Posted on 04/12/2016 4:28:53 AM PDT by airborne
It should be a great series if Kari doesn’t choke and Gologoski is benched. Sunday’s game caused too much anxiety. Stars are a young team even with some veteran leadership in McHottie, er I mean Sharp, Oduya, and Spezza...who has been on fire.
If they will stay on the gas all 60 minutes, I think we have a good shot.
Let’s Go Preds! Let’s Go Preds!
And for the third period - Let’s Go Preds!
There goes my bracket.
Yeah Preds! My bracket is smiling but now they have to get past the Sharks.
Preds vs Sharks and Stars vs Blues, both games friday.
Go Preds, Go Stars!
In 2009 Crosby had very good linemates. His leftwing was an in his prime Chris Kunitz a fierce forechecker and his rightwing was Bill Guerin a skilled finisher. That made Crosby's task of scoring and matching against top lines/top D pairings successful in all four series
Fast forward to 2016,
Sheary-Crosby-Hornquist. Leftwing Connor Sheary replaced Chris Kunitz pretty early in the Rangers series. He's fast and skilled with a good forecheck for someone this small. I'm impressed with his hockey IQ and confidence to make a play on his own. On rightwing is Patric Hornquist who is not skilled, not fast and who sometimes forechecks well, sometimes not. This duo would work better on opposite sides since Crosby naturally passes to his right. That's where his skilled winger should be. Nevertheless this line is better than the one Crosby started with. Crosby has someone to work with in Sheary and there should be some scoring from it until Sheary gets hurt (hope not).
Kunitz-Malkin-Fehr. These are good linemates for Malkin. Neither are fast which lets Malkin hold onto the puck for long periods without negating his wingers strengths. Kunitz has good hockey IQ and can play a much simpler game than when he was with Crosby because there is skill (Fehr or Rust) on the right side. This is correct for Malkin. Unfortunately the coach is enamored of the idea of putting Kessel with Malkin which is a waste of Kessel (style clash, Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel was a line the Pens had when they were losing 50% of their games). Like 2009, the Malkin line will get the secondary defenses and matchups and should score against them.
Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel. These guys were good but Hagelin seemed nervous playing against his old team. I hope he has the butterflys out now and will settle into this series. At the other side of the spectrum Phil Kessel showed he is truly Captain America. He is a big game hunter. He can shoot, he can pass, he's skilled, fast and cute too.
Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Rust. Same story as last series. Veteran Cullen leads his youngster wingers to the promised land. I love this line.
My outsiders view is that the Caps are a much better built team this time. The thing I appreciate about the Caps is that they have never put Ovie on an island like the Pens have with Crosby. Backstrom is a high quality complementary skilled center and right wing Oshie is skilled and plays with an edge. I also like Niskanen and wish the Pens had signed him the year after we traded for him. Could have had him for cheap too.
This is a tough series to call. The bottom six of the Pens may be the difference but if Kuznetshov shows up to provide scoring against the Pens secondary defense I expect Washington to win in 7. If the Caps play like they did against the Flyers then I see the Pens winning in 6.
Oh wonderful, our coach has reignited his Malkin Kessel fetish.
Yess! Hagelin Bonino Kessel with Lovejoy trailing, goal!
Kunitz Malkin Fehr, score!
Hagelin Malkin Kessel gets stuck in it’s own end resulting in a ragged line change for the next unit. Oshie for the game winning goal. Next game Saturday.
Nice game Dallas!
It was hard to stay awake last night, especially after the first ENG. But that’s why we play 7 games. Great moments are born from great opportunity. ;)
So I’m going to spend tonight the same way I spent Thursday night.
At the Giant Center in Hershey watching the Bears try to win a game at home. Last time it was a 3OT loss. This time it’s win or go home.
And listening to the Penguins game on my IHeartRadio app during the Bears game.
Big difference tonight is I will be wearing a Penguins jersey (Recchi) instead of a Bears jersey.
Never tried to post a picture from my phone to FreeRepublic but I will give it a go tonight.
LOL I know what you mean! I fall asleep during games but that’s why God created the DVR so I can rewind and watch what I miss.
Good times at the rink. Fortunately we haven’t been to any really long overtime games. I listen to the radio when I’m at the rink too. I like to have the radio post game show going as I’m walking to the car as well.
Looking forward to a photo from the game.
Tampa wins game two. Go Bolts!
And it looks like I have absolutely no clue how to get a picture from my phone to FreeRepublic. It will have to wait till I get home.
Go Bears!
Go Pens!
Ask any kid sitting nearby. They’re so technologically savvy it is scary. ;)
2-0 Bears! 1st intermission.
Bears win 2-0!
Deciding game 5 tomorrow night!
Congrats Bears! Even if you are future Caps.
Pens dominate the period but only up one. Love that Hagelin Bonino Kessel line.
I expect the Caps to bring it in the third.
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