GDT: Game 2 - Isles @ Pens - 7:30 PM ET - Everyone is a Game Time Decision

[KIRK]

The hockey in this division is not entertaining. Even Boston - Washington while somewhat exciting has been a drag compared to what is going on in the other divisions.

Combine that with the fact we haven't won a playoff game in three years now. It really sucks.

And I'm not really someone that gets down on the Pens. I feel like if they win tonight they will be able to ride some momentum into the Island hopefully.

@ColePens and I were talking about this earlier.

It's not so much about the game or the series as much as it's about realizing this team doesn't have what it takes to make some noise in the playoffs.

I'm as pessimistic as they come, but even I thought if everything fell right-- injuries, Sully becoming a good bench boss, Jarry-- then this team had a chance to make a little bit of a run in the playoffs.

One game dispelled that for me, and it kind of transcends whether they win a game or the series.

(Now? The bench management is uninspired. The mix is wrong. The only thing softer than their physical play is their mental game.)

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

Damn KIRK it’s not that bad, yet.

 

[tom_servo]

Not excited at all for this game.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Uh, are people taking “quotes” from Penguins Jesus as real?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I don't know how anyone can look at the other games/series around the league and honestly say this team has a chance to do anything significant in the playoffs. Win or lose, this team hasn't looked good in the post season in years. Zero urgency, zero heart, zero intensity. They make every game look like a random RS game in December, whether it's the 1st game of the series or the elimination game.

 

[KIRK]

Damn KIRK it’s not that bad, yet.

Wait until you see what Sullivan does when Malkin returns for game 4 . . .

 

[KIRK]

I don't know how anyone can look at the other games/series around the league and honestly say this team has a chance to do anything significant in the playoffs. Win or lose, this team hasn't looked good in the post season in years. Zero urgency, zero heart, zero intensity. They make every game look like a random RS game in December, whether it's the 1st game of the series or the elimination game.

And it's not just to there being no way they're hanging in a 7 game series with TB or a team like that.

It's that they don't have 1% of the guts Minny showed against Vegas.

The latter is the more depressing part, truth be told, because I wasn't naive enough to believe much in the former.

 

[KIRK]

So the general feeling is pessimism with a sprinkling of self-loathing?

My kind of crowd.

OUR kind of crowd . . .

 

[ImporterExporter]

f*** it.

5-2 Pitt.

Crosby goes nuclear. Hatty. 3rd is an empty netter, backhander from his own dot.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Okay... I'm free, now. LGP!

Thanks Randy!!!

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

And it's not just to there being no way they're hanging in a 7 game series with TB or a team like that.

It's that they don't have 1% of the guts Minny showed against Vegas.

The latter is the more depressing part, truth be told, because I wasn't naive enough to believe much in the former.

Yep. Era probably ended, for all intents and purposes, when they decided to stay the course following the Isles series a few years ago. That's when they needed to shift gears and switch things up. We were more than a year into JR's absurdity and it was plain there was a serious disconnect between coach/players, as well as coach/GM.

Probably too late now.

 

[BrookswasHere44]

Or win it for ex-Bucco Rennie Stennett.

R.I.P.

So sad. His son is a member here. Much love

 

[Allie Kitsune]

It is so weird but I don't want anything to do with this game.

Me neither. This team doesn't have an extra gear, and they're not willing to try anything different.

That doesn't mean that they're necessarily guaranteed to be swept, but it also wouldn't exactly be a surprise if they were.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

This thread….

 

[Allie Kitsune]

This thread….

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Is it really being a downer to point out that a team with a ~35 year old core, that's won a single game in its last 11 playoff appearances, seems like it's outta gas? Guilty as charged, I guess.

 

[KIRK]

f*** it.

5-2 Pitt.

Crosby goes nuclear. Hatty. 3rd is an empty netter, backhander from his own dot.

Only because you used the word nuclear . . .

 

[Ogrezilla]

Okay... I'm free, now. LGP!

Thanks Randy!!!

man Eurovision was so dumb, I loved it

 

[KIRK]

Is it really being a downer to point out that a team with a ~35 year old core, that's won a single game in its last 11 playoff appearances, seems like it's outta gas? Guilty as charged, I guess.

I'm not sure Hextall can't refill the tank, even with all three staying, but it'll take getting pretty much everything right and being willing to make some significant lateral moves designed to improve the mix (it's also going to take one other change, but I'll leave it at that).

That said, LET'S GO PENS . . .

 

[Ogrezilla]

man, I'm thinking we can bounce back from 1 OT loss and still go be a contender. I apparently was mistaken

 

[KIRK]

man, I'm thinking we can bounce back from 1 OT loss and still go be a contender. I apparently was mistaken

Actually, I think even the most depressed of us know they can bounce back and win the game and even the series.

But, if you think they can bounce back and be a contender, please let me know what you're drinking so I can order myself a couple of doubles before the game.

 

[The Old Master]

IF we lose this series Sullivan is gone.

there is always one that try's to put tragedy in a good light

 

[Ogrezilla]

Actually, I think even the most depressed of us know they can bounce back and win the game and even the series.

But, if you think they can bounce back and be a contender, please let me know what you're drinking so I can order myself a couple of doubles before the game.

they'll probably need Malkin and a "pretty good" version of Jarry to do it, but we just won probably the best division in the league. We obviously aren't actually a bad hockey team. In fact, I think we're a pretty good one.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Across from the arena with tickets for tonight.

So if they lose you know who to blame.

 

[Bumpus]

The hockey in this division is not entertaining. Even Boston - Washington while somewhat exciting has been a drag compared to what is going on in the other divisions.

Combine that with the fact we haven't won a playoff game in three years now. It really sucks.

And I'm not really someone that gets down on the Pens. I feel like if they win tonight they will be able to ride some momentum into the Island hopefully.

You misspelled “when”