Good evening Pens fans and welcome to the first playoff edition of the Big Dave's Pens Pregame of the 2015-16 season. Tonight, the Penguins look to take the first step towards their 4th Stanley Cup in franchise history. The opponent will be a familiar foe, the team that has eliminated us the last two post seasons, the New York Rangers.
Puck drops on Pens/Rags at 8:00pm at CEC, but the Pregame is live now....
I jammed to this song yesterday, and felt it fit for the first playoff game. Tonight's "Big Dave's Gameday Jam" comes from one of my favorite groups, The White Stripes. The song, with its excellent intro and heavy guitars, is COOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNQUEST!!!! "Conquest," Enjoy!
The State of the Penguins
Every team is born renew when the playoffs begin. Poor play preceding is erased, as is good play. Everyone begins on level ground. Everyone has hope.
The Pittsburgh Penguins begin their march toward their fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history tonight. They will look to earn the first of 16 necessary wins tonight, at home, in front of the Burgh Faithful. It is the next chapter in the step toward history.
The Penguins enter the 2016 Playoffs playing very good hockey, despite being a bit beat up. They won 14 of the final 16 games of the regular season, dropping just two games to the Devils and the Flyers over the month long stretch. The Pens dominated opponents, and much of it happened without big names in the lineup.
We enter tonight's game wondering about the status of some of those injured players not just for this game, but the series. Marc-Andre Fleury, who has missed the last week or so with another concussion, has skated the last few days and practiced each of the last two with the team. His status is up-in-the-air for tonight, but he should be in this series before too long. Olli Maatta, who has been out a few weeks with a lower-body issue, is expected to return tonight. Maatta skated hard with the team without limitations for the last few days heading into this matchup. His inclusion in the lineup is a huge boost for an already rolling defensive corps. Finally, the status of Evgeni Malkin. While he has been skating the last few days and has begun shooting, he is still unlikely to play tonight. However, he will likely hit the ice before this series is over. If the Penguins get those three back, especially early in the series, they should have a lot of success.
The Pens are ready for this. Mike Sullivan will see to that. They know the goal, they know their jobs. The big focus tonight, get win number one.
The Tango Begins Again: New York Rangers
They enter yet another series against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the post season, knowing that this team has won 14 of 16 and that they lost 3 of the four regular season matchups to them. They know they are likely the underdogs in this series. Little do they care, the Rangers will do what they do.
New York enters this series having taken the last two playoff series from the Penguins. Eliminating them in seven games in 2014 and five games just last year. Henrik Lundqvist knows how to beat the Penguins, who he has dominated in recent years until these last three games. The Rangers have a lot of the same faces back who have been on the last two teams to eliminate Pittsburgh. The Rangers have history to prove they can win these series.
But this is not the same Rangers team that eliminated the Penguins last season. For one thing, Henrik Lundqvist has had a down season. While he still won over 35 games for the Rangers, of late, he has been far from his typical Vezina level of play. He also enters tonight's game under the weather, which give the Penguins a little advantage. The Rangers will also likely be without number one defenseman Ryan McDonagh. The Ranger captain has a broken hand and likely won't see the ice much in this series. It is a major blow to this team's blue line and power play. Finally, the Rangers don't have the speed of Carl Hagelin anymore. Last year, the Pens mid-season acquisition almost single-handedly eliminated the Penguins in the first round. The Rangers size and his speed were far too much for the Pens to handle. Now, Hagelin is on our side, overwhelming teams with his speed, while the Rangers have not been able to replace the hole he left when they traded him.
The Rangers have won the last two series. The Penguins have won the last three games. Both teams have injuries to key players. But it doesn't matter, everyone is all in on this one, because its the Cup.
What to Know About the Rangers:
- 46-27-9 overall regular season record.
- The Rangers enter the playoffs going 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.
Scoring Leaders:
- RW Mats Zuccarello - 61pts (26G-35A)
- C Derick Brassard - 58pts (27G-31A)
- C Derek Stepan - 53pts (22G-31A)
- D Keith Yandle - 47pts (5G-42A)
- LW Chris Kreider - 43pts (21G-22A)
Injury Report:
- D Ryan McDonagh (broken hand) is a game-time decision for tonight, but likely out. McDonagh has skated with the Rangers the last couple days, but he has been wearing a non-contact jersey for the duration. I don't expect him in there tonight.
