A little encouragement on what I readily admit could be the last day of the season

[Whale Mingo]

30 Teams in the NHL have been looking forward to the day the Pens get eliminated from the playoffs and they just might have their day today, good for them, they've been waiting three years for it. We haven't played well, some guys are injured more than we know, the defense isn't strong, Murray hasn't been the Murray of the last two Cup runs, etc...

We are in an incredible position of comparing our THIRD straight run for a Cup to the PREVIOUS TWO. Think about that. The team has done us proud.

Personally, I'll be reminding everyone today of two points:
1. We are still the most talented team in the league capable of winning two games in a row.
2. It's the Caps, the NHL's version of the Bengals. If there is a team that can screw this up, it's the Caps, and they could do it in brilliant fashion.

Badger Bob reminded us often that "they let you lose three and keep playing". Also, I checked the Caps roster and there is nobody named David Volek playing. I think we're good.

Should it end badly for us tonight I hope to not see a lot of people congregating at the West End bridge ready to jump, remind yourself, it's been a hell of a run.

In Sully we trust.

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[FinProspects]

The two last seasons were beyond of any dream scenarios that I could have ever imagined, so yeah, it would be hard to be too pissed if we lose today. That said, I cannot wait for the game and the response from Pens. I thought we were the better team actually in G5.

 

[Whale Mingo]

I thought we were the better team actually in G5.

We were, and then we made unreasonable mistakes that the Caps took advantage of. The Caps aren't a Junior A team, they are pretty good in their own right and we just can't play soft or with a low IQ.

This isn't over, but we have to be better.

 

[66-30-33]

Would be epically hilarious if we beat Caps in 7. The whining would crash this site.

 

[smetana]

I can handle losing, after two glorious runs.

I will just have a hard time handling losing to the Washington Capitals. That'll sting.

 

[Bnat66]

I'm more than happy with this team after back to back cups and didn't even expect the playoffs this year. I just don't want it to be against the Caps and the whole "the year they do it" scenario.
Yea if this is the year they do it, its still going to be no cup. I just don't see it happening against any of the remaining teams.

 

[dig1]

i actually feel for the players that worked their tail off. (yes still salty about 58). I havenot played sports at any level (except backyard type ). So , i wonder what 71, 62 and 87 and even 72 feel.

It is actually quite sickening to me to be that dominant in game 5 and lose it. Same could be said about game 3.

The part that irritates me the most though is that dumb penalty that Simon took. I am hoping he redeems himself today by playing his heart out (even if he doesnt score)

 

[Bnat66]

i actually feel for the players that worked their tail off. (yes still salty about 58). I havenot played sports at any level (except backyard type ). So , i wonder what 71, 62 and 87 and even 72 feel.

It is actually quite sickening to me to be that dominant in game 5 and lose it. Same could be said about game 3.

The part that irritates me the most though is that dumb penalty that Simon took. I am hoping he redeems himself today by playing his heart out (even if he doesnt score)

I was thinking the same exact thing lately. Imagine being on a team playing hard every night and some players on the team not pulling their weight and contributing to the loss. Has to be super frustrating.

 

[EightyOne]

Let's
Go
Pens!

 

[Shrimper]

Would be epically hilarious if we beat Caps in 7. The whining would crash this site.

I want it to happen so badly. It would just be amazing and I would not care what happened in the ECF if it did.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I actually don't even mind Ovie winning one, believe it or not(the rest of the team, not so much. heh).
After last season, i was pretty fine with him winning one at some point in his career.
They have a tough road ahead tho if they beat us out.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I would add to it that the Pens had their best game of the playoffs in game five. If not for Letang they would be on the verge of advancing at home. I would rather be the team who was worse but won than better than lost, but if they keep playing like that and Letang can be managed they can easily win the next two.

 

[cheesedanish87]

The good thing about losing now is that will get an extra month to rest then they had the past 2 years.

I'm not sure how many more cracks at the can the Pens will have with this core, but i think they should have at least one more opportunity to win it all next year with this core.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

I’ll be sick if they lose to the caps.

 

[DegenX]

I was thinking about this earlier.

It's hard for me to think that we're actually going to lose the series. We've been poised on the brink of elimination more than once over the last two seasons and yet they've still somehow managed to win. If we do lose, I'll be disappointed but I won't be devastated. I didn't have super high expectations after the way the season started, combined with the back to back Cups makes it kind of hard to get too worked up. The window is still open, and there's opportunity to improve over the summer, not just in terms of trades and signings, but in guys getting some rest and getting healthy. Or getting whatever medical care they're in need of and having ample time to recover.

