Post-Game Talk: Pens 3, Rags 2 (OT): Kunitz Inspires Sid's Game Winner

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

People can hate the Perron for a 1st deal, but if that move was the impetus for this team's devotion to speed, I think the lost value in assets is more than overcome by what they gained as a team.

If you came to me in the first week of the regular season and said, "by the end of the year, they'll be one of the fastest, hardest-working teams in the league," I would have asked for your dealer's name.

Remarkably fast turnaround on the roster/identity.

"This guy is such an idiot. Who cares how well the Pens look now, think about how they would be in 3 years had they kept that pick!"

 

[zero8771]

PP looks bad. good thing no penalties in the playoffs.

What blows me away about this team is that they seem to be able to play any way the opponent wants and beat them

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

Just out working them. It's a style that should work well in the playoffs. Determination and confidence are prerequisites for playoff success.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

Damn Letang is a 30 goal, 90 point player under Sully? 44 points in 40 games. Better then Karlsson. Obviously he wont be a 90 point dman, maybe a 65 point a few times if he ever plays a full season.

He'd win the Norris if Sullivan coached the team all year.

Remember when certain posters wanted to trade him for scraps? good times.

This team would be trash without Letang.

 

[Ogrezilla]

PP looks bad. good thing no penalties in the playoffs.

What blows me away about this team is that they seem to be able to play any way the opponent wants and beat them

The last several years the number of powerplays is basically unchanged in the playoffs from the regular season. More penalties are committed and ignored, but the end result is still pretty much the same number of powerplays.

do you really see Bonino bringing anything to that line?

Was he a factor in anything they did last night?

The question is whether Kessel can get engaged like he has been without having the puck on his stick. Malkin and Kessel both prefer to carry the puck. They need to learn how to make that work, but I'm not sure the middle of the playoffs is the time to do it.

 

[billybudd]

What a wonderful player Matt Cullen still is. He could have had 3 or 4 points yesterday. Head's always up; always processing the play a quarter second before the other team. Would have been nice to have him the last 3 years instead of just this year.

Edit

Since Billy doesn't seem to be posting tonight, let me just add that Matt Cullen is still The Truth.

Haha.

I'm also leaning towards

Malkin - Crosby - Hornqvist
Hagelin - Bonino - Kessel
Kuhnhackl - Cullen - Rust
Kunitz - Fehr - Bennett

Basically two first lines and two third lines. Crosby desperately needs someone else who can get him the puck on his line, and unless they're willing to give Bennett a shot there (which they aren't), why not get Geno there?

Idk if any line with Bonino on it is a "first" line, but if a center playing high and not touching the puck in the offensive zone is what works for Kessel, more power to him.

 

[zero8771]

The last several years the number of powerplays is basically unchanged in the playoffs from the regular season. More penalties are committed and ignored, but the end result is still pretty much the same number of powerplays.


The question is whether Kessel can get engaged like he has been without having the puck on his stick. Malkin and Kessel both prefer to carry the puck. They need to learn how to make that work, but I'm not sure the middle of the playoffs is the time to do it.

Interesting. Curious to see what we get from the phil in the playoffs. He was a great playoff performer in the limited time he had there with the leafs.

 

[billybudd]

Both players need another to get them pucks.

Sid needs a LW that can handle the puck and bring plays up ice on their own. Then just have Hornqvist be the slot area type. Hagelin has just enough puck poise that he isnt a Dupuis. Wish the Pens had three of him.

If the Pens had 12 of him, they'd go 82-0.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

I actually think Bonino has been a good 3rd wheel to Kessel and Hagelin. He has patience and his passes are springing Kessel and Hagelin into the offensive zone with speed. If the back door is not open, Bonino is open as the trailer. The line has a really good dynamic.

 

[Penguinator]

If the Pens had 12 of him, they'd go 82-0.

