Post-Game Talk: You're Lehtonen too many goals: Pens - 5, Stars - 1

[Honour Over Glory]

I can't wait to see this board when Kesler is traded to some rival at the draft for a stupid over payment and everyone here pouts thinking Shero would be ridiculously stupid enough to make that kind of offer.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Also, a little odd that Sutter is one of Crosby's closest friends, I mean...really?

 

[Waffle Fries]

Also, a little odd that Sutter is one of Crosby's closest friends, I mean...really?

It said that Crosby is one of Sutter's closest friends on the Penguins. Seems to me that Sid really tries to have a relationship with everyone on the team, I wouldn't read much into it. It was a Trib article.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

People don't like canned answers and they don't like when players are completely honest.

Personally, I agree. I see nothing wrong with what Sutter said. He's right.

I don't really have an issue with canned answers as a rule. It's PR training and better than just wanting someone ******* to shut up. Bylsma needs better PR training for his own good for example.

As far as what Sutter said, he's not wrong.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Since we're all trying to hard to find a negative here tonight...there was only one Penguin who was a - tonight.





Brooks Orpik.

Orpik is the Ovechkin of defensemen. His team scores a bunch of goals and wins, but somehow manages to be the minus player that night.

 

[Tumty]

Yeah Geno played good game. But am i only one who is worried about geno's scoring? He' finishing has dropped really in my eyes. I can be wrong too.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Also, I won't be sad to see Sutter go if he's dealt. I'm actually not all that bothered with his production, especially when you consider his revolving door of wingers. But the overall compete level isn't what I'd like to see out of a "checking line center". Too passive, too lacking in intensity, IMO, for that spot.

 

[TyroneBiggums]

Randy Quaid's character in the movie "Major League" is the perfect definition of this forum.

 

[Ogrezilla]

yikes, I knew it was bad but seeing it typed out is still crazy. Sutter has played with 18 different wingers.

 

[nhindian]

You may have seen it go off a skate or by it, but Stemp definitely got his stick on it.

Seemed unintentional, like he was going for the deflection goal and it squeaked to Sid.

Either way, solid play.

 

[IcedCapp]

Randy Quaid's character in the movie "Major League" is the perfect definition of this forum.

and you're Shazbork from the Star Wars movies

 

[Ugene Magic]

Seemed unintentional, like he was going for the deflection goal and it squeaked to Sid.

Either way, solid play.

The puck was on the ice and he didn't try to turn the stick over for a deflection on goal and it was parrallel with the goal-line. If you watch him from start to finish he knows Sid is coming and the blade is upright.

I have a huge screen for my monitor and I can see it with just that gif. Watch the puck come right at the circles edge. You'll see his stick flutter.

Maybe someone should of asked him if he meant to do that or not.

But he could have been just trying to pick the corner off the deflection.

It just didn't look like it for me.

 

[wgknestrick]

"Wow look at how spread apart Crosby's legs are as Gonchar wants to reach around"

Penguin quote of century

 

[wgknestrick]

Sample size and quality of competition, but it's interesting and slightly concerning.

And not at all surprising?? MAF is a bottom 25% starter. Chances of a random goalie equaling his performance is pretty high.

 

[Shady Machine]

I thought some aspects of the team looked better today than recently. Mostly the 1st line.

There were still issues, though. I remember the Pens twitter account praised the defense... I thought there were way too many odd-man rushes.

I'll even go ahead and give Despres some blame. He really started trying to force things towards the end, and it was leading to mistakes.

(he wasn't the worst of the bunch tonight, but it's only fair)

That's fair but odd man breaks aren't always the defenses fault. The one was Bortuzzo's fault for firing it in on the goalie instead of dumping it in and changing (of course that was a hell of a play by Lehtonen). Neal made a stupid pinch on the PP. Forwards not backchecking enough, etc.

Overall, I thought our defense played pretty well. Despres was great last night minus the flubbed pass turnover. The only "problem" I see with Despres is that when he gets confidence he tries to do too much.

 

[radapex]

And not at all surprising?? MAF is a bottom 25% starter. Chances of a random goalie equaling his performance is pretty high.

How is he a bottom 25% starter when he is the definition of an average starter, statistically, every year?

I mean, just last week the guy was actually in the top 10 in every goalie category. The team plays 4 periods of terrible hockey against the Flyers and he drops a bit - it happens.

 

[Shady Machine]

The problem I have with Jokinen is that when he isn't putting up points, he isn't doing much else. I'd much prefer someone who can backcheck/forecheck and get dirty on Malkin's line. The points will come if they have that. Maybe Jokinen can fit on the 3rd line with some scoring touch, but he doesn't bring much energy.

If the Pens signed him, I'd want him on a 1 year deal.

He doesn't do much crashing, banging, forechecking, but that doesn't mean he isn't doing much else. He's a pretty solid defensive forward and is a great positional player. The problem is that Geno and Neal need a forechecker.

