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

[IcedCapp]

watching Stardog and Jiggy interact reminds me of how much I wish I had a friend.

 

[ColePens]

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.

Didn't they have like 50 shots? I don't think we limited their zone time TOO much. But yes, I felt the Sharks went into the ole Pittsburgh panic mode once they got down. The game was a regular season game with no identity.

I think the Pens, ESPECIALLY under DB, should be praised for having a solid standard (uh oh.. tomlinism) when players are injured. Nobody has ever said that. The Pens pretty much never mail in games. But they do go into insane panic mode way too often.

SO I don't know if we agree or disagree?

 

[ColePens]

Let's get this thread back on topic, folks. And let's also watch content a bit, please.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

watching Stardog and Jiggy interact reminds me of how much I wish I had a friend.

What happened with you and Moon Pie?

Edit: back on topic... um Glass sucks.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Didn't they have like 50 shots? I don't think we limited their zone time TOO much. But yes, I felt the Sharks went into the ole Pittsburgh panic mode once they got down. The game was a regular season game with no identity.

I think the Pens, ESPECIALLY under DB, should be praised for having a solid standard (uh oh.. tomlinism) when players are injured. Nobody has ever said that. The Pens pretty much never mail in games. But they do go into insane panic mode way too often.

SO I don't know if we agree or disagree?

We did limit their zone time, Cole. You've seen enough Pens games where we've put up a ton of shots to know how that works.

The Pens can be accused of losing their cool too often when down a few, but I don't see why that applies to this game.

 

[stardog]

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.

Well great! You ruined my Christmas surprise! You're not supposed to tell me what you're getting me. Even if it is something as thoughtful as a 50 cent gift card. Tell ya what. We can put it in a scholarship fund for Bylsma's post coaching career which hopefully will come sooner rather than later.
And put it under Capp's name so he can feel as if he has a friend. I'll include the snot rag as it will probably come in handy no doubt.
Oh one can only hope for yet another Christmas miracle Penguins style. Just about as realistic as the crap Christmas movies on Hallmark my girlfriend makes me watch...the things we do for love.

Whoops... Sorry Cole. Back on topic. I agree with your last post whatever it said. Especially the real long Stardog style one. Epic brotha!

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

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.

I made a shiny new toy rebuttal?

 

[vodeni]

We did limit their zone time, Cole. You've seen enough Pens games where we've put up a ton of shots to know how that works.

The Pens can be accused of losing their cool too often when down a few, but I don't see why that applies to this game.

this whole point counter point is a great example how one thing can be looked at by two different people and come up with two different conclusions/opinions. No wonder that Bylsma and management came out after the Bruins loss and said that they analyzed the series again and basically didn't see any flaws other than bad luck. The entire organization including the players picked up the theme and ran with it.

Does that make it right or wrong, I am not getting into that.

What bothers me is that one can now safely predict any reaction or any post from most of the posters, no matter what topic is, what game was in question. There is a preconcieved opinion and picture already formed and any new development will be molded, analyzed and filed in a way to fit already established views. Last night game is a great example. If you blindly support management and DB that was Pens great game against best hockey team in NHL, if you are a hater, they just got lucky.
Although I have to say this Board is by a large margin better than any other pens professional reporting outlet...

 

[IcedCapp]

Didn't they have like 50 shots? I don't think we limited their zone time TOO much. But yes, I felt the Sharks went into the ole Pittsburgh panic mode once they got down. The game was a regular season game with no identity.

I think the Pens, ESPECIALLY under DB, should be praised for having a solid standard (uh oh.. tomlinism) when players are injured. Nobody has ever said that. The Pens pretty much never mail in games. But they do go into insane panic mode way too often.

SO I don't know if we agree or disagree?

that's the thing about the Penguins... I don't play sports, but I do things that require some of the same mental disciplines: chess, poker, starcraft (NERD ALERT LOLZ OMG ROFL)

anyhow, the thing in those "games" is all the same: you have to have a plan, but when that plan fails (either due to your execution or your opponent's plan not falling into your preparation) you have two options:

1) fall back on solid fundamentals that allow you to handle the situation calmly and rationally, because you're prepared. Basically, your instincts and habits take over.

or

2) you panic.

