John Toperzer: Game Night: Pens & Sens set for Round 2 Pittsburgh knocked off Ottawa in all three matchups during the regular season

Is anyone interested in a ticket to Game 5? I bought one assuming it would be Wednesday or Thursday, but for some reason the NHL scheduled 2 separate 2-day breaks, and I'd rather leave Friday than Saturday. If so, PM me.

Is Engelland getting another chance because HCDB thinks the Sens might be looking to fight? I'm not a huge fan of dressing him over Eaton or Despres.

Is Engelland getting another chance because HCDB thinks the Sens might be looking to fight? I'm not a huge fan of dressing him over Eaton or Despres.
- kill.monsters

Yeah Engo really hurts our D-core. There really should be no need to fight in the playoffs unless its a spontaneous tussle, even between stars doesn't bother me.
Eaton>Engo
Despres>Engo

Come on guys its game 1, there should a barrage of comments going on in here!!

Lets get our game faces on.

Eaton>Engo
Despres>Engo
- nbartley9

Yes.

Vokun should get the nod tonight. It's his job to lose. Can't say the defense has improved since he came in, we were uttlerly dominated in game 6 besides the last 10 minutes. If Flower started that game we lose, point blank.

Everybody is still riding Fleury from 2009. Last I checked that was 4 years ago. These are the same people who keep saying that the Pirates are 1 year away (for the last 16 years).

FYI I think the Pirates are about 2 years away..

Yeah Engo really hurts our D-core. There really should be no need to fight in the playoffs unless its a spontaneous tussle, even between stars doesn't bother me.
Eaton>Engo
Despres>Engo
- nbartley9

Letang
Martin
Murray
Orpik
Despres
Eaton

These should be our dmen every game barring injury. I really think Niskanen had a bad 1st round and Engo is just bad period.

Pens in 5

Letang
Martin
Murray
Orpik
Despres
Eaton

These should be our dmen every game barring injury. I really think Niskanen had a bad 1st round and Engo is just bad period.
- canadianpenfan

Niskanen was terrible. I've never seen such panic with the puck.

Is anyone interested in a ticket to Game 5? I bought one assuming it would be Wednesday or Thursday, but for some reason the NHL scheduled 2 separate 2-day breaks, and I'd rather leave Friday than Saturday. If so, PM me.
- jmatchett383

Sens sweep in 4. Game 5 ticket will have zero value.

Sens sweep in 4. Game 5 ticket will have zero value.
- TheRat14

Your predictions have been dead on.

Niskanen was terrible. I've never seen such panic with the puck.
- Deadstar

Awful. Truly letting the pressure of the palyoffs get to him. He was a different player during the regular season.

Interested to see how good Ottawa actually looks tonight. Have a hard time believing you can depend on guys like Silfverberg, Pageau, and Zibanejad in the playoffs. Also interested to see how Craig Anderson looks with a bit better (understatement) shooters than what Montreal had to offer.

That Montreal team was closer to a 7-8 seed in an 82 game season.

let's go pens!!!
pens win it in 3 games.
im going to say we get solid goaltending this round from whoever we put in there. First round nightmare jitters have past. all the ghosts of playoffs pasts have been buried. theyve gotten past the first round, now its just time to play our game and roll.

not a fan of the engelland move, but maybe because the sens have a bigger lineup than the isles HCDB is reasoning that a murray-engo pairing will be punishing.

working during the game tonight. i'll be checking my phone every 30 seconds. it'll most likely be a very unproductive night for me.

Niskanen was terrible. I've never seen such panic with the puck.
- Deadstar

I think Engo is in to see if Neil starts running after guys. Or if Gryba tries to take someones head off. More of a "just in case" scenario. The level from Eaton and Engo isn't that big. Eaton struggled with the Islanders as well.

Penguins in 6.

Sure sounds like Ottawa is full of themselves after beating a bad Habs team.

Give up 40 shots to the Penguins and the results will be much different.

