Post-Game Talk: Pens 0, Caps 13

[Ogrezilla]

The Flyers nuked their team 1 year after making the cup finals and after losing in the conference semis. Nuked as in traded their captain and best 2 forwards. I really don't think anything will be changing until something of that level happens.

how'd that work out for them?

 

[mikethelegacy]

This game doesn't deserve a post game thread.

 

[madinsomniac]

you cant win a hockey game without scoring. Im tired of the team fostering dead weight... either go very defensive like the kings and play a tight system or play the same style Chicago did the past few years... quit trying to be a third Boston, a third kings and a third Chicago... only a few of these guys mesh well and only a fraction can even freaken take a pass in stride... there are like 3 guys who will go to the net...

 

[cheesedanish87]

That was a clinic put on by the caps tonight.

Hard to take away any positives from the pens tonight, but its only 1 game, i thought the pens have been playing pretty good hockey the last couple games against the Hawks and Jets.

 

[gordie]

This game was effectively over when Bortuzzo took the penalty that cost the second goal. Not much fire in this bunch prior to that either.

 

[Michael8771*]

Well, they beat us 3-0 and 4-0, If nothing else at least we're consistent.

 

[Sh00terMcGavin]

 

[Ugene Magic]

 

[penguins2946*]

how'd that work out for them?

The fact that Holmgrem was a terrible GM and made terrible decisions, along with serious injuries to Pronger and Timonen, doesn't change the fact that they blew up so soon after being extremely close.

And how is what we're doing working out for us? 2 1st round exists, getting embarrassed in the conference finals with an incredible roster and getting embarrassed in the semis.

 

[Gurglesons]

The Flyers nuked their team 1 year after making the cup finals and after losing in the conference semis. Nuked as in traded their captain and best 2 forwards. I really don't think anything will be changing until something of that level happens.

This should've occurred after Boston. We really have nothing to trade on this team at the level of Richards or Carter.

 

[drpepper]

There are not enough minuses in this world to describe how fed up I am with Johnston's system, his roster, his in-game "adjustments", and Tocchet's powerplay.

Johnston's puck retrieval is passive and often allows the offensive player to have an even shot at the puck. The breakout is totally neutered against any team with structure, and the Pens have to revert to dump and chase where they can't dump the puck in and almost no one can aggressively forecheck. His neutral zone defense is increadibly passive. The d zone coverage is totally ****ed by playing wingers on their weak wings. And no one know what the **** they are doing. He iced one of the worst possible combinations of line-ups and only thought to fix it after the Pens were down at least 2 goals with only ten minutes left in the game. He or Tocchet were so fixated on toughness and physicality that they allowed the players to completely forget the fundamentals of hockey. Johnston can't make an in-game adjustment to save his life, and when Trotz adjusted to Crosby's line (namely pressure on Kunitz and Perron in the neutral zone) any hope of offense died. I am done with Tocchet's powerplay. It makes no ****ing sense and only works if everything goes absolutely perfectly. It has little to no real world application.


My disgust for the coaches is only equaled by the disgust I have for the quality of play. Pens were so focused on hitting players that they failed to play the puck or hockey at all. The fourth line was **** as it often is. Lapierre, Downie and Spaling is an offensive black hole and defensive liability as expected. ****ing Bennett shouldn't be on the LW. Sutter's whole line couldn't find their defensive cover areas if they were stapled to their faces. Perron and Kunitz coughed the puck up all night long. And Crosby got himself frustrated and out of the game being constantly double and triple teamed without another player on that line stepping up was insane.

On top of that the officiating was a complete **** show. How many times did they have to re-drop the puck?

This is a team with talent. I don't know how or why the coaching staff and players are ****ing it up so badly.

 

[Michael8771*]

This game was effectively over when Bortuzzo took the penalty that cost the second goal. Not much fire in this bunch prior to that either.

They took our time and space away throughout. They played such strong positional hockey we were overwhelmed at times. MJ had no answer. Gotta admit the caps impressed me as much as any team we've seen thus far.

 

[SEALBound]

The Flyers nuked their team 1 year after making the cup finals and after losing in the conference semis. Nuked as in traded their captain and best 2 forwards. I really don't think anything will be changing until something of that level happens.

Given the Flyers current state of affairs, I'm not sure that is the best example to follow.

 

[ColePens]

Remember the first couple of playoff games against the Rags, when we held back and waited for them to make mistakes, supported Fleury defensively, basically a defense first attitude? The let our speed and skill go the other way on odd man breaks.

That was the game I envisioned Trotz bringing to this team. The game this team needs to play to have the best chance to win.

I have less and less faith in MJ, especially as the time between when we actually looked good in a single game fades further into the rear view mirror. It has been months now.

You called it all along and so far 100% right. I gave you a shout-out mid game when Trotz was managing the game beautifully.

What kills me is that everyone gives MJ props for understanding the game, watching tape, and being prepared. He's not going out there and playing so he better spend more time gumping down what he is telling the team so THEY can go out there and do it. Nobody can doubt how talented MJ is. He knows hockey. He hasn't been in the NHL because coaching is different than knowing. I'm pretty sure he has no idea how to get the team to play what he can write in a book. They are 2 separate things.

