Observations XIV

[NSH615]

Malkin should be out since he pulled out of the all star game. I thought it was a league rule.

He missed their last game before the break so unless i am mistaken I think he can play tonight. Looks like he is out again though

drw is correct on the rule. You have to miss either the game before or game after and he missed the game before.

 

[Scoresberg]

Who did Neal mainly play with in Pittsburgh? I can't remember.

Malkin.

 

[King Weber]

Who did Neal mainly play with in Pittsburgh? I can't remember.

Malkin and Kunitz iirc.

 

[sparkle twin]

Malkin should be out since he pulled out of the all star game. I thought it was a league rule.

He's injured so the rule doesn't matter. But he would be eligible for this game since he missed the game before the break.

Who did Neal mainly play with in Pittsburgh? I can't remember.

Malkin for most of the time.

 

[Scoresberg]

I think that game showed everybody that we're not a true contender. Just couldn't keep up with the Champs.

 

[Pred303]

not what i hoped to see at all.

..you aren't going to win many games simply playing run and gun, trading chance for chance hockey with a team that is one of the best offensive teams in the league. you simply have to play a smarter, more controlled game if you are us against a team that is great offensively but not that good defensively or in net.

..we never, I mean never got an effective forecheck going. which in turn meant we simply traded chances with a more talented offensive bunch.

..rinne. sure he made some good saves. in the first and third period. but he didn't make 'key saves at key times' to steal the old saying. or any in the second. three times beaten cleanly glove side looking square at the shooter. and then pulling off the post on the hornqvist wraparound. that one was the back breaker. if you are going to give up 38 shots he has to be better.

we didn't play 'badly'. we just didn't play the way we needed to play. or get what we had to have.

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

I think that game showed everybody that we're not a true contender. Just couldn't keep up with the Champs.

I don't think many fancy us a contender this year at least

 

[Scoresberg]

I don't think many fancy us a contender this year at least

Well, the injuries and all this hasn't seemed to be our year but with that roster you should be able to contend. I don't see why we would be any more of a contender next year than this with two our centers and our starting goalie closing in on their 40's.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I'm still waiting on Hornqvist to put up the 80 points some of you promised he would score there.

Funny his highest scoring season was with us....

I think that had more to do with Crosby and Malkin and less with Horny himself. People underrated him around the league which is why many of us said he would excel in Pitt. Having said that, he is on pace to break his former career high this year.

I gotta reply to this "not a contender comment" when we traded for Subban more than half the board said we were contenders, if not favored to win the cup. Revisionist history.

Couple of thoughts from last night...

303 is right about last night. Just couldn't get possession going.

PK should be sitting. He is obviously injured and not half the player he was earlier in the year.

We are not a fast team. Last night we played a fast team. We are a possession team.

After watching Saros, I'm comfortable admitting watching Pekka play causes my blood pressure to skyrocket. Guy is all over the place.

 

[FossilFndr]

Was surprised to see PK return when he did. At this point if he is really borderline surgery I would hope he would get it done now and not be still recovering next October from summer surgery. This definitely does not look like it is our year to make WCF, so I would not complain if we missed the playoffs, despite how much fun a playoff run can be. For me a good healthy start next season is more important than a weak playoff run in 2017.

 

[drwpreds]

Lord have mercy at the overreaction.

So last night's game is the determining factor on our contending status? What about last week when we beat 3 of the top 8 teams in the league in a six day span? That doesn't count but last night does??????

Yep- we lost a road game to one of the top 3 teams in the league- I guess that definitively proves we can't compete- time to shut the season down and play for the future........

Look, who knows if we are a contender or not- only time will tell, but for crying out loud one game does not determine anything.

This board never ceases to be amaze me- the 24 hour mood swings on here are always entertaining

 

[FossilFndr]

With PK playing sub par, Josi out for extended time, Rinne streaky as ever hoping for a good healthy start to next season isn't irrational. Not exactly a one game reaction.

 

[Scoresberg]

A healthy season would be nice for sure but if anything we are worse next yeat than now. Fisher and Rinne dropping, Ribeiro and one of our middle-6 forwards gone.

And Drew, it was just the way we played. The Pens showed us how to win in modern-hockey. You gotta learn from the best.

 

[Pred303]

again. we didn't play badly, we just got out goal tended and didn't play smart hockey.

 

[drwpreds]

With PK playing sub par, Josi out for extended time, Rinne streaky as ever hoping for a good healthy start to next season isn't irrational. Not exactly a one game reaction.

All of that was still the same over the past 3 weeks when we went 7-1-1 and beat some of the best teams in the league.

But one game negates all of that? Last night counts but all of that before doesn't??

