Post-Game Talk: Blackhawks 2, Penguins 1 - At Least It Wasn't 10-1

[KIRK]

Good news: More life than the last one. Didn't give up 10.

Bad news: I'm not sure it wouldn't have been 10-1 if Murray hadn't stood on his head and gotten some lucky posts in the first.

If you're JR wanting to see how the team has improved since that debacle in Chicago, the answer at best is NOT MUCH.

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[Jacob]

Murray was good. Crawford was better.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Waste of time. f*** them.

 

[Coastal Kev]

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

+ Toews or Kane didn't score

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

-Melrose

 

[TNT87]

Damn shame to tie the game on the shorthanded goal only to give it right back. I'm so f***ing sick and tired of Kuhn. He does nothing.

 

[Nakawick]

Team is just going through the motions. Sully is having a tough time motivating these guys.

 

[BrookswasHere44]

Yes it's fresh obviously but I can't think of more frustrating game in while

 

[canadianguy77]

Another awful start to a game. And Letang has personally cost this team at least 10 points this year.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Yeah. I mean. Ugh.

This team is some kind of special. So many turnovers. So much cutesy passing. Not enough hussle. Not enough determination.

Not much else to say really.

 

[66-30-33]

I'll probably skip the next Pens/Hawks 2 games next season. Automatic loss.

 

[Shady Machine]

Here's the frustrating part: Chicago isn't even that good of a team. Yeah Toews, Kane, Keith and Crawford. The rest of the team are nobody's yet we make them look like a dynasty.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

They really need to do something with that 4th line. We need a semi decent 4th line that can spend some time in the O-zone to give our top 3 lines a breather. Guys like Kunhackl and Reaves have no offense to them. Wtf happened to Kunhackl anyways, dude blows now. Reaves always blowed and Mckegg isn't much better.

Start waiving some guys JR, get some fresh blood in the lineup. We need an some offensive Jolt in the lineup. This team can't score more than 2 goals a game.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Damn shame to tie the game on the shorthanded goal only to give it right back. I'm so ****ing sick and tired of Kuhn. He does nothing.

If Maatta doesn't go to the outside of Anisimov then there's no goal.

 

[Shaffer]

+++Murray
Plays amazing 9/10 times. Gotta stop that first goal though.

+Sheahan
Noticeably good. Amazing play on the goal and really good defensively.

+Hunwick
Got the goal but that’s not why he got a plus. I thought he played a really good, conservative game.

-Crosby
He needs to wake up.

——Hagelin
Someone needs to make a twitter account and have it be “Did Hagelin Score?”

 

[Andy99]

- coaching...it feels like they have no idea what to do, especially how to beat the Hawks

- the PP again....it's fallen off a cliff the last few games

+ only Murray, he's the reason they even had a chance

 

[66-30-33]

Team is just going through the motions. Sully is having a tough time motivating these guys.

Which would be weird after back to back cups. Like a rich guy bored of money.

 

[KIRK]

There are no longer any words for the PP. The statistics sound good to an outsider, but it's a testament to top end talent succeeding in spite of themselves. One rightfully can question how hard guys work and the lunacy of thinking Letang is a PP QB, but really so much of it to me is bad x's and o's coaching:

1. I can count on 1 finger the number of standard Pens PP breakouts.
2. There is zero puck support on zone entries.
3. The Pens routinely are outnumbered in isolated battles in the offensive zone.
4. Players don't move.

Someone in the GDT said the Pens try to play chess on the PP instead of playing checkers.

I disagree. The Pens play checkers on the PP.

If they were playing chess, then they'd be using pieces (players) to attack in combination in order to create isolated 2 on 1's coming up the ice, entering the offensive zone, and then in high danger areas in the offensive zone.

IF Sully were smart, he'd (a) go to Gonchar, (b) tell him to start from scratch, and (c) tell him to tell Sid and Geno that they are not allowed to stop moving their feet the entire time they are out there for a PP shift.

 

[Shaffer]

New PP setup(hopefully):
Crosby low right half board
Kessel low left half board
Malkin high right half board
Sprong high left half board
Schultz at the blue line

 

[WayneSid9987]

Only caught the 3rd so it was a pretty good hockey game.

 

[KIRK]

Here's the frustrating part: Chicago isn't even that good of a team. Yeah Toews, Kane, Keith and Crawford. The rest of the team are nobody's yet we make them look like a dynasty.

This was not unlike the Washington game. You watched them, and thought 'man, they're a shell of the team they were last year . . . they're not even that good'. And, then, when the game ends, you realize the Pens are worse.

As I said, IF I'm JR, the only 'positives' I take from this is the Pens pushed back more than the game in Chicago (perhaps because it wasn't over after 10 minutes) and at least it wasn't over after 10 minutes.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

So much for embarrassing them. Sometimes it's better not to say anything, especially when you can't buy a goal like "the great" Carl Hagelin.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

The concept of PP1 needs to die.

Collective shit? PP2 comes out first. Lazy? Off the unit. Terrible plays? Off the unit. Refusing to shoot? Off the unit.

 

[KIRK]

New PP setup(hopefully):
Crosby low right half board
Kessel low left half board
Malkin high right half board
Sprong high left half board
Schultz at the blue line

Are they all going to be standing still?

You know, back in the day, when we had Gonchar on the point or the old 5 forwards PP, you didn't have to move as much, because the puck movement was so precise and so many guys were a threat to take one timers or could get shots through to the net.

You don't have that luxury now. Maybe a little more with your lineup. Still, players have to move their feet, or your PP will be a lot less effective, especially against a well coached PK.