Post-Game Talk: Penguins 3, Wild 2 - Vanilla Ice With the Game Winner

[Peat]

Co-incidence that he gets a couple of days off and suddenly starts skating again?

I'm still wondering if the rift between him and Sullivan is over his iron man streak, and the lengths he is willing to go to keep it. Regardless, if indeed that is the case, let's hope we have a few loooong layoffs before the playoffs.

I thought that had pretty clearly been reported to be part of what's going on.

 

[Gurglesons]

I thought that had pretty clearly been reported to be part of what's going on.

And I think it is just an issue of Sullivan trusting his players to know their game and being pissed Phil wouldn’t just sit out a game or two to heal.

No problem with Sullivan’s criticism on that topic to be honest. Kessel put a meaningless record over the team, coach’s job to make him feel like an ass about that.

 

[zero8771]

Is the team still giving up on Sullivan? I thought he needed fired? Please remember these takes are ludicrous next time the team has a rough patch.

Nice win!

 

[ColePens]

Is the team still giving up on Sullivan? I thought he needed fired? Please remember these takes are ludicrous next time the team has a rough patch.

Nice win!

On the positive side, why don't we celebrate the 75-80% of people who did say to be patient, analyzed the issues fairly, and had good hockey talk?

Why are we always shining a spotlight on the 15-20% of negative people?

 

[ColePens]

And mad props to Sully for using Sid/Jake on the PK. I really feel that has given this team an added threat. Cullen is also playing very well. ZAR/Sheahan are two guys who can jump in there as well. But the key is not over using the vanilla players and giving the opposition a threat to look at.

If they found a way to make a solid hockey trade for Brassard/Faksa type deal, they would have an even bigger threat on the PK.

 

[Tom Hanks]

And mad props to Sully for using Sid/Jake on the PK. I really feel that has given this team an added threat. Cullen is also playing very well. ZAR/Sheahan are two guys who can jump in there as well. But the key is not over using the vanilla players and giving the opposition a threat to look at.

If they found a way to make a solid hockey trade for Brassard/Faksa type deal, they would have an even bigger threat on the PK.

ZAR will be a more aggressive than Sheahan on the PK. That might not be saying much as Sheahan holds back far too often.

That stick play on the boards that lead to a goal was the same stuff he was doing in the D zone which comes on very handy especially on the PK.

 

[zero8771]

On the positive side, why don't we celebrate the 75-80% of people who did say to be patient, analyzed the issues fairly, and had good hockey talk?

Why are we always shining a spotlight on the 15-20% of negative people?

Because the 15-20 percent of people post 85-90% of the time and make every thread miserable to follow (or if ignored sometimes the entire PGT doesn't show up depending on who made it)

But you are right. New year let's keep the discussion hockey focused and celebrate that we have the Pens and not stuck with the Steelers

 

[Randy Butternubs]

When can was start calling Aston-Reese "Zartuzzi"?

 

[Tom Hanks]

Is the team still giving up on Sullivan? I thought he needed fired? Please remember these takes are ludicrous next time the team has a rough patch.

Nice win!

It was at a time when you start having conversations though. I like Sully here but you do start to have doubts because that bad patch was the worst since he’d been here but you give him the opportunity to fix it.

He responded well. Did what was necessary to stop bleeding goals and relied heavily on Sid to score. Got us back in the win columns then then the bottom 6 started to chip in, Rust got going, Petterson & Riikola got in and really steadied the D, Murray got his game back.

Everything just seemed to flow on from each other. The hardest part was to stop the bleeding and he was able to coach the team to do that successfully.

There’s still some stuff to be done to give us a better shot for the cup but I think that’s more in JR’s court for now.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

When can was start calling Aston-Reese "Zartuzzi"?

He's a superZtAR.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Big props to CDS. He could save this season, and he could save us moving forward. Murray needs a guy to share the workload, he's just not a MAF type workhorse. I assumed it would be Jarry, but CDS athletic style can steal us some games when the team isn't playing structured hockey, just like MAF did for us for years. Most importantly, we need a fresh Murray for the post season.

I hope they ink him to a couple year extension @ 1.25-1.5m or something similar. Not much to lose for us, and a lot to be gained.

