GDT: #67|CBJ vs. Pens Thursday, March 7th (7:00PM) PPG|Fantastic Beasts/ Wizards and Muggles

[Ugene Magic]

PREVIEW
Blue Jackets projected lineup​

Artemi Panarin -- Matt Duchene -- Cam Atkinson
Nick Foligno -- Alexander Wennberg -- Josh Anderson
Ryan Dzingel -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Oliver Bjorkstrand
Riley Nash -- Boone Jenner -- Brandon Dubinsky
Zach Werenski -- Seth Jones
Markus Nutivaara -- David Savard
Scott Harrington -- Dean Kukan
Joonas Korpisalo
Keith Kinkaid
Scratched: Markus Hannikainen, Lukas Sedlak, Adam McQuaid, Sergei Bobrovsky, Eric Robinson
Injured: Ryan Murray (upper body)
Penguins projected lineup​

Jared McCann -- Sidney Crosby -- Jake Guentzel
Zach Aston-Reese -- Evgeni Malkin -- Phil Kessel
Dominik Simon -- Nick Bjugstad -- Patric Hornqvist
Teddy Blueger -- Matt Cullen -- Garrett Wilson
Brian Dumoulin -- Zach Trotman
Jack Johnson -- Justin Schultz
Marcus Pettersson -- Erik Gudbranson
Matt Murray
Casey DeSmith
Scratched: Juuso Riikola
Injured: Olli Maatta (upper body), Bryan Rust (lower body), Kris Letang (upper body), Chad Ruhwedel(upper body)

PLAYOFFS

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[Night Shift]

If we have to split, id rather take this one at home than to have to win in Columbus. Hopeful for a sweep because that will devastate their confidence.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Hopefully Torts starts Bob. Bob is Guentzels Bitch.

 

[Andy99]

Awesome GDT @Ugene Malkin ...

CLB has been better on the road this year, and CDS has been better at home....might this be the game DeSmith gets in? And then Murray b2b this weekend? Most teams won’t play the same goalie in home-on-home series...

 

[DegenX]

Wow @Ugene Malkin Good stuff!

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

This GDT is dare I say....Magical

The boys have been playing really entertaining as of late so im really looking forward to this one. Gotta know Columbus is gonna try to rally hard, what with with how we beat em last time.
Let go Pens, also someone please pm on how to make these images smaller lmao

 

[Night Shift]

Awesome GDT @Ugene Malkin ...

CLB has been better on the road this year, and CDS has been better at home....might this be the game DeSmith gets in? And then Murray b2b this weekend? Most teams won’t play the same goalie in home-on-home series...

You raise an interesting point..who to start? Part of me would like CDS in Columbus and put all our eggs for a win at home in Murray. But I understand starting CDS because Murray can use a break

 

[Darren McCord]

Awesome GDT @Ugene Malkin ...

CLB has been better on the road this year, and CDS has been better at home....might this be the game DeSmith gets in? And then Murray b2b this weekend? Most teams won’t play the same goalie in home-on-home series...

No way. Murray is their best chance to win. And the columbus games are waaaaaay more important than Boston. Let DeSmith play on Sunday.

If they can sweep Columbus thats an 8 point swing practically. It would also demoralize Columbus. You figure out Sunday on Sunday. Until then they play to win these next two games.

 

[Darren McCord]

You raise an interesting point..who to start? Part of me would like CDS in Columbus and put all our eggs for a win at home in Murray. But I understand starting CDS because Murray can use a break

I think they will play it out like this the next few starts.

Blue Jackets Thurs - Murray
Blue Jackets Sat - Murray
Boston Sun - DeSmith
Washinton Tues - Murray
Buffalo Thurs - DeSmith

 

[Fatty McLardy]

nice GTD

 

[Andy99]

I think they will play it out like this the next few starts.

Blue Jackets Thurs - Murray
Blue Jackets Sat - Murray
Boston Sun - DeSmith
Washinton Tues - Murray
Buffalo Thurs - DeSmith

I’m just saying that the approach of nearly every coach is to play different goalies at home-and-home series...I’m not saying what should happen, just what I expect will happen...last home and home series against the Isles, Sully’s plan was to start Murray and then CDS...Murr got rocked for like three goals on 6 shots and CDS played most of the game, so Murr started the next one...Trotz started Lehner in the first game, he got a minor injury and a Greiss came in in the third and then Greiss played the next as expected...that‘s what coaches do...

