Post-Game Talk: Pens 3, Blue Jackets 2: A Costly Two Points

[Al Smith]

I was at the game tonight, and I just scrolled this thread. I am absolutely stunned to see that someone criticized Hornqvist. I thought he was great tonight. His effort level is amazing.

It was a fun game, I think Pens fans outnumbered the Jackets fans. The officiating was brutal again. Poor Rust. I'm coming away more impressed with him after every game. After tonight I'm impressed he wasn't injured.

Kunitz would 'score' at the game I went to.

Fleury terrified me a few times, but that pokecheck was something.

I was happy with most players, but I kind of really hate the Cole-Schultz pairing. Like a lot.



It was weird. I didn't notice when Geno got hurt. That hit looked fairly innocuous and I didn't think anything of it. I saw Sid out with Hagelin and Kessel and thought it was interesting, but when Cullen came out with them the next shift, that's when I realized he was gone.

I really couldn't figure out what happened, so I had to search on my phone for the video. I feel like it could be his knee? But I don't know. So frustrating to get two guys back and lose a more important one.

Cole was an adventure in a bad way tonight. Not quite as bad as pre-benching Cole, but not as solid as he's been since coming back.

It looked like Geno's shoulder or wrist, but who knows. Tomorrow, we'll be given multiple choice on day-to-day/week-to-week/close/not close/IR/none of the above.

Kunitz/Cullen both looked their age tonight.

 

[EliteGoaltending]

My point is that this team is dead in the water. Even more so if Geno is injured long-term. It's been dead in the water all season, but people (myself included on occasion) allow themselves to be fooled by elite stretches of play by Sid, Geno or Fleury.

This is a bad team that is several moves away from even thinking about doing anything in the playoffs. Accept that, take your 1st round pick this summer and work toward reshaping things in this organization. Dump Kunitz and Cole. Move Bonino. Field calls on Kessel to see what you can get, and if the right move is there, move him. He hasn't been close to earning his salary, and it's not because he's missed a few chances here and there.

I don't know if it is an overreaction by me or not, but I would add... get new owners, a new front office and, most importantly, try to find a good GM, close to the level of Stan Bowman, Bob Murray, Jim Nill, etc. I know they don't grow on trees, but still. Instead, this organisation brought in JR, and interviewed Pierre McGuire and Doug MacLean for the job... I mean, the next step would be Milbury.
Look at the Ducks, they got McGinn for a 3rd and Pirri for a 6th. (And at the last year's trade deadline they turned Lovejoy into Despres) We gave up a 3rd for Shultz...
If you analyze all of JR's trades, he almost always overpays/doesn't bring enough value back.

Only a smart management would get this team going.

 

[Nakawick]

Also Bryan Rust is a hell of a hockey player.

Just imagine if he had a bit more finishing ability. He would be top 6, but he is 2 months away from being 24. He is 4th line energy and PK,..albeit exciting.

 

[ColePens]

+ MAF: I thought MAF played really well. I was surprised how bad Bobo was. He was pathetic. MAF played a terrific game. I thought his rebound control was much better. I thought his positioning was great. I HATE his poke check, but realistically it was one that saved us and one that went against us. I just like when he doesn't do it too much.

+ Rust: Blocks, momentum, possession, scoring chances, defense. The guy is giving us a little bit of everything right now. I freaking love his game.

+ Letang: Maatta had some hiccups today and I thought Tanger was as good as he possibly could have been. I actually thought today there is no chance we win without him.

+ Dumo/Daley: What isn't to like about this pairing? I really am 100% fine with them as the second pairing going into next season. Love their game together. I thought Dumo was really good tonight.

- Sid: Didn't like his game. His decision making is back to being passive. He's making some boneheaded passes. I just do not like his game right now.

- Bonino: He... looks bad. I don't know what it is. He's just not clicking on any sorts right now. Fehr isn't doing much better. Both of those guys had stretches of good and some stretches of very poor.

- Sully's over usage of Kunitz. **** even discussing it.

 

[billybudd]

Cole was an adventure in a bad way tonight. Not quite as bad as pre-benching Cole, but not as solid as he's been since coming back.

It looked like Geno's shoulder or wrist, but who knows. Tomorrow, we'll be given multiple choice on day-to-day/week-to-week/close/not close/IR/none of the above.

Kunitz/Cullen both looked their age tonight.

Gotta disagree there. I thought Cullen looked like he could've been a kid tonight.

 

[ColePens]

Cullen was up and down. Once again he had a bad PK shift. Lost 2 straight faceoffs (even thought he was 5-2 going into those faceoffs) and then failed clear again. Luckily they didn't score, but he's had at least one very bad PK shift in the last couple games.

