Post-Game Talk: Penguins 4, Golden Knights 2 - Cough Drops and Hot Dogs for Everyone?s

[KIRK]

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[PensandCaps]

Simon needs to sit. Or atleast demoted.

 

[Empoleon8771]

++++++Riikola, he's not getting scratched if he plays like that
++DeSmith was really good, his rebound control at times was iffy but he was great overall tonight
+Kessel and Malkin, because no matter how crappy they looked to start the game, 3 goals is 3 goals
+Sprong, I thought he had a really nice game
+I thought Letang played well too

-The 1st and 3rd lines overall, even with the goal by Guentzel
--Simon, he was bad tonight
---------The Johnson-Schultz pair was a nightmare. If I'd have to divide up most of these minuses, most would go to Schultz. I was saying in the GDT that I don't think Schultz is good enough to cover up for Johnson's deficiencies. I think I'm going to flip that around, I don't think Johnson is good enough to cover for Schultz's deficiencies.

 

[KIRK]

Three added notes:

1. Major props to DeSmith. Huge game.

2. Anyone else notice how Brass and Sid INSTINCTIVELY were on the same page? They saw things similarly. Nobody else can stick on RW with Sid-Jake. Maybe give Brass a look?

3. HMK still sucks.

 

[Ugene Magic]

 

[Tom Hanks]

Ice times were interesting. Our 7 top forwards between 15-17 minutes. That’s a good way to battle fatigue.

 

[KIRK]

My lines for next game . . .

Jake-Sid-Brassard
HGH
Rust-Sheahan-Phil
Simon-Cullen-Sprong

Thoughts?

 

[ColePens]

+++++ DeSmith: Couldn't ask for more. Made simple saves and kept the Pens in the game for their offense to explode. Perfect game.

++++ Kessel: Ragamuffin is calling this guy out left/right, he scores 3 goals, and the user disappears. Shocking. Elite goal scorers score goals. That's what we have in Kessel.

++++ +++ +++++ Riiiiiiikola! Yes! Played every bit like he did in the preseason. Great stick, physical, his pinches are great, he's got great vision, and no panic. I love it. Great stuff.


It wasn't a perfect game. The team defense was a tiny bit better but the neutral zone was still poor and the d-zone wasn't great. A small step in the right direction. We have a lot to work on with our turnovers and lack of urgency in the d-zone. But 2-1-0! Not bad.

 

[BHD]

+++ DeSmith stood tall.

+++ Rikola was really good.

+ Sprong was good as well.

+ Kessel was dangerous.

+/- The rest of the team could have been better.

 

[KIRK]

If this game is ANY indication, then Riikola is one of the teams 3 best defensemen.

 

[KIRK]

+++++ DeSmith: Couldn't ask for more. Made simple saves and kept the Pens in the game for their offense to explode. Perfect game.

++++ Kessel: Ragamuffin is calling this guy out left/right, he scores 3 goals, and the user disappears. Shocking. Elite goal scorers score goals. That's what we have in Kessel.

++++ +++ +++++ Riiiiiiikola! Yes! Played every bit like he did in the preseason. Great stick, physical, his pinches are great, he's got great vision, and no panic. I love it. Great stuff.


It wasn't a perfect game. The team defense was a tiny bit better but the neutral zone was still poor and the d-zone wasn't great. A small step in the right direction. We have a lot to work on with our turnovers and lack of urgency in the d-zone. But 2-1-0! Not bad.

So, you keep Geno with Phil?

 

[Andy99]

++++ Riikola and De Smith...beauties
++ Geno and Phil on the stretch pass breakaway
+ Sprong

— Simon
- Schultz and Olek
- Phil on L2 when he’s not cheating

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

+ Riikola, Letang, DeSmith, Sprong, Geno-Phil (production, not play on the ice), Jake
- Oleksiak, Geno-Phil (play on the ice, not production), Schultz, same ol' shit but we finished chances so the turd looks pretty and polished

Letang's highest value to us is when he's just absolutely rabid (in a good way) in the defensive zone. The points are nice, but when he's flying all over, hitting, skating pucks out of danger and through transition, and covering a ton of ice with his athleticism--he's a gem.

Riikola, please continue this play. Please don't be a flash in the pan. What a stud in his first game.

Lines need shaken up. DeSmith, outside of that one save (though it was huge for keeping Vegas from grabbing momentum), was not a total force on the ice but he was exactly what this team needed; a calming influence, a solid performance in net--the polar opposite of what Murray's been lately, sadly.

 

[EightyOne]

Phil says "f*** you, you aint trading me this summer"


Pens still probably lose versus any other team in the league. Luckily, VGK are floundering something awful early in the season.

That SOG differential. Giving up nearly 40 shots is not great, and a fair number were down down dooooown low.

 

[Peat]

Step in the right direction. Not great, but a lot less crap for the goaltender and some smart offence.

DeSmith had a really nice game, few big stops when sold down the river.

Tanger-Dumo, standard. Really enjoying watching Tanger play right now.

Johnson-Schultz... erm, I think this is a pairing that highlights the players' flaws rather than hiding them

Riikola is on current scant evidence a top 4 dman. Oleksiak is not.

