Good evening Penguins fans and welcome to the latest edition of Big Dave's Pens Pregame. Tonight is the night we love to hate! The Penguins play host to their hugest rivals and cross-state nemeses in the Philadelphia Flyers. These games are always a fun time and always an infuriating affair.... Isn't it great?!?!?!
The puck drops on the blood-bath rivalry between Pens/Flyers at 7:00pm tonight, but you can enjoy the Pregame beginning now.
Tonight's "Big Dave's Gameday Jam" comes from one of my absolute favorites and an act coming to town in the coming weeks. Their songs area always hysterical, catchy and so much fun. This song fits the theme for the Pens/Flyers rivalry as it is entitled "Everyone Else is an Asshole." This song comes from the legendary ska group the Reel Big Fish. Enjoy!
The State of the Penguins
That what the Penguins will look tonight. They entered Monday's game coming off a huge performance against the Hurricanes. Unfortunately, the Penguins couldn't come away with any points from their trip to St. Louis, despite playing a relatively solid game overall. The Penguins controlled the flow of the game for the first 40 minutes of the game. After an early goal in the third, followed by another lousy goal by the Blues, the wind was completely out of the Pens sails and the game resulted in a disappointing loss.
Jeff Zatkoff was the first to blame for the performance on Monday. He let in four goals that he should have stopped, including where he flopped by the right circle like a fish until the Blues finally netted one in the open net. He was frankly atrocious, and has been the majority of the his last few starts. Then there were Ben Lovejoy and Ian Cole. Lovejoy's struggles of late continued in St. Louis. He was beaten badly by Vlad Tarasenko in the second period and the rest of his play saw him demoted to third pair duty and fewer shifts in the third. Same for Ian Cole, who has been flat out awful for a few weeks now. His defensive lapses led to the winning goal for the Blues and was just terrible. While several other players weren't exactly in tip-top form, the Penguins played well enough to sneak two points away from the Blues.
But they didn't, and now they find themselves in the swing of another three games in four days situation.
It begins tonight with their most hated rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers. While the Flyers aren't exactly a Stanley Cup contender this year, they always find a way to take two points away from the Penguins. The Pens managed just one point in four matchups last season, and were outscored 15 to 7 in those contests.
While the numbers aren't great, something to take into account is this isn't the same team as last year. Only 8 players on the roster played in the last game v. Philadelphia last year. The Pens are under the command of a capable coach and have a infusion of youth who will not have the bad memories of years past. Perhaps tonight is the night the Penguins finally snap the skid and take down the hated Flyers.
P.S. I Hate You: The Philadelphia Flyers
While we are always taught not to hate growing up, it is genetically programmed into the DNA of both Penguins and Flyers fans. We are supposed to hate each other. The history between the two teams makes it easy enough. Recent events, from the Talbot "Shhhh" to the "coaches fight between Laviolette and Granato" to the 2012 Playoffs, have tensions at an all-time high between the two sides.
But the last few seasons haven't been the same, and the Flyers are hardly the same team they were in those years. The Flyers are getting away from the "Broad Street Bullies" mentality that they so desperately grasped on to for the last thirty years. They are beginning to shed the contracts that have hampered them for years. Vinny Lecavlier and Luke Schenn were sent to Los Angeles for young winger Jordan Weal. They are starting to join the rest of the NHL in the mind-frame of puck moving defensemen. They still have the talented forwards like Giroux and Voracek, but they need better production from the likes of Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier and Matt Read who have underwhelmed the last few seasons.
One of the bright spots on this roster, not named Giroux or Voracek that is, is young defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. The Florida native and 2012 3rd round selection is in his first full season in the NHL and producing at a high rate for the Flyers. Unlike many of the defensemen Philly has had over the years, Gostisbehere isn't a slow, physical defenseman but a puck-moving, quick-footed offensive defenseman. Through 26 games this season, the rookie has posted 8 goals and 17 points. He finally provides the breakout performer that Giroux and Voracek could desperately use.
