Post-Game Talk: Fourteen. Pens/Jets Plus-Minus Thread

[Ogrezilla]

Geno/Neal could have done what they did yesterday even with Glass on their line. Morrow could barely keep up with the play or make a meaningful contribution except for skating towards the goal (provided that he was afforded ample time to do so). He isn't a top-6 player at this point in his career and to put him there over Dupuis is laughable.

I disagree. What about the times the defenders followed him to the goal? That happened all night and created space for Geno and Neal that simply wouldn't be there with Dupuis on that wing.

 

[Coach Travis]

Murray vs Kane

****ing Bad Ass!

 

[SteelFish87*]

Kunitz-Crosby-Iginla
Morrow-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Sutter-Dupuis

Best way to go

 

[ColePens]

Did you miss Morrow occupying 2 guys on Geno's goal? I agree, he may not be a top 6 guy anymore. But if he can't 'keep up' w/ Geno and Neal, how's he going to keep up w/ Suter-Cooke or Suter-Dupuis?

Hit the nail on the head. He boxed out 2 guys to open that lane. That lane would have never been opened by Glass.

Sutter and Dupuis would be very dynamic both with speed and defensively.

 

[ColePens]

Kunitz-Crosby-Iginla
Morrow-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Sutter-Dupuis

Best way to go

Yeah... our third line just isn't clicking. With Dupuis it can be. We could have a roll out of 9 players with mass potential.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I don't know how much it even matters at this point, but my preference would be:

Dupuis-Crosby-Iginla
Kunitz-Malkin-Neal
Morrow-Sutter-Bennett
Cooke-Adams-Kennedy

But we have many games left to experiment, I suppose. Keeps everybody on their toes and it helps with the likely complacency that is sure to come once the streak is over.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I just don't see Morrow being a good fit with Sutter and Cooke. His best asset is obviously his net presence. That is maximized with Geno and Neal. It is minimized with Sutter and Cooke.

 

[nTsplnk*]

I just don't see Morrow being a good fit with Sutter and Cooke. His best asset is obviously his net presence. That is maximized with Geno and Neal. It is minimized with Sutter and Cooke.

He's too slow to play in a checking line role imo.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I don't know how much it even matters at this point, but my preference would be:

Dupuis-Crosby-Iginla
Kunitz-Malkin-Neal
Morrow-Sutter-Bennett
Cooke-Adams-Kennedy

But we have many games left to experiment, I suppose. Keeps everybody on their toes and it helps with the likely complacency that is sure to come once the streak is over.

if Dupuis is staying in the top 6, that's how I'd do it. And if Morrow is on the third line, I think Bennett should be too. Morrow shouldn't be on a pure shutdown line; let Bennett help add that extra offense over Cooke at that point.

And man, that's a hell of a 4th line.

 

[Oxide]

I don't know how much it even matters at this point, but my preference would be:

Dupuis-Crosby-Iginla
Kunitz-Malkin-Neal
Morrow-Sutter-Bennett
Cooke-Adams-Kennedy

But we have many games left to experiment, I suppose. Keeps everybody on their toes and it helps with the likely complacency that is sure to come once the streak is over.

Now that's what I like to call depth.

 

[mashsoccer37]

I'm so curious to see what the lines will be.

Keep the first line and roll out a Neal-Malkin-Iginla mega-line? Or shift Kunitz down with Malkin and Neal and replace him with Iginla?

I think the 2nd option is more likely, but wouldn't it be nice to see what Sid can do playing against 2nd pairings for the entire playoffs?

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Personally, my preference would be:

Kunitz - Crosby - Iginla
Morrow - Malkin - Neal
Bennett - Sutter - Dupuis
Cooke - Vitale/Adams - Adams/Kennedy

It gives us three line that can score and only L3 won't be great defensively. Bennett has shown offensive flair AND defensive awarness. With Dupuis on L3, I think that Bennett is a better option than Cooke as LW3. He is responsible defensively and he can create more offensively. Dupuis is on fire offensively and, even if we split him and Sid up, should be provided with decent offensive opportunities. Sutter and Bennett give him that. Sutter would also benefit a lot from Dupuis and Bennett, both offensively and defensively.

Having L1 and L3 who can be great defensively gives us the luxury of isolating L2 against weaker competition and they will eat that competition alive everytime.

As for the defense:

Després - Letang
Martin - Orpik
Murray - Niskanen

DB will probably go with Eaton over Després, but IMO, my configuration is the best possible for our team. And we have depth. Engelland and Eaton can step in if needed.

