Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Pens vs. Canes - They cannot close the deal. They just cannot.

[Tom Hanks]

curious what are Murray’s numbers since December?

.928 SV% 2.37 GAA

 

[Son Goku]

.928 SV% 2.37 GAA

thanks

 

[Andy99]

This is a frustrating team right now. They don't seem far from being a tough opponent for just about anybody they could face in the playoffs, but it also looks like they could just as easily flame out in 5 games to almost anyone.

Not a lot of time left to figure things out. I really don't want to see Washington in round 1, they need to finish strong and get the Isles.

I’m pretty sure CAR is going to overtake us with their two games in hand...the only ? Is the Isles...they’ve been inconsistent and could drop below us into WC1...otherwise I think we’ll be WC1...the best odds are that we play CAR or WSH in the first round...

 

[LOGiK]

CBJ losing was actually very big in terms of positioning atm.
They have the row and a game in hand...
Just don't get 8 seed and all is well. No matter how confident you are you don't want to face off against the highest pointed team in over 2 decades. Whether they implode and choke or not - that is not what you aim for in a match-up.

 

[Extra Texture]

They picked up two noted Pens killers since we faced them last year—Boyle and Simmonds...Boyle will get another hat trick...in fact, I think both of them scored for NSH tonight...

And we were supposed to wilt last week against big bad tommy wilson and the crapitals too but they shook off a bad start and mer the challenge head on.

I’m not saying it’s gonna be an easy game, or even a two pointer, but this team thrives off a backs-against-the-wall kind of challenge that that game presents. Bring them on, we will either sink or swim but either way the Pens will have another 60 (or 65) minute game of playoff style hockey under their belts and might finally get back to scoring. We need a wake up call before the big show starts in a couple of weeks.

 

[Tom Hanks]

The post-gazette article said they lost four just in the last month...I was thinking about how many they lost all season...does anyone keep these stats?

Mike Sullivan preaches positivity after Penguins' latest blown lead

See second to last paragraph...

They didn’t say we lost just they went to OT we beat Florida. So it’s those 3 and one in November to Buffalo. I went through game by game.

 

[Tom Hanks]

thanks

No worries. This is a good site for stats

Matt Murray 2018-19 Splits | Hockey-Reference.com

 

[Andy99]

 

[Doogle]

We lose a game in ot to a likely playoff team and everyone goes nuts. I'm aware that it's been a rough week for the pens. But the toxicity here is more than a bit much right now

 

[Riptide]

4th time he's allowed a goal like this. I'm as big a Murray fan as anyone, but at what point do you maniacs admit he NEEDS to be better late in 3rd periods.

We only scored 2 goals. We've only scored 3 goals in our past 2 games. When you average 1.5 goals a game, you should be f***ing happy just to make it to OT.

* * *

As for the game in general, I thought Simon had a pretty decent game, as did L3 for the most part. I think games like tonight are exactly why we should be hanging onto him - at least while he's dirt cheap.

 

[Riptide]

No, I just don't care who they play. If they're a cup caliber team, they can handle any of Washington, NYI, Carolina or anyone like that. If they can't, they're not a cup caliber team.

Seeding really doesn't mean anything to me outside of avoiding juggernauts like Tampa Bay. You're not going to have a big difference in quality of opponent as long as you're not finishing in the WC2 spot. There are no easy teams in the playoffs, you're going to have to play teams like Washington eventually.

Agreed. Avoid Tampa for as long as possible, and while none of the other teams in the East are "easy", I don't think there's a massive difference between Washington, New York, Columbus or Carolina in round 1/2. If you can't beat 2 of those teams to get to the ECF, then you have no business talking about potentially winning a cup. And honestly while all of those teams will be challenging teams, I don't think any are unbeatable. TB is a different matter (crazy good/deep this year), but you deal with them once you have to face them - hopefully not till the ECF.

 

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

------ It comes down to 1 thing: A brilliantly played game and they cannot close the door at the end of the game. This team's lack of resilience is impressive. It's clockwork. Every single time they can close the game out, they give it up. Missed faceoff, bouncing puck, whatever. Just close it down.

And the frustrating part is that they are playing an incredible 60 minutes. A very strong 60 minutes. And when it comes down to grind time, they can't do it. We talked about it for weeks now. Hell we even discussed it literally before the game. It's not the defense. It's not the offense. It's the lack of mental strength to close the game out. You would think a group with this many Cups would be able to slam the door shut. And now it's 100% in their head. They know when the game is on the line, they are going to let it go.

