Pre-Game Talk: Penguins at Maple Leafs (10-26): Ready... Angst!

[Darth Vitale]

(OK swap the teams... close enough for a google quick search!)

Questions that need answering:

If we lose a third game in a row, will the ancient aliens return and cull the weak hockey players from our midst, as they were alleged to have done in 1817 in Canada?

If Geno scores a hat trick, will the masses lay appreciation wreaths and sing songs at his doorstep upon his return?

If MAF shuts out the Leafs is he better than Reimer?

Please help me to understand... I can't take it anymore!

Click to read more...

 

[Frederick Stanley]

GDT will be up as soon as there are some infos about the line up (Bort, D'Agostini...). I'm not sure we're going to get any news today until close to puck drop.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Toronto always seems to elevate their game against the Penguins.

 

[Fire Shero*]

Prediction: Sutter won't be a factor tonight

Hopefully fleury keeps up his great play. It'll be nice seeing an nhl goalie again.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

GDT will be up as soon as there are some infos about the line up (Bort, D'Agostini...). I'm not sure we're going to get any news today until close to puck drop.

You might be best to just take an educated guess with both teams being on the back-end of a back-to-back.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

In the last few years they have always been high scoring games in Toronto. I hope Malkin breaks out tonight

Lets go Pens

 

[IcedCapp]

Leafs are quick. Penguins are dead.

 

[MeticulouslyDishevel]

Leafs are quick. Penguins are dead.

I share IcedCapp's pessimism/ability to see reality.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Watch them play like **** and win, just to encourage Bylsma's beliefs.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Prediction: Sutter won't be a factor tonight

That is a seriously bold prediction. Can I play? I predict that Glass will run around and hit some people, but not score or come close to scoring or setting up a score... goal.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I wonder what the storyline will be if we win against another top team in the East this season with skill and speed. I mean, we did just that against the Lightning (who had already beaten both the Bruins and Hawks this year) and it was forgotten in short order, so I imagine the same will apply.

 

[DegenX]

Regarding your avi, Rowdy Roddy Peeper ... that means 73.3% of NHLer's say that Bylsma is NOT the smartest coach

 

[Zirakzigil]

Should be able to watch this one at work. Hoping Geno breaks out.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

I wonder what the storyline will be if we win against another top team in the East this season with skill and speed. I mean, we did just that against the Lightning (who had already beaten both the Bruins and Hawks this year) and it was forgotten in short order, so I imagine the same will apply.

It'll be that the Leafs actually suck and beating them means nothing because they aren't a truly strong defensive team, with references to their wins coming despite weak underlying stats. Also this is the regular season and might as well not be played.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Regarding your avi, Rowdy Roddy Peeper ... that means 73.3% of NHLer's say that Bylsma is NOT the smartest coach

I'm sure it'll be taken that way.

It'll be that the Leafs actually suck and beating them means nothing because they aren't a truly strong defensive team, with references to their wins coming despite weak underlying stats. Also this is the regular season and might as well not be played.

That's a bingo.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

I wonder what the storyline will be if we win against another top team in the East this season with skill and speed. I mean, we did just that against the Lightning (who had already beaten both the Bruins and Hawks this year) and it was forgotten in short order, so I imagine the same will apply.

So beating a team that finished 28th in the league last year, with a final min PP no less, is another one of our great successes?

It must be nice to think that every win is an amazing accomplishment and every loss can be excused because of injuries/hot goalie/bad bounces.

I'll say it again; it doesn't matter if they win/lose, it matters how they win/lose.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Sure, you could refer to last year, or you could talk about the season so far, in which the Lightning have played very well and beaten some of the NHL's best.

Come to think of it, you're right. Our expectations for the Penguins are too high, because they were usually pretty bad between 1967 and 1985 or so.

 

[penguins2946*]

Dear Penguins,

Please stop playing like ass.

Sincerely, all Pens fans

But anyway, I'm hoping the lines will be:

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Jokinen-Malkin-D'Agostini
Kobasew-Sutter-Megna
Glass-Vitale-Adams

Letang-Scuderi
Orpik-Martin
Bortuzzo-Niskanen

Maatta looked bad yesterday, give him a day off to regroup and get Bort in.

 

[Nightwing]

Any word on if D'Agostini will be in the lineup tonight?

 

[Speaking Moistly]

If we're doing lines and assuming Neal and whatshisface are still out but D'Agostini is back. If he's not just remove him.

Jokinen - Crosby - Dupuis
Kunitz - Malkin - D'Agostini/Jeffrey/not Kobasew
Kobasew - Sutter - Megna/Jeffrey/D'Agostini
Glass - Vitale - Adams

Crosby can get some skill with the ability to finish (I didn't pun) and keep the puck retriever/familiar guy. Malkin gets Kunitz which might help or might not because Kunitz hasn't been good but he's familiar, and someone that's not Kobasew. Sutter can possibly get a familiar linemate back, and Kobasew can not be put in above his head. Gladamsale can be reunited and feel so good.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

That is a seriously bold prediction. Can I play? I predict that Glass will run around and hit some people, but not score or come close to scoring or setting up a score... goal.

If Glass scores I'm going to be on you like hair on a gorilla.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Any word on if D'Agostini will be in the lineup tonight?

Was just perusing Dana Heinz's twitter page and Jeffrey, D'Agostini and Megna are all taking warmups it seems so it's a possibility.

https://twitter.com/RealDanaHeinze

ETA: The one jersey i don't see looking through the pics is #41-Bortuzzo so expect Maata-Niskanen again tonight.

 

[eXile59]

It would literally take an act of God to break up the Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis line. Heaven forbid we switch things up with Malkin struggling.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Bortuzzo scratched again? What the hell

 

[eXile59]

People seem excited about D'Agostini playing. Guy scored 3 goals in 30 games last season.