The Penguins, when something goes wrong, by-and-large, seem to fall into category 2. It's not even a leadership thing, it just feels like a team-wide panic.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

that's the thing about the Penguins... I don't play sports, but I do things that require some of the same mental disciplines: chess, poker, starcraft (NERD ALERT LOLZ OMG ROFL)

anyhow, the thing in those "games" is all the same: you have to have a plan, but when that plan fails (either due to your execution or your opponent's plan not falling into your preparation) you have two options:

1) fall back on solid fundamentals that allow you to handle the situation calmly and rationally, because you're prepared. Basically, your instincts and habits take over.

or

2) you panic.

The Penguins, when something goes wrong, by-and-large, seem to fall into category 2. It's not even a leadership thing, it just feels like a team-wide panic.

Ya right poser. You just Zerg rush.

 

[penguins2946*]

Ya right poser. You just Zerg rush.

Zerg rushing is the biggest jerk move you could do in Starcraft. It's even worse than DT rushing (which is all I can do ). I need to get good as Protoss.

 

[UnrealMachine]

The first 10 minutes of the game was intense. I didn't think the Pens could hang with the physicality and tempo that the Sharks were dictating. It turned out however that the Sharks were the ones who couldn't maintain their own pace. They looked gassed (to a degree) for the rest of the game.

 

[Valarukar]

Zerg rushing is the biggest jerk move you could do in Starcraft. It's even worse than DT rushing (which is all I can do ). I need to get good as Protoss.

I don't know, photon cannon rushes are pretty damn annoying.

 

[IcedCapp]

I don't want to upset Cole, I'll just say that I play protoss, I ain't no dirty zerg. And i don't rush anything, DTs or Cannons

 

[Shady Machine]

I don't know what any of you are talking about, but Simon Despres is the best player in the world.

 

[Gallatin]

that's the thing about the Penguins... I don't play sports, but I do things that require some of the same mental disciplines: chess, poker, starcraft (NERD ALERT LOLZ OMG ROFL)

anyhow, the thing in those "games" is all the same: you have to have a plan, but when that plan fails (either due to your execution or your opponent's plan not falling into your preparation) you have two options:

1) fall back on solid fundamentals that allow you to handle the situation calmly and rationally, because you're prepared. Basically, your instincts and habits take over.

or

2) you panic.

The Penguins, when something goes wrong, by-and-large, seem to fall into category 2. It's not even a leadership thing, it just feels like a team-wide panic.

This is absolutely completely totally relevent to the Penguins since the Montreal series IMO. But it is a leadership thing Ice. It's management's job to coach our team and players up when this kind if thing happens year after year after year.

It's exactly what was not happening in 08 & 09. Those teams were "never say die" groups, they had structure, discipline, and confidence to fall back on if the plan didn't work. What happened?

My opinion is that once DB started hiring his buddies after the cup win, guys he coached and played with, we lost that structure & discipline. And then late in the Montreal series when we completely fell apart and laid down for the Canadians, we lost the confidence too.

Fleury, Letang, Crosby. Those guys lose their minds when the plan does not work and we get punched in the mouth (both figuratively, and against Bostin, realistically). It's management's job to coach the choke out of them, or trade them if you can't. One or the other has to happen, because when those 3 go south, most of the team follows their lead.

And yes I said it, while not as bad as the other two, Sid has been choking. Just look at what happened to him, and the rest of the team when Chara cheapshoted Sid in the mouth. That was a brilliantly dirty series changing play. I bet Chara went into the series looking to do that, because he knew it would scramble Sid's confidence, and that half the team would go south with him.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

It sure as **** would have been nice to grab Trouba instead of Pouliot so we had the whole physical d-man of the future thing covered. It'd make saying goodbye to Orpik that much easier, on top that.

