Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Flyers & Pens

[Candyman]

Brodeur does that all the time and it's never called, of course Marty would have probably flopped as soon as Talbot touched him and drawn a penalty.

I've literally never seen Brodeur stand there as long as Fleury did... but I digress, we won and that's what is important.

 

[madinsomniac]

Yeah... I'm not too sure what's up with Malkin's relative lack of ES time, especially. I know his line is struggling a bit, ES... but I thought it was understood that you feed Geno ice time and responsibility if you want to get him going. And then ride him like a horse all game when he does inevitably start to flash signs of dominance.

There is some bunk theory that they are trying to save malkin since he is going to be used in the olympics a bunch.. I dont buy it, especially next to crosby's Ice time... it may be due to his linemates right now, it could just be a questionable decision ala Iginla on LW....

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Scrabbles and Joey V. must play on the same line all the time.

They did look really good together, I thought.

Though Scrabbles was just... chaos. I equate it to someone setting loose an amorphous, somewhat-human-shaped mass of pissed off cats covered in bees out on the ice. No discernible purpose... but damn fun to watch.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

There is some bunk theory that they are trying to save malkin since he is going to be used in the olympics a bunch.. I dont buy it, especially next to crosby's Ice time... it may be due to his linemates right now, it could just be a questionable decision ala Iginla on LW....

He definitely isn't looking gassed out there. So it isn't a conditioning thing.

I dunno. I just know that if you really want to see Malkin play to his full capacity... he has to be out on the ice more. And in more situations *cough*PENALTYKILL*cough*

 

[MtlPenFan]

They did look really good together, I thought.

Though Scrabbles was just... chaos. I equate it to someone setting loose an amorphous, somewhat-human-shaped mass of pissed off cats covered in bees out on the ice. No discernible purpose... but damn fun to watch.

Chaos is awesome for a 4th line.

If your 4th line isn't going to contribute on the scoreboard, the next thing I want out of them is:

1) Don't be a liability
2) Create mayhem

I loved that **** yesterday. Get Farnham or Sill up here with the other two and it'll be a riot to watch. There's something to be said about opposing players ******** their pants when a certain line is on against them.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I don't disagree.

It's a hell of a lot better than "Don't do anything at all. Ever."

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I like Engelland as a winger. It would be great to use him full time there, but we can't afford to play the likes of Adams and/or Glass on the third line all the time...and if they all play together on the fourth, Vitale would once again get screwed (and I think Vitale is playing very good hockey this season).

Still like the concept of Engelland on the wing, keeping Maatta-Bortuzzo intact.

 

[Sivek]

Geno actually played more than Sid under Therrien. Other than the season where Sid came back late in March or whenever from his concussion, he's played about 1:30 or so more than Geno on average under DB, so the current situation shouldn't be much news.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Crosby has been really good this year, but I'm a bit annoyed that he is getting over 2 min more of ice time per game than Geno. Also Geno is getting at least a minute less than pretty much any other superstar (Stamkos, Hall, St Louis, Datsyuk, Ovy, Sedins, Tavares, Kessel, etc).

These things tend to even out over the course of a season. Sid's our go-to faceoff guy in any crucial situation so he's always going to get more time than Geno, and with Neal and Bennett injured our 2nd line is in a bit of disarray so it won't see quite as much time either...Malkin included.

 

[Jacob]

Crosby has been really good this year, but I'm a bit annoyed that he is getting over 2 min more of ice time per game than Geno. Also Geno is getting at least a minute less than pretty much any other superstar (Stamkos, Hall, St Louis, Datsyuk, Ovy, Sedins, Tavares, Kessel, etc).

Malkin is still a little aloof in his decision making. When it was still a 1 goal game he tried to make a pretty risky pass at the blueline and it got picked off. I don't remember the exact point or what came of it though. But that's something that Datsyuk, Tavares, St. Louis, Crosby and Stamkos probably don't try in that situation.

Simply dumping a puck in deep is also completely foreign to Malkin, no matter what the situation is. The Pens could be up by 1 with 5 minutes left in the game, a 1-on-4 at the end of a shift, and he's still trying to carry the puck into the zone. That annoys me and I'm sure it annoys coaches as well.

As long as Malkin's going to be making high-risk plays in the waning minutes of 1 goal games and not winning face-offs, his minutes are about where they should be.

 

[Captain Hook]

Yeah, Sid is significantly better than Malkin at face-offs and there are many more of those this season because of the new icing rule. That could be another reason why Sid is being put out there more than Malkin so far.

 

[JTG]

Malkin is still a little aloof in his decision making. When it was still a 1 goal game he tried to make a pretty risky pass at the blueline and it got picked off. I don't remember the exact point or what came of it though. But that's something that Datsyuk, Tavares, St. Louis, Crosby and Stamkos probably don't try in that situation.

