Post-Game Talk: Penguins 5, Devils 2: Geno Prevents ColePens from Losing His ****

[Andy99]

I almost decided not to watch this game, good thing that I changed my mind because that was a much better performance. Good forecheck, actually playing defense, not falling apart in the face of adversity and a magical Geno. But I want to see them come back from behind and win before I declare the crisis to be over.

And I want to see them play this well or better against PO competition...let’s see it the rest of this week against CLB, CAR, Isles...then I’ll believe again

 

[Jesse]

This is where I point out that Jesse also said tonight that this team needs ZAR back.

Make of that what you will.

He's the best defensive forward on the team by a wide margin in a sea of forwards that don't play defense all that well. He doesn't provide much of anything offensively but can play a crucial role in a shutdown situation. He was effectively deployed that way all year.

 

[Peat]

McCann passed the puck to ERod...no way he was off the ice...weird

Seems plausible given how long ERod hung onto the puck before making that shot.

In fact, check it out here -



At 3 seconds, when you see McCann make the pass, he's kinda just before the Wawa ad and skating backwards. At 4 seconds he's past it and clearly heading for the bench.

Rodrigues only takes the shot at 8 seconds - 4 whole seconds elapse. McCann's had more than enough time to reach the bench.

And at 9 seconds, as the puck comes back out of the net, you can see Blueger appearing in the picture. 1 second isn't really enough to make it from the bench to there, so Blueger was probably on the ice at 6 seconds in.

So there you go. The whole play, which is the work of that line, goes uncredited to it, which probably helps explain why their stats seem so bad!

And I want to see them play this well or better against PO competition...let’s see it the rest of this week against CLB, CAR, Isles...then I’ll believe again

Just needs to be a habit again. They could play like that against Tampa and I'd just shrug if it was just one game.

 

[Malkinstheman]

And I want to see them play this well or better against PO competition...let’s see it the rest of this week against CLB, CAR, Isles...then I’ll believe again

If the Pens keep using their forecheck like they did yesterday, thats half the battle right there. Speed is the Pens advantage and they were punishing the Devils with it. I hope at the very least we continue to see that.

 

[Icarium]

And I want to see them play this well or better against PO competition...let’s see it the rest of this week against CLB, CAR, Isles...then I’ll believe again

To be fair, NJD have been much better than CLB and NYI for a while now but yeah, we need to win some games against actual opponents for a playoff spot.

 

[turd]

Phil Bourque was on the DVE morning show earlier today and he was very fired up about Letang and how dumb he was last night. He said if this was the early 90s that people in the locker room would have had a talk with Letang about that play.

 

[Andy99]

To be fair, NJD have been much better than CLB and NYI for a while now but yeah, we need to win some games against actual opponents for a playoff spot.

yeah, I think we outplayed NJ in the second and third periods, but I think we were aided by some pretty nice tight shooting on Blackwood, shots we were hitting posts on previously with our bad PDO...we obviously had a book on him to shoot high, and we got the luck on some bar down shots that otherwise could’ve hit posts, as NJ was doing...sweet shots by Schultz, Geno...

 

[Andy99]

Couldn’t agree more...I said this after the CAR game...easy to see that they knew what lanes to get in and the shooting is predictable...it’s what happens when you continue to employ a jobber like Recchi

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

They have apparently had these conversations and it’s his job to talk to him (again), but it won’t do much good.

Letang is who he is and there are only two ways to get through to him at this point, obviously a trade which I believe will hurt the team, or taking away his ice time.

He should have had a shift or two taken away after his selfish penalty, but Sullivan chickened out.

Letang is a proud guy so losing his TOI could also backfire and Sullivan is in a really tough spot with him...

 

[ColePens]

If the Pens keep using their forecheck like they did yesterday, thats half the battle right there. Speed is the Pens advantage and they were punishing the Devils with it. I hope at the very least we continue to see that.

Gotta give a shout to Sheary and Hornqvist. Those 2 were mad dogs on the puck. I can't believe i'm saying that about Sheary.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Gotta give a shout to Sheary and Hornqvist. Those 2 were mad dogs on the puck. I can't believe i'm saying that about Sheary.

Sheary was such a demon yesterday. Right from his first shift he was viscous on the boards. It was awesome to see.

