Post-Game Talk: Canucks 4, Penguins 2 - Daylight savings. We get an extra hour to *****!

[PensandCaps]

I've liked what I've seen over the past two games. Just not getting any luck. Hornqvist and Guentzel got robbed like 6 times. Step in the right direction, generating 5v5 offense. Only difference in this game was Letang.

Flip Guentzel with Kuhn and everything is perfect. Top line looks Pretty good.

 

[PensandCaps]

You know its bad when its early November and you have to look at the standings every day too see if we are even still in the playoffs.

As i said before. If we trade our 1st it better be lottery protected.

Wow.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Well, with the Kuhn experiment probably/hopefully over and Sid's line(s) sorta figured out, i see brighter days ahead with Schultz+Hunwick back. Things like Letang getting it together(Sid+G revving it up), obviously play heavily into it. But i have more faith in those 3 figuring things out than i do Sheahan turning into a 20 goal scorer.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

- Human nature is always a curious thing... such as how easily people turn on players and a team when they aren't winning. Winning back to back cups, especially the way they won this past championship, should by all rights buy a team like this that has shown such tremendous heart and determination some leeway, but such is human nature to lash out when angry I suppose...

- The Pens have controlled the last couple games and deserved a better fate. They had something like 14-4 on shots in the third and half the Nucks shots went in...

- How many times have people written off Malkin and Crosby now over the last 4-5 years? Crosby and Malkin are too beat up and have slowed down robble robble robble... anytime they struggle it's always the same rhetoric and it's been going on for several years.

Just noise.

- Letang, as I said way back, is not having his minutes managed properly. Asking a guy who had major neck surgery (and oh by the way we want you to change the game you have played your whole life also) to play Herculean minutes off the bat is asinine.

This reminds me a lot of when Hawks fans turned on Keith in '11 and wanted him traded. It was brutal, much like the Letang hate is here. Thankfully, fans don't make trades.

- I'm extremely pleased with Reaves and Sheary right now.

Reaves is playing exactly how he did with the Blues and the way I envisioned when the trade went down. Can't say enough good things about him.

Sheary has looked phenomenal the last several games. No spastic moments... really controlling the play and showing some promising chemistry with Hornqvist.

- Pens just need to keep playing like this, get the lines sorted out (i.e. No Kuhn in the top 9) and reduce Letang's minutes until he gets his game back.

It will come for them eventually. May take half the season or longer, but they deserve our patience.

 

[PensPlz]

Scoring depth wins in the playoffs, but top heavy lines win in the regular season. It's why Byslma was so successful.

I have no idea why everyone is so spread out in the line up. Approaching these games like playoff games is silly.

 

[Pens x]

The fourth line looked like an actual competent NHL line tonight
Geno looked very good when we wasn’t playing with friggin Tom Kuhnhackl and Rust.
Sid played well in the first period but disappeared for the rest of the game
Kessel and Jake played well away from Sheahan

Letang, Dumo, Maatta, Murray, Kuhn had poor games -all different degrees of crapiness

I’m not concerned about Geno’s line and I really think our third line would be actually very dynamic if we hadn’t settled on Sheahan. That line would be dangerous with an actual good player centering it. It’s not a matter of sheahan learninf the system or developing chemistry, he’s not a good hockey player and should be the 4C.

I’m not sure what you do with Sid and Tang. Our d is too banged up right now to give tanger a short rest. If we sat sid for a game or two then sheahan would have to play for him which would mean an automatic loss.

 

[Icarium]

This forum... the sky is always falling.

The Pens created tons of chances in the last two games and had a terrible puck luck. It happens. Comparing this to the days of Johnston is silly. There are causes for concern, mostly Letang and Crosby, of course, but if they play like that pretty soon the floodgates will open 5 on 5 . The Pens are still very good at home. The sky isn't falling... yet.

 

[Coach Travis]

Our PDO (luck) is in the toilet right now. Don't read too much into these outcomes. There's a reason why, even if you're the best in the league, you only win just over half of your regular season games.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

After sleeping on it. Letang's minutes need to be reduced even with injuries.

 

[canadianguy77]

After sleeping on it. Letang's minutes need to be reduced even with injuries.

It's not fatigue though. He's making mistakes at both ends of the ice from the start of the games, all the way to the end. He's easily been the worst defenceman on the team all season long. I think you have to bite the bullet and sit him. He's costing the team valuable points and at some point you have to stop the bleeding. I'm honestly getting concerned that he's never going to be the same player that he was.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

They're just showcasing Kuhn for a trade like they did with Fleury last season

 

[Andy99]

Our PDO (luck) is in the toilet right now. Don't read too much into these outcomes. There's a reason why, even if you're the best in the league, you only win just over half of your regular season games.