As many have said, we are just asking too much out of him right now. He needs a little time to rest and save up.

 

[PensPlz]

Will Malkin ever play a full season again?

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Will Malkin ever play a full season again?

No, and it's nothing new.


2006-07: 78
2007-08: 82
2008-09: 82
2009-10: 67
2010-11: 43
2011-12: 75
2012-13: 31*
2013-14: 60
2014-15: 69
2015-16: 57

70 games should be considered a win with him. This started when he was still pretty damn young and I doubt we see it improve with age.

 

[Pancakes]

No, and it's nothing new.


2006-07: 78
2007-08: 82
2008-09: 82
2009-10: 67
2010-11: 43
2011-12: 75
2012-13: 31*
2013-14: 60
2014-15: 69
2015-16: 57

70 games should be considered a win with him. This started when he was still pretty damn young and I doubt we see it improve with age.

I don't think he's as smart about protecting himself as Sid is. Sid used to be a bull every shift and go hard into the corners and take abuse but now he sits back and reads the play a bit more and makes sure he doesn't put himself in harms way.

Geno has never really learned that lesson. Nor Letang. They both put their body in harms way at every opportunity.

Not saying I want them to be perimeter players but picking their spots better like Sid does would probably be advisable. Sid learned early on in his career that throwing himself into every corner battle was not good for his health.

 

[canadianguy77]

I don't think he's as smart about protecting himself as Sid is. Sid used to be a bull every shift and go hard into the corners and take abuse but now he sits back and reads the play a bit more and makes sure he doesn't put himself in harms way.

Geno has never really learned that lesson. Nor Letang. They both put their body in harms way at every opportunity.

Not saying I want them to be perimeter players but picking their spots better like Sid does would probably be advisable. Sid learned early on in his career that throwing himself into every corner battle was not good for his health.

Geno also doesn't have a terribly big frame. That too makes a difference, just ask Beau.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

I don't know if it is an overreaction by me or not, but I would add... get new owners, a new front office and, most importantly, try to find a good GM, close to the level of Stan Bowman, Bob Murray, Jim Nill, etc. I know they don't grow on trees, but still. Instead, this organisation brought in JR, and interviewed Pierre McGuire and Doug MacLean for the job... I mean, the next step would be Milbury.
Look at the Ducks, they got McGinn for a 3rd and Pirri for a 6th. (And at the last year's trade deadline they turned Lovejoy into Despres) We gave up a 3rd for Shultz...
If you analyze all of JR's trades, he almost always overpays/doesn't bring enough value back.

Only a smart management would get this team going.

At this point, I'd be happy with just getting rid of Guerin and Morehouse.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Geno has never really learned that lesson. Nor Letang. They both put their body in harms way at every opportunity.

That's what worries me about Letang.

We broke the Bank on him based on his unreal physical gifts, when he doesn't have the mental/strategic attributes to see him through when his body slows down.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I don't think he's as smart about protecting himself as Sid is. Sid used to be a bull every shift and go hard into the corners and take abuse but now he sits back and reads the play a bit more and makes sure he doesn't put himself in harms way.

Geno has never really learned that lesson. Nor Letang. They both put their body in harms way at every opportunity.

Not saying I want them to be perimeter players but picking their spots better like Sid does would probably be advisable. Sid learned early on in his career that throwing himself into every corner battle was not good for his health.

I think that's only part of it, tbh, and Malkin will spend a decent amount of time not being a bull every shift anyway. He injured his damn groin in training camp last season and whatever it was the time before this one was probably an open ice knee on knee. Even this time he got bumped weirdly. Those aren't things he can really protect himself from, aside from the knee on knee being dirty. I can't even remember how he did his ankle (?) last season.

Even god damn Letang seems to be learning, even if MAF did try to get him killed tonight and it took god only knows how many concussions. But Letang also hurt his knee at the team bonding thing one year.

Kessel for all the **** he gets for being soft and not doing those things also doesn't legitimately hurt himself before the season even starts or get those weird injuries. Most players manage not to. Hornqvist has closer gp numbers to Malkin than you'd think and has so far played more this season. It's not just playing style pr learning to protect himself by any stretch.

 

[Pancakes]

I think that's only part of it, tbh, and Malkin will spend a decent amount of time not being a bull every shift anyway. He injured his damn groin in training camp last season and whatever it was the time before this one was probably an open ice knee on knee. Even this time he got bumped weirdly. Those aren't things he can really protect himself from, aside from the knee on knee being dirty. I can't even remember how he did his ankle (?) last season.

