ROUND 2 PENGUINS VS. SENATORS Pre-Game 1 Discussion Thread

[MrBrightside]

Defensive pairings in the gameday skate are vomit inducing.

The Engelland-Murray pairing has the potential to be an abject disaster.

[Bioshock]

Tomas Vokoun is the first goalie off the ice

[slappybrown]

yesssssssssssssssssss

[owtahear]

I love Game 1's........... It is the least pressure I feel in watching a playoff series so it is the most relaxed I am.

[GDR]

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins 42s
Vokoun confirms he is starting in goal #Pens

[k0la]

Tomas Vokoun is the first goalie off the ice

Is that like a total giveaway of who starts? Or just an observation

Nvm, just saw the tweet

[slappybrown]

Tomas Vokoun is the first goalie off the ice

Is that like a total giveaway of who starts? Or just an observation

Nvm, just saw the tweet

Yes, the first goalie off is almost always the starter barring injuries or other odd circumstances.

[Lt. Dish]

I'm planning to have my game cocktails in my Gary Roberts Memorial Fiji Water bottle.

Good juju with Fiji, or is it too much, man...?

[Dickie Dunn]

Defensive pairings in the gameday skate are vomit inducing.

The Engelland-Murray pairing has the potential to be an abject disaster.

So does the Letang-Niskanen pairing.

[murphydump55]

So Bylsma regains some of my trust by starting Vokoun, but follows it up by pairing Engelland and Murray together.

You simply cannot keep them paired together on the road.

[Gaucho]

Is Eaton injured?

[pfim]

The only good news about those defensive pairings is that they'll only be together for the first 3-4 goals against.

[murphydump55]

Is Eaton injured?

Nope, just slow I think. Although I think he'd fair much better against the Sens than he did against the Isles.

But you know Bylsma, as soon as we play a team that has a couple big forwards that hit, you hide Despres and dress Engelland. I sure hope he knows what he's doing.

[Bioshock]

These defensive pairs seem like something they would do at home while they have the last change. Even if they were to be successful, i doubt you would see it on the road and have them be matched up against the Sens top lines.

[ScottishPenguin]

Seeing a lot of talk about goalies but not much about coaches. Kinda weird when we've spent so much of the last fortnight arguing about whether Bylsma should be fired or set on fire. Or fired, set on fire and fired into the Sun. I'm at least as concerned about MacLean vs Bylsma as I am Anderson vs Fleury/Vokoun.

Will also add my voice to the start Vokoun camp, and not merely because he's the goalie in form. Even though Fleury at his best is probably better than Vokoun at his best, I think Vokoun is a better fit for this team. We're an offense-heavy team that plays high scoring games. The flip side of that is that we will give up chances and we will get scored on. All else being equal, we're better off with a calm, stoic goalie than a breakdancing lunatic.

[Bioshock]

Seeing a lot of talk about goalies but not much about coaches. Kinda weird when we've spent so much of the last fortnight arguing about whether Bylsma should be fired or set on fire. Or fired, set on fire and fired into the Sun. I'm at least as concerned about MacLean vs Bylsma as I am Anderson vs Fleury/Vokoun.

Will also add my voice to the start Vokoun camp, and not merely because he's the goalie in form. Even though Fleury at his best is probably better than Vokoun at his best, I think Vokoun is a better fit for this team. We're an offense-heavy team that plays high scoring games. The flip side of that is that we will give up chances and we will get scored on. All else being equal, we're better off with a calm, stoic goalie than a breakdancing lunatic.

This is why i fear this series. If the stretch pass is taken away from the Pens along the boards, then they are screwed.

[sil]

Engellend should fare better against a team like the Sens than the Isles. They don't have the consistent forecheck speed to force him into as many turnovers. Deryk will still make some bone-headed plays along his own boards, but just shouldn't be as many.

[sil]

Seeing a lot of talk about goalies but not much about coaches. Kinda weird when we've spent so much of the last fortnight arguing about whether Bylsma should be fired or set on fire. Or fired, set on fire and fired into the Sun. I'm at least as concerned about MacLean vs Bylsma as I am Anderson vs Fleury/Vokoun.

Will also add my voice to the start Vokoun camp, and not merely because he's the goalie in form. Even though Fleury at his best is probably better than Vokoun at his best, I think Vokoun is a better fit for this team. We're an offense-heavy team that plays high scoring games. The flip side of that is that we will give up chances and we will get scored on. All else being equal, we're better off with a calm, stoic goalie than a breakdancing lunatic.

This is why i fear this series. If the stretch pass is taken away from the Pens along the boards, then they are screwed.

Don't worry, the coach will adj.....ahhhh crap.

[Troy Loney]

I think the Islanders had that "nothing to lose" mentality really going for them, especially after getting white washed in game one.

[Bioshock]

I think the Islanders had that "nothing to lose" mentality really going for them, especially after getting white washed in game one.

Well then buckle up because this team has that as well.

See all their injuries? See how no one expected them to be here? Yep....

[Troy Loney]

I think the Islanders had that "nothing to lose" mentality really going for them, especially after getting white washed in game one.

Well then buckle up because this team has that as well.

See all their injuries? See how no one expected them to be here? Yep....

Nah, they're a canadian team with a different kind of leadership than the islanders had.

[torartc]

YESSSSSSSS

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2013/5/14/4330204/tomas-vokoun-starting-goalie-penguins-senators-marc-andre-fleury

[66 Fighters of Foo]

I'm going with the Pens in 6. I was hoping they'd face Ottawa in the 1st round, so I'm feeling good about getting them in the 2nd.

I know I'm in the minority, but I'm fine with either/both goalies. Goalies have bad games, peaks and valleys just like the skaters do. No matter who starts, the Pens have a good chance of victory. Either goalie can come in off the bench and get the job done if the other falters. Thing is, Bylsma needs to recognize when a change is needed much sooner than he did last series. That said...

LET'S GO PENS!!!

[PAPLine]

Just a thought, but one reason for Engelland to start over Despres is Chris Neil. And except for the pre-game skate, Engelland and Murray should never be on the ice at the same time. Puts me in mind of a series against Chicago in the early '70's when Red Kelly started 5 defensemen to show his team they needed to play better defense. Result, Chicago blew past them and scored in about 10 seconds.

[IntangibleBeer]

Seeing a lot of talk about goalies but not much about coaches. Kinda weird when we've spent so much of the last fortnight arguing about whether Bylsma should be fired or set on fire. Or fired, set on fire and fired into the Sun. I'm at least as concerned about MacLean vs Bylsma as I am Anderson vs Fleury/Vokoun.

Yeah, I don't think it's fair that Bylsma has to coach against the two Paul MacLeans.

OK, I'll do it for you.