<![CDATA[Pittsburgh Sports Forum - Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins & Pirates Message Board & Blog - Pens Talk]]> http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/ The Pens Forum main Discussion Message Board for Pittsburgh Penguins Blogs, News, Contests, Discussion, Videos and More! en Sat, 18 May 2013 10:00:19 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/images/misc/rss.png <![CDATA[Pittsburgh Sports Forum - Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins & Pirates Message Board & Blog - Pens Talk]]> http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/ Extra days off for TV getting good reception http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15802-Extra-days-off-for-TV-getting-good-reception?goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 03:31:46 GMT Extra days off for TV getting good reception Read more:... Extra days off for TV getting good reception

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2TW7wojvo

May 16, 2013 12:56 am


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By Shelly Anderson and Dave Molinari / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


There will be two sets of two-day breaks in the second-round playoff series between the Penguins and Ottawa Senators -- one now between Games 1 and 2, another between Games 3 and 4.

Those are designed to accommodate television, not to benefit the teams, but a sampling of Penguins players showed most don't have feelings about the extra time off and those who do like it.

"I don't really care," defenseman Brooks Orpik said. "At first, they told us we had two days off between [Games] 1 and 2, then back-to-back [days] for 2 and 3. That didn't make too much sense to us.

"From a playing standpoint, as long as we're not playing back-to-back, I don't think anyone minds. I don't mind having two days off, that's for sure."

Right winger Tyler Kennedy agreed.

"I think rest is always a good thing right now," he said. "At the end of the year, the more rest you get, the more you can prepare for the game and the better it is for the team."

The Penguins won the opener Tuesday, 4-1. Game 2 won't be played until Friday night.

"You do want to keep playing, keep the excitement going. But, at the same time, guys are dealing with little injuries," Penguins winger James Neal said. "You can rest up and get ready. It's going to be a long series. We know that, so added rest is always good."

Coach Dan Bylsma backed Kennedy and Neal's assessment, but he downplayed the idea that the longer breaks would be momentum-killers.

"You get an extra day's rest, and it means something for injuries and getting some rest," Bylsma said. "But games don't carry over as much as you'd like them to, momentum game to game. That certainly will be the case between [Games] 1 and 2, and 3 and 4."

Both teams held optional practices Wednesday. Bylsma called it a "purposeful" day.

"[In addition to] rest and recover, we treated it as a practice, but a practice off the ice with our [team] meeting," Bylsma said.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2TW86ddFn ]]> Pens Talk Skeeter http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15802-Extra-days-off-for-TV-getting-good-reception Penguins feel the difference http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15797-Penguins-feel-the-difference?goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 00:37:41 GMT Penguins feel the difference May 16, 2013 1:00 am By Shelly Anderson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ... Penguins feel the difference
May 16, 2013 1:00 am By Shelly Anderson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...erence-687841/


A day after the Penguins opened their second-round playoff series against Ottawa with a 4-1 win, center Joe Vitale could tell this was a different opponent from the team they beat in the first round, the New York Islanders.

Actually, Vitale could feel the difference.

"My body's a little more sore today than last time," Vitale said Wednesday after he and most others who played in Game 1 sat out an optional practice.

Vitale got pummeled several times in Game 1, at least a couple of times by rugged Senators forward Chris Neil.

"You give a few; you take a few," Vitale said. "That's just part of the game. I definitely took a little more than I gave [in Game 1]. Hopefully, it will be different come Friday [in Game 2]."

Perhaps Vitale's personal hit sheet will be more balanced, but he got his licks in Tuesday, registering three hits, and the Penguins came out ahead in that category. They finished with 40 hits to Ottawa's 26. Wingers Chris Kunitz and Matt Cooke led with five each for the Penguins. Neil had that many for Ottawa.

Coach Dan Bylsma downplayed those numbers. He said the Penguins keep their own hits statistics. He did not say how many his team had on the internal ledgers but said his players did a better job of dishing out hits in the first period than later in the game.

The series is not likely to turn into some sort of hockey version of flag football, so the Penguins will need to keep hitting.

"They've got some big bodies. They go out and bang and crash," said Penguins center Brandon Sutter, who, along with center Evgeni Malkin, was one of two Penguins who did not register a hit in Game 1.

"But I think we did a good job of doing that, too. We expect a physical series. At the same time, they're a team that can skate and move the puck well."

The Penguins have those players, too. So did the Islanders, but the physical play is what could very well make this series different.

"They play a physical game," Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen said of the Senators. "They've got guys that can wear on you physically. They try to have that physical factor in their game -- as do we."

Ottawa finished the regular season ranked sixth in the NHL with 1,307 hits, or 27.2 per game, with Neil ranked No. 2 individually with 206. The Penguins were ninth with 1,229 hits, or 25.6 per game, with no players in the top 20.

It's not all about thundering hits, although those can sometimes swing momentum or knock a team off of its game mentally. A lot of times, simply finishing a check or bumping someone off of the puck can have advantageous results, such as creating turnovers or scoring chances.

