Post-Game Talk: Penguins 5, Flyers 2 - Sid Goes Old School on the Flyers

[RizzleMcRib]

Hey, if you are ok with them playing like hot garbage for large chunks of time every game .. that's fine. Some of us have loftier standards than "they won" and nothing else.

As long as they win 16 games in the playoffs that's what I care about. I don't care how they win. I didn't know NHL.com had a column for pretty wins.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

As long as they win 16 games in the playoffs that's what I care about. I don't care how they win. I didn't know NHL.com had a column for pretty wins.

Except if they continue display as awful as they have, they likely won't win 16. If this team plays to their potential, I'll take them over any roster in the league. But when they play shitty game after game, making teams like Calgary look like legit contenders .. My hope for the playoffs is slim. Maybe they turn it on or "flip the switch" .. who knows.

Hey you learn new things every day. On the main board, goals are worth more points than assists and assists more than secondarily assists. It's a learning day for us all.

 

[PensPlz]

The "Pens suck," "This team is a mess" crowd was out in full force last night. You think they woulda learned after the Calgary game not to give up so easy on this team.

I don't think the Pens are playing great hockey right now, especially great hockey for an entire game. But I'm not going to say they suck. They are actually a really good, so good that they are competing for a 3rd cup in a row. Teams don't win 2 cups in a row anymore, let alone 3. They've played a ton a hockey and it's visibly wearing on them.

If the goal is a cup, then this team needs to pace itself, play not to get hurt, and pick their battles. "Playing hard every night" is not a viable option for us. Nutrition is everything for us right now. Need to focus on the long-con, even if that means getting embarrassed some nights.

 

[JackFr]

Brassard is too good not to figure it out, he had a bad game last night but he's been showing flashes of skill and playmaking talent since he got here.

He'll put it together by the playoffs. Plus remember that he's partially Sid/Geno injury insurance.

 

[harmonica]

As long as they win 16 games in the playoffs that's what I care about. I don't care how they win. I didn't know NHL.com had a column for pretty wins.

I don't think anyone would disagree with you taking your statements out of context. However watching the team win the past three games we should be concerned as we didn't look solid in any of those games. Playing well is important and the best indicator of how well we will do in the playoffs. Counting wins and not looking at glaring problems can be left to teams like the Capitals.

 

[Peat]

I’m still having trouble with the Sid is slumping or too old argument in these past games. His point totals these last few years have been consistent and elite. His metrics have been consistent and elite. He has helped his team both get to and win in the playoffs. Other then getting beat to pucks on individual plays or having rough defensive nights here or there there’s nothing to see. Every player has those plays/games. Sid is weirdly not getting the benefit of the doubt for having bad plays in the middle of a season following two straight elite cup years. But when you look at his stats this year, a large sample size reducing outliers of good and bad, he’s having another great season.

Sid's first season and a half with Sully - 1.22 ppg, 0.89 ES ppg
Sid's season so far - 1.07 ppg, 0.58 ES ppg

The consistency argument simply doesn't stand. The elite part of it is arguably at ES.

Some of the conclusions haven't given enough benefit of the doubt but I can't agree that the stats support there being no case to argue.

Hey, if you are ok with them playing like hot garbage for large chunks of time every game .. that's fine. Some of us have loftier standards than "they won" and nothing else.

They've played more hockey than anyone else, they've got the biggest target on them, and they're pacing themselves for a 105-110 game season. There's gonna be slips. That should be understood and forgiven.

 

[Andy99]

Maybe it's the edge selection on Sheary's skates that are the issue? I've never seen anything like it outside of an adult beer-league game. The first goal I understand because he made a huge cut and then got run into. The second... I just can't figure out?!?

But the good news is that he's making horizontal shooting a weapon again in the NHL.....

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

They've played more hockey than anyone else, they've got the biggest target on them, and they're pacing themselves for a 105-110 game season. There's gonna be slips. That should be understood and forgiven.

It's not really something that needs to be forgiven. In the grand scheme, my opinion means nothing.

It's just frustrating to watch this team, go in and out of every game, looking so ... lackluster. They'll show glimpses of magic for a few minutes here and there but otherwise, it's been pretty gross. There are times that I'm amazed at where they are in the standings.

As I said in my last post ... They obviously have another gear and if they use that gear for the playoffs ... cool. But after watching 66 games of smut, it's hard to be optimistic all the time. I'm sort of wavering right now .. I want them to win it all (obviously) but have my doubts.

We shall see

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Well, if they are winning games and leading the division while playing a 20 minutes, wait until they go into playoff mode and get to their game. This team knows what it takes to get it done. They've done it the last 2 years.

 

[Jesse]

Main focus for me in regards to a potential first round matchup is the decision Hakstol made last night to play Filppula against Crosby. He might be the first coach I've ever seen that said, "Hell, just let 87 run wild tonight." Filppula is one of the worst defensive centers in the league.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

It's kind of interesting to see our fanbase in Doom-and-Gloom mode about how awful we are, and then see the other side sulking in disgust and saying they got dominated by us...

...in the same game.

Don't get me wrong, I know that a franchise looking to 3-peat has to be held to a much higher standard...

It's just interesting to see that we think we're godawful right now, but our most hated rival doesn't.

