GDT: Game 82: Pens @ Sabres; The Game that wasn't supposed to matter...

[iFishyHD]

(42-27-12)
@

(23-50-8)

The Skinny

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be looking to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs when they face the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CITY, ROOT, MSG-B).

The Penguins are coming off a 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders on Friday and can clinch a wild card berth in the postseason with a win in any fashion against the Sabres.

The Penguins can also qualify for the playoffs if they get one point against the Sabres and either the Ottawa Senators lose to the Philadelphia Flyers in regulation or the Boston Bruins fail to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning in regulation or overtime, or if the Bruins lose to the Lightning in any fashion.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has done well against the Sabres this season and in his career. In the Penguins two wins against the Sabres this season he has no eight assists. In 27 games against Buffalo, he has 14 goals and 31 assists and he has a 19-game point streak against the Sabres in which he’s scored 10 goals and 26 assists.

Marc-Andre Fleury told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he was starting against the Sabres following their loss to the Islanders.

The Sabres are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. With that loss, the Sabres ensured they will finish last in the NHL and will have the greatest odds of winning the NHL Draft Lottery and the first pick at the 2015 NHL Draft in Sunrise, FL on June 26.

The Sabres and Penguins did not skate on Saturday. Both teams had to travel to Buffalo after their games on Friday.

Shoutout to NHL.com

Projected Lines​

Daniel Winnik– Sidney Crosby–Patric Hornqvist
Chris Kunitz–Evgeni Malkin –David Perron
Beau Bennett–Brandon Sutter–Steve Downie
Nick Spaling–Maxim Lapierre–Blake Comeau

Paul Martin-Ben Lovejoy
Rob Scuderi-Ian Cole
Taylor Chorney-

Marc-Andre Fleury
Thomas Greiss​

Injured:Christian Ehrhoff (upper body), Kris Letang (concussion), Pascal Dupuis (blood clot), Olli Maatta (upper body), Derrick Pouliot (upper body)

Matt Moulson-Johan Larsson-Tyler Ennis
Marcus Foligno-Mikhail Grigorenko-Brian Gionta
Cody Hodgson-Philip Varone-Zac Dalpe
Nicolas Deslauriers–Matt Ellis-Patrick Kaleta

Tyson Strachan-Zach Bogosian
Andrej Meszaros–Rasmus Ristolainen
Nikita Zadorov–Chad Ruhwedel

Anders Lindback
Matt Hackett​

Injured: Andre Benoit (upper body), Mike Weber (lower body), Jerry D’Amigo (facial surgery), Zemgus Girgensons (foot), Josh Gorges (lower body), Chad Johnson (lower body), Cody McCormick (blood clots), Evander Kane (shoulder)

Team Leaders​

*Not included is D Taylor Chorney, who has played 6 games, with no stats other then a -1.​

Goalies​

Lindbacks Screencap of his stats won't work (of course), here is a link to his NHL.com page with his stats
http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8474765
​

Note: Sorry about the poor GDT, sort of rushed it. If I missed anything feel free to PM or mods can act accordingly.

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[iFishyHD]

Another note, I actually picked this game to do my 1st GDT a while back, but ended up picking some up anyway. I picked this game because I assumed it wouldn't matter if it was a little weird or ****** or something. Typical Pens..

 

[CrosbytoKessel]

LGP! I believe!!!!

 

[CrosbytoKessel]

Big night from Sid and Geno i hope

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Old school:

 

[IcedCapp]

so 5D confirmed again tonight. I cannot believe no one got miraculously healthy in time for the "do or die" game of the year.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Old school:

 

[Black Label]

 

[wej20]

If anyone has a Pens feed then I'd appreciate a PM.

 

[MrBurghundy]

so 5D confirmed again tonight. I cannot believe no one got miraculously healthy in time for the "do or die" game of the year.

It's ok, Johnston said Pouliot "should" be available if we make the playoffs. Nothing to worry about.

 

[MrBurghundy]

If anyone has a Pens feed then I'd appreciate a PM.

If they like you, they won't PM you one.

 

[ColePens]

All old school gifs welcomed. Old school usernames/avatars mandatory

 

[IcedCapp]

 

[Ugene Magic]

​

 

[YinzAintBurgh*]

Old school:

 

[HuskerTornado]

The Lost Boys seems fitting

 

[Konstantin Koltsov]

I still can't believe it's come down to this. Part of me thinks the Pens are a mortal lock to win. But the part of me that has watched the games over the past month or so thinks they'll score twice in the first 5 minutes and lose 6-2.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

so 5D confirmed again tonight. I cannot believe no one got miraculously healthy in time for the "do or die" game of the year.

Mr. Cap Guru can eat a bag of dicks.

 

[MrBurghundy]

So at the very least, I've grown to like Cole a bit. Good articulate interview with Potash there on the pregame. As we all know, it's all about the quotes anyway.

 

[IcedCapp]

the Pens had an emotional players meeting last night. Everything was laid out last night. I don't know that emotion and leadership matter now, I don't know that the players are good enough to give anymore. But whatever they have left, it'll be there.

 

[Kristopher Letang]

Pray for the weak.... Wait Who the **** is the weak now??

 

[cajal]

Disappointing season (like many for any franchise), best of luck tonight boys.

Let's go

 

[MrBurghundy]

the Pens had an emotional players meeting last night. Everything was laid out last night. I don't know that emotion and leadership matter now, I don't know that the players are good enough to give anymore. But whatever they have left, it'll be there.

Yeah... that's what worries me as well. I mean they definitely put forth an effort the last game (not all but the majority). Their problem was they have too many ****** players that hurt the team to make it matter. No amount of effort is going to make Sutter, Kunitz, Scuderi, Adams, Lapierre, or Lovejoy any better.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

5D?

I'll save my comment for the PGT

 

[Will Hunting]

Go Pens and go Canes.. I still have a hope but facing the Rangers is the same as missing the playoffs.