Post-Game Talk: Flames 3, Pens 2 (SO) - Flames Dump on HSL's Triumphant Return

[Randy Butternubs]

+minimal Coldplay references

 

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

I really makes me wonder if Sid's 5-hole attempts on shootouts are some kind protest against the whole shootout deciding the game thing, it really seems like he doesn't give a **** and doesn't even try.

 

[Daeni10]

I really makes me wonder if Sid's 5-hole attempts on shootouts are some kind protest against the whole shootout deciding the game thing, it really seems like he doesn't give a **** and doesn't even try.

Lmao I was thinking the exact same
I really don't get it, he does that every time. Why not just try to make a move or literally anything besides going 5-hole
Maybe he misses the Disco Dan shootout practice

Oh and this PK in OT is the exact reason why I want Kühnhackl on the 4th line (and maybe because of german bias )

 

[HandshakeLine]

God, that was the fastest boring game I've ever seen.

 

[Al Smith]

Watched the Calgary feed. Refreshing as always to hear someone other than Staggy, but their love for Sid was over the top, even right after Calgary went up 2-0.

Thought 59 was really good all night, even before his goal. Schultz has had better nights and Daley's penalty in OT was completely unnecessary. No one stood out as particularly awful, but there were a lot of invisibles. Was nice to see the PK come up big in OT, and also hold a very good power play to 0/4.

I don't know who was #1 star, but I thought Brodie had an outstanding game for the Flames. He definitely should have been one of the three stars.

 

[BHD]

+++ Murray
++ Guentzel
+/- Everyone else

 

[metalan2]

Should have won easily. Pens were snakebit, Crosby should have had at minimum two goals, probably more. Shootout was horrible.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

I really makes me wonder if Sid's 5-hole attempts on shootouts are some kind protest against the whole shootout deciding the game thing, it really seems like he doesn't give a **** and doesn't even try.

It's one of those moves that looks lame if you don't score, but many times he's stickhandled and snapped it in in like a split second. I don't even think Sid dekes a great deal for how great of a player he is, but I think his snap shot is his best shooting asset.

 

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

It's one of those moves that looks lame if you don't score, but many times he's stickhandled and snapped it in in like a split second. I don't even think Sid dekes a great deal for how great of a player he is, but I think his snap shot is his best shooting asset.

True true, but it's weird that 9/10 he tries 5-hole. For such a smart and skillfull player you would think he would variate.

 

[Pancakes]

Should have won easily. Pens were snakebit, Crosby should have had at minimum two goals, probably more. Shootout was horrible.

Yeah I'm seeing all these complaints about how we sucked or whatever but we out shot them by a fair margin and I thought were the better team.

I hated Daley's penalty in OT. The guy is in the friggin corner. What he's gonna do if he gets by you? Nothing. Just let him go.

I know we killed the penalty but I absolutely despised our PK as well. It's fine to go into a triangle but nobody moved at all! You can't give a team complete carte blanche on the perimeter to do what they want. You have to pressure at least a little bit. Frankly we were lucky as hell to kill that off. The Flames got several high quality looks.

Our PK if it doesnt get better is going to be one of those things that costs us a playoff series. We absolutely cannot be this bad at killing penalties if we're going to face a team like Columbus or Washington as both of them thrive on the powerplay. I'm sure our intensity will be up on the PK in the playoffs and maybe that will be the key to improving it but I'm skeptical we can just throw the switch like that. I need to see big time improvement on that and soon or I'm going to be very worried.

At this point it's such an elephant in the room for me that I almost want a PK specialist traded for over a scorer or a dman.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Murray played well, I honestly thought he wasn't going to let one in last night, then the unlucky turnover by Sid witch led to Calgary's 1st.

Guentzel played very well, Dumo blocked some shots and looked better.

That PK in OT was great, other than that a bla night for the guys.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Can somebody give me a good reason why Bonino is ever playing during a 4 on 4? The guy is as slow as molasses in January...how is he gonna be a difference-maker when there's extra space to exploit?