 

[The Old Master]

Main focus for me in regards to a potential first round matchup is the decision Hakstol made last night to play Filppula against Crosby. He might be the first coach I've ever seen that said, "Hell, just let 87 run wild tonight." Filppula is one of the worst defensive centers in the league.

when they scouted the pen's they told him sid is coasting and is just a shadow of his former self. so he took a chance. imo

 

[tom_servo]

It's kind of interesting to see our fanbase in Doom-and-Gloom mode about how awful we are, and then see the other side sulking in disgust and saying they got dominated by us...

...in the same game.

Don't get me wrong, I know that a franchise looking to 3-peat has to be held to a much higher standard...

It's just interesting to see that we think we're godawful right now, but our most hated rival doesn't.

That's why it helps to check out some other forums' discussion once in a while. Really good for perspective.

 

[The Old Master]

we have seen enough of them to know what they are capable of. so we have set a very high standard. ....good is always the biggest enemy of best.
edit; that's some of my old coach coming out.

 

[Peat]

It's not really something that needs to be forgiven. In the grand scheme, my opinion means nothing.

It's just frustrating to watch this team, go in and out of every game, looking so ... lackluster. They'll show glimpses of magic for a few minutes here and there but otherwise, it's been pretty gross. There are times that I'm amazed at where they are in the standings.

As I said in my last post ... They obviously have another gear and if they use that gear for the playoffs ... cool. But after watching 66 games of smut, it's hard to be optimistic all the time. I'm sort of wavering right now .. I want them to win it all (obviously) but have my doubts.

We shall see

I gave up being amazed at their ability to phone it in for 40 minutes a game and still be at the top of the league last season

I get the frustration - tbh, I doubt we see this team give its all in the regular season for a long time, and that makes me sad - but I think its leading people to think we're in a bleaker situation than we're in. I think regular season form is a lesser barometer of play-off success than some seem to think and that our form, comparative to other NHL teams, isn't all that bad anyway. See @Polaris Polestar 's post for a good example of why I think that.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

It's kind of interesting to see our fanbase in Doom-and-Gloom mode about how awful we are, and then see the other side sulking in disgust and saying they got dominated by us...

...in the same game.

Don't get me wrong, I know that a franchise looking to 3-peat has to be held to a much higher standard...

It's just interesting to see that we think we're godawful right now, but our most hated rival doesn't.

Both could technically be true but hfboards is just dramatic like tweens in their first “relationship”.

 

[cookthebooks]

jarry seems more like fleury than murray in net. it might be effective in the end but it never is very relaxing

 

[Bnat66]

The best part of living in the Philly area is when the Flyers lose to the Pens like this.

 

[KIRK]

I thought I heard 1pt, I stand corrected.

You did hear 1 point. The NBCSN announcer had Milbury for a math tutor.

 

[Tom Hanks]

The best part of living in the Philly area is when the Flyers lose to the Pens like this.

The other best part is when it’s 5-2 and you’re not sure if they’re talking about goals or cups

 

[KIRK]

This was a game where the Penguins depth proved just too much for Philly. The Flyers actually handled Malkin's line with their top line. They got a decent edge on Brassard's line (boy did he look clueless out there at times). But putting their third line against Sid was a disaster. Especially when Sid was reunited with Guentzel and Sheary. Everyone forgot how lethal those three were during the stretch last year and into the first 2 rounds. And they torched the Flyers in the 2nd period. It was glorious. That pairing isn't a long term solution by any stretch - mostly because they don't play defense - but if the opponents are going to put their third best on Sid.. i say go for it.

That ultimately is the dilemma for teams given how HGH is playing.

If they can figure out LW with Brass-Phil, then it's an absolute nightmare.

If Rust is back soon, try him. If ZAR comes back first, then him. BUT, those are the two guys who need to be tried.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

The other best part is when it’s 5-2 and you’re not sure if they’re talking about goals or cups

ZING!

 

[KIRK]

Main focus for me in regards to a potential first round matchup is the decision Hakstol made last night to play Filppula against Crosby. He might be the first coach I've ever seen that said, "Hell, just let 87 run wild tonight." Filppula is one of the worst defensive centers in the league.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't, because the alternative is Filppula against Malkin.

when they scouted the pen's they told him sid is coasting and is just a shadow of his former self. so he took a chance. imo

I think it also was 'Malkin is going to eat our lunch if we don't try to make him play defense against our top line'. Remember also . . . the Flyers best defensive forwards are Giroux and Couts. And, it's not like they have a big hulking defender to slow him down.

The way Malkin is going now, the two headed monster is just a horrid matchup for Philly. It would be even worse if L3 LW gets sorted.

 

[KIRK]

jarry seems more like fleury than murray in net. it might be effective in the end but it never is very relaxing

Jarry isn't athletic enough to emulate Fleury in the net.

 

[Gurglesons]

It's not really something that needs to be forgiven. In the grand scheme, my opinion means nothing.

It's just frustrating to watch this team, go in and out of every game, looking so ... lackluster. They'll show glimpses of magic for a few minutes here and there but otherwise, it's been pretty gross. There are times that I'm amazed at where they are in the standings.

As I said in my last post ... They obviously have another gear and if they use that gear for the playoffs ... cool. But after watching 66 games of smut, it's hard to be optimistic all the time. I'm sort of wavering right now .. I want them to win it all (obviously) but have my doubts.

We shall see

I mean this team has played like this the better part of a year and a half?

Also, I think it is funny that people act like a team like Calgary scraping for playoff points versus a team like Pitt who is basically in the dance wouldn’t care.