Let's just hope the Caps don't dress a skeleton crew for the final game against the Isles.
- Rinosaur

They should. If I were Trotz I'd rest everyone and reward some career AHLers for having a good season like we did with Gill and some other dudes I can't remember back in 2015-2016 against the Flyers.

My tl;dnr point is that if Sullivan keeps Maatta with Letang, I think Johnson will get bumped off Schultz in favor of Dumoulin. If Dumoulin gets reunited with Letang, I think there's little to no chance Johnson gets bumped off of Schultz in favor of Maatta. I doubt they stick with Maatta-Letang, but if they do, I'll be pretty surprised if we see Dumoulin get put on the third pair with Gudbranson.
- Victoro311

This is going to sound crazy, but if Matang stay together I'd actually prefer Dumo with Gudbranson than Schultz. As impressed as I've been with Gudbranson I think a JJ/Guds pairing would be a nightmare.

This is going to sound crazy, but if Matang stay together I'd actually prefer Dumo with Gudbranson than Schultz. As impressed as I've been with Gudbranson I think a JJ/Guds pairing would be a nightmare.
- Rinosaur

I honestly don't care how bad that pairing would be. Most third pairings need to be hidden in the playoffs anyways, and while you don't want a totally unplayable third pairing, I'd much rather have a stacked top 4 and one undeployable pairing than one really good top pairing, and two pairings playing at third pairing level. You can only hide one pairing in a hockey game and I'd rather have ~40 minutes of even strength ice time getting backstopped by offense driving pairings than only ~26 minutes. That's a big disparity on the amount of minutes you're getting quality out of the back end for.

I honestly don't care how bad that pairing would be. Most third pairings need to be hidden in the playoffs anyways, and while you don't want a totally unplayable third pairing, I'd much rather have a stacked top 4 and one undeployable pairing than one really good top pairing, and two pairings playing at third pairing level. You can only hide one pairing in a hockey game and I'd rather have ~40 minutes of even strength ice time getting backstopped by offense driving pairings than only ~26 minutes. That's a big disparity on the amount of minutes you're getting quality out of the back end for.
- Victoro311

I definitely prefer Matang and... Schumo?

a win against the rangers and atleast 2 points for Sid so he reaches 100 points is what I want

I definitely prefer Matang and... Schumo?
- Rinosaur

The LD always goes before the RD, no matter how awkward the fit is. Dumoultz.

The LD always goes before the RD, no matter how awkward the fit is. Dumoultz.
- Victoro311

DuSchu hahah

They should. If I were Trotz I'd rest everyone and reward some career AHLers for having a good season like we did with Gill and some other dudes I can't remember back in 2015-2016 against the Flyers.
- Victoro311

If you were the Islanders coach you would rest people? With home ice on the line.. why?

If you were the Islanders coach you would rest people? With home ice on the line.. why?
- j.boyd919

Ha. Got me.

Yo Bingo, congrats man.
- Victoro311

Thanks bud.

So (frank)ing happy. It's been forever.

I’m excited to watch my favorite team square off against my favorite line of the shi t hockey era. I just hope the Pens aren’t sleeping a buy into the fancy stat reasons people think the islanders are a good matchup. Tampa bay would have been better. Pretenders never contenders.

I’m excited to watch my favorite team square off against my favorite line of the shi t hockey era. I just hope the Pens aren’t sleeping a buy into the fancy stat reasons people think the islanders are a good matchup. Tampa bay would have been better. Pretenders never contenders.
- Grinder47

Hahaha

I’m excited to watch my favorite team square off against my favorite line of the shi t hockey era. I just hope the Pens aren’t sleeping a buy into the fancy stat reasons people think the islanders are a good matchup. Tampa bay would have been better. Pretenders never contenders.
- Grinder47

Don't worry, in a small sample size like a seven game series, nobody pays attention to fancy stats.

Don't worry, in a small sample size like a seven game series, nobody pays attention to fancy stats.
- Thunderbolt

Exactly. To win a cup those made up stats mean nothing. Hence why they mean nothing all the time. Tampa’s never going to win another cup no matter how good there cf%-under over is. Laying down in front of slapshots is way more important in seven games than any of that horse shi t[url]

The LD always goes before the RD, no matter how awkward the fit is. Dumoultz.
- Victoro311

Dumoultz works but Dumtang and Dumbranson needs work. Although Dutang normally would not be suggested, it should work well on this board.

Exactly. To win a cup those made up stats mean nothing. Hence why they mean nothing all the time. Tampa’s never going to win another cup no matter how good there cf%-under over is. Laying down in front of slapshots is way more important in seven games than any of that horse shi t
- Grinder47[url]

You know that TB makes a deep run like every single year, right? If it weren’t for us and Chicago in the ECF and the SCF respectively, which were both better teams or at least evenly matched, they’d have a Cup. I don’t think TB was favored in either of those series so this notion that they always choke was made up in your head because the Islanders’s fourth line makes you piss your pants like a baby.

Exactly. To win a cup those made up stats mean nothing. Hence why they mean nothing all the time. Tampa’s never going to win another cup no matter how good there cf%-under over is. Laying down in front of slapshots is way more important in seven games than any of that horse shi t
- Grinder47[url]

Winning the cup takes a lot of physical sacrifice, no doubt. The teams that win the cup are usually (not always) having the most blocks per game in the playoffs or close to the most. When I watched the 1991 and 1992 cups I was young and just didnt appreciate the physical sacrifice required. In 2009 I totally got it.

2018 Caps: 17.42 blocks per game
2017 Pens: 17.52 blocks per game
2016 Pens: 18.0 blocks per game (Sharks had 20.38)
2009 Pens: 16.92 blocks per game

You know that TB makes a deep run like every single year, right? If it weren’t for us and Chicago in the ECF and the SCF respectively, which were both better teams or at least evenly matched, they’d have a Cup. I don’t think TB was favored in either of those series so this notion that they always choke was made up in you’re head because the Islanders’s fourth line makes you piss your pants like a baby.
- Victoro311

hahaha

Exactly. To win a cup those made up stats mean nothing. Hence why they mean nothing all the time. Tampa’s never going to win another cup no matter how good there cf%-under over is. Laying down in front of slapshots is way more important in seven games than any of that horse shi t
- Grinder47[url]

Lol “made up stats.” Goals are made up stats too.

You know that TB makes a deep run like every single year, right? If it weren’t for us and Chicago in the ECF and the SCF respectively, which were both better teams or at least evenly matched, they’d have a Cup. I don’t think TB was favored in either of those series so this notion that they always choke was made up in your head because the Islanders’s fourth line makes you piss your pants like a baby.
- Victoro311

No. He doesn’t. He’s too busy whacking off to Clutterbucks grit-Stache.