GDT: | Game LXXXII | Pens vs Jackets | 1700hrs MST | Final Countdown to Playoffs

[Zirakzigil]

vs

Columbus Blue Jackets (37-37-7, sixth in the Metropolitan)
vs.
Pittsburgh Penguins (45-25-11, third in the Metropolitan)


Pittsburgh; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT



BOTTOM LINE:
Columbus visits Pittsburgh looking to stop its four-game road skid.

The Penguins are 27-16-6 in Eastern Conference games. Pittsburgh ranks 10th in the league averaging 5.7 assists per game, led by Sidney Crosby with 0.8.

The Blue Jackets are 9-16-0 against Metropolitan teams. Columbus ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference averaging 3.2 goals per game, led by Oliver Bjorkstrand with 27.

Pittsburgh took down Columbus 5-1 in the last meeting between these teams on March 22. Jake Guentzel scored two goals for the Penguins in the win.



TOP PERFORMERS:
Crosby leads the Penguins with 84 points, scoring 31 goals and adding 53 assists. Guentzel has seven goals and six assists over the last 10 games for Pittsburgh.

Gabriel Carlsson leads the Blue Jackets with a plus-five in 37 games this season. Jack Roslovic has 13 points over the last 10 games for Columbus.



LAST 10 GAMES:
Penguins: 4-5-1, averaging three goals, five assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game with a .929 save percentage.

Blue Jackets: 4-5-1, averaging three goals, 5.2 assists, 3.7 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game with a .909 save percentage.

Per usual, inaccurate stats provided by TSN, ESPN and NHL.com

Click to read more...

 

[Zirakzigil]

Dont forget to get your playoff avatar. @Ugene Magic has done some awesome work.

 

[wheelz87]

So we get 1 point and it’s the Rags?

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Just win??

 

[AuroraBorealis]

So we get 1 point and it’s the Rags?

Correct. We have the tie-breaker.
Caps can throw the next game (like they did tonight) and choose to have Florida.

What's interesting though is that Boston is threatening to take 3rd in the Atlantic. 1 point back of Tampa, even on games, and they have the tie-breaker.
So we may see Carolina-Tampa...which I didn't see coming.

 

[Night Shift]

Don't care who we face. Just win baby.

 

[Pens x]

Sully heading into the last regular season game.

 

[eXile3]

Last regular season with Sid, Geno, and Letang? Let's go out on a high note.

 

[Pens x]

Last regular season with Sid, Geno, and Letang? Let's go out on a high note.

You can’t get much lower than the last 2 months, but I suspect Sully will find a way.

 

[Pancakes]

I doubt the Caps want any part of Florida, but with Ovechkin injured they're kinda garbage. That'd be like us without Sid. It'd be ugly.

Then again the Rangers iced a horrible lineup the other night. So uhh, who knows.

I think we'll probably beat Columbus regardless. It's the last game of the season and the last chance to have some kind of momentum heading into the playoffs and I suspect the Pens for once won't completely take a turd tonight.

 

[LOGiK]

I haven't paid any mind in a few weeks and meant to check in once in a while and I do and it's the end of the season!? ttttttttttttttttttttttttheffffffffffffffffff time flies man.

Limping into the post-season once again eh penguins? Well, Sullivan can try that stratagem then. One of them has got to get them out of disappointing first round knock-outs.

 

[Andy99]

Who cares about this game? I’ll probably be watching the NFL draft lol…Hextall really screwed us with our late season cap space…ideally Sid, Geno and Carter get a rest for this game and Domingue is played…can we play only 9 forwards and three lines? My D pairs would be Dumo- Friedman, math-Ruh, Petts-Marino…give Letang a night off too…we may be playing on Monday…

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Who cares about this game? I’ll probably be watching the NFL draft lol…Hextall really screwed us with our late season cap space…ideally Sid, Geno and Carter get a rest for this game and Domingue is played…can we play only 9 forwards and three lines? My D pairs would be Dumo- Friedman, math-Ruh, Petts-Marino…give Letang a night off too…we may be playing on Monday…

(I just wanted to post an Anne Hathaway gif)

 

[The Old Master]

I doubt the Caps want any part of Florida, but with Ovechkin injured they're kinda garbage. That'd be like us without Sid. It'd be ugly.

they will shoot him up and he'll be good to go. although we could always hope that he throws it out punching the face of one of our guys.

 

[Andy99]

I mean look at the finishing differential lol…

Advanced stats matchup​

 

[Andy99]

DK just said Pens matchup with the Rangers will be a short ugly series lol…

 

[Pancakes]

they will shoot him up and he'll be good to go. although we could always hope that he throws it out punching the face of one of our guys.

I meant more in the sense of, Ovechkin probably wont play in their last regular season game vs the Rangers. So even though the Rangers will be resting guys Caps still might lose since they suck w/o Ovie.

 

[Pancakes]

DK just said Pens matchup with the Rangers will be a short ugly series lol…

Certainly feels that way but the playoffs rarely go how we expect

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I've never given a f*** about DK or anything he says. Not that I disagree, but f*** DK.

 

[Night Shift]

DK just said Pens matchup with the Rangers will be a short ugly series lol…

DK needs to shut his mouth

 

[vodeni]

DK just said Pens matchup with the Rangers will be a short ugly series lol…

thats somekind of gutsy prediction

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Has there been an explanation as to why the Pens just can't finish?

Too much alcohol?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Has there been an explanation as to why the Pens just can't finish?

Too much alcohol?

Occam's Razor answer is most of the guys on the team just aren't very good.

 

[vodeni]

Geno at optional skate....

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

One last time for Morehouse