Series Talk: First Round: Pens (1) vs. Isles (4) - Series Tied 1-1

[Ryder71]

i would be fine with that. i would personally go with just creating a geno 4th line until we see what's up. but those options aren't on the table

I expect Carter to get more ice time tonight. So they're (Geno's line) gonna kinda be a defacto bottom six I would believe in the short term.

 

[Andy99]

If I'm not right I'm holding Andy responsible.

please feel free...all my clients hold me responsible for the burglaries, rapes, and mayhem they commit anyway...I’m used to it lol

 

[Gurglesons]

Oh he was serious.

Yeah I mean... playing one of your best forwards on the 4th line is dumb. And I ain't talkin' bout Malkin.

Conceptually line rushes mean nothing. Let’s see what type of minutes Kapanen finishes with before we declare something dumb.

if Kappy is playing 12 minutes tonight I’ll be the first one screaming about it. Ask @DesertedPenguin

 

[Darren McCord]

I mean, Zucker is technically our L4 LW.

That is why I am unsure what you and @KIRK are getting at. He is essentially on L4 in my mind until I see Sully play him differently.

Then he should be deployed that way. BART cant be called the fourth line and Zucker be the fourth line winger. This team is screwing Kap over who is one of our better players. Kap should be a top six winger in ice time. Sullivan's misuse of Kap is horrible.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Conceptually line rushes mean nothing. Let’s see what type of minute Kapanen finishes with before we declare something dumb.

Does Sullivan have much of a track record of hot-swapping lines during games?

He seems to just construct them and roll them.

 

[Ryder71]

please feel free...all my clients hold me responsible for the burglaries, rapes, and mayhem they commit anyway...I’m used to it lol

Wow, those individuals sound even more unsavory than myself! Of course innocent until proven guilty!

 

[Gurglesons]

Then he should be deployed that way. BART cant be called the fourth line and Zucker be the fourth line winger. This team is screwing Kap over who is one of our better players. Kap should be a top six winger in ice time. Sullivan's misuse of Kap is horrible.

Kapanen is averaging 17+ minutes a game right now.

 

[Gurglesons]

Does Sullivan have much of a track record of hot-swapping lines during games?

He seems to just construct them and roll them.

@Peat. Can you take this one?

Yes, he is notorious at it.

 

[KIRK]

I mean, Zucker is technically our L4 LW.

That is why I am unsure what you and @KIRK are getting at. He is essentially on L4 in my mind until I see Sully play him differently.

I'm getting at the oil and water combo. Since Jake's return last year the only place a healthy Zucker plays is with Malkin. I'm hard pressed to think of another coach who would be doubling down for the umpteenth time of the ineptitude they've shown together at all . . . and especially in a 1-1 series on the road with a hobbled Malkin.

 

[Ryder71]

I think having Geno back (possibly) is a good thing. Even just for the reason of helping Carters line get a better match up. But Geno's skill could help tilt things in our favor.

I thought we would win tonight prior to this, I feel a little better about it now (if he plays).

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

@Peat. Can you take this one?

Yes, he is notorious at it.

Oh OK well I'll take your word for it.

You'll come around halfway through the first once you get an eyeful haha

 

[3ladesof5teel]

What they could do if Sully was smart is double shift Sid and Carter with Geno's wingers to give Malkin some more breaks and ease his ice-time . Put Carter out there with them for DZone draw and change when they shift to offense. Sullivan could do lots of things but I doubt he will.

Instead we will either see Malkin play 17+ mins or we will see Zucker and Kap get less than 12 when that line gets treated like the fourth line.

Why though? I mean you act like you know whats up with Malkins knee and they are forcing the issue and we should double shift sid.

Maybe they are maybe they arent but you cant say "what I would like to see" when we all know less than anyone in the organization.

If Malkin is able to go you play him because when hes on hes still one of the best in the game.

 

[Icarium]

Oh, good, we are preemptively complaining about what's "certain" to happen tonight. Because we never do it after the games, you know.

