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

[Peat]

There are still 79 more games this year. It is way way way way way too early to say we didn't give Sprong a real chance in the top 9 this year.

I mean, given the limited number of ideas they can say Yes to, they're pretty much always going to have said No to waaaaaay more than they've said Yes to at this stage, right?

 

[42]

Riikola was very impressive this year. Why was he scratched the first 2 games of the season? Was he that bad in practice?

 

[Icarium]

Good god, the negativity here is getting too much. Say what you will but we have already defeated the two Stanley Cup finalists and if one doesn't know it they would think we have beaten two ECHL teams based on the posts here. Kessel with a beautiful hattrick and people complain he was sloppy on defence?!? Seriously? Lots of room for improvement, sure but I for one enjoyed this win quite a bit.

 

[chethejet]

LV gives a effort because they have to. Pens skill players tend to not be that willing to bust it every shift. But I take that roster.

 

[Peat]

Riikola was very impressive this year. Why was he scratched the first 2 games of the season? Was he that bad in practice?

Because he's the new kid and they waited for someone else to play their way out first.

 

[EightyOne]

As far as I'm concerned, I'm not very excited with a win. Vegas is bad now, the are in the middle of an East Coast trip, on a second night of b2b's, and with a BU goalie. Kessel took advantage of these facts, and first of all - of the goalie factor. Overall quality of Pens play was mediocre. Malkin and others were still making sloppy careless passes. Letang was againg blowing D-zone assignments. DeSmith faced a significant amount of shots, and was generally solid, so kudos to him, but most of the shots were not a grade A quality, so not much to be extatic about either.

I don't understand what the coaches want from Sprong. The kid is working his pants off. But he needs a pass to showcase his shot. Sheahan and Cullen simply cannot give him a good pass into a bit of space for a good clean shot. Give him a bit of Brassard at least, for goodness' sakes.

Note for the moderator: This is not a troll post, but a genuine opinion.

 

[Trade]

This is Sullivan we are talking about.

Does Sully have another niece Sprong could try to shmooze? If not, I fear he’s 3rd loner here at best.

 

[Angrrus]

+ 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.

With all due respect, I can't disagree more. He was around the scorer (as per usual) when Vegas scored their 1st and the outcome of the game was far from decided. And the overall volume of SA doesn't scream solid defense from the 1st pair included.

IMO Letang on ice in DZ or NZ = time bomb for his own team. He's only good in OZ (sometimes)

Note for the moderator: This is not a troll post, but my genuine opinion.

 

[SouthGeorge]

and people wanted Kessel traded LOL

 

[ColePens]

With all due respect, I can't disagree more. He was around the scorer (as per usual) when Vegas scored their 1st and the outcome of the game was far from decided. And the overall volume of SA doesn't scream solid defense from the 1st pair included.

IMO Letang on ice in DZ or NZ = time bomb for his own team. He's only good in OZ (sometimes)

Note for the moderator: This is not a troll post, but my genuine opinion.

If it isn't a troll post, then you probably do not understand hockey enough because blaming Letang on that first goal is crazy. This goes right into what Sully means about chipping bodies and throwing them off their path. The guy comes from the bench and comes late and skates past 2-3 Pens who do not have a head on a swivel nor do they follow/even attempt to chip the body a tad to throw him off. He literally skates through.

Letang is protecting the house, actually has his head up. He's the furthest from the error. What is he supposed to do? Go to the bench and skate with him into our zone? That's our forward's responsibility to communicate and/or be aware.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I saw a good point about the defense. Just throwing this out there:

Oleksiak against Washington: -6.17% CF%Rel
Oleksiak against Montreal: -9.42% CF%Rel
Johnson against Vegas: -20.66% CF%Rel

There has been 1 guy who has been partnered with these guys in all 3 games and 1 guy who has had worse possession stats in all 3 games. I'll let you figure out who that 1 guy is. The point? I think people aren't mentioning enough how horrendous Schultz has been this year so far, he should probably be a healthy scratch over Maatta.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I saw a good point about the defense. Just throwing this out there:

Oleksiak against Washington: -6.17% CF%Rel
Oleksiak against Montreal: -9.42% CF%Rel
Johnson against Vegas: -20.66% CF%Rel

There has been 1 guy who has been partnered with these guys in all 3 games and 1 guy who has had worse possession stats in all 3 games. I'll let you figure out who that 1 guy is. The point? I think people aren't mentioning enough how horrendous Schultz has been this year so far, he should probably be a healthy scratch over Maatta.

