Post-Game Talk: Caps 3, Pens 1 - NOW Geno is Playoff Ready

[Andy99]

The only player I worry about is Murray...it’s not like the goaltender can say, “I’m going to play harder with more attention to detail.” He’s either focused and seeing the puck well or he isn’t. He’s not terrible, he’s just average enough to lose a series against the quality of opponents we’ll see in the POs, especially if their goaltenders are playing well...hopefully he has some deep focus and reaction time exercises he can work on at home....

 

[BrookswasHere44]

After two cups runs, Pens are not good enough on D to repeat. Murray is spotty and that will bite them in a series. Lines simply are not cohesive and the fore check pressure simply isn't there. This is not the 2016 Pens and GMJR and Sully think they still are. Said the TDL deal was horrendous in not recognizing the Pens were really coming on and everyone was finding their roles. GMJR over played his hand here. He may not know it now, but he will as the playoffs begin. MAF bailed them out last year.

Sooooooo annoying!!!

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Horny will continue to be abused in front of the net.

Refs will continue to allow it.

It’s really beating a dead horse here. If Cam Ward slugging Horny in the face with his blocker while he was laying on his back didn’t convince anyone, nothing will.

This was a statement game for the Caps and they made one. They smothered Geno all night and showed that their goaltending duo is capable of stealing games. And while some think that the Pens are in the Caps heads, it looked like it was the other way around to me. Horny lost his mind at the end with that slash on Orpik and cost the Pens any chance of making a comeback. And then Geno went crazy, flipping a stick into the bench and screaming at Kuzy like Trevor Gillies from the runway.

The Caps were laughing at the Pens at the end. Maybe that will **** the Pens off, maybe not, but make no mistake, the Caps are gunning to beat the Pens. Just like if the Steelers could manage to knock of the Pats in the playoffs, JUST ONCE, they would feel like they won the Super Bowl regardless. That is how the Caps and their fans would feel about beating the Pens, even if they got swept in the next round.

I don’t know what the Pens have been doing or she they have up their sleeve for the playoffs, but I hope the sandbagging theories are true...

A team that hasn't seen past the second round during the Ovechkin era shouldn't be laughing at anyone. Especially the team who has tortured them for decades now.

 

[Treent1]

 

[chethejet]

Sooooooo annoying!!!

Really die hard works for most including you. Reality works for me. Just the facts here. Pens will lose. It happens.

 

[Ryder71]

After two cups runs, Pens are not good enough on D to repeat. Murray is spotty and that will bite them in a series. Lines simply are not cohesive and the fore check pressure simply isn't there. This is not the 2016 Pens and GMJR and Sully think they still are. Said the TDL deal was horrendous in not recognizing the Pens were really coming on and everyone was finding their roles. GMJR over played his hand here. He may not know it now, but he will as the playoffs begin. MAF bailed them out last year.

I wouldn't go quite that far but I do agree about our defense. Well, at least for the most part.

 

[KIRK]

A team that hasn't seen past the second round during the Ovechkin era shouldn't be laughing at anyone. Especially the team who has tortured them for decades now.

And especially because they may see us again sooner than they think.

 

[madinsomniac]

Look, I may be in the minority, but NHL home ice in the playoffs is probably the most overrated home field advantage in sports... the big difference is the last change advantage, but that is offset by the first two games being at home before you really know how a team is going to play you

Against a team like Washington, them losing one of the first two games at home would be far worse than for a team like the Pens going down 0-2 on the road

 

[Dey so soff*]

A team that hasn't seen past the second round during the Ovechkin era shouldn't be laughing at anyone. Especially the team who has tortured them for decades now.

I don’t disagree and would love nothing more than to see the Pens bounce then once again.

But I view the Caps vs Pens as Steelers vs Pats. A lot of Steeler players loves to talk **** to the media and on the field and always end up looking like fools.

The Caps wanted this game and the division badly and they got it. And whatever they were doing, they got the Pens really bent out of shape at the end. I haven’t seen Geno get that crazy since 2012 and Horny cost any chance of a comeback with his slash on Orpik.

