Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Pens vs. Rangers - What happened to the Rangers?

[Allie Kitsune]

++ To whomever comes up with gifs of Mario and Tie Domi laughing and smiling after Sid's little fight.

Still hoping to see one of Hank raising his head to the sky after Kunitz's second.

 

[KIRK]

Where are they gonna be?

Gladams will be starting.

Guys like Sill and Gibbons will be elsewhere.

And, I'd be stunned if we see more than one of Maatta, Despres, and Bortz starting in the playoffs.

 

[Michael8771*]

+ the Hawks also scored 5 goals tonight, but Kane didn't score a single point

I checked the box score, it said on TSN he had one assist.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Good game by the Pens, bad game by the Rangers...not much to say beyond that.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Save those first what, 2, 3, maybe 4 games with Niskanen, he just has not looked good paired with Nisky. Not blaming Nisky actually, and maybe that's a coincidence. BUT, two things I'm noticing . . . he's looking to jump into the rush a lot more than he did, and he's showing zero patience a lot of the time with outlet passes. I'm sure it's a bump in the road, but it's not like this 'regression' has been only one or two games. He needs to keep it simple and smart.

I'm wondering if the young D aren't feeling the need to chip in more offensively with all of these damn injuries, and it's messing them up.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Save those first what, 2, 3, maybe 4 games with Niskanen, he just has not looked good paired with Nisky. Not blaming Nisky actually, and maybe that's a coincidence. BUT, two things I'm noticing . . . he's looking to jump into the rush a lot more than he did, and he's showing zero patience a lot of the time with outlet passes. I'm sure it's a bump in the road, but it's not like this 'regression' has been only one or two games. He needs to keep it simple and smart.

He's getting pressured a lot harder than he was earlier in the season. It seems like the book is out on him now and its up to him to adjust.

 

[madinsomniac]

+ Juicy getting all good and stuff
+ Kunitz making an Olympic push
+ Sid being sid
+ Engellend, a minus 2 in garbage time, but still more effective at wing than you would think
+ Despres increasing trade value
+ Linematching... I mean line...matching... REALLY? Dan bylsma... gets a plus

- Maatta looks a lttle flustered... not worried, in fact if they cycle him out with a guy like Bort Id be happy... got to keep em fresh

 

[Ogrezilla]

I'm wondering if the young D aren't feeling the need to chip in more offensively with all of these damn injuries, and it's messing them up.

except Bort and Despres just played excellent games

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I checked the box score, it said on TSN he had one assist.

Ah crap, missed that.

 

[KIRK]

It was Pyatt's first game. I will give him some games to adjust, before I put him in the same category as Gladams.

I don't know. There was zero spark there. From a guy who 72 hours ago was convinced he had a one way ticket to Binghamton, I don't think it's unreasonable to have expected something, anything to suggest even a modicum of appreciation that he's still in the NHL.

 

[Waffle Fries]

+ Sidney Crosby. That goal was just insane.
+ Simon Despres
+ Jussi J./Gibbons
+ Kunitz/Neal
+ Vitale/Sill/Engelland
+ Defense and Fleury overall

I didn't think Pyatt was too bad. He didn't make any noticeable errors and he used his size to protect the puck.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

except Bort and Despres just played excellent games

Because they've gone back to what they were doing before? It's mainly Maatta I'm thinking about.

 

[Michael8771*]

except Bort and Despres just played excellent games

I thought both played well the first two periods, Despres in particular. but to be honest the third period was a bit shaky.

 

[Al Smith]

- Beating the Rangers but not getting to see Torts steam during and after the game.

 

[ImporterExporter]

+ Sidney Crosby. That goal was just insane.
+ Simon Despres
+ Jussi J./Gibbons
+ Kunitz/Neal
+ Vitale/Sill/Engelland
+ Defense and Fleury overall

I didn't think Pyatt was too bad. He didn't make any noticeable errors and he used his size to protect the puck.

This. He at least looked hungry whereas Adams and Glass are just "there".

 

[WayneSid9987]

The only real problem i had with tonights game was starting Engelland on D for every PK.

Ok, let's say you do it once cuz he was PK'ing well in the games before but on the first PK, he failed to clear the puck once and got burned twice. Probably not a good idea to keep starting him on PK's after that.

 

[Michael8771*]

Ah crap, missed that.

That's alright, in fact they may have added it later.

 

[MrBurghundy]

I don't know. There was zero spark there. From a guy who 72 hours ago was convinced he had a one way ticket to Binghamton, I don't think it's unreasonable to have expected something, anything to suggest even a modicum of appreciation that he's still in the NHL.

I thought he played pretty good all things considered. Created some good chances at the net, worked well along the boards in the offensive zone and helped sustain some zone time. I'm not seeing people saying he had a bad game.

Wasn't great in his own zone, but I'll blame Bylsma's supposedly complicated system more for that.

 

[KIRK]

He's getting pressured a lot harder than he was earlier in the season. It seems like the book is out on him now and its up to him to adjust.

Yes and no.

He just seems a little more pressed, whether he's pressured or not, to act quickly. In those first games, you saw his instinct. Be deliberative with the puck. Make the right play. Join the rush when it's safe and once possession is clearly decided. Seemed like no matter how intense the pressure, he was patient and didn't make mistakes.

Lately, you see in him a lot of the tendencies you see in other Pens defensemen . . . the rush to move the puck no matter what and to bust up ice even if possession isn't decided. It's what the coaches want him doing, because it's the game they teach. And, I think that's where Maatta is struggling to adapt.

 

[Waffle Fries]

I thought he played pretty good all things considered. Created some good chances at the net, worked well along the boards in the offensive zone and helped sustain some zone time. I'm not seeing people saying he had a bad game.

Wasn't great in his own zone, but I'll blame Bylsma's supposedly complicated system more for that.

I agree. I had no issues with his game and did some good things.

Both of our fourth lines looked better than our normal fourth line tonight.

 

[madinsomniac]

I thought both played well the first two periods, Despres in particular. but to be honest the third period was a bit shaky.

Orpik was more of a concern that despres on the two goals scored... Despres had two bad plays all game, and recovered nicely on both IMO.

 

[KIRK]

I thought he played pretty good all things considered. Created some good chances at the net, worked well along the boards in the offensive zone and helped sustain some zone time. I'm not seeing people saying he had a bad game.

Wasn't great in his own zone, but I'll blame Bylsma's supposedly complicated system more for that.

To me, it wasn't good or bad as much as he was just kind of there.

 

[tinkezione]

+ Crosby; an absolute beast!
+ Kunitz; finishing in front of the net exactly how expected.
+ Vitale; 10-1 in the circle and flying everywhere on the ice. I really love this dude.
+ Gibbons; slick game and good chemistry with Jokinen.
+ Sill; no-nonsense guy did a lot of good work today.
+ Despres; could have been possibly his best game yet...

- Määttä; ...on obviously stolen confidence from #3, bad turnovers and shaky playing. He'll be back.
- AV letting King Henrik suffer extensively. I feel really bad for him.

Tasty win, Sid extending his points lead by a bunch and +1 for hitting the predict.

 

[vodeni]

gotta give credit to Kuni, by far his best playing ever, hope he can carry on this into the POs. Never been a big fan of his, but he's been so solid in all the facets of the game...

 

[djt153]

were engelland and glass on the ice for both the rangers goals?