Schultz?

 

[Empoleon8771]

Schultz?

Yeah, Schultz has been the worst defenseman in terms of CF% in every game this year and has played on the pair that has looked the worst in each game. I think there are some dots you can connect here.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I saw a good point about the defense. Just throwing this out there:

Oleksiak against Washington: -6.17% CF%Rel
Oleksiak against Montreal: -9.42% CF%Rel
Johnson against Vegas: -20.66% CF%Rel

There has been 1 guy who has been partnered with these guys in all 3 games and 1 guy who has had worse possession stats in all 3 games. I'll let you figure out who that 1 guy is. The point? I think people aren't mentioning enough how horrendous Schultz has been this year so far, he should probably be a healthy scratch over Maatta.

Thats why my rankings this season to date were

Tanger, Riiks 1/2
Dumo, JJ 3/4

Thats my top 4 atm. Experiment with them.
Get Olli back to good Olli and see if he can sturdy Schultz with 3rd pair minutes/they've played well together before.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I was at a bar on the North Side during the game yesterday. It baffles me how many people dislike/hate Murray. I guess his smile isn't good enough.

 

[Coastal Kev]

I was at a bar on the North Side during the game yesterday. It baffles me how many people dislike/hate Murray. I guess his smile isn't good enough.

Like most discussions, each side bastardizes the other sides points.

I liked MAF, but was hardly a fanboy. I did like the option of trading Murray last offseason and keeping MAF and Gus moving forward. One huge factor with the thought process was Murray's durability and his body type. As he ages, he most likely will lose agility more than goalies with different body types. I just don't see the guy having a 10 year career in the NHL.

My biggest complaint with people in general is that they don't get things CHANGE. Yes we won 2 cups because of Murray, Horny and Sully. That does not mean that we need any of those 3 to win moving forward. But trying to get anyone to understand that last sentence is a practice in futility.

 

[vikingGoalie]

DeSmith was awesome last game. Those that don't think he made difficult saves don't have a friggin clue. I really like how this kid moves in the crease and that glove hand is fantastic. Not to bash on Murray but a good part of the reason we won was more on the goal tending then anything else this is the first competent goal tending we got this season (only 3rd game i know) vegas had more shots and more chances. Subban just couldn't stop Kessel though to be fair Kessel when he has speed is hard for anyone to stop. DeSmith kept Vegas from making a game of it a few times, even when people like Malkin were bound and determined to make the game closer. That power play where he stopped 2 tipped shots by karlsson were grade A saves, that slide across to his blocker side was a highlight reel save just to name a few. The 2 against, the first one he got fooled on, great chance and all. The second one was 100% his defense's fault.

Let's ride this kid for a bit until he cools off. I have always said, and until proven otherwise maintain, that DeSmith is the guy we want in net, not Jarry. Jarry *did* have a great preseason and has the pedigree, but last season DeSmith looked much better in how he moved and how he managed his game, Jarry unravled at times and looked very much like Zatkoff. Jarry might peak out higher then DeSmith at some point, never can tell with young goalies if they will reach their potential or not. Hopefully Jarry pushes DeSmith and vice versa.

 

[EightyOne]

f*** advanced stats in hockey.

Jesus....

%SDR /60 x 82

Is the dude a f***ing loser on ice or not? There's so much randomness to what a puck does all game.

It isn't baseball where literally nothing happens for two and a half f***ing hours.