- G Henrik Lundqvist (illness) is expected to play tonight. The veteran goalie had a bout with some sort of illness on Monday, that resulted in him running off the ice a couple times to take care of the situation. He stated yesterday he isn't feeling 100%, but he expects to play.
- RW Mats Zuccarello (lower-body) is a game-time decision tonight. The Rangers regular season scoring leader skipped the season finale with a lower-body issue, but he is expected to be in there tonight.
- D Dan Girardi (upper-body) is a game-time decision, but expected to play tonight. Girardi skipped the regular season finale and missed practice Monday, but skated yesterday. He should be in there tonight.
- LW Viktor Stalberg (lower-body) is a game-time decision tonight, but expected to play. Like Girardi and Zuccarello, Stalberg skipped the finale, but is expected to play tonight.
Projected Lines:
- Chris Kreider - Derek Stepan - Rick Nash
- JT Miller - Derick Brassard - Mats Zuccarello
- Eric Staal - Kevin Hayes - Jesper Fast
- Tanner Glass - Dominic Moore - Viktor Stalberg
Projected Pairs:
- Marc Staal - Dan Girardi
- Keith Yandle - Kevin Klein
- Brady Skjei - Dan Boyle
Henrik Lundqvist is expected to start in net tonight.
News & Notes From Around the penguins
- G Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion) is a game-time decision tonight. Fleury was cleared to practice and has the last two days, but he will need to be cleared today by team doctors to play tonight. We likely won't know until warmups tonight if Flower can go.
- D Olli Maatta (lower-body) is a game-time decision tonight, but he is expected to play today. Maatta has practice hard the last two days and he should be back in there tonight alongside Kris Letang.
- C Evgeni Malkin (upper-body) is likely out tonight, but should play in the series. Malkin is reportedly recovering from a broken wrist, but he is not quite ready to get in there tonight. Game 2 is not out of the question, and by Game 3 he could play.
- F Beau Bennett (upper-body) is a game-time decision tonight. Bennett missed the last couple game with a reoccurring problem with that shoulder. He has skated the last couple games and could play tonight.
- F Bryan Rust (undisclosed) remains day-to-day with no other update given.
- G Matt Murray (upper-body) is day-to-day with what is likely a concussion. He was hurt midway through the season finale on Saturday and is not expected to play in the first couple games.
Pens/Rangers Matchup Notes:
- The third consecutive playoff series between these two clubs.
- The Rangers have won the last two entering this one.
- The Penguins took the regular season series 3-1-0, including winning three in a row.
- Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel led the Penguins in scoring v. New York with four points each.
- Jesper Fast led the Rangers in scoring v. Pittsburgh with four points.
Miscellaneous Notes:
- This is the 10th consecutive season in which the Penguins have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
- The Penguins finished the regular season with the fourth most points in the NHL with 104. Only Washington (120), Dallas (109) and St. Louis (107) had more.
- The Pens led the NHL with shot attempts per game with a 33.2 shots/GP average.
- C Sidney Crosby finished the season with 85 points. That was third best in the NHL and led the Penguins. His 36 goals also led the Penguins.
- D Kris Letang finished the regular season with career highs in goals (16), assists (51) and points (67).
#AskBigDave
I have answered this question often over the last two-three weeks and my stance hasn't changed Tyler. I don't think the Penguins should break up either of the top lines, as both are playing really well right now. I also think the Cullen-Rust-Kuhnhackl line is playing really well right now too. I wouldn't break that up either.
When Geno is healthy, I am going with Sheary - Malkin - Bennett. It gives Geno some skill on his wings but more importantly, allows him to do the majority of the work on that line, which is where he seems to thrive the most. If Rust comes back, then Fehr replaces Sheary and skates with Malkin.
From Joshua G. on Facebook: "What key factors will lead to either team winning the series?"
Great question Josh. Each team has several factors that will play into them winning this series.