Take from it what you want but the Caps wanted to make a statement and get under the Pens’ skin and it worked tonight.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

Anything past the first round and I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Wouldn’t even be shocked if they lost in the first.
Defense is bad and Murray just doesn’t have it this season. I’m sure him losing his dad is weighing heavy on him. I know some don’t believe it or will even acknowledge it, but I think not having Fleury behind him is messing with him.

Anyway, it’s been a great 2 years and I can’t complain or be upset if they don’t 3 peat.
Make some changes during the summer and get plenty of rest for next season.

 

[madinsomniac]

The other thing is Barry Trotz has always gotten his team to play defensively sound regular season hockey, but he has yet to really show he can adjust when a team adjusts to his gameplan over a long series... thats a lot of history for him to overcome...

Like last year... he came out with a good read on what we were doing and totally shut it down, but when we adjusted he really didn't have a secondary answer

 

[Brandinho]

The Caps were laughing at the Pens at the end. Maybe that will **** the Pens off, maybe not, but make no mistake, the Caps are gunning to beat the Pens. Just like if the Steelers could manage to knock of the Pats in the playoffs, JUST ONCE, they would feel like they won the Super Bowl regardless. That is how the Caps and their fans would feel about beating the Pens, even if they got swept in the next round.

The Pens are back to back defending champions. Every single team in the playoffs has been gunning to beat them. Nobody has. The Pens are also the Caps' biggest rival. The Caps have been gunning to beat the Pens for years. Hasn't made a bit of difference. Your Steelers analogy is absolutely ridiculous. Shame on any professional athlete who would feel like they won the championship just because they knocked out their rivals. That's a minor league mentality.

The Caps can laugh all they want. Who cares? They also hoist ridiculous banners for non-accomplishments and do all sorts of tacky stuff because they're losers. That culture of ineptitude runs a lot deeper than the results of a largely meaningless regular season game. Your insecurity is showing and it's not a good look.

 

[Hockey Freak 7]

Gotta love Geno.

Between this and the half period of HGH, I'm not worried about Geno in a week and a half. In fact, he may be the least of my worries (unless Sully puts Kessel on his RW).

EDIT: Also depending upon where Rust is playing. I think Sid is playing great right now, but he's oil and water with Rust, and frankly Jake, points notwithstanding, has been pretty underwhelming back on Sid's LW. Sully may want to think carefully on Sid's line, because it's a losing situation if Sid is playing well but his line isn't putting consistent, quality pressure on the other team.

I disagree about Sid and Jake. They are fine. It Rust because he lose the puck to much, his passing can be bad ( like tonight)he tries to do to much, he messes up what Jake -Sid are trying to do and Rust doesn’t read what they are try to do . He doesn’t know when to give the puck to Sid same thing goes with Letang. Rust hockey iq is low to understand what they are doing . That why you see Jake and Sid excel well with each other.

Jake is playing well with Sid and Sid is play well with Jake . Jake shouldn’t be removed and he should have been there all season regardless their slump early in the season.
All he needs to do is bulk up and strengthen his play defensively. He happen bring sound defensively work that’s more than wading his stick in D zone.
Really contain his poised when he doesn’t score basically stop beating himself up .

I believe Jake is Sid’s permanent LW and the problem is RW . Sheary shouldn’t be there either and Zar as well. Sheary will make Sid line worse with Guentzel. Zar is like Hornqvist But Hornqvist is better. Zar isn’t impressive nor speedy. Zar is a 3rd or 4 th liner. Sid shouldn’t be playing with a player like Zar nor players like that in his career right now where he happens to teach among other things . That take a lot out of him . Only player who he should be teach Sprong when he eventually comes up if that happens next Season.

Only great fit Simon (he can play RW )who is great on the forechecks, knows when to give the puck to Sid and great on the boards among other things. Simon needs to not take stupid tripping/ slash penalties.

Jake-Sid-Simon were great together in their little glimpse of showcasing...
Since no Sprong .. Simon is the best option unless Brassard rotates on wing here and there to let Sheahan get more minutes in which he should.

Rust has good hockey iq but he it’s very low with Sid and Jake . I Iike him up there with him but he happens to be consistent with them not hot and cold flashes with them on offense.

