Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus Minus: Pens vs. Preds - Face to face with the demons and the demons win again

[madinsomniac]

I don't disagree but then the people on this board who claim Simon is trying to game CORSI by shooting when it's available need to stop.

Lol yeah I think he is one of like four guys who listens to the staff then gets fried for it here... I mean im not saying that I like it when he is on the top line, but he isn’t bad... on a cap team you always have some Simons or ZARs that get overplayed a bit and dumped on from fans because of it...

 

[Gurglesons]

Who called it?

Must be a bad interview. Or doesn’t play buddy buddy with Yohe.

 

[Gurglesons]

A lot must have happened with Schultz last game. I've been very happy with his performance since his return after being injured for over half the season.

Nah dooooood. The historically bad JJ has no effect on him.

 

[Fenrir009]

A big two points but this team really needs to improve in the scoring department and work on actually being able to hold the lead when they have it late in the game.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Nah dooooood. The historically bad JJ has no effect on him.

In spite of all my reservations and a lot of injuries, the blueline seems to be holding up pretty well.

 

[Old Gregg]

And you are completely ignoring the context of the shot where there was a wide-open player for a one-timer at the faceoff circle. Goalies can't be statues in a dynamic environment. If he stays 100% completely glued to the post a one-timer (easily) beats him far side. Add to that, the announcers (like you) are greatly exaggerating how much he moved/flinched on the shot.

He moved his glove 3-4 inches off the post which created an opening. That's the only part of his body that moved during the shot so I am not sure how that would've helped him make a save far side if there was a one timer from the faceoff dot. It was a bad goal to give up. Had his glove stayed tight to the post the puck would have dropped down and he covers it.

 

[XanderCrews34]

A big two points but this team really needs to improve in the scoring department and work on actually being able to hold the lead when they have it late in the game.

It would help if some of these ridiculous goalie performances happened a little less frequently.

 

[Gurglesons]

In spite of all my reservations and a lot of injuries, the blueline seems to be holding up pretty well.

I just think it is funny someone is trying to bury Schultz while saying nobody can acknowledge his flaws.

They’re using Schultz in a lot more defensive positions compared to JJ. Go look at the numbers away from each other since March 1st. Honestly, I don’t know why we are arguing it. Empo has had an agenda with JJ before the signing even happened.

 

[ncm7772]

Then it shouldn't be difficult to state what Murray should have done differently, right? Because almost every goalie in the league would have used the same positional technique as Murray on that shot. So simply state what he should have done differently keeping in mind that he has no control over the spin of the puck and how the puck bounces off of his body/equipment.

I believe he needs to hug the post tighter and honor the shooter moreso.

 

[ncm7772]

It’s hard to believe that people can’t see the difference between Murray playing great, getting minimal goal support then letting in a goal late and MAF actively killing this team’s chance at a victory with AHL quality goaltending.

But then again MAF is like some sort Yinzer Jesus so I guess it’s not that hard to believe.

Also **** Yohe. Go sell ice cream with Rossi.

"Yinzer Jesus", I like it! And its true.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

You can't expect them to do it every night to such a degree. It isn't long term tenable to rely on a ~.95 save percentage just to get you to Overtime. It isn't long term tenable to rely on two players to score 40% of your goals. Or to rely on the Power Play to go goal a game. Because sooner or later they will slip and you'll start getting losses.

Murray’s gonna need to play about .930 hockey to win a Cup. Its just the way she goes.

Sid and Geno are gonna have to be animals to go deep. The power play can’t play like this, so it does have to be relied upon to some degree yeah. Idk how else you’d make a deep playoff run?

And yet it ended 1-1 with Murray having to make a lot of saves, some of them very smart, so that wasn't good enough.

The point has gone totally unpressured at vital moments. The exits are mostly slow, allowing the opposition time to rally and take away grade A opportunities. It beats failing to exit at all but it shouldn't be happening in a unit considered beyond improvement.

Blaming the D in a game where they let up 1 goal on the road to a very good team makes no sense to me. It definitely was good enough. That was a solid defensive performance all around. They are going to give up shots and chances.

 

[Ryder71]

Bjugstad looked like prime Staal over there. Pretty cool to see and perfect 3rd line center

If you look at possession and territorial play that line is doing a great job. But they need to produce a bit more. They need to convert on the chances they are garnering in the O zone. Cause to their credit they are generating a ton.

 

[td_ice]

I think one of the NHL.com writers said it best...."the Penguins are not a top 5 team, but they are capable of playing at a top 5 level."

