John Toperzer: GAMEDAY! Pens host Islanders in first of back-to-back games The Pens have outscored New York, 17-5, in four games -- all wins -- thus far in 2011-12

Hopefully Mike Yeo can work up his power playy magic against the Rags tonight, and we can take care of business at home!

1. Should the Pens stick with the Cooke-Crosby-Kennedy line? If not, what would you change?
Don't fix what isnt broken! Sid has cooke scoring and kennedy woken up...the team is winning and firing on 3 scoring lines... keep em together....

2. Who is the most irreplaceable player on the Penguins and why?
We've won without sid, we've won without geno and stall and letang... but when fleury goes down... we dont recover well...

3. Are you confident having Brent Johnson and Brad Thiessen as the backup goalies? Who
would you dress in the playoffs if both are healthy?
Johnson based on experience...

4. We talked about this Monday, but who are your three Vezina Finalists and winner? Can Marc-Andre Fleury win it if the Pens finish ahead of the Rangers for first place in the East?
finalists are fleury, lundqvist and rinne... i give it to lundqvist... he hasn't missed a step all season.. that team is nowhere close to first without him....

5. Who will the Pens play in the first round of the playoffs? Which team presents the toughest matchup?
Im hoping for philly or washington, they rivalries are fun to watch and it makes for good hockey... Ottawa scares me they always play us tough.. and buffalo for ome reason also scares me... miller can heat up and be incredible at times...

Five Questions For Tuesday

1. Should the Pens stick with the Cooke-Crosby-Kennedy line? If not, what would you change?

Workin well so far. I like Cooke with him if someone tries somthing

2. Who is the most irreplaceable player on the Penguins and why?

MAF. Not the same team without him.

3. Are you confident having Brent Johnson and Brad Thiessen as the backup goalies? Who
would you dress in the playoffs if both are healthy?

Don't like either, flip a coin. I guess Johnson.

4. We talked about this Monday, but who are your three Vezina Finalists and winner? Can Marc-Andre Fleury win it if the Pens finish ahead of the Rangers for first place in the East?

Lundqvist, Quick and MAF. No MAF will not win it this year.

5. Who will the Pens play in the first round of the playoffs? Which team presents the toughest matchup?

Probably Philly,when we get past them we shall find it a bit easier. They would be our greatest challenge.

Five Questions For Tuesday

1. Should the Pens stick with the Cooke-Crosby-Kennedy line? If not, what would you change?

Workin well so far. I like Cooke with him if someone tries somthing

2. Who is the most irreplaceable player on the Penguins and why?

MAF. Not the same team without him.

3. Are you confident having Brent Johnson and Brad Thiessen as the backup goalies? Who
would you dress in the playoffs if both are healthy?

Don't like either, flip a coin. I guess Johnson.

4. We talked about this Monday, but who are your three Vezina Finalists and winner? Can Marc-Andre Fleury win it if the Pens finish ahead of the Rangers for first place in the East?

Lundqvist, Quick and MAF. No MAF will not win it this year.

5. Who will the Pens play in the first round of the playoffs? Which team presents the toughest matchup?

Probably Philly,when we get past them we shall find it a bit easier. They would be our greatest challenge.
- powerhouse

If Philly gets the "Good Bryz" of the past month or so, they are definitely the biggest obstacle to the Pens making the SCF. I would say Boston, if they can approach last season's level, would be the other.

Five Questions For Tuesday

1. Should the Pens stick with the Cooke-Crosby-Kennedy line? If not, what would you change?

I like Cooke, but I would replace Kennedy with Jeffrey or Dupuis... I have a somewhat irrational hatred for Kennedy.

2. Who is the most irreplaceable player on the Penguins and why?
MAF... You can get through one game without him, but this team would be lost if he wasn't there.

3. Are you confident having Brent Johnson and Brad Thiessen as the backup goalies? Who would you dress in the playoffs if both are healthy?
Not really, but there isn't a choice... I'd rather have BJ in the playoffs, but I'd really like him to get some live game action before the playoffs start.


4. We talked about this Monday, but who are your three Vezina Finalists and winner? Can Marc-Andre Fleury win it if the Pens finish ahead of the Rangers for first place in the East?
Hank, MAF & Quick.... No way that Lundqvist doesn't win it.

5. Who will the Pens play in the first round of the playoffs? Which team presents the toughest matchup?
I'm guessing The Pens will end up in 4th against the Flyers, and that might be their toughest matchup.

