Pre-Game Talk: ECSF Game 3| Pittsburgh Penguins @ Ottawa Senators - Penguins lead series 2-0

[insomniac34]

Looks like Spezza will be making his comeback tomorrow. The Sens are going to be amped, it's going to be REALLY difficult to steal this one. Therefore, it's all the more important that we do...

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[66-30-33]

4-1 Pens

Sens come out flying because it's their home game and score one in 2 minutes, then Pens score 3 in the 1st and the 4th in an open net.

 

[shizno*]

Spezzas in, Orpik needs to CLEANLY knock him out, he's been great so far this series.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Trivia note:

This is the first time since the ECF in 2009 the Pens have held a 2-0 lead in the playoffs during the Crosby/Malkin era.

Interestingly enough, the ECF against the Canes was the only time in that playoff year the Pens didn't drop the first two games in a series.

Let us think on that for a good, long while.

 

[ColePens]

Trivia note:

This is the first time since the ECF in 2009 the Pens have held a 2-0 lead in the playoffs during the Crosby/Malkin era.

Interestingly enough, the ECF against the Canes was the only time in that playoff year the Pens didn't drop the first two games in a series.

Let us think on that for a good, long while.

We dropped the first two to Wash and Detroit... but we opened up against Philly series 3-1 if I'm not mistaken. Lost game 5 badly and looked to lose game 6 til the shhhhhh happened.

 

[EDDIE20*]

Spezza hasn't played in 3 months. He might be amped but he also may be rusty as hell. The Pens need to contnue what they're doing. They already chased the bst goalie to ever play the game out of the net. Just don't let up on them.

 

[HandshakeLine]

We dropped the first two to Wash and Detroit... but we opened up against Philly series 3-1 if I'm not mistaken. Lost game 5 badly and looked to lose game 6 til the shhhhhh happened.

That's right, Cole. I totally forgot about that.

My larger point still stands though- we should not be panicking if Ottawa splits the opening 4.

 

[Ray Shero*]

Spezza hasn't played in 3 months. He might be amped but he also may be rusty as hell. The Pens need to contnue what they're doing. They already chased the bst goalie to ever play the game out of the net. Just don't let up on them.

Yup. Keep the physical and defensive play up and we can steal one or maybe even two in Ottawa and end this.

 

[Ray Shero*]

Trivia note:

This is the first time since the ECF in 2009 the Pens have held a 2-0 lead in the playoffs during the Crosby/Malkin era.

Yeah, I was thinking about that recently. Feels good to have a 2-0 lead.

 

[EDDIE20*]

Yup. Keep the physical and defensive play up and we can steal one or maybe even two in Ottawa and end this.

It can be done. As close as last night ended up, you still got the W. They may have Spezza but you have Crosby. Anyone with half a brain would be a lot more scared of what Crosby is capable of doing. He proved it again last night.

 

[ColePens]

That's right, Cole. I totally forgot about that.

My larger point still stands though- we should not be panicking if Ottawa splits the opening 4.

Oh for sure.. I think Game 3 is huge. A win in Game 3 puts some pressure on the Pens to convert Game 4. There is still a series to be had here.

But Ottawa needs to execute a lot better. They do not have the scary vibe that the Isles gave us. They aren't converting on our mistakes. It looks like they are surviving the entire game. They need to activate their defense on the very first puck drop. Make the Pens forward figure out how to chip. Recently, we haven't been able to. All we do is ****ing turn it over. Instead, the Sens just allow us to pass around w/o any issue.

 

[Beaudangles19]

lets win this one and does anyone else miss beau?

 

[HandshakeLine]

Re: The Isles

To use a boxing analogy, styles make fights. I think honestly, the Isles just had the right combination of speed and tenacity to give our slower team a ton of grief. I don't feel nearly as nervous against any of the other teams in the league.

Someone mentioned in one of the closed threads about how we shouldn't reward Byslma for sticking with the stretch pass. While that's true, it also shows that, for all we ***** about it, the stretch pass also works wonders against a great number of teams. Not the greatest coaching by any means, sure, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater just because the Isles were fast enough to throw into one of our breakout schemes.

 

[Dying Alive]

Let's hope for more of this:

 

[AquaticBirdman]

OMG JUST ****ING WIN!!!!!!

 

[Frederick Stanley]

I don't think Spezza will be a huge factor in this game.

 

[Gold Diamond]

Spezza is fragile, and he laughs like a *****. Hit him hard, and often, and he'll turn it over in spades.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Yeah, I was thinking about that recently. Feels good to have a 2-0 lead.

 

[Dying Alive]

Pens were so amped when Sid came back they played an awful game and lost.

 

[Ray Shero*]

Let's hope for more of this:

Sens produce a lot of good goalies. Even former ones are now stellar for other teams (Emery and Elliot).

 

[JTG]

The Isles are a perfect recipe to beat us. Not sure there's another team left who brings that much speed and toughness on all 4 lines.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Sens produce a lot of good goalies. Even former ones are now stellar for other teams (Emery and Elliot).

And terrible when they were on the Sens. And basketcases to boot. (Sound familiar?)

 

[JTG]

And terrible when they were on the Sens. And basketcases to boot. (Sound familiar?)

I'm not following...

 

[HandshakeLine]

I'm not following...

Fleury, specifically. I actually think Emery's turn-around is really interesting, since he was such an incredibly mentally weak goalie on the Sens.

Seeing people talk about him like he's a legit 'tender is always strange. Emery is and always will be for me the basket-caseiest basketcase this side of the insane asylum.

 

[eXile59]

Have to wonder what kind of Spezza they're getting.