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

[KIRK]

Yah just like the Flyers' debacle, "this team was fine until SID came back!"

Somehow getting the best player in the world back... was a bad thing?

The collective plays worse. I rarely find Sid and Geno leading that charge.

Because they're not, of course.

In the 3 games since Geno and Letang returned, the Pens have scored 8 and given up 6 at ES, meaning a team +2.

Geno is a +4
Letang is EVEN

Orpik is a -2
Adams is a -2
Scuderi is a -3

Perhaps Harlem Globetrotters isn't so much the problem as having a bunch of guys who confuse handling the puck for handling a hand grenade.

 

[KIRK]

There's nothing wrong with "the system". We hired the king of trap hockey to come in and implement the system, man. The team as a whole has been playing very fast and loose lately though, and that needs to be remedied.

Orpik needs to show us. That's how real leaders respond. Not "do as I say, not as I do".



The defense on the personnel front was fine. Hell, ostensibly the best pure defensive defenseman we had didn't fit the way we play so he was shipped out.

Our biggest issue that series was Fleury, and Shero got Fleury insurance in Vokoun. This year, we got Martin to help with the trap.

Respectfully, I've seen a number of times in the fast few games where a backchecking Penguins forward forces a turnover. Instead of wheeling back up ice to attack before the other team resets, the forwards nonchalantly feeds the puck back to the defense so the Pens forwards can get into 'stretch pass' position. Watch for it next game. You'll see what I mean. I've got no problem with a stretch pass. It's designed to attack and to spread out the other team defensively. The problem is that it's good when used in variety and to attack quickly. When you repeat that process again and again, with no expectation or implementation of variety, you defeat the two biggest virtues of the stretch pass . . . that it comes quickly and that it is used as part of a multifaceted approach to breakouts.

Oh, and **** Brooks Orpik.

EDIT: This Orpik stuff just cries out Mark 'Do As I Say, Not As I Do' Recchi. Only difference is that Recchi had a coach with the balls to use him appropriately and a GM who hadn't yet gotten his Stanley Cup circumcision. Honestly, there's nothing more annoying than this type of hypocritical bull****.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Respectfully, I've seen a number of times in the fast few games where a backchecking Penguins forward forces a turnover. Instead of wheeling back up ice to attack before the other team resets, the forwards nonchalantly feeds the puck back to the defense so the Pens forwards can get into 'stretch pass' position. Watch for it next game. You'll see what I mean. I've got no problem with a stretch pass. It's designed to attack and to spread out the other team defensively. The problem is that it's good when used in variety and to attack quickly. When you repeat that process again and again, with no expectation or implementation of variety, you defeat the two biggest virtues of the stretch pass . . . that it comes quickly and that it is used as part of a multifaceted approach to breakouts.

Passing back to the defense after a turnover can be as simple as a reset to establish possession under pressure. It's not necessarily the two words that cannot be named. Going north immediately after a turnover isn't always the best option, no matter what zone you're in.

EDIT: This Orpik stuff just cries out Mark 'Do As I Say, Not As I Do' Recchi. Only difference is that Recchi had a coach with the balls to use him appropriately and a GM who hadn't yet gotten his Stanley Cup circumcision. Honestly, there's nothing more annoying than this type of hypocritical bull****.

Yep.

 

[cygnus47]

Under Therrien we were good at turning 2-1 games into 4-1 games without giving up chances the other way. Under Bylsma it never seems to go that way.

 

[KIRK]

Passing back to the defense after a turnover can be as simple as a reset to establish possession under pressure. It's not necessarily the two words that cannot be named. Going north immediately after a turnover isn't always the best option, no matter what zone you're in.



Yep.

On point 1, I get doing it sometimes. But, it's been a noticed trend the last few games. Going north may not always be the best option, but the Pens are playing as if it NEVER is after a NZT. Maybe they're working on something. Maybe there's SOME other explanation. But, yours doesn't match what they were doing on the road trip.

On point 2, Orpik could bring cats and dogs (or posters who can fight like them ) together in perfect harmony.

 

[dueling mullets]

Orpik is supposed to be a leader but is a cancer to the team. No coincidence he came back and structure went to ****

Half ***** regular season, hold himself with little accountability, always calls out team.

 

[Tender Rip]

Because they're not, of course.

In the 3 games since Geno and Letang returned, the Pens have scored 8 and given up 6 at ES, meaning a team +2.

Geno is a +4
Letang is EVEN

Orpik is a -2
Adams is a -2
Scuderi is a -3

Perhaps Harlem Globetrotters isn't so much the problem as having a bunch of guys who confuse handling the puck for handling a hand grenade.

Actually it is four games since they returned.

Geno is +6
Letang +/- 0
Crosby -1
Orpik -2
Adams -4
Glass +/- 0
Scuderi -5

But hey - lets make it about Geno because he took a stupid penalty in the second period of what was a 2-0 Pens hockey game.

I should add that these are the only two goals Geno has been on the ice for during these four games (where we have conceded 14, 12 of them ES goals); one was Scheifele's flub goal that made it 2-0 at the end of the first, where Adams lost a puck battle with Kane and Vitale lost coverage of Scheifele. Second was when Orpik did his fall-while-spinning routine with Kane getting a breakaway. Malkin was no way near culpable on either goal.

Seeing the number of Pittsburgh journalists wanting to implicate Malkin's return as a prime reason for us playing undisciplined hockey would make me say "**** you very much, check the stats if you don't have eyes", if I was Malkin.

 

[zidell*]

Under Therrien we were good at turning 2-1 games into 4-1 games without giving up chances the other way. Under Bylsma it never seems to go that way.

DB is such a terrible coach that the team actually lost a game with a team that was half AHL call ups.

Why is it the the people who complain about DB never seem to mention this? Or right. They don't want to let reality get in the way of their childish rants.

 

[WVP]

I am just really ready to see Orpik move on.

Unfortunately though, I think our defense without Orpik really needs a big body like Despres who is reeking like Shero trade bait the last few months.

 

[Shady Machine]

Because they're not, of course.

In the 3 games since Geno and Letang returned, the Pens have scored 8 and given up 6 at ES, meaning a team +2.

Geno is a +4
Letang is EVEN

Orpik is a -2
Adams is a -2
Scuderi is a -3

Perhaps Harlem Globetrotters isn't so much the problem as having a bunch of guys who confuse handling the puck for handling a hand grenade.

+/- can be misleading but in this case it's pretty telling.

 

[Shady Machine]

Passing back to the defense after a turnover can be as simple as a reset to establish possession under pressure. It's not necessarily the two words that cannot be named. Going north immediately after a turnover isn't always the best option, no matter what zone you're in.



Yep.

I agree with you here. They are actually using the ***** **** less this season. I've seen more controlled regroups and D swinging behind their partner for a short pass with speed, centers swinging as well. For the most part, I don't have any complaints about the system.

 

[Shady Machine]

DB is such a terrible coach that the team actually lost a game with a team that was half AHL call ups.

Why is it the the people who complain about DB never seem to mention this? Or right. They don't want to let reality get in the way of their childish rants.

You really need to work on grammar, spelling, word choice, tone etc if you want your posts to make any sense.