The other change for the Flyers is behind the bench. As mentioned, the days of the "Broad Street Bullies" mentality are dying out and the team is starting to conform more to the rest of the NHL. Ron Hextall helped that out greatly by bringing former North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol in to coach. The Flyers level of play hasn't quite caught up yet, but Hakstol does have them playing better hockey of late. The Flyers have won 5 of their last 7 games and are still in the playoff hunt. They currently sit just a point behind the Penguins and only 6 points behind the final guaranteed playoff spot.
The Flyers have a way of getting under the Penguins skin. They know the buttons to push and they have a way of stealing points away form the Penguins, especially at Consol Energy Center. I think the Penguins, a team with a lot of new faces and less scar tissue than the old veterans, are more likely to turn things around against the hated rivals. That being said, don't be surprised if the Flyers steal another one from Pittsburgh. They have a lot of guys that know how to beat us.
What to Know About the Flyers:
- 20-16-8 overall.
- Currently 6th in the Metropolitan Division with 48 points. They currently sit just 6 points out of a guaranteed playoff spot.
- Flyers are winners of five of their last seven games and have gone 5-4-1 over their last 10 games.
- The Flyers offense is struggling, scoring just 100 goals on the year. They enter the night a minus-17 in goal differential this season.
- Philadelphia has great numbers at Consol, but are only 9-10-3 on the road this season.
Scoring Leaders:
- C Claude Giroux - 35pts (13G-22A)
- RW Jakub Voracek - 31pts (5G-26A)
- RW Wayne Simmonds - 25pts (12G-13A)
- C Brayden Schenn - 22pts (10G-12A)
- C Sean Couturirer - 22pts (9G-13A)
Injury Report:
- No injuries to report for the Flyers
Projected Lines:
- Jakub Voracek - Claude Giroux - Wayne Simmonds
- Michael Raffl - Sean Couturier - Brayden Schenn
- Matt Read - Scott Laughton - Jordan Weal
- Chris VandeVeld - Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - Ryan White
Projected D-Pairs:
- Michael Del Zotto - Radko Gudas
- Nick Schultz - Mark Streit
- Shayne Gostisbehere - Yevgeni Medvedev
Steve Mason is expected to start in net for the Flyers tonight.
News & Notes From Around the Penguins
- D Kris Letang (upper-body) is a game-time decision tonight. Letang skipped practice Wednesday and would be evaluated again today. It is reportedly a hand injury that is plaguing him.
- F Beau Bennett (upper-body) is getting closer to returning. Bennett was a full-participant in Wednesday's practice and told the media he hoped to return before the all-star break. He will NOT play tonight, but he could return as soon as this weekend.
- D David Warsofsky (upper-body) is OUT tonight. He was diagnosed with a concussion and no timetable for return has been given.
- C Nick Bonino (hand): No Updates.
Penguins/Flyers Matchup Notes:
- Tonight is the first of four games between the Commonwealth's teams.
- The Flyers swept the season series last year. The Penguins salvaged just one point in the four games.
- The Pens were outscored 15 to 7 over the four games.
- The Penguins leading scorers were Evgeni Malkin and Ian Cole, who each had two assists in the season series.
- Jakub Voracek led Philly scorers with a goal and six points in four games. Brayden Schenn, Mark Strait and Sean Couturier each had 5 points.
- The Flyers are 10-1-1 in 12 regular season games at Consol Energy Center.
- Philly's goalie Steve Mason holds a 6-2-1 career record against the Penguins with a 2.21 GAA.
Miscellaneous Notes:
- The Penguins have earned points in five straight home games, going 3-0-2 in their last 5.
- The new "Pittsburgh Gold" jerseys have been good for the Penguins this year, as they have gone 5-1-1 while wearing them this season.
- The Penguins will not play another game outside the eastern time zone for the remainder of the season.
