Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Pens vs. Rangers SLOP FEST!!!

[Malkin4Top6Wingerz]

+ Bylsma once again outcoached the guy who a good majority of posters on here would kill to have behind our bench.

 

[#66]

+ Despres... Looking very active but also staying pretty safe. I've always had a problem with him forcing plays. He's looked like he's curbed that.

+ Adams... For all the garbage he gets on these boards, the guy goes out and plays a hard 5-8 mins a game and is very good on the PK.

+ Sid... I thought this was his best :60 min game of the year. He plays so much better when he's got that chip on his shoulder and battling.

+ Very little side to side movement by Vokoun. He was able to focus on pucks, make saves and make things look easy. I'm hoping MAF can get the same kind of support in front of him.

+ The new PP set up looked a lot better. Crossing the blue line is still a problem but the actual set up and movement looked great.

+ Happy to see the Pens expose The Queen from a bad angle. His side to side movement is flawed. Mario would have eaten him alive.

- What a snoozfest!!!

- The Pens played better but still kind of meh. The stretch pass just works against the Rangers. It doesn't let them get set up in the Pens zone and doesn't let them get over aggressive. They seem to have no answer for it for 2 years now.

- I'm not sure whats going on with Letang but he seems really nervous right now.

- I don't think Sutter is playing overly bad but jesus kid show some bite.

 

[bradshaw06]

Like Norm Macdonald reviewing gay porn, my reaction to those lines is interested ....interested ... Very interested .... Then Tyler Kennedy gets a cameo.

Great avatar. I named my fantasy team that.

 

[KIRK]

*****ing about the stretch pass for the sake if it is simply that. For the sake of it.

There really wasn't much of it tonight.

There's also love for the sake of love. Despres was good, but made a few glaring mistakes, one in particular that almost led to a goal behind the net. He's not fast enough or strong enough yet to fend guys off beside him while he's carrying the puck.

And there's going to be line "juggling" when half the game is played on special teams.

And don't complain about lack of offensive creativity while in the same breath, openly acknowledging that we have zero talent on the wing save for Neal.

1. If you were pleased by that effort, then I'll take a double of whatever you're drinking. It was a baby step at best, but it's not as if you go from bottom (or near bottom) to the top in one game. Only question for me is if we're talking further progress moving forward or if this was an uptick in a downward trend line.

2. I recognize Despres for exactly what he is. He's a guy who, if you give him the shot now, might be able to help you in April in a way that Engo or Lovejoy never could

 

[Darth Vitale]

Ouch. Harsh, but true.

BTW, ditto on Joe and Sam. One of the best tandems in hockey.

For sure... they can't help but be a little biased but in terms of quality of play calling and letting the game be watched at points without non-stop blathering, most NHL announcers could stand to take a lesson from them. Not just Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumberer. It is my theory that some of yinz just have a fatal weakness for schmaltzy, corn-ball commentary... however the rest of us do share this vice. We like talented announcing crews.

 

[MrBurghundy]

+ Despres... Looking very active but also staying pretty safe. I've always had a problem with him forcing plays. He's looked like he's curbed that.

I just think that Despres has been told to simplify his game while with the big club. He tried to deviate tonight a little bit which got him into trouble a few times, but he made up for it with his skill level.

 

[eXile59]

Sids playing with two aging two way wingers. He's not getting a lot of space out there.

 

[MtlPenFan]

+ Bylsma once again outcoached the guy who a good majority of posters on here would kill to have behind our bench.

Torts is a better coach than Lavs, but DB is a better coach than Torts.

Quick who's faster: Superman or the Flash!?!?!?

 

[WayneSid9987]

I'm not buying that. The Sens were way off in their offensive game (even Karlsson looked pedestrian). And, tonight, the Rangers were matching us passionless shift for passionless shift. Those two defensive efforts are what you'd seen from a one and done playoff caliber team, nothing more.

Well it was 2 hockey games where our goalie never seen alot of second chances. I will give you that the opposing offences didn't show up but the Pens D-efforts in zone were good. It's obviously a work in progress and the turnovers are a concern but were still only 7 games in.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

- Anyone still want to trade Despres?

