Pre-Game Talk: THE STANLEY CUP FINAL | Penguins vs. Predators | Series Tied

[SirBrad]

this place is pathetic we're tied 2-2 in the finals with home ice. My goodness

This is the worst 2-2 tie ever as far as this place, media and social media. It feels like almost everyone just gave up and mailed it in for the season. Someone still has to win 2 games to raise the cup. I won't believe its over until it's over. The Pens have continually fought and flipped switches for 100+ games to get to this point. I'm not giving up on them and they're not giving up on themselves.

 

[HuskerTornado]

On NHL Network, they just made their series picks.
Weekes - Preds in 6
Rupp - Pens in 7

I wonder if Rupp lost the coin toss at commercial break?

 

[SEALBound]

On NHL Network, they just made their series picks.
Weekes - Preds in 6
Rupp - Pens in 7

I wonder if Rupp lost the coin toss at commercial break?

I can't see Pred in 6. Way too tough to beat a good team like the Penguins 4 times in a row.

 

[SirBrad]

really hard to beat the Pens 4 times especially in the playoffs. With that said, they did lose 4 straight towards the end of the regular season. I remember that was the point where I was fully expecting a first round exit. So to be talking about a 2-2 Cup Finals tie is something else at this point.

 

[Shrimper]

I feel the 3 day breaks will be great for us, some players need a day or two break.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I expect Sid & The Kids to last all of 4 shifts before we see Kunitz back up there.

 

[Sideline]

I expect Sid & The Kids to last all of 4 shifts before we see Kunitz back up there.

Lol at you thinking they get past 2.

 

[OnMyOwn]

This is the worst 2-2 tie ever as far as this place, media and social media. It feels like almost everyone just gave up and mailed it in for the season. Someone still has to win 2 games to raise the cup. I won't believe its over until it's over. The Pens have continually fought and flipped switches for 100+ games to get to this point. I'm not giving up on them and they're not giving up on themselves.

Us playing like dog **** for the vast majority of all 4 games has a lot to do with the negativity everywhere.

I want us to win more than anything, but I think it'll be luck/rinne sucking more than us playing better than them. Some people are letting the 2-2 series cloud their ability to evaluate what's gone on in these games. We have not been the better team, by a long shot.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Oh get off the cross, we need the wood.



Indeed, and if you go back and look, each one of them have been raked over the coals lately, by me in particular.

Bad play is bad play. I want Rudwedel in over Hainsey (for the exact reasons I want Archi or Wilson over Kunitz) because Hainsey is slow, rarely wins battle, and is shakey at best with the puck. We don't have the depth to replace Maatta if Rudwedel is in over Hainsey otherwise I would be suggesting that same thing.

Kunitz does A LOT to warrant the hate he gets around here. If he turns in his game 7/game 1 efforts night in and night out, he wouldn't. Fact is, he doesn't. When I see play that bad, speed that slow, and golden opportunities missed that bad, I call that player out. Kunitz doesn't get free passes from me. No one does. Why you give Kunitz a free pass and refuse to look objectively at his poor play is why we have disagreements to begin with.

Let's say you had two choices:

A) 14 stays with Sid. Hainsey sits. In comes Ruh.

B) Kunitz is scratched/on 4th line, while Hainsey keeps getting big minutes.

One ( Kunitz) is an annoying leach. The other ( Ron), is a legitimate major problem. Hainsey is the cause of many scoring chances against.

I agree Kunitz sucks. It's just he isn't as much of a detriment as said D. I'd prefer both A&B. I'm realistic though.

 

[turd]

Oh get off the cross, we need the wood.



Indeed, and if you go back and look, each one of them have been raked over the coals lately, by me in particular.

Bad play is bad play. I want Rudwedel in over Hainsey (for the exact reasons I want Archi or Wilson over Kunitz) because Hainsey is slow, rarely wins battle, and is shakey at best with the puck. We don't have the depth to replace Maatta if Rudwedel is in over Hainsey otherwise I would be suggesting that same thing.

Kunitz does A LOT to warrant the hate he gets around here. If he turns in his game 7/game 1 efforts night in and night out, he wouldn't. Fact is, he doesn't. When I see play that bad, speed that slow, and golden opportunities missed that bad, I call that player out. Kunitz doesn't get free passes from me. No one does. Why you give Kunitz a free pass and refuse to look objectively at his poor play is why we have disagreements to begin with.

Ok - then call out Rowney, Hagelin, Rust, Sheary, etc. too. Because they've done less than Kunitz has this round. But keep fighting the good fight.

 

[Hockeyholic]

I can't see Pred in 6. Way too tough to beat a good team like the Penguins 4 times in a row.

I mean the Pens rarely lost back to back games. It happened. Murray rarely had bad back to back games. It's happened. Alot of trends have been " Bucked" this series.

 

[SirBrad]

Us playing like dog **** for the vast majority of all 4 games has a lot to do with the negativity everywhere.

I want us to win more than anything, but I think it'll be luck/rinne sucking more than us playing better than them. Some people are letting the 2-2 series cloud their ability to evaluate what's gone on in these games. We have not been the better team, by a long shot.

i won't dispute that, that's exactly right. But haven't we watched them enough this season to know they someone always find a way. It's never easy and is often a surprise, but somehow they keep finding an answer.