Even god damn Letang seems to be learning, even if MAF did try to get him killed tonight and it took god only knows how many concussions. But Letang also hurt his knee at the team bonding thing one year.

Kessel for all the **** he gets for being soft and not doing those things also doesn't legitimately hurt himself before the season even starts or get those weird injuries. Most players manage not to. Hornqvist has closer gp numbers to Malkin than you'd think and has so far played more this season. It's not just playing style pr learning to protect himself by any stretch.

Well Kessel never gets hurt because the minute he's got the puck and might take any kind of contact he's getting the hell out of there.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Well Kessel never gets hurt because the minute he's got the puck and might take any kind of contact he's getting the hell out of there.

That's my point.

He avoids things like that, but he also doesn't hurt his groin/knee before the season starts, get injured by a dirty play in open ice or get bumped weirdly and injured that way. There's more to Phil being healthy than not doing certain things. Even Phil ends up taking contact sometimes and he still doesn't miss games from it. If Kessel took more abuse by battling for the puck he'd probably miss more games, but he's also just not picking up serious injuries anywhere else.

 

[deakka]

I wouldnt think geno broke his forearm like someone said. He returned for a shift afterwards. .... maybe broken hand. But my bet is on something with the elbow. bent the wrong way for some joint discomfort or something like that

 

[Tumty]

Also Bryan Rust is a hell of a hockey player.

Lol. Hes not. He had couple A+ chances to score, but h3 cant. Future fourthliner at best. So okay player, not hell of a.

 

[Tumty]

Originally Posted by Waffle Fries View Post
I was at the game tonight, and I just scrolled this thread. I am absolutely stunned to see that someone criticized Hornqvist. I thought he was great tonight. His effort level is amazing.

It was a fun game, I think Pens fans outnumbered the Jackets fans. The officiating was brutal again. Poor Rust. I'm coming away more impressed with him after every game. After tonight I'm impressed he wasn't injured.

Kunitz would 'score' at the game I went to.

Fleury terrified me a few times, but that pokecheck was something.

I was happy with most players, but I kind of really hate the Cole-Schultz pairing. Like a lot.



It was weird. I didn't notice when Geno got hurt. That hit looked fairly innocuous and I didn't think anything of it. I saw Sid out with Hagelin and Kessel and thought it was interesting, but when Cullen came out with them the next shift, that's when I realized he was gone.

I really couldn't figure out what happened, so I had to search on my phone for the video. I feel like it could be his knee? But I don't know. So frustrating to get two guys back and lose a more important one.


Hah. Horny's effort was there so all good. He is so stupid and useless with puck.

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

Malkin plays injured. He has since he was a kid. The Pens medical staff is too gutless/stupid to sit him out for longer when he needs time to heal. How many times does he miss a few games, plays for a few then is back injured? He's his own worse enemy. There's a reason why the last time he played 70 games he won the Art Ross. Why doesn't he have dominant partial seasons like Sid? Because he always plays parts of those seasons injured.

As for Kessel avoiding contact, meh, it's self preservation and it clearly works. Lidstrom was the king of that. He didn't block many shots, instead he deflected them with his stick. He would move the puck before the forechecker could hit him. I only ever saw him lit up one time, and his missed games after it (I'm thinking for his knee).

Then there's guys like Recchi who are small, crash and bang and rarely get injured. I'm sure it helps that he has very extensive knowledge of the human body and what it's capable of, being a medical doctor and all.

 

[Son Goku]

If Kessel got hurt it would be because he got a hot dog lodged in his throat.

 

[End of Line]

Also Bryan Rust is a hell of a hockey player.

Watching him live was a treat. He gives 100% every time he's on the ice. His little helmet flip to Hartnell last night was fantastic.

 

[The Old Master]

Geno also doesn't have a terribly big frame. That too makes a difference, just ask Beau.

darn thin bones....and we were told, but didn't believe!

 

[Farnham4top6]

Hah. Horny's effort was there so all good. He is so stupid and useless with puck.

We are in a agreement.

 

[Beau Knows]

Will Malkin ever play a full season again?

Malkin and Letang both seem to suffer multiple injuries every season. Seems like maybe they need to take more time from coming back from injuries.

Does anyone on this team ever get hurt and then not come back that same game? I know it was a game we needed to win, but it seems like everyone gets pushed right back out onto the ice no matter what.

 

[Asuna]

I'm really hoping the Pens can work with Schultz on his defensive game, cause it's pretty bad. But I really like his offensive game, especially on the PP.

The one PP with Letang on the half wall, with Wilson on the other side was pretty effective.