Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eastern Semi-Finals: Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens

• rock_knutne

  
  vs
  
  
  Pens will have the home ice and are the highest remaining seed in the East. Montreal has a red hot goalie in Hallak, can the Pens break him?
  
  All accounts indicate the series will get underway this Sunday.
• DeyDurkie5

  

  Immediate thread made lol
• killer_ewok

  

  Halak was a beast these last few games. I still think the Pens take it in 5 though.
  
  LET'S GO PENS!!!!
• Non

  

  No question their chances have improved but still have to play a lot of good hockey.
• jspitaleri

  

  Home ice through out the EC playoffs for the Penguins... I like it!
  
  I think Montreal will have spent everything they had in this series, I like Pens in 5.
• rock_knutne

  I also think Montreal spent a lot of energy but Halak is on top of his game, that's goiong to be a challenge. The Pens will play a better team game than washington so it will be a completely different look for the Habs.
• Non

  

  any word on Leopold?
• sonofsam

  

  I will take the Pens in 5 also.
• killer_ewok

  

  Non wrote: any word on Leopold?

  Day-to-day. Practicing but not yet cleared for contact.
• rock_knutne

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Non

  

  we need to get healthier
• rock_knutne

  killer_ewok wrote:

  Non wrote: any word on Leopold?

  Day-to-day. Practicing but not yet cleared for contact.

  I don't know what you guys think, but IMO, I like Jay McKee in the lineup rather than Leopold. McKee will lay down and block shots and he played great when called upon after Leopold went down. Although, Leopold can skate the puck out of the zone and can score more. Tough decision for Bylsma on who to play.
• rock_knutne

  Non wrote: we need to get healthier

  We are really going to need Tyler Kennedy in this series. His energy will be a big bonus against Montreal's slow plodding style. Hell, that entire third line is going to be huge in this one.
• Non

  

  tough call
  
  McKee played great. Veteran who is bringing some good physical play.
  
  I think I felt that one hit he had in Game 6 when they were just starting to pick it up.
  
  But Leopold moves the puck well and has some skills to join the offensive attack. He's a good fit with the Pens.
  
  I guess I'd rather have everyone available, then they can decide.
• rock_knutne

  Series schedule:
  
  Friday, April 30 at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. CBC, RDS, VERSUS
  Sunday, May 2 at Pittsburgh, 2:00 p.m. NBC, CBC, RDS
  Tuesday, May 4 at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. CBC, RDS, VERSUS
  Thursday, May 6 at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. CBC, RDS, VERSUS
  *Saturday, May 8 at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. CBC, RDS, VERSUS
  *Monday, May 10 at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. CBC, RDS, VERSUS
  *Wednesday, May 12 at Pittsburgh, TBD CBC, RDS, VERSUS
  
  I can't believe they will start this thing Friday, Montreal only gets one day of rest. Pens get a big break.
• ts1227

  

  GAME 1: Friday, April 30 at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. (VERSUS)
  GAME 2: Sunday, May 2 at Pittsburgh, 2:00 p.m. (NBC)
  GAME 3: Tuesday, May 4 at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. (VERSUS)
  GAME 4: Thursday, May 6 at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. (VERSUS)
  *GAME 5: Saturday, May 8 at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. (VERSUS)
  *GAME 6: Monday, May 10 at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. (VERSUS)
  *GAME 7: Wednesday, May 12 at Pittsburgh, TBD (VERSUS)
  
  I assume FSN Pittsburgh has them all except the NBC game again?
• Non

  

  buzzsaw it's gotta be
  
  you know the fans will be pumped, Pens need to come out flying and overwhelm em in Games 1 and 2
• rock_knutne

  ts1227 wrote: I assume FSN Pittsburgh has them all except the NBC game again?

  Good question. I just checked the Pens website and nothing is posted yet about FSN.
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  Pens in 5, if Halak stays hot, 6.
  
  I really see no reason why the Pens will not be in the SCF. Early I know, but the road is clear for the Pens.
• GoPens

  

  Pens in 6. Halak is a hot goalie but he's got to cool off sometime. Reminds me of last year when the goalie story was Varley for Washington and we all saw what happened to him.
  
  Not sure when it starts but I thought the VS blackout ended with the Conference semi's last year and FSN was done. I hope so. Hate watching the games on the computer instead of VS or NBC since Time-Warner has their head up their ass and won't give us FSN Pitt here.
• KnightXC1

  

  Never believe that after one series a goalie is due to cool down. JS Giguere was hot for 2 months when the Ducks lost in the Stanley Cup Finals a few years back and he won the Conn Smythe on a losing team. If Halak continues to play like this, the Habs can beat the Pens. Everyone said they had little chance against the Caps so to totally dismiss them in 5 games is a stretch at this point. Pens have home ice but so far in these playoffs, it hasn't meant much for any team.
  
  I will take the Pens in 7 but it will be a grind.
• rock_knutne

  ^^^^^Yeah but they'e not playing the Caps any longer and rest assured, the Pens will play a team game and bring the hitting big time. The Penguins have a knack at breaking goaltenders and will not be phased at all by Halak. They know that if they stick to their game that eventually they will come out on top. I also believe Montreal shot their wad in that series.
• KnightXC1

  

  Caps were one of the best offensive teams in the league so the Pens are not a big change for the Habs. Probably a deeper team than the Caps but both were good offensively. Caps like to play physical and Montreal beat them by forcing them to take bad penalties, blocking everything in sight, and playing very sound team defense. Very similar the Coyotes in that they don't have a few star offensive players but they get timely goals and have perhaps the best goalie in the playoffs thus far.
• rock_knutne

  ^^^^I don't know what you've been watching but Pittsburgh's style of play is completly different from what Washington displayed against Montreal, in fact it's not even close. The Pens aren't going to run and gun, they won't play one and done on shots, they'll crash the net every chance they get. Washington did none of that.
• KnightXC1

  

  I never said Pittsburgh's style of play was exactly the same as Washington's because it isn't. I said they were both good offensive teams and the Habs do not need to change anything they do in order to win. Keep blocking shots, forcing the opposition to make mistakes and take penalties, and get timely goals. That is how Montreal will continue to play but whether it or not it works agins remains to be seen.