Tonight should be entertaining (both on TV and on here).
- MadCap2008

Hopefully both teams are ready. I want to see how a good Penguin team compares to a good Ranger team. I'd also like to see the train wreck that is Hockeybuzz during a good game

I'm not going to read through the entire thread, so maybe someone already, but sorry Ryan, I have to disagree. Its fine to hold up the Blackhawks as an example of winning without being physical, and playing a high possession game, but the proof is in the pudding because they have won.

The Penguins are NOT the Blackhawks.

You can't keep equating the Penguins to the Blackhawks as if they are the same team. The Blackhawks have shown that they have the mental makeup to play through "heavy" teams and defeat them. The Penguins have not. A random 3 game sampling from throughout the season is also NOT the same as matching up the same 2 teams in a 7 game series where strategy can be employed to batter down the smaller team, and where officiating tends to promote tighter checking. I really don't have anything against possession as a measurement tool, but you can have all the possession metrics in the world in your favor, but if it doesn't translate into goals against teams like the Rangers with elite goaltending, what does it mater?

I'm not saying the Penguins CAN'T take the Rangers or Caps out in a 7 game series, but the recent results have not been in their favor. Some of this is also a matter of confidence. A win vs the Rags would go a long way to changing the narrative, but for now, the perception that the Penguins struggle to play through certain types of opponents is not without merit and should not be lightly dismissed.

I'm not going to read through the entire thread, so maybe someone already, but sorry Ryan, I have to disagree. Its fine to hold up the Blackhawks as an example of winning without being physical, and playing a high possession game, but the proof is in the pudding because they have won.

The Penguins are NOT the Blackhawks.

You can't keep equating the Penguins to the Blackhawks as if they are the same team. The Blackhawks have shown that they have the mental makeup to play through "heavy" teams and defeat them. The Penguins have not. A random 3 game sampling from throughout the season is also NOT the same as matching up the same 2 teams in a 7 game series where strategy can be employed to batter down the smaller team, and where officiating tends to promote tighter checking. I really don't have anything against possession as a measurement tool, but you can have all the possession metrics in the world in your favor, but if it doesn't translate into goals against teams like the Rangers with elite goaltending, what does it mater?

I'm not saying the Penguins CAN'T take the Rangers or Caps out in a 7 game series, but the recent results have not been in their favor. Some of this is also a matter of confidence. A win vs the Rags would go a long way to changing the narrative, but for now, the perception that the Penguins struggle to play through certain types of opponents is not without merit and should not be lightly dismissed.
- Emperor Filonius

Every team has their weakness, ours is we get frustrated. If things are going smoothly (Sid/Geno scoring, Fleury making big saves...) we are probably the most dangerous team in the league, but when things go sideways we get frustrated. This has nothing to do with the size of the opponent, but rather opponents employ strategies against us that work very effectively at frustrating our team.

Clogging the front of the net and keeping us to the perimeter is very effective, and degrading the game with cheap shots works good too. The two teams with the greatest success against us do both; Rangers and Bruins.

Tonight is a great test for our team, a win here is huge.

So to the above two guys...


Would you prefer an UGLY win... or a "good" OT/shootout loss, where the team looks whole finally?

Every team has their weakness, ours is we get frustrated. If things are going smoothly (Sid/Geno scoring, Fleury making big saves...) we are probably the most dangerous team in the league, but when things go sideways we get frustrated. This has nothing to do with the size of the opponent, but rather opponents employ strategies against us that work very effectively at frustrating our team.

Clogging the front of the net and keeping us to the perimeter is very effective, and degrading the game with cheap shots works good too. The two teams with the greatest success against us do both; Rangers and Bruins.

Tonight is a great test for our team, a win here is huge.
- stackthepads

Sid needs to get back on his game. Driving the net and creating chances like last month. He's still skating well, but I kind of feel like he's fallen back into the habit of deferring and looking to pass.

aw well atleast we won't have to play against marc staal

So to the above two guys...


Would you prefer an UGLY win... or a "good" OT/shootout loss, where the team looks whole finally?
- Guile

A win is always preferable. Usually when you won, you have done something right.

Like I said earlier, I like putting Wilson and Rust on the same line. Not sure if I'd rather put Bonino and Cullen with them, but I like those two together. The only downside is that now Kuhnhackl and Porter are on the same line. That line is going to get nothing going in the offensive zone.

aw well atleast we won't have to play against marc staal
- martox

McIlrath is in now...which is worse for you guys

McIlrath is in now...which is worse for you guys
- RAGSareDANGERus

as long as he don't go all chainsaw massacre on sids neck we are fine

I'm not going to read through the entire thread, so maybe someone already, but sorry Ryan, I have to disagree. Its fine to hold up the Blackhawks as an example of winning without being physical, and playing a high possession game, but the proof is in the pudding because they have won.

The Penguins are NOT the Blackhawks.

