Penguins Vs. Senators: Game 1 Preview

Matt Bodenschatz | National Hockey League

Apr 8, 11:09 PM | Hype this story!
 

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Penguins (1) vs. Senators (8) Game 1
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Game one could go one of two ways: both teams could come out tentative, trying to gauge the other team, or both teams could come out flying, hoping to gain a quick edge.

With the familiarity level between these teams, I would venture to guess that there will be no feeling out process, and there certainly will be no grace period before things get intense.

Last year the Senators came out strong and finished the series in five games, embarrassing the Penguins. But now, the young Penguins can’t blame inexperience for any failures that may arise.

A healthy roster can mean nothing but good for the Penguins, who boast offensive talent such as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa; but their defensive game isn’t to be overlooked.

If the Senators, without the services of captain Daniel Alfredsson, hope to win game one, they better be prepared to control the tempo from the opening faceoff, or it could be tough sledding.

Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to backstop the Penguins, while Martin Gerber is the likely candidate to start for the Senators.

Game time is set for 7:00 at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, where a rabid fan base will be in full playoff mode supporting the boys of winter.

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Team Numbers
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Standings
Pittsburgh: 47-25-10; 104 pts; 1st Atlantic; 2nd Eastern; 4th NHL
Ottawa: 43-31-8; 94 pts; 2nd Northeast; 7th Eastern; 13th NHL

Records
Pittsburgh: 26-10-5 at home; 21-17-3 on the road; 1-2-1 vs. Ott; 6-3-1 in last 10
Ottawa: 22-15-4 at home; 21-16-4 on the road; 3-1-0 vs. Pit; 3-6-1 in last 10

Special Teams
Pittsburgh: PP, 20.4% (4th); PK, 81.0% (23rd)
Ottawa: PP, 18.3% (12th); PK, 81.1% (22nd)

Scoring
Pittsburgh: 247 GF (7th); 216 GA (8th)
Ottawa: 261 GF (2nd); 247 GA (24th)

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Player Leaders
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Goals
Pittsburgh: Malkin (47); Hossa (29); Sykora (28)
Ottawa: Heatley (41); Alfredsson (40); Spezza (34)

Assists
Pittsburgh: Malkin (59); Gonchar (63); Crosby (48)
Ottawa: Spezza (58); Alfredsson (49); Heatley (41)

Points
Pittsburgh: Malkin (106); Crosby (72); Hossa (66)
Ottawa: Spezza (92); Alfredsson (89); Heatley (82)

Penalty Minutes
Pittsburgh: Laraque (141); Ruutu (138); Malone (103)
Ottawa: Neil (199); Commodore (100); Fisher (82)

Wins
Pittsburgh: Fleury (19); Conklin (18); Sabourin (10)
Ottawa: Gerber (30); Emery (12); Elliot (1)
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Injuries
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Pittsburgh: Eaton, IR (Knee)
Ottawa: Alfredsson, DTD (Knee/Upper Body)

Comments

  1. Bryan

    Apr 9, 12:02 AM

    Capitals (8)?

  2. DaBich

    Apr 9, 06:36 AM

    Come out flying! Do damage early. Don’t even give the Sens a chance to get an early start. Best way to go.

  3. Ashley Gallant

    Apr 9, 09:58 AM

    Is Alfredsson the only injury for the Senators? I thought Chris Kelly and Mike Fisher were out, too. The Sens will be harder to play against if Kelly and Fisher are back.

  4. ceez4r

    Apr 9, 10:03 AM

    I think game 1 will determine the series. The Penguins clearly have the better talent, especially with 2 of Ottawa’s 4 top forwards out with injury, but talent does not equal wins in the playoffs. MAF will determine the outcome of the series. If he’s good, the series is an easy one. If he struggles, I smell a 7 gamer.

  5. Michael

    Apr 9, 11:48 AM

    I feel I have to preface this by stating that ..