For the Penguins, they need to make sure they find away to use their speed, even with the "clutch and grab" style of the playoffs. The keys to this will of course be Hagelin, Letang, Daley, Kessel, Sheary and Rust if he can return. The Penguins also need to make sure they get in Lundqvist face and break down that Ranger defense. New York has success this time of year because they collapse so much around their goalie, fewer shots get to him. Pens need to clear space, which the speed thing will help.
For the Rangers, it all comes down to puck possession. They don't have the speed to keep up with the Pens, so their hope is that they possess the puck more than the Penguins and that the Pens play more conservative than they have over the last few weeks. I don't see that happening though, making it harder on the Rangers.
The biggest key for both is injuries. Each side has big names missing and banged up. I think the Rangers have the most to gain from returns, while the Rangers have several guys banged up, but expected to play.
From Reedie on the Tweety: "What is your NHL Bracket Challenge looking like for the first round?"
Fun question Reedie. I am sure many of you out there are participating in NHL Bracket Challenge on the NHL app. I completed my selections last night, here they are:
Pens/Rangers: I am sure this is the one you are most curious about. It really is going to depend on injuries and who gets in and when. But overall, the Pens speed is superior to the Rangers and the Pens are just playing better right now. My Choice: Pens in Six
Caps/Flyers: The Flyers will have inspiration with the death of their owner. They will come hard at the reigning President's Trophy winners, but I am not sure they have enough to get there. The Caps are playing solid hockey, almost fully healthy and have a lot to live up to. Hopefully they don't struggle with the expectations. Should be an interesting and physical series. My Choice: Washington in Seven.
Panthers/Islanders: The Isles tanked the final regular season game so they could play the Panthers. That will add fuel to Florida's fire. Add in the injuries to a couple key players in New York's lineup, Halak, Hamonic, Lee, and I see them struggling. The Panthers are all in this year, and they have a solid team. I like their chances. My Choice: Florida in Six
Red Wins/Lightning: The Lightning are without Stamkos and Stralman. Those are two big losses. I don't think this team is as strong as last year. That being said, the Red Wings are solid, but have struggled down the stretch. I think this is the hardest series to pick. My Choice: Detroit in Seven.
Ducks/Predators: I think the Predators are a solid side, but they do not have the fire power to beat the Ducks. They would need Pekka Rinne to be perfect, literally perfect in net, for them to win this series. My Choice: Anaheim in Five
Kings/Sharks: The Sharks are not that great a team. The Kings are a great team playing really good hockey. I have the Kings going all the way in the West and I think they annihilate the Sharks. My Choice: Los Angeles in Five.
Blackhawks/Blues: I don't think the Blackhawks are nearly as strong as they were last year. The Blues are good, but they are regular season kings and playoff jesters. It will be a real battle and I think the defending champs make it out. My Choice: Chicago in Seven
Stars/Wild: The Wild are the hottest team in the West right now. The Stars earned the most points in the conference. I love the Stars fire power and their blue line corps. If Niemi and Lehtonen can hold it down, they should be able to win any series, especially if Tyler Seguin gets back in there soon. My Choice: Dallas in Six.
From Pens Husky on Twitter: "Who's your favorite player on the Pens?"
Don't know if I answered this one yet this year, but my favorite player on this current Penguins team is Patric Hornqvist. He is a genuinely nice guy and one hell of a hockey player. I absolutely love the way he loves the game. He goes to the net hard every shift, takes an absolute beating, and goes back for more. He is hard to knock off the puck and he is the Pens best net front presence on the team. Also, I love how he hustles every single shift of every single game. You couldn't say that about every Penguin all year. So Patric Hornqvist for sure. My second favorite would probably have to be either Bryan Rust or Brian Dumoulin.
From LetsTalkPens on Twitter: "The bigger choke; Spieth in the Masters or Pens if they lose in the first round?"
Oh my guys, that is a really tough one to choose. For the Penguins, I think there are a lot of factors to take it account. The biggest being injuries. If the Flower is back in there from the get-go, that is a big difference in how this series plays out. Add in Maatta, Malkin, Rust, all big. If the Pens start with Zatkoff, I think they could win one game for sure, but I don't know if they can win a series with him. So the injury situation is such a big factor in the Pens success.
I think the Penguins should win this series and I definitely think they can. That being said, it would be a big choke if they did lose.