Sounds like a one game reaction to me

 

[drwpreds]

A healthy season would be nice for sure but if anything we are worse next yeat than now. Fisher and Rinne dropping, Ribeiro and one of our middle-6 forwards gone.

And Drew, it was just the way we played. The Pens showed us how to win in modern-hockey. You gotta learn from the best.

I fully understand how we played last night- but again, whether we lost 10-0, 4-2, or won 10-0- one game does not determine anything

If that's the case then why doesn't our win at Minnesota and vs Columbus mean we are contenders?

You can't have it both ways

 

[NSH615]

I fully understand how we played last night- but again, whether we lost 10-0, 4-2, or won 10-0- one game does not determine anything

If that's the case then why doesn't our win at Minnesota and vs Columbus mean we are contenders?

You can't have it both ways

I think the difference here is with the current play, we were well outplayed by the team that won everything last year. Yes this can happen against any team, but I feel last night showed where we really sit against the elite.

And BTW, I do not feel like Minnesota is a true contender. They will be a one and done playoff team, they just have one of the best regular season coaches in the league. Columbus I am not sold on either. They went on a mega run then crashed hard.

 

[Scoresberg]

Agreed with 33, except I think the Wild are in it for real. The West is weak this year, I think the Ducks could beat them in a playoff series. But think about Central, the Hawks are faltering, the Blues are a mess, we have growing pains with Subban.

 

[Pred303]

one cann't read too much into any one game result. this was pretty much the exact game we played against them before, that we won 5-1. in that one we gave up a high number of shots too. 35. saros just stopped 34 of 35.

the differences? we finished our chances, we dominated the second period (4 goals), we got better goaltending and we established a strong forecheck that helped us turn the puck over and get easy goals.

it's hockey, things happen, both good and bad.

it's only when trends develop can one really fret or feel good. now come out thursday at home and lose and that's a trend.

 

[deanwormer]

With PK playing sub par, Josi out for extended time, Rinne streaky as ever hoping for a good healthy start to next season isn't irrational. Not exactly a one game reaction.[/QUOTE

 

[drwpreds]

I think the difference here is with the current play, we were well outplayed by the team that won everything last year. Yes this can happen against any team, but I feel last night showed where we really sit against the elite.

And BTW, I do not feel like Minnesota is a true contender. They will be a one and done playoff team, they just have one of the best regular season coaches in the league. Columbus I am not sold on either. They went on a mega run then crashed hard.

I will just repeat- you can't have it both ways. I guarantee you if we had been blown out by Minnesota/Columbus, people would be on here crying about how we can't compete with the elite.

But when we win people start rationalizing and minimizing. One loss means WAY more than a 9 game stretch of great hockey.

And just for the record this isn't directed at you personally- its just the way the world is today as far as reactions. Negativity rules.

We were 7-1-1 with some great wins going into last night's game. The mood on this board was on the upswing, the general consensus was that things are really looking up. But one loss to maybe the best team in the league has completely wiped away all of that. Now the sky is falling........

And that is completely ridiculous..........

 

[FossilFndr]

I was originally responding to Roman Yoshi comment PK should be sitting. He is obviously injured and not half the player he was earlier in the year. I'm not jumping off a cliff by saying I'm surprised he came back not 100% and would rather he be 100% post any surgery than ??% he is now. IF surgery is still in the picture would anyone want him to wait and not fully recuperate for October because of a May surgery instead of a February one?

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Looking ahead... we have a very up and down February coming up. Will really tell us if we are for real or not for real.

3 back to backs, 4 of those games are against Minnesota, Columbus, Edmonton and Washington. Not impossible games, but taking 4 points out of 8 would be a win.

We then have 5 games against obviously inferior teams (DET, COL, VAN, FLA and BUF). We have to take at least 4 of those games. It's the time of year you have to beat inferior competition.

 

[NSH615]

Looking ahead... we have a very up and down February coming up. Will really tell us if we are for real or not for real.

3 back to backs, 4 of those games are against Minnesota, Columbus, Edmonton and Washington. Not impossible games, but taking 4 points out of 8 would be a win.

We then have 5 games against obviously inferior teams (DET, COL, VAN, FLA and BUF). We have to take at least 4 of those games. It's the time of year you have to beat inferior competition.

We need to be sure to serve year old chicken soup to the guests for this game.

 

[PredsV82]

I think that game showed everybody that we're not a true contender. Just couldn't keep up with the Champs.

sorry, but you cant read too much into one game. Would Pittsburgh be the favorite in a 7 game series with us right now? yes. But if we get Josi back, and we don't have a 5 day break, things might be different