GDT: Game 4 - Penguins v Islanders - It's Now or The Golf Course Baby! - 19:30EST - NBCSN / CBC

[Ginormousthumbs]

Just make it a competitive game and then give up a goal in the last few minutes to kick off the summer festivities.

 

[jamiepens]

Maybe JJ can eat some bad food this afternoon or pull a groin in warmup. Anything can happen right?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Maybe JJ can eat some bad food this afternoon or pull a groin in warmup. Anything can happen right?

Yeah. As generally positive as the lineup changes are to my eyes... that's the one that is still glaring. JJ has never been anything better than "barely passable" at any point this season but these last two games he was at his absolute nadir. Much as I dislike Maatta as an option... he should be subbed back in and it's not even really too much of a hard choice. Or shouldn't be.

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah. As generally positive as the lineup changes are to my eyes... that's the one that is still glaring. JJ has never been anything better than "barely passable" at any point this season but these last two games he was at his absolute nadir. Much as I dislike Maatta as an option... he should be subbed back in and it's not even really too much of a hard choice. Or shouldn't be.

He should have never been taking out.

 

[Pens x]

Let’s just end this absolutely pathetic playoff run.

I don’t see how some of the posters aren’t panicking about this team’s immediate future. We have a lot of players that suck and/or overpaid. Plus, our prospect pool is as bare as the top of Mark Recchi’s head. Further, we will be in a tough spot for cap purposes.

We need several miracles to fix this team by October 2019. We need to replace half of our defense. We also are pretty much a two line team; our third line is garbage.

But but but we will be a contender next year because we were good 2 years ago. We are going to be older and even slower next year. Plus, I think Sullivan will be back, unfortunately.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Well, I'd still like to win. The Isles aren't some juggernaut. As negative as we all feel, it's entirely plausible we could beat them in 4 straight. This isn't the Caps or some juggernaut of a team. They're barely better than we are, standings-wise.

Obviously we probably won't, but as long as there's a chance I'd like to optimize the lineup.

Like I said, this team isn't going to win anything unless their stars wake up. Whether you play Maatta or Johnson doesn't make a difference because they won't be the reason they win or lose. This team is basically dead in the water at this point. That's not being overly negative, that's being realistic with the team.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

We're not winning if Lehner continues to put up a .950 save % while Murray's is at a .909....#thetruthhurts

Maybe if the Pens could finally pot one of his copious rebounds the percentage would drop a bit. Zero second-chance goals this series, while the Isles have 3-4. We're getting schooled in front of the net, and I don't expect that to change.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

This isn't the Caps or some juggernaut of a team.

Caps would've been a more level series, they're not as defensively sound as they were last year (obviously) and could more easily slip into a run-and-gun style with us like our games with them usually went this year.

 

[Pancakes]

Caps would've been a more level series, they're not as defensively sound as they were last year (obviously) and could more easily slip into a run-and-gun style with us like our games with them usually went this year.

I think we would have done better against the Caps but I also think we're more likely to come back down 0-3 vs the Isles than the Caps, if that makes sense.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Comeback starts tonight

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

I think we would have done better against the Caps but I also think we're more likely to come back down 0-3 vs the Isles than the Caps, if that makes sense.

Absolutely indeed.

 

[Icarium]

Sullivan's latest quote: "What's critical is we score one more than them. That's the most critical takeaway."

I know these interviews are mostly pointless but this sounds so stupid even compared to the usual banal answers. Is he trolling or losing the plot?

 

[Rudy Russo]

I'm glad to see McCann on the 1st line tonight. I'd rather see Johnson or Teddy on the 4th line instead of ZAR. Let's go pens!!

 

[Pancakes]

Like I said, this team isn't going to win anything unless their stars wake up. Whether you play Maatta or Johnson doesn't make a difference because they won't be the reason they win or lose. This team is basically dead in the water at this point. That's not being overly negative, that's being realistic with the team.

It's true. I don't expect them to wake up.

But if they can somehow win the next two....it's a real interesting series then. Game 6 our fans would be all over them, and the Pens are pretty good at bearing down on game 7s on the road historically.

 

[Giskard]

It's weird that this could be the last game ever for Cullen ... let's hope to avoid another colossal wreck.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Sullivan's latest quote: "What's critical is we score one more than them. That's the most critical takeaway."

I know these interviews are mostly pointless but this sounds so stupid even compared to the usual banal answers. Is he trolling or losing the plot?

That sounds a lot like Bylsma's idiotic "we scored a lot of goals that just didn't go in" (or whatever it was) quote.

 

[Shrimper]

I want us to win and try and push the Isles but I'm not hopeful.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Hornqvist looks bad, but I am going to reserve judgement on him being done until next season.

It is possible this is a case of a concussion derailing a player's season.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

On the flipside, as much as we've been dominated, we could still just as easily be up this series right now if our Powerplay showed up. That can be the great equalizer in the playoffs. What are we, 1 for 10 or something? Pathetic.

 

[Empoleon8771]

It's true. I don't expect them to wake up.

But if they can somehow win the next two....it's a real interesting series then. Game 6 our fans would be all over them, and the Pens are pretty good at bearing down on game 7s on the road historically.

I don't even expect them to score 2 more goals in this series, let alone win 2 more games

I'm probably not even going to watch the game tonight, I'm going to pay attention to the Pirates game instead. I just don't see a point, this team isn't giving me a reason to believe that they'll dig out of this hole. Hell, this team isn't even giving me a reason to think they'll even put up a fight.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

It is possible this is a case of a concussion derailing a player's season.

Agreed, but how likely is he to get another one next season? Probably fairly, which is bad both for the Pens,and more importantly, his future quality of life.

 

[Pancakes]

I don't even expect them to score 2 more goals in this series, let alone win 2 more games

I'm probably not even going to watch the game tonight, I'm going to pay attention to the Pirates game instead. I just don't see a point, this team isn't giving me a reason to believe that they'll dig out of this hole. Hell, this team isn't even giving me a reason to think they'll even put up a fight.

I have a beer league game of my own so I'll only see the first period. I'll have a good idea before I leave probably of whether or not there will be a game 5 lol

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I don't even expect them to score 2 more goals in this series, let alone win 2 more games

I'm probably not even going to watch the game tonight, I'm going to pay attention to the Pirates game instead. I just don't see a point, this team isn't giving me a reason to believe that they'll dig out of this hole. Hell, this team isn't even giving me a reason to think they'll even put up a fight.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I'm someone who will always cheer on a team as long as they show me they're trying. You lose because you didn't get the bounces? I'll still watch.

But if you're going to sleepwalk through 60 minutes, and look like a disorganized mess? Why am I subjecting myself to 3 hours of that? Why should I be invested in a game when the actual players don't seem to be?

It took me until Game 4 to be completely checked out of this series. The players checked out about 3 games ago.

 

[TNT87]

Show some guts tonight Penguins. Don't quit like you did in the first period of the last game just because they took a lead. Show some pride and win this tonight.

 

[SUBdrewgANS]

Won't be watching this one with you guys tonight. A friend got box tickets to the Phillies game.. so I'm doing that instead (Yes I live in Philly, but don't really follow baseball). I'll keep tabs on the score--hoping the comeback trail starts tonight!.. or you know we lose the stress of the playoffs is relieved from my body.. win-win??