The pens are clearly on a roll and have been since the all-star break. The team has now won 10 in a row and is challenging for the number one seed. With the way the team has been playing and being healthy(crosses fingers) for the first time in forever, what team do you see as the biggest challenge in the east?
I honestly don't think there will be any easy opponents
The ones that scare me the most are the Devils, Flyers and Rangers but with a healthy team we should be able to take a 7 game series against any of those teams
IMO the biggest threat to the Pens is a team like the Bruins getting dirty and then the Pens limping into the next round. As far as matchups I don't really have a problem with the Pens facing the Rangers, Bruins or even a team like the Caps (they could turn it up in the playoffs).
I think the Devils are the biggest obstacle. Kovy and Brodeur seem to own the Pens. Plus the Devils seem to use the Pens style against themselves. I could see the Pens getting 10'/11' mean on their defense though so they might wear them down during a series.
I would honestly have to say the Flyers, especially if that's who they are matching up with in the first round. Other than that I'd say the Devils.
And I know they've beaten the Rags 3 straight, but you know they would put up a huge fight in a 7 game series.
Yeah I agree on the flyers and devils being the toughest. The devils always seem to stonewall the pens but with a full lineup maybe things will be different. A series against the flyers will be nerve-wracking for me living in Philly. The hate has already started for Crosby for the game this Sunday based on the local sports radio with the morning show host hoping for Sid to have a "minor" injury. Strangely, this quote seemed classy when compared to the usual Philly bloodlust.
Anyway, I will be in attendance this Sunday but will be keeping low-key and incognito because I will be with my fiancé. If this is a foul then shame me and I will sport a pens jersey of some type. Off topic I know.
If Bryzgalov continues to play the way he has been the couple weeks Philly could be very tough. I think the addition of Grossman and the other D have started to gel into their system and they're allowing far fewer goals now.
Any of the three when healthy could cause us headaches but I'd say
Playoffs are a different beast. Won't be many easy series for anybody.
Anyone in our division who we could play can give us real trouble and we're going to likely end up playing at least one of them. I haven't been as scared of Boston this year even before their huge slump but they are physical and could beat on us quite a bit for future rounds.
You guys have nobody to fear. The puck movement and support is as good as any team I've ever seen. This Pens team is better than their recent Finals teams. More talent, more experience, more depth, more toughness, and more character. Nobody in the East is going to be able to beat the Pens in a best of 7. Who knows about the Finals though, a lot can happen in 3 rounds.
If I had to pick one team that would be tough, it's New Jersey. You just never know with Marty and their system, they can beat anybody.
I know that they have not come up a lot in this thread, but they have elsewhere as 'having our number'. New Jersey. Anyone else think that whole thing is overrated, basically fighting previous years wars? I think that this team is built to handle NJ much better than previous incarnations of the Pens.
I know that they have not come up a lot in this thread, but they have elsewhere as 'having our number'. New Jersey. Anyone else think that whole thing is overrated, basically fighting previous years wars? I think that this team is built to handle NJ much better than previous incarnations of the Pens.
I really hope the bolded is true. We've only beaten them, what, once this season?
My son is a Devils fan, so, for me, losing to the Devils is like adding insult to injury. Not only does my favorite team lose, but I have to take a rash of **** from my kid. Martymartymarty ... somethin' somethin' ... Brodeur ... somethin' ... Marty
I think it is absolutely imperative that we get to #1 in the standings, this weekend's games will test our fortitude in being able to do that. If the Pens get to #1 than its guaranteed that at least one of our biggest worries will be out in the first round, #4-5 Philly, NYR, or New Jersey. I'd love for that to be a first round matchup, let two of those teams tear each other apart over 6 or 7 games and then we get the leftovers or perhaps the #6-7 seed beats their #2-3 seeded first round opponent and we could take #6-7 out in the second round.
I don't want to play Philly, period. Wouldn't mind so much if we were to play them in the ECF, especially if they're a #4-5 seed and have to go through any two of NYR, NJ, and/or Boston in the first two rounds which is forseeable.
These last two playoff losses have given me the opinion that there are no easy playoff matchups. Win as many games as you can, and let the chips fall where they may.
No sense in wishing for a particular team, because usually that's the team that you overlook and knocks you out.
I'd rather play the top 3 seeds in the East and have this team focused all series long. It also steels you for subsequent matchups.
I think "on paper" Philly has the best roster out of them, the rangers, and New Jersey. If Bryzgalov can continue playing the way he has recently, that would be the final piece to put them above the Rangers and Devils.
To be honest, the only team I think can beat the Pens now is the Pens themselves. It will all come down to how the Pens play. If Fleury can keep up his play and not go back to letting in soft goals, if Sid and Geno can play at their best, if Neal can find his earlier scoring touch, and if the defense plays up to their potential, I don't see anyone being able to beat the Pens in a 7 game series.
Seems like every team that wins a cup has at least one series on the way there that is "easier".
Not necessarly easy, but one that doesn't go 7 games and the team doesn't get pummeled on the way to victory.
Flyers if the universe stays hot, NJ if he is not.
We'll have a pretty good idea after this weekend where we are in relation to these teams...
In the last 5 years or so the Penguins have knocked Philly out of the playoffs in the first round a couple times. We seem to always get paired up with them and we always win, usually in 6.
Philly has changed their roster from top to bottom though so I'm not sure how comfortable I feel about saying that we "have their number in the playoffs"
On a similar note, Devils have always been embarrassing the Penguins on home or away ice, but then again, our roster has changed a lot too so I don't feel comfortable saying they have our number either.
We need to stay away from the Devils, man. Just going by recent history
I don't know how scary the Devils really are, they are a solid team but scary? Nah. I don't see any team in the East that the Pens are flat out at a disadvantage against. The Devils and Flyers are probably the best competition but neither is better than the Pens in any real aspect.
The only worrisome factors I see are injuries and hot goaltending, neither of which you can really predict or strategize for.
I don't know how scary the Devils really are, they are a solid team but scary? Nah. I don't see any team in the East that the Pens are flat out at a disadvantage against. The Devils and Flyers are probably the best competition but neither is better than the Pens in any real aspect.
The only worrisome factors I see are injuries and hot goaltending, neither of which you can really predict or strategize for.
The trap isn't fun to play against, and can frustrate the hell out of players. On paper they aren't the greatest team but they work hard and they won't give us an inch out there.