Not sure about the 82-0 ...but a dozen Hagelin could make an opponent so gassed out that he would puke over the ice, preferably in front of his goalie.

Seriously, speed kills but it's just one factor, a big one though, especially when you build around it. A Caps fan mentioned this team's new attitude as the biggest factor, i tend to agree thanks to Sully.

Will there be teams using clones in 2182? Probably not unless they're limited to one of the same per league, or team?

 

[IcedCapp]

The last several years the number of powerplays is basically unchanged in the playoffs from the regular season. More penalties are committed and ignored, but the end result is still pretty much the same number of powerplays.


The question is whether Kessel can get engaged like he has been without having the puck on his stick. Malkin and Kessel both prefer to carry the puck. They need to learn how to make that work, but I'm not sure the middle of the playoffs is the time to do it.

I guess the fundamental point of contention here is I don't think Kessel has been significantly different with Bonino than he was with Malkin. Better, yes. But is that no Malkin or is that him getting confidence from the puck going in the net finally? Is it no Malkin or did Sid have a talk with him?

If Bonino were doing SOMETHING, ANYTHING, beyond, apparently, "staying out of Phil's way", I'd consider it. And it's not like Phil hasn't had the puck on his stick with Sid and Geno.

 

[PensFreak]

I actually think Bonino has been a good 3rd wheel to Kessel and Hagelin. He has patience and his passes are springing Kessel and Hagelin into the offensive zone with speed. If the back door is not open, Bonino is open as the trailer. The line has a really good dynamic.

I agree totally. I don't think the guy has been quite as good as I expected him to be, but he's been a solid low-key high quality fit with them. I'm almost tempted to keep them together when Malkin comes back, and set him up with Beau and Rust to roll three terrifying lines.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

The thing I notice with Kessel when he plays with Bonino versus Malkin is that he's in control with Bonino. He's leading the rushes, he's controlling the pace, he's having guys work off of him instead of the other way around. With Geno, you can see Kessel takes a step back from what makes him successful and tries to cater to Geno a bit too much.

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

Idk if any line with Bonino on it is a "first" line, but if a center playing high and not touching the puck in the offensive zone is what works for Kessel, more power to him.

I'm actually so down with keeping that line together and trying Malkin with Sid. **** it let's goooooooooo

 

[Ogrezilla]

I guess the fundamental point of contention here is I don't think Kessel has been significantly different with Bonino than he was with Malkin. Better, yes. But is that no Malkin or is that him getting confidence from the puck going in the net finally? Is it no Malkin or did Sid have a talk with him?

If Bonino were doing SOMETHING, ANYTHING, beyond, apparently, "staying out of Phil's way", I'd consider it. And it's not like Phil hasn't had the puck on his stick with Sid and Geno.

If Geno were coming back today, I'd plug him right in with Hags and Kessel. That is plan A. But if its the middle of round 2 and we just made it through a team with that line hot playing with Bones, I'm not sure what I do.

My issue with Geno and Kessel is that Kessel hasn't shown to be able to do much in terms of getting open for shots when Geno carries the puck. Most of the nice plays when those two were together were either Geno and Hags or Kessel and Hags. I think both are best with the puck on their stick. Yet when they've been together they have spent too much time deferring to one another. I think its a dynamic that they can and will figure out. I don't know that they have yet though. I don't think I agree that Kessel is looking the same except the puck is going in. At least not compared to most of the year. The last few games before Geno got hurt Kessel definitely looked better. I don't think Bonino is a key part of what we're seeing from Kessel. But I do think Kessel carrying the puck more is a key part of it, and I'm not convinced that will stay the same next to Geno. When Geno comes back, I'd probably put him right back into the 2nd line with Kessel and Hags, but I wouldn't be married to it in the middle of the playoffs.

The thing I notice with Kessel when he plays with Bonino versus Malkin is that he's in control with Bonino. He's leading the rushes, he's controlling the pace, he's having guys work off of him instead of the other way around. With Geno, you can see Kessel takes a step back from what makes him successful and tries to cater to Geno a bit too much.