 

[ColePens]

Can somebody give me a good reason why Bonino is ever playing during a 4 on 4? The guy is as slow as molasses in January...how is he gonna be a difference-maker when there's extra space to exploit?

The idea is one defensive forward with one offensive forward. Bonino was a great defensive forward. I have seen Sully put Cullen with Kessel lately and not use Bonino. I believe that happened 4 on 4 and 3 on 3 recently.

But the concept is one responsible forward and one Kessel who will go out there and look to score.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Yeah I'm seeing all these complaints about how we sucked or whatever but we out shot them by a fair margin and I thought were the better team.

I hated Daley's penalty in OT. The guy is in the friggin corner. What he's gonna do if he gets by you? Nothing. Just let him go.

I know we killed the penalty but I absolutely despised our PK as well. It's fine to go into a triangle but nobody moved at all! You can't give a team complete carte blanche on the perimeter to do what they want. You have to pressure at least a little bit. Frankly we were lucky as hell to kill that off. The Flames got several high quality looks.

Our PK if it doesnt get better is going to be one of those things that costs us a playoff series. We absolutely cannot be this bad at killing penalties if we're going to face a team like Columbus or Washington as both of them thrive on the powerplay. I'm sure our intensity will be up on the PK in the playoffs and maybe that will be the key to improving it but I'm skeptical we can just throw the switch like that. I need to see big time improvement on that and soon or I'm going to be very worried.

At this point it's such an elephant in the room for me that I almost want a PK specialist traded for over a scorer or a dman.

Yeah the only thing I can think of with the PK is that they felt they were in pretty good position based on what Calgary was doing so they more or less stayed there and let them pass around. Gaudreau was perhaps a little too low and all they really had to do was defend the cross crease pass (as evidenced by his attempt to put it over Murray's shoulder since there was nothing else to do with it). Hamilton kept wanting the puck, or at least posturing as if he did, but he was at a semi-sharp angle. Bonino was basically on Giordano 1-to-1 so he couldn't do much, and obviously two D defending the low slot/crease.

It ended up working out and I don't remember Murray having to do much in the end. I think Calgary beat themselves more than anything the Penguins did (they didn't really change anything up either), but the Penguins and the coaches must've felt like they were in good position and ultimately they were.

 

[CertifiedLurker]

Can somebody give me a good reason why Bonino is ever playing during a 4 on 4? The guy is as slow as molasses in January...how is he gonna be a difference-maker when there's extra space to exploit?

Bonino has no offensive skill this season, I'd like to know why he's the one getting 1st PP time now. It's like, him at even-strength wasn't bad enough, now our PP has to not only look ugly, but not result in any goals anymore. Guentzel should be there for the time being.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

It's one of those moves that looks lame if you don't score, but many times he's stickhandled and snapped it in in like a split second. I don't even think Sid dekes a great deal for how great of a player he is, but I think his snap shot is his best shooting asset.

It's a move that's great on a breakaway, where the goalie doesn't have 5 min to think about it and terrible in the shootout.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

It's a move that's great on a breakaway, where the goalie doesn't have 5 min to think about it and terrible in the shootout.

Not seeing your point at all.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

- I thought Dumo had an outstanding game last night. Hopefully he is rounding back into form.

- Guenztel is pressuring the puck as well as Hags, but he has the skill to do something with the biscuit once he gets it. I'm pretty happy with the minutes and role Sullivan is giving him. Of course, his play in his own end and through the NZ is a big reason why he is earning that trust.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Not seeing your point at all.

During live play, there's so much a goalie has to think about in such a short time (is he going to pass? where do i put the rebound? is the Dman gonna catch him? ect) that doing the same move can work on a regular basis. In a SO, there is no worry outside of the shot and there's a few min to remember the video you watched to pick up on his tendencies so doing the same thing every time isn't that effective.

 

[StaalForOne]

Not seeing your point at all.