I thought he did a hell of a job using his body. He is rubbing guys out and being physical... I love seeing him understand how to use that big frame. Perfect example was the first goal when he turned it over, then as the play came behind the net he rubbed out the forechecker and moved the puck up the boards. Ten seconds later he makes a sweet keep at the blue line and dishes to Malkin for the goal.

Early in the third he had an easy outlet and held the puck and turned deeper into his zone and gave the Rags a beautiful look on net.

You just have to take the good with the bad with Despres and as he gets more experience he will lose some of that wildness.

- I thought Bort looked nervous. He was over committing on his board play and missed a few assignments. He got caught in transition and knocked down by Boyle at the blueline, which lead to a good chance for the Rags.

He was definitely nervous, but he had to get those nerves out some time.

At least he didn't have any huge mistakes.

 

[gopens66]

+ Vokoun-- Start him the next couple games and see what happens to Fleury
+Martin- Orpik- Despres

=Letang-England-Bortuzzo

-flat....flat.....flat

-still no fight....no desire

-every team we play getting away with hitting us in the numbers
Am I the only one who feels this way?

 

[KIRK]

+ Despres... Looking very active but also staying pretty safe. I've always had a problem with him forcing plays. He's looked like he's curbed that.

+ Adams... For all the garbage he gets on these boards, the guy goes out and plays a hard 5-8 mins a game and is very good on the PK.

+ Sid... I thought this was his best :60 min game of the year. He plays so much better when he's got that chip on his shoulder and battling.

+ Very little side to side movement by Vokoun. He was able to focus on pucks, make saves and make things look easy. I'm hoping MAF can get the same kind of support in front of him.

+ The new PP set up looked a lot better. Crossing the blue line is still a problem but the actual set up and movement looked great.

+ Happy to see the Pens expose The Queen from a bad angle. His side to side movement is flawed. Mario would have eaten him alive.

- What a snoozfest!!!

- The Pens played better but still kind of meh. The stretch pass just works against the Rangers. It doesn't let them get set up in the Pens zone and doesn't let them get over aggressive. They seem to have no answer for it for 2 years now.

- I'm not sure whats going on with Letang but he seems really nervous right now.

- I don't think Sutter is playing overly bad but jesus kid show some bite.

That's a pretty sad indictment of Sid's play in the first six games, because he wasn't good tonight. He needs some help.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Hell of a game by Tommy V.

Sadly as I said to my fiancee, Vokoun won't be rewarded for his effort tonight. You watch, Bylsma will start MAF on Saturday.

You heard it here first unfortunately...

 

[Malkin4Top6Wingerz]

I hadn't thought about it until now, but I suppose that if we have to switch goalies in a playoff series, the difference in their style could make it tough for an opponent. Like facing a knuckleballer one day and a fireballer the next

I don't think teams really adjust their strategies much when it comes to the goalies they face. Something that works well against one goalie tends to work against all of them. The exception would be in the case of really bad goalies with glaring weaknesses.

 

[wtbipyo]

Sids playing with two aging two way wingers. He's not getting a lot of space out there.

Duper is doing his thing, and decently well. Kunitz deserves to be benched if we had any viable option to replace him.

 

[mpp9]

+ Bylsma once again outcoached the guy who a good majority of posters on here would kill to have behind our bench.

Lol. Doubt too many on here want Torts coaching. But go on.

 

[KIRK]

- Anyone still want to trade Despres?

I thought he did a hell of a job using his body. He is rubbing guys out and being physical... I love seeing him understand how to use that big frame. Perfect example was the first goal when he turned it over, then as the play came behind the net he rubbed out the forechecker and moved the puck up the boards. Ten seconds later he makes a sweet keep at the blue line and dishes to Malkin for the goal.

Early in the third he had an easy outlet and held the puck and turned deeper into his zone and gave the Rags a beautiful look on net.

You just have to take the good with the bad with Despres and as he gets more experience he will lose some of that wildness.

- I thought Bort looked nervous. He was over committing on his board play and missed a few assignments. He got caught in transition and knocked down by Boyle at the blueline, which lead to a good chance for the Rags.

He was definitely nervous, but he had to get those nerves out some time.

At least he didn't have any huge mistakes.

Jiggy, how many players on the Pens could make that perfectly paced and perfectly placed pass for a one-timer to Geno as consistently as Despres?

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

+ Bylsma once again outcoached the guy who a good majority of posters on here would kill to have behind our bench.

