Pre-Game Talk: Game 3 - Pens v. Bruins | Let's turn this around.

[Shrimper]

@MolinariPG Penguins showed a predictable line or two, like 14-87-9, but also showed Bennett-Murray-Engelland, which is a, uh, longshot for Game 2.

So technically Bennett WAS on a line...

Am I sadistic for wanting to see this?

 

[Beaudangles19]

TV starting i bet

 

[KIRK]

Mike Morreale ‏@mikemorrealeNHL 1m
RT @ArponBasu: Vokoun left the ice first at #Pens skate.

https://twitter.com/mikemorrealeNHL/status/342310511955828737

O'k, then. Fleury is starting. Let the mind games begin. Oh Dan, you wily coach you . . .

 

[dueling mullets]

Mike Morreale ‏@mikemorrealeNHL 1m
RT @ArponBasu: Vokoun left the ice first at #Pens skate.

https://twitter.com/mikemorrealeNHL/status/342310511955828737

Who usually leaves first, the starter or the backup?

 

[Pick87your71Poison]

Who usually leaves first, the starter or the backup?

Starter, but with Disco you never can tell.

 

[KIRK]

Am I sadistic for wanting to see this?

Nope . . .

IMO, any fourth line with Bennett > any fourth line that Bylsma has constructed without him.

 

[Master Shake*]

Would be nice for the refs to start calling freakin obstruction. Tired of watching the Bruins water skiing out there. Its like watching Detroit in that regard

 

[Fordy]

If you don't intend on making any changes don't say you are you piece of ****.

 

[Pick87your71Poison]

Nope . . .

Yup Beau even managed to create chances on a 4th line with Glass and Adams during the season so why not

 

[MtlPenFan]

You can't start Fleury.

If the team loses badly, it won't be because Vokoun had a meltdown. I can still see Talbot's "goal" in game 3 last year.

 

[Master Shake*]

I just remember writing a few months ago that Bylsma is **** when it comes to working with young players, especially young players with some talent, and getting kind of slammed for it. BUT, as I said, when you look even (or especially) at Sid, Geno, and Letang, it's just so evident and makes me worried about how the next generation of young talent will be handled (or actually already is being handled).

As for 19-71-18, there were few times during the regular season where Geno looked like Geno. The two games where they were together-- against Philly and Toronto, teams against whom Geno typically struggles-- were that time. Sadly, Geno suffered the shoulder injury and, by the time he returned, it was Morrow for a game and then Iginla. Sadder thing is that he genuinely seemed to like playing with Bennett, and why not? Super smart. Knew when to distribute. Would get in there and win puck battles.

Alas, as with most things the last three and a half years, what might have been . . .

If Bennett doesnt play tonight AND on Genos line then Bylsma should be fired because he clearly has no clue. I like the guy but im tried of making excuses for his piss poor judgement

 

[plaidchuck]

If you don't intend on making any changes don't say you are you piece of ****.

Eh to be honest there probably will be a tweak or two. He did the same thing starting game 5 against the Isles, gave the press one lineup and then played something different to start.

 

[dueling mullets]

I don't get why DB won't just say his changes. If you truly are confident, you shouldn't care if the other team knows the lineup changes, especially since Julien got every matchup he wanted the past two games anyways.

And if you are going to make lineup changes, I would think practicing with those lines would help. I mean, what's the point of practice at all then?

 

[MrBurghundy]

IMO, any fourth line with Bennett > any fourth line that Bylsma has constructed without him.

Don't test him.

Where there's a Bylsma there's a way.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Vitale didn't practice on a line and he still played..

 

[TheSniper26]

I just don't see the point to any mind games at this stage. Are there really any lineup changes we could make that are going to have any impact on how Boston will approach the game? I mean I want to see Bennett in as much as everyone else, but I don't see him as some secret weapon that will come in and put Boston on their heels. Winning this game will have little to do with roster tinkering and everything to do with our best players actually being our best players(and not starting Fleury).

 

[Crafton]

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins 1m
Vokoun starting in Game 3 for #Pens

https://twitter.com/penguins/status/342313687769567232

 

[KIRK]

I just don't see the point to any mind games at this stage. Are there really any lineup changes we could make that are going to have any impact on how Boston will approach the game? I mean I want to see Bennett in as much as everyone else, but I don't see him as some secret weapon that will come in and put Boston on their heels. Winning this game will have little to do with roster tinkering and everything to do with our best players actually being our best players(and not starting Fleury).

Fair point on Bennett. But, you make several subtle changes-- Bennett playing, Iggy at RW, etc-- and it adds up.

 

[Liquid Gel]

Really, it HAS to be Vokoun. Losing with Fleury does so much more damage. Probably most to Fleury. Secondly to the Penguins going forward

Fleury Loss>Vokoun Loss>Vokoun Win>Fleury Win

Bylsma is way too conservative

I am (want to be) a Fleury fan, but he is just not the right choice. He was wa-a-a-ay too shaky in his relief performance in Game 2.

Vokoun is the right choice

 

[KIRK]

https://twitter.com/penguins/status/342313687769567232

And MtlPenFan can uncork the bottle of Dom he's been holding for a 'special' occasion.

 

[MtlPenFan]

And MtlPenFan can uncork the bottle of Dom he's been holding for a 'special' occasion.

Starting Fleury would have smacked of the worse kind of desperation.

Can't anyone see that the guy is completely ****ing broken? The man had absolutely NO interest in playing goal on Monday and it showed on Marchand's goal.

Can you imagine him on the road with the fans losing their minds the second he lets in a bad goal? The game would be over right then and there.

 

[TheSniper26]

Fair point on Bennett. But, you make several subtle changes-- Bennett playing, Iggy at RW, etc-- and it adds up.

Oh absolutely. I'm not saying there aren't things to be done to help our chances(the Kunitz/Iginla swap should be a no brainer), I just think any hope we have ultimately rests in our best players' hands. Geno and Sid will have to take this one over.

 

[CrozJawz*]

As I said before, it isn't going to matter who is in net for the Pens if they don't tighten things up defensively, stop with the ridiculous stretch passes, and be smarter at the offensive blueline.

 

[cheesedanish87]

I think its safe to say MAF has played his last game as a pen, So who does Shero go after next year?

 

[Kovifan27]

NHL.com

Teams have trailed 2-0 in a best-of-seven series a total of 291 times and have come back to win the series on 37 occasions or 12.7% of the time.

Teams have trailed 3-1 in a best-of-seven series a total of 229 times and have come back to win the series on 20 occasions or 8.7% of the time.