Do you feel the team is playoff ready now?

[Weegie]

A shutout the last game with the backup goalie in, Phil looking like Phil should look, the Captain leading the way, Murray looking somewhat sharper in his last game played, do you feel that they have flipped on the switch and are in playoff mode or will the weakness of the defense try to anchor the ship down?

If anyone knows what it takes to do it it is them, and how many times last year we thought "ah, they're out of gas" only to have them power through and win it all.

Could we really see a threepeat in the makings?

[lemieuxReturns]

Yes. They are ready. When does the schedule get released?

[DelPen]

Yes. They executed all the little things well and committed to a 60 minute effort when they could have ran through the motions and won 5-4 in OT.

This team is ready for the Flyers and their horrible goaltending.

[DelPen]

Yes. They executed all the little things well and committed to a 60 minute effort when they could have ran through the motions and won 5-4 in OT.

This team is ready for the Flyers and their horrible goaltending.

[thehockeyguru]

Yes. They executed all the little things well and committed to a 60 minute effort when they could have ran through the motions and won 5-4 in OT.

This team is ready for the Flyers and their horrible goaltending.

Part of me is happy they are getting the Flyers because the Pens should win in 5, but the other part of we thinks they can still get away with playing less than optimal hockey and advance. It will be interesting to see what Pens team we see. The one that plays up tempoPenguins hockey or the one that thinks they can win playing at an optimal level for stretches of a game.

[penny lane]

Playing the flyers will stoke the fire in the belly. No series is easy and should not be taken for granted though.
Time to clean and press my "just play" 4 series SC tee shirt.

[IntangibleBeer]

I believe that they are ready.

If the Pens play team defense (and this is the key IMHO) like they did against Dallas, they can get it done. That will be tested immediately against Philly. If they do, that series will be over in 5 games.

[Great58]

Yes they are ready, and Philly is the perfect “warm up”, because they are terrible. But the rivalry makes sure the Pens come out ready to play round 1, game 1.

[Wyopen]

I really have a funny feeling about this series with the Flyers. The flyers will want to make restitution for their 0-4 series this year and will throw everything they have against the Pens. I’m concerned the Pens will be over confident and not play their best, being 4-0. Finally i wonder if the Flyers will try to use the same tactics they did in the 2012 playoffs and sucker the Pens into bad plays.

Please tell me i’m wrong. Thanks.

[Stillerz Bar]

Sully needs to make them watch two things:

1) Recap of the 2010 series against the Habs that ended Sid & Geno's firs reign as champs, This was an 8 seed that beat the defending champions for no good reason other than not finishing them off when we had he chance.

2) The first 2 games of the 2012 series. Pens went in with many thinking they'd hoist the Cup and started with a 3-0 first period lead before losing games 1 in OT. In game 2 they were up 2-0 and 3-1 in the first before the Flyers went crazy and scored 8 to take a 2-0 lead from which the Pens just couldn't recover.

Weird things can happen in the playoffs, The Pens are more than capable of the three peat but they can't think it will be done with anything less than a focused effort in every series!!

[Durbano]

I really have a funny feeling about this series with the Flyers. The flyers will want to make restitution for their 0-4 series this year and will throw everything they have against the Pens. I’m concerned the Pens will be over confident and not play their best, being 4-0. Finally i wonder if the Flyers will try to use the same tactics they did in the 2012 playoffs and sucker the Pens into bad plays.

Please tell me i’m wrong. Thanks.

I don't think the Flyers are constructed or coached to goon it up/agitate like the Flyers of old, though they were vicious at times in last year's series against Washington. Remember, too, that Sullivan's teams don't fall for that trap.

Philly won't be any more motivated than any other team the Pens may have faced.

I share some of your concern about Pittsburgh being overconfident, but am hopeful that any such feelings on their part will be dwarfed by orange hatred and a desire to make the Flyers and their fans suffer.

[IntangibleBeer]

Sully needs to make them watch two things:

1) Recap of the 2010 series against the Habs that ended Sid & Geno's firs reign as champs, This was an 8 seed that beat the defending champions for no good reason other than not finishing them off when we had he chance.