Line 1 kinda struggled to find a rhythm. If Rust is to stick there, he'd needs to be reminded to ignore his team mates and just cause havoc.

Line 2 - ugliest sexiest 3 goal game ever

Line 3 - Well, it was fun while it lasted. Am increasingly moving to the opinion that Simon's a great skater when the ice is tilted your way but doesn't do enough to tilt it himself.

Line 4 - Nice.

PK - Nice.

PP - Not so nice.

Brassard sees things like Sid.

HMMMMMMMM . . .

If you're suggesting Brassard should be a winger for Sid, I am in complete agreement.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Wasn't pretty but got the job done.

They were good to great with DZ coverage when pucks were on Vegas sticks but when they got it back....WHEW. Why i said they should use the flip over heads play atm.
Poor puck management and turnovers in bad spots to do so.

Sprong deserves a promotion.
Rust with Sid don't work.
Hopefully it's just gonna take a some games for Cullen's old body to get goin'.

Juuso should never leave the lineup.
Olli, Rig, Ruh can battle it out atm.

Just go over tape mostly before Saturday. Gonna need all the energy they can muster up in MTL.

 

[BlackAndGold87]

 

[Pancakes]

+ Phil - Don't care how bad off the puck he was. When you get a hatty, you're a plus. Cherry pick away

+ Desmith - Could have been a much different result with porous goaltending. He was solid

+ Letang - Very good again. Most impressively to me right now is he's a rock defensively. That was the weakness last year and so far it's night and day.

+ Malkin - Good two-way game. Excellent passes to Phil. Much improved defensively.

+ Riikola - As awesome as ever. Keep him in.

+ Sprong - Despite 0 points his best game this year. Good defensively, and created some chances.

= JJ - Thought he was mostly solid. Physical. A few bad decisions, but more good than bad.

= Dumo. Better from him. Not great but better.

= Crosby. Almost a minus but great pass on the 4th goal. Looked floaty tonight though. Not his most inspired effort.

= Guentzel. Keep scoring bud. Big goals all day every day.

- Oleksiak. A wreck defensively. Too many bad decisions with the puck as well. Was better in the 3rd though.

- Simon. Dude couldn't catch a pass to save his life tonight.

 

[KIRK]

Step in the right direction. Not great, but a lot less crap for the goaltender and some smart offence.

DeSmith had a really nice game, few big stops when sold down the river.

Tanger-Dumo, standard. Really enjoying watching Tanger play right now.

Johnson-Schultz... erm, I think this is a pairing that highlights the players' flaws rather than hiding them

Riikola is on current scant evidence a top 4 dman. Oleksiak is not.

Line 1 kinda struggled to find a rhythm. If Rust is to stick there, he'd needs to be reminded to ignore his team mates and just cause havoc.

Line 2 - ugliest sexiest 3 goal game ever

Line 3 - Well, it was fun while it lasted. Am increasingly moving to the opinion that Simon's a great skater when the ice is tilted your way but doesn't do enough to tilt it himself.

Line 4 - Nice.

PK - Nice.

PP - Not so nice.



If you're suggesting Brassard should be a winger for Sid, I am in complete agreement.

I am suggesting that the Pens sure as **** consider it.

Sid doesn't like playing with Horny. He'd rather die than play with Phil. He's oil and water with Rust. Simon doesn't cut it. Sprong won't get an honest look.

I see no reason not to look outside the box.

I watched that Jake-Sid-Brass shift. That was a line working as something greater than the sum of its parts.

It's the same reason I keep pimping HGH.

 

[BHD]

++++++Riikola, he's not getting scratched if he plays like that

He shouldn't. If the coaching staff is being objective, then he should be ahead of Oleksiak and possibly Maatta.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Did anybody miss Maatta tonight?

 

[Andy99]

My lines for next game . . .

Jake-Sid-Brassard
HGH
Rust-Sheahan-Phil
Simon-Cullen-Sprong

Thoughts?

If they’ll be willing to play Brass on the wing, it will be LW and Sully doesn’t seem to want Rust at LW...thinking more
Brass-Sid-Sprong
H-G-Rust/Horny
Jske-Sheahan-Phil
Simon-Cullen-Rust/Horny

 

[ColePens]

So, you keep Geno with Phil?

Like i've said all summer and all will repeat again: I am all for trying many different things. I wanted to see how it played out. I'd go with how it's playing out and what I see is...

Sheahan/Cully need to center their own line.
Brass can take shifts at center but can also look great at LW.
Sprong needs more minutes.
Geno line is hurting defensively.
Sid is a passenger, which normally means he's saving himself up for something beauuuutiful.

I'd try anything.

 

[KIRK]

He shouldn't. If the coaching staff is being objective, then he should be ahead of Oleksiak and possibly Maatta.

And perhaps Johnson and Schultz

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

He shouldn't. If the coaching staff is being objective, then he should be ahead of Oleksiak and possibly Maatta.

Based on tonight alone, which is not a realistic sample size, he's ahead of everyone except Letang imo.