Chance of a sweep should motive the Pens

With the 5-4 win in overtime on Sunday night the Penguins have a real chance to finish this series as early as possible on Tuesday night and sweep the Columbus Blue Jackets and earn a period of rest whilst their next round opponent, either the Capitals or Leafs continue to wage a war of attrition against each other.

If the Penguins do win on Tuesday night then it will be the first time they have swept a team since they swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2008-2009 Championship season in the Eastern Conference Round. The last first round sweep by the Penguins was the year before when they swept the Ottawa Senators before going on to lose to the Red Wings in the final.

The Penguins showed a different style of their play yesterday, they showed a resilience to come from behind which, up until this point in the series, they had not needed to do. Marc-Andre Fleury started the game poorly and the team had a big hill to climb but they manage to dig themselves out of a hole and really take a stranglehold on the series.

Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust were two huge impacts on forward and really took their chances. Bryan Rust seemed to take over the role that Hornqvist usually is more known for on the second line and crashed the net often, he benefited on both of his goals through this tactic. Guentzel was slightly different, staying around the net but cashing on rebounds and, on the game winner, a fantastic move by Crosby behind the net.

If the Penguins score early and control Game 4 the Blue Jackets then it could get out of hand. However, under Sullivan the Penguins are much calmer after the whistle and should be able to stop the urge to respond. Lets hope the Penguins close it out on Tuesday.

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Will DOPS blow the Calvert crosscheck?

Matt Calvert needs to be suspended for his late crosscheck on Tom Kuhnhackl in Game 2. He is having a hearing today but it is worrying that, through  Pierre LeBrun, the league doesn't think it is worth a suspension. That doesn't even take into account the fact he went back to Kuhnhackl and face-washed him and had a go at him for not wanting to fight, whilst in pain.

The Blue Jackets are stuck in a similar playing style against the Penguins this year, focusing on hitting at all times rather than doing it at select times, when it will be helpful. Doing so is tiring them out and the Penguins are not phased by this style of play, it doesn't work against them as evidenced by the two games so far.

It is odd that the Blue Jackets have gone down this path when during their record breaking streak they didn't play that way. They focused on using actual skill alongside physical play which was harder to play against. Playing physical against the Pens and trying to get under their skin hasn't worked since we played the Flyers in the 2012 play offs.

Under Tortorella the Blue Jackets are a much more physical and have had a few moments where they have overstepped the mark into more unwanted plays that should be met with the swift hand of the Department of Player Safety. I think actions like Calvert's happening because of that kind of mindset and it doesn't help.

As I'm typing this the league has announced that Calvert will spend one game suspended and you can say they blew it. An intent to injury someone with a stick should be more than one game. A one game suspension is a weak response and sends a message out that you will get off lightly if you do the same. A strong suspension of 4/5 games would have been more appropriate.

In my opinion the Department of Player Safety is run by amateurs who have no idea what they're are doing. The league is run by dinosaurs who are holding it back by thinking in the past. Getting rid of them and moving forward with new ideas and and actual safety department would help. But it won't happen and the league will seem surprised when a star player is injured for a long time on one of these "one game" hits.

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Pens to face Blue Jackets - Prediction

The match-ups are set and the Penguins will face the Blue Jackets for the first time since they met in 2014 where the Penguins won 4-2. The Blue Jackets surprised many this season with their first ever 50 win season and they challenged for the Division Title until the end when they tailed off. There will be wish from revenge but the Penguins are a formidable team.

The Penguins secured home ice against the Blue Jackets last week following their win over the New Jersey Devils and the Blue Jackets loss to Winnipeg. The Blue Jackets were on a six game losing streak before they snapped that in a win over the Maple Leafs on Sunday night. A win that also condemned the  Maple Leafs to the Capitals.

The Penguins have been riddled with injuries this season so to do so well is a good sign that the players coming up are able to handle the big roles that they have been tasked with an can fill in. Some have raised questions about whether they should even be returned to the AHL. The available depth this team has is incredible and with a couple of players still coming through there is a bright future.

The best chance the Penguins have is to get their key players and to stick to the game plan they deployed last year with speed. The Blue Jackets are a tough hitting team and will try to slow the Penguins down by taking away the boards forcing them into the center. But focusing too much on hitting will open them and expose them.

Columbus is still a tough match-up though despite their recent form. They have a strong defence and Bobrovsky has had a superb season leading him to be a close candidate for the Vezina trophy. That will go to Holtby though. With Letang out for the play offs our defence is more exposed and will need someone to step up and take those minutes. Columbus could look to expose that.

I think this will be a fairly close series but I don't see it going all the way to seven games. With a fully fit team the Penguins should be too strong for the Blue Jackets even without Letang and my prediction is the Penguins in 5 games with us facing the Washington Capitals in the next round where we will be eliminated.

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NHL decides not to go to the 2018 Winter Olympics

The NHL chose today to announce that they're not going to the Olympics next year in Pyeonchang in South Korea. Doing so it ends a 20 year association with the quadrennial event. It means that there is a really question mark over what Canada and the USA do next. Not to mention European players who might want to represent their country but play in the American or Canadian Leagues.

Not going to the Olympics smacks of a backwards move to me when the league should be looking at attract more people to the sport through additional fans and, where possible, players. This decision not to go to Pyeonchang when the league has made noise about going to 2022 to China makes it even more ridiculous to understand.

Players in the NHL are now left with a dilemma. Do they defy the league and accept the punishment they face and go to the Olympics, knowing they'll likely be suspended or lose pay? If top European players like Ovechkin back up their repeated desire to attend what punishment would the NHL deem satisfactory because for top players that would hurt the league more than the players. Lower level players wouldn't have such a luxury though.

