Pens vs Islanders 3-24-17

fractalsteel · Post by **fractalsteel** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 8:33 pm

Back to back and 3 of 4 so Fleury gets the nod tonight.
No word about Malkin. Sullivan talked about him today but said nothing about his status. I'm guessing we don't see him until next week. Love how day to day turns out to be three weeks sometimes.
Ditto for Rust as well.

Penguins projected lineup

Scott Wilson -- Sidney Crosby -- Conor Sheary

Phil Kessel -- Matt Cullen -- Patric Hornqvist

Chris Kunitz -- Nick Bonino -- Carter Rowney

Tom Kuhnhackl -- Oskar Sundqvist -- Josh Archibald

Brian Dumoulin -- Justin Schultz

Ian Cole -- Chad Ruhwedel

Mark Streit -- Frank Corrado

Marc-Andre Fleury

Matt Murray

Scratched: Cameron Gaunce

Injured : Evgeni Malkin (upper body), Bryan Rust (upper body), Olli Maatta (hand), Trevor Daley (knee), Kris Letang (upper body), Carl Hagelin (lower body), Ron Hainsey (upper body), Tom Sestito (upper body), Jake Guentzel (concussion)

Louis Lipps Service · Re: Pens vs Islanders 3-24-17

Miracle to be tied right now.

That's definitely a goal, in my book. And 3 posts.

Walking through a minefield with cement shoes right now.

fractalsteel · Post by **fractalsteel** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:49 pm

I think Sully got lucky with that challenge but it was worth the risk at that point.
Still Chimera had way too much time on the wall-no one could root him from his spot. And only one forward came back to check an Islander operating around the slot. Archibald either was negligent or got caught watching the final few seconds.

Pens were ragged to say the least.

fractalsteel · Post by **fractalsteel** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 12:32 am

Crosby has been making a living on the back/weak side recently. Played Euclid on the one to tie it at 2.

Louis Lipps Service · Post by **Louis Lipps Service** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 1:25 am

Is it me or is there a ridiculous number of guys getting tackled in this game?

Legacy User · Post by **Legacy User** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 3:12 am

boy, i wish we could go to a shootout without feeling like a loss is the predetermined outcome

Ice · Post by **Ice** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 2:14 pm

This team continuing to scrap and get at least points with a 50% WBS lineup is pretty incredible.

The job Crosby has been doing, when the other team can simply load up to try and take him out of the game, has been ridiculous.

Yeah, losing these shootouts sucks, but the effort put forth from this squad is hard to knock.

COR-TEN · Post by **COR-TEN** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 2:19 pm

Ice wrote:This team continuing to scrap and get at least points with a 50% WBS lineup is pretty incredible.

The job Crosby has been doing, when the other team can simply load up to try and take him out of the game, has been ridiculous.

Yeah, losing these shootouts sucks, but the effort put forth from this squad is hard to knock.

Can't disagree with that. This penguins team is very different without the what, 5 starters and a couple of key players? And they are still giving teams fits, taking it to the wire.

At least crosby scored in the SO.

Anybody have any estimates for the return of Letang, Malkin, or Maata?

Ice · Post by **Ice** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 3:23 pm

I'm not sure we see any of the dmen back before the playoff push.

Malkin's been out way longer than expected, too. I'm hoping sooner than later for him, but that's just hope.

Rust should be playing ASAP.

fractalsteel · Post by **fractalsteel** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 4:53 pm

Rust played 16 minutes last night which was good. Wilson is now hurt.

The blue liners are another thing. I believe Maata was due to come back at the playoff deadline. Normally it takes him a while to get back into shape so if he isn't skating soon then that could be trouble. Daley had knee surgery so who knows what that will mean time wise.

Hagelin is another due back for the playoffs. If memory serves me he is a quick healer and if so should be ready for the big push. That is a relief especially for the PK.

Who the fuck knows with Malkin. Initially his injury was day to day and he was skating last week. Now Sullivan has become cryptic when speaking about Geno's injury and the day to day status has been removed. I'm hoping it was NOT a structural problem or a clot.
As well as Crosby and his line have done(along with Bonino) they need Malkin big time for the big push. It just makes the Pens so much harder to defend and match up against. Not to mention it makes the PP really more versatile with his big shot which we have missed the past few weeks.

Post by **bradshaw2ben** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 5:05 pm

Good god, the playoff matrix is asinine. The 2nd and 3rd teams in each division play each other? What a bunch of bullshit. What a break for Ottawa & Toronto (or, rather, what a brazen ploy to get a Canadian Team at east as far as Round 2). What a reward for the Rangers-- finish 4th in the division, get an easier matchup than 2nd or 3rd.

COR-TEN · Post by **COR-TEN** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 7:23 pm

bradshaw2ben wrote:Good god, the playoff matrix is asinine. The 2nd and 3rd teams in each division play each other? What a bunch of bullshit. What a break for Ottawa & Toronto (or, rather, what a brazen ploy to get a Canadian Team at east as far as Round 2). What a reward for the Rangers-- finish 4th in the division, get an easier matchup than 2nd or 3rd.

Yes. Asinine. Creating better/stiffer competition early in the playoffs accomplishes what, exactly? The Stanley Cup playoffs is one of the most exciting thing in sports, culminating in the final. It's a season within a season. A great crescendo, and now that is watered down and flattened. I don't get it. Do they want to speed the process up? Is there a financial reason for this? Do they think it will create better hockey?