Did anyone advance stat Washington's drubbing last night? No? Can't? Exactly.

 

[canadianguy77]

How many times did our defensemen give the puck back to the Vegas forwards in our defensive zone, even though they had time and space to make a better decision? Had to have been close to 10 or so times. It's been a recurring theme throughout these first 3 games, and one of the main reasons why Washington outed them in the playoffs.

I'm starting to think we might need a better defensive coach. At the very least, there has to be a better defensive structure in terms of transition out of the defensive zone.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

There are still 79 more games this year. It is way way way way way too early to say we didn't give Sprong a real chance in the top 9 this year.

I'm saying that it's dumb not to have given Sprong a chance in the top 9 by this point. They have 79 more games to try Rust on LW too, and it's dumb that they haven't tried that yet either.

Of course they have 79 more games this year, but these are obvious things that they could and should have been working out in preseason. Points count the same in October as they do in April.

 

[RSPens]

Just for fun I'd like to see Sully go all blender and try this roster for a period or two...maybe even a game

Jake - Sid - Rust
Brass - Geno - Sprong
Hags - Sheahan - Kessel
Simon - Cullen - Horny

Dumo - Tanger
Riikola - JJ
Maatta - Schultz

Its not that I think Rust works with Sid, but I think he works a little better than Horny. If Kessel complains about not having enough talent on his line, than switch Brass and Hags. It's not ideal to have Simon and Horny on the 4th line, but I think the potential chemistry on the top three lines, more than makes up for it.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

and people wanted Kessel traded LOL

People want Geno traded, going on 7 years now!!!
Don't listen to those kind of so called fans!!!

 

[Andy99]

DeSmith was awesome last game. Those that don't think he made difficult saves don't have a friggin clue. I really like how this kid moves in the crease and that glove hand is fantastic. Not to bash on Murray but a good part of the reason we won was more on the goal tending then anything else this is the first competent goal tending we got this season (only 3rd game i know) vegas had more shots and more chances. Subban just couldn't stop Kessel though to be fair Kessel when he has speed is hard for anyone to stop. DeSmith kept Vegas from making a game of it a few times, even when people like Malkin were bound and determined to make the game closer. That power play where he stopped 2 tipped shots by karlsson were grade A saves, that slide across to his blocker side was a highlight reel save just to name a few. The 2 against, the first one he got fooled on, great chance and all. The second one was 100% his defense's fault.

Let's ride this kid for a bit until he cools off. I have always said, and until proven otherwise maintain, that DeSmith is the guy we want in net, not Jarry. Jarry *did* have a great preseason and has the pedigree, but last season DeSmith looked much better in how he moved and how he managed his game, Jarry unravled at times and looked very much like Zatkoff. Jarry might peak out higher then DeSmith at some point, never can tell with young goalies if they will reach their potential or not. Hopefully Jarry pushes DeSmith and vice versa.

Agree that we should be playing De Smith until he cools off...right now he looks better than Murray...that could change next game against MTL, who knows, but I think he should get the start Saturday....

 

[Andy99]

I saw a good point about the defense. Just throwing this out there:

Oleksiak against Washington: -6.17% CF%Rel
Oleksiak against Montreal: -9.42% CF%Rel
Johnson against Vegas: -20.66% CF%Rel

There has been 1 guy who has been partnered with these guys in all 3 games and 1 guy who has had worse possession stats in all 3 games. I'll let you figure out who that 1 guy is. The point? I think people aren't mentioning enough how horrendous Schultz has been this year so far, he should probably be a healthy scratch over Maatta.

Agree, Schultz hasn't been good...really only Letang and Riikola have played well more or less consistently since the preseason...Schultz won't be sat however because he's our only other RH defenseman for better or worse....

 

[Scandale du Jour]

People want Geno traded, going on 7 years now!!!
Don't listen to those kind of so called fans!!!

Sportsnet up in Canada wants Geno traded, not Penguins fans.