Post-Game Talk: Penguins 4, Blue Jackets 2 - 15+ Minutes for ZAR Proves the Winning Formula

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dig1

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Mar 1, 2015
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For Rust you’re probably looking at packaging him for a player like Silfverberg. Pending UFA that is a little more dependenable in terms of production and a couple years older.

For Sheahan, probably exactly the type of deal we made for him. A 3rd and a Wilson type.
Nah, Silfverberg. Nah man. He is weird in the sense that he is money with shoot-outs but when it comes to shot selection and putting it on target, nah. He is really a step or two above version of Hagelin. Let that sink in.
 

Jaded-Fan

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Mar 18, 2004
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We bathe in negativity.

Pixies was born in it, we merely adapted to it.

Except for getting the win, goaltending, and Jake, Crosby and Pearson what about last night's performance was encouraging?

Same issues, simply the law of averages giving a different result. The Pens STILL have lost ten of the last twelve and have corrected none of the issues that led to all of those losses. Until those issues are corrected they likely lose the majority of the next dozen games as well.
 

Gurglesons

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Dec 18, 2009
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Except for getting the win, goaltending, and Jake, Crosby and Pearson what about last night's performance was encouraging?

Same issues, simply the law of averages giving a different result. The Pens STILL have lost ten of the last twelve and have corrected none of the issues that led to all of those losses.

In our last four we are 2-0-2.

We are playing better. Our issue is mainly our D and underperforming depth.
 

Gurglesons

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Still ten losses out of the last dozen. And STILL the same issues of getting trapped in their own end unable to exit their zone all game.

Relying on a handful of players to go into God mode is no substitution for playing structured sound hockey as a team.

We’ve controlled the majority of the last four games outside of the Buffalo game. Which we controlled until the team collapsed.

I would say Tampa was the turn around point.

I think the stretch proves when healthy our forward group is good enough to be in the playoffs.

I’m not sure the D with an injury to Dumo, Letang or Schultz is.
 

Honour Over Glory

Fire Sully
Jan 30, 2012
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Except for getting the win, goaltending, and Jake, Crosby and Pearson what about last night's performance was encouraging?

Same issues, simply the law of averages giving a different result. The Pens STILL have lost ten of the last twelve and have corrected none of the issues that led to all of those losses. Until those issues are corrected they likely lose the majority of the next dozen games as well.
I'm trying to be positive man. I'm trying.
 
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Ugene Magic

EVIL LAUGH
Oct 17, 2008
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Not sure what to think of Pearson yet.

He reminds me of someone, but I can’t figure out who, or if that player is even good...

One thing I’m sure of is that he is comically better at doing things with the puck when the opportunities present themselves as compared to Hagelin.

That’s all I was hoping for - a guy that looked like he had NHL hands, instead of a descendant of Edward Scissorhands.

To stick with the Pens as a match for Pearson I'd have to say that would be a smaller version of Malone. Can do it all, not the fastest guy but can work the corners/boards/net front. Pearson is a great acquisition, just that I feel they sacrificed depth at LW by not trading out a RW to get him, and Hagelin does this team a lot of good beyond the production, whereas, guys like Rust, Sprong and so on don't. That doesn't mean I condone trading them, but gotta give to get. For now, Pearson is making it look like a great move other than noted above.
 
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mpp9

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Dec 5, 2010
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This team needs players who can score. Hagelin goes months without scoring. Pearson produces offense, can keep up with 71 and 81, provides net presence, board work and a bit of skill with the puck.

If we could afford to have Hagelin play on our 4th line? Yeah, that'd be awesome. But even after adding Pearson, we still are lacking offense in the bottom of the lineup. So maybe it's best Hagelin brought back value before he walks.
 

Sidney the Kidney

One last time
Jun 29, 2009
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Who does ZAR look like?

maxresdefault.jpg


cut.jpeg

So basically ZAR is what Sheary will look like when he's an adult?
 

USMC607

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Apr 4, 2013
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Except for getting the win, goaltending, and Jake, Crosby and Pearson what about last night's performance was encouraging?

Same issues, simply the law of averages giving a different result. The Pens STILL have lost ten of the last twelve and have corrected none of the issues that led to all of those losses. Until those issues are corrected they likely lose the majority of the next dozen games as well.

I agree, I'm honestly not one to be negative. But with that said we have lost 10 of the last 12 regardless of that last win and alot of the time we have looked meh or worse (mainly on the bottom 6).

Then on top of it the Injury Curse again is plaguing us (someone burn some sage in the arena or some shit).

So the growing cause for concern is understandable, along with the accompanying discussion about it.
 

Ugene Magic

EVIL LAUGH
Oct 17, 2008
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This team needs players who can score. Hagelin goes months without scoring. Pearson produces offense, can keep up with 71 and 81, provides net presence, board work and a bit of skill with the puck.

If we could afford to have Hagelin play on our 4th line? Yeah, that'd be awesome. But even after adding Pearson, we still are lacking offense in the bottom of the lineup. So maybe it's best Hagelin brought back value before he walks.

Except sending out a guy like rust afords you to re-sign Hagelin. There's no guarantee he walks, not if you make the room for him. The team can't be all about scoring wingers. If it were, there's not a team who could afford to fill out their wings then. The Pens traded out scoring goals for PK stability. Hagelin has that kind of effect with his speed that these others could never make up for. It made them dangerous while being down a man. The only other guys who could make it like that are guys who rarely touch the PK in Sid, Geno and Phil.

