Todd Cordell: Blue Jackets Look to Even Series With Penguins on Home Ice

Paul Martin has been the Penguins top D man for the past 2 years. He is a quiet assassin. Just goes about his business, not flashy, and at the end of the game he has upwards of 25 minutes played in all situations, a positive possession guy, and sometimes has some offensive numbers to boot.

There is a reason the Penguins went from a top 5 possession team to the middle of the pack, it coincided with Paul Martin's injuries this year.

Id move Nisky and Maata up to 2nd line D and move down Tanger and Scuds to the bottom

I would disagree with the Paul Martin observation, though he is a huge piece of the Pens... when he is healthy, that is. So in my mind, the distinction for the most solid, all-around Pen's D-man goes to none other than Matt Niskanen. Because of injuries to Martin and others, Nisk has taken on much larger responsibilities all season, and seasons past as well. Like Paul Martin, he's not flashy either... just goes about his business, making smart plays right out of the chute, and let's not forget he's had quite the O season this year, including time on the 1st PP. Martin is indeed solid, but Niskanen has stayed healthy with increased ice time against other teams' top lines, and so he gets my vote for the Pen's quiet assassin.

This one will be a hard fought game. I hope the Pens come up with the win.

The funny thing is that some teams out of the playoffs might think they are better than Columbus and maybe, just maybe, undervalue whatever the Penguins accomplish.

The Jackets are a legit team, they earned every bit of Game 2, Jack Johnson is like a rich mans Travis Hamonic to me from last years playoffs, just a wrecking ball. One of the things I noticed about the Jackets in game 3, their passing is so tape to tape it made me sick. They can move around on the PP as good as Pit when they are on.

The Jackets are a legit team, they earned every bit of Game 2, Jack Johnson is like a rich mans Travis Hamonic to me from last years playoffs, just a wrecking ball. One of the things I noticed about the Jackets in game 3, their passing is so tape to tape it made me sick. They can move around on the PP as good as Pit when they are on.
- BillKessel

Exactly. They are a good team. They've been good all year inspite of injuries.

The Jackets are a legit team, they earned every bit of Game 2, Jack Johnson is like a rich mans Travis Hamonic to me from last years playoffs, just a wrecking ball. One of the things I noticed about the Jackets in game 3, their passing is so tape to tape it made me sick. They can move around on the PP as good as Pit when they are on.
- BillKessel

Yeah but were good at blowing 3-1 leads.....and I think the Pens have us figured out, seeing how they played us in the 3rd period on Monday.

There were alot of guys on Pittsburgh sports radio dismissing the Jackets, and my only thought was you simply can't dismiss ANY team that makes the playoffs. And the Pens have been so inconsistent, as a fan, you have to realize they could go all the way, or they could get knocked out by an sinpired young team, as are the Jackets.
Hats off to the Jackets... GO PENS !!

Yeah but were good at blowing 3-1 leads.....and I think the Pens have us figured out, seeing how they played us in the 3rd period on Monday.
- Alexzanki

I'm not sure about that. Maybe you guys just sat back with the lead and gave the Penguins some ice to work with. This can be corrected. I still think this series will go longer than 5 games.

IMO the Blue Jackets is a better team than Tampa Bay and Dallas.

I'm not sure about that. Maybe you guys just sat back with the lead and gave the Penguins some ice to work with. This can be corrected. I still think this series will go longer than 5 games.

IMO the Blue Jackets is a better team than Tampa Bay and Dallas.
- Orpik44

Could be , will see tonight if we can rebound or if Pit will start putting nails in are coffin.

Yeah but were good at blowing 3-1 leads.....and I think the Pens have us figured out, seeing how they played us in the 3rd period on Monday.
- Alexzanki

Its a young team, but they will only get better. Pens are real lucky they lead the series, a couple of those 3rd period goals were of the flukey variety

There were alot of guys on Pittsburgh sports radio dismissing the Jackets, and my only thought was you simply can't dismiss ANY team that makes the playoffs. And the Pens have been so inconsistent, as a fan, you have to realize they could go all the way, or they could get knocked out by an sinpired young team, as are the Jackets.
Hats off to the Jackets... GO PENS !!
- skridscousin

Exactly this isn't the NBA PLAYOFFS with 6 good teams. This is the toughest trophy to hoist in sports for a reason. By the way speaking of the NBA and officiating why did the NHL have a French reff in that montreal series making all those bad calls. Not that Montreal didn't outskate them bad but the habs got it their way

Exactly this isn't the NBA PLAYOFFS with 6 good teams. This is the toughest trophy to hoist in sports for a reason. By the way speaking of the NBA and officiating why did the NHL have a French reff in that montreal series making all those bad calls. Not that Montreal didn't outskate them bad but the habs got it their way
- Jordy8

He was not French. He was a Francophone from Quebec. The other referees are not English just because they speak English. I get what you are saying I am just being pedantic.

This comes from years of explaining to middle school students that Mexicans do not speak Mexican they speak Spanish.

Terrible way to officiate a game though.

He was not French. He was a Francophone from Quebec. The other referees are not English just because they speak English. I get what you are saying I am just being pedantic.

This comes from years of explaining to middle school students that Mexicans do not speak Mexican they speak Spanish.

Terrible way to officiate a game though.
- Tiogadog

I definitely don't want any Canadian called French. Its an insult to all of North America. I've been to France once and it was before 9/11. Still the most miserable experience of my life...just sayin'.

I definitely don't want any Canadian called French. Its an insult to all of North America. I've been to France once and it was before 9/11. Still the most miserable experience of my life...just sayin'.
- cranktheradio

Eastern France was pretty awesome. I see no need to ever return to Paris. I felt that way before I got food poisoning at the Louvre.

Eastern France was pretty awesome. I see no need to ever return to Paris. I felt that way before I got food poisoning at the Louvre.
- Tiogadog

I think it was their overall contempt for any English speaking person that got me. I was with a buddy who lived in London, his Scottish fiance and a hockey teammate from the Toronto area. We all got treated like crap.

Inspiring

Inspiring
- Alexzanki

Fleury blew this game big time.

Congrats. That was a helluva come back.

I really enjoy watching your team compete. They are a fun bunch to root for.

Heck of a comeback.

Now please take a 3-1 lead and score first in Game 5.