SERIES DISCUSSION: Metro Semis | Pens vs. Rangers | There Will Be Blood (Not Theirs)

[JQR]

Great. Now the new version of Gonchar at the zoo is going to be Sid got attacked by bees.


Bee excellent to each other

Sidney Crosbee.

 

[66-30-33]

Change the Pens logo to the Penguin eyes have X's instead, and a wasp stinging them.

 

[Pancakes]

Knowing this team we'll somehow find a way to take 1 of 2 in New York to give us all hope before losing again.

That's okay, though. I'm honestly feeling no pressure or gloom about this series which is nice. I think this is the first time since 2006 where I've felt like we're entering the playoffs just glad to be there and any series wins I consider a bonus. It's incredibly relaxing feeling no expectations.

I mean if we do somehow get it to be a tight series I'm sure I'll feel bad if we lose but ultimately it will be nothing like what I've felt the past few years. I'll get over it quickly if we fall because we're expected to.

 

[#66]

Hope the Pens don't go into their typical jam plays around the net. That plays right into their hands.

Back door and high slot more than net front.

Get pucks deep and be aggressive. Trapping and pulling back is death.

 

[canadianguy77]

Hope the Pens don't go into their typical jam plays around the net. That plays right into their hands.

Back door and high slot more than net front.

Get pucks deep and be aggressive. Trapping and pulling back is death.

Sounds good coach, but who do we have besides Horny who can consistently retrieve the puck from a dump-in?

 

[drpepper]

Sounds good coach, but who do we have besides Horny who can consistently retrieve the puck from a dump-in?

Crosby

 

[canadianguy77]

Crosby

Looks like we're all set then.

 

[drpepper]

Looks like we're all set then.

One line being able to dump and chase is great, right?

And that one line that has been the most offensively productive should dump and chase, right?

Clearly Pens should plan the parade

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Knowing this team we'll somehow find a way to take 1 of 2 in New York to give us all hope before losing again.

That's okay, though. I'm honestly feeling no pressure or gloom about this series which is nice. I think this is the first time since 2006 where I've felt like we're entering the playoffs just glad to be there and any series wins I consider a bonus. It's incredibly relaxing feeling no expectations.

I mean if we do somehow get it to be a tight series I'm sure I'll feel bad if we lose but ultimately it will be nothing like what I've felt the past few years. I'll get over it quickly if we fall because we're expected to.

I kinda think that the Pens will return to Pittsburgh tied.

Not because the Pens will take a game but because the Rags will give one up. I honestly think that the Rags look at the Pens and see this:

We have gone in heavy favorites and paid for not ignoring the press clippings many times in the past. I am sure that the Rags will say all the right things, including to themselves. But believe it? I doubt it. That is why there is a good chance this returns to Pittsburgh tied before they wake up.

 

[ColePens]

I'm watching these playoff games and the urgency/desperation....and wow. The level of play is out of this world. I hope the Pens bring the same.

 

[JQR]

I'm watching these playoff games and the urgency/desperation....and wow. The level of play is out of this world. I hope the Pens bring the same.

Pffffft.... duuuuude... we got Crosby. I ain't even worried.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I'm watching these playoff games and the urgency/desperation....and wow. The level of play is out of this world. I hope the Pens bring the same.

The Chicago PP made me cry. Because I couldn't help but compare it to the crap we have been seeing for most of this year. It was shocking to see the puck not head down to your end of the ice 5 seconds after the PP started and for most of the remainder of the PP. Good puck movement, crisp passes for open shots in the crease.

 

[Pancakes]

I kinda think that the Pens will return to Pittsburgh tied.

Not because the Pens will take a game but because the Rags will give one up. I honestly think that the Rags look at the Pens and see this:

We have gone in heavy favorites and paid for not ignoring the press clippings many times in the past. I am sure that the Rags will say all the right things, including to themselves. But believe it? I doubt it. That is why there is a good chance this returns to Pittsburgh tied before they wake up.

I expect the Rangers to come out plenty hard but all it takes is a bounce or the Pens finding a little bit of offensive confidence and this will become a series in a hurry. There have been times in the past where we've come out hard against teams and not taken them lightly but made a mistake or had them get a bounce and suddenly that team finds life and we sag.

 

[plaidchuck]

Now it's time to watch this and sigh. Ahh nostalgia.

 

[Hophog]

I expect the Rangers to come out plenty hard but all it takes is a bounce or the Pens finding a little bit of offensive confidence and this will become a series in a hurry. There have been times in the past where we've come out hard against teams and not taken them lightly but made a mistake or had them get a bounce and suddenly that team finds life and we sag.

