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No Crosby, No problem...
C Barkov knew he had to step up in the Play offs after C Crosby was injured in the season finale and boy did he step up!
The Pens breezed through the first round beating the NY Islanders 4-1
In the second we met our nemesis the Capitals and the series went the distance, where in game 7 the Pens HC tk43 decided to go out all guns blazing setting an attack an shoot tactic and the Pens won the game 7-4
The tactic that worked so well was kept for the conference final against the Bolts, who unlike last year, had a full squad this year. It didn't matter at all as the attacking style helped the Pens to a clean sweep...
The Stanley Cup final, the Avalanche avaits... we keep our attacking tactic but the gaps that creates in the D are exposed by the Avs and we drop game 1 5-2, we keep the hope and end up losing game 2 7-1. a 2-0 hole after 2 games at home. HC tk43 changes the tactics to more defensive, less shooting and more pressure and it pays off as the Pens take game 3 with a score of 2-1. Never change a winning tactic, we head to game 4 and win again, this time 6-3. Game 5, back in the 'Burgh and with the same tactic we win 4-1. game six, can the Pens repeat? not so easy, we lose in OT 3-2 and head for game 7 back home. A slight offensive adjustment for more shooting and we take game 7 with a score of 3-1scoring the 3rd into an empty net with 2 seconds to go...
That's 3 Stanley cups in 4 years for the Pens....
C Barkov wins the Conn Smythe
G Murray gets Vezina & Jennings
D Provorov gets the Norris
LW Tanew gets his 2nd Selke in a row
There's a difficult off season ahead of GM tk43, the decision has been made that the face of the franchise is getting traded!
C Crosby is 35 has a grade 3 concussion and we don't think he will be back to top form!
D men Pietrangelo is entering the last year of his deal and we will try to upgrade him
D Voynov is asking for too much for a 3rd string D and will be traded before his contract runs out
D Hamonic is getting traded as his contract will be to heavy for a 3rd pairing too...
We might upgrade our bottom 6 through free agency if there is a sensible contract to be found
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