PENS vs Montreal Canadiens Round 1 (Best Of Five)
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Ugene Magic
EVIL LAUGH
Certainly the top six is. The book is open for the bottom six. Not really worried about the defense or goaltending.
I like @pixiesfanyo lineup. The bottom six is all that is scary. Maybe Marleau finds his inner mid 30's self for a run and both he and Hornqvist can make use of McCann's youth.
If the bottom six can at least contribute meaningful goals on a fairly consistent basis, this team could make some noise.
If all the offense is laid on the shoulders of the top six, and they are up against teams with solid defenses, it could spell trouble.
Gonna ultimately come down to team defense in the end. If they get caught running around and feed some of these teams’ transition games, it’ll be lights out quickly.
Chemistry will be a big factor as well. Can the new guys gel fast enough or will their be a struggle, especially with the extended layoff?
And finally, the physicality of these series will certainly play a major role in whether they move on. We can shout “speed, speed, speed” all day long but this team is back to getting flustered when things get physical. During the 16-17 runs they managed to let it all roll off their backs and focus on hockey but in the last couple years they’re back to getting sucked in by the agitators and losing their cool.
If all the offense is laid on the shoulders of the top six, and they are up against teams with solid defenses, it could spell trouble.
Gonna ultimately come down to team defense in the end. If they get caught running around and feed some of these teams’ transition games, it’ll be lights out quickly.
Chemistry will be a big factor as well. Can the new guys gel fast enough or will their be a struggle, especially with the extended layoff?
And finally, the physicality of these series will certainly play a major role in whether they move on. We can shout “speed, speed, speed” all day long but this team is back to getting flustered when things get physical. During the 16-17 runs they managed to let it all roll off their backs and focus on hockey but in the last couple years they’re back to getting sucked in by the agitators and losing their cool.
ColePens
RIP Fugu Buffaloed & parabola
Part of me is just so happy to get some escapism and watch some hockey. I'm interested in seeing a healthy team. But i've seen them start some seasons off pretty poorly.
I don't know if this team is built for like a tournament style season. It feels gimmicky. It feels forced. I find myself very disinterested. But it happens. I get it. Once in a lifetime pandemic is met with a once in a lifetime situation. So if they win... I won't be AS happy as any of the recent wins (I was a youngin for 91/92...so i just expected they were to win every year). If they lose, I'll probably be a bit jaded towards the format? 23 teams will be. 1 team will try to feel normal about it but deep down they'll feel it meant less.
It's weird, eh?
WayneSid9987
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- Nov 24, 2009
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It shouldn't be hard to make that 3rd or 4th line but no doubt they'll be shoe horning Bjugs in there to mess it all up.
IF Bjugs is the 3C, who are the best wingers for him?
Everything that he lacks, i suppose so speed, board battler, playmaker.
Marleau, McCann, Sheary or ERod/Lafferty i suppose.
I guess if they're gonna play him there:
Marleau/McCann-Bjugs-Sheary/ERod/Lafferty
Would be my "If i gotta play him at C" line.
I'd want Horny up with Sid.
IF Bjugs is the 3C, who are the best wingers for him?
Everything that he lacks, i suppose so speed, board battler, playmaker.
Marleau, McCann, Sheary or ERod/Lafferty i suppose.
I guess if they're gonna play him there:
Marleau/McCann-Bjugs-Sheary/ERod/Lafferty
Would be my "If i gotta play him at C" line.
I'd want Horny up with Sid.
Gurglesons
Registered User
As I said Yohe basically insinuated the Pens want to cut bait with Bjugstad and the 3rd line will be Marleau - McCann - Rust so I don’t think we have to worry about that.
I keep forgetting Bjugstad is even on the roster, even when he isn't hurt. Last guy I recall being that unremarkable or unnoticeable was Sutter.
I take that back, at least Sutter once had his gigantic girthy dong flapping around during a post game interview with Tanner Glass.
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Gurglesons
Registered User
Sutter had a really good playoff run in 13-14.
That being said, his biggest issue is he doesn’t improve or play well with others. He should have been a wing because he was pretty solid on the rush.
But, yeah him and Bjugstad are vanilla as f*** compared to Teddy and McCann.
McCann and Teddy are honestly young versions of what Bones and Cullen brought. McCann is streaky, solid defensively, and a killer special teams player. Bleuger is a killer defensive specialist with underrated play making he just needs to get better at FOs.
