GDT: GAME 3 / Rangers v Penguins / 7:00PM EST, APRIL 20

[Joejosh999]

I worry a lot about sitting Chorney or Dumo.....based on Jon BonBulie's reports, they are playing well AS A PAIR. I think we need to keep them together rather than rely one or the other will be OK with an unfamiliar partner.
Scuderi has to sit IMO. Of course that has been true for about a year and a half so....

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

When Pouliot and Ehrhoff come back, Chorney and Dumo will sit....simple as that. Not how it should be, but you know. The Pens do some weird ****.

Dumo has been ok, but him sitting isn't a big deal. Chorney has played well though, but the Pens desperately need help with their transition game right now. DP is a trade off in that regard, because his work in his own end needs improvement.

However, in the end, I'd rather see DP get the experience because I doubt they are winning the cup this year. If they somehow do, I doubt Chorney over DP is the difference.

 

[Ugene Magic]

The Pens don't have the luxury to sit anyone on defense no matter who it is. One injury and Scuds is back in there.

7 D-men at least gives them a look to see if they can afford to sit him for a game or not. I'd be well within rights to say dress 7 until it doesn't work.

 

[Asuna]

Dumo has been ok, but him sitting isn't a big deal. Chorney has played well though, but the Pens desperately need help with their transition game right now. DP is a trade off in that regard, because his work in his own end needs improvement.

However, in the end, I'd rather see DP get the experience because I doubt they are winning the cup this year. If they somehow do, I doubt Chorney over DP is the difference.

Dumo-Chorney pair has been pretty decent these games....I'd just keep that and sit Scuderi/Lovejoy.

Although Pouliot was pretty shaky the few games before he got hurt...not sure I'd play him at this point, but you're right...he does need the experience.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I found the schematic of how they fixed the PP problems this series. This was our power play:

I did catch Despres in a game this week though. Looked good.

 

[Asuna]

The Pens don't have the luxury to sit anyone on defense no matter who it is. One injury and Scuds is back in there.

7 D-men at least gives them a look to see if they can afford to sit him for a game or not. I'd be well within rights to say dress 7 until it doesn't work.

They have Harrington too, remember.

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

And sadly that makes the defense worse.

I was even thinking... Letang had a great year, but he might have had a bad series here. The Pens are keeping it simple and boring... and it's actually working. With Tangers, the Rangers would have been allowed to play their game a little more. It's weird to say, but the lack of transition seems to actually help the Pens because it's keeping the Rangers away from their game. It's very weird.

I would have thought the Rangers would blow up our wall, but our defense is just pounding the puck up the half board and we are getting lucky bounces that spring us for 3 on 2s. Rangers defense started playing back a little and it's opening up our transition.

No it doesn't. Its just doenst.

 

[Ugene Magic]

They have Harrington too, remember.

They are not going to sit Scuds to put in Harrington.

 

[Asuna]

They are not going to sit Scuds to put in Harrington.

No, but they should

 

[BlacknGold4life]

Brian Dumoulin scores tonight.




You heard it here first

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Dumo-Chorney pair has been pretty decent these games....I'd just keep that and sit Scuderi/Lovejoy.

Although Pouliot was pretty shaky the few games before he got hurt...not sure I'd play him at this point, but you're right...he does need the experience.

They have done fine. I don't think Dumo is doing anything special and replacing him won't really matter all that much IMHO.

DP is generally a smart guy that knows when to keep it simple. He will help their transition immensely, even when he is being conservative. Both he and Dumo need a lot of work in their own end, so I don't really see a big problem with Dumo sitting for him.

 

[systemsgo]

 

[Asuna]

They have done fine. I don't think Dumo is doing anything special and replacing him won't really matter all that much IMHO.

DP is generally a smart guy that knows when to keep it simple. He will help their transition immensely, even when he is being conservative. Both he and Dumo need a lot of work in their own end, so I don't really see a big problem with Dumo sitting for him.

I think Dumo needs as much experience as he can get right now. He's waiver eligible next year, so he has to stay up with the Pens and play.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

As I linked yesterday, a POV that the Pens have been lucky that Brian Dumoulin's mistakes have not cost them.

Θ Taylor Chorney isn’t Kris Letang, but he’s held his own in his playoff début. He’s even been an asset on the second powerplay unit, directing the breakout and distributing the puck with confidence in the offensive zone. Pittsburgh shouldn’t rush to give Chorney ($550k and UFA at year-end) Paul Martin or Christian Erhoff’s money when the two leave for free agency this summer, but Chorney is carving out a spot at the NHL level.

