Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Pens vs. Caps - the one where Pens fans whine the entire time

[ColePens]

Cullen is the only guy on the team I'm ok with pacing himself for the playoffs. I want that speed to last till the end of the year.

Dude was just owning the boards. He was so strong on the puck. I almost cannot believe what i'm seeing.

 

[Andy99]

Simon plays a give and go game, and can create on his own. Why can't we try him with Geno when he gets back?

I mean we don’t have a lot of good options and that’s one...ideally I’d like a player who wins more board battles and hard on the forecheck, but not sure we have that winger...

 

[PensandCaps]

Imagine if we had Cullen instead of Rowney vs the Caps last playoffs.

 

[DegenX]

I don’t mean to rehash this, but it feels important: if Pens players wanted Sully gone, this game, with all of the stuff this morning, prime time NBC, no other game on, this was the game where you send that message loud and clear.

Were they perfect? Nope. But they were playing their asses off. Their issues are personnel. D still blows.

I can't agree with this. If anything, this is the sort of game where they put aside their whatever and play their hearts out because that's who they are. These guys wouldn't be where they are if they were not fiercely competitive. Some things are bigger than who is behind the bench.

 

[MrBurghundy]

I'd love to find a way to nab a guy like Edler to play with Schultz.

And, again, I think it's become just as critical to find a LW for Geno (because Simon will be Sid's RW) who can do what Malone or old school Kunitz used to do. Dude isn't 22 anymore. He needs real help from a player who actually complements him.

I think come playoff time, Horny will be back up with Sid again on that right side. I'm not sure Simon will be there all season long. Because of that I want to see what he can do with Geno.

 

[WayneSid9987]

When you're partnered with JJ you'll almost always be under pressure.

Olli and Rig are worse if MP wanted to feel totally hopeless.
Every game vs WSH this season JJ has done well enough.

 

[StaalForOne]

This past week? Sheahan has been playing solid hockey for a couple of weeks now, which is why he's been bounced around from the 1st line to the 4th line, because he's been providing some sort of spark everywhere he's been and he's been shafted pretty hard as a LW, RW, and a C. But he keeps playing well, I like Sheahan I was disappointed in his start as well. I still hate the crap people throw his way, the guy is a solid player, I don't see half the whiny crap people say about him. It's like they expect him to be ****ing Eric Lindros out there, running through people.

The only dumb thing tonight was that he was playing so well, he should have had a shift or two with Geno.

I pulled the time frame out of a hat, replace "this past week" with "recently".

 

[Nakawick]

There were still huge gafs and D getting caught out of position several times.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

F...I forgot...they play tomorrow...will anyone be available? This hard fought game will take a toll ...

Yeah it might be a tough one.

But I would suspect Riikola is in and Simon could be available, if not I wouldn't be shocked if Grant might be as well.

 

[MrBurghundy]

There were still huge gafs and D getting caught out of position several times.

There were, but to some extent that happens to literally every team in the league every single night. It's just about mitigating them, and recovering.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I would think if it went to a best of 7, I'd put my money on the Caps in a 55-45% chance favoring them. But one mega encouragement is the possibility that the defense is not dead. Getting rid of Oleksiak and Maatta and somehow adding even a remotely decent player with playing Riikola surely closes a gap in a HUGE way. I am 100% certain now.

Plus there's that Schultz guy.

 

[Gurglesons]

On that Pettersson play it looked like he even had the mind set to elevate the puck over Murray’s leg as not to bank it in his own goal. But maybe not.

One thing I’ll say about Pettersson.

When this management has targeted D that are solid players being used in lesser roles at a young age they’ve been very successful. Schultz and Cole.

He seems like a smart player. Hopefully he pans out and reaches the potential of being a Dumo type #4-5.

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

Malkin and Kessel are trying, but they have nobody to work with and the D can’t move the puck. When 32 year old Evgeni Malkin has to be the forechecker you’re doing it wrong. Please, remove Adams from this line. Wait, ZAR.

And, as long as Kessel is there Malkin will not get ice time at the end of the game. If you get Geno, you know that kills. Nothing motivates Malkin like being relied on.

Ballsy win.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Yeah it might be a tough one.

But I would suspect Riikola is in and Simon could be available, if not I wouldn't be shocked if Grant might be as well.

Will be interesting where they slide Simon in.
Probably for ZAR and ZAR takes Wilson's spot?

 

[IcedCapp]

I can't agree with this. If anything, this is the sort of game where they put aside there whatever and play their hearts out because that's who they are. These guys wouldn't be where they are if they were not fiercely competitive. Some things are bigger than who is behind the bench.

