Post-Game Talk: Blue Jackets 7, Penguins 1: The Pens get crushed

[Shwag33]

Oh also forgot.

-The biggest minus goes to: Steiggy


Seriously what the hell is this guys problem, in the second period he's like in the 1st the BJ's were in awe of the penguins. First, I thought the BJs had the better of the play despite the shots. Second, there's not a more cringe worthy, my **** doesn't stink thing to say.

 

[ColePens]

I do agree though Bonino struggling has had some big ripples. Bonino and Hags had a slow start, made the HBK terrible, and part of the reason the PK was bad too(Fehr didn't have a great start either)

Kind of odd because pre season those guys looked sharp as a razor.

With Bonino being rocky it's hard to keep that offensive pressure and things can just get caught defending and making bad plays.

Only time Bonino line looked like the best line in a night was when Rust was on it dominating and carrying them. How can you have Kessel on your line as a 3rd line and not at least look great some nights?

Hags hasn't found his offense yet. Bonino hasn't found any of his game yet. Hornqvist has struggled a little bit after his concussion. We are relying on guys like Sheary/Rust/Schultz that are actually performing better than many of us imagined.

We need some individual play to shine through eventually. That's my opinion of it. I think the guys who are out there fumbling the puck are inside their own head at this point. Especially #13.

 

[Shady Machine]

I didn't play any holier than thou character.

It's a trend around here that you can't criticize or question Matt Murray without the immediate shutdown of "Fleury fanboy" being thrown at you. Almost instantly. When Murray has a bad game you either need to say the cliche of "everyone has a bad game", "can't win them all" or simply not post, or risk yourself becoming the target of the criticism.

This was Murray's first emotionally heated rivalry game against a good team. And it was horrific. I'm starting to notice a trend where as to no matter who we have in goal this team seems to just fall apart in these situations. Hmmm. Perhaps that's worth discussing? Nah.

Maybe I should add disclaimers to my posts: Not a Fleury advocate. Trade him asap. Kthx.

THIS was his first game against a heated rival that's good? Weird I thought I remember him playing and winning against the Caps in the playoffs on the way to winning the Cup.

 

[Shady Machine]

If you want to say that the Pens/Caps series last year was some big rivalry game and some intense series then go ahead. That can be your standard. I personally thought it was a walk in the park and knew we were better team after game 2, and certainly knew after game 3, and couldn't foresee us losing to the Caps after game 4's win and going up 3-1. That's not really at all similar to the Flyers in 2012 or CBJ/Boston in 2013. Throw in the 2014 meltdown to the Rags as well (even though they lost their edge since then).

I never saw Murray so stressed in last year's playoffs and hung out to dry like he was tonight. The team shutdown. I'm just saying I hope they fix this mental issue because we'll likely see the Flyers or CBJ in the first round.

You're off on your own island dude.

 

[Shady Machine]

Jesus.

Anyway, Pouliot sucked but people are sure dropping out on him here. Let him ride pine while we cycle through some of our other bubble NHL defensemen while he tries to get his head straight. We've all seen him play a lot better than this.

I don't want him riding pine. You either stick with him for 10 games or you decide this is it and look to move him IMO. We don't have the luxury of letting him develop in the AHL after this season and it's imperative that they know who he is in the NHL before expansion.

 

[Shady Machine]

I'm saying the Pens have meltdowns against certain rivals that play with a ton of grit (2012 Flyers, 2013 Islanders/Bruins, 2014 CBJ/Rags), and do NOT have meltdowns against certain "rivals" that try to match the Pens' skill and speed (2016 Rags, Caps, TB, SJ).

I'm sorry I just don't consider the Capitals a gritty rival. Just because Tom Willson is a punk and Ovie still likes to throw some hits isn't a reason to circle the calendar anymore. They are just a highly skilled team who we can beat.

Maybe we're just having a chicken/egg argument. Are they are rival because we melted down or did we melt down because they were a rival? Oh well.

We have a pretty balanced schedule until Feb. So I'm just gonna enjoy the ride until then.

That's EXTREMELY selective. You are creating who is a gritty rival based ONLY on the times the Pens disappointed in the playoffs. You are also ignoring the fact that this Pens team is different from the previous ones. Actually, it's more different than the previous Pens teams were than the 2016 Rags are from the 2014 Rags that were apparently "gritty rivals"

 

[Shady Machine]

I think that underrates DP's transition, offensive IQ, and PPQB abilities considerably. Those have always been his strengths, which is why he's been productive even with limited opportunities prior to this call-up.

But the bottom line is that he has to get it done, and this injury situation with Letang and Daley may be his last best chance for playing time. He needs to get his game in order.

I don't disagree but I think his transition game has been average at this level. He processes things too slowly and takes too long to make a play. This has been an issue of his that I've noted for a long time in the NHL. Everything is done too slowly.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Hags hasn't found his offense yet. Bonino hasn't found any of his game yet. Hornqvist has struggled a little bit after his concussion. We are relying on guys like Sheary/Rust/Schultz that are actually performing better than many of us imagined.

We need some individual play to shine through eventually. That's my opinion of it. I think the guys who are out there fumbling the puck are inside their own head at this point. Especially #13.

Hags 28 years old.

Bonino 28 years old.

Hornqvist 29 years old.

Training Camp started in September. Last game was June 12th.

