Penguins/NHL
Round 1 Set Between Penguins – Islanders
The Penguins performance in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Rangers was a fitting end to the regular season for Pittsburgh in how they just find ways to make things more difficult than they should be.
A third period collapse versus the lowly Rangers had Pittsburgh minutes away from a Round 1 meeting with the Washington Capitals until Jake Guentzel saved the day with 2:36 remaining in regulation to tie the game at 3-3.
Guentzel tying the game late is how it should have been with Guentzel scoring his 40th goal of the season and Sidney Crosby picking up his 100th point of the season with the assist.
Thanks to Guentzel’s late heroics, Pittsburgh accomplished their goal of getting a Round 1 matchup with the New York Islanders.
What will be fascinating with this series is whether the Penguins up and down play all season, looking like a middle of the road team one week, looking like a dangerous Cup contender the next week will be a precursor of what to expect in the post-season.
It won’t be a shock if the Penguins show up in Round 1, put it all together and their superior talent 1-20 breaks the Islanders dam and we see Pittsburgh cruise to an easy six game series, similar to Pens – Flyers last spring in Round 1.
It also won’t be a shock if what we saw all regular season is actually who the Penguins are. One that looks like a machine one period, one that will shoot themselves in the foot the next period with critical breakdowns that have followed them all season.
The odds are the Penguins making this a tougher series on themselves than they should.
— The Islanders with a 104 point campaign, recorded the most points in franchise history since the 1983-1984 season and New York’s regular season success went against several norms:
NYI Rankings
22nd in the NHL in 5-on-5 goals | (PIT 6th)
29th on the power play (14.5%) | (PIT 5th)
18th on the penalty kill (79.9%) | (PIT 19th)
26th in possession (47.8%) | (PIT 15th)
16th in Scoring Chance For % (49.3%) | (PIT 10th)
They’ve countered all of that by being the stingiest defensive team in hockey, allowing a league-low 191 goals (2.33 p/g, all situations), including 5-on-5 (127 goals against, 1st in the league).
All of this despite lacking a legitimate No. 1 caliber shutdown defenseman on their backend and having a goaltending combo of Robin Lehner (25-13-5, 2.13 GAA, .930SV%) and Thomas Greiss (23-14-4, 2.28 GAA, .927SV%). Who saw that come?
Scouts contend the Islanders all-in defensive mindset has insulated their goaltending to a great extent. The Isles have done an excellent job through the neutral zone of forcing teams to the outside and the Islanders are a very good coached team at boxing out in front to keep the opposition of the sightlines of Lehner and Greiss.
The Islanders success in this series is going to be about using their speed to expose the Penguins bottom pairs and most importantly winning the neutral zone.
COUNTER-ATTACK
The Penguins have great vulnerabilities of getting lackadaisical with the puck in the neutral zone and players blowing assignments that make them susceptible to odd-man rushes the other way. It was on display again in the third period vs the Rangers Saturday night and the Islanders 1-[hide]3-1 trap figures to cause Pittsburgh problems if the Penguins get into the mindset of constantly playing pond hockey.
The Islanders offensive game is all about turning neutral zone breakdowns into rushes the other way. For Pittsburgh this is a series where being patient with the puck, taking less chances (style they often play without Kris Letang) is going to be the best route to counter the Islanders where Pittsburgh’s superior talent will eventually take over in games.
ROUND 1 SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
Game 1 7:30 pm @ NYI | Wednesday, April 10
Game 2 7:30 p.m. @ NYI | Friday, April 12
Game 3 12:00 p.m. @ PIT | Sunday, April 14
Game 4 7:30 p.m. @ PIT | Tuesday, April 16
Game 5 TBD @ NYI | Thursday, April 18
Game 6 TBD @ PIT | Saturday, April 20
Game 7 TBD @ NYI | Monday, April 22
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Yikes! Asleep at the wheel early
May be bailed out here but fuckk those guys need a quick reminder it’s game time
Lesson not learned…
Apparently npl somhow has penguins vs tampax for the finals in charles playoff hockey bracket
Sam(e) has Montreal losing to Edmonton on the 18th hole.
Charles Barkley has a playoff bracket?