"That's a lot of what playoff hockey is, is imposing your will on the other team," Niskanen said. "You're trying to create some space for yourself, get them to turn pucks over on the forecheck, things like that, create ice for yourself and create chances.

"That's going to be a factor moving forward in the series."

In the first round, the Penguins averaged 29.8 hits in a six-game series win against the Islanders, who averaged 33 a game and had more hits in five of six games. But Ottawa is more punishing than New York.

"Way more physical [Tuesday] night [than the Islanders series]," Vitale said. "We kind of knew that coming in. Some bigger bodies on the other end, especially their fourth line with Neil. A lot more big hits."

While the Penguins didn't need to be more physical to beat the Islanders, at least as measured by hits, they look at Ottawa differently.

"They have big defensemen and forwards that can really throw their weight around," Niskanen said. "You've got to play that way if you want to have success in the postseason. That's been our game plan -- get in on forechecks and make a dent in 'em. Make them hard minutes for their defensemen and their top guys.

"That will be a focus for us. If we want to have success in the series, we're going to have to match their physicality."

For much more on the Penguins, read the Pens Plus blog with Dave Molinari and Shelly Anderson at www.post-gazette.com/plus. Shelly Anderson: shanderson@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1721 or Twitter @pgshelly.
First Published May 16, 2013 12:59 am


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2TVQGtEAq ]]> Pens Talk Skeeter http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15797-Penguins-feel-the-difference <![CDATA[Black n' Gold Blitz : Penguins Fans Have Seen This Before]]> http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15794-Penguins-Fans-Have-Seen-This-Before?goto=newpost Wed, 15 May 2013 15:05:12 GMT After last night's Penguins 4-1 dominating victory over the Ottawa Senators, Pens faithful are buzzing. Talking at the water coolers and lunch rooms across the nation about how their team out performed the competition and should handle these "Pesky Sens" without much push back. Well, before I go any further, lets rewind our minds for just one second. Think back to game one in Round 1 vs. the Islanders. The Penguins came out smoking en route to a Marc Andre Fleury 5-0 shutout win. That was WITHOUT Sidney Crosby and Brooks Orpik too! I am as guilty as the next Penguin fan who said "This could be done in 4." What happened next, well, has been well documented. Its like a recipe. A dash of arrogance, a pinch of overlooking your opponent, and add in some sloppy puck handling and what do you get? You get a playoff series with a young and hungry team like the NY Islanders that myself and other talking heads still view as lucky the series ended in 6. Remember what it felt like after that 5-0 butt whooping to the Islanders? That feeling similar to the one you feel today after the 4-1 victory over the Senators?

Its hard NOT to be confident...after all, yesterday I wrote an article giving you 5 reasons why the Penguins will play BETTER against the Senators. Not to toot my own horn, but the Penguins played the way they should have and took care of business on home ice. Someone once said there is no need to panic in a playoff series until you lose on home ice. Am I confident in this Penguins team? You bet, but I'm also very cautious at the same time. The NHL is giving the two teams an unprecedented 2 days off before the two teams face off in Pittsburgh Friday night. I don't feel that works in anyone's advantage or disadvantage. What I do feel is that the Penguins need to prove to themselves, their fans, and this city that this isn't the same team that let the Islanders hang around. That this team is a team that is determined to be the best team in the Eastern Conference and possibly the entire NHL...and NO ONE is going to stand between them and bringing a Stanley Cup home to Pittsburgh for the 2nd time in 5 years.

Deep in my gut I honestly believe that this team is more focused than ever. I told my brother that I felt the "15 game winning streak" team is going to show up, and they did just that last night. Led by Sidney Crosby and the rest of the crew the Penguins took THEIR game to the Senators...something Penguins fans haven't seen since that game one against the Islanders. I don't think they will overlook the Senators like they did the Islanders. There is too much hatred between these two teams. At times it almost felt like the Penguins thought they could just toy around with the Islanders, but not the Senators. This is going to be a physical series that isn't for the faint of heart. Time to buckle up and enjoy this series because its sure to be a good one! I'll leave you with this...Penguins fans, its natural to have doubt creep into your minds regarding this series and after the performance in Game 1. Its not up to the fans to prove anyone wrong...its up to the players to prove to themselves and the fans that this team is the team we all thought they were. A true Stanley Cup contending team. ]]> Pens Talk BnGBlitz http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15794-Penguins-Fans-Have-Seen-This-Before <![CDATA[Black n' Gold Blitz : 5 Reasons the Penguins Will Be Better vs. the Senators]]> http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15790-5-Reasons-the-Penguins-Will-Be-Better-vs-the-Senators?goto=newpost Tue, 14 May 2013 17:40:47 GMT So I haven't written anything in over a month (Being a head coach has its downside), but if you've followed me on Twitter (@BnGBlitz) you know I have been fully engaged in everything Pittsburgh...especially the Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup run. I was one of the few fans who openly said that I did NOT want to see the Islanders in the playoffs, and the first round was a perfect example of why. Those guys are fast, and they aren't intimidated by the Mighty Penguins. The Pens escaped (yes, I said escaped on purpose) with a series victory, and now they face the Ottawa Senators. Welcome the 3 ring circus. Whether its the Karlesson allegations of Matt Cooke intentionally slashing his Achilles tendon, the CSI crack crew that was sent to investigate the said incident, or Mr. Melnyk (Senators Owner) saying that Pens fans are a disgrace to their city, their team, and the sport due to inappropriate comments made towards his team.