All that being said, Jordan Spieth literally through that Masters away. He had a five shot lead entering the back nine and went bogey-bogey-quadruple on the the first three holes. He lost his focus and it cost him big time. I absolutely love the kid, and I think he will rebound and win multiple majors down the road. But that was a real choke job and that is definitely the bigger choke of the option.
Projected Lines & Pairs
- Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Patric Hornqvist
- Carl Hagelin - Nick Bonino - Phil Kessel
- Tom Kuhnhackl - Matt Cullen - Eric Fehr
- Conor Sheary - Oskar Sundqvist - Beau Bennett
Pairs:
- Olli Maatta - Kris Letang
- Brian Dumoulin - Trevor Daley
- Ian Cole - Justin Schultz
Marc-Andre Fleury was first off the ice, so I'm expecting him in net. Zatkoff backing up
My 3 Keys to the Game
2. Power Play: The Pens PP was better down the stretch, even without Malkin. The key was Daley on the right-half wall and Sid down low. That is how it needs to stay. Now, we enter the playoffs, where PP goals are even more crucial to a team's success. Generate chances, don't over pass and get pucks on net.
3. Don't Play Down to the Rangers: This will especially be key if Zatkoff is in net. The Penguins are using speed and transition to keep the puck out of their zone and to put pressure on the other team. They need to do that. They cannot decide to play a more defensive game to protect Zatkoff, that will only put more offensive pressure on him. The Pens need to play there game.
My 3 Penguins to Watch
2. Carl Hagelin: Hags is the key to the Pens speed and I think the biggest X-Factor in the series. I want to see Hags keep playing the same way he has down the stretch here along with Bonino and Kessel. Things will be a little tighter out there, but his speed can beat nearly every trap the Rangers look to set.
3. Matt Cullen: The Pens record when Matt Cullen scores is great. He also was the Pens biggest surprise this season. Cullen is a beast and I don't expect his game to drop off in the playoffs. His faceoffs, defense and PK work will be key throughout the series, but if he can chip in some points too, clutch.
What to Know for Attending/Watching/Listening
- Puck drop is at 6:30pm with the doors to CEC opening at 8:00pm.
- The Penguins will wear their "Pittsburgh Gold" jerseys tonight.
- Stop by Pens Gear tonight for the gameday special. Tonight, stop by and get your 2016 Stanley Cup Playoff merchandise
- Its a giveaway night at CEC. All fans in attendance will receive a Pittsburgh gold playoff t-shirt and a gold "Lets Go Pens" rally towel, pictured above. Shirts and towels are courtesy of UPMC.
- The Penguins will create a Fan Zone outside CONSOL Energy Center that will be activated starting at 5 PM on Wednesday. There will be different activities at each of the arena’s three gates as well as food trucks and tents lined up along Centre Avenue. These areas will feature DJs, refreshments, interactives, face painters, special kids’ activities and appearances by Iceburgh and the Penguins’ Ice Crew.
- Trib Total Media Gate – Bud Light Party Plaza, DJ, Interactives
- Peoples Gate – Kids’ Interactives, Face Painters
- Verizon Gate – Miller Lite Party Plaza, DJ, Interactives
- Interactives will include Top Shot, Sauce Hockey, Corn Hole, Face Painters and a Penguins inflatable.
- “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 http://bidpal.net/pens
- The Penguins will host the big screen out doors tonight as well. You can come watch the game outside CEC for free tonight on the hill between CEC and the Church of the Epiphany on 5th Ave and Washington St.
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 8:00pm. Dan Potash will have the interviews.
- Penguins Pregame will precede the game coverage beginning at 7:30pm.
- Penguins Post Game will follow the game action.
- Set your DVRs or tune in for the latest edition of "IN THE ROOM" after the postgame tonight.
- The game will also be broadcast nationally tonight, I believe on the USA Network.
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 at8:00pm.
- Penguins Pregame will precede the game coverage at 7:00pm. Josh Getzoff will host.
- Penguins Hot Line will follow the game action.
Pens Points:
- Game Attendance: 50pts
- Concession Purchase: 10pts
- Merchandise Purchase: 10pts
- ROOT Sports Pregame Keyword: 5pts
- ROOT Sports Post Game Keyword: 5pts
- Pens Radio Keyword: 5pts