ECF Game 4.

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Well folks it is do or die. This is a must win for the Pens I believe. Ottawa is coming, the Pens look dead tired. The guys they need back in the lineup aren't coming back for this game.

They are going to need the following:
1) Great goaltending. They have got this pretty much all playoffs. Yes, the D has to be better, but to be honest they are playing with depth Dmen and battered, so they can only be so good.
2) Sid and Geno got to score.
3) Stay out of the box
4) Get traffic to the net.
5) Stop looking to make the extra pass, the next play. Get a puck on net, get traffic and hunt for rebounds.

I am not sure this team has enough left. But 87 and 71 has to lead them. This is the time where they have to be X factor, the difference maker. Sure they need secondary scoring, but at this point, your stars need to be stars.

A response is needed. They did after Game 6 against the Caps..... But do they have another?

 

[HailtoPitt]

Pen's goalscorers need to score goals. Bottom line. 1 goal a game is not enough to beat any team.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

Summoned up a lot of hidden vigorish to win that one tonight. Running on fumes got it done. Tip o the cap.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Great response by the Pens tonight, series becomes best of 3. Feel confident about winning game 5 at home and winning one of the next two after that. Finally was able to get around that trap.

 

[steel_curtain]

Great response by the Pens tonight, series becomes best of 3. Feel confident about winning game 5 at home and winning one of the next two after that. Finally was able to get around that trap.

-Easier said than done. Injuries have killed us. No Hornquist, Shultz, and Rust. Getting Murray, Hagelin, and Daley back is huge. We are still severely decimated without these guys and of course Letang. We are running on fumes with true willpower. There is zero doubt in my mind we would annihilate this Senators team if healthy. Unfortunately, we have been playing with half a roster. If we can steal game 5 and get these guys back for game 7 or at least 2 of them, Ill push the chips all in to go to the finals.

-All the credit in the world to Fleury for the first 2 series. But Sorry Fleury fans, its Murray time in primetime. Game 5, lets win it

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

HUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge Win. More nervous for this game than any other. MM was great. How about as big shout out to Olli Maatta who is really coming into his own this series. Not just scored the goal, led the team in minutes and was really good all night long.

Man, hopefully we carry some momentum and puck luck into Game 5. If the Pens somehow can finish this series in 6, they would have a nice 6 day break between the ECF and SCF's. They could use that rest.

 

[Pittx9]

Those line changes were absolutely pivotal. Conor sheary just flat out can not be on the first line if we want to win. Really when rust and hornqvist return, he needs to be scratched completely. He has to be dealing with some sort of injury, he was pretty consistently good this season, very good goal scorer. You don't just become so awful overnight.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Conor sheary just flat out can not be on the first line if we want to win.

And yet somehow it's OK to play Chris Kunitz, who has played about two or three good games in the last 11 months, on the first line. He's been turning the puck over so much that sometimes you wonder if he's on the take.

 

[Pittx9]

And yet somehow it's OK to play Chris Kunitz, who has played about two or three good games in the last 11 months, on the first line. He's been turning the puck over so much that sometimes you wonder if he's on the take.

Sadly with injuries, our options are that limited. Sheary is a -8 though these playoffs, he can't even receive picture perfect passes from Crosby. Should be a moot point soon though, when rust returns he almost certainly will join guentzel and sid on the top line.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Sadly with injuries, our options are that limited. Sheary is a -8 though these playoffs, he can't even receive picture perfect passes from Crosby. Should be a moot point soon though, when rust returns he almost certainly will join guentzel and sid on the top line.

Oh, I agree that Sheary is not the answer right now. It's just too bad that there might not be any better answers that Chris Kunitz right now. Because with a few exceptions he has not been good since even before he got injured. And usually not even close to good.

 

[Pittx9]

Oh, I agree that Sheary is not the answer right now. It's just too bad that there might not be any better answers that Chris Kunitz right now. Because with a few exceptions he has not been good since even before he got injured. And usually not even close to good.

I'm right there with you. Theres actually no way Kunitz would've even been considered for the first line if not for his history and chemistry with sid.

I heard I believe it was Steigy during a game this year that sid said he wants the younger, faster guys on his line. But apparently he did say other than that Kunitz is the only guy not falling into that category he would prefer. So it was probably more what sid was comfortable with than Kunitz actually deserving to be bumped up to that line.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

And yet somehow it's OK to play Chris Kunitz, who has played about two or three good games in the last 11 months, on the first line. He's been turning the puck over so much that sometimes you wonder if he's on the take.

I was fine with that. Kunitz is a warrior. He no longer merits top 6 role, but Sid's line needed his physicality and work on the defensive end. He can no longer finish, but I will say that Chris Kunitz is one of the grittiest Penguins of all time. A warrior.

Now I do know this, if Hornquist or Rust returns, you have to sit Sheary. He is just lost. Gone.

 

[HailToPitt725]

What's amazing about this team is that they could repeat this year and come back even better and deeper next year. A healthy team, a good return for Fleury, and Sprong getting called up.

 

[goalieman]

I was fine with that. Kunitz is a warrior. He no longer merits top 6 role, but Sid's line needed his physicality and work on the defensive end. He can no longer finish, but I will say that Chris Kunitz is one of the grittiest Penguins of all time. A warrior.

Now I do know this, if Hornquist or Rust returns, you have to sit Sheary. He is just lost. Gone.