Dipsy Doodle
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Part of me is just so happy to get some escapism and watch some hockey. I'm interested in seeing a healthy team. But i've seen them start some seasons off pretty poorly.
It feels gimmicky. It feels forced. I find myself very disinterested. But it happens. I get it. Once in a lifetime pandemic is met with a once in a lifetime situation. So if they win... I won't be AS happy as any of the recent wins (I was a youngin for 91/92...so i just expected they were to win every year). If they lose, I'll probably be a bit jaded towards the format? 23 teams will be. 1 team will try to feel normal about it but deep down they'll feel it meant less.
It's weird, eh?
I honestly believe that as soon as the games start you're going to be all-in with this.
Pens playoff hockey this year...with Guentzel for the whole run. That's a lot more promising than we were expecting at the beginning of 2020.
Ryder71
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- Nov 24, 2017
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Gurglesons
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Ryder71
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- Nov 24, 2017
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If the season does come back even in this setting, I myself would count the cup as the same as all others. Or, at least the equivalent. You still have to win four series (in our case five). And you're still gonna have to beat some damn good hockey teams. You'll need a lotta luck along the way, but it's still a real accomplishment IMO. Considering we won two cups in recent memory I don't think IF we win it would be construed as ''fluky''.
And honestly, it's probably our best last chance for quite a while. Sid and Geno could hold their high end form for 25-30 games a lot easier than navigating through an entire season plus playoffs. This is a golden opportunity. I hope we seize it!
And honestly, it's probably our best last chance for quite a while. Sid and Geno could hold their high end form for 25-30 games a lot easier than navigating through an entire season plus playoffs. This is a golden opportunity. I hope we seize it!
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Hossa die Waldfee
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- Oct 29, 2015
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Your obsession with someone as inconspicuous as Nick Bjugstad is bizarre and seems almost pathological
EightyOne
My posts are jokes. And hockey is just a game.
- Nov 23, 2016
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He's joking. It's his style.
I mean, Bjug is a total waste of a roster spot, but @Honour Over Glory is meming a bit
Crosbyfan
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- Nov 27, 2003
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Bjugstad should be a nice asset waiting in the wings to prove himself...
"There's no reason you shouldn't be out there Bugs, now have a seat, watch, and think about that!"
"There's no reason you shouldn't be out there Bugs, now have a seat, watch, and think about that!"
Ogrezilla
Nerf Herder
if one of the teams who "belonged" in the playoff position wins it, I really don't see why it will matter. Every team is in the same boat in terms of playing the games.
ZeroPucksGiven
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- Feb 28, 2017
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I'm way late to this party, but are they going to have any "warm up/exhibition" games?
Or is it just Training Camp --> Best of 5 series?
Or is it just Training Camp --> Best of 5 series?
HandshakeLine
A real jerk thing
I still hate the format and I think that it's grasping at straws as a way to salvage a season that should have been canceled. Even if we win, it's going to have an asterisk in my mind. 
That said, I'd be lying if I didn't mention at least we'll see what a reasonably healthy roster here looks like, hopefully for more than a series. The blueline should be back to full strength, which I think is possibly even more key than having Jake back.
That said, I'd be lying if I didn't mention at least we'll see what a reasonably healthy roster here looks like, hopefully for more than a series. The blueline should be back to full strength, which I think is possibly even more key than having Jake back.
TheGoldenJet
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I hope that’s how they count the stats. Play-in stats should count as regular season stats.
BlindWillyMcHurt
ti kallisti
- May 31, 2004
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Yeah then you have stuff like this.
So, uh... what happens if a game goes to OT in this horseshit play-in round the Penguins have been saddled with? Is there a shootout, or... ?
HandshakeLine
A real jerk thing
What happens if a team or a staff member or a player comes down with the COVID? Do they just forfit? Do they quarantine them for two weeks and postpone the games? If they give it to another team, do they forfeit? Do they sanitize the arena and play somewhere else?
Lotta unanswered questions here.
Lotta unanswered questions here.
BlindWillyMcHurt
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We're done with that, now. That's over. It's been decided. We canceled it. It was boring.
Do try to keep up, Chitown.
HandshakeLine
A real jerk thing
Fordy
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- May 28, 2008
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people are upset because it's not an identical situation to past playoffs. but to me this is its own unique and in many ways more extreme challenge. it should hold just as much weight
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