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The Pittsburgh Penguins will take a second crack at ending their second round series with the New York Rangers tonight at Madison Square Garden.
The Penguins won both games in New York earlier in the series and seem to have a comfort level while playing on the road, they are 4-1 on the road this postseason.
Game 5 was a throwaway for Pittsburgh, they were very bad in all facets of the game. Having a 3-1 series lead allows some breathing room for a hiccup, the Penguins have “taken advantage… of that hiccup.
Anytime you find yourself in a Game 7 you are signing up for anything to happen. The better team does not always win, the team that is outplaying the other team does not always win, the game is not always decided on skillful plays, that is the risk with a Game 7.
The Penguins have also not fared well at home in Game 7s in recent memory
#Pens have lost six of their past seven when in position to eliminate an opponent and are 2-6 in past eight Game 7s on home ice.
— Jon Lane (@JonLaneNHL) May 11, 2014
When these Penguins smell blood in the water, they swim in the other direction. Under coach Dan Bylsma, the Penguins are 8-9 when presented with an opportunity to end a series. At home in such situations, they are 1-7 and have been outscored 31-12. Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2009, they are 4-7 against teams on the ropes.During the early 1990s — the other golden generation of Penguins hockey, they almost were unbeatable when they had the chance to conclude a series. In the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cup playoff runs, the Penguins were 8-0 when able to clinch a series. In Lemieux's career, the Penguins were 13-6 in such scenarios. With Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on the ice with the opportunity to eliminate a team, the Penguins are 11-8, which includes a mark of 4-4 since 2010.
One plus is that the Penguins have yet to lose in back to back games in this year’s playoffs.
For whatever reasons the teams that score first in the 2nd round win, teams are now 18-0 when scoring first in round 2.
Pittsburgh has the blue print to beat the Rangers, they got away from it in Game 5.
Rick Nash is taking a lot of heat for not scoring goals but he is still playing well for the Rangers, but even with Nash slumping in the goal scoring department there are other Rangers that have stepped up against the Penguisn this year.
The Rangers' line of Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot has been a thorn in the Penguins' side during the regular season and this Stanley Cup second-round series, totaling 25 points. A look at the damage each has caused:Brassard: 5 goals, 3 assists Zuccarello: 3 goals, 7 assists Pouliot: 3 goals, 4 assists
Making things more difficult for the Penguins is the fact that Olli Maatta was not at the morning skate today. It remains to be seen what is causing him to miss the skate today.
If Maatta is out then it would be Deryk Engelland's postseason debut. If only the Penguins had another puck moving defenseman in their system who could fill the void left by Maatta...
The Penguins are still the team in the driver’s seat but a loss tonight opens them up for an anything goes Game 7 on home ice. Not exactly an ideal situation considering the 3-1 series lead.
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