GDT: | January 28th | 1900hrs EST | Pens vs Wings | We dont fly so we dont need no wings!

[Zirakzigil]

vs

Detroit Red Wings (18-19-6, fifth in the Atlantic)
vs.
Pittsburgh Penguins (27-10-6, second in the Metropolitan)

Pittsburgh; Friday, 7 p.m. EST

LINE: Penguins -233, Red Wings +187; over/under is 6.5

BOTTOM LINE:
Detroit comes into the matchup with Pittsburgh after losing three games in a row.

The Penguins are 14-6-1 against Eastern Conference opponents. Pittsburgh is sixth in the NHL averaging 5.9 assists per game, led by Bryan Rust with 0.9.

The Red Wings are 6-5-2 against opponents from the Atlantic. Detroit averages 9.6 penalty minutes per game, the fifth-most in the Eastern Conference. Givani Smith leads the team serving 85 total minutes.

The teams meet Friday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS:
Kris Letang leads the Penguins with 33 assists and has 38 points this season. Evgeni Malkin has four goals and six assists over the last 10 games for Pittsburgh.

Tyler Bertuzzi leads the Red Wings with 20 goals and has 38 points. Dylan Larkin has five goals and three assists over the last 10 games for Detroit.

LAST 10 GAMES:
Penguins: 7-2-1, averaging 3.5 goals, 6.2 assists, 2.8 penalties and 6.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game with a .914 save percentage.

Red Wings: 3-4-3, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.2 assists, 4.7 penalties and 14.9 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game with a .903 save percentage.

INJURIES:
Red Wings: Thomas Greiss: out (covid-19).

What the team does when they dont have the puck:

What I want to do to the team when they dont have the puck:

How I feel when the puck goes close to CDS when hes in net:

​

Stats may be outdated from yesterdays game. Stats provided by TSN, ESPN and NHL.com

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[Zirakzigil]

Please keep the complaining/bickering from the Kraken OTL to the PGT, I'll keep it open until morning.

 

[wheelz87]

Wing prices better go down soon. I miss them.

 

[Tender Rip]

Look at our home/away record. The Universe loves harmony and balance.

Pens win.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Last week, the wife and I stumbled into an "American" restaurant in Prague's Vinohrady neighborhood after a night of carousing. Usually here "American" means half-assed rockabilly interiors and mediocre food, but man, they had some of the best wings I've had ever. Just absolutely perfect levels of spice, tanginess, and flavor.

Really good burgers too. The only downside of the restaurant was their beer selection, but I probably didn't need anymore at that point in the night anyway.

 

[Pens x]

Will DeSmith play the entire game?

Hopefully, one of the turds sit tonight. We would have won without the fourth line last night.

 

[ronduguayshair]

Team Turd already prepping for the game.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Look at our home/away record. The Universe loves harmony and balance.

True. I believe Thanos touched on this.

 

[Tender Rip]

True. I believe Thanos touched on this.

Great man. Does what’s necessary.
If he was coach, Zohorna would play .

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Great man. Does what’s necessary.
If he was coach, Zohorna would play .

Yeah probably. A lot of open lineup spots after the snap.

 

[ronduguayshair]

Now that we've lost, let's see if there's any lineup adjustments.

 

[The Old Master]

Now that we've lost, let's see if there's any lineup adjustments.

if there is, it won't be any thing that we haven't seen before.

 

[ronduguayshair]

if there is, it won't be any thing that we haven't seen before.

Please explain.

 

[The Old Master]

Please explain.

when sully dose make moves it's a move that has already been tried and failed. so when it fails again, he can just go back to his first choice.
edit; unless it's injury forced.

 

[ronduguayshair]

Everyone wanted Heinen on #71's line with Kapanen...and it isn't working.

 

[ronduguayshair]

when sully dose make moves it's a move that has already been tried and failed. so when it fails again, he can just go back to his first choice.
edit; unless it's injury forced.

let me try this again. What moves should Sullivan make?

 

[Andy99]

let me try this again. What moves should Sullivan make?