Perhaps Andersen needs to be introduced to the Iggy one timer off the head ala Nabby in game 1.

let's go pens!!!
pens win it in 3 games.
im going to say we get solid goaltending this round from whoever we put in there. First round nightmare jitters have past. all the ghosts of playoffs pasts have been buried. theyve gotten past the first round, now its just time to play our game and roll.

not a fan of the engelland move, but maybe because the sens have a bigger lineup than the isles HCDB is reasoning that a murray-engo pairing will be punishing.

working during the game tonight. i'll be checking my phone every 30 seconds. it'll most likely be a very unproductive night for me.
- saintjust21

I know the feeling. I was busy during games 5 and 6 of the Islanders series. I was initially bummed, but after reading everyone's comments on here it sounds like I was spared some serious anxiety.

http://instagram.com/p/ZTLpNzGNDw/#

Here's hoping the actual Penguins get their hands on REAl Cup.

Do you guys think its going to be dirty tonight? I think if Cooke even touches Karlsson they wont be able to control themselves.

Letang
Martin
Murray
Orpik
Despres
Eaton

These should be our dmen every game barring injury. I really think Niskanen had a bad 1st round and Engo is just bad period.
- canadianpenfan

I agree that Niskanen had a bad first round, but I think he looks good on the bottom pairing. Hopefully getting out of the first round will cure whatever jitters he was dealing with. Wonder if Eaton is hurt or if the Pens think he's hit the wall? I thought Despres played a pretty decent game in game 6 and am surprised to see him out and Engelland back in.

I think Engo is in to see if Neil starts running after guys. Or if Gryba tries to take someones head off. More of a "just in case" scenario. The level from Eaton and Engo isn't that big. Eaton struggled with the Islanders as well.

Penguins in 6.

Sure sounds like Ottawa is full of themselves after beating a bad Habs team.

Give up 40 shots to the Penguins and the results will be much different.

Perhaps Andersen needs to be introduced to the Iggy one timer off the head ala Nabby in game 1.
- Sell My Monkey

A lot of the defensemen struggled. Although a lot of them will struggle with the Islanders forwards having free skates through the neutral zone. The Penguins forwards weren't smart with the puck and it hurts the other way.

Niskanen was just bad getting the puck out of the zone. He was by far the worst offender when you compare it to what you're used to seeing out of him.

I actually think this will be the toughest test in the East for the Pens. Ottawa is a Boston/NYI hybrid. Lots of speed, but big bodies that can hit as well. Think Matt Martin, but with talent. If they can deal with it, they'd be well prepared for the Bos/NYR winner (assuming they make it).

If the defense can gain some semblance of patience and composure and cut down on the turnovers, the Pens should be okay, as their depth and experience should be enough.

However, if the Ottawa forecheck can pry those pucks loose and cause the defensemen to panic, the Pens are in trouble. Ottawa has more depth at forward skill than NYI, and if they make the same turnovers as they did against NYI, Vokoun/MAF will be getting a nice base tan from the goal light.

Do you guys think its going to be dirty tonight? I think if Cooke even touches Karlsson they wont be able to control themselves.
- nbartley9

You have to hit Karlsson when you can catch him.

Do you guys think its going to be dirty tonight? I think if Cooke even touches Karlsson they wont be able to control themselves.
- nbartley9

If I were the Sens I would try to see what happens if they engage the Pens in a gutter fight like the Flyers series last year. The Islanders didn't engage in any of that stuff, which I thought was to the Pens advantage as it allowed them to focus on the games and not getting even...

I agree that Niskanen had a bad first round, but I think he looks good on the bottom pairing. Hopefully getting out of the first round will cure whatever jitters he was dealing with. Wonder if Eaton is hurt or if the Pens think he's hit the wall? I thought Despres played a pretty decent game in game 6 and am surprised to see him out and Engelland back in.
- Emperor Filonius

Despres has had his moments where he looks like a rookie. Niskanen just looks scared, whether he's on the first pair or the third that's not good.