Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Pens run Wild in the Minnesota Snow!

[ColePens]

++++++++ Sidney Crosby: I don't know what else to write. It started in G2 with his fight. He's been unstoppable. I honestly cannot say anything else. You name it - Sid is doing it.

+++++ Laff/AJ/Tanev/Horny: Injection of energy for all 4 guys. Laff/AJ/Tanev with endless speed/tenacity. Horny with his typical #72 like things. Incredible game by all 4.

+++ Letang/Dumo/Marino: I think our best 3 dmen by a country mile. Letang is producing. I'll let him do his weird mental blunders if he's going to produce at this pace. Dumo really elevated his play. Marino has his rookie errors but is playing incredible.

+++ Muzz: Early on the Wild got a lot of pushback and Muzz kept it simple. Another great game. Career win #100. The milestone doesn't really mean much. That's a team win. End of the game was a tad bit of a questionable Murray. He was farrrr too deep in his crease. Step out and one of those is a save. Easily.


I'll focus on the positives tonight. Seeing what AJ/Laff did... all I hope for is that the coach realizes and trusts them more. They need more minutes. They deserve the spot. They deserved it after camp.... and it went to the usual suspects. They earned it right now... so don't gift these moments back to the vets who aren't delivering. Let the players who are earning it - get it.

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[Big Friggin Dummy]

These WBS kids remind me of the punch in the arm we got from guys like Rust, Guentzel, Kuhn, etc. back in the first run of our back to backs. Pretty excited about Marino, Lafferty, AJ, etc.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Awesome game outside MM. You can't play that deep in your net. Been an issue all season.

 

[Beau Knows]

These WBS kids remind me of the punch in the arm we got from guys like Rust, Guentzel, Kuhn, etc. back in the first run of our back to backs. Pretty excited about Marino, Lafferty, AJ, etc.

Yep! Some fresh blood is just what this team needed.

 

[ncm7772]

Lots of good. Some bad. Happy for the rookies and Sid is still the best.

ZAR still trash.

I’ll take the win.

 

[EightyOne]

Murray Win #100

JR can add more forwards to the trade-block

Gave MIN first ever home opener loss and extend their franchise worst losing streak to start a year

Hornqvist made about 5 more enemies on the ice

All good.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

Keep the kids up and when the team gets healthy, ship out the usual suspects. Except Bjugstad.

 

[Rudy Russo]

Loved the play of the 4th line and Lafferty tonight Big Adam Johnson fan, and Sully needs to find a way to keep he in the line up when everyone is healthy. I know it’s only Marino’s third game for the pens, but to me he plays like he has already been in the NHL for years. On to Winnipeg, and congrats to Murray on 100 wins.

 

[ColePens]

 

[Corvidae]

+++ Laff/AJ
+++ Looking at Minnesota's Cap Friendly page

 

[KIRK]

These WBS kids remind me of the punch in the arm we got from guys like Rust, Guentzel, Kuhn, etc. back in the first run of our back to backs. Pretty excited about Marino, Lafferty, AJ, etc.

Let's hope it reminds Sullivan and Rutherford of the same. Suffice it to say, I have my doubts.

BUT, as I said in the GDT, you can see a real opportunity developing here. IF they continue to trust Marino/Lafferty/Johnson as we get healthy over lesser vets, IF JR tries to package Bjugs and Guds to create cap space. IF. IF. IF.

I just can't go there yet . . . too many doubts about Sully. Nothing but doubts with GM Neanderthal.

 

[molon labe]

Kids were the story tonight, however-

...welcome back Horny. Smiles all night. Naturally they allow him to be beat up in the crease simply because he annoys everyone - somehow justifys illegal hits. Whatever. He completely threw that whole team off.

And Sid doing Sid stuff.

 

[ColePens]

f*** you... for being ahead of me on this. I was trying to find a good gif.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Yeah, either the term or the AAV is too high, but Tanev definitely has a place on this squad.

 

[PensandCaps]

Aside from those garbage time goals, Murray was really good.

Lafferty and Johnson are gonna be taking two players spots.

Marino is looking good.



why is ZAR on PP2

 

[Shady Machine]

Awesome game outside MM. You can't play that deep in your net. Been an issue all season.

Do you ever make a post that doesn't mention the goaltending?

 

[cygnus47]

If we play up in the zone and attack the points aggressively they don't get time to place hard point shots with traffic in front. That's my only quibble with how we played. We did good work around the bluelines in the neutral zone, we dominated in the offensive zone, we just need to make our defensive system more aggressive and we'll be rolling.

Good to see the young guys getting a shot with pressure on.

 

[IcedCapp]

80-2

 

[Turin]

Sidney Crosby’s peak years were stolen from him yet they did create a seemingly age-resistant monster.

Also the must-rebuild team according to the media this week hasn’t quite hit rock bottom apparently with these cheap depth players arriving.

 

[Ugene Magic]

AJ 7:36 and Lafferty 13:04 did more than Simon has done in all the games.

 

[IcedCapp]

@ColePens

Not calling you out, but more calling back to something: before his fight vs CBJ you were riding Sid hard for his play through 1.5(?) games. Reallllllly quick turnaround. Usually takes him a few weeks+ to get out of that fog.

 

[PensandCaps]

Keep the kids up and when the team gets healthy, ship out the usual suspects. Except Bjugstad.

bjugstad probably has zero trade value anyway. would be hard to move a useless player making 4.25 million

 

[IcedCapp]

@KIRK

Bjug + Guds is a ton of cap. That's gonna be a hard sell. We'd be taking something back that we probably don't like

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Sidney Crosby’s peak years were stolen from him yet they did create a seemingly age-resistant monster.

I would argue last season was his best. There's absolutely no let-down this year either. He's doing everything.