We were tied in game 7 after 2 periods. Whoever was gonna win that 3rd period was advancing and it ended up being the Lightning. Sucks but it is what it is and McDonagh was not at fault in that game.
- RAGSareDANGERus

Would it of even gone to 7 games if he was 100%? Might they of won the cup had he been 100%? Guess we'll never know...

Why do I find the Kings and Ducks being down 2-0 somewhat comforting?...
- MattStrat

It's hard not to pay attention to stuff like that but at the end of the day I have to remind myself that we have to take care of our own buisness before even thinking about the West.

I really should be 2-0 for the Rangers, they had us playing their style of hockey for 5 periods. Really Zatkoff stole game one for us/Lundqvist injury.
That said, last game in period three we finally saw the Pens play the way they had been playing over the last month.
- stackthepads

Exactly. This series has been like 70% Rags/30% Pens. Pens need to turn it up and I think they will.

It's hard not to pay attention to stuff like that but at the end of the day I have to remind myself that we have to take care of our own buisness before even thinking about the West.
- Victoro311

Oh I know. I think for me personally, its the Pens lack of effort that has me a bit worried and seeing two heavily favoured teams in the West being in a worse situation than the Pens makes me feel a bit better.

Down 2 games to zilch means jack all too. Pens were down 2-0 to the Caps in 2009. Sharks were up 3-0 on the Kings two years ago....both the 2009 Pens and 2014 Kings went on to hoist the grail.

Matts actually one of the better posters on this board imo
- RAGSareDANGERus

Agreed

Agreed
- rangerdanger94

Why are you using both of your accounts at once?

Oh I know. I think for me personally, its the Pens lack of effort that has me a bit worried and seeing two heavily favoured teams in the West being in a worse situation than the Pens makes me feel a bit better.

Down 2 games to zilch means jack all too. Pens were down 2-0 to the Caps in 2009. Sharks were up 3-0 on the Kings two years ago....both the 2009 Pens and 2014 Kings went on to hoist the grail.
- MattStrat

I hope San Jose pulls it off and makes a stink this year. I like their core a lot but they're criticized just as much if not more than the Pens for playoff failures which aren't entirely their fault since they are always matching up against LA in the first round. I think last year was the first ever year I thought they were legitimately not that good. Every other year they've been victims of a great division/conference

Would it of even gone to 7 games if he was 100%? Might they of won the cup had he been 100%? Guess we'll never know...
- MattStrat

Injuries are part of sports though and when key injuries, such as McDonagh's and Zuccarello's occur, it's a clear sign that things weren't meant to be for the Rangers last postseason.

They fought hard but credit Tampa for doing just enough to exploit those key injuries on the Rangers side. It takes more than having a great regular season, and having a strong roster, to win in the postseason.

The teams that manage to take the cup had everything break just right at the right time.

hahah How did saying that make me classless? Its ironic you're calling me classless and using name calling. It seems I hit a nerve with that comment.

I'm like 99% civil on this board...even with your moronic remarks I stay civil.
- MattStrat

Alright, I can admit when I'm wrong. Apologies. This is my first time on your board and I could've sworn I recognized your name from our board over the weekend as one who was trolling rather deliberately.
If you need me, I'll be on a self-imposed time-out!

I hope San Jose pulls it off and makes a stink this year. I like their core a lot but they're criticized just as much if not more than the Pens for playoff failures which aren't entirely their fault since they are always matching up against LA in the first round. I think last year was the first ever year I thought they were legitimately not that good. Every other year they've been victims of a great division/conference
- Victoro311

Pavelski looks like the best player in the world through the first two games of that series. He's a presence on every single shift.

San Jose has been there before, and against the Kings, for that matter. Seemingly have the edge in play, and the requisite end result to show for it, only to collapse and not close out.

Think this year they can beat L.A. though. Kings defense is extremely slow and aside from Doughty and Muzzin not on the level of prior successful Kings teams.

