Pre-Game Talk: Game 4 - Pens vs. Sens

[MtlPenFan]

I think they lacked killer instinct and I really think they expected the Senators to fold the tent once the Pens got the powerplay.

A crucial miscalculation on the Pens part but if it weren't for the veteran leadership, champions many of them, I would not be worried if I were a Pittsburgh fan.

I think that in Game 4 they will not ease up and play to the final buzzer...lesson learned. The question is how much momentum has switched to the Sens. Andy had a great game, Karlsson was better, but not close to where he was before and hoping Spezza has his legs a little better.

If Ottawa gets the first goal it could put the Pens on their heals, bring in some doubt. But Ottawa has not played with the lead yet.

That's my point. Your guys aren't quite up to speed yet, but win Sunday night like they should have, and Spezza and Karlsson being cloned multiple times and inserted into a series where they're trailing 3-0 in a series wouldn't have mattered anyway.

Now, you have a window of opportunity you shouldn't have. Your stars now have an extra game to try to get back to their expected level of play and turn this into a series.

Anyway, my beef isn't just this series. It happened against the Islanders where they put a "Defensive" PP unit on and Okposo scored a goal that helped force a pivotal game into overtime. Hell, I remember a game against the Rangers two years ago where Lundqvist threw his stick in the ref's direction and got a misconduct with 2 minutes left, and while shorthanded, Marc Staal scores a goal to tie and the Pens lose in OT.

 

[Dying Alive]

Morrow isn't part of the line rushes. If he is being scratched, and I don't think he is, I don't have a big problem with it...but not so Tanner Glass can play.

Dejan_Kovacevic: Brenden Morrow off ice early at skate, spending time with athletic trainer. #TribHKY
https://twitter.com/Dejan_Kovacevic/status/336913068326002688

 

[KIRK]

Kennedy is on line 3 because Morrow left practice.

Just saw. Feel better. Morrow-Jokinen-Adams works for L4. You know what would work better? Don't number the lines. Make it Morrow-Jokinen-Dupuis . . . call it instinct. Put Iggy with Sid and Kunitz. Put Vitale with Malkin and move Neal to RW because . . . call that one instinct too. Your point is taken, but Bylsma is still a joke with line combos.

Moving Neal to LW to play Iggy at RW so Sid can call his linemates or Bylsma thinks it's good-- whatever, who cares anymore-- is dumb on two levels:

1. You make Neal less effective with Malkin (on a side where they don't work together) to make Iggy more comfortable.

2. It doesn't address the bigger problem . . . outside of Glass and Adams, Iggy is the worst possible complement for Malkin and Neal.

As I keep saying, whether Sid is calling the shots on his line or Bylsma thinks it's good for Sid's comfort, the idea that he wouldn't similarly worry about Malkin's comfort tells you all you need to know about why the Pens will never be the team they could be with Malkin AND Bylsma.

 

[Rocket of Russia]

Jokinen centering 4th line with Glass and Adams.

What?

I've been blown away with the stupidity of roster decisions, and I'm far from a Bylsma apologist - whatever that means - but even I don't believe that lineup. By that I mean I don't think Bylsma would ever do that - Glass-Jokinen-Adams. That clearly has got to be trolling from someone.

Edit: Or injury...update is that it's because Morrow left.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Malkin/Iginla/Neal has looked good for the last two games. They may not have scored Sunday but it wasn't for lack of great chances.

I thought they looked good in Game 2. But in the last game, the only reason they had chances was because Malkin was in beast mode

 

[KIRK]

Malkin/Iginla/Neal has looked good for the last two games. They may not have scored Sunday but it wasn't for lack of great chances.

No, it was because Malkin went into absolute God mode and has been doing his own puck retrieving and pretty much assuming the lion's share of the line's defensive responsibilities.

Missed in your statement is a more important consideration: How much more would Malkin have done if it were anyone BUT Iggy-Malkin-Neal?

Oh, and by the way, the Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis line has sucked? Can I say that? KMN was broken up because they generated as a line one goal in two periods. KCD has been together despite Sid solely manufacturing two goals in eight and a half periods.

Bylsma is full of ****, and the idea that Bylsma is more concerned about Iggy's rightful place in the top six than finding from the left overs the best possible complement for Malkin and Neal-- screw what that player's name is-- is bull****. And, yes, I tried to sugarcoat it.

 

[SteelFish87*]

Malkin/Iginla/Neal has looked good for the last two games. They may not have scored Sunday but it wasn't for lack of great chances.

correction, Malkin has looked good

Neal has been okay but not that good

Iginla has been horrible

 

[KIRK]

I thought they looked good in Game 2. But in the last game, the only reason they had chances was because Malkin was in beast mode

They only looked good in game two because Malkin was in defensive beast mode, played the whole game between the circles offensively, and otherwise played like a third defenseman the whole game.

 

[SteelFish87*]

Kirk - I think you are one of the best posters here but you know Vitale will never be put on the 2nd line so why keep suggesting it?

 

[KIRK]

correction, Malkin has looked good

Neal has been okay but not that good

Iginla has been horrible

Iginla has looked bad, not because of who he is, but because of what he can't do to complement Malkin or Neal. THAT is on Bylsma as much as it's on Iginla. Perhaps more.

