GDT: #28|Pittsburgh Penguins VS Toronto Maple Leafs|ACC|14MAR14|7:00PM-EST/4:00PM-PST

[Harvey Birdman]

[size=+5][glow=black]Pittsburgh Penguins VS Toronto Maple Leafs[/glow][/size]

[size=+2][glow=black]March 14th 2013: 7:00PM EST/4:00PM PST @ Air Canada Center[/size][/glow]

[size=+2][glow=black]Team Leaders[/size][/glow]

[size=+2][glow=black]Team Stats[/size][/glow]

[size=+2][glow=black]Official Scouting Report[/size][/glow]

The Penguins travel to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs for the second time in six days. Pittsburgh pulled out a 5-4 shootout victory March 9 and is looking to leave the Air Canada Centre with another two points Thursday night.

The Leafs have proven to be a tough matchup for the Penguins this season. Their speed through the neutral zone and skill up front has proven difficult for Pittsburgh to contain. The Leafs triumphed at CONSOL Energy Center, 5-2, back on Jan. 23, and they came back from 3-1 and 4-2 deficits to force a shootout last Saturday.

Toronto has been one of the bigger surprises in the NHL this season. Head coach Randy Carlyle has instilled strong fundamentals into the team, and they’re getting results. The Leafs are currently fifth (tied) in the Eastern Conference as of Wednesday and could snap their eight-year playoff drought if they keep rolling.

The Leafs offense has been led by rookie Nazem Kadri. The seventh-overall selection in the 2009 NHL Draft is tied for the team lead with 25 points (11G-14A) on the season, and has been their most consistent scoring threat. Kadri, 22, had his seven-game scoring streak snapped by Pittsburgh in their previous matchup. During that stretch he posted six goals – including a hat trick against the NY Islanders – and 11 points. He's gone pointless in his last two games, so he may be due to get back on the scoresheet.

James van Riemsdyk leads the club with 14 goals. He’s a big body and constant presence at the net. Phil Kessel hasn’t been filling the net with his usual regularity – only nine goals on the year – but he has been setting up scores. He leads the team with 16 assists, and is tied for the team scoring lead at 25 points. Kessel potted two goals against the Winnipeg Jets Tuesday night, so he's heating up.

The Leafs blue line is led by captain Dion Phaneuf. The 6-foot-3, 214-pound defenseman has 15 points and 77 hits on the season. Mr. Elisha Cuthbert has logged a lot of minutes for his club, leading the way with 25:58 per game.

Perhaps the biggest improvement for the Leafs this season has been the play between the pipes. James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have both have performed well when given the opportunity. Reimer has a 9-4-1 record with a .916 save percentage. While Reimer was sidelined with an injury, Scrivens proved himself capable of handling the load and Toronto didn’t miss a beat. Reimer allowed four goals to Winnipeg before being pulled Tuesday night. He'll be looking to bounce back against the Penguins if he gets the start.

[size=+2][glow=black]Penguins Projected Lineup[/size][/glow]

[glow=black]Left Wing [/glow]| [glow=black]Center [/glow]| [glow=black]Right Wing [/glow]
Kunitz|Crosby|Dupuis
Bennett|Jeffrey|Neal
Cooke|Sutter|Kennedy
Glass|Vitale|Adams

[glow=black]Defense [/glow]| [glow=black]Defense [/glow]
Orpik|Martin
Eaton|Letang
Niskanen|Engelland

[size=+2][glow=black]Leafs Projected Lineup[/size][/glow]

[glow=red]Left Wing [/glow]| [glow=gold]Center [/glow]| [glow=gold]Right Wing [/glow]
Van Riemsdyk|Bozak|Kessel
Frattin|Grabovski|Kulemin
MacArthur|Kadri|Komarov
McLaren|McCelement|Orr

[glow=gold]Defense [/glow]| [glow=gold]Defense [/glow]
Phaneuf|Holzer
Gunnarson|Kostka
Franson|Fraser

[size=+2][glow=black]Goalie Match-Up[/size][/glow][size=+1]Marc Andre Fleury[/size]

[size=+1]19 GP ; 13-5-0, 0 ; 2.67 GAA, .901 SV%[/size]

[size=+1]Tomas Vokoun[/size]

[size=+1]11 GP ; 6-3-0, 0 ; 3.07 GAA, .896 SV%[/size]


[size=+1]James Reimer[/size]

[size=+1]15 GP ; 9-4-1, 1 ; 2.79 GAA, .916 SV%[/size]

[size=+1]Ben Scrivens[/size]

[size=+1]15 GP ; 6-7-1, 2 ; 2.51 GAA, .919 SV%[/size]​

Click to read more...

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

FZ with the greatest username change of all time.

 

[Tellmeister]

Great GDT. Small mistake though.

