Official Series Discussion Thread - Eastern Conference Finals - Pittsburgh vs. Boston

[RGM81]

This is the place to concentrate all discussion about the Eastern Conference Finals series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Boston Bruins.

This should be a great series - this is the matchup that a lot of people predicted we'd see, and it has indeed come to fruition.

As always, please keep the discussion respectful and avoid any unnecessary personal pot-shots or rude comments.

[eh93]

Go pens!!!

[Satan81]

Gonna be an amazing series, but I think it'll be Pens v LA, with the Penguins winning the Cup.

I dunno. Vokouns record this season against the B's speaks for itself. :)

[centrehice]

If the Kings get to the final, the Pens will not beat them.

Go Bruins!

[dbtb531]

Really looking forward to this series. These are the two super-powers of the East, and very different styles. The big match-up is clearly Task and the Bruins D against the stacked scoring lines of Pittsburgh, but I think the bigger factor will be how Vokoun looks against the Bruins sneaky scoring. I'd be a lot more afraid of the Bruins if I were a Pens fan, if not for the entire Leafs series. It played very open at times, and space is the one thing you can't give guys like Crosby, Malkin, Iginla, and Dupuis.

[JoexBondo]

This will most surely go seven games and while I have a hard time picking against the Pens (can someone explaing to me how they fit all that talent under the cap please?), BUT they havent faced a defense and scheme like the Bruins, forwards as big and physical as the Bruins and a goalie as good as Rask. Vokoun is unproven in big games still and Pitt's defense is marginal. If there is any team that can knock off Pittsburgh its the Bruins. Im really looking forward to seeing how Coach Julien approches the D pairs, is Crosby/Kunitz more dangerous than Malkin/Neal and if so who draws Chara and Seidenberg? Will be fun to watch, especially Krug v. Letang, never thought Id say that!! Go B's!

[dbtb531]

This will most surely go seven games and while I have a hard time picking against the Pens (can someone explaing to me how they fit all that talent under the cap please?), BUT they havent faced a defense and scheme like the Bruins, forwards as big and physical as the Bruins and a goalie as good as Rask. Vokoun is unproven in big games still and Pitt's defense is marginal. If there is any team that can knock off Pittsburgh its the Bruins. Im really looking forward to seeing how Coach Julien approches the D pairs, is Crosby/Kunitz more dangerous than Malkin/Neal and if so who draws Chara and Seidenberg? Will be fun to watch, especially Krug v. Letang, never thought Id say that!! Go B's!

For my money, the Malkin line is the one to stop. Neal is really starting to turn it on and Malkin can make a scoring chance out of anything. He's made some crazy plays this playoffs that haven't scored, but created a good scoring chance out of literally nothing. The Crosby line is good, but the defense is keyed in on Crosby anytime he's on the ice. No offense to Kunitz and Dupuis, who have played great this year, but Malkin/Neal is a much bigger threat than Crosby/anyone not named Iginla.

[ncm7772]

Pens in 7, is my prediction.

Going to be a long and physical series. Seems like many people (media included), have already crowned the B's East champs. Pretty sure the series has to be played first!

[centrehice]

Time for the Bruins to pull out some feathers. Adams, Cooke, Egelland, Kunitz, Kennedy, Crosby, Malkin, and Orpik all have a short fuse. Get in their grill and they will snap.

The Bruins just have to play the Pens the same way they beat the Canucks, maul them to death, don't let them breathe.

The way to beat the Pens is to fore-check their slow Defensemen (other than Letang) to death. They will cave with some fore-checking pressure.

[Kessel_fan_87]

This will most surely go seven games and while I have a hard time picking against the Pens (can someone explaing to me how they fit all that talent under the cap please?), BUT they havent faced a defense and scheme like the Bruins, forwards as big and physical as the Bruins and a goalie as good as Rask. Vokoun is unproven in big games still and Pitt's defense is marginal. If there is any team that can knock off Pittsburgh its the Bruins. Im really looking forward to seeing how Coach Julien approches the D pairs, is Crosby/Kunitz more dangerous than Malkin/Neal and if so who draws Chara and Seidenberg? Will be fun to watch, especially Krug v. Letang, never thought Id say that!! Go B's!

Same could be said for Rask