Pens get their annual shot at the regular season champs...time to put them in their place....again.
Bring on the caps...
- Thread starter Player2BNamedL8r
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Woulda been a fun series against the young guns of the Leafs. Lots of up and down, lots of scoring.
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But the Caps will be a fun series too, Very different, lots of scraps, very physical. Pens can handle it.
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But the Caps will be a fun series too, Very different, lots of scraps, very physical. Pens can handle it.
Had the Leafs beaten Washington, I think they would've posed a bigger threat to the Pens. The caps have been fighting playoff demons since...well, forever, and none are bigger than when they play the Pens. For that reason, I believe the caps are the easier 2nd round draw for Pittsburgh. Regardless, the Leafs are on the rise and will very soon be the team to beat in the east.
I don't like the Pens matchups in a Caps best of 7 this year. Even with Letang, I think the team has dipped a bit in their D zone this year and that spells trouble. The biggest problem in not having Letang is making the controlled zone exit. Columbus ate them up in this aspect and it means playing in the Pens half of the rink a lot more than they did last post season. Washington can make them pay of this a lot more than CBus did.
The flip side here is the Caps looked pretty average in their own D game vs. the Leafs but have to say that while I'm sure every Caps player would deny it, they took Toronto lightly - they won't do that to the Pens.
Wildcard in the series will be Fleury vs. Holtby, and I don't feel too good about that given how Fleury has struggled away from home.
Nothing would surprise me in the seres though - Pens could sweep if they steal game one and the collective Caps psyche tightens up....or they could get swept if they don't clean up their own end.
The flip side here is the Caps looked pretty average in their own D game vs. the Leafs but have to say that while I'm sure every Caps player would deny it, they took Toronto lightly - they won't do that to the Pens.
Wildcard in the series will be Fleury vs. Holtby, and I don't feel too good about that given how Fleury has struggled away from home.
Nothing would surprise me in the seres though - Pens could sweep if they steal game one and the collective Caps psyche tightens up....or they could get swept if they don't clean up their own end.
In the 4 Pens cup winning seasons they beat the Caps in the playoffs. Also in every one of those series, the choking Caps held the series lead. Lets make it 5 boys!
Kunitz is back skating with the team and it sounded like Hagelin would have been ready to go in round 1 had it gone to 6 or 7 games. If both are ready to go, will be interesting to see who they pull out of the lineup. Scott Wilson is an obvious choice for me. Had a lot of opportunities on odd man rushes against CBJ and the puck always seemed to roll off of his stick. Would think Hagelin takes his spot sooner rather than later. Do you go with Kunitz over Rowney if he's good to go? Kunitz can't put the puck in the net to save his life, but he's damn good on the forecheck.
I haven't heard of Haglan skating in some time so his return would be a surprise (thought he was still in a walking boot last week although he was still working out). IMO, getting Hags back is a much bigger impact since it allows them to put HBK together again. Kessel and Malkin just don't have much chemistry 5 on 5...and the 3rd line also struggles offensively when the pieces aren't together.
Kunitz has the versatility to play on any line because he has had success with Sid and Geno. When it comes to the Caps and matchups, probably want Wilson in there over Rowney because of the speed. Rowney probably had a bigger role to play against Columbus because of how he throws the body around but against Washington (as Toronto showed), speed will be best asset to creating opportunities.
This was on the Pen's website back on April 11th:
Carl Hagelin (lower body) may be available at some point in Pittsburgh's first-round series against Columbus.
Coach Mike Sullivan called it a "real chance" because Hagelin has been making progress. He didn't practice Tuesday, but resumed skating over the weekend.
Latest update I read this morning says he's been skating, but not regularly as of late. So no idea what's going on....maybe he had a set back?
It's been a while since we got any good news on Haglan being "close". I was going by who had actually been on the ice the past week and seemed to indicate Kunitz and Reuhwedel were going to be available soon. No sign of Hags on the ice with them which I took as him still being a ways off. Pretty sure he and Kunitz both dealing with broken foot so given Haglan's speed as an asset not something you want to rush him back from unfortunately.
This is gonna' be a tough, tough matchup
If the Pens give the Caps as many scoring chances as they have the Jackets, even a tremendous effort from the Pens goalie isn't gonna' be enough.
Pittsburgh is certainly more talented than the Leafs - but probably doesn't match up as well style-wise against the Caps as the Leafs did.
Finding a "checker" to shadow Ovie will likely be an issue. Sullivan tends to roll his 4 lines relatively equally - - - but I wouldn't be shocked if he tries to match up Geno as much as he can with the Ovie line - and tries to utilize Geno's physicality to stifle Ovie.
For the Pens to prevail, their top two lines will likely have to continue their offensive dominance that helped them defeat the Jackets. I expect this may be the highest scoring series of this playoff round....... could be a very wild ride.
If the Pens give the Caps as many scoring chances as they have the Jackets, even a tremendous effort from the Pens goalie isn't gonna' be enough.
Pittsburgh is certainly more talented than the Leafs - but probably doesn't match up as well style-wise against the Caps as the Leafs did.
Finding a "checker" to shadow Ovie will likely be an issue. Sullivan tends to roll his 4 lines relatively equally - - - but I wouldn't be shocked if he tries to match up Geno as much as he can with the Ovie line - and tries to utilize Geno's physicality to stifle Ovie.
For the Pens to prevail, their top two lines will likely have to continue their offensive dominance that helped them defeat the Jackets. I expect this may be the highest scoring series of this playoff round....... could be a very wild ride.