You can't keep equating the Penguins to the Blackhawks as if they are the same team. The Blackhawks have shown that they have the mental makeup to play through "heavy" teams and defeat them. The Penguins have not. A random 3 game sampling from throughout the season is also NOT the same as matching up the same 2 teams in a 7 game series where strategy can be employed to batter down the smaller team, and where officiating tends to promote tighter checking. I really don't have anything against possession as a measurement tool, but you can have all the possession metrics in the world in your favor, but if it doesn't translate into goals against teams like the Rangers with elite goaltending, what does it mater?

I'm not saying the Penguins CAN'T take the Rangers or Caps out in a 7 game series, but the recent results have not been in their favor. Some of this is also a matter of confidence. A win vs the Rags would go a long way to changing the narrative, but for now, the perception that the Penguins struggle to play through certain types of opponents is not without merit and should not be lightly dismissed.
- Emperor Filonius

Spot on the whole way through. The Blackhawks and the Penguins are most certainly not alike. And what did they do at the deadline? They went out and got rugged guys like Ladd and Weise. So what does that mean in this equation?

Thing about team toughness is that you never know if you have enough of it until you find out that you don't.

I'm not going to read through the entire thread, so maybe someone already, but sorry Ryan, I have to disagree. Its fine to hold up the Blackhawks as an example of winning without being physical, and playing a high possession game, but the proof is in the pudding because they have won.

The Penguins are NOT the Blackhawks.

You can't keep equating the Penguins to the Blackhawks as if they are the same team. The Blackhawks have shown that they have the mental makeup to play through "heavy" teams and defeat them. The Penguins have not. A random 3 game sampling from throughout the season is also NOT the same as matching up the same 2 teams in a 7 game series where strategy can be employed to batter down the smaller team, and where officiating tends to promote tighter checking. I really don't have anything against possession as a measurement tool, but you can have all the possession metrics in the world in your favor, but if it doesn't translate into goals against teams like the Rangers with elite goaltending, what does it mater?

I'm not saying the Penguins CAN'T take the Rangers or Caps out in a 7 game series, but the recent results have not been in their favor. Some of this is also a matter of confidence. A win vs the Rags would go a long way to changing the narrative, but for now, the perception that the Penguins struggle to play through certain types of opponents is not without merit and should not be lightly dismissed.
- Emperor Filonius

Blackhawks not physical is not true. This year may be their least physical team, but they picked up Andrew Ladd, Dale Weiss and Tomas Fleischmann at the trade deadline. If anyone of those three were on the Penguins roster he would be our toughest guy.

Previous Cup years they had Carcillo, Shaw, Bickell, Oduya, Bfuglien, not exactly speed type players. The Hawks prefer to play with speed but if their opponent can slow the game down and turn it into a clutch and grab, the Hawks can play that way also. Remember the wakey, wakey comment by Kieth to the Blues last season.

I'm not a Penguins far, nor for that matter, a fan of the Kings. But I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face regarding the discussion here. Tough enough?

Early this season fans here verbally brutalized and ridiculed Rob Scuderi and incessantly demanded his departure. Well, you eventually got it, in return receiving your speedy puck mover. Scuderi went to Chicago and was hardly given a chance before being sent to the minors. That proved your point here, right? Washed up, career over. Well guess what. Scuderi was traded to the Kings and in his first two games there played 19 minutes flawlessly, assisting on a crucial goal in one of them. He was used on all penalty kills as well as his regular shift. The opponents have yet to score while he's on the ice. Tonight he's being moved up to the top pair with Drew Doughty. Could you have been wrong? I think Scuderi rates the description of "tough" stay-at-homer. All teams need guys like that.

I'm not a Penguins far, nor for that matter, a fan of the Kings. But I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face regarding the discussion here. Tough enough?

Early this season fans here verbally brutalized and ridiculed Rob Scuderi and incessantly demanded his departure. Well, you eventually got it, in return receiving your speedy puck mover. Scuderi went to Chicago and was hardly given a chance before being sent to the minors. That proved your point here, right? Washed up, career over. Well guess what. Scuderi was traded to the Kings and in his first two games there played 19 minutes flawlessly, assisting on a crucial goal in one of them. He was used on all penalty kills as well as his regular shift. The opponents have yet to score while he's on the ice. Tonight he's being moved up to the top pair with Drew Doughty. Could you have been wrong? I think Scuderi rates the description of "tough" stay-at-homer. All teams need guys like that.
- Klaatu

Or after near 2 months off, he has a bit in the tank for a week

I'm not a Penguins far, nor for that matter, a fan of the Kings. But I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face regarding the discussion here. Tough enough?

Early this season fans here verbally brutalized and ridiculed Rob Scuderi and incessantly demanded his departure. Well, you eventually got it, in return receiving your speedy puck mover. Scuderi went to Chicago and was hardly given a chance before being sent to the minors. That proved your point here, right? Washed up, career over. Well guess what. Scuderi was traded to the Kings and in his first two games there played 19 minutes flawlessly, assisting on a crucial goal in one of them. He was used on all penalty kills as well as his regular shift. The opponents have yet to score while he's on the ice. Tonight he's being moved up to the top pair with Drew Doughty. Could you have been wrong? I think Scuderi rates the description of "tough" stay-at-homer. All teams need guys like that.
- Klaatu

He had a few good games for us also.

I'm not a Penguins far, nor for that matter, a fan of the Kings. But I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face regarding the discussion here. Tough enough?