Yes, but that assumes "luck" evens out over a short period. That's not necessarily the case. We were extremely "lucky" and had a high shooting percentage pretty much all of last year. So that while we were bleeding shots against, we more than made up for it by being opportunistic and had the most goals in the league. That continued through the playoffs despite defensive issues then as well. This year, the hockey gods are not favoring us. We are 28th in the league in shooting percentage. Could it turn around in a few weeks or months? Sure, but it might also last all year, causing us to either miss the playoffs or be one-and-done.

Given the shooting percentage however, it is not a recipe for success right now to play the same (riskier) defensive system that caused us to bleed high danger shots last year since we're not making up for it. Having Letang out there a lot making those risky plays leads to losses

 

[Ugene Magic]

Our PDO (luck) is in the toilet right now. Don't read too much into these outcomes. There's a reason why, even if you're the best in the league, you only win just over half of your regular season games.

Especially these last 2/3 games.

How does the saying go?

If the effort is there even in the face of failure, they are trying, and effort will eventually lead to winning.

It's not fatigue though. He's making mistakes at both ends of the ice from the start of the games, all the way to the end. He's easily been the worst defenceman on the team all season long. I think you have to bite the bullet and sit him. He's costing the team valuable points and at some point you have to stop the bleeding. I'm honestly getting concerned that he's never going to be the same player that he was.

Letang this season is such an unusual anomaly. If he needed rest or more time he wouldn't have been clear to play.

I'd like to say he is trying too much and he needs to relax and let the game flow to him. He seems to think he needs to be the man all the time. He's crossing over too much.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

It's not fatigue though. He's making mistakes at both ends of the ice from the start of the games, all the way to the end. He's easily been the worst defenceman on the team all season long. I think you have to bite the bullet and sit him. He's costing the team valuable points and at some point you have to stop the bleeding. I'm honestly getting concerned that he's never going to be the same player that he was.

Yeah, it's clearly mental. Maybe you call it some kind of mental fatigue from coping with the injury and getting up to speed. Still for the sake of him and the team his minutes need to be reduced. For his confidence throwing him out there in the 1D role only to suck isn't helping him, and I'd say it's hurting him. For the team, they can't be bleeding goals with him on the ice for 25+ every night. In that time he's also not producing much at ES.

Letang, 16gp, 26:23ATOI, -16, 3 ES points and I think 1 came with the goalie pulled.
Maatta, 16gp, 19:11ATOI, -5, 6 ES points. Yes, the games with Letang haven't helped on the - front
Dumoulin, 16gp, 21:05ATOI, -9, 0 ES points but paired with Letang for most of the season and you expect him to kind of be there collecting the occasional point from Letang doing something. The games away from Letang have been a relief on the - column.
Ruhwedel, 13gp, 16:05ATOI, -1, 1 ES point
Cole, 13gp, 16:25ATOI, -5, 2 ES points
Schultz, 10gp, 18:37ATOI, -2, 1 ES point. Disappointing, tbh.
Hunwick, 6gp, 18:19, , -2, 1 ES point

+/- is what it is but when there's a standout it says something.

It's far too early to know about the long term result of that injury, though. I always figured it would take a good chunk of games (~20-25) for him to get back on track but right now that's looking optimistic. If he's still floundering by the 40 game mark I'll get concerned. I know people like to say he's been awful all season, but more conerningly it did look like he'd made progress against Washington and I think one other game. He fell back from that hard. There have been games where he looked alright until he made a mistake.

I really hope he talks to a professional about this.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Watching this team score one even strength goal game after game isn't very entertaining. Whether it's a team problem, a league problem or a combination of both doesn't matter much to me.

B O R I NG

 

[Peat]

Well, with the Kuhn experiment probably/hopefully over and Sid's line(s) sorta figured out, i see brighter days ahead with Schultz+Hunwick back. Things like Letang getting it together(Sid+G revving it up), obviously play heavily into it. But i have more faith in those 3 figuring things out than i do Sheahan turning into a 20 goal scorer.

Not many 3Cs scoring 20 goals, to be pedantic.

I'll be happy with 10 goals. 15 would be very good. 20 and the coaching staff deserve a bonus.

Right now, he needs to get some chemistry going with some wingers. Feels like Horny's the guy he's had the most with, but looks like he's on Sid's line for some time now (praise be). Which means he gets Kessel without the choice until/if Geno gets Kessel back. Not sure that's the best choice but up to him to make it work.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Watching this team score one even strength goal game after game isn't very entertaining. Whether it's a team problem, a league problem or a combination of both doesn't matter much to me.