 

[ncm7772]

Gotta give a shout to Sheary and Hornqvist. Those 2 were mad dogs on the puck. I can't believe i'm saying that about Sheary.

As much of a spazz as he is, he is busting his butt, at least.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

You just have to hope Letang plays himself out of it. You have to take the bad with the good when it comes to Letang (and Geno for that matter). They'll do dumb shit, but they have the ability to break games open. Geno's good is far, far outweighing the bad this season. Letang, not so much. But like people have said, Tanger's a fiery guy. If you pull him aside and chew him out after the latest thing (I'm assuming there have been other convos), you run the risk of pissing off a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve. Weird situation, and one I don't envy Sully having to deal with.

 

[Bumpus]

As much of a spazz as he is, he is busting his butt, at least.

 

[Ignatius]

Sid may be our captain but this year this is Geno's team.

 

[SouthGeorge]

The team needs to move on from Kris Letang. His undisciplined, risky, careless style no longer fits here. It’s odd that Sullivan and Rutherford can preach about team concept and playing the right way and watch this guy every night, or sing his praises. Not only did Letang take a stupid penalty, he barked at the ref after like it was not his fault. He always does. To not bench him after that is why I don’t have confidence in Sullivan right now. There is a double standard. Last game Sullivan said the answers were in the lockerroom. That’s a lame way to remove your own decisions as a coach from the equation

I've only been saying this for years when we could have actually got a solid return and people hate me for it. Here's the thing Letang didn't magically become today's Letang. He's been like this majority of his career. People are just finally opening their eyes. I trusted my eyes and was never going to get bullied into changing what I saw.

You just have to hope Letang plays himself out of it. You have to take the bad with the good when it comes to Letang (and Geno for that matter). They'll do dumb shit, but they have the ability to break games open. Geno's good is far, far outweighing the bad this season. Letang, not so much. But like people have said, Tanger's a fiery guy. If you pull him aside and chew him out after the latest thing (I'm assuming there have been other convos), you run the risk of pissing off a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve. Weird situation, and one I don't envy Sully having to deal with.

Not comparable. I can think of a few games Geno has won us basically on his own. You cannot say that about Letang. You can go, he made a nice play here and there and without it we probably don't score. But you can't say Letang won us games. It's not even a knock on Letang, defensemen can't have that impact. Kind of been my point the whole time not worth having a dum dum as your #1 D. I don't want that bad with my #1 D.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Letang talk is slightly better than goalie talk, but definitely below Beer Virus talk.

 

[RSPens]

As we all know this team will never be healthy, however when Simon and ZAR are ready to go, ERod (just cause I know it bugs some people) better stay in the line-up. Sure he scored, but its the fact that he keeps giving the anemic PP a chance to right the ship. It's tough that Bjugstad has had rough season, but I actually like the 3rd line better with ERod there.

 

[Peat]

Sheary was such a demon yesterday. Right from his first shift he was viscous on the boards. It was awesome to see.

You can pretty much trace Rod's goal to Sheary's forecheck a few shifts before. Real sparkplug moment.

 

[Khelandros]

The Pens are 3-7 in their last 10, beating the powerhouse teams of Ottawa, Buffalo, and NJ! Start planning that parade.

 

[Icarium]

I've only been saying this for years when we could have actually got a solid return and people hate me for it.

Maybe, just maybe, it is because you kept saying it even when Letang was playing well?

He's been like this majority of his career.

Yeah, no.

 

[SouthGeorge]

Maybe, just maybe, it is because you kept saying it even when Letang was playing well?



Yeah, no.

So I'm Miss Cleo now? No the signs have been there his whole career. People just blinded by an occasional goal or secondary assist.

 

[RSPens]

I gotta say that Horny McRod line was plastering NJ in their zone alot.

I liked the energy from that line. At least for tonight.

Calling them the Horny McRod line actually made me laugh a little, who says you can't be immature sometimes...even in your late 30's

 

[K Fleur]

The Pens are 3-7 in their last 10, beating the powerhouse teams of Ottawa, Buffalo, and NJ! Start planning that parade.

3-7 is better than 2-8

 

[K Fleur]

So I'm Miss Cleo now? No the signs have been there his whole career. People just blinded by an occasional goal or secondary assist.

Letang has scored 100+ NHL goals.

“occasional”