 

[shaler79]

+ Kunitz -- Actually played with some nastiness tonight
+ MAF - he really was left hung out to dry, kept it from being a disaster

That's about all of the pluses pretty lousy game by everyone.
-------Sutter, what does this guy bring to the table, even when healthy he brings no offensive pressure to the table. He's a high priced penalty killer, not physical, not hard to play against. He is a Sutter in name only.
- Sid when Ovechkin is on the ice I expect him to do something offensively. I fear he will do something. I just don't get that feeling from Sid lately. I think once everyone is healthy and they get their lines straightened out it should help everyone.
--- Adams Ebbett please where's Portabello mushroom they also bring nothing to the table
---- MJ where did the center crashing to the net go?? Just one game and no one did that tonight
---GMJR get some more size for the playoffs JR or the Pens will be one and done again

 

[66-30-33]

The Flyers nuked their team 1 year after making the cup finals and after losing in the conference semis. Nuked as in traded their captain and best 2 forwards. I really don't think anything will be changing until something of that level happens.

So trade Crosby and Malkin? Might aswell do a full rebuild then.

 

[gordie]

Well, they beat us 3-0 and 4-0, a If nothing else at least we're consistent.

Barry Trotz has never won more then one round in the playoffs and only has done that twice. It won't be much different in Washington. Says what kind of mess the Pens are in right now.

 

[billybudd]

Broken record on this, but that loss was pure size and speed difference.

Easy for the Caps to skate their routes. Tough for us. That small difference got us dominated.

Any forward is two of weak/soft/slow and not a threat to score 25 is a liability in getting out of this division. That means Sutter, Bennett, Ebbett, Kunitz, and Adams. Some of them are non-issues against, say, the Hawks or Lightning...but those clubs aren't in our division.

JR has more work to do.

 

[pensfansince88]

Bennett/Sutter aren't as good as advertised, Spaling might be the most meh player ever, Kunitz is done. But something is off mentally. Is the 4th line dragging this whole team down? Years of bums like Sill, Adams, and Ebbett instead of people who can actually play. Cup teams have 4 lines that can play some. There is something off about this team that may or may not have been caused by DB. It wasn't like this until after they won the cup.

 

[penguins2946*]

Given the Flyers current state of affairs, I'm not sure that is the best example to follow.

The Flyers lost 2 #1 D to career ending injuries and were never able to find a starting goalie until recently. Unless Letang goes down, the Pens have both a #1D and a starting goalie.

 

[Common Sense]

The Flyers nuked their team 1 year after making the cup finals and after losing in the conference semis. Nuked as in traded their captain and best 2 forwards. I really don't think anything will be changing until something of that level happens.

They also had Claude Giroux waiting in the wings. Who the hell do we have to take over? Kapanen?

 

[Hophog]

I have a funny feeling that Sid and the boys will not go far into the Playoffs once again (oh my Dogs are too scared of me at this time of the year)

Yeah, my dog sneaks up the stairs and goes to bed about two minutes into the games now

 

[gordie]

They took our time and space away throughout. They played such strong positional hockey we were overwhelmed at times. MJ had no answer. Gotta admit the caps impressed me as much as any team we've seen thus far.

Then you are easily impressed by a team that lost last night to Columbus.

 

[KIRK]

There are some people in the GDT and other places who have talked about all the change as if there's nothing more that possibly could have been done. Half the forwards changed at this point. Two guys on defense. But, I think, as with so many things Penguins, some of those people are lauding the optics over the substance.

The problem with the Pens over the last few years, in terms of the room, is that you've got a bunch of 'do as I say not as I do' vets who are the predominant voices in the room. Kunitz, Sutter, Scuderi, guys like this.

Again and again, they are gifted roles and protected. By the coach. By the GM. And, not just by the last coach and GM.

Then you have that piece of **** Adams and that stuff with Malkin. Contrast the whole 'Adams is sorry for nothing' and the Pens say 'no big deal' approach with what Colorado did in a similar situation when Downie, a true contributor, ran Landeskong at practice and showed no contrition.

THIS is part of what is wrong with this team. The good voices-- the Perron's, the Horny's-- are new to a team where the members of the extended family are loudest in the room. And, where you'd have guys like Guerin or Talbot or Malone and a few others, who in addition to using their own voices also would encourage Sid and Geno to use theirs . . . guys like that, if we've got them, aren't the lead voices in the room.

Let's get one thing straight: For as much CHANGE as there's been, every SINGLE one of those locker room cancers, be it overt cancers or guys who are too complacent or are 'do as I say not as I do' guys is still there except for Orpik, who the Pens couldn't afford to keep.

JR kept them, even talked some of them up. And MJ has made sure every one of them still maintains his sacred position.

Until THAT changes, the optics, as always, won't matter when it counts.

 

[Gurglesons]

you cant win a hockey game without scoring. Im tired of the team fostering dead weight... either go very defensive like the kings and play a tight system or play the same style Chicago did the past few years... quit trying to be a third Boston, a third kings and a third Chicago... only a few of these guys mesh well and only a fraction can even freaken take a pass in stride... there are like 3 guys who will go to the net...

The Kings play twenty times worse then us in the regular season. A lot of this comes down to our stars, especially Sid playing like they don't give a ****. I'm curious how many cups we'd have if Malkin was wearing the C and Crosby was with the Ducks.