Post-Game Talk: If you don't think Despres is the best player in the world, GTFO. Pens-5, Sharks-1

[MtlPenFan]

Does it really matter who is on the second power play? They prolly average 20 seconds a season.

Also, big ****ing lol at Megna being a legit top six player. God, this forum is ridiculous.

Good hands, good shot, top end NHL speed, goes to the net...

Nobody's calling him a top sixer, but when a guy is being productive with the least amount of ice time possible, it's up to the coach to ride the momentum to see what's there.

God forbid they even try to see if they can find a diamond in the rough, especially when the team is cap strapped.

 

[stardog]

I never said the Pens' lines were amazing and undeniably the reason we won. How often can you say that about the ES line-up choices in any game? All I said was that they played well and we won convincingly, and that's more than enough to show that they weren't idiotic by any stretch.

Bruno's post summed it up pretty well :

Okay. This is a bit different than what you have said a few times in this thread and this I can agree with.

HOWEVER, I certainly don't think this shows that someone is a great coach. In assembling these
he had limited options so whatever line up he went with was going to be an obvious choice. If a coach does something obvious that doesn't mean he is good. Especially considering the huge laundry list of poor decisions he has made in the past. One obvious decision in one game doesn't change that fact.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Crosby splits:


In Wins 20 12 25 37 12 8 19.7
In Losses 10 3 1 4 -8 10 6.8

Games, goals, assists, points, +/-, PIM, shooting %

I saw that last night. That's insane. If that doesn't show just how much this team depends on Sid to win, then I don't know what does. When he scores, we win. When he doesn't, we lose.

 

[wgknestrick]

I saw that last night. That's insane. If that doesn't show just how much this team depends on Sid to win, then I don't know what does. When he scores, we win. When he doesn't, we lose.

MAF split #s are not any better

Wins .940 SV% 1.5 GAA
loses .880 SV% 2.9 GAA

 

[stardog]

Ya, he has an agenda and I've called him on it, among many other things.

I thought Maatta was the most expendable blueline prospect last March and I love being wrong on calls like that.

I love them both and have said both would be untouchable in my mind. I just find there's a certain segment of this board dead-set on marginalizing Despres, led by your BFF. It's ridiculous.

Wait.
I thought I was Mr. Jigglypuff's BFF???


My illusions, as well as life as I know it,have been shattered

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Agree with your thinking, but disagree that the writers think that way. It's sad.

This is why I hope Sid can rack up some scoring titles. That's one award (Art Ross) that the idiot voters can't mess up because it's completely out of their hands.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Crosby splits:


In Wins 20 12 25 37 12 8 19.7
In Losses 10 3 1 4 -8 10 6.8

Games, goals, assists, points, +/-, PIM, shooting %

And yet, outsiders like to believe Sid isn't the MVP of his team. It would be nice if the team can stay healthy so when teams send out 5 man shutdown units after Sid, Geno is healthy enough to be that bull in a china shop routine he tends to do. But Geno has been a gimp for a season and a half now.

November was swell though.

Although this year, I would maybe lean towards MAF as the MVP at this point.

 

[Shady Machine]

And yet, outsiders like to believe Sid isn't the MVP of his team. It would be nice if the team can stay healthy so when teams send out 5 man shutdown units after Sid, Geno is healthy enough to be that bull in a china shop routine he tends to do. But Geno has been a gimp for a season and a half now.

November was swell though.

Although this year, I would maybe lean towards MAF as the MVP at this point.

Really? Is it because our expectations of him were low? His numbers look above average and that's what he's been. Credit to him for rebounding from last year but that doesn't mean we should change the standard for MVP.

 

[ColePens]

Just one note... I don't think last night's game had to do with ANYTHING regarding one team being out-thought or being out-coached. It was one of the games I thought the Sharks were victim of terrible puck-luck/laziness and the Pens took advantage every time.

