Speaking of Burgerboy, I really hope someone seriously injures him with a cheap shot. I'm tired on his antics. He can be added to the list of players like Rinaldo that I want injured.
- jfkst1

He needs to be suspended. I hate Princess Perry and all, but there's never an excuse for that.

Just imagine Neal crashing the net
- chimpira

I was not a Neal fan. When the Pens played the AVS last yr the top line was JJ, Neal, Adams, Neal was terribly slow. No effort at all on his part. I was done with him and so were the Pens.

I'm also astonished that this team seems to refuse to accept the reality of needing to get players to the front of the net to score. They haven't been nearly the perimeter team they were against say the Bruins, but we're lucky to see them put 1 guy in the goalie's face. And on the rare occasion that they get 2 or more guys inside the space between the circles, they have scored. Yet like an Alzheimer's patient, it's like they forget that lesson over and over. They're not trying to be as fancy as they had been & I'll give them credit for that, but outside Horny, they're still not regularly sticking 2 guys down low on the rare occasion they've been able to establish zone presence.

I was not a Neal fan. When the Pens played the AVS last yr the top line was JJ, Neal, Adams, Neal was terribly slow. No effort at all on his part. I was done with him and so were the Pens.
- sammy87

And he has been a ghost for the Preds in the playoffs: 0G, 0A, -3. Not a single point when they beat Chicago 6-2? That's hard to believe.

I don't think he's done a horrible job as GM. The Neal trade was a win, as PH brings way more than Neal did (sans knees to the head). The Downie signing was, overall, better than expected. I just want to know what GM has assembled a team that can lose a Norris-caliber defenseman, a top-pairing defenseman, another top-4 defenseman, and a top-5 defenseman all at the same time and remain a Cup contender.
- jmatchett383

Kaboom. Well said. Expectations gang. We're lucky to win a series let alone a Cup.

That'd be nice... Malkin has regressed with the back injury, which really stings since they had reports out before the game he was a lot healthier.

I'd try what we did to start the season, move Sutter to the 2nd line (I'd prefer Winnik there, and Sutter keeping the 3rd line intact with Spaling replacing Winnik) and have Malkin take the left wing.

And of course, Wilson out, and FARNHAM IN! God do we want Farnham up.
- Guile

I thought Wilson looked alright considering it was his 1st playoff game and 2nd NHL game overall. He won a couple board battles and broke up a few plays in the neutral zone with good body/stick positioning. I just don't like him wearing #43. I see it and I think Tomas Surovy is out there again.

And he has been a ghost for the Preds in the playoffs: 0G, 0A, -3. Not a single point when they beat Chicago 6-2? That's hard to believe.
- chimpira

Yet everyone called me an idiot for saying this 12 months ago.... I was lead to believe one didn't know a thing about hockey for even contemplating moving a 30+ goal scorer with a $5 mill cap hit.

I've watched every second of the Preds/Hawks. Neal will always be a regular season goal scorer. His game is 100% incompatible with playoff hockey however. Too much perimeter activity and not enough going to the dirty areas. Unfortunately, Nashville is finding that out oh..right about....NOW.

Moving that d-bag and getting Horny back is an all-time deal IMO. Horny has had an impactful playoff for the Pens.

Out top 3 players this series:

1. MAF
2. Laps
3. Horny

Yet everyone called me an idiot for saying this 12 months ago.... I was lead to believe one didn't know a thing about hockey for even contemplating moving a 30+ goal scorer with a $5 mill cap hit.

I've watched every second of the Preds/Hawks. Neal will always be a regular season goal scorer. His game is 100% incompatible with playoff hockey however. Too much perimeter activity and not enough going to the dirty areas. Unfortunately, Nashville is finding that out oh..right about....NOW.

Moving that d-bag and getting Horny back is an all-time deal IMO. Horny has had an impactful playoff for the Pens.

Out top 3 players this series:

1. MAF
2. Laps
3. Horny
- 87_71_11_29

This is a problem.

Yet everyone called me an idiot for saying this 12 months ago.... I was lead to believe one didn't know a thing about hockey for even contemplating moving a 30+ goal scorer with a $5 mill cap hit.

I've watched every second of the Preds/Hawks. Neal will always be a regular season goal scorer. His game is 100% incompatible with playoff hockey however. Too much perimeter activity and not enough going to the dirty areas. Unfortunately, Nashville is finding that out oh..right about....NOW.

Moving that d-bag and getting Horny back is an all-time deal IMO. Horny has had an impactful playoff for the Pens.

Out top 3 players this series:

1. MAF
2. Laps
3. Horny
- 87_71_11_29

James Neal == Rick Nash

This is a problem.
- jmatchett383

I think a goalie being the best in the postseason is a great thing normally...

