Post-Game Talk: | Game #1 | Pens win over Yotes | Zucker and Geno appreciation thread

[Flying Dego]

When you have a 2 on 1 at that speed, their defense needs to do everything in his power to block the pass. Making a move across like that and not being able to set yourself for that shot is why there was a hole.

Also a critical component: humans don't have their arms sewn to their sides creating potential for gaps.

 

[Peat]

Look, yeah, it would have been great if Kappy had shot that top corner so no goalie would ever get it... but elevating through the gap, while a bit fortuitous, is still a good shot and a worthy goal.

I didn't like all of his game but I liked that he was near the blue point, that he was looking to be direct, and that there was a bit of swagger. I feel good about him building off of that. I also think his pace makes a great outlet for Carter's line.

I also really like Zucker's game. No major sign of disconnect between him and Geno at all.



Also thinking about it some more... yeah, Arizona are bad, but you see plenty of teams fail to stuff bad teams like that, and their goalie bailed them out a lot. Still only one game, but some things I feel a little less like downplaying.

 

[IcedCapp]

Has anyone ever heard Geno say "Ronald McDonald"?

View attachment 593962

The plaque says 1979, but Geno wasnt born until 1986. What. The. f***. Is Evgeni Malkin a time traveller??????

 

[BillPrep]

just waive him already...ain't no one taking him...put the new toy in.

only other 'minus' is our Pejorative Slured announcing team...almost had to tune in to the local channel, but then, tyson nash. and that aint happening...

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Also a critical component: humans don't have their arms sewn to their sides creating potential for gaps.

This is why they call it a "blocking technique". You stay compact and you allow the puck to hit you - don't lunge when going post to post because you open up holes. If the shooter picks a corner, then it's a good shot and you move on. Hell he did this (opened himself up) on Goal #1. That shot by Jake wasn't great either,

This is goalie maneuvers 101. They are teaching this to 5 year olds.

I'd never heard of this goalie before and probably for good reason. He was flailing the entire game and if he flops around like this, he's not gonna be in this league for long.

Again, happy Kap and others got to pad their stats but not all these goals were snipes or something you could characterize as "good shooters beat a good goalie"

 

[Peat]

The plaque says 1979, but Geno wasnt born until 1986. What. The. f***. Is Evgeni Malkin a time traveller??????

If he is, could he arrange for 2009 Geno to show up for the playoffs this year?

 

[Empoleon8771]

The thing that throws me off with Kapanen is that he looks noticeable with his speed but he usually doesn't do anything with it. I saw him use his speed a few times last night and just either fumble the puck, miss a pass or just throw some low danger shot on the net.

He obviously got a goal and was useful on the PK, so it's hard to say he was bad yesterday, but I feel like his play style is just a lot of effort for not that much reward. He plays a very inefficient game.

 

[Pancakes]

The thing that throws me off with Kapanen is that he looks noticeable with his speed but he usually doesn't do anything with it. I saw him use his speed a few times last night and just either fumble the puck, miss a pass or just throw some low danger shot on the net.

He obviously got a goal and was useful on the PK, so it's hard to say he was bad yesterday, but I feel like his play style is just a lot of effort for not that much reward. He plays a very inefficient game.

I don't feel like his shot is all that dangerous. Mears loves to talk about how he fires hard shots but I can't recall too many instances of him overpowering a goalie with his shot or placing one particularly well.

Imo he throws a lot of muffins on net when he gets good looks and he's also fond of missing the net too.

The shot on his goal last night was a good hard one. I hope he can bring more of that. But last year he muffed a lot of shots.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yah but Letang is one of the best PKing D in the league. And it shows that maybe we do need him PKing if we gave up 2 to the yotes.

I'd much rather not tax Letang with excessive minutes at his age.

He doesn't need to be playing 26 minutes a night.

 

[RSPens]

Let's not get too concerned with the PK in game #1 for a few reasons. First, TB wasn't playing. Now Teddy isn't the greatest PK player on the NHL or anything like that, but he has consistently been one of the Pens best for a few seasons now. Second, there are new players to this team (Petry, Poehling) that are still learning how the team plays, they are going to need time to get acclimated. Third, they are using "new" players on the PK, yes KK has played the PK before, but has very little time playing it here in Pitt. Finally, the coaches are trying a slightly different approach to the PK, that even the established Pens PK players (Blueger, McGuin, Dumo, Petts) that are having to learn. Given time the PK can only get better.

 

[Peat]

The thing that throws me off with Kapanen is that he looks noticeable with his speed but he usually doesn't do anything with it. I saw him use his speed a few times last night and just either fumble the puck, miss a pass or just throw some low danger shot on the net.

He obviously got a goal and was useful on the PK, so it's hard to say he was bad yesterday, but I feel like his play style is just a lot of effort for not that much reward. He plays a very inefficient game.

Inefficient is such a good word for him. So many promising positions, so little of it turning into the chance it should be.

I guess the good thing is if he gets a hot streak and some confidence and gets to being efficient, everything is in place for him to kill some teams like he did in his first season here.

 

[edog37]

Good first game, but let's be honest, Arizona sucks. Real season begins Saturday against Tampa.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Good first game, but let's be honest, Arizona sucks. Real season begins Saturday against Tampa.

Still have to win the games that we should. This team has been frustrating in that regard before.

You can find excuses for lots of games. I’m sure if we win Saturday people will be saying “ya well, Tampa was playing on a back to back.” Just play well regardless and get the points we should be getting. That’s all I ask.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Still have to win the games that we should. This team has been frustrating in that regard before.

You can find excuses for lots of games. I’m sure if we win Saturday people will be saying “ya well, Tampa was playing on a back to back.” Just play well regardless and get the points we should be getting. That’s all I ask.