Yes, this series should be fun and it should be much different than the Islanders series for many reason. One of them is the fact that I feel the Penguins are going to be ALOT better than they were in Round 1....here are 5 reason why I feel that way:

- Line Changes - The line changes Dan Bylsma made before game 5 are well documented. Enter Tyler Kennedy and Joe Vitale, exit Beau Bennett and Jussi Jokenen. Enter Simon Despres and exit Derek Engelland. Enter Tomas Vokoun and exit Marc Andre Fleury. Those are just some of the moves that were made. The moves that I'm speaking of are the line changes that could be lethal in round 2 once these players get a feel for playing along side one another. The most obvious, in my opinion, is the top line. Putting Jerome Iginla with Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis was a genius move by Disco Dan. Iginla has shown chemistry with Sid in the Olympics a few years ago, and they have created alot of chances together in the 2 games they've played along side each other. Pascal Dupuis has shown he can play alongside anyone and will adapt to the situation. With Iggy being sent to line 1 with Sid, that puts Chris Kunitz on the second line with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. This line would be the #1 line on 99% of NHL teams, but not Pittsburgh. Kunits compliments Malkin and Neal well as he is the winger that isn't going to improvise, but rather just do his job. Be in the spots where he is supposed to be, and cash in on those opportunities. Another move alot of people didn't realize was Brandon Sutter being placed back with Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy. This line has shown not only to be an energy line, but also productive when playing together. Vitale, Morrow, and Adams round out the 4th line. The fact that these lines have changed and they've now had several days / games to get acclimated together is only going to lead to success in round 2. These lines are solid, and shouldn't change unless injury causes them to change. Dan Bylsma has pulled the right strings so far this series...

- Full Roster - Remember when Jerome Iginla took the ice for the first time with the Pens against the Islanders? Remember when he played with Sid for about 2 minutes before Sid's jaw was shattered by a deflected shot? Remember when James Neal returned from a concussion only to twist his ankle and miss significant time? Remember when Brooks Orpik got that mysterious "lower body" injury that kept him out of nearly half of the Islanders series? Well I'm glad those are all distant memories because all of the above players are healthy and the players Ray Shero has brilliantly put together are just that...together...for once! This team is still learning how to play alongside one another, and I think that is a HUGE advantage for the Penguins moving forward and in the 2nd round vs the Ottawa Senators. Injuries can cripple a team's chances at hoisting the Cup (ex. - 2013 Montreal Canadiens). Pens fans should be happy that their favorite team is getting healthy at just the right time.


- Lethal PP - The Penguins Power Play has been stellar all year, and that is with all the injuries. Now they debate whether or not to put one of the more lethal snipers on the team (James Neal) on the top PP line. Thats a good problem to have. When you can skate Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Chris Kunitz, Kris Letang, and either Neal or Iggy out there for your Power Play...well it looks like the Harlem Globetrotters vs the Washington Generals at times. Thats not to say this unit can't be shut down. Watch the Penguins on the PP and if they fail to win the opening face off in the opponent's zone, they STILL struggle gaining the zone. Alot hinges on that faceoff win. Everyone knows the Penguins have a stellar Power Play, but it will have to be lethal vs the Senators. This series is guaranteed to be physical and penalties will be called. The team that can cash in on "special teams" will have a distinct advantage over the opponent. I like the Penguins odds in this category. This Power Play reminds me of the early 90s when Mario, Jagr, Stevens, Larry Murphy, and an assortment of other players (Bob Errey, Joey Mullen, Ron Francis) would skate out for the Power Play and all you'd hear is the Jaws music and thousands of Shark fin signs being held up in the igloo.


- Learn From Mistakes - The Penguins made alot of mistakes vs the Islanders in the opening series. The biggest mistakes were made in turning over passes...over and over again. For the Penguins to succeed they need to adjust and learn from their mistakes. You don't think the Senators are implementing the same "Left Win Lock" that Pierre McGuire gushed about in round 1? It worked for them, why wouldn't it work for Ottawa. In other words, the Penguins need to expect it and know exactly how to beat it on a regular basis. Learn from the past and change the future because of it. If the Penguins can exploit the Senators in the neutral zone and cause turnovers themselves it could be a huge advantage and it could also be a swinging point in the series. Give the Penguins chances and they will cash in...thats a guarantee. Look at Game 6 vs the Islanders. The Penguins were TOTALLY outworked, outhustled, and outplayed. What lead to victory? The Pens cashed in on their opportunities. Lets hope the Pens learn from their mistakes in Round 1 so they can get back to playing hockey like we all know they can.