I will never let that pick go. I don't care if Pouliot turns into a decent player, I wanted, and still want Trouba in our prospect pipeline.

I'm with you on not letting it go. I wanted FF and still do. Although Truba is a stud we have such a stock of D prospects that not taking him won't kill us. On the other hand we have one for ward prospect that projects to be a legit top 6 guy.

TBH, there are about 6 guys I'd rather Shero took at 8th and Olli is one of them.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

that's the thing about the Penguins... I don't play sports, but I do things that require some of the same mental disciplines: chess, poker, starcraft (NERD ALERT LOLZ OMG ROFL)

anyhow, the thing in those "games" is all the same: you have to have a plan, but when that plan fails (either due to your execution or your opponent's plan not falling into your preparation) you have two options:

1) fall back on solid fundamentals that allow you to handle the situation calmly and rationally, because you're prepared. Basically, your instincts and habits take over.

or

2) you panic.

The Penguins, when something goes wrong, by-and-large, seem to fall into category 2. It's not even a leadership thing, it just feels like a team-wide panic.

I couldn't agree more.

I give you exhibit A as to why this happens...

 

[Ogrezilla]

I haven't played starcraft in way too long.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

this whole point counter point is a great example how one thing can be looked at by two different people and come up with two different conclusions/opinions. No wonder that Bylsma and management came out after the Bruins loss and said that they analyzed the series again and basically didn't see any flaws other than bad luck. The entire organization including the players picked up the theme and ran with it.

Does that make it right or wrong, I am not getting into that.

What bothers me is that one can now safely predict any reaction or any post from most of the posters, no matter what topic is, what game was in question. There is a preconcieved opinion and picture already formed and any new development will be molded, analyzed and filed in a way to fit already established views. Last night game is a great example. If you blindly support management and DB that was Pens great game against best hockey team in NHL, if you are a hater, they just got lucky.
Although I have to say this Board is by a large margin better than any other pens professional reporting outlet...

Keep in mind that I am referencing a Sharks blog. I don't think anybody looked at that game and said we were lucky to win, we just differ on why we won.

As for being lucky...we seem to be getting lucky against an awful lot of top teams this year.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Zerg rushing is the biggest jerk move you could do in Starcraft. It's even worse than DT rushing (which is all I can do ). I need to get good as Protoss.

I remember when the game was awesome, before hacks and all that crap. I got very good at all three of the races, until people started cheating and then it lost its fun.

Anyways, I am really liking how Despres has played since being back up.

 

[billybudd]

I made a shiny new toy rebuttal?

Pretty sure that was someone else, in reference to Engelland, and while this mentality does exist, I don't see how it can be applied to #5's play.

 

[UnrealMachine]

Keep in mind that I am referencing a Sharks blog. I don't think anybody looked at that game and said we were lucky to win, we just differ on why we won.

As for being lucky...we seem to be getting lucky against an awful lot of top teams this year.

I watched the Sharks feed for the entire 2nd half of the game. According to their expert announce team:

1. The Pens are masterful tacticians at gaining zone entry;
2. The "Pittsburgh Piranhas" pounce on loose pucks and score many of their goals off of rebounds;
3. MAF was the goalie during the Bruins series last season and the Pens gave him no support.

 

[mpp9]

I watched the Sharks feed for the entire 2nd half of the game. According to their expert announce team:

1. The Pens are masterful tacticians at gaining zone entry;
2. The "Pittsburgh Piranhas" pounce on loose pucks and score many of their goals off of rebounds;
3. MAF was the goalie during the Bruins series last season and the Pens gave him no support.

Haha. Excellent response. I don't put much stock in what another team has to say about us. I go by what I see.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I like to see what other PBP guys have to say about the Pens, mostly because they aren't jaded or whiny about the team and they can sometimes see things we refuse to because of the hate and what not for players, coaches, etc. An outside person looking in, different perspective sort of thing, etc.