NHL Playoffs: Eastern Conference Semi-Finals: Metro (#2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Metro (#1) Washington Capitals

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

 

And away they will go.

 

Star laden teams, a rivalry that has quite a bit of history behind it, and two teams who each think they are Cup worthy.

 

Everything Pens n Caps, right here!

[pilldoc]

 

Should be a good series ....Holtby >> Murray.   Caps in 6

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Can't say I care for either team, but based on the regular season, the playoffs to this point, and the expectations before the season even started (I seem to recall many Pens fans thinking this was a year they may not do much), then I gotta say the Caps are the favorites, and they certainly have played like it to this point.

 

They are not perfect, but unless the team they play knows where to hit'm where it hurts, then right now, there doesn't seem to be a ton of exploitable weaknesses on this team.

 

Are the Pens that team? Hmmm, maybe.

I've felt all year long that for as good as the Caps are, they are subject to continued pressure on their goalie. Almost as if they really aren't used to it, and when a team manages it, Holtby tends to give up goals on fewer than normal shots against.

My observation anyways from watching some Washington games this year.

 

Pens didn't start out the season with the good offense, but they certainly ended it that way (they should have had it all along!), so maybe they got the wolfbane that can take down the mighty Capital werewolf.

Then again, these "new" Caps under Barry Trotz are no one-trick, one dimensional ponies anymore.

 

They can not only score, but defend well, have the goalie to make a low score stand, can hit and play nasty, and have speed on top of all that too.

 

The Pens have had the better of the Caps in past playoffs, but THOSE Wash teams were either overly defensive minded, or overly offensive minded with not a care for backchecking or tough defense.

 

Given all that, I say Caps in 6, but all games should be pretty close.

Washington is too big, too strong, and with just as much speed and scoring power as the Pens.

[ruxpin]

I'm going Pens here.  

 

Sorry Pittsburgh fans.  My prediction ring is clearly broken this year.   I think so far I've only gotten Dallas right (that series was a clear gimmie, so...no credit for that one).

 

Look, the Capitals so badly wanted to choke away the first round.   It's just that they were so clearly more talented and deeper that they couldn't get it done.

 

So now they play the Pens who are clearly more deep than the Flyers and can hang offensively.   Yes, Holtby > Murray, but I don't think it will have to come down to that.   The Capitals will find a way to lose this, and the Pens are not the Pens that were playing through February.   They have their #### together.  

 

Now, the first round could have been the "scare" the Caps needed.  Maybe.  I don't think so.

 

I said Pens in 6, but it could be in five.  I have zero faith in the Capitals.

[MadDevil]

I went Caps in 7, mostly because I want to see 7 games between these two teams. With all the skill between them it could be a really fun series. And I can't go for the Pens in two straight series. I felt dirty enough cheering for them in the first round.

[Poulin20]

Ugh this is like chosing herpes or pgonorrhea.

 

It pains me to do this but I think the Pens will win as the Caps still look like weak minded choke artists and the Pens are really rolling right now.

 

 

 

 

 

  

[yave1964]

This is IMHO the real Eastern Conference finals, Hell it may be the real Stanley cup, it could be argued that these are the two best teams going right now,it is a shame they are meeting at least a round too early.

  Reluctantly I am going with the Caps who I picked in the East before the year. The Pens are as good of a team as any in the game right now simply rolling people but I think home ice will tell. Winner moves on to the Cup.

[OccamsRazor]

It will be an interesting series. I'm going to go with the Caps in 7. The edge going to Caps in net and the blueline.

[murraycraven]

this series has the makings of an instant classic...  You could go back and forth over on the winner.  Like OR I am going Caps over the Pens in 7 b/c of Holtby and the Defense.

 

this could go either way....

[B21]

Hard to believe this is only the second time Crosby and Ovechkin have met in the playoffs.  I'm sure the NHL was expected a few more of these series since 2008-09.

 

Just echoing some other comments - it is unfortunate that the two best teams in the EC have to meet a round too early.  This does have the feel of a de facto ECF as whoever comes out of this series will almost certainly be favored over whoever comes out of TB/NYI.

 

With teams this evenly matched I could buy the Holtby > Murray as reason alone for taking the Caps but "Lundqvist > Murray/Zatkoff" and that turned out OK.

 

I can't buy the "scare" that the Flyers put into the Caps either.  The Flyers best game was Game 4. Game 5 was "score first and hang on for dear life".  I think the Caps knew that and, to their credit, didn't panic on the road in Game 6 which is what contenders do.  A lesser team may have folded.  This is clearly not your father's Capitals i/m/h/o.