 

[ColePens]

LOVE that line up, JS#1F. I would just add Eaton/Despres - Letang. Let those 2 keep battling and use both guys.

Could you imagine the once best 3rd line wingers being on the 4th line? Cooke/TK on a 4th line?! Great stuff.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I think that Després can bring more to the table than Eaton, that's why I have him with Letang. But, yeah, you are right, Simon shouldn't be handed that spot, he has to earn it. Eaton is a steady defender and he and Letang already won a Cup playing as a pairing. That's an advantage we can't ignore. But, I don't know man, Després highs are so much higher than Eaton's. Problem being that he can have lower lows. I guess both will see time with Letang during the playoffs.

The only thing I hope is that Bennett and Després will be up with the big club for the playoff run and that they'll be given a chance to crack the lineup. They both have earned AT LEAST a shot if not a spot. I know vets are important during the playoffs, but these kids have earned their shot, I hope they get it, especially Bennett. Having him in the lineup makes our third line more dangerous offensively without taking anything away from it defensively and it automatically makes our fourth line MUCH MUCH MUCH better. It basically gives us no weakness at forward.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Yeah... our third line just isn't clicking. With Dupuis it can be. We could have a roll out of 9 players with mass potential.

Cooke and Sutter have been showing chemistry the last several games. TK has been getting his head up more alo. It's the one thing that bothers me the most about TK is that he has his head down so much. It's no wonder he doesn't see anything developing in front of him. Last night he had his head up more and was finding the open man.

Even though Cooke and Sutter are finding chemistry, for some reason that line still lacks cohesiveness. They aren't supporting each other on the walls properly, but overall t's hard to really put your finger on what the big problem is.

It is easy to blame TK, but I don't think he has been that bad lately.

 

[ColePens]

Joe Vitale - 7/8 on faceoffs last night. That could be a key contribution in the postseason. Geno - 57%, Sid - 54%, Sutter - 68%.

Damnnnnn those are good stats.

 

[bradshaw06]

Its funny how the pens D and goaltending are still getting no respect from other fans even after this recent stretch. Last years playoffs were the outlier

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Personally, my preference would be:

Kunitz - Crosby - Iginla
Morrow - Malkin - Neal
Bennett - Sutter - Dupuis
Cooke - Vitale/Adams - Adams/Kennedy

It gives us three line that can score and only L3 won't be great defensively. Bennett has shown offensive flair AND defensive awarness. With Dupuis on L3, I think that Bennett is a better option than Cooke as LW3. He is responsible defensively and he can create more offensively. Dupuis is on fire offensively and, even if we split him and Sid up, should be provided with decent offensive opportunities. Sutter and Bennett give him that. Sutter would also benefit a lot from Dupuis and Bennett, both offensively and defensively.

Having L1 and L3 who can be great defensively gives us the luxury of isolating L2 against weaker competition and they will eat that competition alive everytime.

As for the defense:

Després - Letang
Martin - Orpik
Murray - Niskanen

DB will probably go with Eaton over Després, but IMO, my configuration is the best possible for our team. And we have depth. Engelland and Eaton can step in if needed.

I will be shocked if BB gets back in the lineup barring injury. I think he deserves it, especially for his strong defensive play, but we all know the chances are slim.

I think it was extremely noticeable last night how much faster this team looks with Vitale and Despres in the lineup. Despres made one bad turnover on his first shift, but after that played another strong game. He is critical to their transition game and the way he gets the puck up ice is unreal.

It's one of those deals where you just hope DB doesn't fall back into the vet dookie love thing.

 

[ColePens]

Another crazy stat about last night - We dominated the entire game 5 on 5. The Jets did not take one single penalty.

Its funny how the pens D and goaltending are still getting no respect from other fans even after this recent stretch. Last years playoffs were the outlier

It's not that we aren't giving them credit, hell most of us have been singing the praise of guys like Martin, Nisky, Despres, Eaton for awhile now.

But you have to realize we are going to be cautiously optimistic. We've seen dominant stretches before. It doesn't mean anything. Even Sid said to the media that this doesn't mean anything come playoff time. You can't forget Fleury played some of his best hockey last year then fell completely flat when we needed it the most.

Cooke and Sutter have been showing chemistry the last several games. TK has been getting his head up more alo. It's the one thing that bothers me the most about TK is that he has his head down so much. It's no wonder he doesn't see anything developing in front of him. Last night he had his head up more and was finding the open man.

Even though Cooke and Sutter are finding chemistry, for some reason that line still lacks cohesiveness. They aren't supporting each other on the walls properly, but overall t's hard to really put your finger on what the big problem is.

