Xin Nian Kuai Le. Last night was Chinese New Year. Good times lasted 10 minutes.
Gotta say that I am not as frustrated about individual performances as I am scared that DB will not have a plan B. Once New Jersey clamped down on the stretch pass on the wall and had their systematic interference thing going, we lost our way. Refs contributed in the early goings by banning an aggressive forechecking (Vitale penalties were ridiculous) and when we didn't ice the puck, Brodeuer is too great at handling the puck to rely on dump and chase.
Geno is lambasted here because of penalties and at least one was dumb, but he was otherwise awesome, and was the only reason we were dangerous in the last two periods. If only DB could understand that Boychuck is miscast on that line entirely.
Many talk of defenders playing poorly. Please. Despres, Bort and Martin were superb. Reese OK and Orpik was too except for a blown coverage on their equalizer. Engelland had a stinker though.
The problem was too many penalties and our inability establish extended zone time.
Ultimately you can also say that we were beaten by a good team that had us take too many penalties with Marty playing a hell of a game, while being without Letang and getting the brunt of the bad calls and non-calls against us.
It isn't all bad that we have them again immediately, because I want to see Bylsma adjust in this one. And more than anything, I want Jeffrey back with Malkin. Not because that is a panacea, but simply because it is stupid to not see that Boychuck is a bad fit for that line. 5 games with no ES production now, and the plan simply cannot be for two elite players to create for a snake bitten waiver pickup. Stop it!