Penguins Fans Have Seen This Before

Everything is Right w/ The Penguins World Again...

After last night's Penguins 4-1 dominating victory over the Ottawa Senators, Pens faithful are buzzing.  Talking at the water coolers and lunch rooms across the nation about how their team out performed the competition and should handle these "Pesky Sens" without much push back.  Well, before I go any further, lets rewind our minds for just one second.  Think back to game one in Round 1 vs. the Islanders.  The Penguins came out smoking en route to a Marc Andre Fleury 5-0 shutout win.  That was WITHOUT Sidney Crosby and Brooks Orpik too!  I am as guilty as the next Penguin fan who said "This could be done in 4."  What happened next, well, has been well documented.  Its like a recipe.  A dash of arrogance, a pinch of overlooking your opponent, and add in some sloppy puck handling and what do you get?  You get a playoff series with a young and hungry team like the NY Islanders that myself and other talking heads still view as lucky the series ended in 6.  Remember what it felt like after that 5-0 butt whooping to the Islanders?  That feeling similar to the one you feel today after the 4-1 victory over the Senators? 

Its hard NOT to be confident...after all, yesterday I wrote an article giving you 5 reasons why the Penguins will play BETTER against the Senators.  Not to toot my own horn, but the Penguins played the way they should have and took care of business on home ice.  Someone once said there is no need to panic in a playoff series until you lose on home ice.  Am I confident in this Penguins team?  You bet, but I'm also very cautious at the same time.  The NHL is giving the two teams an unprecedented 2 days off before the two teams face off in Pittsburgh Friday night.  I don't feel that works in anyone's advantage or disadvantage.  What I do feel is that the Penguins need to prove to themselves, their fans, and this city that this isn't the same team that let the Islanders hang around.  That this team is a team that is determined to be the best team in the Eastern Conference and possibly the entire NHL...and NO ONE is going to stand between them and bringing a Stanley Cup home to Pittsburgh for the 2nd time in 5 years. 

Deep in my gut I honestly believe that this team is more focused than ever.  I told my brother that I felt the "15 game winning streak" team is going to show up, and they did just that last night.  Led by Sidney Crosby and the rest of the crew the Penguins took THEIR game to the Senators...something Penguins fans haven't seen since that game one against the Islanders.  I don't think they will overlook the Senators like they did the Islanders.  There is too much hatred between these two teams.  At times it almost felt like the Penguins thought they could just toy around with the Islanders, but not the Senators.  This is going to be a physical series that isn't for the faint of heart.  Time to buckle up and enjoy this series because its sure to be a good one!  I'll leave you with this...Penguins fans, its natural to have doubt creep into your minds regarding this series and after the performance in Game 1.  Its not up to the fans to prove anyone wrong...its up to the players to prove to themselves and the fans that this team is the team we all thought they were.  A true Stanley Cup contending team.