Injuries are part of sports though and when key injuries, such as McDonagh's and Zuccarello's occur, it's a clear sign that things weren't meant to be for the Rangers last postseason.

They fought hard but credit Tampa for doing just enough to exploit those key injuries on the Rangers side. It takes more than having a great regular season, and having a strong roster, to win in the postseason.

The teams that manage to take the cup had everything break just right at the right time.
- MidnightMarauder

So true man. On top of every player having to pay the price, sacrifice and give 110% there also has to be alot of other things go their way such as health, occasionally refs and puck luck.

Alright, I can admit when I'm wrong. Apologies. This is my first time on your board and I could've sworn I recognized your name from our board over the weekend as one who was trolling rather deliberately.
If you need me, I'll be on a self-imposed time-out!
- Tonybere

No worries.

There's another Matt(something that starts with S) around and I had to do a double take on their post the other day thinking it was me and I didnt remember saying it haha.

So true man. On top of every player having to pay the price, sacrifice and give 110% there also has to be alot of other things go their way such as health, occasionally refs and puck luck.
- MattStrat

The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in the lexicon of team sports.

Super Bowls can be won, almost in fluke fashion; the best team doesn't always win the Vince Lombardi Trophy(see N.Y. Giants 2007). World Series can be won almost singlehandedly by a dominating pitcher(see Bumgarner, Madison/S.F. Giants in the 2014 playoffs). NBA...never mind that league is as rigged as a WWE match.

In the NHL, it's all hands on deck, and the team that wins the Stanley Cup is the best team in the business. Every single player had a hand in that victory. No flukes in winning 16 games, fighting through injuries, bad bounces, horrendous officiating, hot goalies, etc.

I hope San Jose pulls it off and makes a stink this year. I like their core a lot but they're criticized just as much if not more than the Pens for playoff failures which aren't entirely their fault since they are always matching up against LA in the first round. I think last year was the first ever year I thought they were legitimately not that good. Every other year they've been victims of a great division/conference
- Victoro311

Yeah I'd have zero problems with the Sharks making the finals...anyone but the Kings and Hawks, really.

The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in the lexicon of team sports.

Super Bowls can be won, almost in fluke fashion; the best team doesn't always win the Vince Lombardi Trophy(see N.Y. Giants 2007). World Series can be won almost singlehandedly by a dominating pitcher(see Bumgarner, Madison/S.F. Giants in the 2014 playoffs). NBA...never mind that league is as rigged as a WWE match.

In the NHL, it's all hands on deck, and the team that wins the Stanley Cup is the best team in the business. Every single player had a hand in that victory. No flukes in winning 16 games, fighting through injuries, bad bounces, horrendous officiating, hot goalies, etc.
- MidnightMarauder

I couldn't agree with every word of this post any more.

The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in the lexicon of team sports.

Super Bowls can be won, almost in fluke fashion; the best team doesn't always win the Vince Lombardi Trophy(see N.Y. Giants 2007). World Series can be won almost singlehandedly by a dominating pitcher(see Bumgarner, Madison/S.F. Giants in the 2014 playoffs). NBA...never mind that league is as rigged as a WWE match.

In the NHL, it's all hands on deck, and the team that wins the Stanley Cup is the best team in the business. Every single player had a hand in that victory. No flukes in winning 16 games, fighting through injuries, bad bounces, horrendous officiating, hot goalies, etc.
- MidnightMarauder

All very true.

Yeah I'd have zero problems with the Sharks making the finals...anyone but the Kings and Hawks, really.
- MattStrat

My bank account strongly disagrees with you.

Could very well be 2-0 if Hank doesn't have that freak injury in game 1

It was 0-0 before the stick hit him. If he's healthy we could squeak out a 1-0 or 2-1 win.
- RAGSareDANGERus

IF the Pens get the kind of pressure they did in the regular season against Hank he'll give up 3 a game at least.

The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in the lexicon of team sports.