- 20 of the Penguins final 37 games will be against Metropolitan Division teams.
- C Evgeni Malkin scored his 20th goal of the season v. St. Louis on Monday night. He is now tied for 5th all-time in franchise history with 8 20-goal seasons.
- In his last 10 games, D Kris Letang has scored 16 points (5G-11A). That leads all NHL defensemen in that span.
- C Sidney Crosby has points in 11 of his last 14 games. (8G-10A-18pts)
#AskBigDave
What an outstanding question Rhonda, perfect for tonight's matchup with Philadelphia. To be quite honest, I don't think so, especially in today's NHL.
15-20 years ago, I would say there are plenty of players who would never go to the their biggest rival. It wasn't often you'd see a guy go from the Pens to the Caps, or the Pens to the Flyers or vice versa in succession. It just didn't happen much. Granted, you had the outlying cases like John LeClair or Mark Recchi, but for the most part it didn't happen.
Today, in a league driven by acquiring the longest term and largest sum of money available, that simply isn't the case. You look at career Penguins like Max Talbot or Brooks Orpik, who went from only playing for Pittsburgh directly to their biggest rival via free agency (Talbot to Philly in the summer of 2011 and Brooks to Washington in the summer of 2014). Heck, look at current Penguin forward Eric Fehr. He played the longest in Washington then signed with Pittsburgh immediately after becoming a free agent.
The loyalty just isn't there like it was a decade ago, despite what players will tell you. Also, the loyalty from the organizations aren't there either. So, no Rhonda, I don't think there are any guys that would simply never wear a Pens sweater because of the bad blood. If the money is right, they'll play for anyone.
From Reedie on the Tweety: "What superpowers would you assign to each player, casting the Penguins as the heroes and the Flyers as the villains? The Pens players are: Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Kessel and Fleury. The Flyers players are Giroux, Simmonds, Couturier, Read and Voracek."
Fun question Reedie. A tough one for sure. For fun, I'm also gonna add a superhero to their discussion. Let me see what I can come up with here...
Sidney Crosby - Foresight: Sidney Crosby has a sixth sense about him when he is on the ice. He can see things and plays before they happen and before the opposition can react. So I would give him the ability to see the future, because to an extent, he already can. As for a superhero, I think he could be like Professor X from X-Men.
Evgeni Malkin - Super Strength: I refer back to a previous Pregame where I likened Malkin to the Incredible Hulk. Malkin is a strong man, 6'3" and 200-odd pounds. When he gets angry and takes over a game, he has a super strength about him. So I'll once again liken him to the Hulk and give him super strength.
Kris Letang - Super Speed: May fit new teammate Carl Hagelin more now, but Kris Letang is incredibly fast. He is one of the fastest skaters in the league at the moment and there are few faster than him. I'd give him super speed and his likeness to the Flash.
Phil Kessel - Invisibility: The way Kessel has been in the scoring department, he has been pretty invisible of late. When Kessel is on however, he is invisible as well. He uses his speed and stick skills to make himself and the puck invisible, so he can snipe lethal shots when goalies least expect it. I don't know what superheroes are invisible besides the girl from Fantastic Four.
Marc-Andre Fleury - Bruce Wayne's Charm: Let's face it, if anyone on the Penguins could be Batman, it's the Flower. He's got the cars, the looks, a beautiful wife and he is charming as hell. How does he not remind you of Bruce Wayne/Batman? He sure reminds me of him.
Claude Giroux - Red Face: Giroux reminds me of Hugo Weaving's character in the original Captain America movie. Mostly because he is a red head and is the bad guy to our Captain Crosby. So I'll go with that for Giroux.
Wayne Simmonds - Green Goblin: He kinda has the same look as the Spiderman villain. He is a hell of a fighter, is a complete pest on the ice and is talented as well. Green Goblin has no really superpower, but he reminds a lot of Simmonds.
