Pre-Game Talk: Pens vs. Isles Game 6

[Jaded-Fan]

Pens have made some significant changes that all of us have been screaming for since the playoffs began, and some even before.

Islanders will be desperate, have the home crowd, and will have the last change.

I give us a pretty good chance. I think Vokoun putting the shutout on them is in their heads. I think that is more critical than people think. The Pens have held a two goal lead late every game this series, and blew it twice. One of the big adjustments was clogging the neutral zone once they had that lead and smothering and frustrating the Islanders. That is big. The adjustments that the Pens made all worked, and until the Islanders show me that they have the answers I have little reason to doubt that they will work again tomorrow. But mostly the vets on this team are used to closing the door on another team when in this situation. I do not remember the record but if I am remembering correctly they usually finish the deal when they get up like this. I know that they do not want to come home for a game 7.

 

[ColePens]

Pens have made some significant changes that all of us have been screaming for since the playoffs began, and some even before.

Islanders will be desperate, have the home crowd, and will have the last change.

I give us a pretty good chance. I think Vokoun putting the shutout on them is in their heads. I think that is more critical than people think. The Pens have held a two goal lead late every game this series, and blew it twice. One of the big adjustments was clogging the neutral zone once they had that lead and smothering and frustrating the Islanders. That is big. The adjustments that the Pens made all worked, and until the Islanders show me that they have the answers I have little reason to doubt that they will work again tomorrow. But mostly the vets on this team are used to closing the door on another team when in this situation. I do not remember the record but if I am remembering correctly they usually finish the deal when they get up like this. I know that they do not want to come home for a game 7.

My checklist... you tell me what is important:

- Weathering the opening storm
- Vokoun being consistent
- Staying out of extra **** to give Isles momentum
- Dumb Penalties (I'm looking at you, Geno)
- Puck Support (breakout for less turnovers)


To me.. it starts and ends with Vokoun. If he can smother pucks and help transition like he did last game, it will make the Isles shoot less and get in their heads. They don't just wildly throw it like they did against Fleury. They had confidence that #29 couldn't save ****. Not the case w/ Vokoun.

 

[Fleury3434*]

Well we know what the top two lines will be...but what about the bottom 2 lines? I personally would like to see Cooke and Kennedy with sutter...and morrow and Adams with victory...morrow has looked slow this series, but still has been laying the body on the islanders...morrow on the forth line seems like the best situation

 

[heretik27]

I really expect the Isles to goon it up a bit tomorrow. They will be desperate and looking for ways to get the Pens off their game. They will take a page from the Flyers and I look for them to go after Malkin, Crosby, Neal, and Letang, early and often and try and goat them or somebody coming to their aid into a dumb penalty. They will be relentless all night long and will keep driving the Pens back and back, over and over again.

The Pens will need to match their intensity and drive and drive the nail in the coffin.

Anyone so much as sneezes on Crosby and you know Iginla is going to regulate. With that said, it's not like the Isles are putting Haley and Trevor Gillies on the ice tomorrow. I doubt we have to be too worried about that. Maybe just the chippy bench crap they've been pulling, but that's about all I expect.

 

[Stad]

I'll be watching this one at the bar since it's my buddies birthday tomorrow, so at least i won't be a nervous wreck during it lol.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

My checklist... you tell me what is important:

- Weathering the opening storm
- Vokoun being consistent
- Staying out of extra **** to give Isles momentum
- Dumb Penalties (I'm looking at you, Geno)
- Puck Support (breakout for less turnovers)


To me.. it starts and ends with Vokoun. If he can smother pucks and help transition like he did last game, it will make the Isles shoot less and get in their heads. They don't just wildly throw it like they did against Fleury. They had confidence that #29 couldn't save ****. Not the case w/ Vokoun.

Getting to their game. Heh.

And actually I mean that. Do what they did in game 5. The Islanders came out flying in game 5 as well. But I truly think it is now on the Islanders to respond to the changes we made. That will be the story of game 6 in my opinion.

The things you listed are important. But I think that the Pens made a critical turn the last game in HOW they played. A commitment to smarter hockey. They have blown how many two goal leads this series? In game 5 they got the lead and for the first time showed that they know how to protect that lead. You can get some lucky, and unlucky, bounces. But if you play like the Pens did in game 5 you are going to win most of your games.

One last thought. If the worst happens and we lose game 6, there is a hidden advantage game 7. Look at who we healthy scratched. We will have some fresh legs to put into the lineup the next days. Islanders not so much. But let's hope we never get there.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Anyone so much as sneezes on Crosby and you know Iginla is going to regulate. With that said, it's not like the Isles are putting Haley and Trevor Gillies on the ice tomorrow. I doubt we have to be too worried about that. Maybe just the chippy bench crap they've been pulling, but that's about all I expect.

 

[Malkin112*]

Fleury in and Jussi in for Adams then Pens are ready to contend

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Pens have made some significant changes that all of us have been screaming for since the playoffs began, and some even before.

Islanders will be desperate, have the home crowd, and will have the last change.

I give us a pretty good chance. I think Vokoun putting the shutout on them is in their heads. I think that is more critical than people think. The Pens have held a two goal lead late every game this series, and blew it twice. One of the big adjustments was clogging the neutral zone once they had that lead and smothering and frustrating the Islanders. That is big. The adjustments that the Pens made all worked, and until the Islanders show me that they have the answers I have little reason to doubt that they will work again tomorrow. But mostly the vets on this team are used to closing the door on another team when in this situation. I do not remember the record but if I am remembering correctly they usually finish the deal when they get up like this. I know that they do not want to come home for a game 7.

