Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Pens vs. Flyers - How to embarrass your way to 2 points

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Peat

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I don't think anyone is cool with it, but they aren't freaking out about it.

This seems to cover a quarter of all posts on the forums at times.

Malkin definitely needs to be better. But at the same time we know he's human and will have slumps and don't wanna get too excited/critical about it.
 

ronduguayshair

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Oct 23, 2017
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Roughly half the posts in this thread are criticising him in some way. He doesn't get excused out of everything - just over the top criticism as seems to be coming from you.


True but I think his performance this year is the big story for our struggles. Murray and Malkin. That’s why we are fighting for a playoff spot. Not so much Jack Johnson and Maatta and kessel. Our best players need to be better.
 

Shady Machine

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True but I think his performance this year is the big story for our struggles. Murray and Malkin. That’s why we are fighting for a playoff spot. Not so much Jack Johnson and Maatta and kessel. Our best players need to be better.

Kessel is one of our best players so that's a little weird.

Malkin needs to be better and I'm confident he will be, but playing with shit transition defense makes your job harder. Getting Schultz back to play with Malkin, assuming both are healthy and 100%, will be a big boost.
 

Dipsy Doodle

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Kessel is one of our best players so that's a little weird.

Malkin needs to be better and I'm confident he will be, but playing with **** transition defense makes your job harder. Getting Schultz back to play with Malkin, assuming both are healthy and 100%, will be a big boost.

There's the rub.

If I were JR, I wouldn't put all my eggs in that basket. The guy's missed 50+ games.
 

Peat

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Jun 14, 2016
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True but I think his performance this year is the big story for our struggles. Murray and Malkin. That’s why we are fighting for a playoff spot. Not so much Jack Johnson and Maatta and kessel. Our best players need to be better.

Can't agree there - I'd be looking at the transition defence and team wide intensity levels rather than any particular individuals. Particularly don't agree with looking at Murray who's sporting the stats of a league average goaltender and has rescued us a few times.

Malkin being better would have us up a few places its true, but so would a lot of things.
 

Shwag33

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May 27, 2008
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I think people are getting tired of MM's durability moreso than his actual play


I think certain people will never be happy with murray no matter what unless he posts a shutout every game and wins a cup every year. I mean fleury would have pitched a shutout last night.... and I mean c'mon what if that goal isn't disallowed. :sarcasm:
 
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joeyjake5

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Feb 23, 2014
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+ A win is a win, but is that really the winning formula tonight? Boy I hope not. Is the reward of getting a big bigger and tougher being able to survive 28 shots against in a single period? Is it praying your goalie will save your butt while you win a couple post-whistle scrums? What's the deal?

That is not Penguins hockey and that was not enjoyable in the slightest. You guys know I usually try to find the 1% of positive in anything but that hockey game was very sad. We won the Cup with speed and skill. Whatever is on the ice right now is NOT that.

+ Murray: Glad to see Mur healthy and doing his thing. Now stay healthy and STAY doing your thing. Find consistency. I don't know how you can do that with the defense giving you point blankers all game long, but hey.... try! Thank goodness for Murray tonight. Honestly.

+ G line: 71 was a horse and I felt that line was pretty solid. Really had a good vibe to it. And as I write this he takes a match penalty like a ****ing idiot. Disgusting stuff. That could have been a player's eye. Really embarrassing. It's stuff we want out of the league as Penguin fans. It's unacceptable.




As I said, That was not Penguins hockey. It's not sustainable. It's the reason we lost so many games in a row and are in a very very very close battle for the final playoff spot. I usually refuse to get disappointed by getting 2 points in regulation but boy was that sad. This goes back to the days where we won a Cup playing a 2-3 and stayed in a 1-2-2 the rest of Bylsma's career.

the pen's problems with this game are the same as what happened in the 2017 Cup run. Murray/MAF stole games just like last night. The d still has not been fixed. Until it is, the best the pen's can hope for is a first round elimination if they make the playoffs. How many games can Murray win if the pens are thoroughly outplayed like last night???? .
 

ronduguayshair

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Can't agree there - I'd be looking at the transition defence and team wide intensity levels rather than any particular individuals. Particularly don't agree with looking at Murray who's sporting the stats of a league average goaltender and has rescued us a few times.

Malkin being better would have us up a few places its true, but so would a lot of things.

I agree the transitional defense and intensity are big issues. I think the big black hole that has been our second line and the short handed goals are bigger issues. I think Malkins performance directly correlates to those issues.

Murray’s overall stat line may say average but that’s because he was so hot after been so bad. I’m sure every can agree he’s not been consistent. That’s why I don’t like that as an arguing point.
 

Peat

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Jun 14, 2016
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I agree the transitional defense and intensity are big issues. I think the big black hole that has been our second line and the short handed goals are bigger issues. I think Malkins performance directly correlates to those issues.

Murray’s overall stat line may say average but that’s because he was so hot after been so bad. I’m sure every can agree he’s not been consistent. That’s why I don’t like that as an arguing point.

Murray hasn't been consistent but if the averaging out of the inconsistencies comes to average, I don't see the issue.

I don't see the second line as a big black hole either when Malkin's less than 2% behind Cullen for GF% and a long way ahead of Brassard. The short handed goals have very bad timing, but are only 7% of the goals we've let in this season.
 

ZeroPucksGiven

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Feb 28, 2017
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I think certain people will never be happy with murray no matter what unless he posts a shutout every game and wins a cup every year. I mean fleury would have pitched a shutout last night.... and I mean c'mon what if that goal isn't disallowed. :sarcasm:

You're right that there will always be a certain segment that is just plain irrational
But don't lump people who aren't MM fans, in with the pro-MAF club. They can be mutually exclusive
 

NMK11

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Apr 6, 2013
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Yes please. It's been a good trade so far. Still not sure how all of the pieces fit, but I like the players.
This about sums up my feelings. Bjugs in particular is giving me vibes of Neal when he first came over. Can tell he's a good player with skill, but seems to still be trying to work into the team. McCann has taken off, but is also being asked to play a simpler role.
 

Peat

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In fairness to Sheehan, I think he was engaged; he’s just a not particularly talented garden variety fourth line plug.

Sheahan has a lot more talent than he showed this year. And while he's never been a blood and thunder guy, the level of commitment showed from him in some games vs every day really challenges the idea he was properly engaged. Although I think that might have been more confidence than engagement.
 
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Al Smith

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Apr 28, 2012
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Sometimes a lack of engagement is obvious, and over the course of an 82 game season every player will have lazy unengaged moments like the famous OV cruising back on D GIF. But more often than not, I think people here overstate a lack of effort or engagement and forget all of the other factors that may go into someone not playing particularly well (e.g. confidence as you mention; or the wheels having fallen off as in corpse Kunitz). I tend to give most guys the benefit of he doubt, especially 4th liners who have to value every shift.
 

KIRK

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Aug 2, 2005
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what is dumb?

Malkin was playing well before getting ejected. He wasn't before. Not hard to understand

Dumb was calling it Malkin's best game of the season.

Dumber still is playing dumb about what you wrote.
 

ZeroPucksGiven

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Feb 28, 2017
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Sheahan has a lot more talent than he showed this year. And while he's never been a blood and thunder guy, the level of commitment showed from him in some games vs every day really challenges the idea he was properly engaged. Although I think that might have been more confidence than engagement.

I thought RS showed a ton last year and I was a fan of what he was doing...was in support of the extension we gave him and had high hopes for him this year
But he was complete ass this season
 
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