Post-Game Talk: Penguins 5, Blue Jackets 4 (SO) - No Letang, No Problem . . . Just as ColePens Foresaw It
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UnderratedBrooks44
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At least they got pressure for the majority of the game and it really felt like they were pushing. This is the second game in a row however where they barely touch the puck in the first few minutes. In general they make noticeable gaffes throughout every game they play. Literally every game they play, win or lose, I think they make a ton of mistakes that I would've characterized as a "bad" game in past years. I mean, is there some kind of rule that we have to give up 3-4 partial breakaways a game, or half a dozen odd man rushes where there's no backcheckers in sight? These are not flukes or short term trends. It's actually amazing to me how many blatant errors they commit each and every game.
Even this game, where I think there was definitely some good to be had (even with us seemingly having CBJ's number), we almost give away the second point with Jake's errant stick infraction. I realize I'm coming off very negative here, but we're still scratching and clawing for two points every night. I agree that we're good enough to get on a roll and all of a sudden things change, but I guarantee you that will not happen the way they're currently playing. There is no magic switch to turn on without playing much, much, much, tighter fundamentally, which they have failed to do all season.
PS: Apologies for the overuse of "we". I don't talk like that, it's just faster to type
ziggyjoe212
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- Oct 2, 2017
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Is anyone else concerned with Sid's play this season?
He doesn't control the play like he used to, doesn't hustle like he used to, no where close to the scoring threat that he used to be.
Not saying he's washed up, but I am saying he is noticeably underachieving. We need Sid to step up if we are to get back into the playoff hunt.
He doesn't control the play like he used to, doesn't hustle like he used to, no where close to the scoring threat that he used to be.
Not saying he's washed up, but I am saying he is noticeably underachieving. We need Sid to step up if we are to get back into the playoff hunt.
JTG
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None. That wasn't the point.
I watched the game with a few buddies and we said the exact same thing. Maatta actually does have offensive ability. He has gotten off track from his illnesses, but he seems to have his legs back this season. I would in no way be shocked if Maatta did have a year or two in his career where he has some really high point totals. He can really move the puck, and he has a great shot that is hard and low and he gets it on net.
Scandale du Jour
JordanStaal#1Fan
He played a shit ton of hockey in the last 600 days or so. I think he is mentally exhausted.
UnderratedBrooks44
Registered User
He's always played a ton of hockey every calendar year regardless of how far the Penguins went, so I don't think it's mental or that the game has grown stale for him. I think he's just a shade less than what he was in addition to playing so many games from a physical standpoint, but some people think that's incorrect so who knows.....
The next 10-15 games could tell a lot about the team. If Sid is going to kick it into gear (by his standards) he should probably do it in the next few weeks. That pretty much goes for the whole team though. If things don't look a lot different in January than they did in December, even squeaking into the playoffs becomes unlikely.
JTG
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I don't think Sid is what he was when he was 23, but I don't think he has to be. Sid's game has evolved. He doesn't quite have that balls-to-the-wall approach to the game anymore. That aids in finding him help. I think they finally found a winger for him that is able to think the game on his level in Guentzel.
ColePens
RIP Fugu Buffaloed & parabola
This is not an easy 1 stop shop answer.
- Am I happy with his play this year? No. He's been pretty bad. No legs, lazy play, bad forced passes, and he's not leading by example.
- Does he have excuses to be exhausted? Hell yes. He left everything on the ice in 2017 and dominated. He took over Game 5 and dominated. When all the chips were on the table, Sid was the best player.
- Is it right to question Sid's play? I'm not sure. When everything was on the line in 2016 and 2017, Sid and Geno elevated. They led the team. They were the best players (kessel, too). They were incredible. If we are analyzing game to game, as we should in PGTs, then we should note the piss poor play of Sid. But that doesn't mean much more than just simply analyzing in a bubble.
Jag68Sid87
Sullivan gots to go!
Here are a few observations after last night's win...
- we're still here. We're still hanging around, and I really don't know how. They every once in a while show why they are the champs. Last night was one of those moments.
- we are the same team, almost identically so, with or without Kris Letang, now. A bit less flashy, a lot more consistent, less dynamic, more sure-handed without him. But basically the same.
- is it a coincidence that Brian Dumoulin played his best game of the season without 58 alongside him? I don't think so. Without 58, we see Dumoulin a heck of a lot more jumping into the play. I firmly believe THIS is what we mean when we say the D corps has outgrown Letang's dominant presence there. I feel everybody can play a little bit more, and more of an all-round game if Letang is not there.
- Murray needs to step up his game for us to challenge for anything this year. We all know he can.
- Oleksiak struggled in the first period, but I liked how he bounced back. I think he is the Ron Hainsey replacement that we needed.
