News Article: Defenseman Orpik, Penguins fighting temptation to push puck

[Dipsy Doodle]

“Watch the playoffs,†Orpik said. “Watch good teams, teams like St. Louis, L.A. and Boston. The good teams win low-scoring games. We learned it against Boston last year. They were really tough to create offense against. We need to learn how to win those low-scoring games. You have to be good defensively.â€

http://triblive.com/sports/penguins/5369047-74/penguins-games-orpik#ixzz2qFaoIzmI

Doctor, heal thyself.

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[mpp9]

You don't say.

 

[Sidney BrOSSby*]

The good old days of Martin.

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

He's right.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

He's right.

Of course he's right. That's not the issue.

The issue is that the biggest perpetrator has the biggest mouth. Scuderi can talk. Orpik needs to shut up or first point the finger squarely at himself.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I don't think that I was supposed to laugh...

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Brooks Orpik is a defensive rock on a Penguins team that spends most of its money on offensive talent.

And he smells trouble.

He likes where the Penguins are in the standings but said he believes they remain a work in progress until they become more willing to focus on sound defense.

Tell us more, you iron pillar of stout defensive play.

 

[IcedCapp]

IcedCapp, fighting temptation to laugh until I pee myself

 

[mpp9]

I'm not sure what's more ridiculous. A guy who has literally been one of our worst defenders this year calling the team out, or our coach citing our record when answering questions about our ability to play defense.

 

[Common Sense]

I'm not sure what's more ridiculous. A guy who has literally been one of our worst defenders this year calling the team out, or our coach citing our record when answering questions about our ability to play defense.

Yeah, I stopped reading after "Brooks Orpik is a defensive rock". The Pittsburgh sports media does not live in reality.

 

[Iffyiffiffer]

I'm not sure what's more ridiculous. A guy who has literally been one of our worst defenders this year calling the team out, or our coach citing our record when answering questions about our ability to play defense.

The most ridiculous is any of us or them having expected anything different as of the time Bylsma's contract had wet ink on it.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

This quote from Orpik is like Fleury saying that the Pens need to learn how to not let in weak goals at the worst possible moment in the playoffs. It's a no-brainer comment coming from one of the biggest offenders.

Honestly, I'm tired of reading articles about these guys talking about what they need to do. How about they go out there and actually do it?

 

[ColePens]

Every player says it, yet we watch the same ole ****. We had a triple drop pass the game after Scuds says we need to stop being the Harlem Globetrotters.

I'm incredibly happy guys are saying it. For ****'s sake - GO DO IT.

 

[Nfumass]

I cringe everyday when my phone beeps with a hockey alert that it's gonna say brooks orpik resigns for 4 years. You just know it's coming, can't break up the family

 

[Common Sense]

Also - why are our players all calling out our team defense now? We've been playing this way since we won the cup, did it take them this long to realize it's a problem?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Every player says it, yet we watch the same ole ****. We had a triple drop pass the game after Scuds says we need to stop being the Harlem Globetrotters.

I'm incredibly happy guys are saying it. For ****'s sake - GO DO IT.

Oh sure, I make pretty much this point in the post above him, but now Cole's going to get credit for this genius insight. Just you watch.

 

[billybudd]

Got a kick out of this quote

"Letang didn't sound as concerned."


Anyways, the article's not specific about the "problems," but one thing that would go a long way toward limiting scoring chances is if Orpik would be a little more certain on his clears instead of just trying to get rid of the puck as fast as possible so he isn't eligible to be checked. Not getting hit can't be your focus to the exclusion of everything else.

Every time he rushes and flicks one of those soft little muffins up the wall, either the puck is turned over or the left wing gets obliterated by an opponent then the puck is turned over.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I cringe everyday when my phone beeps with a hockey alert that it's gonna say brooks orpik resigns for 4 years. You just know it's coming, can't break up the family

There are two things that I generally fear seeing on this board.

1) The injury thread being bumped, I always think it's serious and/or that it's Crosby.
2) Orpik being re-signed to some ridiculous retirement contract.
2b) Despres got traded for crap.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Also - why are our players all calling out our team defense now? We've been playing this way since we won the cup, did it take them this long to realize it's a problem?

I don't think that's the case. Like DB said, this last stretch - especially since we've gotten our stars back - we've gotten sloppy. Before that we were playing responsible hockey...maybe because our call-ups knew they had to.

Recently though, games have been dead ringers for ones we played going into the 2012 playoffs.

 

[cygnus47]

There are two things that I generally fear seeing on this board.

1) The injury thread being bumped, I always think it's serious and/or that it's Crosby.
2) Orpik being re-signed to some ridiculous retirement contract.
2b) Despres got traded for crap.

If Orpik is resigned and the Big Horse is let out to graze in a greener pasture, I may just find another team until Shero and Bylsma leave.

Orpik certainly has the lack of offense required to say such things, but he's the one who needs to work on his defensive game the most.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I cringe everyday when my phone beeps with a hockey alert that it's gonna say brooks orpik resigns for 4 years. You just know it's coming, can't break up the family

It's inevitable isn't it? I mean...this team is getting predictable to some degree with stuff like that. I hope we're wrong though.

 

[MeticulouslyDishevel]

"Brooks Orpik is a defensive rock […]." First 5 words of the article and Yohe already lost me.

Other highlights:

“I think we played tighter and better 10 to 15 games ago,†said Bylsma, whose team showcased about 40 percent of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's roster during that stretch. “It's something that has slipped in the past five or six games with guys back in the lineup.â€

So Bylsma has noticed this phenomenon - this is progress!

Letang didn't sound as concerned, saying the Penguins need only to “get rid of stupid mistakes.â€

Way to be all in there Kris.


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[cygnus47]

"Brooks Orpik is a defensive rock […]." First 5 words of the article and Yohe already lost me.

So Bylsma has noticed this phenomenon - this is progress!

I don't think he'll notice that Despres was playing, Maatta was getting tough minutes and Orpik and Letang weren't involved....

 

[Jaded-Fan]

In related news, Bylsma believes that other coaches do not hold their players accountable for their mistakes, and that these other coaches should distribute playing time based on how a player plays, not how many years they have been in the league.

 

[madinsomniac]

Yeah talk is cheap. Show me a dozen games in a row where we aren't having lazy or stupid mistakes, mostly perpetuated by Vets... and ill think maybe something is happening... Move your legs, skate.. we just look so uninspired unless we are playing certain teams, and even then we have let ups... and its pretty much the same culprits all the time