Pens' Playoff Push '08-'09

[Brinker]

PIT@CAR  I guess this is where we find out what we're made of

And I will be there...

Go Pens!!

[pensodyssey]

PIT@CAR  I guess this is where we find out what we're made of

And I will be there...

Go Pens!!

Very cool, man.  Bring a sign that says "Beebo=Maximium Grilled" so we can spot you on the TV.

[Captain Chaos]

PIT@CAR  I guess this is where we find out what we're made of

And I will be there...

Go Pens!!

Very cool, man.  Bring a sign that says "Beebo=Maximium Grilled" so we can spot you on the TV.

I'll be looking for it.

Solid effort by the entire team last night.

[pensodyssey]

(4) PHI 78gp 42-25-11 95 pts
(5) CAR 79gp 44-28-7 95 pts
(6) PIT 78gp 42-27-9 93 pts
(7) MON 78gp 41-27-10 92 pts
( NYR 79gp 40-29-9 89 pts
_____________________ _____
(9) FLA 77gp 38-28-11 87 pts


Saturday's games:
PIT 2 CAR 3 (ot) 
NYR 0 BOS 1
PHI 3 OTT 4 (ot)
MON 6 TOR 2

Sunday's games:
PIT@FLA  Pens clinch with a regulation win, if my late night math is correct.

[PghSteel-43]

I felt we played a good game against Carolina, we just couldn't beat Ward.  He's in a zone.

Played a solid first period against Florida and then completely tanked in the second and third.  Giving up goals with 20 seconds left in the first and 11 seconds left in the second did not help. Having games scheduled at 7:00 on Saturday night and then another game at 5:00 the next day also didn't help.

Excuse's aside, our PP is still not clicking the way it should be at this point.  We love passing that puck around for the first minute of a PP.  There are times when we should just put bodies in front of the net, bring it back to the point and let Tanger or Gonchar fire away, particularly when we are down one or two goals and we are going up against a goaltender who is on his game (Ward, Vokoun).  Even when we are playing 5 on 5 we tend to look for the pretty play instead of simply putting it on net and getting a dirty goal from time to time.

I'm not stating we should just come out and fire the puck from every possible angle with no set plan, but we are turning the puck over way too much with the attempted pretty plays once we enter the O-zone and we are watching it go the other way on odd-man rushes, leading to blown scoring opportunities and at times resulting in our boys taking a penalty.  If we plan on making it past the first or second round of the playoffs (or to the playoffs in general), we have to fix that PP and cut back on the turnovers.

[pensodyssey]

(4) PHI 79gp 43-25-11 97 pts
(5) CAR 80gp 45-28-7 97 pts
(6) PIT 80gp 43-28-9 95 pts
(7) MON 80gp 41-29-10 92 pts
( NYR 79gp 41-30-9 91 pts


Tuesday's games:
NYI 0 CAR 9
MON  NYR
FLA 1 PHI 2
PIT 6 TB 4

Thursday's games:
NYI@PIT
MON@BOS
BUF@CAR
PHI@NYR

[Merman1983]

I think we're all but locked into that 6th seed and will be playing the Devil's in round one on the road. I'm not sure how I feel about that matchup.

Reasons I like it:

1.) The Devil's have been reeling as of late and Brodeur is definitely not 100%.
2.) We waxed them recently.
3.) I don't think that their scoring depth is as great as ours.
4.) Sid with wingers is awesome.

Reasons I don't like it:

1.) Being on the road in general is not good as the Devils would have the advantage in line matchups. This would be true of any series but I'd be less nervous against as less defensive-minded team such as the Capitals.
2.) Brodeur could get hot at any time.
3.) One could argue they have been on cruise control for a while, saving it all for the playoffs, thus their recent skid and waxing by the Pens.


I guess to get where we want to go we'd have to play them eventually, but I'd feel better playing the Capitals or Flyers. I feel alot better about the matchup with NJ than I would with Carolina though.

Whatever happens, I'm just glad we get playoff hockey for the 3rd straight year.

[pensodyssey]

I'll take the Debbies.  We overmatch them at every position except netminder, and Brodor's been horrible of late.  He won't get much rest because I think I saw Weekes went on IR, dunno who they got behind him.

[PghSteel-43]

I'll take the Devils in round one for a number of reasons...

1 - We tend to own Brodeur even when he's hot.  For some reason or another, he has always struggled against the Pens.

2 - IMO, the Devils peaked way too early and are ripe for the picking.  Sutter attempted taking the hardline with the team a week ago and they did not respond, losing to the Penguins 6-1.

3 - Compared to the Wachovia Center and Verizon Center, the Prudential Center is not nearly as hostile.  Philly has always been hostile and while Penguin fans use to fill the Verizon Center, that is no longer the case.  Both places are very hostile towards the Pens.

4 - The Devils have a roster which consists of thirteen players who are over the age of 30, six are over the age of 35.  The deeper the series goes, the better it is for us in my opinion.

5 - The Flyers and Capitals play a very physical game.  In NJ, the days of Scott Stevens, a young Bobby Holik, Lyle Odelein, Krzysztof Oliwa and Claude Lemieux are over.  From what I've seen this year, they have Michael Rupp....

Michael Rupp vs Eric Godard Oct 11, 2008

So yeah, I'll take Jersey in round one and let the Flyers and Capitals wear themselves out before we have to meet up with them. 

[jonzr]

Funny how things work out sometimes.  When this thread started, CAR and PITT were out of the playoffs at #9 and #10 with 19 games remaining only to end up playing each other in the Conference Finals.

Of course, the Pens just swept away the 'Canes.  Looking very much like a rematch for the Stanley Cup.  Congrats Pens fans.