And they won’t beat the Penguins because they can’t keep the puck out of their net. When Super Biron shows up he’s like a comet: very bright, very spectacular, very brief. Unlike a comet, however, he’s not at all predictable. You never know when he’s going to show up. Not just game to game, or period to period, but more like rush to rush; his team never can count on him. If you can’t trust your goalie you lose in hockey. If they had an airtight D, it would be possible for them to cover; but they don’t. They’re not as slow in their own end as they were when Hatcher was there, but they’re not very much faster. Certainly you’re right, they’re nowhere near fast enough to contain the Pens.

Up front, Richards and Carter and Gagne are studs and Knuble is steady and Giroux is going to be very good; but Hartnell’s a fool who’ll shoot them, as much as himself, in the butt every time. Cooke and Kennedy will drive him batty (short trip — hair trigger {couldn’t resist that one — never can: it’ll be on my tombstone: “He never could resist.”}), and that ignorant crowd will egg him on. Only good thing is it’s Carcillo now in the “energy” spot instead of Downie — at least Carcillo picks his spots for agitation, not execution.

I feel sorry for Richards and Gagne in particular. Talk about being on the wrong team in the wrong place.

The only way Piitsburgh will lose the series is if they beat themselves, and given their experience last playoffs; and perhaps
more importantly, their second half this regular season, it won’t be Philly that creamcheeses them.

(Full of it in more than the usual ways today, wouldn’t you say?)

Pens. How many games? That’s up to them. I’d say 4, 5, 6 or 7.