    This is not intended as an “attack” on Therrien nor any ‘attack’ on the team. Again; this is only an attempt at calling a spade a spade .. trying to address issues that I think are very important, yet which are subjects that most people seem to think are somehow almost taboo for discussion.

    Anyway .. what Therrien needs to do in these playoffs:

    ** Make needed in-game tactical adjustments to the opposing coaches’ strategies. Needs to come to the realization that his team is not awarded points for stubbornness in sticking to his rigid system regardless of whatever happens. No need to ‘abandon’ his ‘system’, but in-game tactical adjustments need to be made when the opposing coach does something (such as an aggressive 2-man forecheck on the Pens’ D, or a particular neutral zone trap .. as two examples) to exploit the ‘system’ MT__does__use. BTW .. “tactical adjustments” does__not__include changing the line combinations.

    ** Understand that being flexible and adjusting to the opposing coaches’ moves is__not__a “weakness” nor a ‘bad relection’ upon his coaching, nor is it implying that he is “losing the coaching battle”.

    I think Therrien has ego issues involving the items I mentioned above. He needs to gain some self-awareness regarding those ego issues, and be willing to act upon it.

    ** Keep Sykora with Malkin .. especially on the powerplay. Stop pulling Sykora out at crucial junctures in the game when we especially need offense. Sykora is a very necessary piece of the offense.

    ** Stop overloading the powerplay. Putting Hossa, Crosby, and Malkin on the PP together causes a lot of over-passing and not nearly enough shooting .. and not enough player-movement. They all tend to stand still and pass the puck around the perimeter to each other .. everyone wanting to be the ‘set-up’ man.

    ** Scratch Whitney ..(as a couple of people on this board already said). Whitney is simply too much of a liability now, even on the powerplay and also on ES offense. Sydor should play in his spot.

    ** Try Staal as Malkin’s left wing, and then simultaneously move Malone to Crosby’s wing. Malkin and Staal played very well together, and very productively, last season .. yet Therrien has never re-united them. This is another instance where Therrien’s stubbornness and his lack of common sense .. is a problem. Staal is not functioning well as a center. He’s not a good playmaker, is not a good passer, gets knocked off the puck too easily in open ice, and is bad at faceoffs. Talbot should be the third-line center.

    Anyway .. I hope the “decision” to play Ottawa rather than the Flyers .. does not backfire. Lets Go Pens !!!

  6. seb

    Apr 9, 02:10 PM

    Why? b/c he’s giving us a pretty elaborate spot on analysis?! I agree with Michael’s last 4 comments.

  7. joe

    Apr 9, 02:38 PM

    Dany Heatley should be in jail…im glad Sid doesnt drink and drive and murder his teammates.

  8. Matt Bodenschatz

    Apr 9, 03:04 PM

    Ouch.

    No mention of Murray’s lisp yet? Come on!

  9. Head Coach Michel Therrien

    Apr 9, 05:46 PM

    Michael and Tom,

    You guy should have coaching job in NHL.

    You analysis of tactic and in game adjustment are outstanding.

    You can say I have ego issue but de player you can not talk about.

    Perhaps you should support our game, get behind our player, our team as it is. We have weakness? Yes. Do Ottawa have weakness? Yes. But we can not change our game just because it is the playoff. We can not change our game jus because two message board poster say I have ego and player are soff.

    Also, Jordan want me to say you can kiss his ass after de game tonight where he will be play solid hockey. At center. And Ryan Whitney say you are jokes.

    I make de decision. You watch on TV.

    Enjoy de game.

    -Michel

  10. Ashley Gallant

    Apr 9, 06:11 PM

    Wow if you guys are this emotional and fired up before the first game of the playoffs, I wonder what things would be like if the Pens were playing 7 weeks from now..

  11. DaBich

    Apr 9, 10:02 PM

    ::laughing::

    Thanks for the laughs, guys. It’s about time I see something other than negativity here! =D

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