Edit: Hagelin wouldn't be on the 4th line. He would be the staple 3rd line LW.
 

Sidney the Kidney

One last time
Jun 29, 2009
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Except for getting the win, goaltending, and Jake, Crosby and Pearson what about last night's performance was encouraging?

Same issues, simply the law of averages giving a different result. The Pens STILL have lost ten of the last twelve and have corrected none of the issues that led to all of those losses. Until those issues are corrected they likely lose the majority of the next dozen games as well.

This is why it's difficult to get too excited about a win like this. The big guns and the goalie won the game, but the depth issues and the bad defense continue to be present.
 
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Peat

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Jun 14, 2016
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Except for getting the win, goaltending, and Jake, Crosby and Pearson what about last night's performance was encouraging?

Same issues, simply the law of averages giving a different result. The Pens STILL have lost ten of the last twelve and have corrected none of the issues that led to all of those losses. Until those issues are corrected they likely lose the majority of the next dozen games as well.

Third game in a row where we dominated the possession stats for quality chances - and we dominated two out of the three periods against Buffalo before going really downhill in the last one. That's got to be the most consistent run we've had all season.

We're giving away a lot less odd man rushes. We're competing in the neutral zone better, being more structured and creating more chances off of turnovers. We are correcting the issues where our goaltender has to be better than theirs. Correcting and reversing.

And sure, a lot of that's on Crosby - but Geno's looking more engaged, Pearson's been a good add, the bottom 6 are at least difficult to play against, and Riikola-Maatta look like a decent pairing.

There's still progress that needs made, but this isn't the same team that had that awful 11 game run.
 

Ogrezilla

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Jul 5, 2009
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Third game in a row where we dominated the possession stats for quality chances - and we dominated two out of the three periods against Buffalo before going really downhill in the last one. That's got to be the most consistent run we've had all season.

We're giving away a lot less odd man rushes. We're competing in the neutral zone better, being more structured and creating more chances off of turnovers. We are correcting the issues where our goaltender has to be better than theirs. Correcting and reversing.

And sure, a lot of that's on Crosby - but Geno's looking more engaged, Pearson's been a good add, the bottom 6 are at least difficult to play against, and Riikola-Maatta look like a decent pairing.

There's still progress that needs made, but this isn't the same team that had that awful 11 game run.
and we legitimately adjusted our scheme to give more support in breakouts and give up less odd man rushes.
 

Jaded-Fan

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Third game in a row where we dominated the possession stats for quality chances - and we dominated two out of the three periods against Buffalo before going really downhill in the last one. That's got to be the most consistent run we've had all season.

We're giving away a lot less odd man rushes. We're competing in the neutral zone better, being more structured and creating more chances off of turnovers. We are correcting the issues where our goaltender has to be better than theirs. Correcting and reversing.

And sure, a lot of that's on Crosby - but Geno's looking more engaged, Pearson's been a good add, the bottom 6 are at least difficult to play against, and Riikola-Maatta look like a decent pairing.

There's still progress that needs made, but this isn't the same team that had that awful 11 game run.

I will give them credit for actually working. But the fundamentals remain an issue, despite as you say, some progress. The passes still are off but more often than not there at least is someone within ten feet of where it should have been passed to to retrieve the puck. Baby steps.
 

Sidney the Kidney

One last time
Jun 29, 2009
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Yep. No other fanbase could be disappointed with a Cup win like this one was in 2017.

Absolute insanity.

What? Who the hell was disappointed in the 2017 Cup win?

Are you confusing criticism of how they played during that run to the finals with disappointment with the actual result?
 

mpp9

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Dec 5, 2010
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Except sending out a guy like rust afords you to re-sign Hagelin. There's no guarantee he walks, not if you make the room for him. The team can't be all about scoring wingers. If it were, there's not a team who could afford to fill out their wings then. The Pens traded out scoring goals for PK stability. Hagelin has that kind of effect with his speed that these others could never make up for. It made them dangerous while being down a man. The only other guys who could make it like that are guys who rarely touch the PK in Sid, Geno and Phil.

Edit: Hagelin wouldn't be on the 4th line. He would be the staple 3rd line LW.

My point is that this team needs more finishers throughout the lineup. We'd be lucky to have a win this year if it weren't for the primary scorers on this team.

I don't think I would have kept Hagelin even if we could. That money needs to go to filling out the top 9 with guys who can score every few games. And to the defense to help get the puck up ice.

JR has his share of the blame, but what he said about players in the bottom six being ok with letting 87 and 71 carry the scoring is spot on. I don't see a whole lot of desperation in the bottom half of our lineup trying to score goals. Rust, maybe. But guys like Sheahan, ZAR, Wilson, etc are just there. Sticks not on the ice to finish gimme scoring opportunities. And generally just ghosts out there.
 
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Peat

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Jun 14, 2016
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I will give them credit for actually working. But the fundamentals remain an issue, despite as you say, some progress. The passes still are off but more often than not there at least is someone within ten feet of where it should have been passed to to retrieve the puck. Baby steps.

Sure, there's still issues. I'm hoping some of the puck moving issues get better with more confidence but reality is not all will.

But at the very least we've had baby steps for the whole team to go with the big steps from the top guys.
 
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