- No Longer Overlooking Opponent - I don't care what any player or fan says...the Penguins overlooked the Islanders. ESPECIALLY after dominating game one 5-0. The Islanders gave them a quick wake up call, and I think its safe to say the Penguins won't be overlooking any opponent for the remainder of the playoffs. If they did, they deserve to be treated like the Washington Capitals and ousted from the tournament. The Penguins have the ability to be the best team in the NHL if they are firing on all cylinders, and the only thing I kept telling myself watching Round 1 was that they Islanders were taking THEIR game to the Penguins, instead of the Penguins dictating their game to the Isles. The Senators are fast, but not as fast as the Islanders were. With that said, I can see the Penguins pushing their pace to the game and forcing the Senators on their heals. If they can do that, and focus on every aspect of their game from the first game till the end of the series, there is no way the Penguins lose this series. Some would say thats a big 'if', but I obviously feel that the Penguins are going to come out a different team vs Ottawa than they did vs the Islanders.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators (Round 2 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Best of 7 Series)
PREDICTION - Penguins in 6 ]]> Pens Talk BnGBlitz http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15790-5-Reasons-the-Penguins-Will-Be-Better-vs-the-Senators Vokoun To Start Game 1 http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15788-Vokoun-To-Start-Game-1?goto=newpost Tue, 14 May 2013 15:27:43 GMT Just got a notification via my NHL Gamecenter Live app, Vokoun will start Game 1 tonight vs the Senators. Good call IMO by Danny B and management to... Just got a notification via my NHL Gamecenter Live app, Vokoun will start Game 1 tonight vs the Senators. Good call IMO by Danny B and management to ride the hot goalie. Apparently they did their homework of the blueprint of the last two SC winners. A wise man once said, "If it ain't broke don't try and fix it". See you all at the GDT! :beer: ]]> Pens Talk steeler_salerno http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15788-Vokoun-To-Start-Game-1 Penguins/Senators Preview http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15783-Penguins-Senators-Preview?goto=newpost Sun, 12 May 2013 10:20:55 GMT Taken from NHL.com.

:L Alert! The columnist refers to Tyler Kennedy as "Taylor Kennedy." :facepalm:

And at least Ottawa's ice will be good: I swear there were divots, trenches and craters at Nassau Coliseum! It looked like a typical street in Pittsburgh!



Penguins, Senators renew rivalry in second round

Saturday, 05.11.2013 / 11:45 PM / Stanley Cup Playoffs
By John Kreiser - NHL.com Columnist


The Pittsburgh Penguins had to work a lot harder than anyone thought they would to get past the New York Islanders in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their next hurdle figures to be even tougher.

While the Penguins had to go to overtime of Game 6 in their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series, the Ottawa Senators were watching on TV after closing out the second-seeded Montreal Canadiens in five games on Thursday.

Though the Senators were seeded seventh, they didn’t play like a lower seed. They dominated the Canadiens with a physical style of play, one much like the Islanders used to make life miserable for the Penguins in the first round. Pittsburgh had to win back-to-back games after New York earned a split of the first four, and had to overcome three one-goal deficits before winning Game 6 in overtime.

Pittsburgh swept Ottawa in their three-game season series. On Jan. 27, Evgeni Malkin registered the winning goal in a 2-1 shootout victory. It came against Ben Bishop, who was later traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

On Feb. 13, the Penguins won 4-2 on the strength two goals by James Neal and one each from Pascal Dupuis and Sidney Crosby.

On April 22, the Penguins won 3-1. Dustin Jeffrey, Jarome Iginla and Taylor Kennedy had the goals for the Penguins, and backup goalie Tomas Vokoun stopped 34 of 35 shots to outduel Craig Anderson.

That doesn't mean the Penguins expect an easy time in round two.

"We've played them in the past and they always battle," Dupuis said. "Their building gets shaking at times. They're a team that obviously played well in the first round and beat Montreal, [a] seven [seed[ beat a two [seed]. So it should be a good matchup."

The Penguins will have to find ways to solve Anderson if they hope to win the conference semifinal series. Anderson was Ottawa’s best player against Montreal, stopping 171 of 180 shots for a .950 save percentage. If he does that again, the Senators could pull their second upset of the playoffs.

Ottawa will have to shut down Pittsburgh's big guns. Sidney Crosby had three goals and nine points in five games against the Islanders after returning from a broken jaw; Iginla scored twice and added seven assists; and Pascal Dupuis scored five times in the six games.

The Penguins will have the advantage of playing the first two games at Consol Energy Center, but the Senators showed during the first round that playing on the road didn't bother them. They won Game 1 in Montreal and closed the series with a 6-1 victory at Bell Centre in Game 5.

Pittsburgh got a tougher-than-expected test from the Islanders, whose speedy forwards put a lot of heat on the Penguins' defense. Captain Sidney Crosby said his team can expect more of the same from the Senators.

