The third period sitting back resulted in 2 goals for and 1 against. It doesnt look great but the team did a good job of keeping the shots to the outside and preventing second chances.
- stackthepads

The problem I have with this is that this team is really not built to play a trap for an entire period. Their best advantage is mobility and they were doing a lot of static defending in the neutral zone which was problematic since the Bolts came at them with speed out of their own zone since the Pens were no longer forechecking at all. Tampa had way too many easy entries in the 3rd to suit my liking because of it. There's no reason the Pens couldn't have continued to forecheck, but just be a little more conservative in terms of making plays with the puck in high danger areas.

Can you stop calling it "offsides" when it is a single event. The call is "offside" not "offsides". FFS
- Chadavitch

According to the rulebook it is technically "off-side" but nobody cares. Nobody cares.

It's the same Kessel I've been watching all season. Shoot from everywhere, he just happens to be scoring more now. I haven't seen any difference in his play, except converting on his chances now.
- j.boyd919

It turns out the Penguins made the two most impactful trades, since last season, and it has translated into being one win away from the finals.

Kessel is a legitimate top five winger in the NHL today.

Hagelin, while he can't claim the same as Kessel, has been outstanding since being acquired, as you all well know.

Your GM has earned himself a big time congratulations and has set the Penguins up, to be a legitimate cup threat, for the next few seasons regardless of what happens tomorrow night.

The problem I have with this is that this team is really not built to play a trap for an entire period. Their best advantage is mobility and they were doing a lot of static defending in the neutral zone which was problematic since the Bolts came at them with speed out of their own zone since the Pens were no longer forechecking at all. Tampa had way too many easy entries in the 3rd to suit my liking because of it. There's no reason the Pens couldn't have continued to forecheck, but just be a little more conservative in terms of making plays with the puck in high danger areas.
- Emperor Filonius

This exactly. We don't have a bunch of big bodied, physical defensemen on the blue line that can rip skaters off the puck, dump guys out of the crease, and clog up space. The closest things we have to that are Ian Cole and Olli Maatta. When we get leads we should just keep playing the same game that limited the other team to ~12 shots per period. It's really hard for a team to convert on 30-40% of their shots in one period.

"It's a concern for many. Yes, we won. However, that game was much closer than it should have been. Two or three times this play-off year we have done exactly this in the third and had to hold on for dear life."

Trust me I get what you are saying, but what delusional reality do you live in? The game was much closer than it should have been? The game played out in this reality, not sure if you can see other dimensions and realities, but in the one I am living in that is how it happened and ended.

All this talk of "it should have been this way or that way".....well it wasn't, it happened the way it did. end of story....living in this reality is alot more enjoyable than saying it should have been.....

This exactly. We don't have a bunch of big bodied, physical defensemen on the blue line that can rip skaters off the puck, dump guys out of the crease, and clog up space. The closest things we have to that are Ian Cole and Olli Maatta. When we get leads we should just keep playing the same game that limited the other team to ~12 shots per period. It's really hard for a team to convert on 30-40% of their shots in one period.
- Victoro311

R.I.P.
Brooks Orpik

It turns out the Penguins made the two most impactful trades, since last season, and it has translated into being one win away from the finals.

Kessel is a legitimate top five winger in the NHL today.

Hagelin, while he can't claim the same as Kessel, has been outstanding since being acquired, as you all well know.

Your GM has earned himself a big time congratulations and has set the Penguins up, to be a legitimate cup threat, for the next few seasons regardless of what happens tomorrow night.
- MidnightMarauder

Agree 100%. Even if we lose game 7, we have no reason to lose faith unlike other years.

"It's a concern for many. Yes, we won. However, that game was much closer than it should have been. Two or three times this play-off year we have done exactly this in the third and had to hold on for dear life."

Trust me I get what you are saying, but what delusional reality do you live in? The game was much closer than it should have been? The game played out in this reality, not sure if you can see other dimensions and realities, but in the one I am living in that is how it happened and ended.

All this talk of "it should have been this way or that way".....well it wasn't, it happened the way it did. end of story....living in this reality is alot more enjoyable than saying it should have been.....
- Darklight11

Hey listen. You want to take the 'sall good aproach more power too you. Anyone ms entitled to that after such a great season we've had up until this point. But there are very valid concerns that you can't fault the rest of us for acknowledging.

It turns out the Penguins made the two most impactful trades, since last season, and it has translated into being one win away from the finals.

Kessel is a legitimate top five winger in the NHL today.

Hagelin, while he can't claim the same as Kessel, has been outstanding since being acquired, as you all well know.

Your GM has earned himself a big time congratulations and has set the Penguins up, to be a legitimate cup threat, for the next few seasons regardless of what happens tomorrow night.
- MidnightMarauder

its hard to explain. i dont think hagelin will score more than 15 goals over 80 games. but he influences the game without the puck in ways that i've seen from few players. he is pricey for his stats at 4mil, but i love him.

Agree 100%. Even if we lose game 7, we have no reason to lose faith unlike other years.
- Victoro311

yeah. it will just be very disappointing, given how pooptily they played games 4 and 5.

i know there are no moral victories, but ive always been more (frank)ed up over how a team loses than that they lose.

