Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Got 2... should have got 3-4.

[Dipsy Doodle]

Missed the game. Did Guentzel return?

 

[Andy99]

everyone is happy that pens are making points 10 points in 8 games with depleted roste...but its not like they are fighting for their own life and they get some insane goaltending, they are outplaying for the most part many of good teams...with a bit better goaltending and just a little bit more luck they could have had at least 13-14 points this month...

I mean everyone likes how they play, dominate for stretches etc, but the reality is we have only 11 wins and 11 losses...definition of a mediocre team...some wise person once said you are what your record is...

 

[heysmilinstrange]

Missed the game. Did Guentzel return?

Yes.

 

[WayneSid9987]

No, they weren't. They were wondering just like everyone else whether the ref sent him off OR whether McCann assumed a penalty and left on his own.

Isles crew thought he got a 10 minute misconduct.
Or rather assumed he did when he was going out the gate.

 

[EightyOne]

haha...well, i guess it was better than losing like they were.

oh well. this team needs to stop with the injuries etc

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Trotman and Rudwedel and Johnson...in the same game...JFC.

Murray was bad, yes. I can understand the grievances.

But my expectations were tempered playing a defensive corps comprised of 50 percent AHL talent.

 

[Ryder71]

Not sure how you can not be positive about this team tbh. Murray and Schultz are my only question makes. And Schultz can be used as a third pairing D when Letang is healthy.

Goaltending as you know is a pretty darn important position. So if you have a question mark in net, that can mitigate a lot of good in other areas. And Lafferty and ZAR of late are looking pretty shaky themselves. Jake has cost us in each of the last two games himself.

 

[Will Hunting]

Also the schedule is gonna lighten up. Lots of winnable games incoming. They survived a tough stretch pretty decently.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Yah. hes hes been shakey lately.

but im not gonna overreact to normal tendencies when it comes to goaltenders. they get hot at times, they look shakey at times. it happens.

These are the kind of times when you need your #1 goalie to go above and beyond, have heighten awareness. This isn't a slump. This is a team who simply can't out score their opponents.

That beginning numbers is a lot against crap teams, and the change is when they started playing consistent winning teams. He was even giving up goals in winning situations. In 3 games against the Islanders he's average 4 GA.

Maybe ramp up when the competition does.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Thing is, it's the same as winning one game/losing one in terms of points on the board so the most important thing is learning their lesson and starting Murr constantly is a big bad one atm.

They'll never bench ZAR BUT they most certainly have it in them to bench/demote Sam and get Riiko back in.

The 3on3 stuff is like IcedCap said. It's a stars show and we're missing our 2 biggest in Sid and Tanger. So of course it's gonna blow. Combine that with NOT seeing what Jarrs has/going to Murr constantly isn't helping them there either.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I don't know enough about the goalie position, or coaching goalies, but I preferred Murray's game under the previous goalie coach (Bales) over the new guy (Buckley), even if Buckley was "his guy" in the minors or whatever.

Whatever Buckley's doing ain't working as it should.

Have you ever tried Buckley’s?

Holy f*** it’s like drinking pine tar, so that’s how I know it’s working.

 

[Gurglesons]

Goaltending as you know is a pretty darn important position. So if you have a question mark in net, that can mitigate a lot of good in other areas. And Lafferty and ZAR of late are looking pretty shaky themselves. Jake has cost us in each of the last two games himself.

Lafferty and ZAR are looking shaky because they are asking to do more in the line-up.

Just like JJ last year. Also, what the f*** is up with JJ. Dude is having a quiet bounce back year.

Also, Sullivan will run the hot hand if Murray collapses. So I’m not concerned about that and this team when healthy can easily out score any team in the east.

Tampa could win out all their games in hand right now and they’d only have 2 more points than us.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Where's that fake ass mofo thinking he's Rusts biggest fan? @ColePens

This guy, walking in here like...

Bitch please.

 

[canadianguy77]

I am still a big Lafferty fan, but he needs to be better.

The guy was a couple of points off the rookie scoring lead playing like 13 minutes a night when he got sent back down, and meanwhile a plug like Aston-Reese got to stay up and contributed nothing to the team. On his most recent call-up, he gets the opportunity to play with ZAR and watch first-hand what it takes to stay up. Lol, can you imagine what that must feel like?