- Sully's choices to kill off an OT PP were Rowney, Kuhnhackl and Cole. The latter is rumored to be on the outs and can become a UFA next July 1, while the first two bring absolutely nothing offensively and are a major part of our five-on-five scoring woes. JR needs to rectify this situation because it sure seems like Sullivan will not, a la Therrien/Bylsma/Johnston.
- if Carl Hagelin is not going to be on the ice with the game on the line in OT while short-handed, why in the blue hell is he still on this team???
- and finally, if Ruhwedel is out and Letang miraculously returns to the lineup tomorrow, I suppose they are going to say all along that it was always a day-to-day thing with 58, right?
- we're still here. We're still hanging around, and I really don't know how. They every once in a while show why they are the champs. Last night was one of those moments.
- we are the same team, almost identically so, with or without Kris Letang, now. A bit less flashy, a lot more consistent, less dynamic, more sure-handed without him. But basically the same.
- is it a coincidence that Brian Dumoulin played his best game of the season without 58 alongside him? I don't think so. Without 58, we see Dumoulin a heck of a lot more jumping into the play. I firmly believe THIS is what we mean when we say the D corps has outgrown Letang's dominant presence there. I feel everybody can play a little bit more, and more of an all-round game if Letang is not there.
- Murray needs to step up his game for us to challenge for anything this year. We all know he can.
- Oleksiak struggled in the first period, but I liked how he bounced back. I think he is the Ron Hainsey replacement that we needed.
- Sully's choices to kill off an OT PP were Rowney, Kuhnhackl and Cole. The latter is rumored to be on the outs and can become a UFA next July 1, while the first two bring absolutely nothing offensively and are a major part of our five-on-five scoring woes. JR needs to rectify this situation because it sure seems like Sullivan will not, a la Therrien/Bylsma/Johnston.
- if Carl Hagelin is not going to be on the ice with the game on the line in OT while short-handed, why in the blue hell is he still on this team???
- and finally, if Ruhwedel is out and Letang miraculously returns to the lineup tomorrow, I suppose they are going to say all along that it was always a day-to-day thing with 58, right?
Tom Hanks
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He still gets in good positions but he either doesn’t shoot when he should or he misses ones he would have nailed last season. Not as dominant along the boards as he used to be either. You’d rarely seem him lose the puck skating below the net. You’d always be confident he’d set up a scoring chance. Now not so much.
Jag68Sid87
Sullivan gots to go!
I think it's even more than that. He is literally not nearly as visible on the ice as in the past. 71, you still notice him every shift, rightly or wrongly. 81 is always visible.
Crosby not so much. I'd say he is mediocre right now, which is hard to explain. At times, he almost looks disinterested. And if he were 71 or 81, the media would be absolutely destroying him as a cancer, coach killer, etc. But it's the great Canadian, so he gets a major pass.
The Old Master
come and take it.
seems like that could be said about the rest of the team too.....would a trade fix that? i'm not sure.
Tom Hanks
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Yeah he’s not as visible but sometimes he wasn’t last year either (more this season though). He was scoring though.
It seems like he has lost some power in those legs. He’s not as confident when he plays.
Scandale du Jour
JordanStaal#1Fan
It could be said for the rest of the team, sure. Sid did a lot of carrying though, both for Team Canada and the Pens. He was unbelievable in the 2016 calendar year and he also had a very strong first half of 2017.
The guy is 30 and has played more than 200 games in the last 600 days. He is physically spent AND mentally exhausted from the WC and the two SC runs.
I think he might not feel "desperate" enough.
The Old Master
come and take it.
with all the shots we've been getting, and he being one of our better shooters when I heard how late in the game before he got his first shot on goal, I was shocked. we need our snipers to be shooting! when is the last time we've seen geno (another one of our best shooters) one time one from the half wall? maybe it is time to bring up sprong.
Sid is having a crappy year but he's still nearly a PPG. And he has always been a slow starter.
Dollars to donuts he goes on a huge hot streak at some point and ends around 80-85 points. And if not he'll be so pissed at himself over the off season that next year he will come roaring back.
Dollars to donuts he goes on a huge hot streak at some point and ends around 80-85 points. And if not he'll be so pissed at himself over the off season that next year he will come roaring back.
ColePens
RIP Fugu Buffaloed & parabola
- Rust looked like a freak accident and broke his hand/wrist. The way he went off and the pain he was in, i imagine it was just a complete and utter freak accident causing a broken hand/wrist. I would guess wrist. It looked like a nothing play.
- Ruh lit up a Jacket and ended up being hurt even though he absolutely blew him up. I would imagine concussion or shoulder. I don't typically listen to the announcers soooooo i missed if anything was said.
Empoleon8771
Registered User
What I noticed last night that was different about other games this year is that the Penguins actually got a bad goaltending performance from the team they were playing, and it allowed them to build off of that. Look at when the Penguins were down 3-1 and 4-2, the Kessel goal and Malkin goal to make the game 3-2 and 4-3 respectively were absolutely horrid goals for Bobrovsky to give up. That just hasn't been happening this year at all. Hopefully stuff like that continues and Murray starts tightening it up some.