But having almost no one else playing good "might" be an issue

I think a goalie being the best in the postseason is a great thing normally...

But having almost no one else playing good "might" be an issue
- Guile

MAF was going to have to be the team MVP to win the series. So far, he has been.

And as much as I like Hornqvist, Crosby should be the 1A/2 team MVP. When the 2nd/3rd best player on your team is a yappy bottom-6 player, that's a bad sign.

MAF was going to have to be the team MVP to win the series. So far, he has been.

And as much as I like Hornqvist, Crosby should be the 1A/2 team MVP. When the 2nd/3rd best player on your team is a yappy bottom-6 player, that's a bad sign.
- jmatchett383

I think for how this is a down year for Crosby, hes been fine the last two games. Horny has been great, Perron seems to be coming alive... But Kunitz looked lost last night, Malkin is so close to being gimped it seems.... and, yeah, then Lappy is playing good.

Thats about it ~_~

My biggest Rutherford complaint is not putting Erhoff on IR. I realize that once there was less than 10 games left he could not do such a thing, but if I recall correctly Erhoff was injured with 12 games remaining. His injury and his condition after the hit certainly did not look like a short term problem. They quickly listed him as day-to-day which as we know in Penguinspeak is we wont see this player for another six weeks.

My other complaint is that I am not sure he deserved the job in the first place. his Carolina record was terrible...Staal trade, Semin signing.

I think a goalie being the best in the postseason is a great thing normally...

But having almost no one else playing good "might" be an issue
- Guile

Crosby has been good overall.

Yeah Yeah Geno's hurt got it but good lord 0 shots in the biggest game of the year? cmon RW has sid or geno ever rolled through a stop sign in your world or is literally nothing ever their fault?

Yeah Yeah Geno's hurt got it but good lord 0 shots in the biggest game of the year? cmon RW has sid or geno ever rolled through a stop sign in your world or is literally nothing ever their fault?
- eganator

Oh look a Bruins fan....how's your offseason going?

Oh look a Bruins fan....how's your offseason going?
- MattStrat

Idk man see you friday so you can find out yourself

Man...Bill Guerin as GM would excite me as much as it would scare me. He has 0 track record in this side of the business.

I like the idea of a true hockey guy at the helm...Botterill probably wouldnt stay on board to play first assistant again.

I feel like we needed to get Brisebois, or someone from Detroit, or just any scouting staff that drafts well and finds late round gems.

The one guy on the team that has been doing this is Hornqvist. If the entire team gave the effort and hustle that he has, they're probably up 2-1 in the series. Dude has been better than advertised.
- jmatchett383

Bingo. I thought we truly had something when, right after the trade was made, Hawks and Blues fans were coming to our boards saying "thank god that dude is out of our division...".

This is a problem.
- jmatchett383

Exactly!

I threw up right after I typed those characters. Need a new keyboard now.

Oh look a Bruins fan....how's your offseason going?
- MattStrat

But seriously your highest pid player has 0 shots in the biggest game of the year? Why is he above criticism?

Man...Bill Guerin as GM would excite me as much as it would scare me. He has 0 track record in this side of the business.

I like the idea of a true hockey guy at the helm...Botterill probably wouldnt stay on board to play first assistant again.

I feel like we needed to get Brisebois, or someone from Detroit, or just any scouting staff that drafts well and finds late round gems.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I'd love to get Brisebois. He'll probably end up in Boston with our luck.

But seriously your highest pid player has 0 shots in the biggest game of the year? Why is he above criticism?
- eganator

Malkin's likely playing injured.

Yet everyone called me an idiot for saying this 12 months ago.... I was lead to believe one didn't know a thing about hockey for even contemplating moving a 30+ goal scorer with a $5 mill cap hit.

I've watched every second of the Preds/Hawks. Neal will always be a regular season goal scorer. His game is 100% incompatible with playoff hockey however. Too much perimeter activity and not enough going to the dirty areas. Unfortunately, Nashville is finding that out oh..right about....NOW.

Moving that d-bag and getting Horny back is an all-time deal IMO. Horny has had an impactful playoff for the Pens.

Out top 3 players this series:

1. MAF
2. Laps
3. Horny
- 87_71_11_29

Crosby has been better in the playoffs than he was in the last two months.

I fully agree with you on Neal. I was called the same kind of names when I swore up and down that 72 would outscore Neal. Neal needs a prime center to get him the puck. Without one he's a body on the ice and that is all.

Malkin's likely playing injured.
- jfkst1

So is everyone it's the playoffs I enjoy Gunner's stuff except that everybody gets looked at for the team's failings except sid and geno. Ovi had a broken foot a couple years ago and got killed by fans and writers alike.