Going Back to Philly

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS @ PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

WELLS FARGO CENTER. PHILADELPHIA, PA

7:00 PM EST. NBCSN

Following their Sunday brunch these two teams enjoyed two days off before competing in game 4 tonight. This was enough time for the Penguins to decide Patric Hornqvist won’t be healthy enough (upper body injury) to play tonight and for perennial dumbass Radko Gudas to injury his own teammate:

#BREAKING Our @6abc video of @NHLFlyers star Sean Couturier going DOWN at practice today after colliding with Radko Gudas. He limps off with the trainer. Claude Giroux told me "it didn't look good." So far no update from the #Flyers #NHLPlayoffs2018 #EarnTomorrow pic.twitter.com/SlfplFKjUd

— Jamie Apody (@JamieApody) April 17, 2018

There is still no update on the one they call “coots” but fortunately for the Penguins Gudas will play tonight. The Flyers have had two days of practice to figure out a way to stop the Penguins that doesn’t involve Brian Elliott putting up unsustainable numbers and tonight we will see exactly what Dave Hakstol is made of as a coach

As usual the Penguins started their days off with video sessions as Sullivan and co are unhappy with the amount of odd man rushes the team allows. If the Penguins can figure out a way to remove that part of the Flyers attack while continuing to pressure the way they have on the forecheck this could be yet another disappointing night for the idiots wearing “Earn Tomorrow” shirts tonight.

It will be another hostile environment to start the game as the “Crosby sucks” chants should reign down from the Philly faithful from the beginning. If Crosby continues sucking at his current rate against the Flyers it will turn into a library just like game 3. Of course the Flyers could shut down Crosby and then only have to deal with Malkin and Kessel.

With the absence of Hornqvist it seems like Dominik Simon will get his first taste of playoff hockey tonight on the top line with Sid and The Jackal. Obviously you can’t replace what Hornqvist brings to the game but it wouldn’t surprise me if Sullivan gave ZAR some shifts on Crosby’s right throughout the night. The only line that is practically safe from in game juggling is the Geno line and outside of that we could see multiple line combinations as Sullivan attempts to find some consistency without the Horny one. No changes on defense and Mr. Postseason in net, even without Hornqvist you have to like the way the Pens look.

Now for the Flyers… I left Couturier in the graphic because much like the idiots that get paid to run their team I have no clue what they do without him. Does Giroux go back to center? Does it even matter? Giroux currently has one more point in his last three playoff series than Crosby has in this one. His last playoff goal was in 2014… “Crosby Sucks.” Before the Couturier injury Voracek was taking rushes on the top line as Hakstol attempted to load up with Giroux-Couturier-Voracek. Hakstol juggled the lower lines as well but he most likely doesn’t have a method to his madness. His defense will remain the same and everything points to Loliott in net.

Even if Couturier can go tonight the Penguins have an excellent opportunity to send this thing back to Pittsburgh with an elimination date set for game 5. The Flyers are running out of options and will be feeling the pressure of the home crowd as they come to the realization that this will be the last time they see their team this season. Look for any and all light up bracelets, free shirts and towels to be thrown onto the ice in the third period if the Flyers are losing. You can put bars up at the zoo but you can’t stop the animals from throwing their own shit.

Until further notice this is the Penguins series to lose and they have gotten to this point behind the play of their captain. The team goes as Crosby goes, and if he continues dick whipping these bitches then the party will be going down Friday night.