Post-Game Talk: Bruins 4, Penguins 3 - Roster is Fine, They Just Need to Do More and Try Harder

[mpp9]

I feel like the Pens are no longer a speedy team.

Worn down with not much to play for.

It’s not a personnel thing outside of the 3C and 4th line. The latter can be solved internally.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I feel like the Pens are no longer a speedy team.

Teams will look slow when their players don't move their feet.

 

[ColePens]

Very poor puck support. Very poor stop/start hockey. Very poor focus.

 

[66-30-33]

I seen Caps win...your turn Rangers! it will probably be an OT win for them as Wings are just behind too.

 

[NMK11]

Didnt see the game but was wondering how the top line was overall. I saw Sid scored and someone said Sheary looked good, but others saying SCH didnt look good. Im really hoping this line recaptures that magic and Sid takes one for the team, because that line producing makes the rest of the lineup easier to put together.

 

[canadianguy77]

Didnt see the game but was wondering how the top line was overall. I saw Sid scored and someone said Sheary looked good, but others saying SCH didnt look good. Im really hoping this line recaptures that magic and Sid takes one for the team, because that line producing makes the rest of the lineup easier to put together.

That line just isn't very good at sustained possession and the cycle down-low. You get a lot of one-and-done from them.

Sheary isn't strong enough along the walls against shutdown pairings, and Hornqvist has a tendency to fire the puck from anywhere. Crosby is still one of the best in the game at holding the puck along the walls, but he isn't routinely coming away with the puck when he's double-teamed like he used to be able to. I think you can live with one of them on his line, but not both. In a perfect world, we'd have someone like a prime-Kunitz on either flank and it would probably work.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

I feel like the Pens are no longer a speedy team.

That's what happens when we give minutes to bums like Reaves, Kuhnhackl and trade for a slow 3rd line center, team looks slower. Also you need to pass the puck up the ice quick to appear as a fast team, we don't do that... Plus fatigue has to be an issue i think.

 

[Still Apps]

That's what happens when we give minutes to bums like Reaves, Kuhnhackl and trade for a slow 3rd line center, team looks slower. Also you need to pass the puck up the ice quick to appear as a fast team, we don't do that... Plus fatigue has to be an issue i think.

Reaves and Kuhn sure. Sheahan may be vanilla but he ain't slow.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

The bottom 6 needs to be adjusted to get back to the team identity. Archibald should be in, pretty much regardless of the opponent. Right now, I believe McKegg should be the 4th line center. Reaves, Rowney, and Kuhnhackl should be rotating based on opponents and performance.

That's assuming a healthy Geno. Otherwise, let Guentzel be a C and call up Sprong or DiPauli.

I tried making lineups based on many scenarios but...

...too bany meers.

 

[Night Shift]

Detroit up 1-0 in 3rd.. Looks like pens keep their playoff spot

 

[Harvey Birdman]

I have been one of the biggest proponents of exercising massive patience this season, but I have come to a point where I think a roster move needs to happen. Not something as wild as the Coffey/Recchi trade, but definitely a roster shake up. I don’t know what players to trade to what team for whom but I definitely see at this point a roster shake up is what this team needs.

 

[Ryder71]

I have been one of the biggest proponents of exercising massive patience this season, but I have come to a point where I think a roster move needs to happen. Not something as wild as the Coffey/Recchi trade, but definitely a roster shake up. I don’t know what players to trade to what team for whom but I definitely see at this point a roster shake up is what this team needs.

A trade is needed at some point, but right now we just need the players that are here to play better. With the roster we currently have and despite our shortcomings, we're much better than what we're showing of late. That's the first step in getting where we need to go.

 

[canadianguy77]

Detroit up 1-0 in 3rd.. Looks like pens keep their playoff spot

Lol.

 

[canadianguy77]

A trade is needed at some point, but right now we just need the players that are here to play better. With the roster we currently have and despite our shortcomings, we're much better than what we're showing of late. That's the first step in getting where we need to go.

Besides Geno/Phil and Sheary/Horny, (when they're on the 3rd line) there doesn't seem to be much, if any chemistry among the forwards. If anything, I'd say that this team has overachieved at this point of the season. We definitely don't deserve to be one point out of a playoff spot.

 

[Gurglesons]

Detroit up 1-0 in 3rd.. Looks like pens keep their playoff spot

What is scary is that every team, but the Caps have games in hand. With how tight our divison is six points out might be relatively hard to come back from.

