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

[Son Goku]

We have to start finishing again

 

[Ogrezilla]

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.

Honestly, he didn't have to make hard saves on most our best chances, we missed them. Malkin beat him on a wraparound but hit the post. Guentzel missed wide from a feed from Sid. Rust missed wide on a feed from Sid or Guentzel, I forget which. Guentzel had about 1/3 of the net open on a feed from Sid and shot it back to the middle of the net into Rinne. And Guentzel's chance in the netmouth scrum wasn't a crazy dive by Rinne as the announcers were saying, it got saved by Rust's stick after he got knocked down.

That's not to say Rinne wasn't good. He obviously was. But we missed our chances more than he stole them.

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

Absolutely. But we also need someone else to score. Like maybe someone on the powerplay

 

[Nakawick]

We will need our PP to hit the scoresheet if we are going to win the series IMO. Would be nice if 87,71,81 could get some even strength goals as well. I have a feeling we could hear from Mr. Rust as well.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

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.

I am not reading back over all that I missed the last couple of days. But at least to me the Pens looked like the better team until those two goals in 30 seconds gave Nashville the lead.

It was their best game of the series to me, and they got a ton of room to skate and make plays, much more than the first three games.

 

[thegr8one66]

It's been typical Penguins hockey this playoffs/series. Whenever we get a lead, we coast and don't play like a champion until our backs are against a wall and we absolutely have to. PIT wins game 5.

The fact of the matter is this: this team has best player in the world (Crosby). The 101st best NHL player ever (Malkin...yes, I'm mocking the NHL's list). A fantastic, no-nonsense, mentally strong coach (Sullivan). A calm, positional presence in goal (Murray). It doesn't matter if Kunitz, Wilson, Sheary, Sestito, Iceburgh the mascot or the guy serving beer in section 308 is playing on Crosby's wing.....the Penguins will win. I don't give three quarts of rhinoceros pis* what everyone else thinks. Sure, all the analysts, media and majority of hockey fans have written the Penguins off. But they'll be there, standing at centre ice when the series is over, passing around the Cup.

Maybe we don't get a shot on net for 59 minutes this time. But all we need is one. This team is confident and mentally strong.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I am not reading back over all that I missed the last couple of days. But at least to me the Pens looked like the better team until those two goals in 30 seconds gave Nashville the lead.

It was their best game of the series to me, and they got a ton of room to skate and make plays, much more than the first three games.

agreed. They looked bad after that though. Except for Sid.

 

[SEALBound]

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's producing nothing but then again he's not skating with Sid or Geno. His board battling and ability to be center is fine by me.

Hagelin's speed is actually helping his line maintain possession which is the anti-thesis to Kunitz. But his production has been zilch, so yeah, I'm not pleased.

Rust was Mr Clutch until recently. His lack of chemistry with Sid is something I've railed against. I want him off of Sid's line and tried with either Geno and Phil or be put back on the 3rd line. I've been vocal against Rust. However, Rust has speed so he can actually contribute something. Again, Kunitz has none and rarely does.

Sheary's been fine but falls down a lot.

Problem for you is, you likely do not watch the game and you only look at the score sheet afterwords. No sane person based in this reality that has actually watch the games with any amount of objectivity would say that Kunitz has made more impacts on the game than any of them.

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.

Both of those are unrealistic. So I'm not playing your game of entrapment. Obvious trap is obvious.

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.

People have had an axe to grind with Kunitz for a long time and for good reason. Most of which has been clearly gone over several times. When 90% of the board rails on the game in and game out...you gotta think they are on to something. But no, you like the guy and give him a free pass, so every other person must be wrong.

Good new is, we have 3 games of him left, at most.

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)

He doesn't though. And if he for some reason does, and does what you said, he's not going to watch it with any amount of objectively that would give people's criticism of him any legitimacy in his eyes. I'm sure had he watch Kunitz botch the breakaway it would have been "well...okay, maybe the sun was in his eye or maybe Nashville deflated the puck...not Kunitz's fault...at all!".

Of all the swords to fall on, why fall on one with Chris Kunitz?

 

[Jaded-Fan]

agreed. They looked bad after that though. Except for Sid.

Is that surprising though? Nashville is a team that does much better with a lead than when tied or ahead. Very hard to come back on as well.

 

[Nakawick]

It's been typical Penguins hockey this playoffs/series. Whenever we get a lead, we coast and don't play like a champion until our backs are against a wall and we absolutely have to. PIT wins game 5.

The fact of the matter is this: this team has best player in the world (Crosby). The 101st best NHL player ever (Malkin...yes, I'm mocking the NHL's list). A fantastic, no-nonsense, mentally strong coach (Sullivan). A calm, positional presence in goal (Murray). It doesn't matter if Kunitz, Wilson, Sheary, Sestito, Iceburgh the mascot or the guy serving beer in section 308 is playing on Crosby's wing.....the Penguins will win. I don't give three quarts of rhinoceros pis* what everyone else thinks. Sure, all the analysts, media and majority of hockey fans have written the Penguins off. But they'll be there, standing at centre ice when the series is over, passing around the Cup.

Maybe we don't get a shot on net for 59 minutes this time. But all we need is one. This team is confident and mentally strong.

I agree. The Pens think they can win and have the mental toughness to reset. We have been witness to it all playoffs long. I think we will own game 5.