Jeremy Roenick ‏ @Jeremy_Roenick
Oh god! In dentist chair fixing my grill!! Mouth numb funny gas and music !!! Wow my life is crazy!

Jeremy Roenick ‏ @Jeremy_Roenick
In chair now in phili!! Only a few twitter people could ruin the perfect smile I'm getting today http://yfrog.com/gzc3spij

Jeremy Roenick ‏ @Jeremy_Roenick
And they live in pittsburgh

What a (frank)ing tool!!

If Philly gets the "Good Bryz" of the past month or so, they are definitely the biggest obstacle to the Pens making the SCF. I would say Boston, if they can approach last season's level, would be the other.
- MadCap2008

Like it has been for the last 20+ years, that's the thing... If Bryz keeps it together, they will be a tough team to beat.

I might be wrong, but I just can't see Boston turning it back on. Getting Peverly back helps sort their lines out, but they'd really need Horton back to make a run I think.

hope the pens put the boots to the sorry franchise that is the islanders.dont forget what they did to you last year.

Jeremy Roenick ‏ @Jeremy_Roenick
Oh god! In dentist chair fixing my grill!! Mouth numb funny gas and music !!! Wow my life is crazy!

Jeremy Roenick ‏ @Jeremy_Roenick
In chair now in phili!! Only a few twitter people could ruin the perfect smile I'm getting today http://yfrog.com/gzc3spij

Jeremy Roenick ‏ @Jeremy_Roenick
And they live in pittsburgh

What a (frank)ing tool!!
- ryman1566

That is pretty funny

hope the pens put the boots to the sorry franchise that is the islanders.dont forget what they did to you last year.
- fullblown

Oh crap, now you've done it

hope the pens put the boots to the sorry franchise that is the islanders.dont forget what they did to you last year.
- fullblown

As a Canucks fan, you should probably be pulling against the Pens so that they don't get the 1 seed. You want Pittsburgh in that 4/5 matchup with Philly -- even if they don't lose, it sets them off on a much tougher road to the finals than say a 1/8 matchup vs the Sabres (or my Caps ).

As a Canucks fan, you should probably be pulling against the Pens so that they don't get the 1 seed. You want Pittsburgh in that 4/5 matchup with Philly -- even if they don't lose, it sets them off on a much tougher road to the finals than say a 1/8 matchup vs the Sabres (or my Caps ).
- MadCap2008

Damn huge game down your way tonight eh?

If Philly gets the "Good Bryz" of the past month or so, they are definitely the biggest obstacle to the Pens making the SCF. I would say Boston, if they can approach last season's level, would be the other.
- MadCap2008

I too would take my chances with Philly over Ottawa or Buffalo. Philly is a team that has known they were in the playoffs for a month. They have the uncanny ability to dominate and lose a game like they did last night to TB. They are enigmatic.

Ottawa has played the Pens pretty darn well over the last two years and especially this year. Buffalo has won both meetings against Pittsburgh this year. Both have been in the play-off mode the last month with no margin of error. They are playing their best hockey of the year - Buffalo speaking.

1. Should the Pens stick with the Cooke-Crosby-Kennedy line? If not, what would you change?

I would stick with it at least through the back to back games with the Islanders. See how things play out, and re-evaluate. Cooke and Kennedy were literally getting blanked nightly on the scoresheet before Sid started playing with them. Sid alone has propped up our secondary scoring. Hell Cooke is scoring like he is James Neal.

2. Who is the most irreplaceable player on the Penguins and why?
Fleury. With Letang a close second. While Letang's skill set is far from replaceable, the organizational depth at the defense position can help alleviate that loss. We have nothing past MAF.

3. Are you confident having Brent Johnson and Brad Thiessen as the backup goalies? Who
would you dress in the playoffs if both are healthy?

I guess whether I am confident or not is irrelevant because if Fleury goes down it doesn't matter who the backup is. The drop off is that big no matter what. I would use Brent Johnson if he were healthy. He is a big body and has proven he can have stretches of high caliber play (specifically last year when MAF was off to a poor start). Thiessen is too small and the kind of goals that are yielded in the playoffs are usually of the crash and bang variety, not sure his frame is ideal for keeping that kind of puck out.

4. We talked about this Monday, but who are your three Vezina Finalists and winner? Can Marc-Andre Fleury win it if the Pens finish ahead of the Rangers for first place in the East?

Lundqvist, Quick, and Fleury with Rinne barely missing out. I do not believe MAF will win it regardless of what happens. Personally I think Jonathan Quick deserves some serious consideration. The 9 losses with only giving up 1 goal is absurd. Lundqvist will win it and he certainly has had a great year, but I think I would go with Quick.