Speaking Moistly
What a terrible image.
I’ve reached the point where I don’t care why so much and just know I don’t like watching it. I assume what’s hitting him is hitting a lot of the team and not because they’re following their captain’s example. No hunger, an inability to get going for a smaller game, loss of personal who bolstered the leadership or plain old tired.
If it is a tiredness problem (mentally, physically, emotionally, etc) then I don’t really see that changing this season. But I’d be resting players and limiting their minutes. It at least might piss some of them off enough to do something and if the season is lost then there’s no point in working anyone too hard. I don’t see a shakeup trade helping if most players just don’t have anything in the tank.
Ironically, Phil looks great most of the time. Maybe he’s a freak of nature, maybe he treated the offseason differently, maybe it’s the coasting preserving him, maybe he’s just made up differently. Idk. I get someone like Maatta coming in with something to prove or Hornqvist remaining crazy but not Phil, yet here we are. Such a consistently great Phil Kessel.
UnderratedBrooks44
Registered User
I honestly thought Rust pulled or tore a muscle, because I couldn't figure out any other way he'd hurt himself there.
Jaded-Fan
Registered User
I am not sure if this should be read as a good thing or bad.
Pittsburgh has one of the lower man games lost this year. Now that could be bad as they suck with most of their key players playing. Or good if they have been sandbagging it some to preserve themselves.
At this point I am less and less looking at sandbagging and more at they simply suck as a reason though.
Pittsburgh has one of the lower man games lost this year. Now that could be bad as they suck with most of their key players playing. Or good if they have been sandbagging it some to preserve themselves.
At this point I am less and less looking at sandbagging and more at they simply suck as a reason though.
Randy Butternubs
Registered User
A few comments:
+ Always nice to get a character/entertaining win. Even if it isn't an indication we really fixed anything. That said, it's certainly better than losing 4-1 or 5-1 and packing it in.
+ Malkin - always believed he is the heart soul and emotional leader.
+Phil....Worth taking time to appreciate what this guy has been on the penguins. I can honestly say i didn't understand what his game could be, and i'm very impressed.
I wish Sully would play the 4th line more. Past few games they have looked pretty solid, and are trending up. With reality being that the pens have played so much hockey over the past few years, it would be wise to do all we can to give that line enough ice to keep developing into a regular shift bunch. + they have been pretty good, so why not.
Regarding Sid: I do think its fair to call his "game" what it has been this year....underwhelming vs. expectations. I do think he will get hot. I do think part of him is "managing" the season and not draining the limited tank. Obviously speculation. But he's elevated before when it matters, and until he doesn't, i won't fault him too hard.
Agree with all those who say he really is a different player now. I get the sense he really would benefit from playing with someone who could create and push the play themselves, allowing Sid to use his positioning, IQ, and skills more vs. willing the results through a youthful effort. Many great players have gone through "editing" of their games. And while that might read as a knock, it's not what i mean. Not saying he is washed up. I still believe with the right supporting players Sid could set a new career high in scoring. It's just the way the results are produced is different.
Maybe someone like Sprong + Jake is a combo that would achieve this. Not an expert on our prospects. But i think we need a highly dynamic offensive player with Sid.
+ Always nice to get a character/entertaining win. Even if it isn't an indication we really fixed anything. That said, it's certainly better than losing 4-1 or 5-1 and packing it in.
+ Malkin - always believed he is the heart soul and emotional leader.
+Phil....Worth taking time to appreciate what this guy has been on the penguins. I can honestly say i didn't understand what his game could be, and i'm very impressed.
I wish Sully would play the 4th line more. Past few games they have looked pretty solid, and are trending up. With reality being that the pens have played so much hockey over the past few years, it would be wise to do all we can to give that line enough ice to keep developing into a regular shift bunch. + they have been pretty good, so why not.
Regarding Sid: I do think its fair to call his "game" what it has been this year....underwhelming vs. expectations. I do think he will get hot. I do think part of him is "managing" the season and not draining the limited tank. Obviously speculation. But he's elevated before when it matters, and until he doesn't, i won't fault him too hard.
Agree with all those who say he really is a different player now. I get the sense he really would benefit from playing with someone who could create and push the play themselves, allowing Sid to use his positioning, IQ, and skills more vs. willing the results through a youthful effort. Many great players have gone through "editing" of their games. And while that might read as a knock, it's not what i mean. Not saying he is washed up. I still believe with the right supporting players Sid could set a new career high in scoring. It's just the way the results are produced is different.
Maybe someone like Sprong + Jake is a combo that would achieve this. Not an expert on our prospects. But i think we need a highly dynamic offensive player with Sid.
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