Pre-Game Talk: Pittsburgh at Ottawa

[Will Hunting]

Just for the sake of some fresh air. Lots of negative emotions now. I guess a win here would make things OK.

Dejan Kovacevic ‏@Dejan_Kovacevic
Jeffrey taking Glass' place on third line. All other lines, pairings same as last night.


Glad for Dustin. Hopefully he will take this opportunity. Not sure if Glass deserves to be scratched. I am a Tangradi hater, but he was decent on that 4th line role. 3rd line was invisible, so I can understand it, for now.

I actually thought the Pens were playing hard in Winnipeg and deserved better. I expect them being inspired and focused, but Ottawa is a tough matchup. Especially on the road. Malkin needs to bounce back and we have a chance.

Click to read more...

 

[Bennett Brauer]

Come on boys, let's get to our game, the standard is the standard, Pittsburgh Penguins ice hockey!

 

[Kovifan27]

Dejan Kovacevic ‏@Dejan_Kovacevic
Jeffrey taking Glass' place on third line. All other lines, pairings same as last night.

Wonder if Glass is hurt/sore from the crash into the boards the other day? He did come back out on the ice after though.

 

[shureshot66]

Glass is banged up it sounds like. Possibly a shoulder injury from a hit last night.

 

[Sivek]

Guessing Glass is hurt.

Seriously DB, playing Lovejoy-Engelland again? Is Bortuzzo still on the team? Like DB just ain't trying at this point.

 

[Crafton]

outside of traditional rivals Ottawa might be the team i dislike the most.

 

[Will Hunting]

Wonder if Glass is hurt/sore from the crash into the boards the other day? He did come back out on the ice after though.

Yeah, forgot about it. Could be the case, but I am not sure if it is. Jeffrey deserves a chance, he should be pretty hungry. It´s good to have some competition for lineup spots.

Also, seems like Lovejoy is in again

 

[MrBurghundy]

Yay, we get to see Lovejoy and Engelland **** all over the ice again! Yay for accountability!

 

[End of Line]

Lineup I'd like to see tomorrow night. Not a snow balls chance in hell it'll happen though.

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Jeffrey-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Sutter-Kennedy
Tangradi-The Messiah-Adams

Niskanen-Letang
Orpik-Martin
Despres-Bortuzzo

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Lovejoy-Engo again?

 

[MrBurghundy]

Maybe Despres-Bortuzzo with both rotate in...

I doubt it, but here's to hoping.

 

[KIRK]

Yay, we get to see Lovejoy and Engelland **** all over the ice again! Yay for accountability!

Well, like every game this season, I'm going to be looking to see how we play against Ottawa. Leave the score out of it. Win or lose, we played pretty reckless hockey against them all last season. Similar to what we did all last season against Ottawa.

I'm sure if we get to our game, then things will be better.

Side note: One of the ugly games against Ottawa, I remember a sequence where Nick Foligno completely undressed the Pens in their zone. He doesn't do it a lot, but he's capable of doing it once in a while. It dawned on me then that, outside of Sid and Geno, the Pens had on their roster no forward more offensively creative than Nick Foligno. Think about that. Even Neal, who's a top forward, is a top forward because of that shot, not because of any great individual playmaking ability. And, then we wonder why, when the Pens aren't 'playing their game', why Sid and Geno go off the reservation.

 

[Bennett Brauer]

Lineup I'd like to see tomorrow night. Not a snow balls chance in hell it'll happen though.

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Jeffrey-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Sutter-Kennedy
Tangradi-The Messiah-Adams

Niskanen-Letang
Orpik-Martin
Despres-Bortuzzo

100% agree but we're fans, what do we know? Dan Bylsma won the Jack Adams so this lineup makes us a clear Cup favorite.

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Kennedy-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Sutter-Jeffrey
Tangradi-Vitale-Adams

Niskanen-Letang
Orpik-Martin
Lovejoy-Engelland
Despres, Bortuzzo

WHY DOES BYLSMA HAVE TO PLAY FAVORITES AND BE AN IDIOT! Please Shero, trade Ben Lovejoy, that's the only way he won't start on this team.

 

[Malkinstheman]

I have a bad feeling that we are not going to play defense again tom. Last time Ottawa beat us like 8-4 so they know how we play but i gues you could blame it on thiessen since he was in net

 

[KIRK]

100% agree but we're fans, what do we know? Dan Bylsma won the Jack Adams so this lineup makes us a clear Cup favorite.

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Kennedy-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Sutter-Jeffrey
Tangradi-Vitale-Adams

Niskanen-Letang
Orpik-Martin
Lovejoy-Engelland
Despres, Bortuzzo

WHY DOES BYLSMA HAVE TO PLAY FAVORITES AND BE AN IDIOT! Please Shero, trade Ben Lovejoy, that's the only way he won't start on this team.

I think you may have forgotten a smilie or two.

 

[Will Hunting]

Lineup I'd like to see tomorrow night. Not a snow balls chance in hell it'll happen though.

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Jeffrey-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Sutter-Kennedy
Tangradi-The Messiah-Adams

Niskanen-Letang
Orpik-Martin
Despres-Bortuzzo

Exactly my opinion But the reality is different. I am just happy DJ is in. Sutter needs sompe spark, would be perfect if those two can make some damage.

Also, I am just curious. In Bylsma´s world, does Engo have a 100% secure roster spot? Seems like it and doesn´t matter how he plays...

 

[bradshaw06]

If we get to our game we have a chance

 

[MrBurghundy]

Lineup I'd like to see tomorrow night. Not a snow balls chance in hell it'll happen though.

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Jeffrey-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Sutter-Kennedy
Tangradi-The Messiah-Adams

Niskanen-Letang
Orpik-Martin
Despres-Bortuzzo

I'd keep your defense, but I'd like my forwards to be...

Kunitz - Malkin - Neal
Dupuis - Crosby - Kennedy
Cooke - Sutter - Jeffrey
Tangradi - Vitale - Adams

 

[Captain Hook]

Expecting them to put on another clinic in turnovers. Hopefully they win this time though.

 

[KIRK]

If we get to our game we have a chance

Because the standard is the standard?

 

[KIRK]

Expecting them to put on another clinic in turnovers. Hopefully they win this time though.

They may. They may not. Does it make a difference if they pull another turnover clinic and are skating around like chickens with their heads cut off in the defensive zone. Most would say 'no', just like the games leading into last year's playoffs.

 

[Frederick Stanley]

No idea why Lovejoy is still on this team, let alone playing..

 

[MrBurghundy]

I just can not fathom how a Despres-Bortuzzo pairing wouldn't even be tried. Both guys are 6'4" and physical. Bortuzzo is more stay at home and Despres likes to skate with the puck. They have so much potential to be a great reliable 3rd pairing if just given a chance to adjust to the pro game. Just another stupid lineup decision credited to Bylsma I guess.

 

[cheesedanish87]

Hopefully they got a new anthem singer in Ottawa this year that lady from last year was awful

 

[KIRK]

I just can not fathom how a Despres-Bortuzzo pairing wouldn't even be tried. Both guys are 6'4" and physical. Bortuzzo is more stay at home and Despres likes to skate with the puck. They have so much potential to be a great reliable 3rd pairing if just given a chance to adjust to the pro game. Just another stupid lineup decision credited to Bylsma I guess.

Why would you say you can't fathom something when you certainly fathomed it at the end of your post?