If your a bolts fan do you start wondering if you are going to get swept 2 years running by the lower seed? And everyone thought we have problems - the Bolts by all accounts is a great team.
- Aussiepenguin

I dont see the East as good as teh west. MTL, OTT, are good teams. If Halak can play well then the Isles are good. Det can be a dark horse, if they get on a roll they might be unstoppable. I dont see the Pens Rags, TBL, CAPS are all kinda meh. I dont think they are as good as ANA, NASH, STL, CHI, MINN. Even the Jets I think could beat a team from the east.

If your a bolts fan do you start wondering if you are going to get swept 2 years running by the lower seed? And everyone thought we have problems - the Bolts by all accounts is a great team.
- Aussiepenguin

I have to admit, I would trade our roster for Tampa's and not think twice. They are much closer to winning the Cup than we are.

They are beatable, but not with this team.
- Oneonta Penguin

yeah. they are very deep, but not unbeatable.

but with this team, they simply cant get it done. fleury was fine. but our team just cant make them pay right now.

the rags arent offensive wizards, but they are more than capable of picking apart this piecemeal defense the pens have out there. and they are balanced, so there really isnt a time you can shelter a pair. the space they had in the first half of the game was incredible. not to mention the fact that the possessions just last forever because youre essentially banking on scuderi to win a footrace to get it out, and that cant happen.

offensively, its just not there either for the pens. when they finally do get it out, the defense cant exactly make crisp exit passes or bring it up ice. its on the forwards. they arent good enough to do that, while simultaneously getting into the dirty areas that it takes to score on the rags. the defense is still pretty solid. the perimeter game wont work. theyll block it. and if you do get it through, hank is still one of the best in the game. it needs to be the dirty crease goals, and they just cant do that now. horny can do that, but he needs time to set up in a half court offense. and thats just not there.

I think this was a closer game than most Rangers fans expected. I think a lot of people that thought this would be a cakewalk were a bit humbled.

You guys have a pretty good team and it will be a close series. Good game...thought those PPs early really slowed you guys down.

With that said, I also don't think the Rangers played at their top level. They haven't really played at their top level since maybe the Anaheim game in the regular season which is worrisome.

the bolts are on their way up though. all of their pieces are assets appreciating in value. they just need to learn how to be great.

i would (frank)ing kill for one of tyler johnson or nikita kutcherov.
- stayinthefnnet

Yes but nearly everyone outside this board looks at the Pens & says how (frank)ing great the team is??

Now it's a long way to go for them, but hypothetically this year should be the start of their time for the Bolts & if they do go out 1st round I will be calling that a catastrophe. Last year they had their first lesson this year they are supposed to of learnt from last year. Just saying.

Pens were the better team in the second, would have been a much different game if the refs didn't hand the Rangers an entire period to get a head start.

That call on Comeau was pathetic.
The calls on Downie and Perron aren't getting called in the other series. Weak.

I think this was a closer game than most Rangers fans expected. I think a lot of people that thought this would be a cakewalk were a bit humbled.

You guys have a pretty good team and it will be a close series. Good game...thought those PPs early really slowed you guys down.

With that said, I also don't think the Rangers played at their top level. They haven't really played at their top level since maybe the Anaheim game in the regular season which is worrisome.
- rangerdanger94

defensively i thought they were a little passive. offensively, i thought they had a ton of jump. granted its easy to do so when you have such space. fleury had some big saves.

I have to admit, I would trade our roster for Tampa's and not think twice. They are much closer to winning the Cup than we are.
- Oneonta Penguin

If they go out 1st round 2 years running?

If that's the Pens, some here would be asking for Stamkos to be traded!

We won a cup as did they, but that's not the question.

Yes but nearly everyone outside this board looks at the Pens & says how (frank)ing great the team is??

Now it's a long way to go for them, but hypothetically this year should be the start of their time for the Bolts & if they do go out 1st round I will be calling that a catastrophe. Last year they had their first lesson this year they are supposed to of learnt from last year. Just saying.
- Aussiepenguin

oh i agree. nows the time for them to start putting these lessons into experience. im not saying its cool to just chalk it up as ahhh no biggie the kids are still learning.

all im saying, is they are still on their way up the hill, while we are unfortunately on the way down haha

Pens were the better team in the second, would have been a much different game if the refs didn't hand the Rangers an entire period to get a head start.

That call on Comeau was pathetic.
The calls on Downie and Perron aren't getting called in the other series. Weak.
- stackthepads

I thought the Downie and Perron calls were legit. The call on Chorney was laughable because they ignored it when the Rags did it in the third. Sutter was flat out tackled in the third too. Like I said, joke sport allows the Refs to change the rules in the middle of the game.

Pens were the better team in the second, would have been a much different game if the refs didn't hand the Rangers an entire period to get a head start.

That call on Comeau was pathetic.
The calls on Downie and Perron aren't getting called in the other series. Weak.
- stackthepads

Well why is everyone blowing the Rags & stomping on the Pens head? If they aren't sooooo much better??

