I fully expect this series to go 7, so very competitive is my reply... but, don't underestimate experience when it comes to this stage. I am interested to see just how Nashville handles this especilly if they drop the first 2 games on the road.
Unfortunately, this will not be a competitive series. PIT in 5, maybe 6 games if Rinne steals two. Murray is better in net. Rinne's numbers have been coming back to earth every series. Forwards are not even close. They wouldn't be close even if RyJo was playing. I love Nashville's D, but Pittsburgh has a great defensive system, with strong support from the forwards and great transition. If you have watched PIT at all this year, you know it doesn't seem to matter who gets injured on D, the system makes up for it. I'm not saying in any way that they are better than NSH. I'm just saying the gap is much closer than most perceive.
Forsberg and Arvidsson don't have RyJo to feed them. Colton Sissons had a great couple games in RyJo's absence, but no one expects him to keep that up. Maybe Fisher gets his first point of the playoffs, but the offense lives and dies with the D and Forsberg right now. That is scary.
Forsberg/Sissons/Arvidsson have 35 points so far. Tonight's fourth line of Guentzel/Cullen/Hornqvist have 30. Wilson/Fisher/Neal have 11 points. Wilson/Malkin/Kessel has 48. The worst line for PIT tonight statistically is Rust/Bonino/Rowney, and even they have 15 points as a line.
This is going to be ugly.
Can the Preds give the Pens more headaches and better competition than the Sharks did last year? Even with all the injuries? Or will the Penguins march over another animal higher on the food chain?
That first game was confusing.
Don't know if the Preds' 2nd-3rd period rush is more encouraging than that late goal allowed.
Shades of San Jose game 1 last year.
And we all know how THAT ended up.
Maybe these Pens aren't equipped to give us a competitive series.
Did the Sharks look this bad after games 1-2 last year?
Remember, it's never over until someone loses at home
Unless Rinne wakes tf up, this may be a sweep.
Remember, it's never over until someone loses at home
There's a difference between quantity and quality. Nashville is great at controlling the puck but there's no creativity in their offensive game. Pens forwards don't need much to bury their chances. That's not lucky that's talent.Pittsburgh has more puck luck than any team I have ever seen. Both Washington nad Nashville have proven that they can dominate the play against the Penguins, but yet, the Pens always score off of nothing plays and the puck just will not bounce Nashville's way.
But truth be told, this may be the worst forward group ever in the Finals. The Preds just cannot put the puck into the net. Plus, Rinne is giving them no help whatsoever so far, possibly because he goes through long stretches without seeing a shot.
Pens got this however.....listen to the announce below
If the Canucks win a strangle hold...the Bruins would have to win 4 of 5....if it even went that far