 

The Caps are a little bigger.  The Pens are a little faster.  The Pens actually had a better record from the Sullivan hire to the end of the season.  Both teams can roll 4 lines. Both are deep on the blue line.

 

Comes down to home ice for me. Caps in 7.  To have a chance the Pens need to steal Game 1 or 2.

 

 

[ruxpin]

[nossagog]

16 hours ago, ruxpin said:

I'm going Pens here.  

 

Sorry Pittsburgh fans.  My prediction ring is clearly broken this year.   I think so far I've only gotten Dallas right (that series was a clear gimmie, so...no credit for that one).

 

YOU TAKE THAT BACK RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!  You are the kiss of death.

[ruxpin]

9 minutes ago, nossagog said:

YOU TAKE THAT BACK RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!  You are the kiss of death.

It's funny because it's true! 

[Podein25]

Caps only because of Holtby, who really hasn't broken a sweat yet.

[nossagog]

I'm going with the Pens in 7. Would love to see this go seven games as a hockey fan. Oh the side stories that this one has.  Too bad this is not a round later, but the way both teams have played in recent playoff seasons, if they don't play now there's no gaurentee they'd meet in the ECF.

[notfondajane]

On 4/25/2016 at 8:20 PM, Poulin20 said:

Ugh this is like chosing herpes or pgonorrhea.

 

It pains me to do this but I think the Pens will win as the Caps still look like weak minded choke artists and the Pens are really rolling right now.

 

 

 

 

 

  

It was hurting me, rooting for the Flyers last round. I actually thought after they won game 5 they had a shot at winning it,again the Flyers let me down!

[notfondajane]

20 hours ago, Podein25 said:

Caps only because of Holtby, who really hasn't broken a sweat yet.

I'm hoping the Pens could put some pressure on Hotby, and rattle his cage like they did Lundquist! Sullivan may learned a few tricks in the season series to beat the Capitals. Supposedly the Capitals and Rangers play a similar type system. I believe the difference is the Rangers shots are from close range, where the Capitals shots come from the faceoff dot to the blue line (majority of their shots.) If Murray continues to play like he did against the Rangers and the dmen limit the Capitals to about 25 shots they could win this series! A good forechecking game should do the trick!

[notfondajane]

21 hours ago, ruxpin said:

Could I get a LET'S GO PENS!

[AJgoal]

Pens sweep this easily. Washington are mental midgets.

[ruxpin]

1 hour ago, notfondajane said:

Could I get a LET'S GO PENS!

 

LET'S GO PENS!

[pilldoc]

1 hour ago, notfondajane said:

Could I get a LET'S GO PENS!

 

Le të shkojmë stilolapsa!

Pojďme PERA!

LET'S GO penne!

Käydäänpä kynät!

LET'S GO stylos!

LET'S GO Kugelschreiber!

La OSS GÅ PENNER!

Давайте перья!

Låt oss gå pennor!

Yes I'm being a smart ass! 

[Podein25]

56 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

LET'S GO PENS!

 

REPORTED!

[Podein25]

2 hours ago, notfondajane said:

I'm hoping the Pens could put some pressure on Hotby, and rattle his cage like they did Lundquist! Sullivan may learned a few tricks in the season series to beat the Capitals. Supposedly the Capitals and Rangers play a similar type system. I believe the difference is the Rangers shots are from close range, where the Capitals shots come from the faceoff dot to the blue line (majority of their shots.) If Murray continues to play like he did against the Rangers and the dmen limit the Capitals to about 25 shots they could win this series! A good forechecking game should do the trick!

 

A strong forecheck is key. I must say how impressed I was with Niskanen's ability to move the puck deftly under pressure and take hits. That guy gets to pucks. I'd pound the hell out of him.

[notfondajane]

1 hour ago, pilldoc said:

 

Le të shkojmë stilolapsa!

 

Pojďme PERA!

 

LET'S GO penne!

 

Käydäänpä kynät!

 

LET'S GO stylos!

 

LET'S GO Kugelschreiber!

 

La OSS GÅ PENNER!

 

Давайте перья!

 

Låt oss gå pennor!

 

 

Yes I'm being a smart ass! 

LOL! I loving it!

[notfondajane]

51 minutes ago, Podein25 said:

 

A strong forecheck is key. I must say how impressed I was with Niskanen's ability to move the puck deftly under pressure and take hits. That guy gets to pucks. I'd pound the hell out of him.

Exactly my point! EVERY F'IN ONE OF THEM!