 

[Ogrezilla]

When can was start calling Aston-Reese "Zartuzzi"?

Zacktrick ZARnqvist

 

[Gurglesons]

It was at a time when you start having conversations though. I like Sully here but you do start to have doubts because that bad patch was the worst since he’d been here but you give him the opportunity to fix it.

He responded well. Did what was necessary to stop bleeding goals and relied heavily on Sid to score. Got us back in the win columns then then the bottom 6 started to chip in, Rust got going, Petterson & Riikola got in and really steadied the D, Murray got his game back.

Everything just seemed to flow on from each other. The hardest part was to stop the bleeding and he was able to coach the team to do that successfully.

There’s still some stuff to be done to give us a better shot for the cup but I think that’s more in JR’s court for now.

I think it is pretty obvious that the issues earlier were roster construction. We get a young D prospect for Sprong and suddenly our D is somehow good.

 

[66-30-33]

Zacktric ZARnqvist

FTFY

 

[ColePens]

I do not find the ZAR/Horny comparisons funny at all. I may bring out the ban hammer.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I do not find the ZAR/Horny comparisons funny at all. I may bring out the ban hammer.

Definition of FASCISM

 

[Ogrezilla]

FTFY

I feel great shame.

 

[EightyOne]

Is the team still giving up on Sullivan? I thought he needed fired? Please remember these takes are ludicrous next time the team has a rough patch.

Nice win!

I know you've pulled back a little bit after Cole, but, you saw the same lackadaisical effort that the team was putting forth, right?

I'd get being patient and understanding if everyone on the ice was executing to a T but getting tough breaks.

They weren't even trying most nights.

It's cool that they are skating and putting themselves in better places on the ice, though.

 

[td_ice]

I do not find the ZAR/Horny comparisons funny at all. I may bring out the ban hammer.

haha....yeah. Even Errey laughed at the comparison. "he's said to be like Hornqvist, *laughs* I don't know about that, he's got a long way to go before you can make that kind of comparison."

 

[Ogrezilla]

I do not find the ZAR/Horny comparisons funny at all. I may bring out the ban hammer.

Yeah at least ZAR completed a few simple passes last night

 

[Ogrezilla]

PS horny I love you I'm sorry it was just a joke

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

I thought that had pretty clearly been reported to be part of what's going on.

That was the case last year. I didn’t know if it’s the same issue today.

Was speculating based on his play before and after the Christmas break. Unless it wasn’t physical and he just decided in his head to try harder?

 

[Fordy]

Is the team still giving up on Sullivan? I thought he needed fired? Please remember these takes are ludicrous next time the team has a rough patch.

Nice win!

lol, relax. the ball landed on the line and broke the right way, but there was a laundry list of reasons this discussion was had

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

lol, relax. the ball landed on the line and broke the right way, but there was a laundry list of reasons this discussion was had

Other than certain important players playing bad, there really wasnt.

People just need something to blame.

 

[Gurglesons]

I know you've pulled back a little bit after Cole, but, you saw the same lackadaisical effort that the team was putting forth, right?

I'd get being patient and understanding if everyone on the ice was executing to a T but getting tough breaks.

They weren't even trying most nights.

It's cool that they are skating and putting themselves in better places on the ice, though.

I think you view the season in ten game sprints.

Sometimes everything goes right, sometimes everything goes wrong.

Question is do you think a healthy roster is closer to this or what we saw in November.

D was a huge question mark for me heading into the season. Adding in Pettersson and Riikola for Oleksiak and potentially Maatta or Johnson when healthy does a lot to convince me this team could have a D similar to 2015-16. Even if they use Maatta - Schultz and Pettersson - Johnson that is much more convincing than having a combination of Oleksiak / Maatta - Johnson as we did entering the season.

Other question mark was goaltending. Desmith seems to be a solid back-up and I write off last year for Murray. He obviously had a nagging injury limiting him early in the season and looks like himself for the first time since last January.

Forwards needed one person to step up and replace Sheary. Simon and ZAR have done that Even with current Brassard, Grant, Sheahan and Cullen is enough center depth to make up for any inefficiencies in his game.