This was no fluke. Stop the worry. Tonight it didn't matter who was in net.
- Oneonta Penguin

This was not the same team that dispatched the Ovi and the Caps. Yeah, the Caps choke in the playoffs every year, but the Penguins have had our number for years and I am still waiting for the real Crosby to appear.

Doughty is the only one who should be a finalist that is a finalist. Ryan Suter is a stud that often gets overlooked. Burns is in the same boat as Karlsson IMO.

Doughty
Suter
Hedman

If its best defenseman category, not best offensive defenseman. Otherwise:

Karlsson
Burns
Letang
- Weisenheimer

see i guess i walk the line between the middle. its not an award for best defensive defenseman. its not the art ross for the position. its the best overall guy.

like when people say toews is better than crosby. yeah. toews is a little better defensively than crosby. but not by enough to be better overall. its hard to put arbitrary numbers on it, but if you said crosby is a 7 defensively and toews is a 9, but crosby is a 10 offensively while toews is a 7. overall, crosby would be the better total.

i look at the norris the same way. again. those numbers are just rough arbitrary things and it gets virtually impossible to split hairs. but my main point is i dont think the offensive side should be the sole indicator, but it cant be discarded either.

(frank) im drunk and hate everything.

This was not the same team that dispatched the Ovi and the Caps. Yeah, the Caps choke in the playoffs every year, but the Penguins have had our number for years and I am still waiting for the real Crosby to appear.
- GalacticStone

Pens seem to always play bad in TBL. Pens need to win gm2.

This was not the same team that dispatched the Ovi and the Caps. Yeah, the Caps choke in the playoffs every year, but the Penguins have had our number for years and I am still waiting for the real Crosby to appear.
- GalacticStone

You swept us in three meetings this year. You beat us in our last playoff series between the two.

We are waiting for the real Crosby. I'm waiting for the real Malkin too, who usually owns TB.

see i guess i walk the line between the middle. its not an award for best defensive defenseman. its not the art ross for the position. its the best overall guy.

like when people say toews is better than crosby. yeah. toews is a little better defensively than crosby. but not by enough to be better overall. its hard to put arbitrary numbers on it, but if you said crosby is a 7 defensively and toews is a 9, but crosby is a 10 offensively while toews is a 7. overall, crosby would be the better total.

i look at the norris the same way. again. those numbers are just rough arbitrary things and it gets virtually impossible to split hairs. but my main point is i dont think the offensive side should be the sole indicator, but it cant be discarded either.

(frank) im drunk and hate everything.
- stayinthefnnet

Toews is one of the most overrated players in the game. Factor in his cap hit, theres 10 other C's Id take over him building a roster.

Maatta needs to sit, plain as simple!

see i guess i walk the line between the middle. its not an award for best defensive defenseman. its not the art ross for the position. its the best overall guy.

like when people say toews is better than crosby. yeah. toews is a little better defensively than crosby. but not by enough to be better overall. its hard to put arbitrary numbers on it, but if you said crosby is a 7 defensively and toews is a 9, but crosby is a 10 offensively while toews is a 7. overall, crosby would be the better total.

i look at the norris the same way. again. those numbers are just rough arbitrary things and it gets virtually impossible to split hairs. but my main point is i dont think the offensive side should be the sole indicator, but it cant be discarded either.

(frank) im drunk and hate everything.
- stayinthefnnet

I'm not giving it to the best defensive defense man either. There has to be a mix of both. That is why I don't think Karlsson should ever be a finalist, because one component it takes is average.

Tampa is the real deal, even without Stamkos and Stralman. I actually had more confidence against Washington than I do against the Bolts. This series is going to be about who can score the first goal.

Maatta needs to sit, plain as simple!
- nh4442

True, but not gonna happen if Dumo is out. If he's out its gonna hurt. I dont mind Shultz but losing Dumo will be tough.

