Pittsburgh Penguins v.s. Tampa Bay Lightning 2011 Eastern Conference Quarter Finals Prediction

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) v.s. Tampa Bay Lightning (5)

Should we expect a scoring duel back and forth each game of this series? The answer should be yes, but with-out players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin it’s not happening. Sure we can expect high scoring but only from one team, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Martin St. Louis, Steven Stamkos, Mr. Playoffs Simon Gagne to name a few. The Lightning are set offensively that’s for sure but what about their goaltending?

Can 41 year old Dwayne Roloson last throughout the playoffs? He made it thus far but it is also safe to say without many goals, the Lightning would not have finished in the 5^th seed. I think if the Lightning go deep in the playoffs their goaltending will eventually run out leaving it up to the offense. And in the Stanley Cup playoffs, scoring goals are not as easy as scoring goals in the regular season.

As for the Penguins they made it far this season even with-out Crosby and Malkin. But come playoff time this team is going to need Crosby back if they want to make any kind of impact in the playoffs.

My big concern although would be, why rush Crosby back after his concussion? The minute you do that especially in the playoffs, every player will be gunning for him knowing he is concussion prone, knocking him right back out of the game and or his career. I saw just bag this season, you had a great run throughout the regular season, don’t rush Crosby and play the best you can with-out him.

Then again who knows, Crosby just keeps impressing more and more as each season goes on. Maybe he has something to prove and add to his resume of success.

Expect this series to be a wild one, a lot of back and forth, and lots of goals. Eventually though, the Lightning will not stop pushing the pedal and the Penguins will and or Marc-Andre Fleury will choke as he did against the Flyers allowing 5 WEAK goals a few games back. And that was the Flyers; just imagine what the Lightning will do to him.

Prediction: Tampa Bay Lightning to win the series in 7 games.