I know we aren't Cup favorites, but I wouldn't rule us out either.

 

[tread102]

I think one of the NHL.com writers said it best...."the Penguins are not a top 5 team, but they are capable of playing at a top 5 level."

I know we aren't Cup favorites, but I wouldn't rule us out either.

We weren’t favorites in 09, 16, or 17

 

[Beauner]

If you look at possession and territorial play that line is doing a great job. But they need to produce a bit more. They need to convert on the chances they are garnering in the O zone. Cause to their credit they are generating a ton.

They had 3 riduculous opportunities with about 3 minutes left. I think Horny had 2 and Bjug had the other. Right in the slot. They're playing great but NEED to start burying their chances. Especially that late in the game.

 

[Peat]

Murray’s gonna need to play about .930 hockey to win a Cup. Its just the way she goes.

Sid and Geno are gonna have to be animals to go deep. The power play can’t play like this, so it does have to be relied upon to some degree yeah. Idk how else you’d make a deep playoff run?

You make a deep playoff run by having a good goaltender, on form stars, decent special teams *and* depth scoring. If you try to leave out the last part, you will lose. That is my point. And we currently have the depth scoring of a tiny little water spill on your desk.

Also, .930 =/= .950. One is a semi-realistic expectation, the other is asking for a Conn Smythe performance.

Blaming the D in a game where they let up 1 goal on the road to a very good team makes no sense to me. It definitely was good enough. That was a solid defensive performance all around. They are going to give up shots and chances.

And it makes no sense to me to absolve the D of blame in a game where we only score 1 goal. We are lucky that Murray is in moose mode or we lose that.

 

[td_ice]

We weren’t favorites in 09, 16, or 17

Exactly.

 

[treeni12]

If you look at possession and territorial play that line is doing a great job. But they need to produce a bit more. They need to convert on the chances they are garnering in the O zone. Cause to their credit they are generating a ton.

the thing is if players like Bjugstad and Hornqvist had better scoring ability they would be making 10$M/Year and wouldn't be in Pens 3rd line. They are great defensively and monster possession line perfect for PO's.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

You make a deep playoff run by having a good goaltender, on form stars, decent special teams *and* depth scoring. If you try to leave out the last part, you will lose. That is my point. And we currently have the depth scoring of a tiny little water spill on your desk.

Also, .930 =/= .950. One is a semi-realistic expectation, the other is asking for a Conn Smythe performance.

And it makes no sense to me to absolve the D of blame in a game where we only score 1 goal. We are lucky that Murray is in moose mode or we lose that.

You brought up .950, not me. I set ~.930 as a place where Muzz needs to about be. It’s hard but true.

I’m not saying we don’t need depth scoring.

If we score 1 goal- that’s on the offense. Allowing 1 goal- that’s a good defensive performance.

 

[ChaosAgent]

We weren’t favorites in 09, 16, or 17

I think in 2016 that was mostly just based on our seeding. Based on our quality of play from February onwards that year, I would have been surprised if we didn't win. We were that good.

 

[Empoleon8771]

A lot must have happened with Schultz last game. I've been very happy with his performance since his return after being injured for over half the season.

He came back really strong, but he has been really struggling offensively in the last 10 or so games. He's a prime suspect for why the team has started to struggle with scoring recently, he's right up there with Kessel and Hornqvist in that. For being an OFD, his production after his hot start has been unacceptable, especially when you consider Letang was out for a lot of the games he was struggling offensively.

 

[Turin]

I remember the overwhelming amount of people picking the Sharks in 16 while I and essentially 100% of Pens fans knew they were going to beat them.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

We weren’t favorites in 09, 16, or 17

True, I remember reading sports pages that polled writers during 16 and 17 playoffs and we were predicted to lose in both first and second round match ups each year by a majority of those surveyed.

 

[Icarium]

He came back really strong, but he has been really struggling offensively in the last 10 or so games. He's a prime suspect for why the team has started to struggle with scoring recently,

Schultz is to blame for the forwards missing at least a dozen grade A chances per game? Seriously?

 

[Empoleon8771]

Schultz is to blame for the forwards missing at least a dozen grade A chances per game? Seriously?

You literally edited out me saying "he's right up there with Kessel and Hornqvist" to try and argue I blamed Schultz entirely.

If a team is struggling to score, I'm going to blame the offensive players who aren't scoring. Schultz is an OFD who isn't scoring. Schultz completely deserves at least some blame for the team struggling to score right now, because he is paid as much as he is because he's supposed to be producing points.