Post-Game Talk: Geno and Kessel runnin' wild on Zona

[Jacob]

I'm not worried about Crosby at the moment. He's played a lot worse previously, and managed to turn it around quickly then. In fact I don't think he's even playing that badly right now.

 

[Pens x]

I mean a win is a win but I was hoping we'd crush them.

It is great to have Schultz back.

I hope Jimmy is actively pursuing a 3C because Sheahan is just a waste of everyone's time.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

That team went to OT w/ Washington last night and have been playing competitive. They are a young team with a ton of talent. It's not like they are ****.

I thought we controlled the game and it easily could have been 5-1. Can't complain because when the pucks start going in, it's going to be nice.

We've been saying that all season.

That's my one negative from tonight. If there was ever an opponent where the floodgates should have opened, it was Arizona tonight. Not only are they the worst defensive team in hockey, the worst team in hockey (both statistically speaking), they're also playing the second part of a back to back on the road.

All things being equal, scoring 3 goals on them is pretty meh. I'll take the win and the 2 points, but this wasn't even close to the statement game it should have been.

 

[Jacob]

Every team is getting up to play the back-to-back champs. You can even see it in how the opposition celebrates their goals and wins against us like it's Finals.

I don't think there's going to be any floodgates. I think it's gonna be like this all season.

 

[WayneSid9987]

They could technically bring Sprong up i think when Hunwick's back and Corrado goes back down with Rowney still on LTIR but the love for Kuhn/Reaves has me thinking they'd only bring Sprong up right now if injuries required him up.

 

[Habs10025]

Crosby is an after thought on the power play .. Prediction if it continues Sullivan will lose Crosby and lose his job in the process..

 

[StaalForOne]

Didn't catch the whole game, but I saw McKegg and Reaves managed to get a 2-1 and create a good chance out of it, so I'm going to chalk that up as a W for that line.

In general I liked the lines as they were tonight, but again I didn't catch the whole game. The second line was especially good from what I saw, easily the best of the 4. The 3rd line has some potential. They won't be world beaters, but they have some speed and won't be a liability. I think given the nature of the wings Sid's line will be boom or bust. When Sid gets going that line will light it up, but until then it's Crosby trying to carry 2 spazzes.

 

[Shady Machine]

Crosby is an after thought on the power play .. Prediction if it continues Sullivan will lose Crosby and lose his job in the process..

?? If Crosby is an after thought on the PP, that's because Crosby is playing like it.

 

[CertifiedLurker]

Crosby is an after thought on the power play .. Prediction if it continues Sullivan will lose Crosby and lose his job in the process..

Are you kidding? Nobody is telling Crosby to make horrible decisions with the puck when he actually has it right now. He'll play himself out of his funk but that's something on him, not Sullivan. He didn't even register a shot on net ffs.

 

[ColePens]

Every team is getting up to play the back-to-back champs. You can even see it in how the opposition celebrates their goals and wins against us like it's Finals.

I don't think there's going to be any floodgates. I think it's gonna be like this all season.

And it shocks me that people cannot see this. Game in and game out people are shocked we aren't blowing teams out. Even some people will admit to this, then call a game like tonight underwhelming where I thought we were in control all game.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Crosby is an after thought on the power play .. Prediction if it continues Sullivan will lose Crosby and lose his job in the process..

?? If Crosby is an after thought on the PP, that's because Crosby is playing like it.

Are you kidding? Nobody is telling Crosby to make horrible decisions with the puck when he actually has it right now. He'll play himself out of his funk but that's something on him, not Sullivan. He didn't even register a shot on net ffs.

I agree to a certain extent with Habs10025, but not the part about Sullivan losing Crosby or losing his job.

I think ever since Kessel joined the Pens, Crosby's no longer a focus of the PP setup. The PP basically runs around the umbrella, between Letang/Schultz, and the two guys on the half boards (Malkin and Kessel). Crosby's role on the PP used to involve being part of setting up a bulk of the plays. Now he's generally there to tip pucks, bang in rebounds, or retrieve pucks that go into that corner to then pass it back to the three guys playing the umbrella.

I think it's one of the reasons Crosby doesn't get as many freebie second assists now. Unless he's involved in actually scoring the goal, chances are if the Pens score on the PP, the three points will go to Malkin, Kessel and Letang.

 

[Habs10025]

?? If Crosby is an after thought on the PP, that's because Crosby is playing like it.

If the power play isn't going to run through Crosby leave him off of it completely .. Wait and see its how coaches lose players it wont be pretty when Crosby decides he's had enough of Kessel and Malkin dictating what happens on the power play and gets tired of being the decoy

 

[Gurglesons]

And it shocks me that people cannot see this. Game in and game out people are shocked we aren't blowing teams out. Even some people will admit to this, then call a game like tonight underwhelming where I thought we were in control all game.

Going 0 - 4 on the power play when you are leading 2 - 0 and letting up a goal right into the 3rd is not "controlling" the game.

 

[Habs10025]

The last coach played a system that most of the players hated Crosby has expectations from the media to put big numbers once they start crapping on him because he's not .. The power play will run through Crosby again and it should .. Watch for it because the change is coming soon Sullivan knows he cant lose Crosby

 

[ColePens]

Going 0 - 4 on the power play when you are leading 2 - 0 and letting up a goal right into the 3rd is not "controlling" the game.

Now I just know you didn't watch the game. Why does everyone have to be so negative about everything the Pens do. Seriously?