And they can't do it. And everyone knows it. It's 100% in their head and they know it. You can almost feel it through the television. It's not one player. It's the collective group and it is in their head.



I don't even want to break it down individually because I was very encouraged by the Penguins play. Seeing tangers was great. They had even number missing assignments, sure. Nothing in hockey is perfect. But it's all upstairs now. It's all in the mind. They cannot bare down. And that is extremely damning as we enter the most mental toughness tournament of all time.

 

[WayneSid9987]

replaying that tying goal, that does now look like letang's man.

If you want to blame someone on that play, look at what rust was trying to do. block a shot by kicking up his knee (soccer ball style) to block the point shot.
he was the wing on the side where the rebound went. if he plays it straight up, he's in position to knock the puck away

edit. watched it again from an angle in back of murray and rust may have actually screened him on the play trying to get and arm / leg knee in the way of that puck

a dumb move. and thats what's been killing them lately trying to close out games.

tying goal flyers game - flyer forward wide open in our defensive zone behind our forwards. why isn't every one of our forwards already in the defensive zone with 20 seconds left in the game?

winning goal vs flyers. its all been detailed, we know Sid screwed up. **** happens. not a smart decision he made there on.
they need to play smarter

That tying goal vs PHI was just horribly played by McCann-Sid and Rusty in the NZ which resulted in the 4 on 2 with JVR getting an open shot in the danger zone.

One thing we can hope for here moving forward is the full healthy D here getting more offensive chances/shots/high danger shots/OZ time and pucks start going in the net 5on5 again.
They also desperately need to change things up on the PP. Start with taking Phil off PP1 and go from there.

 

[canadianguy77]

How the hell does a team with Kessel, Letang, Guentzel, Malkin and Crosby have 11 losses in overtimes/shootouts?

Jesus, you'd think they'd be able to score in a 3 on 3 setting.

Our guys are horrible at picking up opponents line changes in OT ( where their guy goes off near the red line and the guy coming on does it at the other end by our blueline) and are even pretty bad with their own awareness of when to and when not to change) That's costed them a handful of times.

Also aside from 58, none of those guys are upper echelon in terms of acceleration anymore. A 30-something will almost always gas out quicker than an early 20-something too. 3 on 3 is a young man's game now more than it has ever been. Makes it all the more curious as to why McCaan doesnt see more time.

 

[BillPrep]

The post-gazette article said they lost four just in the last month...I was thinking about how many they lost all season...does anyone keep these stats?

Mike Sullivan preaches positivity after Penguins' latest blown lead

See second to last paragraph...

"specially"...?

jason mackey (and his editor) should be punched in the lung...

 

[treeni12]

I'm clad that people are finally seeing how bad Kessel is. He has been dragging Malkin down for while now

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

**** the entire team, INCLUDING Murray.

nobody is exempt from criticism at this point.

So we should gnash our teeth, pound our chests, and bellow at the sky while we are at it? Sorry, but no sentient hockey-watching-being can blame Murray for that loss. He played very well and stared down many wicked shots against, yet another, desperate team. But I am at a loss to explain why this new unfortunate trend of choking at the end of regulation manifests.

 

[WayneSid9987]

It also makes a lot of sense to put Horny or Phil with Sid if you wanna get them going 5on5.
I'd put Horny back up there and McCann-Bjugs-Phil/Rust should be the 2nd line.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

.928 SV% 2.37 GAA

How terrible! Clearly not the kind of numbers needed to win games.

 

[Strakanator]

Both Hornqvist and Kessel should be shipped out this offseason.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Kessel's the bigger issue because he literally brings nothing else to the table when he's not scoring. At least Hornqvist will add physicality, hustle and board play.

 

[treeni12]

Both Hornqvist and Kessel should be shipped out this offseason.

Huge difference between Kessel and Hörnqvist. Hörnqvist is great defensively and is battling hard, Kessel on the other hand is liability when he's not scoring

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

Yep. Anyone who thinks he would any discernable difference is just, well, dumb.

Agreed. I don't have numbers to back it up, but I think our PK has been solid.

 

[Night Shift]

At least no injuries

 

[Son Goku]

kessel just plain out sucks