Granted I did not watch the game back, but in my notes I wrote down there wasn't one thing that stood out from a system strategy that caused issues. Both teams got opportunities. If that same game was played another 10 times, I'm pretty positive the outcomes would be all over the map. Puck luck went our way. There were some times I said "oh that's a goal" when the Sharks crashed the net. SOMEHOW it stayed w/ #29.

Oh well... just a thought to the RRP discussion here.

 

[Shady Machine]

I agree Cole. Well said as usual.

 

[stardog]

don't forget the obvious: when we win, that validates all of the coach's decisions.

When we lose, it never invalidates the coach's decisions, which were brilliant, but screwed up by 1) the skaters 2) the goalie 3) injuries 4) bad bounces

it's infallible! No coaches should be fired, ever.

Well of course. Yet for some reason RRP (whom I actually like a lot as a poster) expects others to see the obvious when I fail to see what is so obvious. And please tell me the below post is just dead wrong.

I think that he was referring to plus sized models for farming clothing.

Oh I'm used to that. Especially in the winter time.

 

[IcedCapp]

Well of course. Yet for some reason RRP (whom I actually like a lot as a poster) expects others to see the obvious when I fail to see what is so obvious. And please tell me the below post is just dead wrong.


Oh I'm used to that. Especially in the winter time.

jaded is wrong. I wouldn't get you guys together for some fake orgy with fake supermodels. This will be the real deal, more-or-less

 

[stardog]

jaded is wrong. I wouldn't get you guys together for some fake orgy with fake supermodels. This will be the real deal, more-or-less

HAHAHA....nice!



I think

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Greening isn't a bad choice. I have liked him when playing against us but I still get the feeling that Niskanen has no trade value among even the most desperate of NHL teams.

Most thought the same about Whitney and Goligoski and they brought back something decent. I think if anything, Niskanen's value is the type that can bring back a player like that, at most.

A player I am more than happy to have even if he ends up as Sutter's LW. Which is where I would hope to have him anyway because I think that line needs help to start generating some more offense.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

don't forget the obvious: when we win, that validates all of the coach's decisions.

When we lose, it never invalidates the coach's decisions, which were brilliant, but screwed up by 1) the skaters 2) the goalie 3) injuries 4) bad bounces

it's infallible! No coaches should be fired, ever.

Avoiding responding to posts directly and then indirectly misrepresenting them is pretty cool.

We were talking about this one game.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Okay. This is a bit different than what you have said a few times in this thread and this I can agree with.

HOWEVER, I certainly don't think this shows that someone is a great coach. In assembling these
he had limited options so whatever line up he went with was going to be an obvious choice. If a coach does something obvious that doesn't mean he is good. Especially considering the huge laundry list of poor decisions he has made in the past. One obvious decision in one game doesn't change that fact.

Point out to me where I said anything about DB's coaching abilities in general being proven by this game, sd. I was talking about one game, yesterday. Others decided to start painting with broad brushes.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Just one note... I don't think last night's game had to do with ANYTHING regarding one team being out-thought or being out-coached. It was one of the games I thought the Sharks were victim of terrible puck-luck/laziness and the Pens took advantage every time.

Granted I did not watch the game back, but in my notes I wrote down there wasn't one thing that stood out from a system strategy that caused issues. Both teams got opportunities. If that same game was played another 10 times, I'm pretty positive the outcomes would be all over the map. Puck luck went our way. There were some times I said "oh that's a goal" when the Sharks crashed the net. SOMEHOW it stayed w/ #29.

Oh well... just a thought to the RRP discussion here.

The Sharks blog cited earlier raved about how the Pens did a great job limiting San Jose's zone time, and how DB worked to get Crosby away from Couture's defensive unit.

San Jose played better than the score indicated, and we did get some puck luck, but despite being at a considerable disadvantage roster-wise I'd say the Pens deserve a lot of credit for overcoming that and playing a cohesive, responsible team game that put them in a position to win at all. Would've been real easy to mail in a game against a WC powerhouse when we're missing as many key players as we're missing.