Things we knew/said going into this season:
- We lost significant depth and all agreed we needed to do something with 3C/4C when both Cully/Bones left.
- We knew Letang would be rusty
- We wanted Geno/Sid to take it easy until later in the season.
- We knew we would get every single team's very best each night since we went back to back.
- We knew we would have a hard time getting real motivation in Oct/Nov after going back to back.

Now let's talk about this game:
- Kessel/Geno came out and looked incredible every shift. Jake looked terrific with those 2.
- Even though the PPs went 0/4, they didn't kill momentum and actually I found them to be decent to good.
- Murray played terrific.
- We outshot Zona 37-25 and earned our 6 to 1 PP ratio
- Letang played a great 2nd/3rd
- Schultz looked great
- Rust looked great.


So yeah.. I have nothing to bitch about. All things considered, I give the team a nice passing grade for this November 7th game. Nobody got injured (hopefully) and we won the game. Sure.. we missed some chances to put it away, but the chances are there. I think people just want to bitch. The Pens gave all the negative people out there enough to whine about. Let's take this one as a positive. And it's on a night Washington loses to Buffalo. CBJ loses both back to back games. Devils lost. Come on. That's good stuff.

 

[Headshot77]

I mean a win is a win but I was hoping we'd crush them.

It is great to have Schultz back.

I hope Jimmy is actively pursuing a 3C because Sheahan is just a waste of everyone's time.

I always assumed Sheahan was just an experiment, and if it doesn't work he would be dealt again at the deadline.

 

[Gurglesons]

Now I just know you didn't watch the game. Why does everyone have to be so negative about everything the Pens do. Seriously?

Things we knew/said going into this season:
- We lost significant depth and all agreed we needed to do something with 3C/4C when both Cully/Bones left.
- We knew Letang would be rusty
- We wanted Geno/Sid to take it easy until later in the season.
- We knew we would get every single team's very best each night since we went back to back.
- We knew we would have a hard time getting real motivation in Oct/Nov after going back to back.

Now let's talk about this game:
- Kessel/Geno came out and looked incredible every shift. Jake looked terrific with those 2.
- Even though the PPs went 0/4, they didn't kill momentum and actually I found them to be decent to good.
- Murray played terrific.
- We outshot Zona 37-25 and earned our 6 to 1 PP ratio
- Letang played a great 2nd/3rd
- Schultz looked great
- Rust looked great.


So yeah.. I have nothing to ***** about. All things considered, I give the team a nice passing grade for this November 7th game. Nobody got injured (hopefully) and we won the game. Sure.. we missed some chances to put it away, but the chances are there. I think people just want to *****. The Pens gave all the negative people out there enough to whine about. Let's take this one as a positive. And it's on a night Washington loses to Buffalo. CBJ loses both back to back games. Devils lost. Come on. That's good stuff.

Quit the zen act. You flipped your lid about the Sheahan trade.

Like I said, baby steps. But, I think a rather pedestrian win against the worst team in hockey when we had multiple times to ice it is exactly the issue this year.

Our defense are Malkin, Kessel and Crosby on the PP are carrying us offensively. That narrative didn't change tonight.

G - M - K was nice to watch tonight, and I'm glad our D is actually getting healthy. I'm cool with saying this was a positive step, but saying we "controlled" the game is a little bit of an overstatement.

 

[Gurglesons]

Also, you want me to be positive Cole. That TSN feature on Malkin is great and I could watch him talk for hours.

 

[wheelz87]

We absolutely controlled the game tonight. Guentz should have scored, Reaves had a great opportunity, Guentz had another that he ripped just over the bar, Sheahan ripped one of the crossbar, Rust had countless good rushes.. Sheary had a chance in the second off the sauce pass. Phil had a good opportunity semi-late in the third. Meanwhile Arizona didn't generate squat. Yea we played well tonight, guys.

 

[Pancakes]

I'm not worried about Crosby at the moment. He's played a lot worse previously, and managed to turn it around quickly then. In fact I don't think he's even playing that badly right now.

He's always been a dominant player on home ice and we haven't played a ton of home games so far. I have a feeling the points will start piling up for him once the home games do.

I just wish he'd stop beating himself. He's playing so frustrated out there. But who the hell is gonna say anything to the guy who has back to back Conn Smythes? Sid is going to have to work himself out of this.

 

[Treent1]

The last coach played a system that most of the players hated Crosby has expectations from the media to put big numbers once they start crapping on him because he's not .. The power play will run through Crosby again and it should .. Watch for it because the change is coming soon Sullivan knows he cant lose Crosby

They had exactly same PP setup last year and Sullivan is still here....

 

[SidCity]

Crosby is 57th in league scoring.

5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points, -12 in 17 games.

The concern is very real.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Scoreboard watching isn't a thing in November, but CBJ loses back to back games and Torts had a meltdown.

Aww, did I miss this?

 

[wheelz87]

Was just looking at the standings.. we're in first in the Metro? (I know we've played the most games) We've got the third worst goal differential in the league and only Arizona has been scored on more. (yeaaaa Niemi and those back to backs)

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Was just looking at the standings.. we're in first in the Metro? (I know we've played the most games) We've got the third worst goal differential in the league and only Arizona has been scored on more. (yeaaaa Niemi and those back to backs)

That's what happens when a team gets blown out when they lose, but only wins by a goal or two when they win.

Those three games (10-1, 7-1, 7-1) really skew the overall GF/GA differential.