Sheng Peng: Game 4 Rewind: What Did Penguins Exploit? What Are Predators Feasting On? Game 4 breakdown: Why Pittsburgh's counterattack was promising? Why Nashville's forecheck might be insurmountable?

Yes, Letang hurts but it is the way it is. If Nashville was healthy this series was already 3-1 probably with RyJo, Wilson and Fiala out. Balances it out quite evenly. Would still be very surprised if Fisher, Jarnkrok, Sissons and Gaudreau outplay the Penguins centers thru the middle. Thinking Penguins in 7, still hoping Preds in 6 or 7.

Yes, Letang hurts but it is the way it is. If Nashville was healthy this series was already 3-1 probably with RyJo, Wilson and Fiala out. Balances it out quite evenly. Would still be very surprised if Fisher, Jarnkrok, Sissons and Gaudreau outplay the Penguins centers thru the middle. Thinking Penguins in 7, still hoping Preds in 6 or 7.
- DutchSenators

That's true, its the way it is. but If the Pens had an uninjured Letang and give nashville all their injured players... this series would be over already. letang is the most important player on the Penguins team. He changes the team from "Penguins compete with every team" to "Penguins dominate every team". It just doesn't balance out evenly. Letang is Top 5-3 Defensemen, ryjo is top 20-10 Center. Nashville as well as washington, proves that defense pushes the play and are just as important or more important than the forwards in entering and keeping the zone.

That's true, its the way it is. but If the Pens had an uninjured Letang and give nashville all their injured players... this series would be over already. letang is the most important player on the Penguins team. He changes the team from "Penguins compete with every team" to "Penguins dominate every team". It just doesn't balance out evenly. Letang is Top 5-3 Defensemen, ryjo is top 20-10 Center. Nashville as well as washington, proves that defense pushes the play and are just as important or more important than the forwards in entering and keeping the zone.
- joecool2931

Letang is the most important player on the Penguins, for sure. But if Nashville would get those 3 guys back (and vastly improve) and the Penguins Letang, the Pens wouldn't suddenly go from being dominated 3 out of 4 games to being the better team every game while sweeping the Predators. That would mean that the Penguins would sweep any team with Letang in the line up, because Nashville simply is one of the best teams at the moment.

Anyways, 2-2, great series, and unfortunately we don't see all the best players on the ice at the moment.

It's just like Sheng eluded to. It's not just the defensive side where we miss Tanger, it's also in the neutral zone and holding the blue line. Nashville's defense gets a lot of attention but it's really the style that Laviolette has implemented that has gotten them to where they are. They know their identity. They put pucks on net and get rebounds. Their D pinch a lot but they know they have the green light because F3 is always covering back. They're all on the same page all the time until someone like Dumo is able to find a gap to spring someone like Sid on a break. I don't think I would say Nashville is all that much better than the Caps or the Sens at holding the blue line (they are) but the bigger issue (imo) is the Pens poor ability to move the puck out of their own zone (obvious) but primarily from the Preds FORWARDS. Their forwards do a great job of forechecking and giving our D very poor looks, this ALLOWS their defenders to pinch basically without risk.

Hainsey, who's a solid journeyman, this is a role which has accentuated the flaws in his game

That's putting it light. His game has 0 offensive upside. And when he's in his own end, he makes absolutely dreadful decisions. I thought he and Dumoulin played like crap yesterday. I have no idea why Sullivan keeps going back to Hainsey and refuses to play Streit. Who, in his small sample size (against Ottawa), played decent.

I don't get it. This defense is getting eaten alive.

I thought last night was the most evenly played game in the series. The Preds probably still led the fancy stat possession numbers, but the Penguins had a much more consistent counter-attack, and their PP was much better - even if they didn't score. Nashville probably got a couple of breaks and bounces last night that they didn't get in Game 1.

I would agree with a lot of the Pens fans that the loss of Letang (and Bonino) hurts the Pens more than the loss of Johansen, Fiala & Wilson hurts the Preds. That said, it's not a guarantee that if all those players were able to go for both sides that the Pens would be dominating. In fact, I think the series would actually be more even from a numbers and possession standpoint.

The thing that was most impressive to me about the Preds last night was the way they came out in the 3rd period. They did not simply sit back, but drove the play and still looked to generate offensive possession time. Too many times, teams get up a goal or two and then do the old dump-and-retreat strategy. Can't do that against the Pens, their forwards are too good for Nashville to play back. Game 5 is going to be nuts. The Pens may feel backed into a corner a bit, but they still have home ice & the best player in the world. Why do we have to wait until Thursday NHL? Why????

Why do we have to wait until Thursday NHL? Why????
- holycow_75

I asked the same thing. Why the big delay between games?

Yeah, it's not like they have a long flight or are changing time by three zones.