Well maybe you should say that before the next couple of Sens games. 
Didn’t catch first period flurry of goals but the Pens had a streak of sloppiness that added up to a fifth unanswered goal at the end of the second. Wow. I thought the Sens might make Pittsburgh work for it but this going pretty good. You know except for last game’s third period.
Well, Ottawa certainly moved the puck well tonight. I couldn’t tell whether that was due to Ottawa making better decisions and executing on them or if Pittsburgh just wasn’t forechecking as hard. Either way, I’m obviously thrilled with how things are going. Pittsburgh is still searching for answers on offence. If we can keep them on their heels and continue to pressure their D into making mistakes, I really like our chances of advancing to the Finals.
:eek: oh no you di-int!:eek: I’m kinda disowning Ottawa more on the 1-3-1 thing. Yeah, I get winning, but entertainment wouldn’t hurt, either.*
Hornqvist, Schultz, and Rust are all day-to-day (“Day by daaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy” X 2) so if they’re good to go for Friday, that should tilt things a little more the Pens way. At least I hope so so it’ll be a bit closer next time. Especially that wrap-around goal that (I think) Smith got tonight - Fleury was needing the ole cane-handle around the neck for that one. I paid a lot less attention in the third so I hope they rested Karlsson, especially more towards the end.
I’ve been finding the Ducks/Preds series more entertaining - every check is finished, while Kessler and Johanssen have been going at it like two honeymooning ferrets, that, well, get into a little…disagreement…over, well, I can’t remember - maybe one of them didn’t rut enough, or something, but anyway, I love that constantly repeated close-up shot of the amazingly creepy look in Johansen’s eyes when he’s staring a foot away from Kessler’s equally annoying face, at face-off. Wish I could lip-read! Getzlaf has been setting the team’s example of pasting absolutely everybody against the boards, and that’s a very special and very deep and personally enriching thing to see.
*oh well, but I’ll still be rootin’ for’em anyways…
Pittsburgh’s problem was visibly on the back end; their defence corps’s in constant flux due to injuries, and when the Senators put pressure on them they just weren’t up to the task. If you watch those first four goals the defence is out of position and almost playing casually, and “Casually” is not an adverb you want applied to you in professional hockey.
I see what you did there (my bold)…
Absolutely. In Game 2 though it didn’t matter how incompetent the Pens’ defence was as the Sens spent the last half of the game trapped in their own end. Yesterday Ottawa was able to break out with control and put the screws to Pittsburgh’s D, to spectacular results.
Pittsburgh is putting Murray in as the starting goaltender? Do you think something is wrong with Fleury or just a gutsy decision?
Sully’s probably shaking things up a bit. I doubt there’s anything wrong with Flower – he’s on the bench tonight.
Goodness Gravy! Johansen out for thigh surgery!
Murray played games six and seven in last year’s finals, so I’ll go with that mindset.
Flower looked shaky last game. Murray is looking good tonight.
Murray is the future.
If I recall, Murray was coming off an injury at the start of the playoffs, and if your back-up is doing the job, you don’t fuck with the zen.
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I like Matt Murray, I think he’s the Pens goalie of the future, but I was surprised that they pulled Fleury. Kind of conflicted about that. I think the 5-1 loss could mostly be hung on the defense, who had plenty of injuries and lots of breakdowns. On the other hand, Murray did manage to pull through and tie the series, so I’m not going to second guess that too much.
I do think Ottawa has been underestimated by a lot of people. Their trap game focuses on defense and 5-1 victory aside, they’re not a high scoring team. So a lot of people tend to assume that since they’ve not got a lot of big goal scorers, they’re an inferior team. Rooting for the Pens to win but I could see either team going on to the finals.
Good series: split in Pittsburgh, split in Ottawa.
Je ne c’est pas.
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“Je ne sais pas,” I think you mean.
Ottawa, I suspect, must now win Game 5.
bien sûr!
Gonna be Ottawa and Nashville playing for the Cup. Ottawa wins in 6; 2 games go into OT.
ETA: It’s ECHL not NHL, but I gotta give a shout out to my hometown Elmira Jackals, who ceased operations after the regular season. This was a great organization with great fans; I know that there are thousands and thousands of people who loved watching them. Sorry it had to come to and end, but thanks for being there at all, folks.
Pretty sure you mean Nashville and Pittsburgh. I wish you were right, though.
Ottawa is doomed. This was a must win and they looked like a beer league team.
:eek:
Wow.
Ugh.
I’m not a hockey follower but I live in a hockey town and can’t avoid some of the playoffs so I guess I keep up with it whether I want to or not at times. Pitt dropped game one but it was obvious they were tired after their Caps series. Since then, they’ve won 3 of 4 and dominated the series. No reason to believe they won’t close it out next game. I think Pittsburgh repeats.