 

[Khelandros]

WHY THE f*** IS THE GDT LOCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Darren McCord]

Kapanen is averaging 17+ minutes a game right now.

Yes as a top 6 forward. You missed what I said. Malkin will either play 17+ or Kap will play less.

And you are wrong about ice time. When Geno came back he played 30 less than Carter.

 

[Darren McCord]

Why though? I mean you act like you know whats up with Malkins knee and they are forcing the issue and we should double shift sid.

Maybe they are maybe they arent but you cant say "what I would like to see" when we all know less than anyone in the organization.

If Malkin is able to go you play him because when hes on hes still one of the best in the game.

I agree. I am saying if his line is getting railed and he looks off you do it.

 

[KIRK]

I expect Carter to get more ice time tonight. So they're (Geno's line) gonna kinda be a defacto bottom six I would believe in the short term.

It's not the minutes. It's the fatally flawed pairing that concerns us. They've never worked together. Doesn't even matter why. I just hope Sullivan's refusal to accept it isn't a big part of a one way express out of the playoffs.

 

[Ryder71]

WHY THE f*** IS THE GDT LOCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They want to keep the riff raff out!

 

[sovietsanta87]

I'm just happy to see Guentzel off the top PP unit.

Turning "hey malkin is coming back" into "pfff dont even bother with this game because Trotz is going to totally pwnz Sullivan's second line with his top line" seven hours before puck drop is peak HF Boards

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

It's not the minutes. It's the fatally flawed pairing that concerns us. They've never worked together. Doesn't even matter why. I just hope Sullivan's refusal to accept it isn't a big part of a one way express out of the playoffs.

You gotta remember a bunch of people here think fit and chemistry are basically irrelevant and if you are a good player on paper none of it matters.

Shit Zucker ain't even good on paper, these days.

 

[Gurglesons]

Yes as a top 6 forward. You missed what I said. Malkin will either play 17+ or Kap will play less.

And you are wrong about ice time. When Geno came back he played 30 less than Carter.

malkin 14:07 carter 15:48
Malkin 17:05 Carter 14:39
Carter 17:16 Malkin 15:01

two blowout wins and one blowout loss though so icetime was funky.

 

[Ryder71]

It's not the minutes. It's the fatally flawed pairing that concerns us. They've never worked together. Doesn't even matter why. I just hope Sullivan's refusal to accept it isn't a big part of a one way express out of the playoffs.

Didn't Zucker net a couple with Geno at the end of the season? I thought they looked a bit better together. Again, not my 1st choice. Also having KK there should help. Him and Geno had some nice chemistry there for a while prior to the injury.

 

[KIRK]

Why though? I mean you act like you know whats up with Malkins knee and they are forcing the issue and we should double shift sid.

Maybe they are maybe they arent but you cant say "what I would like to see" when we all know less than anyone in the organization.

If Malkin is able to go you play him because when hes on hes still one of the best in the game.

Ever watch Malkin in the playoffs with a lower body issue. It ain't pretty to start with and then factor in the line combo and Trotz having last change . . . yeah, you play him. But you don't need to hang him out to dry in the process.

 

[Gurglesons]

I'm getting at the oil and water combo. Since Jake's return last year the only place a healthy Zucker plays is with Malkin. I'm hard pressed to think of another coach who would be doubling down for the umpteenth time of the ineptitude they've shown together at all . . . and especially in a 1-1 series on the road with a hobbled Malkin.

you’re the one that wanted him on the 4th line

 

[KIRK]

Didn't Zucker net a couple with Geno at the end of the season? I thought they looked a bit better together. Again, not my 1st choice. Also having KK there should help. Him and Geno had some nice chemistry there for a while prior to the injury.

It was bottom feeders and the line looked awful (perhaps less awful than usual if you prefer).

And KK and Malkin only took off after Zucker got hurt.

Look, I want you to be right. I want to eat crow. I'm just afraid I might need to make alternate dining plans.