I'm not going to blame the kid when he's stuck playing on 2/3rds of a line. The penalty by Lafferty tonight was largely caused by ZAR making a selfish play to try and score on a horrible angle shot with his other 2 forwards behind the net. He should've gave the puck back to Lafferty or Blueger behind the net, or passed the puck back to the blueline. But he HAD to take a shot that had no chance of going in, and every chance of being a breakout pass for the Isles.

Dude is a selfish slug, and I don't understand how the coaching staff doesn't see it. The only thing he actually has at an NHL level is positioning. (And even then, only really on the PK)

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

The guy was a couple of points off the rookie scoring lead playing like 13 minutes a night when he got sent back down, and meanwhile a plug like Aston-Reese got to stay up and contributed nothing to the team. On his most recent call-up, he gets the opportunity to play with ZAR and watch first-hand what it takes to stay up. Lol, can you imagine what that must feel like?

I'm not going to blame the kid when he's stuck playing on 2/3rds of a line. The penalty by Lafferty tonight was largely caused by ZAR making a selfish play to try and score on a horrible angle shot with his other 2 forwards behind the net. He should've gave the puck back to Lafferty or Blueger behind the net, or passed the puck back to the blueline. But he HAD to take a shot that had no chance of going in, and every chance of being a breakout pass for the Isles.

Dude is a selfish slug, and I don't understand how the coaching staff doesn't see it. The only thing he actually has at an NHL level is positioning. (And even then, only really on the PK)

He is this generation’s Adams.

Some people just don’t want to accept it yet, which is fine, but it’s true.

 

[Ryder71]

Lafferty and ZAR are looking shaky because they are asking to do more in the line-up.

Just like JJ last year. Also, what the **** is up with JJ. Dude is having a quiet bounce back year.

Also, Sullivan will run the hot hand if Murray collapses. So I’m not concerned about that and this team when healthy can easily score.

The other thing that has become pretty apparent is our lulls and lapses in games. Every team in some form or fashion has them generally. But when we suck, we really suck. It's epic. Just like how awesome we are in stretches. The middle period against the Bruins for example.

As far as JJ goes, he's been much better than last season. I don't think that's necessarily saying much but he's not been soiling the bed here, so that's a good thing I guess.

 

[WayneSid9987]

They are also yanking Lafferty from C to wing and probably throwing a ton of stuff at him in film/on ice etc.

No doubt the line would look better if it was
Blandisi/AJ-Blueger-Lafferty.

 

[Andy99]

He is this generation’s Adams.

Some people just don’t want to accept it yet, which is fine, but it’s true.

yeah, but how’s his coffee-carrying skill?

 

[Gurglesons]

The other thing that has become pretty apparent is our lulls and lapses in games. Every team in some form or fashion has them generally. But when we suck, we really suck. It's epic. Just like how awesome we are in stretches. The middle period against the Bruins for example.

As far as JJ goes, he's been much better than last season. I don't think that's necessarily saying much but he's not been soiling the bed here, so that's a good thing I guess.

I can’t really think of any time I’ve watched this team this year outside of the first couple games and thought they’ve sucked to be honest.

 

[Ryder71]

I can’t really think of any time I’ve watched this team this year outside of the first couple games and thought they’ve sucked to be honest.

Really? How about the third period against Tampa? or the first period against the Bruins? Or tuesday in the final eight minutes and OT?

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Eh 2/4 points against the hottest team in the NHL. I can live with it.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

yeah, but how’s his coffee-carrying skill?

Apparently top notch.

 

[Ryder71]

Eh 2/4 points against the hottest team in the NHL. I can live with it.

When you score with under a minute to tie a game and at least get a point that has to be considered a positive.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Not sure how you can not be positive about this team tbh. Murray and Schultz are my only question makes. And Schultz can be used as a third pairing D when Letang is healthy.

Exactly. But we were telling you this in the off-season. That Tanev, Rust, PH were important to this team. And they are all proving it. When you thought they were a lottery team(healthy) ...

I didnt expect this much out of Rust tho.

 

[Gurglesons]

Exactly. But we were telling you this in the off-season. That Tanev, Rust, PH were important to this team. And they are all proving it. When you thought they were a lottery team(healthy) ...

I didnt expect this much out of Rust tho.

I never said anything bad about Rust and Hornqvist aside from maybe moving Hornqvist for Virtanen + Roussel.