Sean Couturier - Riddle Me This?: Couturier is immensely talented. He just hasn't lived up to potential after a hot 2012 playoffs against the Penguins. So where is the guy we saw? Was it a one time thing or is he just underachieving? So what is he? He's an enigma. Ringing bells? Edward Nigma, aka The Riddler from Batman.
Matt Read - Superman's Annoyingness: Superman is far from a villain, but I don't care for him. I also don't care for Read, mostly because he tends to do nothing against every other team but the Penguins. Therefore, I will attribute annoyance with him like Superman annoys the hell out of me. Not my best answer, but it's what I got.
Jakub Voracek - The Joker's Insanity: Voracek makes me feel like the Joker. This guy is so lethal against the Penguins it drives me bananas. Granted, it doesn't make me want dress in a purple suit, destroy half of Gotham and torture Bruce Wayne, but it does get me quite jazzed up in a bad way.
Hope that suffices Reedie.
Projected Lines & Pairs
- Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Patric Hornqvist
- Carl Hagelin - Evgeni Malkin - Phil Kessel
- Tom Kuhnhackl - Eric Fehr - Bryan Rust
- Kevin Porter - Matt Cullen - Conor Sheary
Pairs:
- Kris Letang - Olli Maatta
- Trevor Daley - Brian Dumoulin
- Ben Lovejoy - Ian Cole
Marc-Andre Fleury will start in the net for the Penguins tonight.
My 3 Keys to the Game
2. Keep Your Head: The Penguins and the Flyers tend to be a hot-headed affair with lots of hitting and plenty of penalties. The key to winning is staying out of the penalty box more than the opponent. So if the Penguins keep their heads, avoid retaliation and stupid penalties, they may actually beat the Flyers tonight.
3. Star Shine: Crosby v. Giroux. Malkin v. Voracek. Letang v. Gostisbehere. Its a showdown of stars tonight in Pittsburgh. The key, as it always is, is for your start to outshine theirs. I like the Penguins chances of that tonight, especially with the way Crosby and Letang have played of late.
My 3 Penguins to Watch
2. Carl Hagelin: You may have heard, Hags is fast. His speed is incredible and seeing him in person yesterday at UPMC66 Center was a sight to see. I would like to see Hags use his speed against a slower Flyers team. I think he has the ability to jump up into the play and create some real havoc tonight.
3. Bryan Rust: Much like Hagelin, Rust has some outstanding speed. An added bonus to Rusty is his outstanding hands. His line of Kuhnhackl-Fehr-Rust has been great of late and I'd like to see him utilize his speed in the bottom six and maybe add a goal on the rushes.
What to Know for Attending/Watching/Listening
- The puck drops on Pens/Flyers at 7:00pm. Gates at Consol open at 6:00pm.
- The Penguins will wear their "Pittsburgh Gold" jerseys tonight.
- The Pens Gear Gameday special is 30% off Golf Shirts!
- Also just in time for the holidays, you can purchase a copy of Eric Fehr's children's book "The Bulliest Dozer" at the Pittsburgh Penguins Silent Auction stand behind the First Niagara Club 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:
- ROOT Sports has the coverage tonight. Paul Steigerwald and Bob Errey with the call beginning at 7:00pm. Dan Potash will have the interviews.
- Penguins Pregame will precede the game coverage beginning at 6:30pm.
- Penguins Post Game will follow the game action.
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 7:00pm.
- Penguins Pregame will precede the game coverage at 6:00pm. Josh Getzoff will host.
- Penguins Hot Line will follow the game action.
Pens Points:
- ROOT Sports Pregame Keyword: 5pts
- ROOT Sports Post Game Keyword: 5pts
- Pens Radio Keyword: 5pts
- Miller Lite Nite at the North Park Lounge/Cranberry Bamboo Bar in Cranberry: 25pts
- Miller Lite NIte at the Hop House in the North Hills: 25pts