I'm not giving it to the best defensive defense man either. There has to be a mix of both. That is why I don't think Karlsson should ever be a finalist, because one component it takes is average.
- Oneonta Penguin

and that's totally fair enough to me. if you think his defensive game is THAT short that it brings the average that far down. that is a debatable topic that could be discussed at length, but to me its still a rational deduction if thats the belief and personal evaluation.

who are your 3?

i fully admit i'm changing the subject off the deep end here from the pens. my sanity needs it, so humor me.

my apologies if you already through them out there as well. i'm scatterbrained right now.

Toews is one of the most overrated players in the game. Factor in his cap hit, theres 10 other C's Id take over him building a roster.
- sammy87

there are a few i would as well.

and that's totally fair enough to me. if you think his defensive game is THAT short that it brings the average that far down. that is a debatable topic that could be discussed at length, but to me its still a rational deduction if thats the belief and personal evaluation.

who are your 3?

i fully admit i'm changing the subject off the deep end here from the pens. my sanity needs it, so humor me.

my apologies if you already through them out there as well. i'm scatterbrained right now.
- stayinthefnnet

Doughty
Hedman
Suter/Weber/Seabrooke/Keith

I could go with any of those four ... lean toward Suter, but ...

No problem.

Maatta needs to sit, plain as simple!
- nh4442

Well, if Dumo is out, Maatta has to stay in. I want no part of DP in the lineup.

Doughty
Hedman
Suter/Weber/Seabrooke/Keith

I could go with any of those four ... lean toward Suter, but ...

No problem.
- Oneonta Penguin

i could get on board with a doughty/hedman/suter

These NBC guys are praising Boyle. Did he really shut down Sid? Sid's line looked great today and if they keep playing like that then they'll start scoring. All Boyle did was block a few shots

These NBC guys are praising Boyle. Did he really shut down Sid? Sid's line looked great today and if they keep playing like that then they'll start scoring. All Boyle did was block a few shots
- drummer829

If Sid continues to sit at 3 goals in this series, I don't like our chances. Malkin with another brain dead offensive zone penalty.

These guys need to really pick up their games.

If Sid continues to sit at 3 goals in this series, I don't like our chances. Malkin with another brain dead offensive zone penalty.

These guys need to really pick up their games.
- madmike71

I agree. These guys need to start playing like the best on the world.

If Sid continues to sit at 3 goals in this series, I don't like our chances. Malkin with another brain dead offensive zone penalty.

These guys need to really pick up their games.
- madmike71

IIRC, Malkin usually eats Tampa alive when he plays them.

These NBC guys are praising Boyle. Did he really shut down Sid? Sid's line looked great today and if they keep playing like that then they'll start scoring. All Boyle did was block a few shots
- drummer829

Sid and Malkin have got to start shooting the biscuit. How many times do they gain the line and then dish to the wing? Have some conviction and fire it on net or try to drive the net. Mix it up a bit.

Game 2 is a "must win" (ya ya, it's especially important now though)

These NBC guys are praising Boyle. Did he really shut down Sid? Sid's line looked great today and if they keep playing like that then they'll start scoring. All Boyle did was block a few shots
- drummer829

If Milbury's or Roenick's mouth is moving, poop is coming out.

Toews is one of the most overrated players in the game. Factor in his cap hit, theres 10 other C's Id take over him building a roster.
- sammy87

I would take Malkin over Toews any day.

I would take Malkin over Toews any day.
- GalacticStone

Malkin, Crosby, Kopitar, Giroux, Bergeron, Getlaf....I think Barkov will be a stud in a few yrs. More just too much whiskey at this point.

Malkin, Crosby, Kopitar, Giroux, Bergeron, Getlaf....I think Barkov will be a stud in a few yrs. More just too much whiskey at this point.
- sammy87

Pass the whiskey, stop bogarting it!

WBS forces game 7 with Hershey with a 6-2 win. Rooney with two goals; Kotsopolous with 1 goal and three helpers and Jake Guentzel with a goal and an assist.

Liam O'Brien with 18 penalty minutes for Hershey including a 10-minute abuse of an official deal. I'll bet he sits for game 7.