Unrealistic or not, I'm still expecting them to dig deep and make it to the conference finals. Honestly, I have no idea. I'd prefer to advance, but if we don't I'm OK with that too.

 

[wgknestrick]

Let the Caps get toasted by TBL. We are just too old/beat up and have too many Letangs on this team to advance. I don't know if this team wins a single game against the Lightning with how everyone has been playing. Crosby and Jake have been carrying this team so far, but they are exhausted. Saw some life from the 3rd line last game until Letang, Letanged it up twice.

Dumo has been playing exceptional and has turned my mind on him though. Sully not giving Sprong a chance doesn't give me hope though, and we are at the top of the hill looking down with respect to roster. Just making the playoffs is going to be this team's constant battle as the sun sets on this core. Our terrible first round draft picks (or trading them away) have caught up to us. Maybe another year of contention, but this is just a playoff fodder team for the next 3-4 years.

 

[PensPlz]

Not to Tom Wilson and the Caps....

 

[Coach Travis]

I still think we're taking this series. I said the whole time it'll go 6 or 7 games and there will be some tough pills to swallow along the way. Hockey's a weird sport and sometimes the better team doesn't win. I think we'll win Game 6 and then the Caps will fold under the crushing pressure in Game 7.

 

[pistolpete11]

Let the Caps get toasted by TBL. We are just too old/beat up and have too many Letangs on this team to advance. I don't know if this team wins a single game against the Lightning with how everyone has been playing. Crosby and Jake have been carrying this team so far, but they are exhausted. Saw some life from the 3rd line last game until Letang, Letanged it up twice.

Dumo has been playing exceptional and has turned my mind on him though. Sully not giving Sprong a chance doesn't give me hope though, and we are at the top of the hill looking down with respect to roster. Just making the playoffs is going to be this team's constant battle as the sun sets on this core. Our terrible first round draft picks (or trading them away) have caught up to us. Maybe another year of contention, but this is just a playoff fodder team for the next 3-4 years.

Old? They are the 11th youngest team in the league and their 'old' guys are some of the best players in the league.
---------------------------

I'm in the 'losing is fine, but losing to the Caps is not fine' group. Although, I was in that group last year, too, and once Bobby Ryan started acting like a tough guy, I moved into the 'losing is fine, but losing to the Sens is not fine' group. Then I of course moved into the "f*** it, we're this close to another one!...and f*** P.K. Subban.' group.

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

Let the Caps get toasted by TBL. We are just too old/beat up and have too many Letangs on this team to advance. I don't know if this team wins a single game against the Lightning with how everyone has been playing. Crosby and Jake have been carrying this team so far, but they are exhausted. Saw some life from the 3rd line last game until Letang, Letanged it up twice.

Dumo has been playing exceptional and has turned my mind on him though. Sully not giving Sprong a chance doesn't give me hope though, and we are at the top of the hill looking down with respect to roster. Just making the playoffs is going to be this team's constant battle as the sun sets on this core. Our terrible first round draft picks (or trading them away) have caught up to us. Maybe another year of contention, but this is just a playoff fodder team for the next 3-4 years.

Malkin is our oldest player and scored what, 98 points this year? You're vastly overstating the direness of the situation

 

[Nakawick]

Pens are winning tonight by 3 or 4 goals.

 

[cassius]

OK Debbie Downer

 

[Common Sense]

I’ll start talking about how it was a good run when and if we’re eliminated. This team has never laid down and quit under Sullivan and I don’t think they plan to start tonight against the f***ing Capitals of all teams.

 

[TheMalkinEra]

This is Hagelin 22th playoff series, his teams are 17-4 in the first 21 series.

 

[wgknestrick]

Old? They are the 11th youngest team in the league and their 'old' guys are some of the best players in the league.

Exactly. Average age of team means very little. It's average age of the main contributors....ie Crosby and Malkin. Both are already in pt production decline and it's not going to get any better. Both have also had serious injuries throughout their careers. I'm just saying that I don't think this team has many more legitimate shots at a cup, or we shouldn't be expecting it anyways. Maybe next year, but after that.....no. We have shit for prospects ready to hand the torches over to. When does this team pick in the first round again? 2020?