I also think you could find a sucker to pay big coin for a jar of Rhinoceros pee too.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Is that surprising though? Nashville is a team that does much better with a lead than when tied or ahead. Very hard to come back on as well.

that's true. Man, just thinking of some of those missed chances kills me. We had 4 or 5 opportunities to take a 2-1 lead I think.

 

[Nakawick]

I too think if we go ahead 2-1 or even tied it 2-2 that the outcome of game 4 would have changed.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I too think if we go ahead 2-1 or even tied it 2-2 that the outcome of game 4 would have changed.

My main takeaway is that we did enough good for me to feel like we have a plenty good chance to win. The Preds are good, we could absolutely lose. But I'm still thinking we pull it off.

 

[Nakawick]

My main takeaway is that we did enough good for me to feel like we have a plenty good chance to win. The Preds are good, we could absolutely lose. But I'm still thinking we pull it off.

Insert Mancho Man gif.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Insert Mancho Man gif.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Even if we're outplayed heavily again, we are getting enough chances to at least make the games competitive if not steal victories. We just have to execute better, and put chances away. Simple as that.

Sid, Geno, Kessel and Guentzel need to produce. No argument, no variables to discuss. They have to find ways to produce.

 

[turd]

Problem for you is, you likely do not watch the game and you only look at the score sheet afterwords. No sane person based in this reality that has actually watch the games with any amount of objectivity would say that Kunitz has made more impacts on the game than any of them.

This is just so hilariously off base I just had to quote it for posterity. It's like you're actually upset that Kunitz has done positive things this series and has been one of the better forwards on the team. Like it actually pains you. It was probably devastating when he scored to win it against Ottawa.

It's not even worth arguing about. Your mind is made up regardless of what's actually occurring in real life. I give you props for the persistence though.

 

[winjr]

It's been typical Penguins hockey this playoffs/series. Whenever we get a lead, we coast and don't play like a champion until our backs are against a wall and we absolutely have to. PIT wins game 5.

My girlfriend thinks I'm an idiot (with fairly good reason). I tell her "we're gonna win Game X", and we lose. I tell her "we're gonna lose Game Y" and we win. Never fails.

So. My official position, with my GF only, is that we're gonna lose Game 5. I don't mind continuing to look like an idiot.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

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.

Last year I had this ... I don't know how to describe it ... gut feeling or whatever early in the playoffs. Like, if I closed my eyes, the first image I thought of when I pictured the Cup was Sid raising it. Same thing happened in 2009.

This year I don't get the same gut feeling. Subban holding the Cup is the first image that comes to mind when I close my eyes this time.

Hopefully it's just a sign that I'm going nuts and not foreshadowing how this series is going to go.

 

[Night Shift]

Last year I had this ... I don't know how to describe it ... gut feeling or whatever early in the playoffs. Like, if I closed my eyes, the first image I thought of when I pictured the Cup was Sid raising it. Same thing happened in 2009.

This year I don't get the same gut feeling. Subban holding the Cup is the first image that comes to mind when I close my eyes this time.

Hopefully it's just a sign that I'm going nuts and not foreshadowing how this series is going to go.

One of two things: 1. Your mind is playing tricks on you with what you truly don't want to see.

Or 2. Go home, you're drunk.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

When I close my eyes I imagine that Justin Bieber never tweeted about being a Pens' fan. I open my eyes and it still has not gone away.

 

[Night Shift]

Hagelin's speed is actually helping his line maintain possession which is the anti-thesis to Kunitz.

Problem for you is, you likely do not watch the game and you only look at the score sheet afterwords. No sane person based in this reality that has actually watch the games with any amount of objectivity would say that Kunitz has made more impacts on the game than any of them.

Mrs. Kunitz is very upset. You should be ashamed. How do you sleep at night?

 

[WayneSid9987]

When I close my eyes I imagine that Justin Bieber never tweeted about being a Pens' fan. I open my eyes and it still has not gone away.

Believe he's a die hard Leafs fan but he enjoys wearing a ton of other teams jerseys whether it be for a concert in that city or he just likes the jersey.
He may just prefer PIT over NSH in this series is all.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

For what it is worth the opening line on game 5 was Pens -148. The line has since moved to Pens -155 meaning the money is flowing to the Pens in a nice amount since the line opened.

http://www.vegasinsider.com/nhl/odds/las-vegas/

 

[zero8771]

What the ****ing **** am I reading. Honestly. Go find other hobbys people, sports aren't for you.

There is a chance they get stomped, but there also is a decent chance our stars can carry this team to the finish line in a way that cements itself in NHL history. This is back to back on the line with two generational stars going for their third. If you don't get excited for the possibility of that and you care about hockey enough to post here what the **** are you doing. Seriously.

People angrily *****ing about Wilson on L2 for 2 pages but don't pay any attention to the fact that horny was said to taking a "maintenance day" and Wilson was taking his place. Too busy being literally the most pessimistic people on the Internet to check what the actual situation is.

Quite sad really.

Oh and if you have tickets to the game and you really feel like that. Sell them. Let someone who cares take your seat

 

[WayneSid9987]

I do believe NSH has a great shot at rallying off 4 wins in a row.
Now obviously, PIT has the arsenal up front to simply outscore any opponent but alot of their chances are one and dones. Chalk that up to NSH having one of if not the best top 4 D in the league and when Rinne is average or above, that makes them super formidable.

There hasn't been a "Wow" suprising moment for me in this series yet.
Last time i felt that was when Sully switched things up mid-OTT series and they poured the shots/chances on Anderson.

Wow me Pens. Surprise me again or this one'll be over in a few or more days.