RedPals,

I'm genuinely sorry that, just as any team at the NHL level would, Pittsburgh is going to have to take advantage of a back-to-back game against a tired and banged-up team. IMO this is the must-win game-- the opportunity to win that necessary one road game, since y'all have home-ice advantage. If we cannot pull this one off, I think it's going to be a short series.

Regarding goaltending. Fleury has the chops to keep them in the game. We didn't see them last night. This game also is a must-do-better one for him. He beat himself last night-- we know his face well, and in the close-ups last night we saw the willies left over from last year. He has a good record for metal recovery from such. He better get on with it! :~)

Regarding zones... The Pens need to figure out (if they have not already) that the Wings' defensive commitment means that they are not quite as ready to jump up ice as they need to be to equal our speed on the rush. And I have never seen so many opponents at a time put on a forecheck against our guys. These two things alone tell me Babcock is taking our firepower very, very seriously.

Regarding puck luck. Puck-luck PLUS skill is SO COOL! We had it, especially in the last series. The Wings had it last night (and those springy boards). But the Pens also know what it is to play through loss of puck luck. Some of those recent 6-goal games were the result of puck luck. Some were the result of patience, hard work, and coaching adjustments thru the other team's puck luck.


Regarding fan-tension as MWH mentions. They say Game 2 is usually the defining game in a Cup series. I will have to plan some extra-physical chores around the place today to even hope to sit still the odd minute or two before the game starts. Even Faulkner knows this is IT. (Hockey dog, gets treats for our team's goals, knows the electricity that leads up to them.) He lies around just wagging his tail over nothing, hearing and feeling the electricity in the air. Faulkner sez, "I dunno who is gonna win, but I know it's gonna be a treat!"


THANK YOU for your participation in this thread. Sometimes I'm on a slow connection and a different computer-- even on the 50-post method the other thread was no longer loading for me reliably and I need this thread!!! :~)

~Susan