Simply dumping a puck in deep is also completely foreign to Malkin, no matter what the situation is. The Pens could be up by 1 with 5 minutes left in the game, a 1-on-4 at the end of a shift, and he's still trying to carry the puck into the zone. That annoys me and I'm sure it annoys coaches as well.

As long as Malkin's going to be making high-risk plays in the waning minutes of 1 goal games and not winning face-offs, his minutes are about where they should be.

Him also taking stupid, lazy penalties has to come into play. Can't always afford him going 1 on 3, losing the puck, and then him hooking a guy down as he's trying to go the other way.

 

[JTG]

Yeah, Sid is significantly better than Malkin at face-offs and there are many more of those this season because of the new icing rule. That could be another reason why Sid is being put out there more than Malkin so far.

I have also noticed that they are using Sid in way more faceoff situations. Maybe I just haven't noticed before, but it seems like he's starting a large amount of PK's in our zone just to win a faceoff.

 

[MeticulouslyDishevel]

Yeah... I'm not too sure what's up with Malkin's relative lack of ES time, especially. I know his line is struggling a bit, ES... but I thought it was understood that you feed Geno ice time and responsibility if you want to get him going. And then ride him like a horse all game when he does inevitably start to flash signs of dominance.

This is the first thing that came to mind:

“They have been probably the most effective line and probably the biggest surprise line together as a group through the first five games,†head coach Dan Bylsma said. “In Florida, when our game wasn’t going particularly well, they were the line that got us going and got back in that game with a goal by Craig Adams on the shift with Tanner Glass and Joe Vitale. They have done some good things but they actually have played two-to-three more minutes a game because of how they are playing and how they have been used.â€

http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=686685

Adams and Glass cutting into Geno's time?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I mean... those are all valid reasons.

But can you guys honestly say that that stuff has been a big problem with Malkin, this season? The offense hasn't quite come, yet... the rest of his game looks largely very good, I thought. I'm kind of posting on the run, here so I can't get to the numbers... but I don't even think his FO% is that bad, this season. There have been some turnovers, here and there. But nothing eye-popping.

Very early yet, of course.

His icetime isn't a huge concern. I just though it was odd.

 

[Captain Hook]

I have also noticed that they are using Sid in way more faceoff situations. Maybe I just haven't noticed before, but it seems like he's starting a large amount of PK's in our zone just to win a faceoff.

Certainly does seem like he's doing that a ton more this year.

 

[Shrimper]

I have also noticed that they are using Sid in way more faceoff situations. Maybe I just haven't noticed before, but it seems like he's starting a large amount of PK's in our zone just to win a faceoff.

What's the best place to look for face-off stats? Would be interested in seeing how many he does.

 

[stefanh]

Why would there be more faceoffs with the new icing rules? Over 90% of the icings would still be icing in the old system. I guess there will be a couple more per game with the harder judgement on the passes, but the hybrid icing shouldnt make much of a difference.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Certainly does seem like he's doing that a ton more this year.

I think I read something about that, he's doing more, I think there was one game close to 40. I might try to find it.

 

[stefanh]

I mean... those are all valid reasons.

But can you guys honestly say that that stuff has been a big problem with Malkin, this season? The offense hasn't quite come, yet... the rest of his game looks largely very good, I thought. I'm kind of posting on the run, here so I can't get to the numbers... but I don't even think his FO% is that bad, this season. There have been some turnovers, here and there. But nothing eye-popping.

Very early yet, of course.

His icetime isn't a huge concern. I just though it was odd.

So far this season:

Sutter 58.7%
Jeffrey 55.6%
Malkin 54.4%
Vitale 54%
Crosby 51.9%

Sid had a rough outing against the flyers but were good before that. He is also taking a ton of our faceoffs, averaging around 25 per game.

 

[JTG]

Sid is taking the most difficult draws of the game. I'm not shocked to see his percentage down a bit from seasons past.

 

[stefanh]

The Pens are also ranked 4th in the league on faceoffs with a 54.4 win %

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

So far this season:

Sutter 58.7%
Jeffrey 55.6%
Malkin 54.4%
Vitale 54%
Crosby 51.9%

Sid had a rough outing against the flyers but were good before that. He is also taking a ton of our faceoffs, averaging around 25 per game.

Thank you!

Much appreciated.

 

[Captain Hook]

So far this season:

Sutter 58.7%
Jeffrey 55.6%
Malkin 54.4%
Vitale 54%
Crosby 51.9%

Sid had a rough outing against the flyers but were good before that. He is also taking a ton of our faceoffs, averaging around 25 per game.

Glad to see Sutter improving at face-offs so far this season. I like seeing Malkin improve too but winning face-offs needs to be a big part of Sutter's game if he's ever going to be a true shutdown center. It probably helps him that Sid has started sharing some of the load when it comes to the tough face-offs on the pk etc.

It was also nice to see Sutter be so physical down the stretch of that Philly game.

 

[Confounding Factor]

+Crosby
+Fleury