GDT: ECQF Game 4 | Penguins @ Flyers | 15,667 Days

[Shaffer]

PENGUINS at FLYERS
7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVAS, NBCSP, ATTSN-PT
Penguins lead best-of-7 series 2-1

Penguins projected lineup

Jake Guentzel -- Sidney Crosby -- Dominik Simon
Carl Hagelin -- Evgeni Malkin -- Phil Kessel
Conor Sheary -- Derick Brassard -- Bryan Rust
Zach Aston-Reese -- Riley Sheahan -- Tom Kuhnhackl

Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Olli Maatta -- Justin Schultz
Jamie Oleksiak -- Chad Ruhwedel

Matt Murray
Casey DeSmith

Scratched: Matt Hunwick, Josh Jooris
Injured: Carter Rowney (upper body), Patric Hornqvist (upper body)

Flyers projected lineup

Michael Raffl -- Claude Giroux -- Jakub Voracek
Travis Konecny -- Nolan Patrick -- Wayne Simmonds
Oskar Lindblom -- Valtteri Filppula -- Jordan Weal
Scott Laughton -- Jori Lehtera -- Matt Read

Ivan Provorov -- Shayne Gostisbehere
Travis Sanheim -- Andrew MacDonald
Brandon Manning -- Radko Gudas

Brian Elliott
Petr Mrazek

Scratched: Dale Weise, Taylor Leier, Johnny Oduya, Robert Hagg
Injured: Michal Neuvirth (lower body), Sean Couturier (lower body)

Status report

The Penguins had an optional morning skate. … Simmonds, Raffl, Voracek, Filppula sat out Philadelphia's optional morning skate. If Couturier can play, Giroux would shift to left wing on the top line, Raffl would go to the third line and Lindblom would be scratched.
5 Keys: Penguins at Flyers, Game 4

15,667 days since the Flyers last won the cup . . .

Have you ever seen the Flyers win the cup?
Clap Clap
Have you ever seen the Flyers win the cup?
Clap Clap
If you have you're probably lying and unless you're close to dying,
then you've never seen the Flyers win the cup!
Clap Clap

cc: People in my section during game 1



LGP!

Click to read more...

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The Pens have to come out with a better 1st period effort than in Game 3. You can't come out poorly for two straight games and hope your goalie keeps you in the game until you decide to get your shit straight.

Murray bailed them out last game. They can't keep expecting him to do that every game.

 

[Gurglesons]

The Pens have to come out with a better 1st period effort than in Game 3. You can't come out poorly for two straight games and hope your goalie keeps you in the game until you decide to get your **** straight.

Murray bailed them out last game. They can't keep expecting him to do that every game.

Worked in 2017.

Score more goals then them.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I am excited to see Simon back in the lineup. He has played pretty well with Crosby this season. I don't know if that will ultimately be his role on this team, but I do like Simon and want him to be a part of this lineup regularly, starting next season. I suppose it starts tonight, though.

A quicker start would be nice. Match their desperation. Hopefully, the Couturier situation wreaks havoc with their lines (whether he plays or not).

LGP!

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Worked in 2017.

Score more goals then them.

I'd really rather not see the Pens try to adopt their method of winning in 2017. 2016 was so much more easier on my blood pressure.

 

[AverageJoeFan]

LGP!

 

[Bingo71]

Take the crowd out of it earlier on with an early goal or at the very least, sustained pressure in the offensive zone.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I'd really rather not see the Pens try to adopt their method of winning in 2017. 2016 was so much more easier on my blood pressure.

IF the Pens do 3Peat it will be closer to last year than 2016. That 2016 team was lightning in a bottle and will not be repeated.

It ain't supposed to be easy.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Spend all day traveling and just arrived in Boston. Might find a bar to watch the game, or go wander around, or stay in the hotel and sleep. All seem like good choices right now....

 

[Sideline]

I like Simon, but he's been iffy defensively. Not sure I like the Sid and Brassard units needing zone start protection. Puts more stress on Geno/Phil and Sheahan.

Really looking at the lines they all have a guy I don't trust. Feels off. I like having 3 all situations lines.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I like Simon, but he's been iffy defensively. Not sure I like the Sid and Brassard units needing zone start protection. Puts more stress on Geno/Phil and Sheahan.

Really looking at the lines they all have a guy I don't trust. Feels off. I like having 3 all situations lines.

I still don't agree with Geno and Phil on the same line. Phil on the third line, especially after the Brassard acquisition, was our competitive advantage against teams.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Take the crowd out of it earlier on with an early goal or at the very least, sustained pressure in the offensive zone.