 

[BrookswasHere44]

Really die hard works for most including you. Reality works for me. Just the facts here. Pens will lose. It happens.

So wait.... Are you telling me the Penguins won't win the cup until the end of time?!?!

Your "facts" are the same regurgitated narrative.

Soooooo annoying

 

[flaneur]

Ovechkin is already prepped for his future career in the Duma

 

[Hockey Freak 7]

Lmao . I love it . I love how when Sid ass was ready to go as well . He jerk off with words to Kuntenzo whatever how you spell his name. Then when Sid was close to bench while Malkin was going with Oshie he was ready to defend and someone was touch him on the chest and he was taking their hand ( Caps player Hand I think Carlson ) like get the f*** off me. I love it, eh?
I miss , Kunitz, Reaves and Cole

 

[Doogle]

Really hoping we get the Flyers. The Devils speed could kill us, Washington I'd rather see in the second, and Panarin is enough reason for me to not want to play Columbus. Philly has no depth, no defense, questionable goaltending, and they lack the quantity of cheap shot artists that they've had in the past.

As far as tonight, it seemed like we played a good first two periods, and then when we fell down 3 0 despite good chances and multiple power plays, it seemed like we decided to take our feet off the gas and save the energy for later. That is until the end when Geno, Wilson, Horny, and Kuznetsov all got into things. Still, near meaningless game and we got out healthy.

 

[zero8771]

+ to this thread for not being a dumpster fire. Gj mods

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I don’t disagree and would love nothing more than to see the Pens bounce then once again.

But I view the Caps vs Pens as Steelers vs Pats. A lot of Steeler players loves to talk **** to the media and on the field and always end up looking like fools.

The Caps wanted this game and the division badly and they got it. And whatever they were doing, they got the Pens really bent out of shape at the end. I haven’t seen Geno get that crazy since 2012 and Horny cost any chance of a comeback with his slash on Orpik.

Take from it what you want but the Caps wanted to make a statement and get under the Pens’ skin and it worked tonight.

It was dumb on many levels. The Pens went down two men with a minute left and the Caps were still sending their stupid messages. And still trying to score on the power play. One of the Pens could have cross checked the hell out of one of the Caps in front of the net and then where would that leave them?

The best thing that Sully had the Pens doing was to send their messages on the score board and to skate away when the games counted. Messages in this game, on the scoreboard or otherwise are meaningless and stupid.

 

[Pancakes]

It was dumb on many levels. The Pens went down two men with a minute left and the Caps were still sending their stupid messages. And still trying to score on the power play. One of the Pens could have cross checked the hell out of one of the Caps in front of the net and then where would that leave them?

The best thing that Sully had the Pens doing was to send their messages on the score board and to skate away when the games counted. Messages in this game, on the scoreboard or otherwise are meaningless and stupid.

It's a foolish sentiment anyways for the Caps. They can beat us 20-0 in a regular season game but until they do it when it counts we're always gonna be in their heads and both teams know it.

 

[Dey so soff*]

The message sending will continue against the Jackets, book it.

The big question is how the Pens will respond in the postseason.

Will they buckle down and go balls to the wall to blitz their opponent on the scoreboard or will they allow themselves to be sucked in to the nonsense?

 

[zero8771]

The message sending will continue against the Jackets, book it.

The big question is how the Pens will respond in the postseason.

Will they buckle down and go balls to the wall to blitz their opponent on the scoreboard or will they allow themselves to be sucked in to the nonsense?

I think they will play like a Sullivan coached team.

 

[Dey so soff*]

I think they will play like a Sullivan coached team.

Play the right way, with swagger?

 

[thecore]

Anyone know what Recchi said or did to get tossed? Can’t remember seeing a coach tossed before, even when Lavs and Granato were up leaning against the glass

 

[Dey so soff*]

Anyone know what Recchi said or did to get tossed? Can’t remember seeing a coach tossed before, even when Lavs and Granato were up leaning against the glass

I don’t know but if it had anything to do with *****ing about the abuse that Horny takes and never drawing a penalty, he might as well been talking to the ice.