Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: End the road trip right!

[ColePens]

+++ DeSmith: What a game by DeSmith. Helped us weather the storm early and the boys took over. He suffocated pucks tonight as if he had glue on his pads. Just ate up every puck.

++++++ HMK: Holy crap. I am running out of words. Kessel is grinding, Hags is all over the ice, and Geno is dominating. What the hell do teams do?

++++ Simon/Sprong: FINALLY. The two stepped up! What a blessing for the Pens. IF those 2 can play like that.... we are freaking set. Let's go! Really happy for both guys. And the good thing is... their strengths came through. It wasn't just luck. I'm not asking for the complete dominance, but consistency will keep these guys in the lineup.

+ Oleksiak/Orr?: What is going on with Oleksiak? From the red line to the opposition's net, he's REALLY having a great season. He has some clean up work to do in his own end, but it's not awful. He just needs to get better at clearing the puck. But from the red line in, dude is killing it.


Holy cow what a road trip! Sid showing everyone how to be the GOAT and Geno right behind him chasing that title down. It's a beautiful road trip for the Pens and quite honestly a much needed entertainment after our rough day here in the steel city. We really needed that slight smile to take our mind off things.

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[KIRK]

I'll let @ColePens handle the details, but here are my 10 initial game observations . . .

1. DeSmith played a hell of a game.

2. It may not have been perfect in front of him, but the team is playing some decent team defense. Transition defense is MUCH improved.

3. HMK is in that zone they were in 2 years ago for that 10 game run. The instinctive level those three read off one another is unreal. And, Hags is UNDERAPPRECIATED on that line.

4. Geno is playing incredibly well now, but he hasn't been all season. That said, he's got 18 points in 9 games. Tied for 2nd in the league in scoring, leading the league in points per game.

5. Speaking of playing incredibly well . . . Oh Captain, My Captain.

6. Simon has found a home for a while with Sid and Jake. He got his shift there, and the light switch flipped. Or @Mr Jiggyfly voodoo doll worked.

7. Speaking of light switch flipping, been waiting FOREVER to see Sprong get a chance with Geno. He gets a chance, and he stops OVERTHINKING. He just plays. He reads Geno instinctively. Sets himself up for the one timer, then gets the assist. He's not replacing Phil, but I really would like to see Sprong get a shift every now and then with Geno. That was an instant connection.

8. JMFJ looks less bad with Ruh. Maatta-Oleksiak still scares the **** out of me.

9. I love Horny. Good, clean love, with utensils.

10. If this was an 'off' night for Letang, as @ColePens said, I'm okay with it.

 

[td_ice]

+ DeSmith, DeLightful.

 

[SUBdrewgANS]

+++++++ 3 of 4 of these road trip games were basically shutouts. (That Neal goal was a fluke). Good overall team defense?

 

[TNT87]

PERFECT road trip. Great job boys!

 

[K Fleur]

Out scored Western Canada 20-6 during the 3 game road trip.

 

[Kristopher Letang]

I wonder what's Malkin stats of goals in a game after he misses a breakway. I know he's gonna score tonight.

 

[Ogrezilla]

holding the fort in the first was huge. I remember a LOT of that in the 2017 season. That's the goaltending and general team defensive effort we need. We can have a sloppy period if it's not catastrophic. And a bad period that ends 0-0 seems to spark our guys.

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

Malkin is 32, like 4 or 5 years past his traditional prime, and still absolutely clowning guys on a nightly basis.

He's going to go down as one of the most underrated players in NHL history. Amazing.

 

[Son Goku]

23 goals in 4 games is ridiculous

 

[Coastal Kev]

Stated for 3 years that Sprong should LW on Geno's line. Look at where he made that play, look at how he got his shot off right before that.

NVM, I know nothing about hockey. Back to your Letang stinks talk.

 

[tom_servo]

Also the Flyers are bad.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

Very happy for DeSmith. Deserved the shutout

 

[edog37]

Damn good road trip

 

[Clare2904]

At least one of my teams won tonight

 

[ColePens]

OH and strangely JJ's best game. I could rave about this game for hours. But it is almost 1am here.

 

[CallArnoldSlick]

Sprong looked great. Glad we haven't traded him for that 7D.

 

[Gurglesons]

Everyone had a good night tonight.

Remember when Sullivan lost the room or whatever people were saying before the Toronto game.

Brassard finds a place on this team we’re going to be President Trophy winners. And President Trophy winners that don’t care about it.

Big plus for Sprong after that assist. He looked really good.

 

[turd]

I don’t think anyone played bad tonight. Things were clicking on all cylinders.

 

[EightyOne]

1990 LAK offense
2000 NJD defense


Sweeeeeep!

 

[Bingo71]

Malkin is 32, like 4 or 5 years past his traditional prime, and still absolutely clowning guys on a nightly basis.

He's going to go down as one of the most underrated players in NHL history. Amazing.

101st best...

 

[Kristopher Letang]

So when are you guys going to legalize weed in Pittsburgh? It works.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Best road trip we could ask for (besides injury). Everyone contributed at some stages. No one is playing bad.

Don’t slack off there will be someone ready on the pine to replace them.

 

[Gurglesons]

So when are you guy going to legalize weed in Pittsburgh? It works.

Isn’t medical legal in PA now.

 

[Sorry]

Just watch Sid on his second goal. Understands the play better than anyone I have ever seen. It’s like he can see the ice from the stands.

Speaking of smarts, did Sprong get an intelligence boost? It looked like he actually understood things for once. Usually he looks like an idiot that follows the play.