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

[tom_servo]

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

I don't disagree, but is it a coincidence that the Canadian teams were a step too slow?

 

[Zirakzigil]

Sprong with 11:42 of iceteam. Yay Sprong!

 

[Shady Machine]

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

He had 1 great shift, a few decent ones, and a few bad ones. Promising game for him but let’s not get carried away here. You have a low bar if you thought he looked great.

 

[Ogrezilla]

so we're now tied for first in goal differential at +14, and I am too tired to do the math but I think first for standings points per game.

 

[ColePens]

It is imperative to not make final calls on teams after 5-6 games. Let 20-30 games go by and let's see where everyone is. This is a hell of a run right now. Building good habits. Let's keep it rollin'

 

[KIRK]

Hey @ColePens, a note about one thing that makes HMK so lethal.

One of Geno's big weaknesses as a player is that he hates to give up the puck. If he doesn't think a linemate will get a dump in, he is loathe to dump it in, even if it's the right thing to do.

With Hags, he'll dump it in. Phil will too.

So, IF you step up on them in the neutral zone, they are dumping cross corner and Hags is getting there first. IF you lay back, then either Geno or Phil is getting a zone entry.

It really puts the other team in an impossible situation.

As long as HMK doesn't get too cute with the puck, especially in the neutral zone, and as long as Geno and Phil give you what they've been giving you the last 2 weeks defensively, then that line can be what we know it can be.

 

[EightyOne]

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

We gots Yuengling and brats! Thank you!

 

[SEALBound]

If you watched the game, it's not hard to figure out the pluses and minuses.

That said, once Brassard is back, Grant should sit. Nice guy but he was absolutely invisible. Would rather have a "maybe" of Sprong. Hopefully that set up to Geno gives him a little swag.

Really happy for DeSmith. I love when backups play solid games for their team. Kid has been clutch for us all season.

For me also, I love that we are in the east and Vancouver is in the west. They are a fun team to watch. Their young core is fast and skilled and quite honestly, a treat to watch. Happy for Vancouver fans to get that after a rough couple of years.

Last...as we've always known...when this team wants to show up...they can be unstoppable. Lolz at Washington squeeking out a shootout victory over a team we steamrolled 9-1.

 

[Andy99]

I missed large chunks of the game but I just hope we can bring the road game defensive mentality back home with us...great trip!

Hoping Simon and Sprong can keep this up...

 

[Son Goku]

Sprong looked to be in beast mode tonight. Imagine the kid with lots of experience getting more and more polished.

 

[Tom Hanks]

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.

Yeah when it’s not going well at least we are still battling hard and trying to get back into the game. This point last season it would have been a blowout loss.

Work hard and our skill/talent will eventually get us up. Hard to keep us down for 3 periods if we work hard.

Just going to say work hard again, work hard

 

[Pens x]

Great road trip, my gosh.

Today was a rough day here in Pittsburgh, so thanks for the distraction.

This is what happens when you don’t ice a team consisting of Hunwick, Reaves, Kuhnhackl, McKegg and worst of all, Rowney.

 

[Gurglesons]

Hey @ColePens, a note about one thing that makes HMK so lethal.

One of Geno's big weaknesses as a player is that he hates to give up the puck. If he doesn't think a linemate will get a dump in, he is loathe to dump it in, even if it's the right thing to do.

With Hags, he'll dump it in. Phil will too.

So, IF you step up on them in the neutral zone, they are dumping cross corner and Hags is getting there first. IF you lay back, then either Geno or Phil is getting a zone entry.

It really puts the other team in an impossible situation.

As long as HMK doesn't get too cute with the puck, especially in the neutral zone, and as long as Geno and Phil give you what they've been giving you the last 2 weeks defensively, then that line can be what we know it can be.

It is kind of what I was hinting at when I said that this line even at its worse can easily win a game.

If we can afford to have Kessel with Crosby or Malkin we need to. No reason for him to be on the third line with the depth we have.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The big boys obviously came to play, but I was glad to see guys like Simon and Sprong have good games. Not just that, but get on the scoresheet with both guys being instrumental in the goal being scored.

DeSmith was so solid tonight. Like has been said, he held down the fort until the offense kicked into high gear.

Oleksiak ... looks very good offensively. Great at joining the rush, nice set of hands, and a great shot. Now he just needs to clean up his defensive game.

Also, big plus to the team defense. Finally starting to resemble a team that doesn't look like headless chickens in their own zone all the time.

 

[KIRK]

@12IsGreaterThan47, tell your sister you were right about Sprong and Geno. Tell your sister you were right . . .

 

[MrBurghundy]

If Brassard comes back, do you stick with Rust-Brassard-Sprong? Things really start to shape up nicely if that happens.

 

[edog37]

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.

He had one decent shift with Geno. He still looked pretty clueless out there.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Yeah when it’s not going well at least we are still battling hard and trying to get back into the game. This point last season it would have been a blowout loss.

Work hard and our skill/talent will eventually get us up. Hard to keep us down for 3 periods if we work hard.

Just going to say work hard again, work hard

the first Montreal game this year is what happens when we aren't working hard.

 

[Coach Travis]

I love Oleksiak! When he's got a nose for the net he's at his best. I love seeing him do his thing in front of THE OPPONENT'S net. Awesome.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Sprong at the end of the game was handling the puck like a man with no pressure.

I loved seeing that.

Western Conference swing sweep. Nice. Also nice to have solved our back up issue for the time being and Murray playing well too. Defense still has some hiccups and the lines still need work but hey this is f***ing good.

Really good.

 

[Ogrezilla]

If Brassard comes back, do you stick with Rust-Brassard-Sprong? Things really start to shape up nicely if that happens.

yes please.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I love Oleksiak! When he's got a nose for the net he's at his best. I love seeing him do his thing in front of THE OPPONENT'S net. Awesome.

People were sour on him but he needs time. Kid is raw as hell but he has been solid as hell in the western swing.

 

[K Fleur]

I’d sum up this road trip with; Superstars playing like superstars.

 

[KIRK]

HMK with 10 shots on net, plus 6 missed shots and 2 blocked shots.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Casey DeSmith on CBC just now...

"That one was for Pittsburgh."