As long as we don't jump out to a 3 or 4 nothing lead right off the bat and we can keep it close the entire game. Ironically, I like our chances better if they are close games. We get a few goals and the Rangers start playing desperate, with us trying to hang on for the entire game, is a recipe for disaster and the series. We just can't help ourselves, when we have the lead, and we'll start the fancy stuff until we lose every bit of momentum... etc, etc... We all know the drill, by now, so no sense going into any more detail about it.

 

[systemsgo]

I'm watching these playoff games and the urgency/desperation....and wow. The level of play is out of this world. I hope the Pens bring the same.

I hope we do. It'd be painful to watch if we play like we did down the stretch.

 

[cygnus47]

I hope we do. It'd be painful to watch if we play like we did down the stretch.

I'm expecting about the same to be honest. Not that there won't be desperation from both sides, but just personnel wise we played the way we would be expected to. Our defense is just not good enough to stay organised and make the little defensive and puck moving plays that keep the puck off the opponents sticks for long stretches.

I wouldn't be surprised if either team got a jump and dominated possession for 10 minutes. If we jump out and they don't crumble though, you can guarantee that period 2 and 3 won't go our way. As soon as they start to "manage" our forecheck (i.e. pick, interfere and outright hold with no penalties) we'll surrender the neutral zone the way we have all 2015. Pucks will get stuck in mud at our blue line because our guys will spread out instead of staying tight. We also have a bunch of D who either can't or don't have the chemistry to make touch plays on the boards, so we can expect a lot of turnovers behind our net. We'll eventually not pick up a stick around our net (because we don't have a real top 4) and a rebound or behind the net play will go in. We're not a strong enough team to come back from a deficit against a good defensive team that doesn't surrender its blueline, and we've proven ourselves unable to hold a lead.

The only way I see us winning is if we score on every powerplay, the King plays the worst he ever has and the Blueshirts make a lot of mistakes.

 

[Lame Lambert]

Hope you guys pull off the upset, I'll be rooting for you

 

[hiptanaka]

Hope you guys pull off the upset, I'll be rooting for you

You'll be rooting for us because it'll make your trip through the playoffs easier.

 

[systemsgo]

I'm expecting about the same to be honest. Not that there won't be desperation from both sides, but just personnel wise we played the way we would be expected to. Our defense is just not good enough to stay organised and make the little defensive and puck moving plays that keep the puck off the opponents sticks for long stretches.

I wouldn't be surprised if either team got a jump and dominated possession for 10 minutes. If we jump out and they don't crumble though, you can guarantee that period 2 and 3 won't go our way. As soon as they start to "manage" our forecheck (i.e. pick, interfere and outright hold with no penalties) we'll surrender the neutral zone the way we have all 2015. Pucks will get stuck in mud at our blue line because our guys will spread out instead of staying tight. We also have a bunch of D who either can't or don't have the chemistry to make touch plays on the boards, so we can expect a lot of turnovers behind our net. We'll eventually not pick up a stick around our net (because we don't have a real top 4) and a rebound or behind the net play will go in. We're not a strong enough team to come back from a deficit against a good defensive team that doesn't surrender its blueline, and we've proven ourselves unable to hold a lead.

The only way I see us winning is if we score on every powerplay, the King plays the worst he ever has and the Blueshirts make a lot of mistakes.

I think none of us realistically think we're gonna win this. I'd be satisfied with seeing this team put up dedicated 60 minutes of play, no mental **** ups and just making it as hard as we can for the Rags. I probably wasn't clear enough, but I was looking at the player effort.

You'll be rooting for us because it'll make your trip through the playoffs easier.

Also, they hate the rags more than anyone else. It's like how we'd root for anyone against the Flyers in playoffs.

 

[Ogelthorpe]

Maybe if we do steal one in NY, they will feel the pressure and it will work against them. Wishful thinking anyway!

 

[#66]

Sounds good coach, but who do we have besides Horny who can consistently retrieve the puck from a dump-in?

Thats a huge problem with the Pens and it was a problem with Disco too.

You just dont dump the puck. You set up retrieval. Manage the puck even when you dump it.

The big thing I want to see is turning those defensemen around and beating them up along the end boards. Wear on them and be hard to play against. Plus with a depleted defense its best to keep pucks cycled in the offensive zone corners.

 

[hiptanaka]

Maybe if we do steal one in NY, they will feel the pressure and it will work against them. Wishful thinking anyway!

It worked for the teams we lost to the past 5 years.

 

[Will Hunting]

Maybe if we do steal one in NY, they will feel the pressure and it will work against them. Wishful thinking anyway!

This team is actually better on the road and so are the Rangers. Even if we "steal" one in MSG, nothing changes for me because I have zero confidence in this team when playing at home. Consol is poisoned.

 

[Til the End of Time]

would not be surprised to see the penguins shut out the first few games, like against detroit in the finals in 2008.

i just cant see them putting many (any?) puck behind the king.

henrik knows this could be his best chance at a cup; he's going to be dominant imo.