Post-Game Talk: Government Shutdown: Pens-2, Senators-1

[Jag68Sid87]

Hopefully it means PL3 gets another chance.

 

[Your Boy Troy]

Didn't watch the whole game as I was busy, but I didn't like the lack of response to Chris Neil. Neil was getting into Crosby and Malkin's face. And, no one did anything about it. Props to Bortuzzo not taking any ******** from Zack Smith.

 

[NastyNick]

Obstruction has been growing expotentially the last two seasons... its not quite clutch and grab at its peak, but its getting there. this is why they should have started 100% over with refs after the lockout... total overhaul... don't hire ex minor leaguers at the ref position either.. train them fresh... these guys will never call the game like they are supposed to... and too many bonehead GMs and owners like the uber boring tackle the talent style because it allows them to field a team that can win on the cheap and without a lot of effort in developing talent

Its not that they won't call it.. its that so few referees in the league have the testicular-fortitude to call a team 10 times for interference in the span of 20 minutes.

Ottawa played a game plan that has been tried and tested against the Penguins for years by lesser teams (the Flyers). You constantly take penalties against them and put yourself at the mercy of the referee. Once the referees tire of calling you, then you have the advantage. You may even get a few pity calls to even the score up.

Judging by the skill on the ice last night, if Ottawa hadn't gone full obstruction they would have lost 10-0.

 

[MeticulouslyDishevel]

It looked like he hurt his leg throwing a hit along the boards early in the game. He immediately went to the locker room, looked to be heavily limping and didn't return to the game.

FYI - Pyatt didn't practice this morning along with a few others.

 

[Stecz]

Didn't watch the whole game as I was busy, but I didn't like the lack of response to Chris Neil. Neil was getting into Crosby and Malkin's face. And, no one did anything about it. Props to Bortuzzo not taking any ******** from Zack Smith.

There's a difference between a little shoving after the whistle and taking actual liberties against star players. Neil finds a way to tow that line more often than not. In a game as tight as last nights, I don't want to the Pens to be taking penalties trying to respond to a bit of jawing and shoving. I'm sure Neil got asked to go at some point, but if he's not interested in brawling, you can't force him.

 

[themethod7]

Its not that they won't call it.. its that so few referees in the league have the testicular-fortitude to call a team 10 times for interference in the span of 20 minutes.

Ottawa played a game plan that has been tried and tested against the Penguins for years by lesser teams (the Flyers). You constantly take penalties against them and put yourself at the mercy of the referee. Once the referees tire of calling you, then you have the advantage. You may even get a few pity calls to even the score up.

Nailed it. And it's not just "lesser teams" - Detroit is really the team that perfected it (I think Errey even mentioned them last night), because they knew refs weren't going to call 10+ penalties in a period. Something tells me teams would learn pretty damn quick though if they actually had to play half a period on the PK, so I'm not sure why the refs are so averse to calling it the right way.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Nailed it. And it's not just "lesser teams" - Detroit is really the team that perfected it (I think Errey even mentioned them last night), because they knew refs weren't going to call 10+ penalties in a period. Something tells me teams would learn pretty damn quick though if they actually had to play half a period on the PK, so I'm not sure why the refs are so averse to calling it the right way.

Probably the same reason they ref to the score, develop a new set of rules depending on the time remaining and have a different set of rules for the playoffs. They don't want to decide a game (the irony) and have some bizarre sense of pity/fairness; throw in some human bias. Who knows, maybe they think some of the rules are stupid and ignore them. The teams are also good at manipulating the refs' incompetence.

They need accountability and cameras on every inch of the ice, have them explain their decision making and have people manning the cameras also contributing.

 

[Shrimper]

Granato practising with the team as we're so short on forwards.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Granato practising with the team as we're so short on forwards.

Cammi?

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Cammi?

Too much talent for DB to handle

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Granato practising with the team as we're so short on forwards.

Can he handle a game?
Bylsma's next, Crosby will go into the fetal position on the ice when he sees Disco on his wing.

Kunitz - Crosby - Gibbons
Jokinen - Malkin - Neal
Glass - Sutter - Megna
Kobasew (get waived, you *******) - Adams - Engelland

So if nothing happened to anyone else they have enough for a team.

So either trade (lulzy); someone else is being called up or someone is coming back.


Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins
Maintenance days for #Pens Orpik and Bortuzzo for today's practice, per Bylsma

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins
Pyatt will be out next 2 games with lower-body injury. Could practice after Olympic break #Pens

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins
No update on Letang. He will not travel to Buffalo, per #Pens coach Bylsma

That's kind of good news about Pyatt, not so much about Bortuzzo and Letang. What the hell is going on with Letang?

 

[Al Smith]

Bortuzzo with a maintenance day? That's odd for someone who's played, what, 3 games in a row?

