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Final: Penguins 5, Maple Leafs 2 130
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS Getting ready for faceoff … Game: Penguins (1-0) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (0-1), 7:08 p.m., Air Canada Centre, Toronto Goaltenders: Marc-Andre Fleury (1-0, 4.00) vs. Jonathan Bernier (0-1, 4.07) TV, radio: Root Sports, NHL Network (national), CBC (Canada), 105.9 the X Online: GameCenter / Multimedia / Official game notes
First!
Hey, Peeps (and, of course, our DK) I am wondering about how a couple things may (hopefully positively) affect the Pens’ ridiculous injury rate this season: One, the improved ice….having played myself for many years I can assure you that bad ice is an injury risk …
Grooves, ruts in soft ice catch skates,putting ankles and knees at risk. So here’s hoping that improved ice at Consol makes a difference in the training room as well as the score sheet.
Further I wonder if improved puck possession and puck support also help in the injury column….less dumping and chasing, more support for the D upon retrieval, hopefully all lessen the chance of guys getting clobbered while going after the puck. We’ll see!
Let’s hope you are right 500 man games lost was ridiculous last year.
Yeah, DB’s system really put a physical strain on guys IMO. Dumping, chasing, and grinding as the primary zone entry method unnecessarily wore guys down.
Go Pens!!!!
I believe the improved ice and more emphasis on puck posession and playing smart D will go a long way toward a healthy April, May, June…
I think the D will be in better shape. Won’t be forced to take as many hits, as there will be more options available for first pass.
Amen! It’s about time!
Why recall Harrington if he’s not going to play?”
Good question. Maybe gonna let him get his feet wet at practice, let him watch a game or 2 and then throw him in there.
Bortuzzo’s out and they need a 7th defenseman. Let the kid have some more exposure at the NHL level and become more accustomed to MJ’s system. That way, in case Harrington needs to come up on a longer stay, he knows what to expect?
There’s a lot of speculation that he might get a look on Thursday. Just up now to be around the big club.
Go Pens! Let’s home Malkin has his head out of his butt tonight.
2turnovers on 1 shift there by Depres ouch!
Poor guy is stuck w Scuderi
Pens looking disheveled in D zone.
Hornqvist!
Niiice!!!
4th line is rolling.
Some good cycling and puck control by the 4th line there and it pays off.
Bam 2-0
Nice bounce off the boards
SidNAY!!!!!!
I think it’s safe to say the wrist is feeling prettay … prettay … prettay good.
Nice Larry David reference.
And even had two guys in front of Bernier before that shot/pass. Gotta love that.
What’s this – a Penguins PP unit that looks to shoot right away upon establishing possession in the offensive zone? I like it.
It freaks me out. What happened to “12 passes, then shoot”?
Wow Pens are all over these guys keep it up boys!
We’ll lets see the PK now
That PK with 3 guys in the corner is great, as long as they can get the puck. A nice pass leaves a wide open shot on the back door.
What? illegal change?
5 on 3
Need to score during the 5 on 3.
Uh oh another 3-0 lead
Nice!
Do the leafs have cement in their skates?
The bounces are definitely going our way right now.
Not a good penalty by Downie
Someone needs to refine his enthusiasm. We don’t need goons for the sake of goons!
Pens that good or Leafs that bad?
The leafs loped awful that period, I’m sure RC rips them a new one and they come out better in the 2nd hope the pens don’t take the foot off the gas
Bit of both, I’d say.
Love Don Cherry’s suits.
Crashing the net… Hitting… Shoot first… Speed and numbers… Puck support… I am not unhappy at this point in the season.
Like I said before…the days or two hand touch hockey are over!
I know it’s early, but I am pumped. PUCKS!
Shake it Shecky!
Was MJ jawing w Malkin?
He needs to be back at C. Soon.
Didn’t see that, malkin definitely needs a better effort than the other night
Heh, suggesting that Letang is too good to miss the net by that much? Not so sure about that from his past efforts.
Yeah that guy has not watched Letang much. That was a hoot.
Maatta on PK, good. Adams, not so much…..
Fleury please stay in the f’n net
Yes. And Scuderi please learn how to catch a pass on your backhand. Good lord.
Geno ugh
That is a weak call
What a crap call
Let’s play a drinking game. Do a shot every time Scuderi goes to one or both knees around the net in a PK..
Randy Carlyle won’t be employed at this time tomorrow. I think we are watching a man lose his job.