 

[KIRK]

Kirk - I think you are one of the best posters here but you know Vitale will never be put on the 2nd line so why keep suggesting it?

I never suggested suggested otherwise.

Perhaps I should preface those parts of my posts with 'I have a dream'.

 

[Crafton]

I never suggested suggested otherwise.

Perhaps I should preface those parts of my posts with 'I have a dream'.

inside the mind of KIRK: some nights he dreams about Kathleen Turner circa 1981 and some nights he dreams about Joe Vitale circa 2013.

 

[MtlPenFan]

Iginla has looked bad, not because of who he is, but because of what he can't do to complement Malkin or Neal. THAT is on Bylsma as much as it's on Iginla. Perhaps more.

Look, Iginla has been underwhelming. Regardless of which wing he's playing, i'm VERY disappointed with his board play and his puck battle level. Maybe all the mileage has taken it's toll on him and I won't put all the blame simply on which side he's playing.

That being said, it puts an even greater onus on the staff to maximize his potential. When a guy is already having issues, what you DON'T DO is exasperate the situation by taking him out of the comfort zone he's enjoyed for 17 years.

 

[pensfan71]

We're still in a good position. We are the better team, we can beat these guys, and we will. Chicago is in a worse position than we are, just remain calm as the players should/will, playoffs aren't easy, it takes tough losses. We'll put the last one behind us and focus on this one.

Geno and Tanger need a big game, same with Neal, Iginla needs to step up as well, he still seems lost.

Vokoun will have a solid game again.

Sid reaaaally has to get going, I think he realizes that his line goes as far as he goes, so I'm expecting another big game from him.

 

[KIRK]

Look, Iginla has been underwhelming. Regardless of which wing he's playing, i'm VERY disappointed with his board play and his puck battle level. Maybe all the mileage has taken it's toll on him and I won't put all the blame simply on which side he's playing.

That being said, it puts an even greater onus on the staff to maximize his potential. When a guy is already having issues, what you DON'T DO is exasperate the situation by taking him out of the comfort zone he's enjoyed for 17 years.

That is obvious in the abstract. What is especially galling is how it limits Malkin. It took me two periods of watching KMN to know that Ottawa just has nobody to match up against Malkin. Even watching IMN I can see that. One would think that Bylsma might exploit it, by keeping KMN or at least by finding the most complementary alternative from Kunitz from the left overs, not the least complementary alternative. Tell me I'm wrong: Having Neal and Iginla for wingers does more to slow down Malkin than the Senators can. This would've been like Bylsma going back to Feds-Malkin-Sykora for the 2009 series against the Canes. Just so dumb . . .

 

[Slabber Chops]

There is still an awful lot of pressure on the Sens. If they lose, they face the prospect of trying to survive the series in a game five in Pittsburgh. There is little rational reason to be under much pressure from the Pens perspective.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Chill everyone. Just chill.
Morrow will be ready to go. Glass will sit with Jokinen in.

It's a little better lineup atleast.

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

(or flip Cooke and Morrow)

You can see how tough it is for Bennett to crack this lineup. He had a shot in Game 3 with Vitale and Jokinen out.

 

[KIRK]

inside the mind of KIRK: some nights he dreams about Kathleen Turner circa 1981 and some nights he dreams about Joe Vitale circa 2013.

Body Heat or Vitale Heat . . . it's a tough choice, no?

 

[KIRK]

Chill everyone. Just chill.
Morrow will be ready to go. Glass will sit with Jokinen in.

It's a little better lineup atleast.

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

Oh no, it's better still . . . Neal is now LW and Iginla is now RW. Deck chairs of the lines of the Titanic (er, Penguins) now rearranged. Downward (er, onward) Sid and Geno plod.

 

[Iffyiffiffer]

There is still an awful lot of pressure on the Sens. If they lose, they face the prospect of trying to survive the series in a game five in Pittsburgh. There is little rational reason to be under much pressure from the Pens perspective.

If the Penguins lose, they are forced into winning 2 of 3 games against a team they just lost to twice in a row.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Oh no, it's better still . . . Neal is now LW and Iginla is now RW. Deck chairs of the lines of the Titanic (er, Penguins) now rearranged. Downward (er, onward) Sid and Geno plod.

You kill me sometimes KIRK.

 

[Mordax]

@markhmasters: Iginla was on point during some PP drills today; Bylsma says Sens pressure-oriented PK has made him reluctant to use Jarome in that spot

 

[Shady Machine]

Glass-Jokinen-Adams

I cannot wait to see that tomorrow. Look I don't care if Morrow left practice or not, Vitale should be subbing in for Morrow, not Tanner Glass.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Glass-Jokinen-Adams

I cannot wait to see that tomorrow. Look I don't care if Morrow left practice or not, Vitale should be subbing in for Morrow, not Tanner Glass.

I laughed looking at the practice lines.

Line 4: Glass-Jokinen-Adams
Line 5: Bennett-Vitale-Jeffrey


We have to be the only team in the league who's healthy scratches are a better line than the fourth line.

 

[Shady Machine]

I laughed looking at the practice lines.

Line 4: Glass-Jokinen-Adams
Line 5: Bennett-Vitale-Jeffrey


We have to be the only team in the league who's healthy scratches are a better line than the fourth line.

Yeah I would definitely take that 5th line over the 4th.