Post-Game Talk: Penguins 4, Lightning 2 - Punching A Faux Bully In The Mouth

[EightyOne]

The rollercoaster of a season continues lol

Please tell me Geno is back!!!

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Only disappointment is Murray losing his shutout bid with about 5 minutes left to go. Would have been the icing on the cake tonight.

 

[BmxHockey]

6-2-1 against division leaders 1-7-1 against cellar dwellers.

Pens are a playoff team the regular season is an illusion.

 

[zero8771]

Nice win for the pens. Beating the best team in the east and it wasn't that close.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

This is Girardi's career highlight.

This will never not be my fav Geno hit.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

I didn’t get to catch the game, obviously love the result. How was TB’s call up? +\-?

 

[canadianguy77]

Nice win for the pens. Beating the best team in the east and it wasn't that close

I wouldnt go that far. They took it to us pretty bad in the 1st. Didn't hurt that our guys scored on 60% of their shots in the opening period, but 9 times out of 10 we probably lose that game after only 20 minutes of play.

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

More of (most of) this, please

 

[cygnus47]

Letang is such a beast when he's playing well. Murray makes it look so easy. I also like that Murr is defending himself more and taking up space instead of just letting guys bump into him. I loved the fire we played with, you can't expect that every night but hopefully we can actually get our system organised over the rest of the season.

 

[Son Goku]

I feel like this game will really give us an extra push in energy on the ice and moral around the locker room. A focused penguins team thats motivated is unstoppable. We've seen this. A few things are different now but I dont know, games like this really give me hope..

 

[Peat]

Best part is I was able to watch the first period, see most of the goals, then get a good night's sleep knowing I'd wake up to a sweet Pens victory. That's how it should be.

 

[Smasher]

That was 55 minutes of cup-worthy hockey right there. Was fully expecting a Tampa comeback after that 5 on 3 but they held the fort for the rest of the period and played a great 2nd.

Let's not lose to Ottawa!

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

That was 55 minutes of cup-worthy hockey right there. Was fully expecting a Tampa comeback after that 5 on 3 but they held the fort for the rest of the period and played a great 2nd.

Tell me about it! I've grown to loathe our 5-3s. We seem to underachieve and boost the other team's energy in the process. On the plus side, at least we haven't allowed any shorties, which is nice...

 

[Giskard]

I thought that Brassard was a trade precaution healthy scratch

 

[Jaded-Fan]

 

[BallardEra]

Have to wonder if the Pens just have that psychological edge on Tampa.

 

[Son Goku]

Have to wonder if the Pens just have that psychological edge on Tampa.

Was wondering this myself honestly. We moved on from bullying Washington and now its Tampa's turn to live the nightmare.

 

[BallardEra]

Was wondering this myself honestly. We moved on from bullying Washington and now its Tampa's turn to live the nightmare.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I’ll agree with this. One thing I worry about is getting into a dick measuring contest with the Caps. The Cup wins were won by turning the other cheek and frustrating the **** out of them. Kind of like tonight. Horny’s drawn penalty on Tampa’s Jesus McD as a perfect example.

Kunitz and his physical style was a major asset for this team when he was younger.

I think people would love Ferland, if he comes over and is the same guy I saw in Calgary (love John H so I watch Flames a lot).

Ferland is a rare breed and I’d be stoked to have him, but that is the one thing that gives me pause as well if I’m being honest. Why did Calgary trade him and now Carolina has him on the block, when guys like him are so coveted?

I guess since someone already posted the alcohol thing, it’s not libel to wonder if that’s why...

I didn’t get to catch the game, obviously love the result. How was TB’s call up? +\-?

He didn’t play enough to form an opinion either way. He’s a skilled guy so he needs to have the puck to show off his talent, and that simply didn’t happen with only a couple shifts a period.

 

[Icarium]

I knew this team had it in them to win games like that. We can talk about holes in the roster until kingdom come but to me the main issue is motivation. Timely saves too as the lack of those tends to kill motivation. If Murray had allowed that first goal in the first minute, the game might well have gone very differently. Great to see the intensity and passion in the guys, they fought, played smart and fully deserved the win. Geno being so involved made me so happy.

 

[madinsomniac]

I mean by now everyone should understand the issues with this team are 98% tied to effort.

If Jr has half a brain his trade deadline deals will be less a shakeup big move and more getting someone the team can rally around and try hard to win for...

 

[ronduguayshair]

I mean by now everyone should understand the issues with this team are 98% tied to effort.

If Jr has half a brain his trade deadline deals will be less a shakeup big move and more getting someone the team can rally around and try hard to win for...

Good post. A vet winger or dman on the cheap would be a good grab. I think to stick with brassard as your 3rd line center.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

That was 55 minutes of cup-worthy hockey right there. Was fully expecting a Tampa comeback after that 5 on 3 but they held the fort for the rest of the period and played a great 2nd.

Let's not lose to Ottawa!

Couldn't agree more. The only thing that made me mad in that first 55 minute is the lack of finishing of Rust
He could easily score 30 goals in this league if he wouldn't miss all the open nets and lose the puck on his breakaways !!!

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

I mean by now everyone should understand the issues with this team are 98% tied to effort.

If Jr has half a brain his trade deadline deals will be less a shakeup big move and more getting someone the team can rally around and try hard to win for...

Agreed
And to be honest I just don't see a big trade being done here, if there is a big trade to be done it will most probably happen in the off season.
People need to remember a #2 defenseman is coming back in a few days

 

[Shockmaster]

I mean by now everyone should understand the issues with this team are 98% tied to effort.

If Jr has half a brain his trade deadline deals will be less a shakeup big move and more getting someone the team can rally around and try hard to win for...

Effort is a big part of it, another is line combinations and player usage. Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel on three separate lines or Hornqvist on the 3rd line in favor of Rust or Simon doesn't work for very long stretches. But the coaches seem hellbent on making one of those two options work in a flawed attempt to re-live 2016 (totally ignoring the fact that isn't how they won in 2017) and believing Rust and Simon are anything more than 3rd liners.

Another issue is that there's certain depth players, namely Rust, Sheahan, and Simon, that Sullivan simply will not take minutes away from or scratch regardless of how bad they play (I don't want to throw Cullen into that mix, but as a 42-year-old the guy should be sitting out at least a few games over the course of a season). First, we've seen enough of the teacher's pet mentality over the course of the Shero/Bylsma era. That's why I would have liked to see JR let Simon go last offseason as a message to the coaching staff. Second, that's going to block a guy like Blueger getting a legitimate opportunity before the trade deadline.