Some thoughts .....

Sullivan is really good at making adjustments between games ...... playing Murray turned out to be a good move and changing lines so that all the lines had at least one tenacious/tough/physical checker who also had some skill helped a lot.

With the players available, Kunitz was a good choice for the 1st line as he has played with Crosby a lot in the past and they have good chemistry ...... Kunitz isn't the player he once was but as you said he is a tough warrior with much experience ..... last night he played the role that Sullivan wanted him to play just fine ...... forechecked and backchecked well, won a number of battles on the boards, played very physical and handled the puck well .... in other words, Kunitz did just what Sullivan wanted him to do and what the team needed from him ....... yeah, when Hornqvist or Rust are back, Kunitz will probably be off the 1st line but give him credit for doing a nice job in Game #4.

What's the chance of Maatta and Dumoulin both scoring in a game ? .... in the playoffs, you never know who will come up big ! ..... Game #5 should be a good one.

Ruhwedel has a concussion so seems like he will probably be out ..... if Schultz can't come back then I guess we will see Streit again..... it's pretty amazing that we are where we are with the injuries we have had.

 

[Pittx9]

What's amazing about this team is that they could repeat this year and come back even better and deeper next year. A healthy team, a good return for Fleury, and Sprong getting called up.

Letang will be back healthy we can assume next season. That alone makes them better and deeper.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Kunitz will probably be off the 1st line but give him credit for doing a nice job in Game #4.

The fact that the way he played last night can be describes as him "doing a nice job" shows how far his play has slipped.

 

[goalieman]

The fact that the way he played last night can be describes as him "doing a nice job" shows how far his play has slipped.

I thought Kunitz played well in Game #4 ..... if you don't then I disagree with you.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I thought Kunitz played well in Game #4 ..... if you don't then I disagree with you.

Me too. Especially for what they needed and what Sheary was giving them.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Letang will be back healthy we can assume next season. That alone makes them better and deeper.

I said way before the playoffs that this was maybe not the year after losing Letang. With him back healthy, return for MAF, continued development of Guentzel, Rust, Sheary, cap room relief from Kunitz, Dupuis and MAF, along with Sprong maybe making the team that they would be better next year.

And well, 6 wins away from the Cup.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I thought Kunitz played well in Game #4 ..... if you don't then I disagree with you.

Played well compared to how he's played this season, especially after coming back from his injury? Yeah, I guess, maybe. But played well compared to how he played say four or five years ago? Come on, that's not even close.

 

[goalieman]

Played well compared to how he's played this season, especially after coming back from his injury? Yeah, I guess, maybe. But played well compared to how he played say four or five years ago? Come on, that's not even close.

Joe ..... I never said or implied that Kunitz is the player he was 4-5 years ago and I didn't say he played like he did 4-5 years ago .... how you got that out of my post, I don't know ..... in fact, in my post, I said that he "is not the player he once was" ...... Translation - he isn't as good as he used to be ..... no one said or believes otherwise.

However, as I said, Sullivan put Kunitz on the 1st line to play an important role in the game (not the exact same role he played 4-5 years ago on the 1st line)...... anyone who follows the Pens and knows hockey understands why Sullivan made that change, what the role was, and that Kunitz carried out the role well which played a part in the win ..... therefore, I gave Chris credit for doing that.

Let's get ready for Game #5 !

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

Touchdown!

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Played well compared to how he's played this season, especially after coming back from his injury? Yeah, I guess, maybe. But played well compared to how he played say four or five years ago? Come on, that's not even close.

Stop arguing for arguing's sake. Of course he is not what he was. But he was exactly what the Crosby line needed with the current construction of the roster. Kevin Stevens or Rick Tocchet weren't available.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Stop arguing for arguing's sake.

I have to admit, seeing you post that made me laugh out loud.

 

[Pittx9]

I said way before the playoffs that this was maybe not the year after losing Letang. With him back healthy, return for MAF, continued development of Guentzel, Rust, Sheary, cap room relief from Kunitz, Dupuis and MAF, along with Sprong maybe making the team that they would be better next year.

And well, 6 wins away from the Cup.

Part of me still wanted to believe the pens could win it this year until they showed they couldn't. But another part of me almost couldn't imagine it without letang. It really is almost unbelievable what they've been able to do so far.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

Part of me still wanted to believe the pens could win it this year until they showed they couldn't. But another part of me almost couldn't imagine it without letang. It really is almost unbelievable what they've been able to do so far.

Amused by the "objective" NBC guy's making all the excuses for Ottawa when they finally had a couple injuries ("look at all that room on the bench!"). Meanwhile the Pens have called up half of the Scranton team just to have a complete set of lines. Wah.

But point of that is, yeah, they have some great players on the first line or two but chewing gum and duct tape overall.

 

[Pittx9]

Amused by the "objective" NBC guy's making all the excuses for Ottawa when they finally had a couple injuries ("look at all that room on the bench!"). Meanwhile the Pens have called up half of the Scranton team just to have a complete set of lines. Wah.

But point of that is, yeah, they have some great players on the first line or two but chewing gum and duct tape overall.

Maybe it's poor sportsmanship but when I heard a couple guys may miss a game for Ottawa that's exactly what I thought, finally. Pens seem to suffer an injury every single game. I know last year they were almost completely healthy and these things happen, but this year it really just seems like the pens have suffered injuries at such an alarming rate.