I think it's fair to be all like "yeah but Arizona" since they are looking to be next-level bad.

But at the same time it's a good thing to take teams to the woodshed that you're supposed to take to the woodshed. Especially on opening night when you're expecting some uneven play, jitters and plenty of things to work on. I was expecting some of that. But they looked super dialed in.

But I mean... yeah... frankly I don't even try to get to high or too low (I said I TRY, OK?) until like 20 games in. But there were some really promising things to build on here already.

 

[Al Smith]

Still have to win the games that we should. This team has been frustrating in that regard before.

You can find excuses for lots of games. I’m sure if we win Saturday people will be saying “ya well, Tampa was playing on a back to back.” Just play well regardless and get the points we should be getting. That’s all I ask.

Well, there's always, "we beat them on opening night last year and what did that get us. . . ." I'd be pretty happy with a win over TB in any circumstance.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Also also... while it's terrific to see revitalized, turned-back-the-clock-several-years Geno out there... man... him barreling around, bullying his way through traffic and taking that huge (cheap) hit probably took a year or two off the ol ticker last night. I guess I'll take it as a sign he's feeling great on that knee. Though I hope that chip on his shoulder doesn't get him into trouble this year.

 

[RSPens]

Good first game, but let's be honest, Arizona sucks. Real season begins Saturday against Tampa.

So...the main board even has a poll about how brutal the Habs defense is. We know they have some good young forward talent, but they are expected to be in the race for Bedard.

The Leafs, have some question marks around goaltending, yet are expected to be one of the top teams competing for the cup this year.

Yet Game one what happened? The Habs won. It is one game, the first game, but it does show that any NHL team can beat any other NHL team on any given night.

So sure downplay this game as "it was just Arizona", but the outcome is never set before the game and the team did what they needed to do to win. It wasn't perfect, but it was a great season opener for the Pens.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The thing that throws me off with Kapanen is that he looks noticeable with his speed but he usually doesn't do anything with it. I saw him use his speed a few times last night and just either fumble the puck, miss a pass or just throw some low danger shot on the net.

He obviously got a goal and was useful on the PK, so it's hard to say he was bad yesterday, but I feel like his play style is just a lot of effort for not that much reward. He plays a very inefficient game.

I just think it's a sign of being a low IQ player. Kappy's got the physical tools to "look good", and on occasion it'll result in goals/points. But consistently, it's going to look like you describe above because he doesn't read the ice very well to know where to be, when to be there, and what to do with the puck.

It is what it is at this point I think. As long as he can score now and then and be decent on the PK, that's as high as my expectations go with him at this point.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Let's not get too concerned with the PK in game #1 for a few reasons. First, TB wasn't playing. Now Teddy isn't the greatest PK player on the NHL or anything like that, but he has consistently been one of the Pens best for a few seasons now. Second, there are new players to this team (Petry, Poehling) that are still learning how the team plays, they are going to need time to get acclimated. Third, they are using "new" players on the PK, yes KK has played the PK before, but has very little time playing it here in Pitt. Finally, the coaches are trying a slightly different approach to the PK, that even the established Pens PK players (Blueger, McGuin, Dumo, Petts) that are having to learn. Given time the PK can only get better.

I agree that we need to have a bigger sample size, but considering the F's were up really high on both goals against and it happened to different players, leads me to believe this is more structural vs personnel related.

Again, let's see what happens over the next few games to draw meaningful conclusions but at first blush this has me concerned.

 

[PensandCaps]

I'd much rather not tax Letang with excessive minutes at his age.

He doesn't need to be playing 26 minutes a night.

Well, if we need him there, then its worth it.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Well, if we need him there, then its worth it.

I don't see any reason that Letang being on the PK would make any substantial difference on it.

 

[PensandCaps]

Good first game, but let's be honest, Arizona sucks. Real season begins Saturday against Tampa.

Random one game samples in the NHL even against bad teams is a coin flip. you could lose to an AHL team who zones in and plays good D.

So even if it's Arizona, the results are encouraging.

I don't see any reason that Letang being on the PK would make any substantial difference on it.

He's analytically one of the best in the league, so yah i think he would. But if you're looking long term and confident they'll make the playoffs, then fine rest him. But I'd still like to see him PK come playoffs.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

I don't see any reason that Letang being on the PK would make any substantial difference on it.

-Because he's good at reading/anticipating passes
-Because he can usually skate to a safe area and then clear it vs possessing it and flipping it blindly (like 95% of your average PKers)
-Because he senses what opposing players are in danger areas and eliminates them vs floating towards non danger areas and taking himself out of position
-Because he's willing and able to clear screeners in front of the next

I can go on. But show me a good overall defensemen in this league and I'll show you that they can be a good PKer.

Your point of reducing Letang's overall minutes is quite valid and something I've advocated for awhile. PKing as a Dman is the most taxing thing probably in all of hockey. It'd be good to remove this task if you want to save him for a long run

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

The thing that throws me off with Kapanen is that he looks noticeable with his speed but he usually doesn't do anything with it. I saw him use his speed a few times last night and just either fumble the puck, miss a pass or just throw some low danger shot on the net.

He obviously got a goal and was useful on the PK, so it's hard to say he was bad yesterday, but I feel like his play style is just a lot of effort for not that much reward. He plays a very inefficient game.

He's the Antiguentzel.

The plus side is that in a league predicated on speed and potential, he'll probably have a taker at 3 mil per for the duration of his deal.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

One final thought on this one... man... that Rutta signing was a bit unheralded but I REALLY like his game.

It's so nice having some big bodies back there now. It's already evident how second chances are being snuffed out in front. I can't help but be excited about how he and Petry are going to perform the rest of the year.