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.
0 comments:
Post a Comment