Penguins Prepare For Playoffs With Altered Approach

"We would expect that they would respond appropriately".

"He's our guy. He's a huge reason why our team was able to put ourselves into a position to be in the playoffs", Hakstol said. Anaheim has won a Stanley Cup, so they know what it takes to get the job done. "That's the way you have to look at it". This matchup is as even as it gets, but in reality, it shouldn't be.

That was six years ago.

There's nothing more exciting than the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Playoff rivalries are no longer about dropping the gloves or laying out bone-crushing hits.

With hockey, the marginal differences that make the game hang in the balance become crystal clear when it's all on the line, making it by far the most entertaining postseason in of all professional sports.

This was a pretty awful game for a lot of veteran players who have been in the playoffs before and certainly know the Penguins well enough to know that this kind of effort doesn't come close to getting it done. Despite losing at home in Game 1, the Predators stormed back before losing in Denver; and finally taking the series in Music City with two straight wins. "The other things, we'll have to do through a little bit of video, a little bit of discussion, and mostly just clearing the mind and getting the focus back on Game 2".

Since the start of March, Grubauer conceded 23 goals and recorded a pair of shutouts, while Holtby let in 21 goals in two fewer games. Over is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings and Flyers are 0-5 in the last 5 meetings and Flyers are 1-6 in the last 7 meetings in Pittsburgh. The defending Western Conference champion Predators won the Presidents' Trophy, and the Golden Knights (Pacific), and Capitals (Metropolitan) also finished first in their divisions.

Although the Flyers coaching staff will want to spread out playing time, there is a good chance the top pair, especially Provorov, will need to play huge chunks of the game. "Until you play seven games in 14 nights where you learn to hate the opposition". We've been through a lot this year and I'm not anxious we can come back from that. The Lightning will cut short the Penguins' aim at a three-peat by beating them in the conference finals. There were 46 fights in the 1978 postseason alone and an incredible 85 in the 1988 playoffs.

Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy and goalie Tuuka Rask will be too much for the young Leafs.

The Philadelphia Flyers played well down the stretch to get in the playoffs and their offense was solid of late as they had averaged 3.90 gpg during their last 11 games of the regular season. Winnipeg is the better team (on paper at home), but Minnesota is no joke, they could easily walk away with a series win if they find a way to slow down this Winnipeg offence. It won't be an easy route for them, but they have a team that could surprise a lot of hockey fans.

Just like the Jets, the Bruins are insanely balanced, finishing sixth in goals forced and fourth in goals allowed.

As intimidating as this Pittsburgh lineup is, with names like Malkin and Kessel (and obviously Crosby), they aren't invincible.

"I would say you try to build your game throughout the series, or shift after shift", said defenseman Kris Letang, one of only three remaining Penguins from the three Stanley Cup championship teams dating back to 2009. "I think that'll definitely be a focus here". "There's always a heightened emotion associated with the games".

The Flyers had another crack at the Penguins in the 2009 playoffs.

These two teams are going to play a very physical series, as that is the style in the West.

The intrastate rivalry has produced many unforgettable moments, and some of the best have happened when it mattered most - in the playoffs. Yes, it's only one game, but in a playoff series, you don't have the luxury of waiting to see if things will turn around.Hakstol needs to react.