Ryan Wilson: Penguins One Game Away From Conference Finals Penguins One Game Away From Conference Finals

Nice win boys!

I'm not upset about Crosby's lack of production this series, considering he's been a mainstay out there against Ovenchicken's line. This team will be scary if the stars start producing.

If the Crosby/Ovechkin lines are essentially washing each other out, I am OK with that because it means the Pens depth have a much better chance at pulling out the victory in each game.

first to say first!

SUCCCKKKKAAAAASSSS!

Summed it up pretty well there RW!

Its amazing to think that the Pens not only got the win, but it served as a days rest for their workhorse D man, they got Schultz active & playing and Crosby and Malkin were able to take on less ice time than usual in the process at around 19 minutes. This should be a fresh team going into Saturday's close out game.

Also, is everyone else enjoying awesome camera angles we got to see from this game as much as I was. Seeing clips from the corner boards facing the goalie last night were awesome and that clip RW posted of the Horquist goal was perfect.

If the Crosby/Ovechkin lines are essentially washing each other out, I am OK with that because it means the Pens depth have a much better chance at pulling out the victory in each game.
- ScienceJesus

Crazy to think the Pens have 11 goals in this series, scored by 9 different players, none of whom are Crosby or Kessel. This is the depth we've been looking for for years.

Crazy to think the Pens have 11 goals in this series, scored by 9 different players, none of whom are Crosby or Kessel. This is the depth we've been looking for for years.
- cap1681

Just imagine how bad it would be if Crosby and Malkin were the only two guys who could score for us still.

Murray has been so amazing. The net is definitely his until he loses it. While I think everyone is crazy for talking about trading Fleury already, you go with the hot hand and thats definitely Murray. He has won the last two games for us the way I see it.

Id really like to see Kunitz get it going. He has been so invisible that Im starting to wonder if someone else may not be better in his place while he gets a game off and watches from the box.

Who is going to take 14's spot? BB?

Here's hoping the pens take the 4th and deciding game. Can't stand the caps or Ovechkin.

Who is going to take 14's spot? BB?

Good right up. I just can't say enough about how this team has the determination to win. We are up 3-1 but it's been closer than that in the series. If not for the team defense, Murray in net and timely scoring from the bottom line we would be toast.

Just imagine how bad it would be if Crosby and Malkin were the only two guys who could score for us still.

Murray has been so amazing. The net is definitely his until he loses it. While I think everyone is crazy for talking about trading Fleury already, you go with the hot hand and thats definitely Murray. He has won the last two games for us the way I see it.

Id really like to see Kunitz get it going. He has been so invisible that Im starting to wonder if someone else may not be better in his place while he gets a game off and watches from the box.
- thickman1178

Murray has been a stud, so you have to keep riding him. Not a knock on Fleury, who was the teams MVP in the first half of the season and single handily kept the Pens relevant.

I just see a hunger in this team that I haven't seen in years. They aren't even satisfied with wins if they don't play well enough. And I still think the young guys are the catalyst for that. I love it.

Make Ovi cry!!

If you ask me, I thought Holtby let in three soft goals last night, all 5-hole. And nobody's talking about him, not even in DC.

Kudos to the Pens for an awesome and brutal attack. Who says the Pens can't play a physical game? At one point, Oshie looked bewildered.... like, what ARE they doing out there??

Matt Cullen is my hero.

GO PENS !!

Weak keep in by Sheary for the Hornqvist goal? Thought it was quite a nice keep in by Dumo but I may be thinking of a different play.

Just imagine how bad it would be if Crosby and Malkin were the only two guys who could score for us still.

Murray has been so amazing. The net is definitely his until he loses it. While I think everyone is crazy for talking about trading Fleury already, you go with the hot hand and thats definitely Murray. He has won the last two games for us the way I see it.

Id really like to see Kunitz get it going. He has been so invisible that Im starting to wonder if someone else may not be better in his place while he gets a game off and watches from the box.
- thickman1178

Does hot hand translate to "I've been doing this for 2 years" then I guess you ride Murray. He might be a little hot right now...not sure he can maintain 95% save percentage, but this level of performance from him has been constant for 2 years. They just made him spend most of his time in the AHL.

Matt Murray is a stud.. Crazy to think we have MAF as a BACKUP!

Weak keep in by Sheary for the Hornqvist goal? Thought it was quite a nice keep in by Dumo but I may be thinking of a different play.
- kgrpitt

Dumo kept the puck in, but Sheary kind of softly threw the puck at the net. Weber mishandled it and made a perfect pass to Hornie.

There's something to be said for just getting the puck towards the net. Maybe the PP should think about that.

So... How 'bout Trotz inserting Weber in the lineup? Terrible decision on his part. Weber is Scuderi bad....probably worse.

I just see a hunger in this team that I haven't seen in years. They aren't even satisfied with wins if they don't play well enough. And I still think the young guys are the catalyst for that. I love it.
- ScienceJesus

The young guys and Sullivan. It seems like he is never happy, regardless how they play. No complacency in his attitude, which rubs off on the players.

Weak keep in by Sheary for the Hornqvist goal? Thought it was quite a nice keep in by Dumo but I may be thinking of a different play.
- kgrpitt

Dumo with the keep in. Sheary pushed it toward the net.

this. exactly this. twice now you can hear it. hornqvist just scored the biggest goal of his career. and immediately the first thing out of his mouth is you know we still need to play better

If you ask me, I thought Holtby let in three soft goals last night, all 5-hole. And nobody's talking about him, not even in DC.

Kudos to the Pens for an awesome and brutal attack. Who says the Pens can't play a physical game? At one point, Oshie looked bewildered.... like, what ARE they doing out there??

Matt Cullen is my hero.

GO PENS !!
- skridscousin

I haven't been impressed with Oshie at all. Three of his four goals in the playoffs were scored in game one, the second one was exactly like Cullens goal last night and the OT winner was just puck luck.

I realize five games is not a large sample size but it looks to me, he played over his head in game one.

Trevor Daley was the player that stepped up the most last night in Letang's absence. He played 28:41 and scored the first goal for the Penguins. He will never be the best defender and on most nights (including last night) will give up as many shot attempts as he generates, but he tries to make plays. I'm willing to live with the mistakes that come with a player who is trying to do that. That extends to players like Justin Schultz and Derrick Pouliot as well. Daley spent much of the evening matched up against the Ovechkin line and it was a very tough assignment as that line spent 70% of their time in the Penguins end. I wouldn't make a habit of giving Daley close to 30 minutes against top lines because I don't think that would end well over the long haul but it is nice to have a guy that can skate like him and make plays with the puck that can do it in a pinch. We all know what the alternative would have been like and for that Rutherford deserves full marks for swinging that trade in December.
- Ryan_Wilson

Funny how actually watching a player, as opposed to looking at his data, can sway an opinion.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=73252

"Is this a good trade? Probably not."
"Trevor Daley is a terrible possession player."
"I don't think Daley is very good."
"All the great players on Dallas and Chicago and Daley's possession numbers still look like that. .."
"I wrote back on November 20th that the Penguins should stay away from Trevor Daley."
"If Pittsburgh can be disciplined enough to keep him away from big minutes he can serve as a functional member of the team."
"Trevor Daley in a bottom pairing sheltered role should be OK just don't give him too much responsibility."

Trevor Daley has played just fine since arriving in Pittsburgh. He'll never be Letang, but saying that he's "not very good" that is the Scuderi trade was not good, or that he can't play top-4 minutes is just wrong.

Yes, RW tries to snake out of it a bit by saying it won't work over the long haul, but this is just another one of RW's analytics fallacies.