Post-Game Talk: Lightning 5, Penguins 1 - It Was The Best of Times, It Was The Blurst of Times

[HandshakeLine]

I feel attacked.

I thought you lived in a hostel, tbh.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah, I don't know. E-Rod's not out there racking up the points but people have some pretty strong black and gold colored glasses if they think he's the problem with his line. He's clearly, clearly outplaying both Jake and Kap.

I also find it kind of funny because Rodrigues himself has 3 goals and 5 points in 6 games.

 

[Empoleon8771]

People should go look at what was being said about Crosby and Guentzel underperforming with Rodrigues early last season and how definitively wrong that idea was proven once Rodrigues was removed from their line.

There's a template for this, and we've already seen how it plays out.

Rodrigues is literally outproducing both Guentzel and Kapanen.

 

[HandshakeLine]

E-rod is doing exactly what you want a guy making peanuts to do. The problem isn't him, it's that the higher paid guys aren't clicking with him for whatever reason. That said, at least one of the big guns needs to come back ASAP.

Edit: let me rephrase it a bit: The fact that Erod's even on the same line as those two is a huge problem, but I mean, there's not really any other options for that at the moment, and that's the root of this whole thing. Unless we want to put Simon there?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Not that I'm seeing anyone freakin' out but how can you really be too mad, ya know? They were gonna come out on the wrong end of some ugly ones with the roster as it currently is. Particularly against teams with a lot of talent still in their lineup like Tampa. Early results as a whole still encouraging.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Rodrigues is literally outproducing both Guentzel and Kapanen.

Yes, Rodrigues is producing through 5 games. That doesn't change that scoring line players struggle with him.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Yeah, dropping only one in regulation against some tough candidates with 5 big-names on the shelf is pretty dang good.

 

[ronduguayshair]

People should go look at what was being said about Crosby and Guentzel underperforming with Rodrigues early last season and how definitively wrong that idea was proven once Rodrigues was removed from their line.

There's a template for this, and we've already seen how it plays out.

I would say EROD was bad at the beginning of the season last year. This year he is good. So he's either improved or has more confidence or is on a hot streak. And Sid isn't the easiest guy to play with.


The main takeaway is that he's not as bad as people (who are lazy) say he is.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Sandy Subtweet has thoughts about THINGS.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yeah, dropping only one in regulation against some tough candidates with 5 big-names on the shelf is pretty dang good.

For real. I mean... still plenty of stuff to wring our hands about and hypotheticals to harangue each other with but realistically this is as good a start to the year as I could have hoped for under the circumstances. Whole core is on the shelf plus a top six wing FFS.

 

[SEALBound]

Anyone that thought Tampa would continue to lay back after getting embarrassed the game before was lying to themselves.

I thought we played them pretty even, even with that aspect. We hit two posts and Vasi made a couple of key saves before it dropped to 3-0. So it would easily have been 3-0 the other way.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I also find it kind of funny because Rodrigues himself has 3 goals and 5 points in 6 games.

Yeah, more than I thought tbh and I've been pretty defensive of E-Rod. Fair point. He's playing well and producing, but is somehow still responsible for Jake playing miserable away from the puck and not being a threat offensively, and Kap just kind of wandering around the ice like a rookie. What can't this guy do?!

 

[HandshakeLine]

I thought we played them pretty even, even with that aspect. We hit two posts and Vasi made a couple of key saves before it dropped to 3-0. So it would easily have been 3-0 the other way.

Yeah, the fact that we hung with the reigning champs despite icing essentially a preseason B team is pretty encouraging. I just hope it keeps on like that after we start getting players back.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah, more than I thought tbh and I've been pretty defensive of E-Rod. Fair point. He's playing well and producing, but is somehow still responsible for Jake playing miserable away from the puck and not being a threat offensively, and Kap just kind of wandering around the ice like a rookie. What can't this guy do?!

I'm positive that if this team lost 10-1 with Crosby and Malkin being individually responsible for every goal against, some on here would blame Sullivan, ZAR, Zucker, ERod, Pettersson and Jarry for the loss

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yeah, the fact that we hung with the reigning champs despite icing essentially a preseason B team is pretty encouraging. I just hope it keeps on like that after we start getting players back.

