Plus Pittsburgh's best defenseman is still out of the lineup.

This, of course, being Dan Girardi.
- eichiefs9

Yup.

That along with http://m.nydailynews.com/...mpaign=NYDNSports+Twitter makes me happy

I know I'm late to the party here, but I don't see how you can talk about best duos in the league and not include Bergeron/Marchand. Especially from a blogger who loves fancy stats, these two have some of the best fancy stats in the league. last I checked they were 1 and 2 in the entire league in 5v5 goal diff since 2010/11. Just saying....

Murray is an option. Oh sully with your criptic updates

I know I'm late to the party here, but I don't see how you can talk about best duos in the league and not include Bergeron/Marchand. Especially from a blogger who loves fancy stats, these two have some of the best fancy stats in the league. last I checked they were 1 and 2 in the entire league in 5v5 goal diff since 2010/11. Just saying....
- Shaundre93

That's amazing

Holtby left practice after collision. That could be trouble for them

I know I'm late to the party here, but I don't see how you can talk about best duos in the league and not include Bergeron/Marchand. Especially from a blogger who loves fancy stats, these two have some of the best fancy stats in the league. last I checked they were 1 and 2 in the entire league in 5v5 goal diff since 2010/11. Just saying....
- Shaundre93

Don't feel like fact checking this statement so apologies if I'm taking out my ass but I doubt Bergeron/Marchand are on par point production wize with the rest of those duos.

Holtby left practice after collision. That could be trouble for them
- dbell646

He'll be fine.

Don't feel like fact checking this statement so apologies if I'm taking out my ass but I doubt Bergeron/Marchand are on par point production wize with the rest of those duos.
- Victoro311

Bergeron and Marchand did combine for 69 goals this year which is pretty damn impressive

See, we know Maatta is much better than he was last game. It takes a bit of time for players coming back from injury to adjust and this isnt a must win game. So HCMS probably thinks its better for the long run he gets more game time in. Personally I'd have Schultz in over him but I'm not the coach.

What the Pens need tonight, which we haven't seen much of so far, is to use their speed on both sides of the puck. When they do have the puck they need dump and chase it with reckless abandon. When they dont have the puck they need to use their speed to back check and pressure the Rags forwards. It's actually quite simple what they need to do and basically what they had been doing for a month and half before these two games.

Bergeron and Marchand did combine for 69 goals this year which is pretty damn impressive
- rangerdanger94

While true, Wilson's scope was a much bigger sample size than just this season, and this was Marchand's first season breaking 60 points with 60. I can't remember if Bergeron has ever broken 70. Obviously to compare apples to apples P/60 would be more accurate, but again I don't feel like fact checking these things so I'm not going to look it up.

Not denying that Ryan McDonagh is a very solid NHL defensemen and I'd love to see him miss more games as a Pens fan, but people on these message boards make it sound like he is one of the elite Dmen of the league and should be a Norris nominee. I have drafted him the past 2 seasons in Fantasy hockey after reading notes about how he is going to have a huge breakout season, and he always disappoints. He is a 30-40 point a season guy who is talked about like a 60-70 point a season guy.

See, we know Maatta is much better than he was last game. It takes a bit of time for players coming back from injury to adjust and this isnt a must win game. So HCMS probably thinks its better for the long run he gets more game time in. Personally I'd have Schultz in over him but I'm not the coach.

What the Pens need tonight, which we haven't seen much of so far, is to use their speed on both sides of the puck. When they do have the puck they need dump and chase it with reckless abandon. When they dont have the puck they need to use their speed to back check and pressure the Rags forwards. It's actually quite simple what they need to do and basically what they had been doing for a month and half before these two games.
- MattStrat

My big issue is that I think Schultz deserves to play more than Maatta and is a better hockey player than Lovejoy, even if it's a short run hot streak and he comes back down to earth at some point. So if we're going by who deserves to play, Maatta should be benched in favor of Schultz. If we're going by who's more talented, Lovejoy should be benched in favor of Schultz. Either way Schultz should be playing.

See, we know Maatta is much better than he was last game. It takes a bit of time for players coming back from injury to adjust and this isnt a must win game. So HCMS probably thinks its better for the long run he gets more game time in. Personally I'd have Schultz in over him but I'm not the coach.