2) The first 2 games of the 2012 series. Pens went in with many thinking they'd hoist the Cup and started with a 3-0 first period lead before losing games 1 in OT. In game 2 they were up 2-0 and 3-1 in the first before the Flyers went crazy and scored 8 to take a 2-0 lead from which the Pens just couldn't recover.

Weird things can happen in the playoffs, The Pens are more than capable of the three peat but they can't think it will be done with anything less than a focused effort in every series!!

This!

[Steve]

The team is ready. They obviously know what it takes in each series, whether they are playing a superior opponent or whether it's even or if they are the underdog.

The four regular season games with the Flyers will not provide any extra motivation for them, nor will it cause any overconfidence for the Pens. The most recent Flyers/Pens series will have no impact on this series.

Anything can happen in a playoff series of course, but if both teams bring their A game, it should be a relatively short series for the Pens. There will be stretches though where the Flyers outplay the Pens in probably every game, that's just the way this team plays now. (the Pens I mean)

The Pens are in the mix with a few other teams with a legit chance of winning the cup this year.

[Daniel]

A shutout the last game with the backup goalie in, Phil looking like Phil should look, the Captain leading the way, Murray looking somewhat sharper in his last game played, do you feel that they have flipped on the switch and are in playoff mode or will the weakness of the defense try to anchor the ship down?

If anyone knows what it takes to do it it is them, and how many times last year we thought "ah, they're out of gas" only to have them power through and win it all.

Could we really see a threepeat in the makings?

The only question is this. Can Murray handle NHL playoffs for a full run by himself. Without Fleury. He played all but 3 games in 2015-16 but only 11 games last year.

I think he does fine, but this is his first playoffs as the bonafide starter (last year he sort of was, but played less than half the playoff games). This year, he has no experienced backup.

If he can stay healthy and plays to his potential, I think the Pens will go deep.

[Skatingpen]

A shutout the last game with the backup goalie in, Phil looking like Phil should look, the Captain leading the way, Murray looking somewhat sharper in his last game played, do you feel that they have flipped on the switch and are in playoff mode or will the weakness of the defense try to anchor the ship down?

If anyone knows what it takes to do it it is them, and how many times last year we thought "ah, they're out of gas" only to have them power through and win it all.

Could we really see a threepeat in the makings?

The only question is this. Can Murray handle NHL playoffs for a full run by himself. Without Fleury. He played all but 3 games in 2015-16 but only 11 games last year.

I think he does fine, but this is his first playoffs as the bonafide starter (last year he sort of was, but played less than half the playoff games). This year, he has no experienced backup.

If he can stay healthy and plays to his potential, I think the Pens will go deep.

Staying healthy is a HUGE question mark. There is no backup this year.

[Daniel]

A shutout the last game with the backup goalie in, Phil looking like Phil should look, the Captain leading the way, Murray looking somewhat sharper in his last game played, do you feel that they have flipped on the switch and are in playoff mode or will the weakness of the defense try to anchor the ship down?

If anyone knows what it takes to do it it is them, and how many times last year we thought "ah, they're out of gas" only to have them power through and win it all.

Could we really see a threepeat in the makings?

The only question is this. Can Murray handle NHL playoffs for a full run by himself. Without Fleury. He played all but 3 games in 2015-16 but only 11 games last year.

I think he does fine, but this is his first playoffs as the bonafide starter (last year he sort of was, but played less than half the playoff games). This year, he has no experienced backup.

If he can stay healthy and plays to his potential, I think the Pens will go deep.

Staying healthy is a HUGE question mark. There is no backup this year.

I think it's great that he won 2 straight Stanley Cups, but he's never won as "the guy". It's always been MAF who was the veteran starter and Murray was able to just play. Now, he's expected to win. Not saying he can't do it, so far he's shown that he can. BUT, that, along with what you said about staying healthy, have to be considered question marks.

[Jim]

They are professional athletes. If they are not ready then they need to quit.

[Sigwolf]

The only question is this. Can Murray handle NHL playoffs for a full run by himself. Without Fleury. He played all but 3 games in 2015-16 but only 11 games last year.

