Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus Minus: Pens vs. Jackets Round 1

[Peat]

I just don't even know who it would be, really. I liked Dea more than some and think he would be better than someone like Wilson, but they gave him away for some reason. Blandisi probably fits the spark/energy role but not sure he's a guy you really want playing every night. They are really lacking in forward depth right now after the top 10 guys.

Think that's something that went fairly unremarked when we traded Pearson for Gudbranson. Yes, a dman made sense, but our forward depth wasn't all that either even before he went.

I presume it would be Blandisi up next as he has the most NHL experience down there by far (other than Jimmy Hayes) and is the leading scorer, but its not ideal.

 

[Beau Knows]

Always happy to see a Torts teams losing. If they miss the playoffs he's gone for sure. I'm sure he'll get another job somewhere else but he's a mediocre coach at best imo. One of those coaches with a short shelf life.

 

[ETA]

Always happy to see a Torts teams losing. If they miss the playoffs he's gone for sure. I'm sure he'll get another job somewhere else but he's a mediocre coach at best imo. One of those coaches with a short shelf life.

I’d be ok with Torts if he didn’t keep treating reporters like sh*t and generally acting like an a$$ towards others (like Kessel). I have zero tolerance for that. From what I’ve heard he’s supposedly a more than decent person in “real life”...

 

[Beau Knows]

I’d be ok with Torts if he didn’t keep treating reporters like sh*t and generally acting like an a$$ towards others (like Kessel). I have zero tolerance for that. From what I’ve heard he’s supposedly a more than decent person in “real life”...

Exactly, during games I get it, there's no need for much decorum then. In a game - even if you're the coach - tempers and emotion run high, outbursts there are understandable. But pregame and postgame he's still just such an asshole.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Where are there a lot of Russians or whatever he wants? East coast maybe, NY? Florida? West coast is the opposite of russian, but its warm on the south pacific coast.

Russia

 

[AquaticBirdman]

3-0-1 with Gud in the lineup.

 

[molon labe]

This gif always gets me. What the heck was daley doing??

He got checked behind the play. Interference - but just another sly move by those mistreated Predators whom the refs clearly didn't like...

 

[vikingGoalie]

Murray was huge tonight. Pretty much all the trades JR did looked pretty darn good. The florida boys, we got those for pouty Brassard and listless Sheehan, really? talk about robbery. JJ since switching sides has been solid. Guds is a great return for Pearson by the look so far.

We get beast mode malkin back at some point and we can go far in the playoffs.

That said, while we did play a great playoff game. How much of our domination was because the mix of all the shiny toys they got in isn't right or hasn't had time to gel yet? On paper the jackets are loaded now and we pretty much clowned them.

 

[SouthGeorge]

Could you imagine Pittsburgh media if we won a Super Bowl with out Ben, AB, or Bell? Then went 4-0-1 in regular season at some point. They already did it with Bell.. Record with and without. I'd be really interested to see that stat for this scenario. Where is the consistency.

 

[BrokenStick]

Super solid game.

I continue to believe that the Pens don't care at all about Corsi, but are mainly focused on High Danger Scoring Chances.

76% HDSC in that game. (73% at 5v5) That is domination. Kept Columbus to the perimeter all game.

In the 3rd, Columbus had one HDSC, which was on their power play.

One.

If you give up less major scoring chances than you lead by, you're going to win.

 

[Peat]

Super solid game.

I continue to believe that the Pens don't care at all about Corsi, but are mainly focused on High Danger Scoring Chances.

76% HDSC in that game. (73% at 5v5) That is domination. Kept Columbus to the perimeter all game.

In the 3rd, Columbus had one HDSC, which was on their power play.

One.

If you give up less major scoring chances than you lead by, you're going to win.

Iirc, the team has its own internal grading for scoring chances, but I absolutely agree they're more concerned about great chances rather than Corsi or shots.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I got last minute tickets to this game for only $25 and they actually ended up being in the Captain Morgan club, what a treat!!

I was really excited to see Panarin and Duchene play, as I've never seen them play live before. I was really disappointed that I didn't get to see them...

I mean, they played, but both guys were just invisible all night...