"They're playing good hockey; they're pretty similar [to the Islanders]," Crosby said. "They have some fast forwards, a lot of skill, a lot of speed. We're going to have to do a better job of keeping the puck out of our end and out of our net."

The Senators and Penguins met three previous times in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with Ottawa winning a first-round series in five games in 2007 and Pittsburgh sweeping in the opening round in 2008, with each team using its victory as a starting point to a trip to the Final. They met in the first round again in 2010, with Pittsburgh winning in six games, including three victories at Ottawa.

As if the series needed any extra juice, there figures to be plenty of hard feelings from the Feb. 13 meeting --that was the night when Penguins forward Matt Cooke delivered a hit to Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson that resulted in the reigning Norris Trophy winner suffering a 70-percent tear of his Achilles tendon. Karlsson missed 31 games but returned right before the end of the regular season.

Karlsson showed no ill effects from the injury during the opening round. He was one of the Senators' best players in the first-round upset of the Canadiens. He shared the team lead in scoring, registering a goal and five assists playing almost 26 minutes per game.

Will the Cooke-Karlsson storyline play a part in the series?

"Hopefully. Why not, you know? We've been through that road before," Dupuis said. "We went there and won the game [on April 22]. So why not?"

Anderson figures to play every game for the Senators. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma isn't saying who he’ll use in goal, but he switched from Marc-Andre Fleury to Vokoun before Game 5 and was rewarded with two superb efforts from the 36-year-old. Fleury has won a Stanley Cup, but Vokoun has the hot hand, at least for now. ]]> Pens Talk GeoBear http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15783-Penguins-Senators-Preview Miss a Playoff Game? http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15779-Miss-a-Playoff-Game?goto=newpost Sat, 11 May 2013 13:49:53 GMT I have them all right here for you!

]]> Pens Talk Indiana Pittsburgh Fan http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15779-Miss-a-Playoff-Game Debating John Tavares vs. Sidney Crosby for Hart Trophy http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15776-Debating-John-Tavares-vs-Sidney-Crosby-for-Hart-Trophy?goto=newpost Sat, 11 May 2013 01:53:08 GMT Debating John Tavares vs. Sidney Crosby for Hart Trophy
By
Ryan O'Leary
(Analyst) on May 9, 2013
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...or-hart-trophy

It's not only the playoffs, but it's also awards season in the NHL. Day by day, names are released for various awards with everyone awaiting the announcement of the Hart Trophy for league MVP.

It just so happens that two of the likely candidates, John Tavares of the New York Islanders and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, are also squared off in a very intriguing Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup.

John Tavares put together an impressive second-half resume this season with 47 points, leading all goalscorers at even strength with 19. His performance was the impetus for an Islanders playoff berth, the first in six years.

As for Crosby, he knows all about MVP performances, and before his jaw injury kept on the sidelines during April, he was the runaway leader for the trophy. He still amassed 56 points, leading the league in points per game.

Crosby or Tavares?

Who deserves the MVP? Or does another superstar deserve it? :stirthepot: ]]> Pens Talk Skeeter http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15776-Debating-John-Tavares-vs-Sidney-Crosby-for-Hart-Trophy <![CDATA[Sidney Crosby replicates Mario Lemieux's statuesque goal]]> http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15774-Sidney-Crosby-replicates-Mario-Lemieux-s-statuesque-goal?goto=newpost Fri, 10 May 2013 22:27:25 GMT Not exactly, but they were similar

]]> Pens Talk Indiana Pittsburgh Fan http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15774-Sidney-Crosby-replicates-Mario-Lemieux-s-statuesque-goal Islanders even series vs. Penguins with Game 4 win http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15768-Islanders-even-series-vs-Penguins-with-Game-4-win?goto=newpost Wed, 08 May 2013 21:34:32 GMT Islanders even series vs. Penguins with Game 4 win Tuesday, 05.07.2013 / 11:27 PM Brian Compton - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor ... Islanders even series vs. Penguins with Game 4 win

Tuesday, 05.07.2013 / 11:27 PM

Brian Compton - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor


http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=...d=nhl:topheads

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- There may come a day in the near future when Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is demolished.

The process almost got under way prematurely Tuesday night, when John Tavares nearly blew the roof off this 41-year-old arena.

Tavares, the centerpiece of the New York Islanders' rebuilding process, broke a 4-4 tie midway through the third period to lift his club to a heart-stopping 6-4 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 of this Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series.

Prognosticators from across North America believed the Penguins, the top seed in the East, would finish off the No. 8 Islanders in no more than five games. Instead, it's 2-2 now, a best-of-3 series that shifts back to the Steel City on Thursday, with Game 6 here Saturday.

Tavares' goal rocked the Coliseum as it hasn't rocked in years -- this was New York's first home playoff win since the Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 6 of their opening-round series in 2002. They had dropped a record-tying seven in a row at home since then.