Martin is not having a great couple of nights especially on pk
That was awful,meh was just floating way too high. He’s never down low and physical.
Martin was out there for what, 90 seconds of killing a 4 on 3 and then the start of a 5 on 4? He was tired. There was no clear that whole time by the Pens. I’m not sure that much blame should be put on Martin there.
Man 5 on 5 this looks like a totally different team. They are everywhere. If they can stay out of the box they are gonna be just fine.
If….
Son of a ….
Is is me or or Sid pretty good?
Sorta, kinda…
Geno!
Jandilion!
hey hey Brandecita!!
Wow nice deflection Dion!
Phaneuf can’t hit the broadside of a barn
There’s no way that Geno shot that Puck at 126 mph. If that’s possible, why isn’t he winning the Hardest Shot at the All Star Game competition?
Yeah that’s not right. Low 100s is about as fast as it gets
I think he said kilometers or some other weird metric thing, not MPH
Where is everyone?
It’s a Saturday night and the game is on NHL Network. My guess is many found something else to do with no local TV feed.
Game is on Root Sports here
I’m right here
Haven’t seen this many cycles since Tour de France.
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Crazy puck possession.
Even the 4th line is dominating for the most part
It’s on Root right?
Yes.
I was gonna say I’m watching root on my sling box on the west coast
I always list all of the available TV networks for a given game up there in the post. That includes markets outside Pittsburgh.
My bad then.
Goc a nice addition. Glad we kept him.
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Kind of player needed to fill out bottom 2 lines if you’re serious about a SC run.
If I remember correctly, he played well on anyline last season…fit in well
Hey, Jands, there you are. Thought it was past your bedtime.
haha no, DJ, the dog was asleep half in my lap and I couldn’t get up to get the lappy. She finally woke up
Was watching the game though, really enjoying this
You and me both. If this is what we look like BEFORE we learn the intricacies of the system, wow, look out.
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Love the team’s balance.
Yea if he’s the 4th line center we could do much worse
Wow 38-19 shots just crazy
It’s the Leafs
Domination 5-1 now leafs have pretty much given up
Time for the ACC to start to empty out.
Or not…
Wow Martin in no mans land again
Clearing lane up middle? Nah, why go there when you have a Leaf along boards?
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Thank you, Scuds.
Everyone hoping for best with Scuds. The year after surgery and all that. Will try to be patient (3 more games?) but just not seeing it.
Martin and Scuds on PK have been flat out awful thus far.
Hear ya, Sarah. Martin has earned benefit of doubt so we’ll see if he rounds in to form.
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One D-man who has looked like a perfect fit is Maatta.
Maatta continues to impress
Downvote for that? Ha!
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Is Ray Shero a subscriber?
Jerseys on the ice? Gotta love it….
Depres takin care of business!
JVR dropping the gloves really?
WOW. look MJ is smiling
Dude has to be like pinch me is this real?
Pens win, PENs win WOOP WOOP!!!!
I will now let up on Geno, he has his rear out of his behind! Good job, Geno!
Much better from him no doubt plus he looked good in the circle that period won a bunch of draws
I don’t know anything about Corsica but I have to imagine it’s not flattering to the Leafs tonight. They had nothing 5 on 5
Corsi stupid autocorrect
Well, if they can correct the PK, they could be pretty scary eh Peeps?
Scary already actually, on O.
But crazy scary if the D gets shored up a bit.
Crazy scary.
When Borts gets back, we get a physical presence on the blue line.
He’s skating, shouldn’t be long
11 goals in 2 games. Wow. Impressive. As Sid said after the opener: “This is fun”.
I suppose I can accept that as a victory.
Your man Fleury did well Dom
Flyers lose in a shootout haha break up the Habs.
And they’re only going to get better too!
Night, Loonies!
Very impressive so far. The pack system seems to be lessening the physical punishment on all, too. Seeing Sid come up the ice w/speed, beautiful and he’s flying. Dislike 7-10 d pair, both unphysical and got pinned by aggressive forecheck. Nice scrap by Depres at the end.
Pairings on D taking a little time. Had hoped to see Harrington in action after being brought up. If there were a taker for Scuds, I’d trade him.
Did not expect to see team incorporating HCMJ’s system this fluidly early on. Some reverting to play of yesteryear at times, but they really seem committed to it . . . and having fun.
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As much as most fans wanted change, looks like players wanted it as much or more.
Every time Hornqvist is interviewed he looks like the cat that swallowed the canary.
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Guy is always smiling. He’s loving it. So am I.