 

[pistolpete11]

Its not that they won't call it.. its that so few referees in the league have the testicular-fortitude to call a team 10 times for interference in the span of 20 minutes.QUOTE]

I'd buy that except the Sens were called for only 1 interference penalty and it took a dive from Adams for them to finally call one.

 

[BrokenStick]

Its not that they won't call it.. its that so few referees in the league have the testicular-fortitude to call a team 10 times for interference in the span of 20 minutes.QUOTE]

I'd buy that except the Sens were called for only 1 interference penalty and it took a dive from Adams for them to finally call one.

True, but the refs know that the league's #1 PP is out there. And after they scored on their first, it was practically swallow whistle time.

They know that a pp that can score at this rate will stop a game from being competitive, and if at the end of the game if the pp line goes 0-3 visitors, 4-7 home that they, the refs, will be the story of the game.

They do not want to be the story.

 

[Winger for Hire]

True, but the refs know that the league's #1 PP is out there. And after they scored on their first, it was practically swallow whistle time.

They know that a pp that can score at this rate will stop a game from being competitive, and if at the end of the game if the pp line goes 0-3 visitors, 4-7 home that they, the refs, will be the story of the game.

They do not want to be the story.

Either way they'll be a story. I'd rather them be the story for calling a tight and correct game than for letting a "garage-league" ****-show be "decided" by the players.

And in the same vein, by deciding to swallow the whistles and not call anything, aren't they just the same deciding the game as they would have if they called penalties? They get blasted either way, but at least get blasted and be able to say you called it correctly by the rulebook you were hired to uphold.

 

[Smacker]

+ MAF
+ Bort
+ Martin
+ Sutter
+ Määttä
+ JMN



Save of the year!

 

[WayneSid9987]

 

[billybudd]

Something about Karlsson just cracks me up. Started when Mischa Brueggergrossman butchered the national anthems and he was laughing so hard he was shaking on the bench.

Warning: mute computer



His reaction to Fleury's save did nothing to change this.

 

[Shrimper]

Kunitz-Crosby-Gibbons
Jokinen-Malkin-Neal
Glass-Sutter-Megna
Kobasew-Adams-Engelland

 

[wej20]

Kunitz-Crosby-Gibbons
Jokinen-Malkin-Neal
Glass-Sutter-Megna
Kobasew-Adams-Engelland

more likely

Kunitz - Crosby - Gibbons
Jokinen - Malkin - Neal
Glass - Sutter - Kobapoo
Megna - Adams - Engelland

 

[Jag68Sid87]

more likely

Kunitz - Crosby - Gibbons
Jokinen - Malkin - Neal
Glass - Sutter - Kobapoo
Megna - Adams - Engelland

Don't forget Cammi Granato.

 

[penspenspens]

Scary for a while, but nice with a win against the Senators.

Is it just me, or has Crosby's stick-handling been way off lately, and during the entire season compared to the previous ones? He's never able to skate around anyone with the puck, he never beats the opponents one-on-one, and sometimes looses the puck for no reason at all.

He used to be awesome at that, getting the puck under peoples sticks/between legs, and toe-dragging the puck into the front of the goal. Dangerous everytime he got the puck in the neutral zone. Now he's pretty much the worst Penguin when it comes to getting around opponents with the puck.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I'm thinking when Vitale/Bennett/Pyatt get back:

Kunitz - Crosby - Bennett
Jokinen - Malkin - Neal
Pyatt - Sutter - Gibbons
Glass - Vitale - Adams
(or Pyatt/Glass flip places)

Pretty obvious DB values Gibbons more than Megna right now and probably in the future.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Scary for a while, but nice with a win against the Senators.

Is it just me, or has Crosby's stick-handling been way off lately, and during the entire season compared to the previous ones? He's never able to skate around anyone with the puck, he never beats the opponents one-on-one, and sometimes looses the puck for no reason at all.

He used to be awesome at that, getting the puck under peoples sticks/between legs, and toe-dragging the puck into the front of the goal. Dangerous everytime he got the puck in the neutral zone. Now he's pretty much the worst Penguin when it comes to getting around opponents with the puck.

Probably an element of coasting involved. Things like the Dupuis situation fresh in his memory of what can/could happen in terms of his NZ speed. Playing it safe to get to the Olympic break healthy. Would be my opinion on it.

 

[penspenspens]

Probably an element of coasting involved. Things like the Dupuis situation fresh in his memory of what can/could happen. Playing it safe to get to the Olympic break healthy. Would be my opinion on it.

Might be that, you really think so? Looks like night and day to me. Would it really affect how he moves the puck when he's one-on-one? Most of the time the opponent just slaps the puck away, or gives him a push so he falls. His passes have been off too, a lot more turnovers and intercepted passes as of lately.