Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: POWERPLAY GOALS, ZAR, EMPTY NETTERS

[DesertedPenguin]

That isn't even close to what's going on here, and it's not something Sullivan has ever done with Geno. He prefers the pluggers and always has.

I deal with facts, not hot takes.

Penguins forwards average time on ice leaders this year:
Guentzel, 20:40
Crosby, 20:37
Rust, 19:55
Malkin, 19:16
Zucker, 17:03

Last year:
Guentzel, 20:38
Crosby, 20:16
Rust, 19:46
Malkin, 19:31
Zucker, 17:40

2018-19:
Crosby, 21:00
Guentzel, 19:21
Malkin, 18:48
Kessel, 17:59
Rust, 15:54

2017-18:
Crosby, 20:41
Malkin, 18:59
Kessel, 18:41
Hornqvist, 17:19
Guentzel, 16:29

2016-17:
Crosby, 19:53
Malkin, 18:37
Kessel, 17:56
Bonino, 16:39
Hornqvist, 15:57

Sullivan hasn't had a "plugger" in the top five in ice time since Bonino. By the way, the numbers are the same with just even-strength. The Pens' top five on 5-on-5 this year are Guentzel, Crosby, Rust, Malkin and Zucker.

 

[ncm7772]

I may have missed it, but any news on why CDS wasn’t dressed?

 

[DesertedPenguin]

I may have missed it, but any news on why CDS wasn’t dressed?

Just announced.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

+++++ We won in regulation, not giving a divisional opponent an extra point.

+++++ We won by more than 1 goal.

+++++ We beat the Caps. f*** the Caps.

 

[PensandCaps]

You can't keep trading top 6 wingers away because your aging superstar is playing awfully lazy.

The awful thing about the Hornqvist trade is that you now NEED Kapanen to be that top 6 Wing, Rust can't get hurt, You have zero depth.

Hornqvist is PPG, He wasn't the issue, neither is Zucker or Kap.

Malkin needs to play better. Sid needed to play better last season.

 

[Tom Hanks]

 

[metalan2]

Looks like wash is a literal copy of Penguins.

 

[Ryder71]

Mike Matheson

2 Assists
+3
21:55 TOI

He was the Pens best D-Man today.

Boy he and Ceci had games today. Good on them!

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

The obvious thing to do is swap LWs.

Zucker played great with Sid, Guentzel played great with Malkin...Its a win - win.

But for some reason it has never been tried since

I'm guessing Sid wants Guentzel.

I saw first episode of “In The Room” for this season today and Sully said at one point “Sid and Jake have such great chemistry”. Another fascinating bit was when they were prioritizing which bit players to sign and it was Rodrigues, Jankowski and Dominik Simon in that order. They got Sam Ventura’s input and he said “Simon’s the better player, but we need to prioritize centers.”

 

[Tom Hanks]

 

[Ryder71]

I love our mobility on the blue line. That first goal was a thing of beauty!

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Matheson and Ceci were fantastic.

 

[K Fleur]

Didn’t watch and they won. Think I found the keys to a healthy relationship with this team.

Valentine’s Day miracle.

 

[Ryder71]

We had a lot of zone time for stretches. That's a really good sign.

Geno needs to wake up though, he was pretty bad today.

 

[Pens x]

I didn’t get to see the game, but I’m pumped they won in regulation and Jarry only allowed 3 goals.

 

[Ryder71]

Matheson and Ceci were fantastic.

Very happy with both of their respective games. Ruhwedel also with yet another solid effort playing on his offside.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Some segments of this forum are weird. Crosby's line is (by and large) playing well and finally producing. But people want to break it up to help Malkin get going.

Then if Malkin's line starts producing but Crosby's line struggles because it's now out of sync, people will just tell Crosby to suck it up because Guentzel and Malkin are killing it.

 

[Ryder71]

Great performance by Teddy's line. So far he's been very solid for us as third line pivot.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Good win.

The 2nd line is an afterthought, but it seems that's how things are going to be.

 

[Will Hunting]

Malkin 12:02 EV. Teddy Blueger 14 minutes EV.

Well deserved too. Important game, you do what you need to do to maximize your winning chances. Right now the 3rd line is MILES better than 2nd line. Credit to Sullivan here, he played it right. We have two really really working lines. Something needs to happen with 2nd line, now everybody has to see it, because you can´t play Geno for 12 minutes of a game and not care about it. But it was well deserved tonight and remains the key subject for our near future along with goaltending. Otherwise, we might have something cooking here. But these are 2 HUGE problems.

 

[ChaosAgent]

What is Zucker and what kind of center would he fit well with?

Or is his best position as a line-driver for a solid 3rd line? His physical tools in hands and skating are there but his offensive IQ is average.

Hypothetically Zucker-Blueger-Kapanen is an amazing 3rd line but that leaves a void with Malkin.

 

[Ryder71]

Rust and Jake with games also. Can't complain about Sid either. Very impressive performance by our 1st and third line.

 

[Al Smith]

I'm going to laugh my ass off when Fleury comes back here and wins a Cup as the starter.

Maybe he'll end up with the Caps. . . . .

 

[ncm7772]

Just announced.

Thank you.

 

[Ryder71]

Well deserved too. Important game, you do what you need to do to maximize your winning chances. Right now the 3rd line is MILES better than 2nd line. Credit to Sullivan here, he played it right. We have two really really working lines. Something needs to happen with 2nd line, now everybody has to see it, because you can´t play Geno for 12 minutes of a game and not care about it. But it was well deserved tonight and remains the key subject for our near future along with goaltending. Otherwise, we might have something cooking here. But these are 2 HUGE problems.

It's really hard to trust Geno's game ATM. I definitely trust Teddy and his line if the games on the line far more. Geno is way too passive and his puck management is at best precarious.