Play McGinn in the top six…he’s a feisty forechecker and might create some space…start experimenting with other lines than GCR, which has been easily shut down the last two playoffs…

 

[ronduguayshair]

Play McGinn in the top six…he’s a feisty forechecker and might create some space…start experimenting with other lines than GCR, which has been easily shut down the last two playoffs…

Ok so breaking up our first/best line for our second line. I thought so.

 

[Andy99]

Ok so breaking up our first/best line for our second line. I thought so.

or don’t break up the first line and replace Heinen with McGinn…I just think we’ve seen enough of GCR to know it’s going to have troubles in the playoffs and is not difficult to shut down…but the way we’re playing, we’re one and done anyway

 

[Gurglesons]

Everyone wanted Heinen on #71's line with Kapanen...and it isn't working.

Part of that is Heinen falling off a cliff.

 

[vodeni]

Part of that is Heinen falling off a cliff.

I think this really is the case...after missing 3 open net looks his overall game just nosedive. i watched him very closely last night. He is out of position on almost every play, late on forecheck and what was the worst, if he gets the puck in the neutral zone, or on a breakout there was only one play...dump to no one...there were several instances where either Geno or Kappy were skating with speed very closely with the opportunity to enter the OZ fast and in numbers and he just dumps it to no one, late for forechecks and pucks go the other way.
He is still OK in our zone, that line opposite to the CW is actually pretty good defensively, Geno play deep, they keep it outside, but thats really not what we want them to be...

 

[Gurglesons]

I think this really is the case...after missing 3 open net looks his overall game just nosedive. i watched him very closely last night. He is out of position on almost every play, late on forecheck and what was the worst, if he gets the puck in the neutral zone, or on a breakout there was only one play...dump to no one...there were several instances where either Geno or Kappy were skating with speed very closely with the opportunity to enter the OZ fast and in numbers and he just dumps it to no one, late for forechecks and pucks go the other way.
He is still OK in our zone, that line opposite to the CW is actually pretty good defensively, Geno play deep, they keep it outside, but thats really not what we want them to be...

Both him and Kapanen seem completely adversed to board play which is why I want McGinn up there.

 

[vodeni]

Both him and Kapanen seem completely adversed to board play which is why I want McGinn up there.

I trully expect McGinn up,
we don't want to break up GCR, but Jake and Rust (Jake more than Rust) are cooling off, just as overall effort...its opposite from the earlier in the season when jake carried that line then Rust, now Sid is playing great and keeps them at least even....most of the nights, but I think this will all sort itself out,

 

[vodeni]

The only reason I am bringing this up about GCR is that when Geno is trying to get back, and Carter's game is really trending down (I know points, etc...but the possession and matchups what you want fro m that line is really in a freefall), we will rely so much on this first line....

also Letang and Matheson must play more aggresively, contrary to all the crying about playing safe...Matthy was absolute no show last night and that was the main difference in our transition game and not being able to crack through that mid-ice wall

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I think this really is the case...after missing 3 open net looks his overall game just nosedive. i watched him very closely last night. He is out of position on almost every play, late on forecheck and what was the worst, if he gets the puck in the neutral zone, or on a breakout there was only one play...dump to no one...there were several instances where either Geno or Kappy were skating with speed very closely with the opportunity to enter the OZ fast and in numbers and he just dumps it to no one, late for forechecks and pucks go the other way.
He is still OK in our zone, that line opposite to the CW is actually pretty good defensively, Geno play deep, they keep it outside, but thats really not what we want them to be...

I'm not convinced Heinen is a good fit there either, but it was worth the attempt. Have to try things to learn what works and what doesn't when you need options down the line.
He can still it turn it around though. He's got 5 points in his last 10. It's not tragic.
Cohesion with Malkin is difficult for many players, especially when he's playing sloppy like last night.

IMO it's too early to give up. Maybe assess at the 10 game mark of them together. We are miles ahead of 9th place. All the playoff teams are very strong, so jockeying for a higher position isn't that important. We have virtually identical records at home vs away, so getting home ice for the playoffs is also pretty meaningless.
It's the perfect time to experiment.

If Heinen can't figure it out then he should be re-attached to Carter and McGinn should get a shot there imo. He has surprised me with his offensive ability.
Then failing that you can try ERod + Kap.