It's Flyers Night!!!

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

And the game means something again.

Can't wait.

 

[Bethlehemjohn]

Great 2nd period!

 

[MyNameisJoe]

87, 59 and 43 were sweet that period

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Sid and the kids are back.

 

[Blue Goose]

 

[HOF Coach]

Pittsburgh's power play unit is SWEET!

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Something poetic about this score. Can't place my finger on it. But 5-2 seems to have further relevance in this rivalry than just the score of last night's game.

 

[FreeportPanther]

After the Murray concussion and the Boston debacle, I was very concerned about the Pens going forward, with the state of their defense and their goaltending.

In the past few games, Jarry has certainly eased my concerns about the goaltending. Last night, he made some truly huge saves and played a solid game, only giving up one legitimate goal, with the other one being slid in by his own teammate.

The defense still makes me squirm, they seem to have so much trouble clearing the puck and make way too many passes that end up on the opposing team's sticks in their own zone. Philly played really poorly last night, and squandered a ton of golden opportunities to put the puck on net with quality shots when the Pens served it up for them.

The offense remains solid and the power play with Kessel and Malkin being truly special has continued to carry the team.

The playoffs loom, and then matchups will be key. Hate potential series with Boston or Tampa Bay, but sooner or later one will happen. No one else really scares me in a 7 game series, especially if we have home ice.

Will be great to get Murray back, and hope those guys aren't hurt too bad from last night. Pens need to stay healthy, especially the stars, but there are only so many players they can plug in to fill holes.

They are always fun to watch, as skillful a team as exists.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

We need to get away from those Flyer creeps. I don't want to see our PENS having to play those dirt bags in the first round of the playoffs. Ha ha I Hate them.

Claude Giroux doesn't even look like a man wouldn't waste my time with that guy haha.

"save a horse ride a cowboy"
Signed: Mrs Buffett
Go CSU Rams & PITT Panthers

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

After the Murray concussion and the Boston debacle, I was very concerned about the Pens going forward, with the state of their defense and their goaltending.

In the past few games, Jarry has certainly eased my concerns about the goaltending. Last night, he made some truly huge saves and played a solid game, only giving up one legitimate goal, with the other one being slid in by his own teammate.

The defense still makes me squirm, they seem to have so much trouble clearing the puck and make way too many passes that end up on the opposing team's sticks in their own zone. Philly played really poorly last night, and squandered a ton of golden opportunities to put the puck on net with quality shots when the Pens served it up for them.

The offense remains solid and the power play with Kessel and Malkin being truly special has continued to carry the team.

The playoffs loom, and then matchups will be key. Hate potential series with Boston or Tampa Bay, but sooner or later one will happen. No one else really scares me in a 7 game series, especially if we have home ice.

Will be great to get Murray back, and hope those guys aren't hurt too bad from last night. Pens need to stay healthy, especially the stars, but there are only so many players they can plug in to fill holes.

They are always fun to watch, as skillful a team as exists.

The third period, they looked like vintage Pens circa 2016 Cup Run where they just possessed the puck, made smart plays, didn't allow Philly to get speed through the neutral zone. Really protected the lead in a a solid, aggressive (not passive) manner.

 

[FreeportPanther]

The third period, they looked like vintage Pens circa 2016 Cup Run where they just possessed the puck, made smart plays, didn't allow Philly to get speed through the neutral zone. Really protected the lead in a a solid, aggressive (not passive) manner.

That's their formula for success and the blueprint for a third consecutive cup run.
Use their skill to get a lead, then milk it, always looking to add to it and finally getting the stake in the heart with the empty netter.

You can tell it frustrates the hell out of the opposition as evidenced by the scrum after the final horn last night. Of course, Guentzel did instigate a bit of that, but Philly's reaction was over the top.

 

[Swervin27]

I hope this year is the last year we as fans and local media stop with the nonsense of over reacting in January. Every year, I hear media talk about how the pens are in trouble, how the season is winding down and im like, "really, damn, the season is almost over" then I look it up and we have 35 games left.

Same thing this year, I hear how it's coming down and how hard it is to make up 8 points in 35 games. Really? Is it really hard to make up 8 points in 3+ months, because I don't think it is. But media and fans do this. They have conversations in January that might make sense in late march. Baffles me how we do this with pens every year.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I hope this year is the last year we as fans and local media stop with the nonsense of over reacting in January. Every year, I hear media talk about how the pens are in trouble, how the season is winding down and im like, "really, damn, the season is almost over" then I look it up and we have 35 games left.

Same thing this year, I hear how it's coming down and how hard it is to make up 8 points in 35 games. Really? Is it really hard to make up 8 points in 3+ months, because I don't think it is. But media and fans do this. They have conversations in January that might make sense in late march. Baffles me how we do this with pens every year.

Well it was not just that, it was coming off back to back Cup wins, and that hasn't been done in 20 years, and both of those Wings runs were much, much easier than what the Pens endured. So it was natural to assume the amount of high caliber games the Pens played had caught up to them. And it did. They were going through the motions. Then they got serious again.

 

[melwood]

Something poetic about this score. Can't place my finger on it. But 5-2 seems to have further relevance in this rivalry than just the score of last night's game.

Cup count!!! I see what you did there....

 

[pitt2533]

Well it was not just that, it was coming off back to back Cup wins, and that hasn't been done in 20 years, and both of those Wings runs were much, much easier than what the Pens endured. So it was natural to assume the amount of high caliber games the Pens played had caught up to them. And it did. They were going through the motions. Then they got serious again.

Agree and not only that, they did lose multiple big pieces this off-season which is inevitable considering there is a salary cap. But they lost really high profile locker room guys in Kunitz, Daley, Bonino, Cullen, etc... who were also great pieces for their specific roles with the Pens.

So yeah, there was definitely the issue of being worn down, going through the motions, etc... But there was also a major adjustment period as well with all the new pieces replacing so many key guys.

And once again, Rutherford has done a tremendous job in patching together some key additions considering the limited cap space adding Oleksiak, Sheehan, and now Brassard.