It is easy to blame TK, but I don't think he has been that bad lately.

Fair enough, but I think Cooke/Kennedy could be dominant together on the 4th line matching up with other 4th liners. They are both good defensively and work well together. They just don't work well without Staal like they used to.

Dupers definitely deserves that 3rd line spot. He has been amazing his entire Pens tenure. It'd also be nice to get Beau's creativity with Sutter and Dupers.

 

[Sypher04]

I'm so curious to see what the lines will be.

Keep the first line and roll out a Neal-Malkin-Iginla mega-line? Or shift Kunitz down with Malkin and Neal and replace him with Iginla?

I think the 2nd option is more likely, but wouldn't it be nice to see what Sid can do playing against 2nd pairings for the entire playoffs?

Both options are wrong way to go IMO. No hate, but Malkin should not be getting another one of our top wingers. He's the second line center on this team. Kunitz and Crosby should not be broken up and Dupuis should be replaced by Iginla to make that line more dangerous.

Crosby is the NHL leading scorer and the best player in the world. He's going to draw the 1st D pairing and checking line matchups. Give him the additional skill, and Malkin/Neal/Morrow can draw the second pairings. That line would still be by far the best 2nd line in the NHL.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

So we have two games left before the deadline. After that we can expand the roster. So I guess they'll simply send Despres down again to insert Iginla for two games, and then bring back Despres and Bennett.

But you have to wonder if it's ideal to have too many NHLers not playing. I don't know, I wouldn't be surprised if someone were waived or traded today to create space. Kennedy seems to be the most likely. Glass would be wonderful.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I will be shocked if BB gets back in the lineup barring injury. I think he deserves it, especially for his strong defensive play, but we all know the chances are slim.

I think it was extremely noticeable last night how much faster this team looks with Vitale and Despres in the lineup. Despres made one bad turnover on his first shift, but after that played another strong game. He is critical to their transition game and the way he gets the puck up ice is unreal.

It's one of those deals where you just hope DB doesn't fall back into the vet dookie love thing.

Unfortunately, you are most likely right here. But, somehow, I refuse to believe that Bylsma can't see what we see. Bennett wouldn't only make L3 better, but his presence would have an effect on L2 and L4, primarly, also. L4 would get better players and L2 would have EASIER match ups with Bennett in there because L3 won't be a checking line but a third scoring line. Just like Cooke - Staal - Kennedy was. They would be able to control the puck against the opposition best line, while Sid would face their best checkers, leaving Geno a feast against the other team L2.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Another crazy stat about last night - We dominated the entire game 5 on 5. The Jets did not take one single penalty.

Ya, I said that to my wife. Reffing to the score?

Fair enough, but I think Cooke/Kennedy could be dominant together on the 4th line matching up with other 4th liners. They are both good defensively and work well together. They just don't work well without Staal like they used to.

Dupers definitely deserves that 3rd line spot. He has been amazing his entire Pens tenure. It'd also be nice to get Beau's creativity with Sutter and Dupers.

Trust me my lines would be:

Kunitz Crosby Iggy
BB Malkin Neal
Morrow Sutter Dupuis
Cooke Vitale Adams

But it is never going to happen. Dupuis is staying on the third line until they cool off and Crosby needs help. Iggy is going to Malkin's line, Morrow with Sutter and BB and Vitale will be scratched/kept in WBS.

Until they lose, need to change things up I'm positive it will be:

Kunitz Crosby Dupuis
Iggy Malkin Neal
Cooke Sutter Morrow
Glass Adams TK

If you can tell me any good reasons I'm wrong, please do... I don't want to be right...

 

[Sypher04]

So we have two games left before the deadline. After that we can expand the roster. So I guess they'll simply send Despres down again to insert Iginla for two games, and then bring back Despres and Bennett.

But you have to wonder if it's ideal to have too many NHLers not playing. I don't know, I wouldn't be surprised if someone were waived or traded today to create space. Kennedy seems to be the most likely. Glass would be wonderful.

If we don't need the cap or roster spot, I see no reason to get rid of TK or anyone else early. We have insane depth available for the playoffs.

 

[AquaticBirdman]

+ Dupuis wisely snubbing Glass on that SH 2 on 1

- Me missing this game because I opted to go out drinking instead

Can someone give me some feedback on how Murray looked? Was he solid for us?

I also really can't believe how far this team has come defensively and in terms of goaltending during this streak. Only 9 goals allowed in our last 10 games??? That's insane!