5. Who will the Pens play in the first round of the playoffs? Which team presents the toughest matchup?

Toughest matchup would probably be the Flyers under the assumption Bryzgalov is playing at a high level. They are physical, have skill, and perhaps have solved the goaltending problem. I think the Penguins will end up with the Capitals in the first round.

I too would take my chances with Philly over Ottawa or Buffalo. Philly is a team that has known they were in the playoffs for a month. They have the uncanny ability to dominate and lose a game like they did last night to TB. They are enigmatic.

Ottawa has played the Pens pretty darn well over the last two years and especially this year. Buffalo has won both meetings against Pittsburgh this year. Both have been in the play-off mode the last month with no margin of error. They are playing their best hockey of the year - Buffalo speaking.
- Oneonta Penguin

The Penguins did blow the Sabres out 8-3. Quite frankly I don't think the Sabres have enough size up the middle to contain our big 3 centers, especially with Gaustad missing now. Who is going to stop them? Regehr?

Even ask Sabre fans, I think the Penguins are the only team they feel they have no chance against.

Damn huge game down your way tonight eh?
- ryman1566

Yeah, pretty big. The Caps, with the tiebreaker of non-shootout wins, are close to being in with a regulation win.

5. Who will the Pens play in the first round of the playoffs? Which team presents the toughest matchup?

Toughest matchup would probably be the Flyers under the assumption Bryzgalov is playing at a high level. They are physical, have skill, and perhaps have solved the goaltending problem. I think the Penguins will end up with the Capitals in the first round.
- Gunner Staal

Not a fan of this. However, I actually would rather play them then the Sabres. Miller is capable of stealing a series while Vok...Holtb....whoever they have playing in goal nowadays in Washington can't.

Yeah, pretty big. The Caps, with the tiebreaker of non-shootout wins, are close to being in with a regulation win.
- MadCap2008

Regulation win would be damning to Buffalo, especially with them playing Pittsburgh on Friday.

Not a fan of this. However, I actually would rather play them then the Sabres. Miller is capable of stealing a series while Vok...Holtb....whoever they have playing in goal nowadays in Washington can't.
- kgrpitt

Miller could steal a game or two, but I just don't see how they would slow the Pens offense down. As well as the Pens are playing now, I do think they have a roster full of players who reach another notch when in the playoffs. Guys like Asham will start scoring goals in the playoffs.

Matchup hell come playoff time for whoever gets Pittsburgh.

Miller could steal a game or two, but I just don't see how they would slow the Pens offense down. As well as the Pens are playing now, I do think they have a roster full of players who reach another notch when in the playoffs. Guys like Asham will start scoring goals in the playoffs.

Matchup hell come playoff time for whoever gets Pittsburgh.
- Gunner Staal

The only one I could see being a problem is Philly, they always match up well. Doesn't matter if their goalie let in 15 in 3 games, Pens/Flyers games are always tight. The winner of that series would be gassed.

Hoping Washington overtakes the Panthers for first in the Southleast division.

Miller could steal a game or two, but I just don't see how they would slow the Pens offense down. As well as the Pens are playing now, I do think they have a roster full of players who reach another notch when in the playoffs. Guys like Asham will start scoring goals in the playoffs.

Matchup hell come playoff time for whoever gets Pittsburgh.
- Gunner Staal

Definitely agree that the pens are a matchup from hell for opposing teams/coaches. I don't think its likely that the pens offense can be slowed by buffalo but it is highly more likely that Miller steals a series then does the goalie carousel down in Washington.

Miller could steal a game or two, but I just don't see how they would slow the Pens offense down. As well as the Pens are playing now, I do think they have a roster full of players who reach another notch when in the playoffs. Guys like Asham will start scoring goals in the playoffs.

Matchup hell come playoff time for whoever gets Pittsburgh.
- Gunner Staal

At the moment, it's tough to see anyone in the East (or the West, for that matter) winning 4 of 7 against the Pens (assuming health for Letang and Crosby). And no, I'm not trying to jinx them (though I would if I thought that would work ) -- just being honest.

At the moment, it's tough to see anyone in the East (or the West, for that matter) winning 4 of 7 against the Pens (assuming health for Letang and Crosby). And no, I'm not trying to jinx them (though I would if I thought that would work ) -- just being honest.
- MadCap2008

I think St. Louis and Nashville would be great matchups.

I think St. Louis and Nashville would be great matchups.
- Gunner Staal

And a healthy Detroit to finish the best of 3