Good day Penguins fan and happy Tuesday. Welcome to the latest edition of the Big Dave's Pens Pregame. Tonight, our Penguins host the Washington Capitals in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
Puck drops on the game action at 8:00pm, but the Pregame is live now...
@pensfan2259 continues the "Big Dave's Gameday Jam" selections tonight and man, I love this one. I have been a fan of AC/DC for a while now. My Dad and his friends were fans, and I absolutely fell in love with the "Back in Black" album the first time I heard it. While I love some of their old stuff with Bon Scott singing, I really do like Brian Johnson on vocals. He has such a distinct sound. So here we go, the Pens are back in town, and they are "Back in Black." ENJOY!!!!!
The State of the penguins
While the coaching staff and the players weren't overly upset with the effort and the game, it wasn't enough to finish off the Capitals for good. To be completely honest, I would've been shocked to see the Penguins win Game Five and end the series. I think Washington is a much better team than we had seen up to Game Five, and I didn't expect them to disappear without a fight.
The Capitals played much better on Saturday. More focused on playing hockey and not the extra curriculars, they were able to take advantage of Penguin giveaways. They scored three goals as a result of Penguin errors, and took the game.
Tonight, the series swings back to Pittsburgh, with the Penguins once again looking to close out the series. If they hope to do so, they need a couple of things to happen.
Firstly, they need Matt Murray to be sharper. He wasn't bad, but he was definitely a little off. Murray was slow to react on that night, even on shots he stopped. I'd like to see him be a little sharper tonight, and he is the confirmed starter according to HCMS yesterday. He needs to step up big time.
Next, I want to see the stars finally bust out. Sid, Geno and Phil have thrown a point in the pot here and there during this series, but none of them have stole the show. One of them, preferably all of them, need a huge game today. Sid and Geno have been outstanding at home, and they absolutely need to be tonight.
Then you have the role guys. Hornqvist was essentially benched the entire third period for whatever insane reason HCMS made up. I like guys like Sheary and Rust, but Horny should have had more minutes in crunch time. Chris Kunitz scored the only Penguins goal, but besides the decent first period, looked crummy yet again. These two guys play top six roles/minutes and they need to be better.
Finally, the defense needs to be smarter. For the life of me, I cannot understand why they insist on clearing through the middle of the ice in front of Murray. It certainly cost them dearly in Game Five. The Penguins defensemen need to be smarter on the puck, and if they are going to clear, use the boards. They can't afford to give Washington great looks in the slot when they are playing with this high level of desperation.
It is a huge night for the Penguins. They don't want to let this series get back to Washington for Game Seven. The Penguins need to play their game, be smart on the puck and attack the Capitals as often as possible to keep the Caps from attacking them. Do that, and the Lightning will be next up instead of another game against Ovi and company.
Enemy Tactics: The Washington Capitals
What we saw on Saturday night was a much better performance out of the Washington Capitals. They finally started to put the gritty, extra curricular nonsense aside and played their game. Amazing what happens when you do that.
The Penguins didn't play horribly in Game Five, but they certainly gave it away. The Capitals took advantage of Pittsburgh mistakes, giving them another breath of life in this series. While I still don't think they have enough left in them to win the series, I certainly think they have enough left in them to give the Penguins a run.
Tonight, the Capitals come back to Pittsburgh, down in the series 3-2, but with a grasp of the momentum for the moment. An early goal or two, and they could very well find a way to get this game back to Washington for Game Seven. If they start slow and try to play physical, they will not have a chance. It will be all about scoring and offensive zone pressure for the Capitals, the Penguins need to be ready...
Capitals Playoff Scoring Leaders:
- D John Carlson - 11pts (4G-7A)
- LW Alex Ovechkin - 10pts (5G-5A)
- C Nicklas Backstrom - 9pts (2G-7A)
- RW TJ Oshie - 9pts (5G-4A)
- LW Marcus Johansson - 7pts (2G-5A)
Projected Lines:
- Alex Ovechkin - Evgeny Kuznetsov - TJ Oshie
- Andre Burakovsky - Nicklas Backstrom - Marcus Johansson
- Jason Chimera - Jay Beagle - Justin Williams
- Daniel Winnik - Mike Richards - Tom Wilson
Projected Pairs:
- Karl Alzner - Matt Niskanen
- Brooks Orpik - John Carlson
- Taylor Chorney - Dmitri Orlov
Braden Holtby is expected to start in net tonight.