"It's an old building, but this place gets rocking and these people are passionate," Tavares said. "We've got some great sports fans in New York, especially on Long Island, and they care about their Islanders. We can't thank them enough. First, we've got a big game Thursday. But we're happy that to know that they're going to be back here on Saturday."

New York got on the board first when rookie defenseman Brian Strait scored his first NHL goal with 5:55 left in the opening period. With the teams at even strength, Strait, who was waived by the Penguins in January, took a pass from Lubomir Visnovsky and beat Marc-Andre Fleury with a wrist shot from just inside the left point as the Islanders took a 1-0 lead.

But that lead lasted all of 45 seconds. Pittsburgh tied it with 5:10 to go when James Neal, who returned to the lineup after missing Games 2 and 3 with a lower-body injury, one-timed Evgeni Malkin's feed from the right circle past Evgeni Nabokov to make it 1-1. It was Neal's first goal of the postseason.

"We knew we were in a series from Game 1," Neal said. "You go game by game. After that you just let it go and focus on the next one. We've got a lot of veteran guys in this room that have been through this. We just need to regroup here and we'll come out fired up and ready to go."

The Penguins got their first power play of the night early in the second period, when Strait was sent off for high sticking. Pittsburgh, which had converted on six of its first 13 chances in the series, kept the puck in the zone for nearly the full two minutes but couldn't find the back of the net. And when Nabokov made a glove save to finally get the Islanders a line change, the capacity crowd of 16,170 roared.

Moments later, Matt Cooke put the Islanders on the power play when he interfered with Nabokov. Streit put New York back in front at 6:19 when his slap shot from the point knuckled past Fleury to make it 2-1. The goal was originally given to Tavares, but it was changed after he said in a between-periods interview that he didn't make contact with the puck.

"It's what we expected from them," Fleury said of the Islanders. "It's frustrating, disappointing. But it's the playoffs and we've got to be ready for the next one."

Pittsburgh again responded almost immediately. With the teams back at even strength, Malkin caught Frans Nielsen trying to go off for a line change, which created a 2-on-1 for the Penguins. Malkin cruised into the offensive zone and ripped a wrister from the right circle past Nabokov for his second goal of the playoffs. The goal came 58 seconds after Streit had given the Islanders the lead.

Brandon Sutter gave the Penguins their first lead with 8:57 left in the second. Cooke laid a thunderous check on Matt Carkner that sent the latter flying into the end boards and freed the puck, Sutter took a cross-ice feed from Brenden Morrow and snapped a wrist shot over Nabokov's left shoulder to make it 3-2.

But despite all of their inexperience in the playoffs, the Islanders didn't crumble.

"You can see our guys growing," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "I think there's 17 players with no playoff experience. But they're in a series now. There's a lot of belief in that room. If we continue to play within our framework and our structure, we can have success."

Islanders defenseman Andrew MacDonald headed off to the dressing room with about seven minutes remaining in the second period with an upper-body injury after being hit with a slap shot by Penguins defenseman Douglas Murray. MacDonald was given a holding penalty during the sequence, which was served by Keith Aucoin.

MacDonald did not return to the game, which left New York with five defensemen. Capuano confirmed the injury, but did not provide a timetable for his return. Newsday's Arthur Staple reported via Twitter that MacDonald broke his hand on the play and would likely miss the remainder of the postseason.

"He's an integral part of our team," Capuano said. "It just gives somebody else an opportunity to step in for the next game."

Kyle Okposo, arguably the Islanders' best player in this series, evened things with 1:24 left in the second on another fortunate bounce as his backhand attempt from behind the net went off Fleury's blocker and over the goal line to make it 3-3. It was Okposo's third goal of the playoffs.

"I'm not happy, that's for sure," said Fleury, whose save percentage dropped to .891 after he stopped just 18 of 24 shots in Game 4. "I'm trying hard in practice. It went in and it's frustrating, but you forget about it."

Pittsburgh regained the lead 41 seconds into the third. Pascal Dupuis charged the net and redirected Brooks Orpik's wrist shot past Nabokov and the Penguins held a 4-3 edge. Dupuis has four goals in as many games.

But the Islanders got even again at 4:30 when Streit took a pass from Casey Cizikas and fired a slap shot from the point that went off the toe of Murray's skate and past Fleury to make it 4-4. Streit became the first Islanders defenseman since Denis Potvin in 1983 to score twice in a playoff game.

"There have been swings of emotion in this game," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "It's something we're having trouble with right now."

Tavares, the No. 1 pick at the 2009 NHL Draft, then scored the biggest goal of his career with 9:49 to go in regulation. After Boyes made a nice play to deny Malkin on a clearing attempt, Tavares seized control of the puck, made nifty moves around both Orpik and Malkin and fired a shot that Fleury stopped. But he grabbed his own rebound and rifled it home to send the Coliseum crowd into a frenzy.

"It's right up there, that's for sure," Tavares said when asked where this goal ranks in his career. "I've had a great four years and I'm just trying to stay focused on the moment."