Take the trap out of it early with an early goal (2 goals would have them drop it completely).

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

IF the Pens do 3Peat it will be closer to last year than 2016. That 2016 team was lightning in a bottle and will not be repeated.

It ain't supposed to be easy.

Eh, I don't know. I mean the overall domination might be hard to replicate, but the Pens in Games 1 and 2 looked a lot closer to their 2016 counterparts where they carried the play and outshot the opposition almost 2 to 1, rather than the 2017 version that got outshot every game but scored timely goals to win.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I still don't agree with Geno and Phil on the same line. Phil on the third line, especially after the Brassard acquisition, was our competitive advantage against teams.

Phil needs to get back in form first. Brassard can’t carry 2 linemates who aren’t on their game. Malkin and Hagelin can carry one. The trap doesn’t help their flow but score first to open up the ice a little more

 

[ColePens]

90 minutes away. Let's go please. Go faster.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I like Simon, but he's been iffy defensively. Not sure I like the Sid and Brassard units needing zone start protection. Puts more stress on Geno/Phil and Sheahan.

Really looking at the lines they all have a guy I don't trust. Feels off. I like having 3 all situations lines.

He’s not bad defensively and has a 50.7 DZS% during the regular season. I don’t think he’ll need protecting. He is a good skater too which helps. He had issues with turnovers in the neutral zone for a small patch of games but overall wasn’t turning it over more than everyone else. Maybe there were some good chances going the other way so maybe that’s why it sticks in people’s minds. Giveaway stats were 13 in 33 games which is good.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I am excited to see Simon back in the lineup. He has played pretty well with Crosby this season. I don't know if that will ultimately be his role on this team, but I do like Simon and want him to be a part of this lineup regularly, starting next season. I suppose it starts tonight, though.

A quicker start would be nice. Match their desperation. Hopefully, the Couturier situation wreaks havoc with their lines (whether he plays or not).

LGP!

If he does well he probably pushes ZAR out (when Horny returns) if his form is the same. It opens up some stronger lines from L2-4 if he could be consistent enough.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

If he does well he probably pushes ZAR out (when Horny returns) if his form is the same. It opens up some stronger lines from L2-4 if he could be consistent enough.

ZAR is one guy that's gotta pick it up. He should adopt Hornqvist's KISS approach to the game.

ZAR could really be effective on the 4th line as a guy who drives the net, finishes checks, and gets under the skin of the opposition. But he's got to do a much better job of getting the puck out at our blueline.

 

[Clare2904]

Spend all day traveling and just arrived in Boston. Might find a bar to watch the game, or go wander around, or stay in the hotel and sleep. All seem like good choices right now....

If you find a bar in Boston that a) has the game on and b) has the sound on then you have scored a winner. When I was there even the Bruins away game was muted in the SPORTS BAR!

 

[Clare2904]

90 minutes away. Let's go please. Go faster.

Have you put 50p in their meter?

 

[Tom Hanks]

ZAR is one guy that's gotta pick it up. He should adopt Hornqvist's KISS approach to the game.

ZAR could really be effective on the 4th line as a guy who drives the net, finishes checks, and gets under the skin of the opposition. But he's got to do a much better job of getting the puck out at our blueline.

He is probably better with a faster more skilful guy on the other wing (just like Sheary is better with a heavier/stronger opposite).

The 4th line is solid enough as is but I don’t think they complement each other enough to look like much of a scoring threat. If Simon looks good then it can open up more options that Sully has trust in.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Just had a few hot dogs for Phil to get his Phil!!!

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

He is probably better with a faster more skilful guy on the other wing (just like Sheary is better with a heavier/stronger opposite).

The 4th line is solid enough as is but I don’t think they complement each other enough to look like much of a scoring threat. If Simon looks good then it can open up more options that Sully has trust in.

It all comes down to Kuhnhackl. He's just there. He doesn't neccesarily hurt you, but he doesn't help you. He just takes up space.

I'd rather try someone more skilled in his spot so that 4th line could actually chip in some offense. And it's not like he's some defensive rock that the Pens need to dress in order to ice someone late in games who will smother the other team.

 

[Ogrezilla]

 

[Tom Hanks]

It all comes down to Kuhnhackl. He's just there. He doesn't neccesarily hurt you, but he doesn't help you. He just takes up space.

I'd rather try someone more skilled in his spot so that 4th line could actually chip in some offense. And it's not like he's some defensive rock that the Pens need to dress in order to ice someone late in games who will smother the other team.

Totally agree and as you mentioned that’s why we need ZAR to pick it up so it’s an option. Sully does like both of them but if they are playing at a similar level Kuhnhackl will be in for sure.