What's A Team To Do?
Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins
Apr 5, 11:36 PM | Hype this story!
The playoffs are just days away and, while the Pittsburgh Penguins no longer sit atop the Eastern Conference, a win tomorrow would put them ahead of the Montreal Canadiens.
But there is a potential dilemma.
Tomorrow’s game happens to be against the Philadelphia Flyers, who, at this point, sit in eighth place and are poised to move into sixth place with a victory.
If you haven’t yet figured out where I am going with this, let me explain.
A Penguins win tomorrow puts them in first place and keeps the Flyers in eighth place, solidifying a first round playoff match-up between the cross-state, Atlantic Division rivals.
A Penguins loss tomorrow keeps them in second place and bumps the Flyers into sixth place, thus setting the stage for a rematch of last year’s first round series against the Ottawa Senators.
While I think it is clear the Penguins are more than capable of beating both teams in a seven-game series, I think it is unclear how a series against the Flyers would treat the Penguins physically.
Sure, hockey is a physical sport, and all teams play the body to an extent, but the Flyers have a head-hunting mentality that could leave some of the Penguins on the injured reserves list after at least four grueling games.
The Senators, on the other hand, have been downright bad in recent months. After starting out as one of the hottest teams in hockey, they have fallen so flat that they may be considered the coldest team in hockey right now.
A rematch likely wouldn’t be a cakewalk, as they have several world-class players, but with Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fischer sidelined with injuries, the sleeping Sens surely won’t be favored in any series, regardless of their opponent.
So the question is this: should the Penguins “tank” tomorrow, with intentions of getting a more favorable series?
Morally and competitively, the answer firmly is no.
First of all, momentum is a big thing in sports, and intentionally losing a game just before the most important time of the year could seriously throw a monkey wrench into the teams psyche.
Secondly, intentionally dropping the game probably would include benching a few key players, such as Marc-Andre Fleury, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. But the number of injuries the Penguins have battled through this year has left the team struggling to build chemistry as the season came to an end. Benching anyone at this point takes away a much-needed chemistry-building game, a practice, if you will.
As a fan, I won’t be cheering for the Penguins to lose, as I’ll welcome any opponent to try and beat the Penguins. But, with that being said, I certainly won’t be upset with a loss.
The game preview for the season finale will be available before noon tomorrow.
Comments
Eric
Apr 6, 01:31 AM
Go for the win. Go for all. I wouldn’t be scared of Philly.
They are a very dumb organization who hasn’t realized taking meaningless penalties can hurt you.
If they lose. It’s X-Mas. The Sens are probably the 2nd team I’d like to face over anyone (for an easy win, Boston being 1st). They are a team in such disarray, that the only people that show up ready for their games are the fans.
I realize how cocky this sounds. But the Penguins have to go into the playoffs not afraid of anything. They’ve been built to make a deep run. This is the time to do it.
Eric
Apr 6, 01:36 AM
I’ll add on. Concerning the Flyers. Anyone else think it would be a smart move for Therrien to publicly point out the Flyers multiple attempts at attempting to injure?
Draw attention to it, so that attempts would either be penalized harder. Or force the Flyers to stick within the rules.
I think it could be a way to manipulate the media and further paint that disgusting painting of an organization.
DAVID
Apr 6, 01:58 AM
I think the match-ups are even more intriguing when you include the three point scenario. If my math is correct, the scenario the pens face looks like this:
Pens Win in Regulation = Pens v Flyers First Round
Pens Win/Lose in OT = Pens v Bruins First Round
Pens Lose in Regulation = Pens v Senators First Round
Tomorrow really is a dilemma!
The Pens can beat the Flyers, but not without being badly bruised up. In a 7 game series of attrition, this is the team we would want to face the least. Even though it is realistic for the pens to win the series, this would handicap them into the next rounds.
Boston has Chara. He makes it tough on Crosby, and seems to ride him in the corners like a bad jockey at the Kentucky derby. Tim Thomas seems to have our number at times, and could make it a long series. Again, one the pens can win, but not without some serious wear and tear on our boys going into the next rounds.
Against the Sens, we would fair better physically, and it would be more a skill game. While the sens are beat up already, a win against them would erase last years demons and would go a long way in building confidence.
Ashley Gallant
Apr 6, 02:18 AM
I believe the Montreal/Boston matchup has been confirmed…at least that’s what CBC was telling me all night.
seb
Apr 6, 09:47 AM
I don’t see how Montreal/Boston could be confirmed since it all depends on the Pens win or loss vs. Philly.
I agree with David except that in the case of a Pens win in OT, Boston has the better over Philly in a tie-breaker.
Matt Bodenschatz
Apr 6, 10:29 AM
Eric, I believe Therrien did just that in the “Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:“http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08096/870834-61.stm?cmpid=penguins.xml.
“We want to make sure that the referees will call the right penalties,” Therrien said, citing concern over situations like one that arose Thursday, when Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson got a head injury on a hit from Toronto’s Mark Bell. The Maple Leafs had been eliminated from the playoffs.
“You don’t want to see that happen just before the playoffs by a team that’s out of the playoffs with nothing to lose,” Therrien said. “They’ve got a responsibility not only to protect the Crosbys, the [Evgeni] Malkins, the [Marian] Hossas, but the rest of the players. They’re important.”
David, my choice in the first round would be Ottawa, for two reasons. One, they’re in shambles right now and I can’t see them winning a post-season game, let alone a series — and I’m speaking in generalities. I don’t care who they play, they’re out in four.
Seb, I was under the impression that the Habs/Bruins were locked in as well — but, then again, I wasn’t looking too in-depth at the standings when I wrote this piece.
Regardless of what happens, I think the Penguins simply need to play their game and go for the win to carry momentum into the post-season. Let fate determine who they will face.
Thanks for the comments, all. It’s nice to see some late Saturday/early Sunday contributors!
Ben Schmidt
Apr 6, 11:22 AM
I want the Pens to win today in a blowout. Do that, and they do two things:
- It would set the tone for the first series. How great would it be for the Flyers to have to come into Pittsburgh after getting their their rears handed to them?
- It would guarantee home-ice advantage until the Stanley Cup Finals. Considering the Pens’ PK rating home vs away, that could make a huge difference, especially in later rounds.
I also have a third reason: No other team in the league gets this team fired up like the Flyers do. Getting the Flyers in the first round could really get the Penguins going strong into the rest of the playoffs.
Eric
Apr 6, 12:36 PM
Regardless of what happens in todays games, the Habs / Bruins will meet in the 1sr round. Considereing all outcomes and final points, those two teams will indeed meet.
Tom
Apr 6, 01:23 PM
Matt, As a former player of many sports including hockey and a coach of other sports, I can say that there is no room for doubt. Play your best players and try to beat the Flyers as badly as possible. Then, if you play them in the playoffs, take them out in four. After all, they are the eighth place team and we are the first place team. Act like it.
DaBich
Apr 6, 02:36 PM
I’d love to see our boys kick the Crier’s butts. If we face them in the first round, so be it!
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