Early this season fans here verbally brutalized and ridiculed Rob Scuderi and incessantly demanded his departure. Well, you eventually got it, in return receiving your speedy puck mover. Scuderi went to Chicago and was hardly given a chance before being sent to the minors. That proved your point here, right? Washed up, career over. Well guess what. Scuderi was traded to the Kings and in his first two games there played 19 minutes flawlessly, assisting on a crucial goal in one of them. He was used on all penalty kills as well as his regular shift. The opponents have yet to score while he's on the ice. Tonight he's being moved up to the top pair with Drew Doughty. Could you have been wrong? I think Scuderi rates the description of "tough" stay-at-homer. All teams need guys like that.
- Klaatu

Scuderi was garbage here. If his fountain of youth resides in LA, then cool. Great for LA. I wouldn't trade a 7th round pick to have him back.

I'm not a Penguins far, nor for that matter, a fan of the Kings. But I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face regarding the discussion here. Tough enough?

Early this season fans here verbally brutalized and ridiculed Rob Scuderi and incessantly demanded his departure. Well, you eventually got it, in return receiving your speedy puck mover. Scuderi went to Chicago and was hardly given a chance before being sent to the minors. That proved your point here, right? Washed up, career over. Well guess what. Scuderi was traded to the Kings and in his first two games there played 19 minutes flawlessly, assisting on a crucial goal in one of them. He was used on all penalty kills as well as his regular shift. The opponents have yet to score while he's on the ice. Tonight he's being moved up to the top pair with Drew Doughty. Could you have been wrong? I think Scuderi rates the description of "tough" stay-at-homer. All teams need guys like that.
- Klaatu

trust me... we are not wrong with scuderi. he is good at standing in his own zone at his own net and all that but that is the only thing he is good at. he played horrible here and he turned the puck over more and cost us more FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR more than he contributed. he was the same with hawks the few games he played with them. scuderi is an awefull player now BUT kings stule of hockey fits him perfectly and it is probably the only team he can still play acceptable hockey with. so enjoy him but don't come here whining when we all prove you wrong

as long as he don't go all chainsaw massacre on sids neck we are fine
- martox

That's EXACTLY what's he's gonna do though

Spot on the whole way through. The Blackhawks and the Penguins are most certainly not alike. And what did they do at the deadline? They went out and got rugged guys like Ladd and Weise. So what does that mean in this equation?

Thing about team toughness is that you never know if you have enough of it until you find out that you don't.
- hardnosed

Im not sure those two pick ups are about physicality as much as they are about getting proven playoff performers.

That's EXACTLY what's he's gonna do though
- RAGSareDANGERus

Im not sure those two pick ups are about physicality as much as they are about getting proven playoff performers.
- stackthepads

that AND they know what they are getting with ladd

I'm not a Penguins far, nor for that matter, a fan of the Kings. But I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face regarding the discussion here. Tough enough?

Early this season fans here verbally brutalized and ridiculed Rob Scuderi and incessantly demanded his departure. Well, you eventually got it, in return receiving your speedy puck mover. Scuderi went to Chicago and was hardly given a chance before being sent to the minors. That proved your point here, right? Washed up, career over. Well guess what. Scuderi was traded to the Kings and in his first two games there played 19 minutes flawlessly, assisting on a crucial goal in one of them. He was used on all penalty kills as well as his regular shift. The opponents have yet to score while he's on the ice. Tonight he's being moved up to the top pair with Drew Doughty. Could you have been wrong? I think Scuderi rates the description of "tough" stay-at-homer. All teams need guys like that.
- Klaatu

Not as big of a grin as Penguin fans were to get his worthless ass out of Pittsburgh. There aren't enough adjectives to describe how terrible he was here.

that AND they know what they are getting with ladd
- martox

Hawks needed a top line LW badly. Ladd and Eriksson were the two best prospects. Ladd was the only one explicitly available and has a history with Q. The Hawks would have grabbed him if even if he was soft. They were definitely aiming to get tougher with Weise though.

I'm not a Penguins far, nor for that matter, a fan of the Kings. But I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face regarding the discussion here. Tough enough?

Early this season fans here verbally brutalized and ridiculed Rob Scuderi and incessantly demanded his departure. Well, you eventually got it, in return receiving your speedy puck mover. Scuderi went to Chicago and was hardly given a chance before being sent to the minors. That proved your point here, right? Washed up, career over. Well guess what. Scuderi was traded to the Kings and in his first two games there played 19 minutes flawlessly, assisting on a crucial goal in one of them. He was used on all penalty kills as well as his regular shift. The opponents have yet to score while he's on the ice. Tonight he's being moved up to the top pair with Drew Doughty. Could you have been wrong? I think Scuderi rates the description of "tough" stay-at-homer. All teams need guys like that.
- Klaatu

Hawks needed a top line LW badly. Ladd and Eriksson were the two best prospects. Ladd was the only one explicitly available and has a history with Q. The Hawks would have grabbed him if even if he was soft. They were definitely aiming to get tougher with Weise though.
- Victoro311

can i do my oliver twist routine for a link?