Yeah, what he said.

 

[Shady Machine]

do you really see Bonino bringing anything to that line?

Was he a factor in anything they did last night?

Not really, no, but he's a dependable positional player and those guys are producing on their own. This is not a long term solution for me, but if you can have that line rolling and you insert Geno onto his own line and load him up with Sid for extra shifts, I think you can have 4 lines rolling that can create major match up issues.

 

[IcedCapp]

Not really, no, but he's a dependable positional player and those guys are producing on their own. This is not a long term solution for me, but if you can have that line rolling and you insert Geno, I think you can have 4 lines rolling that can create major match up issues.

I've said I'm fine with something like Malkin - Sid - Hornqvist or Fehr - Malkin - Bennett, but I really don't think the latter will be great. Malkin hasn't been a great ES player since November. I don't think giving him Fehr or Rust or Bennett or any of those guys is going to change that.

 

[Asuna]

Phil was named the third star of the week. woooo

 

[Scandale du Jour]

My rationale for putting Malkin with Fehr and Bennett is not that Bonino has been SOOOOOOOO good with Kessel and Hagelin, it is that having 3 scoring line would create match up nightmares for our opponents while not making us dependant on one line. Heck, all 4 lines could produce.

 

[mpp9]

I think Kessel is skating far better than he was when he was deferring alot to Malkin. Or waiting for Malkin to make plays and then flubbing his passes.

Bonino gets Phil the puck with speed. I'm not sure if Malkin did that a whole lot.

After thinking about where to play Malkin, I'd be worried that the coaching staff would put him on RW with Sid and Kunitz and bump Hornqvist down. If that's the case, then I'd much prefer Malkin centering a couple WBS kids.

 

[Shady Machine]

I've said I'm fine with something like Malkin - Sid - Hornqvist or Fehr - Malkin - Bennett, but I really don't think the latter will be great. Malkin hasn't been a great ES player since November. I don't think giving him Fehr or Rust or Bennett or any of those guys is going to change that.

I don't think it's going to be some dynamic line or anything, but Kessel-Hags are carrying their own line now and Sid is Sid. Malkin can turn a 4th line into a 2nd line just by his mere presence and Bennett isn't a slouch if he can get his timing back.

I'd play Malkin huge PP minutes, LW with Sid-Hornqvist on O zone draws and on a "4th line" with Fehr and Bennett. That's a match up nightmare for opponents.

Now that is all on condition of Hags-Bones-Kessel producing in the first round. If we squeak by and they are a non factor at ES, then move Bones down and insert Geno between them.

 

[billybudd]

I think Kessel is skating far better than he was when he was deferring alot to Malkin. Or waiting for Malkin to make plays and then flubbing his passes.

Bonino gets Phil the puck with speed. I'm not sure if Malkin did that a whole lot.

After thinking about where to play Malkin, I'd be worried that the coaching staff would put him on RW with Sid and Kunitz and bump Hornqvist down. If that's the case, then I'd much prefer Malkin centering a couple WBS kids.

Jesus, I hope not.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

To put it plainly, Kessel is engaging and actively pushing the play with Bonino whereas he sat back and played reactionary hockey with Geno.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

To put it plainly, Kessel is engaging and actively pushing the play with Bonino whereas he sat back and played reactionary hockey with Geno.

I can see what others who watched Phil were saying now. Phil is better on his own line where he's the primary puck carrier. With Geno/Sid he's not that guy. They're the guys carrying the puck and then dishing it to him.

If he's going to play with Geno I'd rather Geno be the triggerman than Phil and Phil carry the puck.

 

[mpp9]

Jesus, I hope not.

Exhibit A would be Malkin pretty much has only played on Sid's RW when he's moved up on wing.

One would hope a coach recognizes the type of havoc two elite players and the best net front player in the league could cause.