Agree 100%. Even if we lose game 7, we have no reason to lose faith unlike other years.
- Victoro311

I honestly don't think Pittsburgh will lose tomorrow unless Murray gets the game seven jitters and coughs up a few shaky goals.

its hard to explain. i dont think hagelin will score more than 15 goals over 80 games. but he influences the game without the puck in ways that i've seen from few players. he is pricey for his stats at 4mil, but i love him.
- stayinthefnnet

I can understand since Hagelin cut his teeth with the team I follow. He is an excellent depth winger; perhaps one of the best of that bunch in the entire league.

His price tag does not make sense, if you rarely seen him play, but he does impact the game regardless of his modest offensive output. The Rangers were cap crunched and couldn't justify paying the cost that Hagelin wound up getting from the Ducks. Pittsburgh, with their influx of home grown talent all maturing together, allowed Pittsburgh to have some cap flexibility in managing to pay a hefty cost, in this cap era, for a player with a career high of 39 points.

Hats off though, Bonino, Kessel and Hagelin all were excellent deals made and it didn't cost too much to acquire all three.

I honestly don't think Pittsburgh will lose tomorrow unless Murray gets the game seven jitters and coughs up a few shaky goals.
- MidnightMarauder

I think Murray is ticked from the Fleury start, I dont think there will be jitters his pride wont allow it.

"It's a concern for many. Yes, we won. However, that game was much closer than it should have been. Two or three times this play-off year we have done exactly this in the third and had to hold on for dear life."

Trust me I get what you are saying, but what delusional reality do you live in? The game was much closer than it should have been? The game played out in this reality, not sure if you can see other dimensions and realities, but in the one I am living in that is how it happened and ended.

All this talk of "it should have been this way or that way".....well it wasn't, it happened the way it did. end of story....living in this reality is alot more enjoyable than saying it should have been.....
- Darklight11

Not living in a delusion at all. We stopped playing and taking it to them offensively. That game never should have come to being 3-2. If we continued to play, like we did the previous two periods, Tampa doesn't make it that close. You can't tell me Tampa gets that close if we continue to play the game we played in the first two periods.

Not living in a delusion at all. We stopped playing and taking it to them offensively. That game never should have come to being 3-2. If we continued to play, like we did the previous two periods, Tampa doesn't make it that close. You can't tell me Tampa gets that close if we continue to play the game we played in the first two periods.
- Oneonta Penguin

Sure they could have. Tampa scores their goals off the rush, they attack with speed and try to catch a trailing player that gets lost in the confusion caused by the speed of their attack. Very few of their goals this series have come off extended zone pressure.
Tampa very easily could have taken advantage of us being too cute in their zone and scored off the counter attack.

if anyone havn't seen it yet then you should
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHyDcjn1BIc

That 3rd period push was expected and happens in every sport. It wasn't successful enjoy the day who knows what tomorrow holds.

if anyone havn't seen it yet then you should
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHyDcjn1BIc
- martox

tl;dnw

I liked Mr. Beloved right on the end of the bench. He is a good cheerleader. It is about time we found someone to close out a game instead of wilting under the pressure And now all of Mr Beloved's supporter are going to come out I don't care
Facts are facts Live with it

I liked Mr. Beloved right on the end of the bench. He is a good cheerleader. It is about time we found someone to close out a game instead of wilting under the pressure And now all of Mr Beloved's supporter are going to come out I don't care
Facts are facts Live with it
- holeinone

I think Murray is ticked from the Fleury start, I dont think there will be jitters his pride wont allow it.
- stackthepads

Murray always recovered well when pulled in WBS the few times it happened. He doesn't get rattled it just drives him and keeps him in check. Pulling and Benching Murray could be one of the best things to happen to the Pens, but I'll also say if he played in game 5, we closed out the series last night.

I can understand since Hagelin cut his teeth with the team I follow. He is an excellent depth winger; perhaps one of the best of that bunch in the entire league.

His price tag does not make sense, if you rarely seen him play, but he does impact the game regardless of his modest offensive output. The Rangers were cap crunched and couldn't justify paying the cost that Hagelin wound up getting from the Ducks. Pittsburgh, with their influx of home grown talent all maturing together, allowed Pittsburgh to have some cap flexibility in managing to pay a hefty cost, in this cap era, for a player with a career high of 39 points.

Hats off though, Bonino, Kessel and Hagelin all were excellent deals made and it didn't cost too much to acquire all three.
- MidnightMarauder

yeah man. i'm very nervous about game 7 though.

oh and love your location by the way haha

Murray always recovered well when pulled in WBS the few times it happened. He doesn't get rattled it just drives him and keeps him in check. Pulling and Benching Murray could be one of the best things to happen to the Pens, but I'll also say if he played in game 5, we closed out the series last night.
- Reverend Killtaker

I was thinking the same thing. We probably don't lose Game 5 with Murray in net considering a couple of the goals Fleury let in, but we also probably don't see the version of Murray we saw last night if he was rested for a game. Murray and Sheary looked completely rejuvenated. It's the rest of the team's fault for dropping a very winnable game 5 while those two rested up. Fingers pointed squarely at Malkin, Fleury, Letang, and somewhat Crosby for that one.

(frank) the bolts.

I liked Mr. Beloved right on the end of the bench. He is a good cheerleader. It is about time we found someone to close out a game instead of wilting under the pressure And now all of Mr Beloved's supporter are going to come out I don't care
Facts are facts Live with it
- holeinone

(frank), you're weird.