The entire team, absent some notable exceptions (Crosby and Malkin simply are not human) started slow. Especially how those three above play, approaching 30, is it any wonder that they are needing some time to get back to top level?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Hags 28 years old.

Bonino 28 years old.

Hornqvist 29 years old.

Training Camp started in September. Last game was June 12th.

The entire team, absent some notable exceptions (Crosby and Malkin simply are not human) started slow. Especially how those three above play, approaching 30, is it any wonder that they are needing some time to get back to top level?

Wait, what?

It's late December. How much time should they realistically need? They went through a short offseason, not the movie "Alive."

 

[Empoleon8771]

That was an uncharacteristically bad game for Murray. That's the first time he has ever let up more than 4 goals in a game. I don't know why he wasn't pulled after the Saad goal though, that goal happened 17 seconds after the Hartnell goal and it was the 5th goal of the game.

But yeah, that was an atrocious game. I'd be shocked if Pouliot is still with the team tonight.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I don't want him riding pine. You either stick with him for 10 games or you decide this is it and look to move him IMO. We don't have the luxury of letting him develop in the AHL after this season and it's imperative that they know who he is in the NHL before expansion.

I will be the first to say Pouliot was pretty bad last night. The first goal he was responsible for he stopped moving his feet and let the eventual goal-scorer beat him to the net. That is definitely a correctable error, he lacked the necessary effort to play the right way at the NHL level. I don't think he can learn how to correct this by playing in the AHL. The second goal he was responsible for, he let Hartnell out-hustle him to the outside and made a weak-ass attempt to prevent the net-drive. Again, effort issue.

Pouliot is a tough nut to crack. Usually, you associate lazy play in hockey with guys who are far bigger and ganglier than he is. Usually, defensemen who are Pouliot's size get their noses dirty and grind it out. He does not do that, at all. He plays a thinking man's game, but he makes the wrong decision sometimes and when that happens it is in the net.

If I were Sullivan, I would put Pouliot right back out there tonight against the Devils and see if he responds. If he doesn't, then send him to the press box. I really don't think sending him back to the AHL will help Pouliot. He is processing things at an AHL level right now anyway. The only way he will learn to play more quickly, and make the right reads and decisions, is to be in the NHL. Because most of the plays he does right now, he could probably get away with at lower levels.

If there is a silver lining here, we probably don't have to worry about protecting or losing Pouliot for/to expansion. His level of play is not nearly good enough right now. We have better players to offer Vegas.


I am kinda glad we got spanked the way we did last night. For one thing, our forward lineup is a total hot mess. There is no way we will win a playoff series against bigger, grittier opponents like Columbus or Washington or Philadelphia with Crosby playing with Sheary and Rust. Sullivan has to decide which one he likes more with Sid and move the other guy down the lineup. Secondly, PLEASE put Malkin and Kessel back together. Splitting them up at this time has neutered both players and, ultimately, both lines. Yeah they were amazing against the Rangers, but the Rangers were ripe for the picking that night and we destroyed their will to compete pretty early on. Last night, we played a hungry team and suffered the consequences. Lastly, it is time to be HBK to bed for good. It has been fun, but we need to move on.

Hopefully, they will take their frustrations out on the Devils tonight. Jersey and Philly played a very spirited affair last night. It was a lot of fun to watch that game last night. A little old-school Patrick Division hockey. I love it. But that game had to have taken a bit of an emotional (if not physical) toll on the Devils. We need to pounce on them early and often tonight.

 

[Ogrezilla]

That was an uncharacteristically bad game for Murray. That's the first time he has ever let up more than 4 goals in a game. I don't know why he wasn't pulled after the Saad goal though, that goal happened 17 seconds after the Hartnell goal and it was the 5th goal of the game.

But yeah, that was an atrocious game. I'd be shocked if Pouliot is still with the team tonight.

if it wasn't back to backs, I bet he would have been.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

if it wasn't back to backs, I bet he would have been.

Agreed. I think Sullivan was thinking Murray will hopefully be able to take one for the team and not have to make the switch. Ultimately, he felt he had no choice.

 

[billybudd]

At least you didn't lose 10-0.

I don't know why, but I laughed out loud at this, Habs fan.

Far as Pouliot, Shady nailed it. He's processing way too slow, which is screwing up everything. Maybe that's just how he was always going to be, but I really, really, wish we'd have sent him down last season instead of keeping him as the 7th/8th D from February to now.

When you think about it, the guy sat on the shelf for almost all of 2016. That's not healthy to do to a 22 year old guy (who isn't ready) and expect him to develop into anything. And I don't believe practice alone is enough. Guy his age needs to play. I don't care if it's in the ECHL; at that age, you need to play every night.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

He is not going to be able to eliminate the mistakes he makes in the minors, though. Pouliot's mistakes are not talent-related, they are effort-related.

He can half-ass it in the AHL and still be very good.

 

[Ogrezilla]

He is not going to be able to eliminate the mistakes he makes in the minors, though. Pouliot's mistakes are not talent-related, they are effort-related.

He can half-ass it in the AHL and still be very good.

I agree with that. The problem is, if what we saw yesterday is even close to how he's going to be playing, we can't afford to play him in the NHL. At least not until we get Letang back. The division is just too tight right now to be icing anything but our best lineup every night.

 

[DegenX]

GDT is up for tonight's game, so let's put this one behind us. Let's take the Pouliot discussion to the All Purpose thread