Pre-Game Talk: THE STANLEY CUP FINAL | Penguins vs. Predators | Pens Lead Series 3-2

[Jaded-Fan]

Yeah, I would be sure that Ellis's ribs and the boards become intimately acquainted every chance you get. Even take a boarding call.

 

[JTG]

Yeah, I would be sure that Ellis's ribs and the boards become intimately acquainted every chance you get. Even take a boarding call.

And injury like that to a guy like him...you have to send Rowney after him real early in the game.

 

[Whale Mingo]

Too early to start drinking ?

My answer to that is always "no", but I should warn you I have been told in the past I have "issues". Might be best to get another opinion.

 

[WayneSid9987]

PIT's due for a good road game in this series but we shall see.
If the D + 5-man units can contain NSH like they did in game 5 it'll give us our best shot. They'll be coming hard so everyone has to help out and limit their space and time like G5.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

 

[Hockeyholic]

This is good news.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I think he'll still play, but we'd better be hard on the forecheck all night long.

 

[Clare2904]

It's 4pm in England and Canada is part of the Commonwealth so I say go for it.

And I am English

 

[Ogrezilla]

I am expecting Ellis to play and for them to dress 7D.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Who is the Preds next dman?

 

[Jaded-Fan]

That was my thoughts when he was injured. How it would effect his ability to get a shot off. Someone said at the time when I asked during the game that when it happened to them they could barely take a breath let alone shoot.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

They run their offense through their defense and that shot. Ellis scored on that wicked shot on the power play early in the series. Defensively he and Josi have been lit up as badly as the third pairing 5v5.

If he plays but can't shoot, and is hobbled, he hurts them more than not being there.

 

[Penske]

That was my thoughts when he was injured. How it would effect his ability to get a shot off. Someone said at the time when I asked during the game that when it happened to them they could barely take a breath let alone shoot.

I hope they play him. Taking really injured players into playoff games is never smart.

 

[Riptide]

And injury like that to a guy like him...you have to send Rowney after him real early in the game.

You send every single player we have after him every minute of the game - but especially early on. And I'd be making a point of dumping the puck (if we're going to dump it) to his corner. Make him skate a little more and take a little more punishment. It will hopefully slow him down and or make him make mistakes if he tries to rush things. And if things are bad it might even make his D partner try to cover for him thus making the other D skate more and make mistakes. Bottom line... making this game as painful as possible for him will only increase our chances at winning. Ideally he takes a couple of hits and has to leave 5 minutes into the game.

 

[Riptide]

I am expecting Ellis to play and for them to dress 7D.

They could dress 8D and it still wouldn't matter. Outside of their very good top 4, their D suck, and none are even on the level of a decent Cole or Hainsey. So if for whatever reason they lose any of those top 4 guys, they will be in real trouble.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Yeah I'd rather have a hobbled great player out there than a - fresh but worse- guy play. That fresh player just has to have one solid game .

Want Ellis in the lineup.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

No Josi either, but it's an optional skate. /shrug

 

[DegenX]

 

[Ogrezilla]

They could dress 8D and it still wouldn't matter. Outside of their very good top 4, their D suck, and none are even on the level of a decent Cole or Hainsey. So if for whatever reason they lose any of those top 4 guys, they will be in real trouble.

yeah for sure.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Phil needs to teach a class to Malkin and Letang this summer.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Ellis without a shot is almost worthless. He and Josi have been almost as bad 5v5 as that third pairing that everyone is trying to protect.

https://sports.yahoo.com/penguins-c...iring-weakness-trending-topics-140807735.html

If both Ellis makes up for it by running some offense through him, and can no longer do that, and his injury hobbles his defensive play to boot, yeah, keep him out there, please.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Phil needs to teach a class to Malkin and Letang this summer.

"Alright boys, here's my secret; Ignore physicality and defensive responsibility 99.9% of the time."

 

[Penske]

Phil needs to teach a class to Malkin and Letang this summer.

I think it would end up looking like this

 

[DegenX]

 

[Ogrezilla]

"Alright boys, here's my secret; Ignore physicality and defensive responsibility 99.9% of the time."

in the regular season, so be it