 

[Rudy Russo]

This is the look I went to see on Thursday night.

 

[LOGiK]

This is the look I went to see on Thursday night.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Clb bottom 6 a whole lot better than FLA's.

Harrington playing with Jones? Interesting.

 

[BrookswasHere44]

Clb bottom 6 a whole lot better than FLA's.

Harrington playing with Jones? Interesting.

3rd line is good. 4th is junk

 

[EightyOne]

3rd line is good. 4th is junk

They just have to be slightly less junky than CBJ during the game.

 

[gopens66]

I'm going tonight; it's my first game this season. I don't get to as many as I'd like, but I do live exactly a 2hr drive from my house to PPG. I'm taking my daughter. She's the only one of my 4 kids who hasn't been to a game yet. I've been trying to explain how big this game is due to the Pens' record and everything, but she's just excited to be going. I want a win in the worst way. Go Pens!

 

[ChrisKuuuunitz]

I'm going tonight; it's my first game this season. I don't get to as many as I'd like, but I do live exactly a 2hr drive from my house to PPG. I'm taking my daughter. She's the only one of my 4 kids who hasn't been to a game yet. I've been trying to explain how big this game is due to the Pens' record and everything, but she's just excited to be going. I want a win in the worst way. Go Pens!

if they lose no need to keep her, so either way, win win

 

[Kristopher Letang]

Ready to troll them. Keep it stupid simple, Let’s get it!

 

[gopens66]

if they lose no need to keep her, so either way, win win

Nah, she's a keeper!

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Biggest game of the year up to this point

 

[gopens66]

I want to see this tonight......

and this....

and this....

 

[Darren McCord]

I’m just saying that the approach of nearly every coach is to play different goalies at home-and-home series...I’m not saying what should happen, just what I expect will happen...last home and home series against the Isles, Sully’s plan was to start Murray and then CDS...Murr got rocked for like three goals on 6 shots and CDS played most of the game, so Murr started the next one...Trotz started Lehner in the first game, he got a minor injury and a Greiss came in in the third and then Greiss played the next as expected...that‘s what coaches do...

I think early in the season yes. But when you need points desperately, things change.

 

[RSPens]

I can totally understand why McCann is going to stay on the top line for the time being. The problem with this is that it doesn't help the other three lines much. I get it, Sid and Jake are playing great with McCann, but Sid and Jake can play great with almost anyone on the other wing. I still think that they should focus more on pairs than on threesomes

Jake - Sid - ???
ZAR - Geno - ???
McCann - Bjugs - ???
??? - Cullen - ???

I'd really like to see Kessel on the third line. I just really think that Bjugs and McCann have a better chance of helping Kessel through his slump. The only real issue I see is that this line-up basically forces Horny on Sid's line or the 4th line, unless Kessel stays on line 2. Until Rust is back or unless it just really doesn't work I'd run something like this.

Jake - Sid - Simon/Bleuger
ZAR - Geno - Simon/Bleuger/ Kessel
McCann - Bjugs - Kessel/ Horny
Horny/Simon/Bleuger - Cullen - Wilson

This gives the team options, but I'd be curious to see what the bolded would look like on the ice. Yeah it would kinda suck for Horny to be on the 4th line, but with Cullen and Wilson, that line would bring a lot of energy. Of course Horny would still get 1st PP time to offset playing on the 4th.

I get that Bleuger hasn't done much to deserve time on the top line, but as I mentioned already, Jake and Sid could produce with a pylon on the other wing, Bleuger could just be that next AHL call -up that excels next to Sid (just like Jake, Sheary, Rust, Simon). Simon would add that little bit of speed to Geno's line at least until Rust is back. Then if Kessel can't produce with McCann and Bjugs, he's not likely to produce anywhere in the line-up.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Realistically Pens need a split in this series. Winning both games is ideal, but get 2 or more points and we should be happy.