I think he does fine, but this is his first playoffs as the bonafide starter (last year he sort of was, but played less than half the playoff games). This year, he has no experienced backup.

If he can stay healthy and plays to his potential, I think the Pens will go deep.

Staying healthy is a HUGE question mark. There is no backup this year.

I think it's great that he won 2 straight Stanley Cups, but he's never won as "the guy". It's always been MAF who was the veteran starter and Murray was able to just play. Now, he's expected to win. Not saying he can't do it, so far he's shown that he can. BUT, that, along with what you said about staying healthy, have to be considered question marks.

His "all but 3 games" 2 years ago, and "only 11" games last year just happen to include the last two rounds both years. I think he has proved he can stand tall when the pressure is on...

[Steve Dave]

Sully needs to make them watch two things:

1) Recap of the 2010 series against the Habs that ended Sid & Geno's firs reign as champs, This was an 8 seed that beat the defending champions for no good reason other than not finishing them off when we had he chance.

2) The first 2 games of the 2012 series. Pens went in with many thinking they'd hoist the Cup and started with a 3-0 first period lead before losing games 1 in OT. In game 2 they were up 2-0 and 3-1 in the first before the Flyers went crazy and scored 8 to take a 2-0 lead from which the Pens just couldn't recover.

Weird things can happen in the playoffs, The Pens are more than capable of the three peat but they can't think it will be done with anything less than a focused effort in every series!!

When the Pens had a 3-0 lead in Game 1, I believe the Flyers scored their first goal when one of their players were 2 strides offside but it wasn’t called. There’s bo way that play happens today with challenges. The series may have ended differently had that goal been disallowed.

[Steve Dave]

Sully needs to make them watch two things:

1) Recap of the 2010 series against the Habs that ended Sid & Geno's firs reign as champs, This was an 8 seed that beat the defending champions for no good reason other than not finishing them off when we had he chance.

2) The first 2 games of the 2012 series. Pens went in with many thinking they'd hoist the Cup and started with a 3-0 first period lead before losing games 1 in OT. In game 2 they were up 2-0 and 3-1 in the first before the Flyers went crazy and scored 8 to take a 2-0 lead from which the Pens just couldn't recover.

Weird things can happen in the playoffs, The Pens are more than capable of the three peat but they can't think it will be done with anything less than a focused effort in every series!!

When the Pens had a 3-0 lead in Game 1, I believe the Flyers scored their first goal when one of their players were 2 strides offside but it wasn’t called. There’s bo way that play happens today with challenges. The series may have ended differently had that goal been disallowed.

[no name]

I am hoping the Pens got the "flip the playoff switch" playoff mentality. We need to match their intensity right away and get into their heads. Hoping Brassard matches up and shuts down their topline.

[NashvilleCat]

Weird things can happen in the playoffs

That's why I crack up when I hear the local radio guys saying things like "I hope the Penguins make the Final too so we can hand Crosby a loss."

An appearance is never guaranteed when you're good and you can't rule it out when you're the last one in...or don't you remember last year Nashville? Nashville has a good, young, deep team with experience but they wouldn't be the first President's Trophy Winner to hoist the wrong banner at the start of the next season.

I do think the Pens are ready. My question marks are Dumo and Letang and will Murray be his usual playoff self.

[penny lane]

This is their season!
I remember Brassard was pretty good with the rangers in 2015- what he can add is a bonus.
The defense and the PK- elevate their play by 40%.

[Maestro]

Yes,

Spoiler:

but they will lose in the conference finals to Tampa.

[sil]

That 2012 series was historically weird. Probably the most frustrating aspect of it was how the obvious answer to beating those Flyers was simple pee-wee coaching 101. The Flyers had 6-left handed D that year. Hello...every time you cross center-red, dump it into the right hand corner and chase. That would've led to prime turnovers and zone possession, and its exactly what NJ did in round 2 to beat Philly 4 games to 1.

Bylsma simply wouldn't deviate from his passing zone entry schemes, and Philly made a joke out of by series' end. The current head coach is smarter than that.