The Pens ran a 1-2-2 FC with a swing the entire game and never really dropped back to clog up the NZ. They ran the same 1-2-2 swing the last few games as well. The difference was, this time they actually established a heavy forecheck with the additions of TK/Vitale and by switching the lines. They never left their foot off the gas this time though, which is why the Isles could never get out of their own end.

Like Brooks always said, the best way to protect a lead is to attack and make the other team play in their own end, not sit back.

There were no big system adjustments from game four to game five. The difference was guys playing hard and responsible hockey and DB making intelligent roster/line decisions.

 

[JurassicTunga]

Go Pens! Finish this up!

I will finally be able to see this game fully tomorrow too. I'll be able to watch Iggy and Crosby do some good things on the ice.

 

[Stad]

Fleury in and Jussi in for Adams then Pens are ready to contend

Fleury isn't starting tonight, get over it already.

 

[Tofveve]

The Pens just have to play hard, play their game and they'll win. Simple as that. TV is the goalie they should be going with from here on out unless he has a Fleuryesque collapse for 3 games in a row. The rest should take care of itself. Effort, smart play, solid goaltending and Pittsburgh wins.

 

[#66]

My checklist... you tell me what is important:

- Weathering the opening storm
- Vokoun being consistent
- Staying out of extra **** to give Isles momentum
- Dumb Penalties (I'm looking at you, Geno)
- Puck Support (breakout for less turnovers)


To me.. it starts and ends with Vokoun. If he can smother pucks and help transition like he did last game, it will make the Isles shoot less and get in their heads. They don't just wildly throw it like they did against Fleury. They had confidence that #29 couldn't save ****. Not the case w/ Vokoun.

The first 10 mins will be huge. I'm hoping the Pens treat this like 3 :20 min games. Win each period.

The puck support/ puck management is big too. Like Jiggy said the biggest problems weren't systematic in games 2,3 and 4 but more mistakes. IMO those mistakes were made because puck support was poor. Players would have the puck, have no support and then force plays. That just led into turnovers.

Another thing I would love to add is not letting the Isles to go cross box or cross ice on plays. MAF deserves some of the blame for his mistakes but the Pens played really bad in front of him. I think Voks went side to side only once to make a save in game 5.

 

[steveg]

TK is the goalie they should be going with from here on out unless he has a Fleuryesque collapse for 3 games in a row.

manbearpig?

 

[JTG]

I think it's very important for the Pens to look at Toronto/Boston, Wash/NYR, and Anaheim/Detroit. Each of these series had a point in time where it looked all but over. Now they are as close as it gets.

This team HAS to be focused tomorrow. I've watched them lose their cool/focus so much in this 5 game series so far it's ridiculous. Please, for my sanity, come out focused and do not give them a reason to find motivation. Just play strong defense, get good goaltending, and explode.

Please... end it. I don't want to see this team for Game 7. They are too talented.

Well, Geno needs to come tonight. Isles get the last change, so Sid is going to get a face full of Nielsen. That won't stop Sid, but it probably will slow him, so Geno has got to be an x-factor, in a good way, for the first time this series.

I'm believing more and more, Geno playing in Russia was a terrible idea.

 

[Tofveve]

manbearpig?

haha . . . meant TV lol.

 

[Terrapin]

My wife graduates college today, then is dragging me to a bonfire her classmate is having tonight. Is there any way to watch the game on my Droid or Ipad? If not, I may just throw myself into the fire.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Finish this off please. Lets go Pens

 

[Tofveve]

My wife graduates college today, then is dragging me to a bonfire her classmate is having tonight. Is there any way to watch the game on my Droid or Ipad? If not, I may just throw myself into the fire.

A true fan would throw his wife into the fire and then watch the game.

 

[Terrapin]

A true fan would throw his wife into the fire and then watch the game.

There's no telling what may happen. I may run amok and start dismembering people.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Fleury in and Jussi in for Adams then Pens are ready to contend

Contend with Fleury? No

 

[Tofveve]

There's no telling what may happen. I may run amok and start dismembering people.

Haha . . . I tried to edit in a green face smile and it wouldn't allow it! Glad for your dismembermering comment, because that made it all better. And one can never overuse the word amok! Spoken like a true fan!

 

[Terrapin]

Haha . . . I tried to edit in a green face smile and it wouldn't allow it! Glad for your dismembermering comment, because that made it all better. And one can never overuse the word amok! Spoken like a true fan!

An ode to the great Al Bundy!

 

[TheStinger]

I think if we can weather the storm in the first period like we did in Game 5 and maybe even pinch a goal ourselves, their belief factor drops about 70%. They had 14 shots in the first period and then 17 for the next two. We did step up the D a little bit, but they started taking silly, frustrated shots and slowly began to tire out. Save for a few odd-man rushes started by Tavares and Grabner, they didn't look dangerous after the first period. Tavares is a proud player and a bloody good one too, and we need to make sure he stays silent in front of his home fans. Doing that will get us halfway home.

 

[WVP]

My checklist... you tell me what is important:

- Weathering the opening storm
- Vokoun being consistent
- Staying out of extra **** to give Isles momentum
- Dumb Penalties (I'm looking at you, Geno)
- Puck Support (breakout for less turnovers)

Yep, good summary. I'd also like to see a bit more physical presence on Tavares - seems like after game 1 we've let him run free a bit.