I've seen one point raised regarding players out of contract this year in that they could ask for permission to attend the Olympics as part of any contract. It's a risky move but one that could be utilised by players that are determined to attend. Other players who are perhaps more fringe NHL players but believe they have a chance to attend could head to Europe for a lucrative contract for a year. I don't see many doing that but some elder statesmen could.

One thing to look out for is if the players use this in the next round of talks when the CBA expires after the 2021-22 season stating that they will not sign a deal unless the NHL gives guarantees going forward that the players will be able to go to the Olympics. That is a long time away though so a less likely options.

Looking at it from a business point you can understand that the NHL would want some compensation and insurance from the IOC which, apparently, they don't get. And permission to promote the game with the Olympic image would help but other pro leagues in Europe seem to be able to cope with this fine, so why should the NHL be any different.

Going forward it is going to be interesting to see if any players dig in and demand to go and what the response will be. I'm hoping that the  IOC and NHL get back around the table to sort this out because not having NHL players at the Olympics would suck.

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Pens play off picture clearer with recent games

With the back to back losses against Ottawa and the Islanders the Penguins play off picture is clearer and shows a more likely path that they will have to take to get to the Stanley Cup Final. The Penguins have been continually nursing injuries and have been treading on water for a few games, their scoring presence has been notable depleted. The previous two games exposed the tiredness of the defence if anything.

The Penguins had some hope that Columbus would beat the Capitals and take two points from them to allow a potential catch but that game went to OT and the Penguins followed it up with two points from four. The Blue Jackets beat the Flyers today to go back above the Penguins on ROW and the Capitals are currently beating the Coyotes in an expected win.

This would leave all three teams with just 8 games left and looking at the schedules and what is needed to overcome the deficit of 3 points should the Capitals win tonight. If, somehow, they don't win then it is all open again due to the games between the top three. Should they win though then it is probably the toughest path that the Penguins could have been given.

Even if the Penguins had come first in the division they would have to play one of the two at some point. They had to go through the toughest route last year though facing the Rangers and then the Capitals. This year, should they get through to the Eastern Conference final, they should have an "easier" opponent due to the weak Atlantic conference.

The key for the Penguins in the final stretch should be to get key players back and at least try and get home ice against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round. Take it from there.

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Crosby hits 40 - Pens rolling after Florida win

Sidney Crosby hit 40 goals for only the second time in his career, the other being in the 2009-10 season when he scored 51 goals and took home his only Rocket Richard trophy. He is on course to finish this season with 47 goals and a strong chance of winning the trophy. The only challenge at the moment is Brad Marchand, of all people.

With the number of injuries that the Penguins had suffered recently this had the possibility of being a troubling game against a team that has caused us problems in the past. However, Florida have been struggling lately and came into the game on a 3-6-1 record in the previous 10 games. They're certainly not going to make the play offs now.

Fleury was given the start today and since the trade deadline he has been superb, after his shut-out today he is now riding a 1.67 GAA and .946 SV% since then. He played well today but wasn't called into action that much, Florida only had a few quality chances but never really threatened. The defence mostly kept the puck out of the shooting lanes which restricted Florida to just 21 shots in the whole game.

The Penguins made Reimer look uncomfortable early on at the other end and could have scored a couple in the first period before Hornqvist's goal with the puck seemingly staying out at the last minute. Hornqvist's goal was a mixture of golf and baseball with Kessel chipping the puck over the net to him to baseball swing into the net.

In the second the Penguins pushed on and the top line of Guentzel, Crosby and Sheary started to cause problems with the Panthers thanks to their continued physical presence and refusal to give up on the puck. All three of Crosby's goals for his hat-trick were assisted by both the above. Crosby's first was a similar one to the goal he scored against the Devils but nearer the net with a wicked wrister over Reimer. The second was much more skillful with a no look backhand in front of the net that complete confused Reimer.

As if to put an exclamation point on the game, Crosby finished it off with a quick release after Guentzel found him with a quick, no look dish. Crosby made this game his own and carried the team with the absence of so many players. Now he is tied for the points lead and leads in goals, he could win both still.

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Pens sign Aston-Reese

The Penguins announced tonight that they had signed highly rated College free agent Zach Aston-Reese. Reese had been playing with the Northeastern University in the NCAA and has scored 31 goals and 32 assists in just 38 games to make him the sole lead in goals and joint top in points. Aston-Reese has signed an entry level contract with the Penguins but will start with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins on an Amateur Tryout Contract.

He will likely play for them for the rest of this season and in the play offs. Wilkes-Barre will appreciate the extra offensive presence in their team with them currently missing Rowney, Archibald and Sundqvist to the Penguins due to their injury problems. Aston-Reese needs to be given time as any prospect is but if he pans out to be similar to Sheary or Rust then the Pens will be more than happy.

Aston Reese is one of a number of players to now choose the Penguins as a destination after their university days. He joins, from memory, Sheary, Archibald, Di Pauli, Prouw and Bengtsson who are part of that collective. When the players cost absolutely nothing in terms of picks or prospects given in return then you can only smile. Rutherford has really helped the Penguins going forward with his signings and it is possible that Aston-Reese is another success story.

It is also possible the Penguins target Mike Vecchione who finished one point behind Aston-Reese this season but having played in Union College it is possible he chooses a New York based team. The Penguins will no doubt be interested and Aston-Reese will be fun to watch develop.

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