10-1
Yes, the above record is the Pittsburgh Penguins' overall playoff record this season. Not only is this very impressive, but pretty much a 500 percent improvement from last year. (1-4)
This success is not just coming from one aspect of the Penguins' play. Yes, they are the most offensively stacked team in the playoffs (Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Sykora), but they are also rock solid in the defensive aspect as well (Gonchar, Gil, Orpik, Whitney, and of course Fleury).
The Pens are an offense threat waiting to happen when you turn the puck over right to their sticks. Example: Friday's night game. All four lines for the Pens can score pretty much on command.
The top two lines (Malkin, Malone, Sykora), and (Crosby, Hossa, Dupius) are doing some heavy damage to opponents right now with both Crosby and Malkin having 17 points in 11 games.
If a team plays Pittsburgh at home they can expect a six man advantage at all times with the crowd being as into the game as they have been. This is why the Pens have won the last seven games at home.
As the saying goes, "Offense wins games, defense wins championships."
By the looks of it, Pittsburgh will be well on their way to winning their third Stanley Cup if they keep up their defensive game as they have been. The Penguins have only allowed 21 goals against in the last 11 games, while they have been able to score 39 goals in the same amount.
Special teams is the key to winning or losing against the Pens because they will definitely make you pay for taking a stupid penalty. They have cashed in 23.6 percent of the time and have killed off 88.6 percent of their own penalties.
Philly will have to get their fans into this game early, not turn over the puck and get fewer than three penalties against the powerhouse Pittsburgh Penguins.
On the other hand, the Penguins will have to break through the sixth man advantage the Flyers will have, not take bad penalties, and get their scoring groove on early and often to win game three. It will be a very hard fought battle in Pennsylvania.
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5 months ago
Good article. I really do hate how people see the Penguins just as an offensive team. That is such a mistake! They can win games in so many ways, with offense or with defense. C'mon, who's gonna stop them?
I am also really ticked that Brian Engblom, a Versus announcer, said yesterday that Datsyuk and Zetterberg were better than Crosby and Malkin. WHAT! I hope he was joking. Who won the Art Ross last year, who finished runner up this year? Who had the best points per game average in the league this year? Either Crosby or Malkin will answer those questions. Engblom is an idiot. My dead parrot could do a better job of intermission analyzing than he does. And dude, the mullet days are over. Get an ne ahircut and a new job.
GO PENS!
5 months ago
I'm going to agree with Anthony. I mean sure detroit is scoring like crazy but look who they've been facing. I mean they have gotten the most trouble from an 8th seed. Malkin and Crosby and even Hossa, I'd say, are more diverse than Datsyuk and Zetterburg as well. Pens are the best team in the playoffs right now. if they keep their heads out of their asses, which they have done immaculately so far, I'll give them 70% odds, right now, of walking home with the stanley cup.
5 months ago
I need to know what differs this Bleacher report from a regular team message board, where fans are singing price to their own heros while spewing their anger and disrespect over the opponents. Well..?..
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