3/7/2012 Leafs v. Penguins- Official Game Thread

[Rocco]

Preamble

Evening, everyone. The last few weeks have seen the Pens slap together some of their best hockey of the season. Malkin and Fleury in particular have really shined. Even Paul Martin has looked 10% less decrepit. With 17 games left in the regular season, this is a good time to round into shape. Last year the Pens were mostly smoke-and-mirrors at this point. In 2009-10 they were erratic down the stretch, while people remained convinced that the Pens would flip a mythical switch and turn good again. Under Therrien the Pens had a good history of hitting their stride in March and April. Tonight's opponent is Toronto, a team desperate to make the playoffs that has already cast their coach overboard. Their GM is next. (Fun prediction- Toronto misses the playoffs, Burke gets fired, the new guy comes in and takes the credit next year when Toronto is good.)

Let's take a look at the standings: http://espn.go.com/nhl/standings/_/group/2

Catching the Rangers is probably still a bridge too far. Hockey Reference has their odds at around 5%, which seems about right- if you simulate the last month of the season 20 times, the Pens probably catch New York one of those, but it isn't likely. Winning tonight and opening the gap to 6 points over the Devils and 4 over Philly for the 4th seed would be nice. The Pens are better at home, and for karma purposes I don't like the idea of tanking to get the 6th seed (though if you're Philly, would you try to lay down and let the Devils catch you so you play whichever crap team comes out of the Southeast? Probably not yet since Ottawa is within striking distance, but you think about it). It's getting late for Toronto.

As always, I expect you guys to make some noise no matter how the Pens are playing. The Pens dedicated a statue to their greatest hero today, so hopefully the team can go out and honor him with a worthy performance.

[Gaucho]

LET'S GO PENS!!!

[sharpshootr55]

Go Geno!

[Mr. Colby]

Go Rocco!

[Froggy]

yeeeeeeeeees.... eeeexcelent. game on tv. woop woop

[canaan]

Gooo Peeeeennnguuiinnnnsssss!!!!!

[pens#1]

Crosby interview at second intermission and 66 in the booth at some point

[slappybrown]

Suarez is a racist diver.....I mean go pens

[Gaucho]

Time for another 5 point night, Geno.

[71Aj66ax87]

LET'S GO PENS!!!

[penny lane]

let's go pens!

[Geezer]

I'm going to have to put a radio in the room where I watch the games. With these versus games I'm starting to remember how much I disliked having playoff games on those versus,NBC,etc

[Doogs]

ARE YOU READYYYYYYYYY!!!

[Rocco]

Crap, I didn't realize Thiessen was starting tonight.

[penny lane]

i missed that brad theissen was starting... he reminds me of ron tugnutt's son.

[Avyran]

Really nice, simple defensive play by Michalek there.

[MRandall25]

I'm going to have to put a radio in the room where I watch the games. With these versus games I'm starting to remember how much I disliked having playoff games on those versus,NBC,etc

You like Root better?

[71Aj66ax87]

i missed that brad theissen was starting... he reminds me of ron tugnutt's son.

How so?

[Fire0nice228]

LETS GO PENS!

[Rocco]

So how did Adams not bury that?

[itissteeltime]

Love Asham's game recently.

[Froggy]

asham... speed? wtf?

[71Aj66ax87]

So how did Adams not bury that?

I asked the same thing.

[Be1isarius89]

Toronto's defense is a joke. lol

[penny lane]

i missed that brad theissen was starting... he reminds me of ron tugnutt's son.

How so?

just in looks. i have never seen his son, if he has one.