Game 7 Lineup Notes
What we learned from the morning skate and Boucher’s availability
Well, we don’t know for sure who will be playing, but we know there will be changes - Colin White is coming out of the lineup.
Boucher is deciding between Kelly and Wingels for extra forward spot tonight .... White is out
— Ken Warren (@Citizenkwarren) May 25, 2017
White only played 2:39 in game 6, barely half of the next lowest time on ice. He had one missed shot, blocked a Penguins shot, and went zero for three on face-offs. He was also sheltered to an extent that isn’t really possible on the road - only offensive zone face-offs, and almost exclusively against the Pens fourth line. He played a grand combined total of 4 seconds against Crosby and Malkin.
Part of the decision between Chris Kelly and Tommy Wingels may come down to face-offs. Ottawa had a very poor night in the dot on Tuesday, and Derick Brassard hasn’t been taking any since Game 4 (where he only took eight of them). Kelly didn’t exactly have a great FO% in the regular season (under 45%), but would probably win more than a rotating cast of wingers.
Apart from the issue of face-offs, Wingels has looked pretty good overall this post-season, but was benched in favour of seven D for game five, and for Colin White in game six. The way Boucher gushed over Kelly during his post-skate media availability it sounds like that’s the way he’s leaning at this point, but it is (of course) a game time decision. No mention of the possibility of going back to seven D again for this game.