Super Bowls can be won, almost in fluke fashion; the best team doesn't always win the Vince Lombardi Trophy(see N.Y. Giants 2007). World Series can be won almost singlehandedly by a dominating pitcher(see Bumgarner, Madison/S.F. Giants in the 2014 playoffs). NBA...never mind that league is as rigged as a WWE match.

In the NHL, it's all hands on deck, and the team that wins the Stanley Cup is the best team in the business. Every single player had a hand in that victory. No flukes in winning 16 games, fighting through injuries, bad bounces, horrendous officiating, hot goalies, etc.
- MidnightMarauder

The NBA playoffs are won in the preseason. There is absolutely zero parity in that league. The best team will win it all every single time.

I don't think you're giving football enough credit. When that mediocre Giants team went on a miracle run and beat the undefeated Patriots, sure. That was kind of fluky, but it wasn't anymore fluky than an above average Bruins team taking the cup on the back of Tim Thomas. The NFL has solid parity. Not nearly as complete a league as the NHL, but their post season is a solid product

The NBA playoffs are won in the preseason. There is absolutely zero parity in that league. The best team will win it all every single time.

I don't think you're giving football enough credit. When that mediocre Giants team went on a miracle run and beat the undefeated Patriots, sure. That was kind of fluky, but it wasn't anymore fluky than an above average Bruins team taking the cup on the back of Tim Thomas. The NFL has solid parity. Not nearly as complete a league as the NHL, but their post season is a solid product
- Victoro311

The NFL has solid parity yes, but it's one game elimination playoffs and flukes or bad calls can totally disrupt the better team from winning. Its much harder for that to be the case in a best of 7.

If practice is any sign of it, Maatta is scratched and they're rolling Sheary-Malkin-Fehr. Yohe had some Fehr quotes and it sounds like Fehr has a really good understanding of what he needs to do to compliment Malkin. If we can get that line to work, sky's the limit.

The NFL has solid parity yes, but it's one game elimination playoffs and flukes or bad calls can totally disrupt the better team from winning. Its much harder for that to be the case in a best of 7.
- MattStrat

You took the words right out of my mouth, There's a big difference between winning 4 single elimination games where luck and variance can play a huge factor in the outcome than winning 4-4 win series where luck and variance get greatly nullified by the need to repeat that outcome 4 times.

If practice is any sign of it, Maatta is scratched and they're rolling Sheary-Malkin-Fehr. Yohe had some Fehr quotes and it sounds like Fehr has a really good understanding of what he needs to do to compliment Malkin. If we can get that line to work, sky's the limit.
- Victoro311

I still think Kuhnhackl & Rust are the best complimentary players to flank Malkin, I actually didn't like Sheary's fit with Malkin at all in game 2 and even though I've been against breaking up Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist, Sheary has looked much better with Crosby so I would rather Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist & Kunitz-Malkin-Fehr than seeing Sheary-Malkin-Fehr.

I still think Kuhnhackl & Rust are the best complimentary players to flank Malkin, I actually didn't like Sheary's fit with Malkin at all in game 2 and even though I've been against breaking up Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist, Sheary has looked much better with Crosby so I would rather Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist & Kunitz-Malkin-Fehr than seeing Sheary-Malkin-Fehr.
- jaydogg1974

I agree with that last part a lot, but I'm not holding my breath that Sully will put Sheary with Crosby and Kunitz with Malkin. I like Sheary-Malkin-Fehr a hell of a lot better than Sheary-Malkin-Rust. But I think Kunitz-Malkin-Rust is my ideal line.

I still think Kuhnhackl & Rust are the best complimentary players to flank Malkin, I actually didn't like Sheary's fit with Malkin at all in game 2 and even though I've been against breaking up Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist, Sheary has looked much better with Crosby so I would rather Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist & Kunitz-Malkin-Fehr than seeing Sheary-Malkin-Fehr.
- jaydogg1974

Cullen-Malkin-Kuhnhackl.