It’s actually painful how funny you aren’t
Finals Predictions:
Tampa vs St. Louis
Tampa in Six.
Round 1 –
Pittsburgh, Washington, Tampa, Toronto.
Winnepeg, Nashville, Vegas, Calgary
Round 2 –
Pittsburgh, Tampa
Nashville, Vegas
Round 3 –
Pittsburgh
Vegas
Finals –
Vegas
What time does Montreal play tonight?
Tee time is whenever they want.
Anyone see the WBS game the other night 16 goals. They lost 10- 6 like the pirates with a little offense
Ok Pens vs Isle….The matchup in first round I feared most. my heart says Pens in 6 my bookie said I took Isles in 6 anyone else? Just curious in this collection of hockey whatevers 🙂
Pens in 4 is what I honestly believe. no way more than 5.
Penguins in 6.
Don’t forget to put penguins win the cup like last year
Actually no one signed up on the one I run every year so I guess I win 🙂
Is Montreal available?
Do you watch professional hockey?
Islanders worry me to be honest but when it comes to experience and goaltending they can be put away. Pens series to lose, they’ve been a little Jekyll and Hyde this year so… I still like the Pens in 6 here
Devils win the draft lottery.
Surprise surprise shero wins what’s the odds
Penguins to win 16th pick
More to come morons
Poor bitter sad cranky Montreal fan needs a nap.
Penguins recall Jerry from AHL
When they need him most there to make the playoffs
Murray injured yet?
Who’s “Jerry”?
WBS is 5 points back of the team holding last spot in the division with 3 games left… the magic number is effectively one! So there was a decision made based on the idea that they are not going to make it.
Murray? You mean the games BEST since his return Dec 15, 2018? Naw but where they hell was MAF most of March? Pretty bad time to take a vacation, especially after a very average year!
Your Russian takes always his vacations in March you never complain specially this year not average but below average his performance was
It was hard to pay attention to that with all the odd man break Letang was giving up… when he was playing that is
“Annual Vacations Every March” Malkin has played 47 games in the month of March in the past 5 years… your boy Letang… 48 HAHAHAHAHA or and in those games…. 22 goals and 53 points hurting another bullshit narrative. 3 Games we got from Letang in March… 3… Malkin played 3x this Now here comes the predictable “boxscore blah, blah” which is a fucken absurd attempt to counter the fact that you are a stupid fuck that still struggles with the concept that the scoring is the point of the game! Here is another beauty for ya Malkin 852 games –… Read more »
MAF has played 49 games in march over the past 5 seasons… FWIW
Murray played 35… but he is also able to look back 4 years, based on averages he is closer to 44 in a 5 year span… crazy right
*jarry
Black Aces ya jackass!
In typical sully fashion, here comes the playoffs and he puts Kessell on the 3rd line.
I believe the right course of action is to panic before we see what happens game one puck drop. I mean we have a fully healthy line up available for the first game, havent seen that in awhile. Splitting up Kessel and Geno? Meh, if it dont work they move them back together to what we know had success. Over the course of two cups we seen them win with Kessel next to Malkin and with them split. While I wouldnt take the islanders to lightly it is the best team to “try” something out vs deeper in the playoffs.… Read more »
Big possibility scum sully might get out coached again by Trotz
“Again” – It’s funny how they lose last year and that undoes everything accomplished before hand. The team wasn’t gonna win last year, too many holes. They filled some of those but unless they are firing on all cylinders from here on out of you are riding cup or bust you’re a fucken moron. That said… TWICE the road to the cup took “scum Sully” through Washington and TWICE he beat them including a series that saw Crosby injured. So eat all of the dicks you fucken fool.
If the Murray of the last few weeks shows up the Pens will win…Not sure they have enough fire power to overcome bad goaltending and a good defensive team.
Agreed that Murray needs to be on top of his game but despite the ups and downs and talked about slumps all year they finished 6th in offence. As long as the guys relied on for scoring are not squeezing the sticks to hard the offence is there. The PP needs to continue to get back into shape for sure, despite the concerns from some that PP goals are somehow not worth as much as 5v5 it would be the ability to hurt teams bad on the PP that would open up space for them 5v5. It’s a big factor… Read more »
Well team going with 3 goalies into playoffs I guess they don’t trust fraud Murray much except for some so called box scored experts on this site that been drooling over his game lately
BEST SINCE DEC 15, 2018 WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Its hilarious that you have convinced yourself that calling Jarry up (NOT JERRY DUMMY), is an insurance policy lol.
