NHL Playoffs Round 3: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Boston Bruins

[BDL]

It's an all black and gold Eastern Conference finals. Both the B's and Pens beat their previous opponents in 5 games. Though Pitt won their games in a more convincing manner. Where a majority of the Bruins' wins were grinds.

Can the Bruins' hard nosed style compete with the Penguins' flash and anyone can score from anywhere style? Cast your vote and opinions.

 

[topolino]

I voted for the Pens in 6, but one area where Boston has a clear cut advantage is in goaltending. If Rask stays hot he could steal a game or two and change the course of the series. Of course Vokoun has looked decent too, and who knows if Fleury will regain his prior form?

In any case, I'm a Sabres fan, so I don't have any affection for either of these teams. That said, I'm looking forward to just watching a good, exciting series of playoff hockey.

 

[DebbieB]

BDL - I was sympathetic to you up until now. Here's where it ends!

Pens in 6!

 

[Art 1]

Pens but I can't guess in how many.

 

[stevea20]

For the Bruins to win this series will take a complete grinding physical effort, and a lot of good luck. Lucic said it himself, the Pens are"the Miami Heat of the NHL", all that talent.

One thing I'd like to see happen is for the Bruins to focus on one man(my choice is Iginla-just out of spite)and have someone constantly shadow him, a la Steve Kasper, hit him everytime he touches the puck, say loud and clear, "you are not the one who is going to beat us".

Keep rolling all four lines and hope the Merlot's keep producing and the third line catches fire. Constantly physical play to slow the Pens down and Rask at the top of his game. Those are my keys for the Bruins.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

It's an all black and gold Eastern Conference finals. Both the B's and Pens beat their previous opponents in 5 games. Though Pitt won their games in a more convincing manner. Where a majority of the Bruins' wins were grinds.

Can the Bruins' hard nosed style compete with the Penguins' flash and anyone can score from anywhere style? Cast your vote and opinions.

I'm Just a fairweather bandwagon hockey fan, but even I know the Penguins are blessed with loads of talent.

Gotta always go with the hometown team. Penguins in 5.

 

[Neesy228]

I'm going with the Pens in 6. I expect Boston to put up a fight, but with Vokoun in the net and all my other guys healthy and playing so well, I don't think we can lose!

(Now I'm gonna go knock on wood!)

Lets go Pens!

 

[BDL]

HNIC is reporting (though nothing is official) that game 1 will be on Saturday.

In other news, Andrew Ferrence has been skating again. Could provide a conundrum for Julien. I think he should go into game 1, as is. And the way that it has been hypothesized, is that Chara and Seidenberg will be reunited and match up against the Malkin line (hoping that Bergeron will be able to help other D-pairs handle Crosby). While Krug will be with Boychuk and Bartkowski with McQuaid.

And speaking of Krug, the Shawn-father has saddled him with a nickname. In an article over the weekend, Thornton referred to him as "Freddy", is in Nightmare on Elm St.

 

[Dan Murfman]

It's worked so far so I say penguins in 7

 

[Kies99]

I voted Pens in 6, but I think it'll take all 7.

As a side note, the Pens look to be 100% healthy for this series according to local reports. Nobody will be scratched due to injury/illness.

 

[BDL]

It seems that the rivalry t-shirts have already come out. HERE is my favorite so far. If you have the time, check out:

chowdaheadz.com

sullysbarand.com

ilovebostonsports.com

 

[BDL]

The official schedule for round 3 has been released:

Game 1: Jun 1 8:00pm EDT @PIT (TV: NBC, CBC, RDS)
Game 2: Jun 3 8:00pm EDT @PIT (TV: NBCS, CBC, RDS)
Game 3: Jun 5 8:00pm EDT @BOS (TV: NBCS, CBC, RDS)
Game 4: Jun 7 8:00pm EDT @BOS (TV: NBCS, CBC, RDS)
Game 5: Jun 9 8:00pm EDT @PIT (TV: NBCS, CBC, RDS)
Game 6: Jun 11, TBD @BOS (TV: NBCS, CBC, RDS)
Game 7: Jun 12, TBD @PIT (TV: NBCS, CBC, RDS)

I guess they had to wait until they had at least 1 winner in the Western Conference before they could come up with a schedule. And there could be more shuffling of the Western Conference scheduling depending on who wins tonight. If 1 team wins, then the Western Conf. game 1 will be Friday at 8. If the other, than Saturday at 5.

Ohhh... And by the way, we can thank The New Kids On The Block for the reason why, if the series goes 7, that games 6&7 will be back to back. Damn you Joey Mac and your dreamy eyes and illuminating smile ..... I'm sorry, what was I saying? Oh yeah... So this week's meeting of the NKOTB fan club will be held... DAMMIT!!!! They got me again.

Game 1 on Saturday. LET's GO B's!!!!

 

[Dan Murfman]

The Garden also isn't available this Sunday or Monday due to New Kids on the Block . And then the Stones have concerts 6/12 and 6/14.

 

[MickeySP]

Can't wait for this series. It is gonna be interesting.

As far as Pens with talent being a walk, seem to remember the same things being siad about a certain Vancouver team

 

[wiigirl]

Definetly the Penguins....just don't know by how much.

 

[DebbieB]

Interesting fact I heard last night on a sports talk show: The 5 remaining teams are the Stanley Cup winners from the past 5 years. Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston, LA.

 

[Piglet]

Pens in 6! Let's Go Pens!!

 

[BDL]

I hope the music director of the Blackhawks games is prophetic. They just played "Shipping Up To Boston".

 

[BDL]

Congrats to the Blackhawks and their fans on advancing to the Western Conf finals. As happy as Chicago fans are, I think Milbury was right last night when he said that the happiest person in the building was the ref who made the call that made null the game winning goal in last 90 sec of regulation.

So on Saturday, we have a double-header. Chi/LA at 5 and Bos/Pitt at 8. Peoples' heads are going to explode if the Chi/LA game goes into 2+ OT's and runs into the 8pm face-off.

Also, don't know if anyone listened to Toucher and Rich this morning on 98.5, but they made their own version of "Nightmare on my street" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, by substituting Krug stats and comments.

 

[DenMig]

Congrats to the Blackhawks and their fans on advancing to the Western Conf finals. As happy as Chicago fans are, I think Milbury was right last night when he said that the happiest person in the building was the ref who made the call that made null the game winning goal in last 90 sec of regulation.

So on Saturday, we have a double-header. Chi/LA at 5 and Bos/Pitt at 8. Peoples' heads are going to explode if the Chi/LA game goes into 2+ OT's and runs into the 8pm face-off.

Also, don't know if anyone listened to Toucher and Rich this morning on 98.5, but they made their own version of "Nightmare on my street" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, by substituting Krug stats and comments.

No need to panic if the Hawks game goes long, the two games are on different channels. Bruins game is on NBC.

This is the best final 4 I've seen. All are capable of hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup. A Blackhawks / Bruins final wouldn't surprise me as they may be teams of destiny the way each survived elimination.

For the record I"m a die hard Blackhawks fan !