GDT: #3|Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Las Vegas Golden Knights|7:00PM EST|10/11/18|Riiiiiikooooooollaaaaa

[WayneSid9987]

You pretty much nailed it. I think Johnson would actually work well with Riikola. Schultz would work well with Maatta. Oleksiak hasn't done enough to stay in this lineup.

Thats the pairings i'd make.
Give Juuso the minutes Maatta used to take.
Plop JJ or Schultz beside him.
Maatta can work his way back up.

 

[KIRK]

I have paying attention to Sprong...he is highly committed right now to the defensive side of the game. I think he's too committed in all honesty. Dude is thinking wayyyy too much and he looks slow because of it.

I always liked Sprong because he had an attacker mentality. He would take the puck and try to drive it down the throat of the opposition. He hasn't done that one time since being here because he's afraid he's going to get benched if he doesn't back check one time.

Jake-Sid-Sprong
Hagelin-Geno-Horny
Simon-Brass-Phil
Cullen-Sheahan-Rust

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Sprong has been better winning battles in the last 2 games. Definite improvement.

 

[JTG]

Thats the pairings i'd make.
Give Juuso the minutes Maatta used to take.
Plop JJ or Schultz beside him.

I do believe Schultz and Maatta looked pretty solid together before. Riikola has the wheels and the smarts to cover for Johnson, but I don't think Johnson would inhibit Riikola's offense.

 

[KIRK]

Thats the pairings i'd make.
Give Juuso the minutes Maatta used to take.
Plop JJ or Schultz beside him.
Maatta can work his way back up.

I might be interested in seeing Riikola-Schultz.

 

[Pancakes]

vegas imploded. not a reflection of the pens play at all

I think it's a pretty good reflection of our ability to win games purely on talent.

Certainly not winning this one on effort or discipline.

 

[KIRK]

Sprong has been better winning battles in the last 2 games. Definite improvement.

Perhaps there will be a reward with it.

More likely not.

 

[PensandCaps]

Perhaps there will be a reward with it.

So....Rust to Line 1!

 

[WayneSid9987]

Jake-Sid-Sprong
Hagelin-Geno-Horny
Simon-Brass-Phil
Cullen-Sheahan-Rust

Jake-Sid-Sprong/Simon
Hags/Rust-G-Horny
Rust/Hags-Brass-Phil
Cullen-Sheahan-Simon/Sprong

 

[Ugene Magic]

Sprong has been better winning battles in the last 2 games. Definite improvement.

He also flashed some good shooting earlier.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I have paying attention to Sprong...he is highly committed right now to the defensive side of the game. I think he's too committed in all honesty. Dude is thinking wayyyy too much and he looks slow because of it.

I always liked Sprong because he had an attacker mentality. He would take the puck and try to drive it down the throat of the opposition. He hasn't done that one time since being here because he's afraid he's going to get benched if he doesn't back check one time.

I agree with you. He's very, to a painfully obvious degree, trying to show he's not a complete liability out there. Even so, he's producing chances and has two assists averaging <10min a night. Put him with Geno, tell him he's got the leash to do his thing, and let the kid fly. Give it a few games to get his confidence and comfort level up playing with Hags-Geno, and I think he'll be fantastic. If not, so what? You're right back where you are at now.

The mental stuff with Sprong is so delicate. You already have a kid looking over his shoulder at the coaches with everything he does on the ice. Just give him free reign for a handful of games and see what you have.

 

[Fordy]

I have paying attention to Sprong...he is highly committed right now to the defensive side of the game. I think he's too committed in all honesty. Dude is thinking wayyyy too much and he looks slow because of it.

I always liked Sprong because he had an attacker mentality. He would take the puck and try to drive it down the throat of the opposition. He hasn't done that one time since being here because he's afraid he's going to get benched if he doesn't back check one time.

his first shift today he did

 

[ColePens]

You know.. I talked about "hitting the mental wall" and how difficult it is to remember how to win in the NHL. All the small things you have to do to win in the NHL. That is something you see the Pens struggle with since their success from time to time.

Perfect example is the Las Vegas Golden Knights. They have the team to be good but that success and all the lucky bounces that went their way and now they are deep in a hole and forgetting how freaking hard they worked to win games. That's exactly what they are running into right now. And now teams know how hard Vegas works and they bring their hard work to the game, too.

It is so difficult to be a consistent winning team in the NHL.

 

[KIRK]

Jake-Sid-Sprong/Simon
Hags/Rust-G-Horny
Rust/Hags-Brass-Phil
Cullen-Sheahan-Simon/Sprong

I prefer Hags with Geno and Horny. I love Rust on Geno's RW but not on his LW.

Albeit in very limited action, Rust was good with Brass and Phil before.

 

[K Fleur]

Sprong with 7:34 TOI. Gotta be a career high right?

 

[Tom Hanks]

Well that escalated quickly. Phil is showing off in front of a team where he’d love to live.

 

[KIRK]

I agree with you. He's very, to a painfully obvious degree, trying to show he's not a complete liability out there. Even so, he's producing chances and has two assists averaging <10min a night. Put him with Geno, tell him he's got the leash to do his thing, and let the kid fly. Give it a few games to get his confidence and comfort level up playing with Hags-Geno, and I think he'll be fantastic. If not, so what? You're right back where you are at now.

I'd give Kessel's good nut to see Sprong get a game with Geno-Hags.

It will NEVER happen.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I'd give Kessel's good nut to see Sprong get a game with Geno-Hags.

It will NEVER happen.

Olli Maatta will NEVER sit.

 

[Pancakes]

You know.. I talked about "hitting the mental wall" and how difficult it is to remember how to win in the NHL. All the small things you have to do to win in the NHL. That is something you see the Pens struggle with since their success from time to time.

Perfect example is the Las Vegas Golden Knights. They have the team to be good but that success and all the lucky bounces that went their way and now they are deep in a hole and forgetting how freaking hard they worked to win games. That's exactly what they are running into right now. And now teams know how hard Vegas works and they bring their hard work to the game, too.

It is so difficult to be a consistent winning team in the NHL.

It's just so hard for this team when they know they can have efforts like this and win.

If Vegas played like we have tonight they'd get embarrassed because they don't really have the talent to just make 4 big plays for goals like we just did. They need 60 minutes of effort to get goals and wins. We...don't. And that's tough for Sully to deal with because you can preach forming good habits but these guys always have in the back of their minds that they can bail themselves out of bad efforts with a big play.

 

[EightyOne]

Well that escalated quickly. Phil is showing off in front of a team where he’d love to live.

 

[KIRK]

Olli Maatta will NEVER sit.

That's a false comparison.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The worst part of Rust moving up to Crosby's RW is that they won't bump Sprong into the top-9 now, because Rust would have to be the 3rd line LW for Sprong to get into the top-9.

 

[Clatartar]

I’ve missed the first 2 periods, how has Riikola looked?

 

[WayneSid9987]

Now let us pray for them not to implode.

 

[BHD]

Good point.