 

[pensfan71]

So JJ and Guds were good then? Glad I'm being proven wrong

 

[treeni12]

Duchene isn't game changer. He's lot like Kessel

 

[Fordy]

Just curious... Why do you get pleasure seeing those moves blow up. I want my team to do good but I get no joy out of the Ottawa situation.

personally, it’s because i dislike them and want them to suffer

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I'm getting frustrated with Geno turning pucks over at the blue line. Stars are going to turn the puck over, that's a given, but he needs to crack down on that. It's been going on for too long and I'm worried he doesn't feel it's a problem. It's March, suck it up and dump the puck when you have to.

 

[Empoleon8771]

So JJ and Guds were good then? Glad I'm being proven wrong

I think Johnson has been legitimately solid recently, but I think Gudbranson is only good if you're comparing him relative to expectations. I think he has been fine here, but I'd struggle saying his play has been any more than fine. He's just been way better than the **** Canucks fans advertised.

 

[Anita L]

So JJ and Guds were good then? Glad I'm being proven wrong

Yes- proving you all rush to judgement people wrong I knew all along they would be a good fit given time to adjust to the system we need more grit

 

[Peat]

I'm getting frustrated with Geno turning pucks over at the blue line. Stars are going to turn the puck over, that's a given, but he needs to crack down on that. It's been going on for too long and I'm worried he doesn't feel it's a problem. It's March, suck it up and dump the puck when you have to.

He probably should dump the puck more - or just keep skating with it towards the net when he doesn't have support - but having more support when he gets over the line would help. To me that's the big one.

 

[EightyOne]

I just wanna say that back in feb I said JJ would turn some heads for the better now that he’s on his natural side with Schultz. That optimistic post of the day back then is making me smile quite a bit meow. Keep it up JJ.

Be brutally honest...did you ACTUALLY believe that, or did you WANT to believe that?

Yes- proving you all rush to judgement people wrong I knew all along they would be a good fit given time to adjust to the system we need more grit

Can you describe the system the Pens have that you knew they'd fit?

 

[Shady Machine]

It's like Wilkes-Barre had an NHL team. Who the **** in their right mind would want to live there?

Is this real? Columbus is one of the fastest growing cities in the midwest. It's nothing like Scranton PA.

 

[MartinS82]

Do we want that though???

If Torts does get fired, do you think he would take a job as an assistant coach? Does he have any friends that are head coaches in the league that might bring him on?

HF Pens would explode.

 

[Icarium]

Yes- proving you all rush to judgement people wrong I knew all along they would be a good fit given time to adjust to the system we need more grit

Grit? We are playing smarter hockey than before, that's the difference. Gudbranson in particular isn't really showing mcuh grit for a guy of his size. But the forwards helping out a lot more than before and playing with a lead most of the time makes a lot of difference. JJ has improved, yes, and I give him credit for that, but even Letang and Dumo often looked like clowns when abandoned by the forwards mere weeks ago. If the forwards start slacking again, watch out.

 

[MartinS82]

**** Werenski for taking that shot at Jake. Great game. Wolf shirts will continue. Trotman should sit next game

What's the story with the Wolf Shirt? I only know it as an Amazon meme, not the context with the Pens. I actually own one too, it was a gift. As advertised.

 

[Extra Texture]

Drop the hammer on them on Saturday to make it a sweep.

If we take that one from them, they've got still got to play Boston thrice, NYI twice, Carolina, Nashville and Montreal. If they get swept by us, it will be really difficult for CBJ to change their momentum with their backs against the wall.

Crush them, put them down, and toast with a cocktail made of Tortsie's turtlenecked tears.

Duchene isn't game changer. He's lot like Kessel

That was the knock on Kessel before he got here, but its more accurate to say that he cant do it by himself. When he got here, he proved that without the mantle of leadership he could definitely be a game changer on his own (or with the right support) but we just havent seen it lately.

Duchene, I agree, is cut from the same cloth. If he got here, this is a franchise owned by Sid, Geno and Letang where they are the faces and the buck stops with them. Plus Horny with a little Swedish screaming. I think if he was here Duchene would be capable of doing what he is capable of doing: putting up a lot of points and acting as a good foil with our star players. No more than that would be needed, and I think with the pressure off him he would be tremendous. I know its a pipe dream, but i would love to see him here and what he could do.