Pre-Game Talk: Rangers at Penguins 4/5

[Kadri 4 Hart]

Hello Pitt fans, any idea if it will be Fleury or Vokoun in net tomorrow night? Thanks

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[Ray Shero*]

I'm guesssing Fluery.

Vokoun looked really slow in his start and Fluery finished sharp that game.

Flower couldn't do a lot last game because the whole team played like poop, and he did make some pretty nice saves toward the end.

 

[On Vinyl]

I would guess Fleury, just because he is fresh and looking for a bounce back game. Hopefully the D actually decides to try to prevent goals this game.

 

[Candyman]

Ranger @ Penguins 4/5

Hope we show up this time, Malkin needs to get rolling. Would love to see Kunitz-Malkin-Neal back together for this one. Iginla can play with Sutter or Jokinen for now until Crosby gets back.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Hope we show up this time, Malkin needs to get rolling. Would love to see Kunitz-Malkin-Neal back together for this one. Iginla can play with Sutter or Jokinen for now until Crosby gets back.

I would expect a much better effort tomorrow. Well tonight actually now. The Pens just did not show up the past two games. It did not even look like they wanted to be out on the ice. After getting embarrassed in New York, I highly doubt that they care to have it happen at home. And against a team that they might play in the first round in a few weeks. A couple games let down is one thing, make it three in a row where they do not show and it becomes a trend. And they only need look back to last year when they had an amazing win streak end a few weeks before the season ended, got Crosby back, and laid an egg.

Yeah, yeah, they are missing Crosby, and maybe even worse Martin and Letang who make the transistion game out of their zone work. But that is no excuse for what we have seen the past couple of games.

For all of those reasons I expect the Pens to come out flying the first period.

 

[Ray Shero*]

I don't think I can handle 3 straight blowouts.

Defense needs to step up and start playing the solid transition game they played during the win streak.

I really hope we win 8-1 or something and embarrass them more than they did us.

 

[LGP6687]

Well the past two games they just weren't into it. Focus and discipline. How does Bylsma deal with that? I would have chewed them out hardcore for the stupid penalties, not to even mention looking like a bunch of retired players in an exhibition game.

Maybe Sid's visit will light a fire under their *****.

Player injuries did not play a role in this. If it did they just would have been close games that we might have won by 1 or lost by 1.. It was like they just wanted to be anywhere but on the ice, period.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

They deserved to be bag-skated after that last debacle. Just pitiful.

 

[WayneSid9987]

The exact mix of players are out for us that can turn this lineup to mediocre.

Geno's out? We managed.
Letang out? We managed.
Martin out? We managed.

With the 3 players out now, we are struggling to hold up on the back end and find the right mix up front with all the new faces.

I really don't expect much from this team until we get Letang back and we start finding some line chemistry up front.

I'd definitely start Fleury but knowing DB, he'll start Voukon probably.

Will be interesting to see if they change up the top line at the morning skate. I expect Jokinen will be slotted #2C and Sutter/Cooke can be back together again so that will be a good thing.

 

[Tender Rip]

Hopefully guys were suitably embarrassed after the last one, and hopefully Danny B will make an adjustment or three as well.

Absentees or not, we are better than the Rangers. Lets show them that again.

 

[Frederick Stanley]

GDT will be up, as soon as the practise lines are known.

 

[Dying Alive]

Hopefully they can manufacture some desperation tonight.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Time for Geno and Neal to step it up a notch cause they haven't been very good lately

 

[IcedCapp]

 

[plaidchuck]

Time for a big shootout type game where they may or may not win.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Hopefully they can manufacture some desperation tonight.

Put a big ass poster with a list of all 16 forwards and all 9 d-men on it. Put a big ass Roster Card with 12 forward spots and 6 d spots on it. Call up Beau Bennett.

we might not need wins any more. That might not get them playing desperate. But at least half of these guys should be playing for their roster spots. If someone gives a lazy performance, scratch him the next game.

 

[IcedCapp]

Hopefully they can manufacture some desperation tonight.

The TDL seemed to manufacture some desperation for players like TK and Glass last week. I think it's up to the coach to manufacture it now. Make a tough decision on who sits in the press box. Just once.

 

[Ogrezilla]

The TDL seemed to manufacture some desperation for players like TK and Glass last week. I think it's up to the coach to manufacture it now. Make a tough decision on who sits in the press box. Just once.

exactly. When Letang gets back, don't make the easy decision to sit Bortuzzo. Sit Orpik or Nisky for a night. With JJ coming in, don't make the easy decision to sit Vitale. Sit Neal if he plays like ass. (I don't think Neal should sit for last game, he actually looked engaged imo, just an example.)

 

[Sidney BrOSSby*]

ThePensBlog sucks so much. IDK why I read it.

 

[Dying Alive]

Put a big ass poster with a list of all 16 forwards and all 9 d-men on it. Put a big ass Roster Card with 12 forward spots and 6 d spots on it. Call up Beau Bennett.

we might not need wins any more. That might not get them playing desperate. But at least half of these guys should be playing for their roster spots. If someone gives a lazy performance, scratch him the next game.

The TDL seemed to manufacture some desperation for players like TK and Glass last week. I think it's up to the coach to manufacture it now. Make a tough decision on who sits in the press box. Just once.

Yep, I agree. That's probably the only thing that's going to do it at this point. The fear of losing your roster spot.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Yep, I agree. That's probably the only thing that's going to do it at this point. The fear of losing your roster spot.

Disco needs to let them know its not a joke. There is no reason a guy like Glass or TK should ever feel like his roster spot is safe. For a few games, they played like they actually believed it wasn't.

 

[plaidchuck]

ThePensBlog sucks so much. IDK why I read it.

What in particular? The Murray piece?

 

[Ogrezilla]

ThePensBlog sucks so much. IDK why I read it.

it used to be funny. I'm not sure if that changed, or if I just graduated high school

they still have their moments though. I love the photoshop expos. And the Paul Martin Powerball was pretty brilliant

 

[IcedCapp]

it used to be funny. I'm not sure if that changed, or if I just graduated high school

they still have their moments though. I love the photoshop expos. And the Paul Martin Powerball was pretty brilliant

I'm with ya. They have their moments, but more often than not I find it a bit obnoxious and gratuitous.

 

[Shrimper]

It's about time some of the forwards stepped it up. Also, we're going with an EN. Probably let in fewer than the last two games.