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

[ColePens]

@Jaded-Fan - that has to pretty much guarantee us a spot, eh?

 

[ncm7772]

Bring in DeSMYTHE for the last 5 of the 3rd. I'm serious.

And again - I love Murray. I've spent a fall fortune on his cards (super nerd, bro), but I can call q spade a spade.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Big win. Especially with the Canes and Isles both losing. That ties us with the Isles (they have 1 more game to play) with a 4 point cushion over the Canes, right?

 

[Trade]

++++Murray, not the goal to let up to shut the naysayers up, but he’s literally the main reason we won the game

+Dumo and Tanger were great, Letang overpassed a couple good looks later in the game but at least he was in position



-Kessel in the shootout is god awful. Literally just skated down and tries to rip one. At least so one move or give off some sort of deceptive body movement.

 

[TeeTee]

I am still waiting for Gudbranson to be terrible. I have yet to see it. A very pleasant surprise.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

just beat the best team in the west without malkin, but all i see is doom and gloom

I’m not so sure about that.

 

[OnMyOwn]

Is that 4 goals in 4 games now? The offense seriously needs to pick it up.

I’m starting to doubt Sid hits 100 at this point. I thought it was guaranteed a week ago.

 

[Beauner]

Bring in DeSMYTHE for the last 5 of the 3rd. I'm serious.

That's a yikes from me dawg.


Maybe just bring Flurry back

 

[KIRK]

@ColePens, the PP needs a full makeover in terms of the design. I truly think this goes beyond an execution/effort issue.

The breakout is stale.

They don't know how to set things up so a guy has the option to dump where a guy on the other side of the ice actually is coming with speed to chase.

They don't move in the offensive zone.

They don't create isolated 2 on 1's in high danger areas.

They don't support.

End of the day, the Pens PP is like checkers. Straight forward. Predictable. Trying to beat you through superior talent and a guy making a great 1 on 1 or 1 on 2 play.

What the Pens PP should be designed to remind me of is chess, where the Pens are using pieces to attack in combination.

 

[PensandCaps]

There are a ton of people, such as RG, that are saying Murray sucks.

I just dont get bashing murray AT ALL, He's been the best player on the team and the only reason they even got a point in the last three games.

i dont get why people care WHEN a goal is scored, should he have let them score in the 2nd? i only care how many, not when.

 

[Tender Rip]

Same old same old.... but VERY different!

We play good team defence right now, and we get strong goal tending. That’s a good basis, if we get a functional Geno back.

The shell of Phil however... I have no solutions for that one other than naked, seemingly misplaced hope.

Basically the best I can think of is that he gets some PP time and is otherwise used like Miro Satan in 2009.

 

[Pens x]

+ Isles lose again

+ MM in the shootout and the first 57 mins

- MM shit goal

- we gotta somehow get Horny and Kessel going offensively.

 

[Pancakes]

I mean it is an ongoing trend. Yet another 1 goal lead that we cannot hold on to. It's the demon they keep facing. It's the demon they keep losing to. It's the only topic that should be discussed over and over and over again by the Penguins. I thought they, once again, played tremendous hockey. They really owned the play. But if you cannot finish the game, you won't end up with the ultimate prize. One game given up in a playoff series is all you need to lose a series.

Sid's line and Bjug line were terrific. Dumo/Letang/JJ were incredible. I thought the team played great hockey. Muz was a beast. Rust was a beast. I have nothing but positives and yet here we are again. Same situation and same result. There is a very fine line between good and great. The Pens are good. They aren't great because they cannot lock it down when it matters the most.

The obvious issues are final minutes and the powerplay. The powerplay cannot get us that next one. We just needed to finish the game strong. That is all. Trust me - we will lose a playoff series if we cannot figure it out.

I mean ok, but the last second goal tonight is 100% on Murray. Make the damned save Matt. That's a bad angle shot that should never go in. In my opinion two out of the past three blown leads are on Murray. The goal against Carolina was one where he gave up a real crappy rebound because he couldn't glove it clean. The goal tonight was a bad angle goal.

The blown lead vs Philly was on Sid. That wasn't Murray's fault. But the last two IMO were.

Now keep in mind I am NOT saying Murray is playing badly. He isn't. He's actually been pretty damned good. But he is letting in bad goals late in games right now and it's unfortunate and hopefully he can clamp down on that.

 

[vodeni]

I was happy all game long...totally controlled the game, Preds are one line team their offense suck, their d-man driving the play but our forwards were ready for that for the most part...
most of the guys witha good game...
one thing I have to bring up after this game...I was shocked with the narrative by PGH media that the trade was for McCann and Bjugs was throw in...he is a player, works great with Horny, and Simon, pucks will start getting in at some point, he could potentally be help for Kessel, he takes so much space and carry d-man on his back, Kessel could have more room there

I hated McCann tonight and that line was just bad, we don't have fourth line any more until Geno and Zar come back

 

[ncm7772]

If CBJ could go ahead and blow it against Edmonton I'd feel a lot better.

Yep yep.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

There are a ton of people, such as RG, that are saying Murray sucks.

Well we know what his deal is

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

+ Team Defense

Glad they finally got 2 points

 

[WayneSid9987]

They used to be horrible defensively like a month ago too.

Yea. looking at the bigger picture here atm and they've cleaned up alot in their own zone.
Murr just needs goal support and with 58/4 back they aren't in that turtle mode anymore and can press offensively/more shots/more high danger shots.
Just need more conversions on these chances.

Oh and scrap the PP and start over.

 

[Tom Hanks]

L3 the shutdown line again. 9 scoring chances for (6 HD) 1 scoring chance against (0HD). If they get some more finish lookout.

 

[PensandCaps]

Bring in DeSMYTHE for the last 5 of the 3rd. I'm serious.

And again - I love Murray. I've spent a fall fortune on his cards (super nerd, bro), but I can call q spade a spade.

yah bring in a cold goale based off a false pretense that murray cant close games lmaoo or how about this....its just hockey and its a thin line between a lucky and an unlucky bounce/break

 

[Jaded-Fan]

@Jaded-Fan - that has to pretty much guarantee us a spot, eh?

Well the Pens were at 95 percent chance of making the playoffs going into tonight. One fewer games, and gaining on most. Though Montreal is all that matters to simply make it.

In short no, but basically yes.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Is that 4 goals in 4 games now? The offense seriously needs to pick it up.

I’m starting to doubt Sid hits 100 at this point. I thought it was guaranteed a week ago.

I think so, yeah. And 13 in the 3 before that. Need to get going again.

Maybe Geno is kind of important?

 

[ncm7772]

That's a yikes from me dawg.


Maybe just bring Flurry back

Please no. Urban Dictionary has a pic of him smiling under the term "headcase".

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

There are a ton of people, such as RG, that are saying Murray sucks.

Saying he lets in terrible goals late in games is not saying he sucks, it's just stating a fact.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

One bad thing. The Pens are playing a lot of overtime. Exhausting your players just before the playoffs, not to mention risking injury, is not a cup winning recipe.