game a couple weeks back when Dallas was in the middle of the 7 game losing streak, and they do a lot of the same stuff Dallas does with regards to getting the puck up the ice as quickly as possible and throwing everything at the net.

I understand you played them a couple nights back, so you can tell me how close you think the comparison is after you see the Stars play.

 

[cheesedanish87]

by way of comparison, probably the best match I've seen from the Eastern Conference for the way the Stars play is the New York Islanders. They beat us twice with our own game a couple weeks back when Dallas was in the middle of the 7 game losing streak, and they do a lot of the same stuff Dallas does with regards to getting the puck up the ice as quickly as possible and throwing everything at the net.

I understand you played them a couple nights back, so you can tell me how close you think the comparison is after you see the Stars play.

Sounds good, whenever pens play the Isles its always a wild high scoring game, you guys actually have a goalie though, so it might not be as high scoring.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Happens, Frederick. Thanks for putting it up.


I hope they can just keep up the intensity they have shown the last couple games.

 

[SEALBound]

Did Megna kill Bylsma dog? Did he punch his wife? Did he defecate on his lawn? In what world do you keep Kobasew with Sid and Megna on the third line?

It's awe inspiringly idiotic. More evidence of a complete inability to manage a lineup.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I don't get it.
How Kobasew can look so poorly on Sid's RW but they conintue to practice/play him there.

Don't you dare post the pic! Don't you dare!

 

[Fire Shero*]

I don't get it.
How Kobasew can look so poorly on Sid's RW but they conintue to practice/play him there.

Don't you dare post the pic! Don't you dare!

It really is difficult to try to begin to understand Bylsma's logic here. This is insanely idiotic, even for Bylsma.

 

[WayneSid9987]

It really is difficult to try to begin to understand Bylsma's logic here. This is insanely idiotic, even for Bylsma.

I hear you. It's like did this coaching staff see the 1 on 2 rush that Megna turned into a breakaway? Are they blind?

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I don't get it.
How Kobasew can look so poorly on Sid's RW but they conintue to practice/play him there.

Don't you dare post the pic! Don't you dare!

Look at the top 9. That RW next to Sid is going to be filled by Bennett, and the rest could actually work as playoff lines.

Kobasew's garbage, but the Pens worked the same routine with D'Agostini before shipping him off. They want to be able to say they gave him every opportunity to succeed.

 

[wheelz87]

It's all good, Ebbett is back. Our savior.

Can't wait to see Megna play 8 minutes!

 

[turd]

Kobe with the hatty tonight. Take it to the bank.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I look at the third line, "Hey, it actually doesn't look half bad. That's the best it's looked in awhile"
I look at the first line, "**** you, Dan, Ray and Chuck."

 

[WayneSid9987]

Look at the top 9. That RW next to Sid is going to be filled by Bennett, and the rest could actually work as playoff lines.

Kobasew's garbage, but the Pens worked the same routine with D'Agostini before shipping him off. They want to be able to say they gave him every opportunity to succeed.

I hear you but the logic of playing the D'agostini's and Kobasew's with your star wingers to prove they don't belong is becoming very very old here.

ETA: Sid and Kunitz had a very nice game for a change despite thier RW'er so i, atleast, hope that continues but like many have witnessed, it looks like they are pacing themselves somewhat.

 

[wheelz87]

Look at the top 9. That RW next to Sid is going to be filled by Bennett, and the rest could actually work as playoff lines.

Kobasew's garbage, but the Pens worked the same routine with D'Agostini before shipping him off. They want to be able to say they gave him every opportunity to succeed.

It's a failure though. Megna has potential!! We can see what we have in him right now. Does he have top 6 potential or is he best suited on the 3rd line, giving us secondary scoring? We'll never know with the way things are.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Look at the top 9. That RW next to Sid is going to be filled by Bennett, and the rest could actually work as playoff lines.

Kobasew's garbage, but the Pens worked the same routine with D'Agostini before shipping him off. They want to be able to say they gave him every opportunity to succeed.

if they want to give Kobe a chance to succeed, play him in a position he has a chance of succeeding in. If he is going to look good it will be in the bottom 6. He will never look good in the top 6. He's just not a top 6 player.

 

[cheesedanish87]

I actually like Megna on the 3rd line, this is the first time in a long time i feel like pens have 3 lines that are a threat to score.

If you put Megna with Sid your back to having 2 top lines and 2 4th lines.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Look at the top 9. That RW next to Sid is going to be filled by Bennett, and the rest could actually work as playoff lines.

Kobasew's garbage, but the Pens worked the same routine with D'Agostini before shipping him off. They want to be able to say they gave him every opportunity to succeed.

Totally agree with the last part. It's now or never.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

if they want to give Kobe a chance to succeed, play him in a position he has a chance of succeeding in. If he is going to look good it will be in the bottom 6. He will never look good in the top 6. He's just not a top 6 player.

I don't think he's going to look good anywhere...I mean, where does he fit when we're healthy? The rest of the top 9 all have legit shots to play in those positions.

Kobasew's merely a placeholder IMO.

 

[Ogrezilla]

If Megna on the third line means that Disco wants to see how he looks in that position long term, I am OK with him in that spot. If he and Kobasew are both just fill-ins until we get healthy, its stupid.