I think he is saying that in the shootout goalies have more of a chance to think about what the shooter is going to do. Making the 5 hole shot easier to predict in this situation.

I see the reasoning, but I would bet most goalies are planning for Sid's shooting tendencies no matter the situation. That's a guy you want to know what hes going to do at any moment. It's not like game-planning for Hal Gill on an spontaneous breakaway where there is no precedent on what could happen.

I would also argue that it creates precedent for future moves. Which is something he could be doing. Maybe next time he fakes that 5 hole shot then makes a move after. 2 good examples of what I mean are Letang and T.J. Oshie. Both guys had similar moves coming in and had different ways to play off of that. TJ with his wide entrance (see: olympics) and Letang when he would either shoot top right, or fake that shot and either go 5 hole or backhand. It's one similar looking move with different results/finishes to keep the goalie guessing.

 

[Shady Machine]

- I thought Dumo had an outstanding game last night. Hopefully he is rounding back into form.

- Guenztel is pressuring the puck as well as Hags, but he has the skill to do something with the biscuit once he gets it. I'm pretty happy with the minutes and role Sullivan is giving him. Of course, his play in his own end and through the NZ is a big reason why he is earning that trust.

Agreed on both.

Sully always has high praise for Guentzel too. Somebody asked what Jake is doing to improve and Sully basically said "Jake's a good hockey player, yadda yadda, for Jake, he just needs to play more games". I was encouraged to hear him say that because to me it means he's earned his spot and the plan is to keep playing him.

 

[TheSniper26]

During live play, there's so much a goalie has to think about in such a short time (is he going to pass? where do i put the rebound? is the Dman gonna catch him? ect) that doing the same move can work on a regular basis. In a SO, there is no worry outside of the shot and there's a few min to remember the video you watched to pick up on his tendencies so doing the same thing every time isn't that effective.

Crosby has the best career shootout numbers on the team. It would seem that favoring one of his strengths(low snap shot) has served him pretty well to this point.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Agreed on both.

Sully always has high praise for Guentzel too. Somebody asked what Jake is doing to improve and Sully basically said "Jake's a good hockey player, yadda yadda, for Jake, he just needs to play more games". I was encouraged to hear him say that because to me it means he's earned his spot and the plan is to keep playing him.

Ya we can't really whine about his usage. I mean, I wish he was with Crosby, but it sounds like Crosby is picking his linemates now and Jake doesn't make his cut at the moment.

He's getting top six minutes, being used on the second PP on the halfway where he excels, and he even got a couple OT shifts last night.

Need Malkin back so I can complain again how he doesn't share the puck with him...

 

[td_ice]

Crosby has the best career shootout numbers on the team. It would seem that favoring one of his strengths(low snap shot) has served him pretty well to this point.

Wow, I would have never guessed that.

 

[Empoleon8771]

- I thought Dumo had an outstanding game last night. Hopefully he is rounding back into form.

- Guenztel is pressuring the puck as well as Hags, but he has the skill to do something with the biscuit once he gets it. I'm pretty happy with the minutes and role Sullivan is giving him. Of course, his play in his own end and through the NZ is a big reason why he is earning that trust.

You can tell that Guentzel is a natural center because of how responsible he plays away from the puck and how he can control the pace of play. Guentzel has a pace of 25 goals and 50 points through his first 15 games in the NHL, I don't see him producing less than that throughout the next few years. I still think they need to be giving him more ice time though, he has been hovering around 14:00 a game for a lot of this year until recently. I want to continue seeing him get 15+ minutes a game. His point/60 is 3rd best on the Penguins right now, but even with him getting more ice time, I expect him to stay in the top-5 (probably at #4, below Malkin and below Kessel).

Funny stat I saw: for all of the complaining about Guentzel's defensive game not being NHL ready, let's see where his GA/60 falls. Look at that, it didn't stay at the 3.72 it was in his first 5 games and now it's at 2.46 (right around all of Crosby, Malkin and Cullen). What a shock, he actually wasn't horrible defensively.