GDT: #58: Rangers @ Penguins | 7:00 PM EST | Pre-Olympic Edition

[Mischa]

RANGERS (31-24-3) at PENGUINS (40-15-2)

TV: NHLN-US, MSG 2, ROOT, RDS

Last 10: New York 7-3-0; Pittsburgh 7-3-0

Season series: The New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins play for the final time. Pittsburgh has won the past two games, once in a shootout, after losing the first 5-1 at Madison Square Garden.

Big story: The Penguins announced Friday defenseman Kris Letang suffered a stroke last week, from which he is recovering. The stroke is not believed to be career- or life-threatening; however, Letang will miss at least six weeks, after which he'll be reevaluated.

New York has ascended to second place in the Metropolitan Division with a 15-6-1 stretch but trails first-place Pittsburgh by 17 points. The Rangers have not won in Pittsburgh since Jan. 6, 2012, but are 5-4-1 in their past 10 games there. The Penguins are an NHL-best 23-4-0 at home this season.

"The Rangers have been playing strong recently, been scoring a lot, [Henrik] Lundqvist has been standing on his head a few times, and it's a divisional rivalry," Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi said after an optional practice Thursday. "So I think that there'll be more than enough motivation for us to play."

Kunitz-Crosby-Gibbons
Jokinen-Malkin-Neal
Glass-Sutter-Megna
Zolnierczyk-Adams-Engelland

Orpik-Martin
Maatta-Niskanen
Scuderi-Bortuzzo

Fleury

VS.


Kreider-Stepan-Nash
Hagelin-Richards-Callahan
Pouliot-Brassard-Zuccarello
Boyle-Moore-Carcillo

McDonagh-Girardi
Staal-Stralman
Moore-Klein

Lundqvist

Good Luck at the Olympics, boys and get well soon Letang!
​

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[Mischa]

figured I'd do a more conventional GDT for once


Fake Edit:
*sigh*

forgot to put the GDT at the beginning of the title again... Thank you in advance whichever mod fixes that

 

[Crafton]

if the pens had acquired Kulemin then Malkin wouldn't be all alone in his Olympic-GDT-Bubble.

#FireShero

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Niskanen isn't playing?

 

[Axman]

Nice work! I'd love for Kunitz to have a big game for all the Olympic hate he's getting.

 

[Mischa]

Niskanen isn't playing?

sorry about that, fixed

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

sorry about that, fixed

Not a problem. It wasn't a criticism. I just wasn't sure if Niskanen was hurt. With this club, you just never know.

 

[alcanalz]

Nice GDT.

 

[cheesedanish87]

BB and Vitale will be back next game.

 

[MeticulouslyDishevel]

Nice. Love the Olympic theme.

 

[Shrimper]

Nice GDT. I nearly missed this though as it didn't have the GDT thread prefix, can a mod put that on?

 

[member 151739]

Great GDT, Mischa.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Nice Job, Mischa.

Let's go into the break on a high note.

LGP!

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Nice GDT.

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins
Tonight's #Pens D: Orpik-Martin, Maatta-Niskanen, Scuderi-Bortuzzo. Fleury in net.

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins
Tonight's #Pens lines: Kunitz-Crosby-Gibbons, Jokinen-Malkin-Neal, Glass-Sutter-Megna, Zolnierczyk-Adams-Engelland

 

[cheesedanish87]

Im just hoping for no injuries tonight, especially team USA Olympians

 

[DegenX]

Nice GDT, Mischa

 

[Shrimper]

Is it me or is it an indictment of Scuderi's play that he is on the bottom pairing with Bortuzzo? Or just that Maatta-Niskanen has been incredible.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

All I ask for is no injuries.

 

[Mischa]

Is it me or is it an indictment of Scuderi's play that he is on the bottom pairing with Bortuzzo? Or just that Maatta-Niskanen has been incredible.

Maatta-Niskanen has been a consistent line and that likely played into the decisions. up until recently, Bortuzzo has been holding the spot for Letang (and i guess he still could be)

His play might have something to do with it but I think theres a few other factors that Bylsma would consider first

 

[Smacker]

Nice GDT, Mischa!

Win it for Letang.

Let's Go Pens!!

 

[Mischa]

Not a problem. It wasn't a criticism. I just wasn't sure if Niskanen was hurt. With this club, you just never know.

now that i think about it, the fact that I had Engelland at both D and Forward shoulda given my mistake away lol

 

[MeticulouslyDishevel]

All I ask for is no injuries.

Yep. I don't even care if they win.

 

[Shrimper]

Frankly I'd prefer Crosby not to play in this game, go to Sochi to be there for the Opening Ceremony. Of course if he scores a hat-trick my stance will change.

 

[End of Line]

Ah hell, NHLN game.

Lets go Pens.

 

[Pharrell Williams]

Frankly I'd prefer Crosby not to play in this game, go to Sochi to be there for the Opening Ceremony. Of course if he scores a hat-trick my stance will change.

That'd be pretty hard considering the OC is already over. Speaking of, it sucks that they put it on delay so that it's at the same time as the Pens game