"Your best players have to be your best players," Capuano said, "and that's what Johnny was tonight."

Cizikas sealed it when he muscled his way around Matt Niskanen before poking the puck past Fleury with 1:16 remaining for his second goal of the playoffs.

The Penguins, who won 5-0 in the series opener and appeared to be much the better team, denied that they had taken the Islanders lightly.

"We didn't come in and expect it to be a walk in the park. It's hockey," said forward Jarome Iginla, who was brought in at the NHL Trade Deadline to help Pittsburgh win a Stanley Cup. "The most important thing is we got Game 3 [a 5-4 overtime victory]. We had a chance to make it 3-1, but we didn't. Now we get ready for a best-of-3 at home. It's fun to be a part of. It's intense. We know we can get better. We just need to find a way to win Game 5."
Finish read < http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=...d=nhl:topheads ]]> Pens Talk Skeeter http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15768-Islanders-even-series-vs-Penguins-with-Game-4-win Vokoun To Start Game 5 http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15767-Vokoun-To-Start-Game-5?goto=newpost Wed, 08 May 2013 20:29:37 GMT Well Danny B must have heard the weeping and gnashing of teeth throughout the GDT and from Pens fans everywhere. Coach B has elected to start backup... Well Danny B must have heard the weeping and gnashing of teeth throughout the GDT and from Pens fans everywhere. Coach B has elected to start backup goaltender Thomas Vokoun for Game 5.

Several media outlets have reported this. Here are a few:

http://espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs/2013...york-islanders

http://www.nhl.com/ice/blogpost.htm?...d=nhl:topheads

http://triblive.com/sports/penguins/...un-fleury-game

Hopefully this is the "shot-in-the-arm" the Penguins' D (and team for that matter) needs in order to bounce back from their 6-4 loss in Game 4. ]]> Pens Talk steeler_salerno http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15767-Vokoun-To-Start-Game-5 Kipper : The Pens Have Talent, But Lack A Team And Youth http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15763-The-Pens-Have-Talent-But-Lack-A-Team-And-Youth?goto=newpost Wed, 08 May 2013 13:43:17 GMT Here we are 4 games into the opening round of the Playoffs and if you're a Pens fan you have to be worried at this point about seeing the Pens get upset early in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It's not supposed to be this way. It didn't start of this way. he Pens started the series off with a masterful beat down to the tune of 5-0 over the Islanders. After that game, the Pens have largely been dominated on the ice outside of Special Teams, Faceoffs and individual skill. The "team" concept style of play has been tilted heavily in the Islanders favor.

One of my greatest concerns for this team coming into the Playoffs outside of whether Marc-Andre Fleury could improve on his last 3 years of Playoff incompetence was whether too much roster change was made at the Trade Deadline.

I love seeing talent brought in. I love all of the pieces that Ray Shero brought in as individuals, but 5 players to an 18 man starting roster is a lot. That is nearly 30% of your roster that is new. 30% of your roster that knows Dan Bylsma's system right now but surely don't know it comfortably or more important - confidently. On top of adding nearly 30% new faces to the roster, during that entire month while those new guys are getting acclimated to the system, and linemates, the Pens were shuffling guys in and out due to injury. Sidney Crosby missed the month of April. Evgeni Malkin, Brooks Orpik, Kris Letang and James Neal all missed good chunks of time in April when the Pens as a team needed to form chemistry and become a "team" on the ice. They never had that chance. The Pens finished out the Regular Season largely winning, but doing so without the need to adjust on a game to game basis and allowing the immense talent on the team to win with skill. Now it's time to make adjustments on a per game basis and the lack of team chemistry is showing.

i.jpgThe Pens won Game 1 of this series playing their game, the same game that they had played in the Regular Season. They won in a landslide. The Islanders made a lot of adjustments in Game 2 and beat the Pens. Despite what the unintelligent hockey fan will suggest, Dan Bylsma has been making changes these past 3 games and even during the games. Coming out of the 2nd Period against the New York slanders last night, Bylsma adjusted the Pens breakout and forecheck, as the Islanders spent the entire 1st Period basically forcing turnover after turnover in the Neutral Zone. The problem with the adjustments by the Pens is that as a team they never looked smooth and confident performing the changes. That's been largely a problem for the Pens all series is that there's been so much lineup change, a lack of chemistry and a lack of confidence by the newer guys in the lineup that when you issue changes, it not only throws off the chemistry that was forming but it makes the confidence lower and it makes the team slower.

Slower?

When you have to think rather than react, you're going to be slower on the ice and the Pens outside of Ray Shero constructing a very old lineup, look slow not from a skating standpoint but from a quickness and reactionary standpoint. The Islanders are forcing the Pens to constantly adjust, give Jack Capuano credit. He sees a team that lacks chemistry and is destroying any chance the Pens might have at forming chemistry by confusing them. This isn't really one coach ou-tcoaching another coach, this is one coach taking advantage of the way another teams GM constructed the team. all Dan Bylsma can do is show his players what they need to do to adjust. I don't doubt that the adjustments would work, but perhaps they would work better with a team that is more of a team than a piece meal assembly job peppered with folks coming back from injury at the end of the season and in the Playoffs.