News & Notes From Around the Pens
- D Olli Maatta (upper-body) is a game-time decision tonight. Maatta skated hard and fully participated in Penguins practice Monday. Everyone in attendance is in agreement that he is likely to play tonight. He still needs to be cleared medically, but I expect him in there.
Playoff Scoring Leaders:
- C Sidney Crosby - 10pts (3G-7A)
- C Nick Bonino - 9pts (1G-8A)
- C Evgeni Malkin - 9pts (3G-6A)
- RW Phil Kessel - 9pts (3G-6A)
- RW Patric Hornqvist - 8pts (5G-3A)
Miscellaneous Notes:
- Pittsburgh has won 13 of their last 16 home games entering tonight.
- The Penguins have not lost back-to-back games since mid-January.
- The Pens are 3-1 all-time in Game 6's at home with a chance to clinch the series.
- C Sidney Crosby has been named a finalist for the Hart Trophy. He will have a chanced to be named league MVP alongside Chicago's Patrick Kane and Dallas' Jamie Benn.
- Penguins have reassigned F Tom Sestito and D Steve Oleksy back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
- C Sidney Crosby's assist in Game Five is his 82nd career playoff assist, moving him past Jaromir Jagr for 2nd in franchise history.
- G Matt Murray is 3-0 in his playoff games at Consol Energy Center this playoffs.
#AskBigDave
Darin, I think you have to go with yes on that one. Schultz hasn't played bad, but he isn't Olli Maatta. And clearly the coaching staff doesn't trust him enough, as he only played 10 minutes or so on Saturday night.
I still think Maatta is out of gas, and coming off a concussion, god knows how he is going to fair. It is definitely worrying, but at the same time, he is very talented. He could surprise us all and play a huge game. I have to go with Olli in this situation, but I just hope I am not wrong.
From Nick B. on the Tweety: "Derrick Pouliot was once considered 'a future star,' he hasn't seemed to have improved though. Would you take trade offers for him?"
Absolutely Nick. I don't want to say that Pouliot has been a bust, but he certainly doesn't seem to have a future here. That has become glaringly evident over the last 12 months. And if the Penguins aren't serious about him right now, i.e. having him play over guys like Cole and Schultz both down the stretch and with Maatta out of the lineup, I don't know if they are going to be serious about him next year when almost the entire corps is back. I think Olli Maatta just blew this franchise and brass away, and they expected Pouliot to not only produce at the same level, but have the same work ethic. It just hasn't happened.
Now Nick, I'm really curious to see what they do this summer. I personally think they are going to move him. I think they could get another first round pick for him, and maybe another piece or two. Pouliot still has the talent and age on his side, so he could certainly fetch quite the return. If he becomes a huge star somewhere else, so be it, but I don't know if he is going to become the huge star here we all expected him to become. We will see, but I certainly do not think he is untouchable at this point and I think GMJR would me smart to at least listen to the offers.
From LetsTalkPens on Twitter: "Would u rather watch Pens game with annoying cousin or drink 3 gallons expired milk?"
Uhhhh, well, I guess I'd have to go with the annoying cousin, though I don't really find any of my cousins annoying. I mean, if you drank 3 gallons of milk in one sitting it'd probably kill you. If you drank three gallons of expired milk, it would definitely kill you. So I'll go with the cousin.
Projected Lines & Pairs
- Conor Sheary - Sidney Crosby - Patric Hornqvist
- Carl Hagelin - Nick Bonino - Phil Kessel
- Chris Kunitz - Evgeni Malkin - Eric Fehr
- Tom Kuhnhackl - Matt Cullen - Bryan Rust
Pairs:
- Brian Dumoulin - Kris Letang
- Olli Maatta - Trevor Daley
- Ian Cole - Ben Lovejoy
Matt Murray is expected to start in net tonight.