 

[Shady Machine]

It should also be noted that Glass has less PP time than any Pens forward this year. 1:16 TOTAL. It's warranted of course, but to hear some people you'd think it was a regular thing.

People tend to exaggerate around here

It wasn't necessary but certainly not a big deal.

 

[wgknestrick]

The problem I have with Jokinen is that when he isn't putting up points, he isn't doing much else.

I FN hate this line. Technically neither are Neal or Crosby. Listen. Players aren't going to score every game, and it really isn't all that rare for them to 4-5 games without a point. The important part is that they have a decent CHANCE to score and are driving the play (even if unproductive).

JJ is a very good player that this team desperately needs in the top 6. The last thing we need to do is swap him out for another player that has <5% chance of scoring a point/game, but hits people/blocks shots or adds whatever other valueless skill you think is important. If any player can't score or add offense, they are worthless in my book. There are no elite level defensive-only players out there that are a net + player because they contribute nothing to the positive/scoring. If you aren't a net positive, you are hurting this team.

We cannot afford to lose Duppers, JJ, Gibbons, or Megna out of this lineup for ANYONE. They ARE our scoring depth outside of our big 4.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

good. Maybe he'll play better. Like he did tonight.

Seriously, he has kind of been nothing but an emo baby since being traded here.

I wish we would have shipped him out of here for Kesler... *fingers crossed* at the draft.

 

[radapex]

Sample size and quality of competition, but it's interesting and slightly concerning.

It's not all that uncommon, actually.

ANA
Hiller - 45 GP, 27-11-6, 2.40 GAA, .914 SV%
Andersen - 22 GP, 16-4-0, 2.22 GAA, .925 SV%

LAK
Quick - 39 GP, 21-15-2, 2.10 GAA, .914 SV%
Jones - 16 GP, 10-5-0, 1.90 GAA, .932 SV%
Scrivens - 19 GP, 7-5-4, 1.97 GAA, .931 SV%

NYR
Lundqvist - 53 GP, 26-22-4, 2.50 GAA, .917 SV%
Talbot - 19 GP, 11-6-0, 1.76 GAA, .937 SV%

PHX
Smith - 59 GP, 26-20-10, 2.67 GAA, .915 SV%
Greiss - 15 GP, 7-5-1, 2.25 GAA, .927 SV%

SJS
Niemi - 55 GP, 34-14-6, 2.34 GAA, .914 SV%
Stalock - 20 GP, 11-4-1, 1.91 GAA, .931 SV%

WSH
Hotlby - 41 GP, 19-14-3, 2.98 GAA, .911 SV%
Grubauer - 17 GP, 6-5-5, 2.38 GAA, .925 SV%
Neuvirth - 13 GP, 4-6-2, 2.82 GAA, .914 SV%

WPG
Pavelec - 52 GP, 20-24-6, 2.97 GAA, .902 SV%
Montoya - 23 GP, 11-6-3, 2.18 GAA, .924 SV%


On most other teams, their starter and backup are only a few percentage points apart. It's actually more rare for the starter to be significantly better statistically than the other way around - at least, as far as this season goes.

 

[Shady Machine]

He was fighting it a little bit tonight from what I saw, but yeah not harping on him at all. He is most definitely being misused, and that 3rd period ice time is total Bylsma magic. Unbelievable.....

What does this even mean? If fighting it means repeatedly taking the body, winning board battles, and skating the puck out of danger, then yeah I guess he was fighting it. Honestly, this was Despres' most complete game in a while. He made a stupid play and by flubbing the puck in the wrong area of the ice. He should have banked the puck off the boards instead. That doesn't negate all of the good stuff he did. I watched Maatta and Orpik do the same.

Honestly, if anyone had a rough game on defense, outside the usuals, it was Nisky.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Seriously, he has kind of been nothing but an emo baby since being traded here.

I wish we would have shipped him out of here for Kesler... *fingers crossed* at the draft.

If it were just Sutter for Kesler the trade would have happened. There was a lot more reportedly asked for. Sutter + DP + Despres or Maatta. That sort of thing. The trade didn't happpen because of parts asked for in addition to Sutter.

 

[Shady Machine]

If Jokinen goes on a tear in the playoffs, then great. But we've already started to see DB bump him down the lineup b/c of lazy plays. I have my doubts.

Bennett, Stempniak, Neal, Kunitz, Dupuis, Kule. With Sid, Geno and Kesler down the middle. And Goc able to move up and allow Kesler to play wing?

I'll take that.

Salary cap.

 

[NMK11]

For a lot of the people analyzing Fleury vs Backup stats, I remember it being pretty obvious last year that the team played a better defensive game when Vokoun was in net, and at times I've seen that with Zatkoff. It's almost like the players, whether they're right or wrong, trust Fleury more and take more gambles and push more. We have to watch out when we just start throwing around stats, because I'm not sure they're both playing with the same "team" out in front of them.

I don't think Fleury is a great goalie, but I don't think he's bad either. He's middle third/2nd quartile starter with a knack of losing it in big games which is where the criticism becomes valid.