Θ The same can’t be said of Brian Dumoulin. Rough start in limited minutes for a young defenseman that’s in over his head in playoff hockey. The Penguins don’t have much of a choice. Scott Harrington would be no better at this point and Ehrhoff is lingering in the fuzzy “day-to-day†world of playoff injuries. Dumoulin is lucky his panic turnovers and unnecessary icings haven’t backfired so far. Johnston needs to be very careful with his deployment of the nervous rookie.

http://thehockeywriters.com/emptying-notebook-penguins-rangers/

Dumoulin should likely be the one to sit out when Erhoff and DP return. Especially if they do as I hope and play that smart game that takes away the Rangers' speed and aggressive forcheck. Dumo panicing and fumbling the puck can not be afforded where you play a type of game where one goal could win it.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

So DP is back. That helps. Especially since they now have depth and choices on the backend. He should help the PP as well. Yes, I know 2 for 5, but given that the refs have given us so few that is a very small sample size. They could use DP on the PP.

I wonder if Erhoff is back for game 4.

 

[T1K]

And sadly that makes the defense worse.

I was even thinking... Letang had a great year, but he might have had a bad series here. The Pens are keeping it simple and boring... and it's actually working. With Tangers, the Rangers would have been allowed to play their game a little more. It's weird to say, but the lack of transition seems to actually help the Pens because it's keeping the Rangers away from their game. It's very weird.

I would have thought the Rangers would blow up our wall, but our defense is just pounding the puck up the half board and we are getting lucky bounces that spring us for 3 on 2s. Rangers defense started playing back a little and it's opening up our transition.

As much as I like Pouliot and his offensive flair, it would be a mistake to play him in the playoffs. Before I was all about getting him some experience, but he doesn't seem nearly as steady as Dumo or Chorney. Hopefully once Ehrhoff comes back he starts seeing dollars and plays out of his mind for his next contract. Although we'd need to make a bit of a run at this point for him to see any sort of significant raise.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Just dress 7, MJ. You won't be sorry.

Martin, Lovejoy
Scuderi/Pouliot, Cole
Scuderi/Pouliot, Chorney
Dumoulin

 

[Saku11]

Gotta give MAF credit for game 2, but i just dont feel confident when he is net. Anything can happen with him. Start of game 1 was scary.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

And sadly that makes the defense worse.

I was even thinking... Letang had a great year, but he might have had a bad series here. The Pens are keeping it simple and boring... and it's actually working. With Tangers, the Rangers would have been allowed to play their game a little more. It's weird to say, but the lack of transition seems to actually help the Pens because it's keeping the Rangers away from their game. It's very weird.

I would have thought the Rangers would blow up our wall, but our defense is just pounding the puck up the half board and we are getting lucky bounces that spring us for 3 on 2s. Rangers defense started playing back a little and it's opening up our transition.

I missed this post until it was just quoted.

I had some of those thoughts as well, but then I marinated on them a while and came to the conclusion that it makes no sense.

Or more it is Exhibit A of what is wrong with MJ. I am thrilled with the adjustments and outcoaching AV in two games. But where the hell was that all year? If we saw some of this during the Pens slide, I am sure many of us wouldn't be as down on the team as we remain despite the good start. And Disco made some beautiful adjustments in the Rag series last playoffs, for a couple games. Showed what this team could do. Then abruptly abandoned them. I will believe this when it continues.

More than that though if you have to play a less talented player because you can not get him to play the game in the playoffs in a way that can win, then that is on you coach. You bench him if you need to, whatever you need to get him to buy into the program. I do not see MJ has anything like that in his bag of tools. And this team is crying out for that and has been for a long time.

 

[Penguinator]

If we play like in g2 we can beat those Refs erh... Rags. GO PENS!

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I think Dumo needs as much experience as he can get right now. He's waiver eligible next year, so he has to stay up with the Pens and play.

I think Dumo is a higher risk player right now. He is likely to make the same mistakes as DP, without bringing the dynamic offensive element DP does.

He's pretty raw and people don't seem to be noticing the assignments he keeps missing.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I think Dumo is a higher risk player right now. He is likely to make the same mistakes as DP, without bringing the dynamic offensive element DP does.

He's pretty raw and people don't seem to be noticing the assignments he keeps missing.

As I pointed out in the link above, people are definately noticing. Maybe not the general public but that is only because his mistakes have not cost them. Yet. It would only be a matter of time as this series went on.

 

[systemsgo]

They have done fine. I don't think Dumo is doing anything special and replacing him won't really matter all that much IMHO.

DP is generally a smart guy that knows when to keep it simple. He will help their transition immensely, even when he is being conservative. Both he and Dumo need a lot of work in their own end, so I don't really see a big problem with Dumo sitting for him.

My worry with DP is that he won't play conservative, he'll cheat and make mistakes. I'm not sure which is the better alternative right now. Ideally, it'd be Ehrhoff back and Chorney taking the last spot.

His GA/60 since Letang was out was 5.82, and he was the playing sheltered minutes along with Chorney (whose GA/60 was 0). That doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

 

[systemsgo]

Wilson in for Beau?

 

[DegenX]

Wonder if that means it's possible that BB might be scratched for Wilson? I don't think that should happen, but then again, the only thing I run is my mouth, so ...