Quote:
Originally Posted by fuzzylogic
right, the pens shouldnt be left out.
i dont know, ottawa wasnt playing well and was handicapped. so for me, the pens beating the sens shows the pens are a good team, but this is already known. maybe the series showed us that
fluery is ready to live up to all the hype.
the one-two punch of sid and malkin works well.... -very- well.
and that staal on the 3rd line is solid.
what i am saying is that the pens were just not tested enough for me to believe they can hardnose their way through NY, which is what they will have to do.
it will be a slow, grinding series. and if NY can dictate that flow through each game, they will win.
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Let's see what the experts say...
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS vs. NEW YORK RANGERS
This season's playoffs:
Pittsburgh def. Ottawa Senators in four games
New York Rangers def. New Jersey Devils in five games
Head-to-head playoff history:
The Penguins hold a 3-0 lead. They were victorious in 1989, 1992 (a Cup year) and 1996. The Rangers won just three games in those series.
Season series:
The Rangers won five of eight and swept the games at Madison Square Garden. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby combined for 15 points in the series, with centre Scott Gomez leading the Rangers with seven points.
The skinny:
With left wingers Jarkko Ruutu, Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts, and right winger Georges Laraque, Pittsburgh is more than able to counter the Sean Avery yap factor, but Avery also can burn a team on the scoreboard ... The Rangers must utilize their superiority in goal, but if Crosby finally catches playoff fire, Henrik Lundqvist's bubble will burst ... Former Maple Leafs defenceman Hal Gill traditionally has done a good job shutting down right winger Jaromir Jagr ... Jagr never has played his former team in a playoff game and gets razzed heavily in Mellon Arena. But he kept his suburban Pittsburgh house, and rents it to Penguins right winger Petr Sykora.
Injuries:
Defenceman Mark Eaton (knee) is out for the Penguins, while Roberts (leg/groin) missed the final two games of the Ottawa series and is questionable for Game 1. The Rangers are healthy overall.
I had to make a pick, went with Crosby & co. I think they are going to win in 6, maybe 7. Either way it's going to be a great series.