Tender Rip
Wears long pants
Wah! Frustrating game as a Pens fan, and quitely clearly the Pens players too.
You are well coached, play solid structured team defense and after the first 8-10 minutes clamped down on Bylsma stretch pass no matter what 'strategy'. When it hardly ever gives you possession in the offensive zone and you instead do very playable dump-ins against the best puck handling goalie ever, you are asking for trouble.
That said, it didn't help that forechecking and hitting D-men was disallowed. It was embarrassing that Vitale got penalties for hitting Fayne and Greene on the shoulder when they turned their upper bodies full well knowing that the hit was coming. There were no arms extended or anything, just two players who didn't want to take a hit to make a play, and instead got rewarded with PP time. What a terrible path to take for the NHL if this is the new normal.
Everything became a penalty in this one, and while the Pens players should certainly be more disciplined, the refs. killed what could otherwise be a good game.
Either way, we gotta have a more elaborate plan against that D. Just hoping that we can get the drop on you and force you into a run and gun game just doesn't cut it. Suppose we could start by getting Malkin someone who isn't a black hole like Boychuck, because he was making things happen all game.
Going for a split!
NB: I have nothing but love in my heart for Henrique. Great find he was and he is showing that it wasn't just a rookie aberration. Will be a great player if he isn't already.
You are well coached, play solid structured team defense and after the first 8-10 minutes clamped down on Bylsma stretch pass no matter what 'strategy'. When it hardly ever gives you possession in the offensive zone and you instead do very playable dump-ins against the best puck handling goalie ever, you are asking for trouble.
That said, it didn't help that forechecking and hitting D-men was disallowed. It was embarrassing that Vitale got penalties for hitting Fayne and Greene on the shoulder when they turned their upper bodies full well knowing that the hit was coming. There were no arms extended or anything, just two players who didn't want to take a hit to make a play, and instead got rewarded with PP time. What a terrible path to take for the NHL if this is the new normal.
Everything became a penalty in this one, and while the Pens players should certainly be more disciplined, the refs. killed what could otherwise be a good game.
Either way, we gotta have a more elaborate plan against that D. Just hoping that we can get the drop on you and force you into a run and gun game just doesn't cut it. Suppose we could start by getting Malkin someone who isn't a black hole like Boychuck, because he was making things happen all game.
Going for a split!
NB: I have nothing but love in my heart for Henrique. Great find he was and he is showing that it wasn't just a rookie aberration. Will be a great player if he isn't already.
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