Haven't you heard? Getting players back is going to "ruin" this team.

 

[Gurglesons]

People should go look at what was being said about Crosby and Guentzel underperforming with Rodrigues early last season and how definitively wrong that idea was proven once Rodrigues was removed from their line.

There's a template for this, and we've already seen how it plays out.

I mean, Jake and Sid didn’t necessarily tear up the league after getting separated from him.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yes, Rodrigues is producing through 5 games. That doesn't change that scoring line players struggle with him.

I like how you're saying this as if you weren't making the claim of "scoring line players struggle with him" based on a sample size of 6 games from 2020-2021.

And yes, that is how many games Rodrigues played with Crosby last year. 6. That's it.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Haven't you heard? Getting players back is going to "ruin" this team.

All joking aside, I do fully expect this team to let out a sigh of relief followed by a long, wet fart once Sid and Geno are back. They always do. Not the stars' fault, but it does feel like everybody stops paying attention to the little things and sort of takes their foot off the gas once a big name returns from injury. Been that way for the entirety of the era, across multiple coaches and rosters.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

All joking aside, I do fully expect this team to let out a sigh of relief followed by a long, wet fart once Sid and Geno are back. They always do. Not the stars' fault, but it does feel like everybody stops paying attention to the little things and sort of takes their foot off the gas once a big name returns from injury. Been that way for the entirety of the era, across multiple coaches and rosters.

I agree but only to a point. They clearly let their foot off the gas but it's not like an extended malaise. And I can't blame the team, really. Playing like they are now requires max effort and extreme focus. As fans it's cute to demand those things on a nightly basis but it isn't fair or realistic over the course of a long regular season. After a few games of looking discombobulated they always go back to playing respectable hockey. And obviously you need star power to do anything real in this league.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I mean, Jake and Sid didn’t necessarily tear up the league after getting separated from him.

Their production skyrocketed immediately after he was removed from the line.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I like how you're saying this as if you weren't making the claim of "scoring line players struggle with him" based on a sample size of 6 games from 2020-2021.

And yes, that is how many games Rodrigues played with Crosby last year. 6. That's it.

We're seeing a sample size of it right now.

Let's see what happens as soon as Rodrigues leaves their line this year.

 

[Gurglesons]

Their production skyrocketed immediately after he was removed from the line.

No it didn’t.

Crosby has 7 pts in 6 games. Then 3 in 6 after Rust was moved up top.

Guentzel had 5 pts in 6 games. Then 4 in 6 after rust was moved up top.

The issue was Rodrigues wasn’t producing on that line.

 

[Pancakes]

View attachment 474505

Only won the last 5 but ok.

I must have mentally blocked that out because it always feels like we lose brutal games to the Devils

 

[dogthateats]

Walking home now. @ronduguayshair quickly drives through a puddle next to me in his 2017 Buick Regal and splashes me with rain water and remnants of empty Iron City cans ruining my Winter Classic Evgeni Malkin shirt jersey. Each department store that I walk by displays highlights of the biggest Pen’s loss of the season in the display window further mocking me. A Tampa Bay Lightning fan mansplains the origin of boneless wings to me as I pick up a half smoked cigarette. Meanwhile, I can’t help but think how things would be different if we didn’t trade away Hornqvist and Flower. It is going to be a long night in Beaver County.

I spent the night in the slammer

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

No it didn’t.

Crosby has 7 pts in 6 games. Then 3 in 6 after Rust was moved up top.

Guentzel had 5 pts in 6 games. Then 4 in 6 after rust was moved up top.

The issue was Rodrigues wasn’t producing on that line.

Your framing is askew, pixies.

Crosby and Guentzel combined for 1 5v5 point through 5 games with Rodrigues.

In the 6th game, immediately after Rodrigues got injured, the 1st line put up 2 ES goals.

So unless you think Rodrigues somehow influenced PP goals when he wasn't on the ice in the first 5 games or goals scored after he left injured in the 6th, it's beyond obvious what the problem on that line was.