Pens-Isles comes down to best of three matchup beginning Thursday
EDIT: Pre-Game Audio
Dan Bylsma
Sidney Crosby
Tomas Vokoun
Tyler Kennedy
Joe Vitale
Marc-Andre Fleury
Jack Capuano
Courtesy of Pittsburgh Penguins
-- What does losing defenseman Andrew MacDonald – Newsday reported he has a broken hand and will miss the rest of the playoffs -- mean to the Islanders?
MacDonald led New York with 23:31 TOI in the regular season. He led in short-handed ice time (2:47) and his 123 blocked shots were a team best. MacDonald totaled only 26 hits and 12 points in 48 regular-season contests, but as Penguins fans know, it’s hard to replace top minutes-eaters on the blue line.
-- If the Penguins find a way to beat the Islanders in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, a couple of big demons will have been exorcised. First, Pittsburgh has never defeated New York in a playoff series. Second, the Pens have never won a playoff series since moving out of Mellon Arena.
-- Much has been made about the Islanders’ team speed, but the last time I looked, hockey isn’t an Olympic speed skating event. Just because one team is faster than the other, it doesn’t mean that team automagically wins. If that was true, Konstantin Koltsov would have been a star. There are ways to neutralize team speed and it's up to coach Bylsma to make the necessary in-game adjustments.
-- Sidney Crosby went 4-14 in the faceoff circle Tuesday, including 1-4 against Frans Nielsen (who he usually decimates). The slap shot he took off his chest/chin could’ve have stunned him a little bit. Look for those numbers to reverse in Game 5.
-- Kris Letang better make sure he stays clear of trouble Thursday. Linesmen typically don’t react well to players whose intent is to harm them. At the end of Game 4, Letang slightly shoved an official with his stick. Fortunately for Letang, he barely grazed the official. It was a heat-of-the-moment play, but the Pens defenseman has to be in control of his emotions. Certainly the incident didn’t come from the “How to win friends and influence people” Dale Carnegie manual. What's with the Penguins losing their cool so much?
-- From March 10 to March 30, the Penguins limited opponents to nine goals in 11 games. Pittsburgh beat the Islanders three times during that span. Goalie Tomas Vokoun started and won all three of those games.
When I called for Vokoun to start Game 3, the above numbers are what I had in mind. Changing goaltenders doesn’t have to be a sign of weakness. Sometimes it can be a show of strength. Vokoun stopped 92 of 94 shots he faced against New York in March. Despite Pittsburgh not sticking to the 55/45 goaltending split between Fleury and Vokoun it touted preseason, Vokoun should play well once again in Game 5.
-- Tyler Kennedy pretty much had a down season across the board -- six goals and 11 points in 46 games. Kennedy averaged nearly a half point per game (157 points in 326 contests) prior to 2013. With nine goals and 22 points in 31 career games versus the Isles, he’s put up good numbers against New York. TK has five goals and nine points in 13 playoff appearances over the last two postseasons. As a fourth liner, he’s worth a shot (pun intended for the voluminous Kennedy).
-- Grumbling over Jarome Iginla surfaced immediately after Game 4. What are the expectations from those disappointed with him? I don’t think you can teach an old dog new tricks. Moving him from right wing to left isn’t working. Sure, he fell down on the left wing in Game for and that looked really bad, but there’s more to it than just that. Had he played for Pittsburgh a couple months on left wing, perhaps the adjustment would look more natural, but it doesn’t. Get him back where he’s comfortable – right wing. What I’d really like to see is Iginla get in a fight, or at least in the face of a New York player. He needs to have that moment when all parties involved can say – now Jarome Iginla is a Penguin. Brenden Morrow’s had it, Doug Murray’s had it, even Jussi Jokinen’s had it.
Iginla orchestrated a trade to Pittsburgh – he needs to show that heart and intensity that’s already made him a Hall of Famer. It’s now or never. Have that moment.
-- Is it just me or does Dan Bylsma look tight? “Game-time decision” or “no injury updates.” You’re coaching a hockey game. This isn’t the Middle East or North Korea. Relax a little bit. The players are often a reflection of the coach. Cut yourself some slack. I watched the media conferences with fellow playoff coaches Adam Oates and Randy Carlyle on Wednesday, and I swear I saw them actually breathe and smile once or twice. Oates even revealed Martin Erat has an upper-body injury – call the Pentagon. I’m sorry, but Bylsma’s not finding a cure for cancer here. Certainly, Bylsma doesn’t owe anything to anyone not in the Penguins room. All that matters are the “W’s.” What are your thoughts?
-- New York Islanders hits leaders: Matt Martin (22), Travis Hamonic (17), Michael Grabner (13), Casey Cizikas (11), and Brad Boyes (10).
Pittsburgh Penguins hits leaders: Brenden Morrow (14), Matt Cooke (14), Kris Letang (13), Pascal Dupuis (12), and Chris Kunitz (11).
-- If New York finds a way to win Game 5, pressure will increase on the Islanders. They haven’t dealt with any pressure against a prohibitive favorite thus far, but questions will be asked if a group of players who’ve never collectively won before can seal the deal on a playoff series.
-- Despite calls for the benching of Matt Niskanen, I still think his ability to play in more than one situation brings more to the table than whoever might replace him in the lineup.
-- Tomas Vokoun is 3-8 in the playoffs, but hasn’t seen postseason action since 2006, when he played for the Predators. I’m not sure how relevant that is, but we’ll all find out Thursday night.
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Poll Results: Who should start for the Penguins in Game 5?
Tomas Vokoun was named Game 5 starter a couple hours after the posting of this article. In a final count, 62 percent of respondents want to see Vokoun in goal Thursday while only eight percent favor Marc-Andre Fleury. The proof is in the pudding and we’ll see how things work out in Game 5.
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Treasure Life!
JT
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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