Then why not coast one more game and get the coach fired?

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

I'd think this would be a great win for Murrs confidence as well

 

[LOGiK]

Review every microscopic level, don't matter. Pissed the crapitals off something juicy. This one counted as a big win.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Cullen is the only guy on the team I'm ok with pacing himself for the playoffs. I want that speed to last till the end of the year.

It's on the Pens to pace him.

We have Grant and ZAR that can rotate in with Cullen if need be. They just need to be smart with it and I have a bad feeling they won't and burn him out again. The team is desperate to win right now, Cullen will help them, so they'll play him and possibly over play him.

It's clear, at his age, a few games or a game off after a few, isn't a bad thing. The good thing is that he just got back, is playing, then we have a small break again after the weekend.

 

[domaug]

2 things you said in the GDT:

1) Murray was a "barely good" goaltender.

2) Wilson owns the Penguins.

It's bad enough to have one of those as your opinion. Together - that is mighty impressive. I would honestly believe you may be Tom Wilson.

okay, so i'm going to explain myself in a very lengthy post because you seem to enjoy laughing at my posts in general and would rather spend your energy making passive-aggressive jabs at me and anyone else here who isn't marching in lockstep with you.

when i say "barely good", ESPECIALLY in quotes, i don't mean he's a horrendous goaltender, i don't mean him winning games is a fluke, i don't even mean he's average. i mean he's a good goaltender who seems to get beat with the weirdest stuff. the best way i could describe it in detail is that he seems to let the odd shot get through, and usually it's a pattern for that game or stretch of games. sometimes it's the glove hand, sometimes it's through the blocker, etc.

it's more of a comment on how he seems to have some odd mistakes at the worst times. he can still win games (he won tonight, didn't he?) but it's frustrating to me that i seem to see these odd little mistakes more often than not. so i made the comment that i'd describe him as "barely good". i don't consider him elite. i consider him great some nights and bad other nights (mostly bad this season, but there are a lot of reasons why that is).

instead of questioning the term i used, you took it as an opportunity to throw some passive-aggressive jabs that are painting your opinion as "obviously correct" and mine as "obviously incorrect". by that, i mean you phrase it as "WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE??!! I WILL TAKE THE GOALIE WITH SEVERAL CUPS" because the Cups he helped them win three years ago are supposed to have bearing on how he's playing in the current moment, i guess?

and the Wilson comment, i'll admit, that's out of frustration. pure frustration. i'm not a fan of seeing him body the Pens players and injure them. the Pens got the last laugh and won, so whatever, i'm "silly" for getting bent out of shape over it. that's one of the biggest things i've seen about the main stays at this message board, you're not allowed to be an informed hockey fan AND value physical play from your favorite team's players. you're either a caveman or you don't actually want your team to win games, which is absurd to me.

i used to catch a ton of garbage here when i was voicing my support for Reaves. the only opinion that seemed "allowed" was that he was a drudge on the game of hockey and ultimately made it worse. i thought he had value. but it's not okay to think he has value.

i dunno, i feel like around here it's not enough to simply disagree with someone. the trend seems to be gravitating toward "oh such and such group doesn't know what they're talking about" or "*laughing emojis* look at this nonsense".

 

[Hank Plank]

If I were the NHL, i'd surely test Cullen tomorrow morning. No 42 year old man is that fast at that age.

The truth is he's 27 and had cosmetic surgery but I've already said too much.

 

[Gurglesons]

Imagine if we had Cullen instead of Rowney vs the Caps last playoffs.

Imagine we had a healthy Letang.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Will be interesting where they slide Simon in.
Probably for ZAR and ZAR takes Wilson's spot?

Depends on a lot of things.

Is Rust ok after tonight?
With Oleksiak likely out and put on the IR before the holiday break (which is fine to do) - Will they call up a forward since we have Riikola and Ruhwedel still up?

 

[Ryder71]

Olli and Rig are worse if MP wanted to feel totally hopeless.
Every game vs WSH this season JJ has done well enough.

I don't view his play as a net positive. He does compete I'll give him that and he had a good block in the slot but I'd rather have Riikola be put in instead.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

The truth is he's 27 and had cosmetic surgery but I've already said too much.

He's got that Benjamin Button syndrome.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I don't view his play as a net positive. He does compete I'll give him that and he had a good block in the slot but I'd rather have Riikola be put in instead.

So do i but theres 6 spots.
JJ deserves one over Rig and Olli for now.
When Schultz gets back, i'll be screaming to bench JJ.