I dunno. I don't think Bylsma can outcoach anybody.

If it ever looks that way, the other team must've just had a bad night.

Now that's sarcasm.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Sids playing with two aging two way wingers. He's not getting a lot of space out there.

This is becoming very evident. Sid dishes and Dupuis and Kunitz stifle the offensive threat by either icing it, turning it over or dumping the puck in where theres zero forecheck.

If that line stays intact, i just pray they get better.

 

[MtlPenFan]

1. If you were pleased by that effort, then I'll take a double of whatever you're drinking. It was a baby step at best, but it's not as if you go from bottom (or near bottom) to the top in one game. Only question for me is if we're talking further progress moving forward or if this was an uptick in a downward trend line.

2. I recognize Despres for exactly what he is. He's a guy who, if you give him the shot now, might be able to help you in April in a way that Engo or Lovejoy never could

Despres has to learn his limitations and remember that he's not playing against Junior players or AHL'ers. Like I said in the GDT, there's definite raw talent there, but you're not just going to play him 20 minutes a night yet either. Let's also remember why he was in position for a breakaway to begin with.

I wasn't excited about it, because you know my stance on our support staff on wing, but let's not look for things that weren't there either.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

+ Bylsma once again outcoached the guy who a good majority of posters on here would kill to have behind our bench.

Tonight he I'd a great job and wasn't scared to mix things up and mix the lines at times

 

[MrBurghundy]

Sids playing with two aging two way wingers. He's not getting a lot of space out there.

Which is why I'd like to see things changed up a bit next game. Neal hasn't been very good 5v5 the past few games, and Kunitz sucks like something fierce.

Boychuk - Crosby - Neal
Kunitz - Malkin - Jeffrey

Certainly not ideal lines, but it may jump start both Neal and Kunitz a bit, while auditioning two youngsters on the other wings. Jeffrey looked pretty good working give and go's with Malkin which is how Malkin loves to play, and I'd like to see Crosby get first dibs for once in trying out a new winger. You can move Dupuis down to the 3rd line and Kennedy to the 4th, then sit Adams.

 

[eXile59]

+ Despres... Looking very active but also staying pretty safe. I've always had a problem with him forcing plays. He's looked like he's curbed that.

+ Adams... For all the garbage he gets on these boards, the guy goes out and plays a hard 5-8 mins a game and is very good on the PK.

+ Sid... I thought this was his best :60 min game of the year. He plays so much better when he's got that chip on his shoulder and battling.

+ Very little side to side movement by Vokoun. He was able to focus on pucks, make saves and make things look easy. I'm hoping MAF can get the same kind of support in front of him.

+ The new PP set up looked a lot better. Crossing the blue line is still a problem but the actual set up and movement looked great.

+ Happy to see the Pens expose The Queen from a bad angle. His side to side movement is flawed. Mario would have eaten him alive.

- What a snoozfest!!!

- The Pens played better but still kind of meh. The stretch pass just works against the Rangers. It doesn't let them get set up in the Pens zone and doesn't let them get over aggressive. They seem to have no answer for it for 2 years now.

- I'm not sure whats going on with Letang but he seems really nervous right now.

- I don't think Sutter is playing overly bad but jesus kid show some bite.

Did you miss the two horrible turnovers in his own zone? He still has a lot of room to grow with his decision making.

Talent wise the way he can skate up to a guy & just shrug him off & then move it up ice is something you're not going to get in a lot of players. If he can cut out those bone headed plays he is going to be a heck of an all around player.

 

[mpp9]

Sids playing with two aging two way wingers. He's not getting a lot of space out there.

Yep. Kunitz is just garbage and Dupuis, despite his speed and puck hawk ability, isn't someone you want as a primary linemate.

The sooner we get him a linemate the better.

 

[KIRK]

For sure... they can't help but be a little biased but in terms of quality of play calling and letting the game be watched at points without non-stop blathering, most NHL announcers could stand to take a lesson from them. Not just Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumberer. It is my theory that some of yinz just have a fatal weakness for schmaltzy, corn-ball commentary... however the rest of us do share this vice. We like talented announcing crews.

They'll have the local bias, but they're a tandem that appreciates and becomes passionate when they see good hockey. Which is to say that they did an infinitely better than usual job to make the game seem remotely interesting.