"Lightning Projected Lineup"

 

[GoLeafsGo96]

Good luck guys. Games between these two teams tend to be exciting. At least from my point of view.

Hopefully Sid doesn't burn us too badly. We all know he will though.

 

[Dylonus]

Probably going to miss this game completely tonight because of work then my hockey game.

Hopefully they re-air the game afterwards.

 

[HuskerTornado]

 

[fragmag]

Hopefully the Pens keep this train rolling!

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Let's Go Pens

7 in a row please!

 

[IcedCapp]

Gonna be a tough one. Carlyle is going to have them flying after that Winnipeg debacle. Have to jump on them early.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Gonna be a tough one. Carlyle is going to have them flying after that Winnipeg debacle. Have to jump on them early.

Because of you...I want to get an iced cap. Very likely I will as I'm about to get my coffee.

Anyways here's to a good game folk!

 

[IcedCapp]

Because of you...I want to get an iced cap. Very likely I will as I'm about to get my coffee.

Anyways here's to a good game folk!

I'm actually a Timmy's plant, designed to make people crave their products...

I'll be getting one today as well. Mainly because I'm addicted. Hence the name/avatar.........

I can quit any time though. Really. STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT.

 

[Shockmaster]

So the Leafs are using the Lightning's line up?

 

[Rico Fatastic]

This game has 'letdown' written all over it.

 

[Rectify]

I can quit any time though. Really. STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT.

Says every addict ever. I'm addicted too, so you aren't alone.

Lets go pens! Big game from 87 would be nice.

 

[Xavier Laflamme*]

Nazim Kadri had some nice things to say about Sidney Crosby, albeit nothing we all already don't know.

TORONTO - When he watches Sidney Crosby, Nazem Kadri does all he can to stop from sneaking a pad on to the Maple Leafs bench to take notes. “Everyone can take something out of his game, especially when he comes to town or we go there,†Kadri said of the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar. “Every single player on this team has to elevate their game. If you don’t, he is going to burn you.â€

Unlike opposing players, fans and media, for the most part, aren’t at ice level to watch the 25-year-old work his magic. It’s one thing to marvel at Crosby from a distance, quite another to play on the same surface.

Kadri tries to soak up all he can when the Leafs play the Penguins.

“He has top-end talent but his work ethic and determination are on a whole other level,†Kadri said. “He refuses to be out-willed. He’s the guy — you can put your money on it — if the puck is going in the corner, and he is after it, most likely he is going to be the one coming up with it.

 

[Coach Travis]

I'll be at this game!

I'm worried though that we're due for a bad loss.

 

[WhatsaMaatta]

No Despres? He played against the Leafs last time.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Why is Jeffrey centering the 2nd line again (is this known or just a guess?). He clearly belongs at 3C or 4C when Geno is out. Sutter is better offensively and will give Bennett and Neal more chances to score as well. We're a 2 line team with either Sid or Geno out, so we should just play that way, and make 3rd line as gritty as possible. I'd play Cooke - Vitale - Kennedy and hope for the best. Jeffrey is not going to be as physical as Vitale, and the chances of the line scoring are about the same either way because of who's on the wings.

 

[Axman]

Looks like Scrivens in net...
Paul Hendrick
@HennyTweets
Liles in.....kostka out...scrivens starts. #tmltalk

 

[IcedCapp]

Orpik, with visor affixed to his helmet, is last player on the ice for Penguins' game-day skate. All healthy players accounted for.

@MolinariPG

And as has been mentioned: Kostka, Lupul, Steckel, Komisarek, Reimer out

D Liles, Scrivens in net

Speculation is that it will be Liles - Phanuef, and that's who'll be on Sidby

 

[IcedCapp]

Penguins lines at skate: 14--87-9, 19-15-18, 24-16-48 and 10-46-27.


That's maddening. Sutter needs to be 2c

 

[IcedCapp]

#Pens morning skate D-pairs: Orpik-Martin Despres-Letang Niskanen-Engelland Eaton-Bortuzzo


But word of warning: pregame pairs have been meaningless the past week.

 

[HotCoffey]

Penguins lines at skate: 14--87-9, 19-15-18, 24-16-48 and 10-46-27.


That's maddening. Sutter needs to be 2c

Sutter looked great out on the second line last game? Better put him with Tyler Kennedy.

 

[SteelFish87*]

I hope they leave Despres with Letang

and yes, Sutter should be with Bennett and NEal

 

[ColePens]

Penguins lines at skate: 14--87-9, 19-15-18, 24-16-48 and 10-46-27.


That's maddening. Sutter needs to be 2c

Very maddening if true. I was screaming for it early in the B's game. I think DJ actually would play well w/ Cooke/Kennedy.

Frustrating.