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On location: Penguins 3, Islanders 1 115
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS Getting ready for faceoff … Game: Penguins (2-1) vs. New York Islanders (4-0), 7:08 p.m., Consol Energy Center Goaltenders: Marc-Andre Fleury (2-1, 3.00) vs. Jaroslav Halak (3-0, 2.92) TV, radio: Root Sports, 105.9 the X Online: Live box score / Multimedia / Official game notes
What? Bionic hockey wasn’t cutting it for you?
Hockeymonster is on fire today!
Who is starting in goal tonight?
Fleury v Halak.
Starting goalie is always listed as part of the post up there, Sarah, stats, bios and all!
My bad
Rangers one-year wonders. Flyers just average, Caps amazing what a coach can do. But the Isles are to me the real threat in the division. This team is a tough out. Think Boston misses Boychuk? Great pickup. This team is scary good. Should be a great game.
Agree. Speed vs. speed tonight but looks like no Graboski
Harrington in the lineup?
Just dreaming….
Sid beat to the spot on last 2 goals against. That aint right…
MAF on angle there???
NYI with Halak are a different team
Plus a couple new decent defensemen
Does that come with ham?
Y’know I was expecting the Pens to come out with a real angry edge tonight after that blown 2pts v DAL….but they’re just kind of ….meh…
Halloo….where is everybody???
Do not know.
Cripes those bouncers are the worst….
Pens coming close, but just can’t get the butter on the biscuit
Is Halak this good?
He and Brian Elliot were really good in St. Louis. If Halak has a solid defense in front of him, he can cover up the few mistakes that are made.
Halak is good. Eliot, not so much.
Since Elliot has been in St. Louis, Elliot’s stats are no worse than Fleury’s. In a couple of years he has better stats.
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The caveat to this is that he’s been the back up to Halak, so it is a smaller sample size.
Seems like the Steelers aren’t the only team that is finding their usually toothless patsies has suddenly gotten a bit meaner.
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Did I hear that Grabner is out? He usually kills the Pens.
Think we should shoot high on the Halak the Magic Slovak so he starts to come out to top of crease then use PoP plays. What you think Sarah?
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They’re stretchin their D out to points when WE have puck in ozone. We should use center point and high slot more as outlet for dmen.
By my count its game 4 out of 82
End of 1 period too
Halak is stoning them
Pens had several good scoring chances in Period 1. Lots of quick puck movement. Should get rewarded if this keeps up.
Pass off Pad please…
Has anyone seen an embellishment call yet ? I’ve only seen a few games. Never mind. Just saw my first.
They are very seldom called. It’s a very subjective call so it seems like the refs will err on letting things slide.
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I’d say that call was more based on Downie’s reputation.
Whistles are definitely not in the pocket. Crazy last 5 minutes or so.
well the PK has looked pretty good
Yes, PK is a bright spot this game.
Freakin bout time!!
Somebody woke Geno up
Pens need to stop feasting on the PP.
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Goals need to be generated 5 on 5 as well if the Pens want to be a successful playoff team.
never stop feasting on the PP…just add the even strength goals
Crosby got away with one there. Looks like he tripped up Halak on purpose.
Yeah, I agree. On the slo mo replay, it looked like that Sid made no effort to avoid catching skate on skate.
Why does Crosby do that kind of stuff?
Agreed Dave, but glad he got away with it lol. It was Accdentally on purpose
Cant tell if Sid tripped Halak or he dove or probably both?
It was a trip, IMHO. We’re winning the game for God’s sake. Now the Isles are pumped. And Sid’s rep as a less-than-standup player is enhanced.
He aint ever going to win the Lady Bing but I would hardly consider him a less than stand up player
Talk to others around the league. And I’m not just talking about Flyers fans.
at least he doesn’t go around grabbing cops’ butts like Giroux
Let us vow never to compare Pens players to Flyers players. Too demeaning.
Only when it suits you, sir
Or just keep shooting it into the net…point is keep Shooting.
THIS
Hornie lookin’ good tonight.
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Simple game — Point A to Point B.
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Why complicate it? Lovin’ it.
He’s looked good every night for us so far I think
agree with both of you
So Fleury and the PK have been better tonight. Is that what yunz guys/gals are seeing?
Yeah, I’d say it was system/coaching adjustment pains. They probably won’t be top 5 in the league, but they certainly shouldn’t be dead last.
Not the first period…but from the secoond on, yes, lightyears better
Jandy you approve of Geno tonight also good PP and back check on the 4on4 before
Geno is so talented, I get upset when his head is up his butt.
Downie = Grit
Hope Crosby thanks Downie for standing up for him and his cheap trip on Halak.