What the Pens need tonight, which we haven't seen much of so far, is to use their speed on both sides of the puck. When they do have the puck they need dump and chase it with reckless abandon. When they dont have the puck they need to use their speed to back check and pressure the Rags forwards. It's actually quite simple what they need to do and basically what they had been doing for a month and half before these two games.
- MattStrat

Hope your right! Pens need atleast 1 big win in New York out of 2 hopefully can come back home for game 5 and take that 1 as well fingers crossed for tonight hoping to see the team we've seen the last couple months

Not denying that Ryan McDonagh is a very solid NHL defensemen and I'd love to see him miss more games as a Pens fan, but people on these message boards make it sound like he is one of the elite Dmen of the league and should be a Norris nominee. I have drafted him the past 2 seasons in Fantasy hockey after reading notes about how he is going to have a huge breakout season, and he always disappoints. He is a 30-40 point a season guy who is talked about like a 60-70 point a season guy.
- bochangs

While true, Wilson's scope was a much bigger sample size than just this season, and this was Marchand's first season breaking 60 points with 60. I can't remember if Bergeron has ever broken 70. Obviously to compare apples to apples P/60 would be more accurate, but again I don't feel like fact checking these things so I'm not going to look it up.
- Victoro311

Atta boy

Not denying that Ryan McDonagh is a very solid NHL defensemen and I'd love to see him miss more games as a Pens fan, but people on these message boards make it sound like he is one of the elite Dmen of the league and should be a Norris nominee. I have drafted him the past 2 seasons in Fantasy hockey after reading notes about how he is going to have a huge breakout season, and he always disappoints. He is a 30-40 point a season guy who is talked about like a 60-70 point a season guy.
- bochangs

There's a lot more to hockey than goals and assists.

There's a lot more to hockey than goals and assists.
- MattStrat

PIMs count in fantasy hockey too and McDonagh doesn't get a lot of those either

Bergeron and Marchand did combine for 69 goals this year which is pretty damn impressive
- rangerdanger94

Correct, and everyone knows this is one of if not the best defensive duos in the league. They can dominate on the pk too. Are they the most talented duo in the league? Not even close. Most effective? Arguably

Correct, and everyone knows this is one of if not the best defensive duos in the league. They can dominate on the pk too. Are they the most talented duo in the league? Not even close. Most effective? Arguably
- Shaundre93

So effective sitting at home watching the playoffs two years in a row. There are more effective duos than those two.

Yeah my fantasy league counts PIMS, shots, hits and blocks. McDonagh was well rounded in shots, hits and blocks, but not a top level D man in either category.

I know there is more to hockey than goals and assists, and not denying that Ryan is a great defensive (non stat) player.

I just consider him to be somewhere in the 50-100th best defenseman in the league, but from reading the blogs on hockeybuzz, people make it sound like he is a top 5 NHL defenseman.

Yeah my fantasy league counts PIMS, shots, hits and blocks. McDonagh was well rounded in shots, hits and blocks, but not a top level D man in either category.

I know there is more to hockey than goals and assists, and not denying that Ryan is a great defensive (non stat) player.

I just consider him to be somewhere in the 50-100th best defenseman in the league, but from reading the blogs on hockeybuzz, people make it sound like he is a top 5 NHL defenseman.
- bochangs

McDonagh is an elite franchise defenseman who is likely a top 10 and most certainly a top 15 defenseman in the NHL who may never win the Norris but will be in the conversation often.

Jake Muzzin was a monster for me. He outclasses Mcdonagh in basically every single stat category, yet no one ever talks about Jake Muzzin. Some of my hockey friends don't even know who he is when I speak of him.

Jake Muzzin was a monster for me. He outclasses Mcdonagh in basically every single stat category, yet no one ever talks about Jake Muzzin. Some of my hockey friends don't even know who he is when I speak of him.
- bochangs

Found James Tanners alt guys

Jake Muzzin was a monster for me. He outclasses Mcdonagh in basically every single stat category, yet no one ever talks about Jake Muzzin. Some of my hockey friends don't even know who he is when I speak of him.
- bochangs

Jake Muzzin might be the most underrated defenseman in the NHL. What could have been...

Jake Muzzin might be the most underrated defenseman in the NHL. What could have been...
- Victoro311

Kevin Klein yo