2013-14 pens

[Aoki11]

Here's what I think of the last two games, there wasn't any magical formula for them to beat St. Louis or Phoenix first off. For St. Louis that was just a clinic put on by both goalies, I don't just say that because the score was 1-0 it was more than that: meaning both goalies were on top of their game. Fleury was phenomenal and in my opinion the first star. He defended his crease well, he wasn't giving up a lot of rebounds which was the problem in the Philly seties and against Dallas and Detroit. The goal scored on him wasn't really his fault. Backes is a BIG body, he depleted fleurys vision and made a good play, all there is to it. I'm not really worried about that performance, i suspected a low scoring game and I think the penguins did well against a top 5 NHL team. Phoenix was rough, shane Doan, one of my childhood favorite players, is still kicking on the back end of his prime. Phoenix has a balanced attack with a sharp defense. They remind me a lot of Boston but just a little more direct, they don't have the skill players boston does to do those tricky flicks and fakes, but they still are dangerous. This game wasn't penguin hockey, they got to got up in going toe to toe instead of playing their game and shutting Phoenix down. Again, not much else you can say. Although I do want to point out something: Gibbons had an enormous block in the third period, it was tied 2-2 and there was a scrum in the lower right corner and fleury made a save and was down and it was kicked out to the side, a coyote got ahold of it and snapped it, gibbons stepped in the way and saved the game for the time being. It's little plays like that that are huge in the playoffs especially, where taking goals away is the name of the game because they are so rare.

[theoneandonly]

Thats about all Brian Gibbons is good for... getting in the way of something.

[Manfred]

And now Malkin is out for the rest of the reg. season, just when he was ramping up his game.

[theoneandonly]

I'm going to view the Malkin as a blessing in disguise and hope I'm right. A few weeks of rest and missing some games that are ultimately meaningless.... read today that the Pens are 99% locked into the 2 seed in the East. Hopefully he comes back 100% healthy and rested and ready to go for the long haul.

[Aoki11]

In other news in the NHL, the Blackhawks who are already loaded have a 19 year old highly prospected Finnish center making his debut sometime soon. As soon as I read about this kid my spirits dropped a little. Chicago is by far my favorite to win it in the west, with a far between second going to either St. Louis or San Jose, Anaheim could knock them off too but it's a long shot.

Here's my thoughts on the playoffs, I would rather Pittsburgh play Philly than Washington or New York. Here's my thinking, Philly is on a run yes, but they have weak goaltending and they are a team that takes tons of penalties. They are a mental disaster and I don't expect their run to last. New York is pretty sound defensively and they shored up their attack at the trade deadline. Washington is weak right now but I expect them to come on for the playoffs, they are a competitive group and they will look to go to their big guys as always.

[KirkHerbstreit]

In other news in the NHL, the Blackhawks who are already loaded have a 19 year old highly prospected Finnish center making his debut sometime soon. As soon as I read about this kid my spirits dropped a little. Chicago is by far my favorite to win it in the west, with a far between second going to either St. Louis or San Jose, Anaheim could knock them off too but it's a long shot.

Here's my thoughts on the playoffs, I would rather Pittsburgh play Philly than Washington or New York. Here's my thinking, Philly is on a run yes, but they have weak goaltending and they are a team that takes tons of penalties. They are a mental disaster and I don't expect their run to last. New York is pretty sound defensively and they shored up their attack at the trade deadline. Washington is weak right now but I expect them to come on for the playoffs, they are a competitive group and they will look to go to their big guys as always.

Chicago's GM has drafted very well surrounding Toews and Kane with Playmakers. He drafted Saad(whom the Pens should have drafted) and this finish prospect. Shero has Beau Bennett as his lone forward that he is drafted who has potential to be a scorer.

[Aoki11]

Couldn't agree more, this ternainen kid is supposed to play on salads line, dangerous. And also I a free with your statement about Shero, yes he has been very terrible in the draft but he has done well with trades. I expect big things out of him in the draft this year.

[Aoki11]

An iPhone is a wonderful device but sometimes the autocorrect is less than admirable. Sorry for some of my misspellings guys. Anyways, although Columbus isn't a what you would call deadly team they are still a decent group. Penguin fans can now permit themselves a sigh of relief, the losing streak is over!

[Aoki11]

Will be in Pittsburgh all day today an tomorrow for penguin and pirate games. This game will have a playoff like atmosphere, as I said before, hawks are the best in the west and as far as I'm concerned they have a leg over Pittsburgh right now due to injuries. This game will speak volumes about pittsburghs perserverance and also will foreshadow a little into their playoff success. As for the pirates, lets kick off the home season right!

[Manfred]

posted in wrong thread.