DD, I would think ll the abuse Sid and the entire team has taken from the Islanders would make that trip look like what it is…a drop in the bucket. WHose side are you on anyway????
The abuse tonight didn’t start until Crosby stirred things up. If you stir things up, you can’t bitch about the abuse that follows. And stirring things up is not his job. And BTW, I’ve no doubt the refs feel real good about Sid sneaking that trip under their nose. They remember.
I do believe Corey Connacher shoving Letang stirred things up.
Much more than anything Sid did.
Messing with the other team’s goalie will always draw a response. And the answer to unwarranted abuse is not to trip the goalie.
What is the answer? Obviously the old Pens wouldn’t do that…and they got walked all over….the new Pens, the team is taking another direction, one I’m happy to see.
Have you watched what Boychuk did to Sid behind the net? Guy takes more abuse than anyone and people want him to act like a saint
Green Eggs and Ham, I like you
Ditto Jandy
He does take abuse. But he needs to let the enforcers do the dirty work for the abuse. The enforcers, however, shouldn’t have to finish fights that Sid starts but won’t finish.
DD as long as other players heap abuse on Sid, I don’t blame him for getting his where he can.
I completely agree with you Jandy. I can’t blame Sid for wanting to fight back.
& the whole team can thank Crisby for his greatness every game.
Sid isn’t perfect, but i’m sure 29 other teams would love to have him. Glad he’s ours.
Not a good hit if Downie leaves his feet to make the hit, Errey.
Bets on Geno taking a stupid penalty against Clutterbuck? Clutterbuck is a a good agitator.
this is true
I still miss Mike Lange
just was told his new call is “Stop the car Mabel, that was Evgeni Malkin!”
I love him. I listen to the radio broadcast and he makes me so happy!
Vin Diesel is at tonight’s game.
Lol, Taveres turtling to avoid vulcanized rubber to the chops.
Is Geno playing center an sutter playing wing this shift?
PK has really made some improvements
Icing on the cake
72 to finish it off!
Question for DK or other hockey-knowledgeable folks
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The Pen’s system is supportive puck-retrieval w/ breakout option, puck support on breakout with options available and puck support w/ net presence
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QUESTION: Is this the same system when we’re up by a goal or two?
Or how does the strategy change once we have a lead?
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This is not an opinionated question. I’m just curious with the Xs and Os (and too impatient for Tuesday’s 12 Qs)
MJ has a tactics book I’m sure the answer is on there
What would u have to do to whipe the smile off of Hornqvist’s face right now?
I don’t think it’s coming off any time soon lol
Dare I say, “He’s smiling like the butcher’s dog?”
Hornqvist with a week’s worth of shots tonight… 12 by himself. And two goals.
Flower came up huge in tight.
Malkin man possessed. Stars?
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Flower, Malkin, Hornie?
Safe to say that game was won by the PP & PK. Pens were dominant in each phase. Fleury was fantastic. He’d be my #1 star, with Malkin #2. Can I give Downie the #3 for the monster check & titanic fight?
He had a huge hit, Downie, bu he could have been the goat with that penalty at the end. But PK and pp along with Fleury were fantastic.
Big dose of Hornie, Jim.
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Forget the shots. Ton of small plays as well.
True. Horny was great also .
Iles 0-6 on the PP was the difference. Pens did a nice job of not letting them set up on the half wall and took away the late entry attempts with the D. Pens are starting to play much better position .and less running around. . Fourth line played really well.
Big ups tonight for sound play with 1 goal lead late.
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Lesson well learned.
Let’s hope it wasn’t a fluke
Still scratching my head that the ice surface is better because they are using different water. You can’t make this stuff up.
Difference between H1O and H2O.
Finding HCMJ’s post-game pressers informative. Like your 9th grade History teacher.
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So much more insight into what just happened ON THE ICE than Bylsma.
NYI look legit to me now that they have a better goalie. But, as is usually the case, the Pens tortured their PK. But, I see them remaining near the top of the East this yr.
Had them pegged at No.2 in the Metro before this game.
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Keep in mind they were missing Grabner who tortures us with his speed (“Grab air” to Pens).
Even strength, I thought they were much better.
Yup. They’ve got like 5 Pascal Dupuis’s. We’ve got one.
Feelin’ a Downie column coming down the pike.
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Just a wild guess.
Good job Pens
Nice to see Martin try a check even if it did result in a penalty. Way too much effort spent by TV guys + coach to justify Spaling. No matter how it’s cut, guy is not worth 2.2M for soft + 0 pts. Love Hornqvist, but he and Spaling not enough for Neal.
Time for Malkin at wing to end. Far too much talent and skill to be stuck with Sutter and Dupuis. Downie and Comeau might be better as at least they aren’t main PK’ers and the line could stay together and fresh.