#1993
Walls work
DemocRats don’t
Wannabe American pretending to understand shit again, how quaint
Is there like a VIP room on this site?
Lamar: We’re V.I.P.s
Stewardess: Right over there.
Booger: Very Immense Penises.
Mclellan to become sabres head coach
Maybe he can turn sheary into a mcdavid
Someone has a crush on Sheary! Will you, Sheary and Fleury have an OT threesome? See who scores first?
Devils extended sheros contract
Coach Q to panthers confirmed. What a waste going to coach in that shitholee
Now if only they can relocate
You’re a few hours late… again… how do you get your news? Now they will add Panarin and Officer Bob… then leapfrog the Habs lol
Carrier pigeon?
Watched wrestlemania up until main event started. They can shove that feminist movement up their assess
Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns are the best they have. WWE isn’t anywhere what it used to be. Those 2 would be middle to bottom card Wrestlemania guys back in the day.
Sam(e) only likes watching guys wrassle each other.
So insecure
Lol, dude still watches wrestling but complains he doesn’t get to see enough dudes touching… what are you? 12?
Lmmfao… 2 matches vs like 10-11 matches/segments with your favourite dudes and you’re upset about it? What a fucken loser lol
Montreal in 2185!
Hopefully Letang doesn’t cost us the season again.
Sabres fire coach
I wonder how sheary feels
Probably better knowing that a coach that has the talent Buffalo has acquired the last few seasons may be able to bring in a guy more well equipped to take them to the next level. Unless you want to now blame Sheary for Buffalos entire second half lol
Bracket Times: NHL.com
League Name: TIOPS
League Password: TIOPS
I won’t play this year done this twice and twice finished first I’ll let the kids play
How did your fantasy team do?
You guys think if no one plays and only npl plays alone . Think he has chance to win ?
evgeni malkins defensive effort in OT last night was the most pathetic thing i’ve ever seen in all of my years watching NHL hockey. that’s why the pens are going to lose this series. 10 million dollars of sh*t who can’t wait to go back to russia. not to mention sid will be skating with simon and rust by the end of the series because sullivan is a super genius. isles in 6.
Don’t say that it’s always letangs fault
1. Was on Wilson 2. Second turnover by Jake… Letang with zero sense of what was going on until 3 went the other way. 3. Crosby forces the cross ice pass knocked down, Schultz tries to knock it away although it simply moves it to the middle of the ice. Malkin makes an ill advised play at his own blueline… somewhat. He stepped up because Guentzel was coming back to help he just failed to get control over the shooters stick… Murray should have been able to stop it but it was a somewhat broken play 4. Last one? Stroke… Read more »
Before you answer, if Malkin steps up and tries to take Strome it opens up the play for that trailer… Malkin going to boards also opens up the middle of the ice which is the piece of real-estate most protected 3v3. Letang steps up it prevents the clean shot, Malkin is allowed to cover his man who just entered the zone as is the second forward. Letang sitting back in front of the goal allowed Strome to move off the wall and wire the shot. Now I won’t fully let Geno off the hook… a swing poke check or at… Read more »
you have to work for the penguins. a paid propaganda agent. sorry, malkin sucks and his -25 proves it. isles in 6.
You have to be unemployed for being so fucken dumb, no secret Malkin had a rough year, constant flux on the line trying to find a combination that works didn’t help. The team hasn’t exactly been firing on all cylinders this year. In his 12 year career he’s been a minus 4 times, he’s a career plus…. Guys never going to win a Selke but anyone who isn’t a total fucken dumbshit can see this is the anomaly yet you, being the fucken dipshit you are, will sum up the entire career. It’s fair to be concerned about whatever it… Read more »
How about chubby what’s his +/-
Your team missed the playoffs despite Kessels +/-… why are you here?
Pens in 4.
PJ Mask fans will be mad.
Pens in 7