My 3 Keys to the Game
2. Keep Your Cool: The Penguins lost their heads a little in Saturday's game. They even took a retaliatory penalty in that game. That hasn't been the Mike Sullivan Penguins. I want to see the Pens keep their cool and don't be bamboozled into taking penalties or losing their heads.
3. Power Play: It has got to score. It has to. No more excuses, no more bull honkey. This unit is too good to fail, and it cannot afford to do so tonight.
My 3 Penguins to Watch
2. Brian Dumoulin: Dumo had an off night in Game Five, probably his worst game in months. That is ok. I completely believe in his ability to bounce back, as does Mike Sullivan. It appears the Dumoulin will jump up to the top pair with Kris Letang with the return of Olli Maatta to the lineup. Dumoulin has been playing the minutes and has played well, besides Saturday. Tonight, I think he turns it around.
3. Patric Hornqvist: I was completely baffled by the way HCMS used Horny in Game Five. Tonight, I expect him to come out and have a huge impact on this game to make up for the benching. Expect 72 to be right in Holtby's mug all night, and expect him to play past every whistle.
What to Know for Attending/Watching/Listening
- Gates open at 6:30 for the 8pm puck drop.
- The Penguins will wear their "Pittsburgh Gold" jerseys tonight.
- Be sure to stop by PensGear Wednesday night while Player Name and Number Tee’s are just $21.99! Tuesday only
- All fans in attendance tonight will receive a Penguins rally towel and Pittsburgh Gold t-shirt.
- Fans attending Monday’s game are reminded to use tickets marked “Round 2, Home Game 1” when entering CONSOL Energy Center.
- Big Screen at First Niagara Fan Zone – Fans without tickets to Monday’s game are invited to catch the game on the Big Screen at the First Niagara Fan Zone located at the Peoples Gate! The First Niagara Fan Zone opens 3 hours before game time. All fans are invited to test their skills at a giant hockey inflatable, play interactive games, take advantage of free face painting and visit with Iceburgh and members of the Pittsburgh Penguins Ice Crew prior to the game!
- Miller Lite Party Plaza – Enjoy 24 oz. Miller Lite beers for only $6 at the Miller Lite Party Plaza located at the Verizon Gate! Opening 3 hours before game time, the Miller Lite Party Plaza will help you get ready for the game with free interactive games and a DJ!
- Bud Light Party Plaza - Enjoy 24 oz. Budweiser and Bud Light beers for only $6 at the Bud Light Party Plaza located at the Trib Total Media Gate! Opening 3 hours before game time, the Bud Light Party Plaza will help you get ready for the game with free interactive games and a DJ!
- Food Trucks – Grab a bite to eat before the game with the Penguins Food Truck round up lining Centre Avenue! Food trucks scheduled to appear prior to Monday’s game include: Las Chicas Mexican, Franktuary, Pittsburgh Smokehouse, Pittsburgh Pierogi Truck, Cool Beans, Dairy Queen, Dunkin’ Donuts and Nakama.
- Stop by Burgatory’s Burger & Shake Stand inside CONSOL Energy Center on Monday to try a Black & Gold Cake Shake. Thanks to Burgatory, $1 per shake served will benefit the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation.
- “The Bulliest Dozer,” co-written by Penguins center Eric Fehr, is now available for sale at the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation’s silent auction stand outside of the First Niagara Club. This children’s book about why bullying doesn’t pay is signed by Fehr for just $20. You can also purchase the book by using the Foundation’s mobile bidding app at bidpal.net/pens.
Here is what you need to know for WATCHING tonight:
- The game is NATIONALLY televised on NBCSN at 8:00pm tonight.
- Coverage should begin at 7:00pm on NBCSN with pregame coverage.
- ROOT Sports coverage is over for the season.
Here is what you need to know if you're LISTENING to tonight's game:
- 105.9 The X, the Penguins app, the Penguins website and iHeart Radio app are all places you can pick up the game tonight.
- Mike Lange and Phil Bourque will have the game call beginning at 8:00pm.
- Penguins Pregame will precede the game coverage at 7:00pm. Josh Getzoff will host.
- Penguins Hot Line will follow the game action.
Pens Points:
- Attending the Game: 50pts
- Merchandise Purchase: 10pts
- Concession Purchase: 10pts
- Pens Radio Keyword: 5pts