 

[Shady Machine]

The Sharks blog cited earlier raved about how the Pens did a great job limiting San Jose's zone time, and how DB worked to get Crosby away from Couture's defensive unit.

San Jose played better than the score indicated, and we did get some puck luck, but despite being at a considerable disadvantage roster-wise I'd say the Pens deserve a lot of credit for overcoming that and playing a cohesive, responsible team game that put them in a position to win at all. Would've been real easy to mail in a game against a WC powerhouse when we're missing as many key players as we're missing.

I agree with all of that. The Pens played very well last night, especially under the circumstances.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Wait.
I thought I was Mr. Jigglypuff's BFF???


My illusions, as well as life as I know it,have been shattered

But you are.

The poster he is referring to is.... umm... not exactly someone I dig and we'll leave it at that.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I'm still okay with the game. The injuries keep coming, though.

 

[stardog]

Point out to me where I said anything about DB's coaching abilities in general being proven by this game, sd. I was talking about one game, yesterday. Others decided to start painting with broad brushes.

Brother, yes you were using this point to talk about one game. I get that. I still don't think that shows that he is a good coach as all he had to do was make obvious choices from a small list of obvious choices.

The problem being is that you defend him even at times where he is indefensible. Or, correct me of I am wrong, you don't see any problems with our coaching situation where there are obvious issues.

You have even defended his selective accountability which really, should not be tolerated or defended.

So I think that it is fair for others to bring up your objectivity when it seems regarding Bylsma you have difficulty being objective.
Love your positivity, I really do. And I agree totally with you that a lot of us go overboard with the whole negative Nancy outlook, but your defense of Bylsma translates beyond this one game and even if you are talking about this one game it is fair of others to bring up the issue as a whole when it goes to show a lack of objectivity.

Kind of like how others gripe about me defending Letang.

 

[stardog]

But you are.

The poster he is referring to is.... umm... not exactly someone I dig and we'll leave it at that.

Phew....and good thing for you. I was sitting here trying to erase your name from my Christmas card list through the blubbering, snot running and hysterical crying. It was difficult on so many levels.

So you totally redeemed yourself!

 

[Jag68Sid87]

The Sharks blog cited earlier raved about how the Pens did a great job limiting San Jose's zone time, and how DB worked to get Crosby away from Couture's defensive unit.

San Jose played better than the score indicated, and we did get some puck luck, but despite being at a considerable disadvantage roster-wise I'd say the Pens deserve a lot of credit for overcoming that and playing a cohesive, responsible team game that put them in a position to win at all. Would've been real easy to mail in a game against a WC powerhouse when we're missing as many key players as we're missing.

The Pens' M.O. under Bylsma has never been to mail it in when a superstar is missing, or when we're playing a good team, or when we have a challenge, or when we are behind the eight-ball, etc. etc. etc.

We mail it in when we think it's going to be an easy night, when everybody's present and accounted for, when they only play a period or at most two, etc. etc.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Phew....and good thing for you. I was sitting here trying to erase your name from my Christmas card list through the blubbering, snot running and hysterical crying. It was difficult on so many levels.

So you totally redeemed yourself!

I'm getting a Christmas card with a snot rag inside?

Damn boss, that's the nicest, most thoughtful gift I've ever been given.

I feel like an ass because all I got you was a gift at Dollar General when they had a clearance half off the half off sale.

 

[IcedCapp]

I agree with all of that. The Pens played very well last night, especially under the circumstances.

I think most people agree with this (KIRK!! being the obvious exception ) but none of that addresses RRP's earlier comments about how the lines were fine and winning proves it.

I mean jesus, we talk about lines way too much, but the way players are used is so lacking in rhyme or reason.

And again, if Brooks Orpik was one of the 6-best dmen on this team or Chris Conner or whatever, no one would *****. Those of us who aren't "fans" of those players have logical reasons which RRP always ignores in lieu of "shiny new toy" rebuttals.