But, I was ridiculed all summer for saying there was a very real possibility for this exact situation playing out.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I'd probably go back to ARI/OTT lines:

Jake-Sid-Rust
Hags-G-Phil
Sheary-Sheahan-Horny

Where Rust/Hags/Horny are all interchangables but Horny stays RW.

4th line i'd simply DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
Try McKegg-Rowney-Reaves.
Try McKegg-Rowney-Archie.
Try Kuhn-Rowney-Archie.
Archie-McKegg-Rowney
Kuhn-McKegg-Rowney
Archie-McKegg-Reaves

GIVE ME ANYTHING but Rowney or McKegg centering Kuhn-Reaves.
PLZ.

ETA: No way we win tonight if Geno isn't back.
Also, i'd probably keep Ruh in and try a Hunwick-Ruh 3rd pair meaning Olli gets a night off but doubt they do that...

 

[vodeni]

That line just isn't very good at sustained possession and the cycle down-low. You get a lot of one-and-done from them.

Sheary isn't strong enough along the walls against shutdown pairings, and Hornqvist has a tendency to fire the puck from anywhere. Crosby is still one of the best in the game at holding the puck along the walls, but he isn't routinely coming away with the puck when he's double-teamed like he used to be able to. I think you can live with one of them on his line, but not both. In a perfect world, we'd have someone like a prime-Kunitz on either flank and it would probably work.

maybe, but the last two games, the Sid's line was very good, great possession numbers, a ton of shots, ton of really good scoring chances

 

[Night Shift]

Lol.

What now ...keep plugging

 

[Penguinsyay]

All of the pieces for another Cup win are there but almost everyone on the team is playing far below their capabilities. Its time to put the fear of god into these players, and start actually benching guys when they play like shit, whether your name is Letang or Reaves. Call up some WBS players and make it a true battle over roster spots again, players play with speed and determination or they sit out. A few benchings would go a long way and should be the first thing to try before they do any kind of big roster shake-up trade.

 

[canadianguy77]

maybe, but the last two games, the Sid's line was very good, great possession numbers, a ton of shots, ton of really good scoring chances

Against middling teams, with days off, they look passable as top-6 players. Not much better than that.

It's when you get to the B2B's against contenders that you see where they really stand.

I just haven't seen anything this season that screams to me that Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist is something that Sullivan should be clinging to. I see very little chemistry and almost zero dominance that we're used to seeing, when a line centered by Crosby is firing on all cylinders.

 

[Night Shift]

Well boys we are officially out of the playoffs as of tonight

 

[deakka]

Well boys we are officially out of the playoffs as of tonight

Yep . More teams will pass us too since both Detroit, Carolina and Ottawa have games in hand. That is a bad thing since it will be more teams to pass to reach the playoffs again.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

There were positive signs yesterday. Crosby kinda took the team on his back in the second half of the game, which is always nice to see. I think a big winning streak might be imminent if we can get Malkin back tonight and if Crosby is all the way back from his slump.

Look, we have had a brutal schedule to begin the season. We have a lot of new players, and hopefully more on the way. My level of concern isn't nearly at the same level as most here. For me it's all about the offense, especially five on five. Once we start producing more regularly, we should start seeing the results. Murray plays well enough most nights to give us a chance. Now, the offense has to pick up.

I'd be far more worried if we were scoring goals at will and still not winning. Goals correlate to wins for this franchise more than most.

That all said, why are we still bashing Reaves? Dude is doing his job, big hits, disturbing defensemen on the forecheck, creating zone time, even scoring chances.

People like to talk about identity, and how Reaves is not part of ours (and how, conversely, Hagelin epitomizes what we are all about). Well, they both have the exact same scoring line so far this season (1-2-3, Hagelin having played one fewer game). So, which one is the problem player?

I suppose people are going to blame Reaves for killing the team's identity and taking away all of Hagelin's Bermuda Triangle offense, right? LOL

 

[Jag68Sid87]

What exactly is this gaffe that Letang did tonight?

He shot a puck which was blocked and set up a breakaway. That is how people score in the NHL. Taking advantage of plays like that.

Letang has more points than any of our forwards not name Crosby, Malkin, or Kessel.

What do you think happens if you trade that?

Depends on what we're getting in return. It always does.

 

[ColePens]

What is scary is that every team, but the Caps have games in hand. With how tight our divison is six points out might be relatively hard to come back from.

But, I was ridiculed all summer for saying there was a very real possibility for this exact situation playing out.

But you said it would be all due to 3C/4C. You did not say it would be team focus and Letang/Sid. In fact - nobody said that. At all. I love when people try to claim it.