I thought the Downie and Perron calls were legit. The call on Chorney was laughable because they ignored it when the Rags did it. Sutter was flat out tackled in the third too. Like I said, joke sport allows the Refs to change the rules in the middle of the game.
- madmike71

yeah, the perron call goes uncalled in other series. it does. but thats just the poopty inconsistency with reffing right now.

that was definitely a legit penalty. 2 handed him. and for a guy who isnt doing (frank)ing jack poop, he cant take that liberty there.

Dumo will not be on the roster next year.

Adams will be in for BB at some point this series.

I thought the Downie and Perron calls were legit. The call on Chorney was laughable because they ignored it when the Rags did it in the third. Sutter was flat out tackled in the third too. Like I said, joke sport allows the Refs to change the rules in the middle of the game.
- madmike71

They were both legit penalties, but they are also penalties that aren't called in the playoffs. And aren't being called in the other series that I'm seeing.

The refs called everything they could on the Pens, and none of the typical make up calls you would definitely see if the rolls were reversed.

Regardless, the Pens are taking this series!

yeah. they are very deep, but not unbeatable.

but with this team, they simply cant get it done. fleury was fine. but our team just cant make them pay right now.

the rags arent offensive wizards, but they are more than capable of picking apart this piecemeal defense the pens have out there. and they are balanced, so there really isnt a time you can shelter a pair. the space they had in the first half of the game was incredible. not to mention the fact that the possessions just last forever because youre essentially banking on scuderi to win a footrace to get it out, and that cant happen.

offensively, its just not there either for the pens. when they finally do get it out, the defense cant exactly make crisp exit passes or bring it up ice. its on the forwards. they arent good enough to do that, while simultaneously getting into the dirty areas that it takes to score on the rags. the defense is still pretty solid. the perimeter game wont work. theyll block it. and if you do get it through, hank is still one of the best in the game. it needs to be the dirty crease goals, and they just cant do that now. horny can do that, but he needs time to set up in a half court offense. and thats just not there.
- stayinthefnnet

I agree with pretty much everything. Dmen not being able to effectively move the puck is killing the team. Ehrhoff and Pouliot would be a major improvement in that category.

If they go out 1st round 2 years running?

If that's the Pens, some here would be asking for Stamkos to be traded!

We won a cup as did they, but that's not the question.
- Aussiepenguin

Yes, without question. They have a better team, a more balanced team and a lot of young talent that can do something. It's not even close.

Hell, I'd take Calgary's roster and Winnipeg's roster moving forward.

Dumo will not be on the roster next year.

Adams will be in for BB at some point this series.
- sammy87

Wilson will be in for BB. I think Adams' career is over.

By the way, the baby Pens are on TV on Saturday night in Pittsburgh if anyone wants to DVR it and watch Kappy.

I agree with pretty much everything. Dmen not being able to effectively move the puck is killing the team. Ehrhoff and Pouliot would be a major improvement in that category.
- jfkst1

if they have letang, hoff, and pouliot, that could be totally different.

not even counting maatta.

Wilson will be in for BB. I think Adams' career is over.

By the way, the baby Pens are on TV on Saturday night in Pittsburgh if anyone wants to DVR it and watch Kappy.
- madmike71

True, forgot about Wilson. He will most likely suck too.

I just keep thinking about the BB draft. Shero looks at the board and sees a big body Minn native Brock Nelson available but picks a roller skater from CA.

if they have letang, hoff, and pouliot, that could be totally different.

not even counting maatta.
- stayinthefnnet

Its a different story if hte Pens are healthy, a full lineup is top 5 in the NHL easy. But they're not.

True, forgot about Wilson. He will most likely suck too.

I just keep thinking about the BB draft. Shero looks at the board and sees a big body Minn native Brock Nelson available but picks a roller skater from CA.
- sammy87

i get that same feeling about saad and joe morrow.

if this team had a saad, zucker, kutcherov, type young guy, i think everything is very, very different.

Its a different story if hte Pens are healthy, a full lineup is top 5 in the NHL easy. But they're not.
- sammy87

true.

kunitz and perron are absolutely killing this team right now.

ill have to say it, i hate him but lapierre was that effective playoff pest. dont know where the (frank) that was all year.

if they have letang, hoff, and pouliot, that could be totally different.

not even counting maatta.
- stayinthefnnet

The days of us having a healthy Letang, Hoff are numbered.

True, forgot about Wilson. He will most likely suck too.

I just keep thinking about the BB draft. Shero looks at the board and sees a big body Minn native Brock Nelson available but picks a roller skater from CA.
- sammy87

One forward on the NHL roster that he drafted and it's Bennett. That says it all for anybody that thinks he got a raw deal.

He made a few good trades, but overall, he starved this team by not being able to draft and develop any young forwards.

true.

kunitz and perron are absolutely killing this team right now.

ill have to say it, i hate him but lapierre was that effective playoff pest. dont know where the (frank) that was all year.
- stayinthefnnet

Let me clarify, if healthy and everyone is playing to their potential, a top 5 roster. Sure the bottom 6 is a disaster but Matta, Tang, and Hoff are a good D. I think Lap is fine for a 4C. Not sure what else you could ask for. He played well tonight.

I wasnt huge on the Perron trade. I think a 1st was over payment. I would have prefered Sutter + 2nd or Dumo or BB.

The Winnik deal is a mystery to me as well.