B O R I NG

The sad thing is, your 1 ES goal a game is almost double what we've actually been scoring of late. 5 in the last 8 games 5v5. That jumps up to 7 if you count 3v3 OT as even strength

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'm not concerned with Letang in the long run, but man, he's playing very bad right now. He's dragging down his D partner dramatically with how bad he's playing. That needs to get worked out if the Penguins have any plans on going deep this year. It's not about not having Letang playing, it's about having a horrible Letang playing.

I've been happy with what Reaves and McKegg have done so far from a 4th line role. Reaves is now on pace for 15 points and McKegg is on pace for 21 points, that is very fine production from your 4th line. Get Hagelin or Archibald on that line full time and I think they can be an effective energy/grinding line. At this point, Sullivan just needs to play the right players with the right players and JR needs to call up Sprong. It's not even about Sprong proving he's too good for the AHL, it's about the NHL team needing scoring help.

Not many 3Cs scoring 20 goals, to be pedantic.

I'll be happy with 10 goals. 15 would be very good. 20 and the coaching staff deserve a bonus.

Right now, he needs to get some chemistry going with some wingers. Feels like Horny's the guy he's had the most with, but looks like he's on Sid's line for some time now (praise be). Which means he gets Kessel without the choice until/if Geno gets Kessel back. Not sure that's the best choice but up to him to make it work.

If I could pick the lineup, Sheary and Hornqvist would be Sheahan's linemates, Rust and Kessel would be Malkin's linemates and Guentzel and Sprong would be Crosby's linemates.

 

[Coastal Kev]

The sad thing is, your 1 ES goal a game is almost double what we've actually been scoring of late. 5 in the last 8 games 5v5. That jumps up to 7 if you count 3v3 OT as even strength

I mean, they can't keep on the same track can they?? Last time they looked this bad Jr made trades and coaching change. It's shocking how bad they have been at 5v5.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I mean, they can't keep on the same track can they?? Last time they looked this bad Jr made trades and coaching change. It's shocking how bad they have been at 5v5.

you would have to think they'd at least run into a goalie on an off night or something eventually, right?

 

[Coastal Kev]

you would have to think they'd at least run into a goalie on an off night or something eventually, right?

One thing I noticed last night is they are playing too much on the edges. I don't think it's a coincidence that the one line that scored 5v5 was our grinders who went to the net.

Losing Kunitz, Bonino and Cullen are all guys who had skill, but would also all go to the dirty areas with force. Sheihan has the size to do this, but too many times he skates to the corner rather than the net.

A roster shakeup could be in order.

 

[Peat]

If I could pick the lineup, Sheary and Hornqvist would be Sheahan's linemates, Rust and Kessel would be Malkin's linemates and Guentzel and Sprong would be Crosby's linemates.

I'd like Sheary and Hornqvist as Sheahan's line mates.

Problem is I don't like Crosby going without a Hornqvist-esque player when he's not on. Don't really like Rust and Kessel either.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

you would have to think they'd at least run into a goalie on an off night or something eventually, right?

If they don't light up the Coyotes then they need to be forced to walk to the airport from the arena.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I mean, they can't keep on the same track can they?? Last time they looked this bad Jr made trades and coaching change. It's shocking how bad they have been at 5v5.

They are generating a ton of quality chances though, and that's important. Under MJ they sat back and played a ridiculous system that taxed their pivots. This coaching staff and the players are also proven champions... back to back.

If they keep getting these quality chances the dam should eventually break. JR can't panic and do something dumb.

However, he can call up a talented goal scorer and see how that goes. Worst case he is sent back down. Best case they have a guy who helps spark the team. Sometimes it just takes once piece and everything falls into place...

But, Kuhn...
Kuhn.





Kuhn.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'd like Sheary and Hornqvist as Sheahan's line mates.

Problem is I don't like Crosby going without a Hornqvist-esque player when he's not on. Don't really like Rust and Kessel either.

The problem is the Penguins have a shortage of Hornqvist-esque players, they have 1 (or 2 if you include Rust) and they need 3 or 4. I want Sprong playing with Malkin personally, but I don't like Kessel and Sheahan together, that's the big issue. I guess if Sheahan and Kessel start meshing well, you keep Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist together, have Guentzel-Malkin-Sprong as your 2nd line and Rust-Sheahan-Kessel as your 3rd line. I'm just not a fan of that 3rd line.