I know this is a completely arbitrary way of predicting the next 2-3 games of the series, but I'm holding out hope and still feeling somewhat positive.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Ok - then call out Rowney, Hagelin, Rust, Sheary, etc. too. Because they've done less than Kunitz has this round. But keep fighting the good fight.

For that matter add Kessel to your list.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

Ok - then call out Rowney, Hagelin, Rust, Sheary, etc. too. Because they've done less than Kunitz has this round. But keep fighting the good fight.

Rowney hasn't done much since his 3 assist night. Meanwhile Sprong is still waiting for his chance. Nashville had no problem playing inexperienced guys like Gaudreau, why can't we do the same?

 

[stratosphere]

Clearly those disagreeing with Kunitz playing have axes to grind. Problem is, Kunitz keeps producing, and usually when its needed most. He will again, because thats what a wiley old vet does, and, for those clearly not able to grasp the concept, thats also a big reason why they are in the lineup in the SCF. There is no 'cross', just people on here that see the same value Sullivan sees. Some posters just dont get it. Oh well.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

We need the big guys to step up their games, and we need to start capitalizing on these glorious chances we're getting all game long. A power play that's not laughably awful wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Crosby My Captain 87]

Rowney hasn't done much since his 3 assist night. Meanwhile Sprong is still waiting for his chance. Nashville had no problem playing inexperienced guys like Gaudreau, why can't we do the same?

Because Gaudreau had played NHL games this year, and they were basically forced to because of a lack of forward depth/injuries? We aren't in the same situation as them. We have absolutely zero clue how Sprong will fit to this team, who he would play well with, we have no clue. I think he will be a great player but Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals series tied 2-2 isn't the time to throw an unknown in there.

 

[mpp9]

Kunitz with Rust on a third line is fine by me.

 

[thegr8one66]

Gang, I need help. I'm a negative person by nature and I'd like to change that. I am going to the game tomorrow with a ticket I can't sell because a friend helped me get it and it would be wrong to not go. Otherwise, I just don't want to go. I'm disgusted by the performance of this team in the finals and, as a Pens and hockey fan for over 40 years I honestly see zero chance they turn this around even though we are certainly the better team.

I had higher hopes for the 09 team that dropped the 5th game is amazingly pedestrian fashion.

For some reason, and I can't tell you why, I want this Cup more than the others and I mean that. I want this one more than I remember even wanting the 91 Cup at the time. I'm miserable right now and dreading dragging myself to this game and that just shouldn't be the case. It's a ticket to game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals, I should be excited for this and I'm just not. I had plans for Nashville on Sunday that I cancelled already. I've given up all hope.


I need a reason to believe and some reason to stop being so negative all the time.

Someone give me a reason to believe and look forward to the game rather then just hoping something happens I can get out of it.

Sidney Patrick Crosby. As long as he's on your team, you have a chance to win.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I was absent with court and my girlfriend's birthday (today).

Not sure if these were posted, but MoneyPuck has the Pens no long favored, McCurdy does.





Also the Pens got a ton of prime scoring opportunities right in front of Rinne in game 4. Unfortunately only one went in.

 

[Ogrezilla]

yep, the story of game 4 was us missing our chances.

 

[66-30-33]

Gang, I need help. I'm a negative person by nature and I'd like to change that. I am going to the game tomorrow with a ticket I can't sell because a friend helped me get it and it would be wrong to not go. Otherwise, I just don't want to go. I'm disgusted by the performance of this team in the finals and, as a Pens and hockey fan for over 40 years I honestly see zero chance they turn this around even though we are certainly the better team.

I had higher hopes for the 09 team that dropped the 5th game is amazingly pedestrian fashion.

For some reason, and I can't tell you why, I want this Cup more than the others and I mean that. I want this one more than I remember even wanting the 91 Cup at the time. I'm miserable right now and dreading dragging myself to this game and that just shouldn't be the case. It's a ticket to game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals, I should be excited for this and I'm just not. I had plans for Nashville on Sunday that I cancelled already. I've given up all hope.


I need a reason to believe and some reason to stop being so negative all the time.

Someone give me a reason to believe and look forward to the game rather then just hoping something happens I can get out of it.

Pens can get spanked 10-0 and i'd still wanna go, it's the Stanley Cup Finals!!! if that does not make you wanna go even if Pens are a "joy" to watch nothing will. Go soak up that atmosphere win or lose, not many people can say they have been to a game 5 of the stanley cup FINALS!

 

[canadianguy77]

Ok - then call out Rowney, Hagelin, Rust, Sheary, etc. too. Because they've done less than Kunitz has this round. But keep fighting the good fight.

The thought process of these sorts of posts are deeply flawed. It's not always about the numbers. Just isolate on him when he's on the ice. (That's if you even bother to watch the games)

 

[66-30-33]

yep, the story of game 4 was us missing our chances.

Rinne was good but he was kinda floping like a fish and giving us lots of chances, we just got unlucky. I dunno what Rinne did but he seemed to have shake his bad demons against us and looked like he was in MVP form on home ice. Let's hope he's only in MVP form on home ice so we can take this series in game 7.

 

[66-30-33]

We need the big guys to step up their games, and we need to start capitalizing on these glorious chances we're getting all game long. A power play that's not laughably awful wouldn't hurt either.

We need G to not get snake bitten this game like game 4. He could have had 4 goals last game.