Let's also not forget too that guys like Jarome Iginla who are natural Right Wings are not only having to learn a new system, new teammates and make adjustments on a per game and in game basis but has to do so playing Left Wing with James Neal's return. Brooks Orpik's return last night changed the Top 4 defensive pairings and it showed. That was one of the worst Defensive performances I've seen in a long time. they never looked comfortable.

How old is this lineup? The Average age of the Pens that played last night was 30.5 compared to the new york Islanders at 27.7. 11 of the 18 skaters (not including goalie) the Pens put on the ice last night were over the age of 30. 6 of the players are 34 years old or more. The Islanders skated just 6 players out of 18 that were over the age of 30. Taking a look at the Chicago Blackhawks record, since they were the only team better than the Pens during the Regular Season and having a commanding 30-1 in their series from the byproduct of fairly dominating play against a #8 seed, the Blackhawks average age that was on the ice for their 4-0 shutout of the Wild is 27.4. That's even younger than the New york Islanders. The construction of the Chicago Blackhawks has been about peppering a few vets in there like Hossa, Oduya, Handzus and Roszival and keeping the rest of the roster relatveily young in their low to mid 20's.

When folks on TV, in the media, on the radio and in Blogs talk about the Islanders "speed" in reference to their foot speed, it's because they're skating far younger legs. The Pens Defense is made up of only 2 players under the age of 30 (Kris Letang and Matt Niskanen). Everyone else is at least a couple of years their 30's. the Pens "energy" line consists of 2 players well into their 30's (Matt Cooke at 34 and Brenden Morrow at 34). You're not going to get much "energy" out of guys that don't have a whole lot of it especially against a younger team.

The positive is that the Pittsburgh Penguins are largely all healthy and skating together. Game 4 was the first time that the full roster was intact. They played like it too especially against a team that's been skating with relative continuity the entire playoffs. It won't take long for these guys to form that much needed chemistry because they are largely all vets. The question is whether they can form enough in order to finish out this series and move on? Can they overcome their lack of speed, speed that is needed to execute Dan Bylsma's aggressive speed based forechecking system and Defensive schemes to beat the Islanders? Will they get the strong goaltending they need from backup Tomas Vokoun?

There's a lot of questions right now surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins and they can certainly achieve enough of them to get into the 2nd Round. Speed or no speed, the more these guys form chemistry with each other, the more dangerous it is going to be. The Pens could be that team that gets stronger and better as the Playoffs get deeper, they just need to figure out a way to get past the early Playoff obstacles to get to that point.

First obstacle is beating the New York Islanders on Thursday
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]]> Pens Talk Kipper http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15763-The-Pens-Have-Talent-But-Lack-A-Team-And-Youth <![CDATA[I'm Ready!]]> http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15758-I-m-Ready!?goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 12:52:39 GMT I picked up my new Crosby home jersey yesterday and I'm pumped!Hope we regain our dominant state of play that we exercised in game 1 and take advantage of this opportunity to drive a coffin nail.
Let's get physical:mad:(Sorry ONJ) ]]> Pens Talk hobarthogrider http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15758-I-m-Ready! Getting an NHL Jersey... http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15751-Getting-an-NHL-Jersey?goto=newpost Sun, 05 May 2013 01:18:37 GMT Hi all. I am looking into getting an NHL jersey for the first time. I am likely going to get a premier one, and want to know a little bit about the... Hi all. I am looking into getting an NHL jersey for the first time. I am likely going to get a premier one, and want to know a little bit about the sizing of the shirts.

I am 6'1" and 285, and wear an XXL.

As far as T-shirts go, an XXL is fine for me, but it's a tad short. However, my Nike NFL and NBA jerseys that are also XXL are plenty comfortable on me and plenty long.

My question is, how do NHL premier jerseys size compare to NFL jerseys by Nike? Should I be comfortable getting an XXL if my Nike XXL jerseys fit me just fine? Thanks!


Sent from #PacerNation using Tapatalk ]]> Pens Talk Steagles http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15751-Getting-an-NHL-Jersey Kudos to Matt Niskanen http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15746-Kudos-to-Matt-Niskanen?goto=newpost Sat, 04 May 2013 15:08:56 GMT Kudos to Matt Niskanen. While it was a fight that in hindsight, maybe he should have skated away from. It shows me that he's willing to lay it on the line to win the cup. Shame on the rest of the Penguins for not having his back. For only when every Pittsburgh Penguins player is willing to "duke it out" and put themselves in harms way to win... will they have a "real" shot at winning the Stanley Cup!

:beer: ]]> Pens Talk (419)BlackNGold http://www.pghsportsforum.com/forum/showthread.php/15746-Kudos-to-Matt-Niskanen