Post-Game Talk: Pens 4, Canucks 0 - Kunitz Helps Sid Hit 999

[Shady Machine]

It sure seems like the staff (and Sid) wants PH with Geno. If Guentzel is the only other guy who works in that L1 RW slot, then I guess that's the it.

Bonino playing poorly complicates the lines a lot.

It does seem that way. I've never really liked Horny with Geno, but he can make it work if the other guy can catch and make a pass. Horny shoots when Geno wants a pass and passes when Geno wants a shot. I actually thought Hornqvist was most effective running his own line with Rowney (at least lately).

 

[Doogle]

I've never understood having to pigeonhole a winger to his natural side. You simply need to be more skilled on your backhand. There are way more advantages to playing your off-wing IMHO.

Some of the most skilled Pens ever played their off wings, including Jagr and Kovy. Lemieux played LW when he wasn't a pivot, Malkin plays RW when he slides to that position.

Arguably the best winger in the game, Tarasenko, plays his off-wing.

Guenztel is extremely skilled on his backhand, so I'm not sure why it's a surprise he can play RW well.

It depends on how you play. I mean, I play low level inline hockey, so make of it what you will, but I actually prefer the off side. As a right handed defenseman, I like my hips to be open to the play. I have so many more options since I can see everything to my right, but I can still send a bank pass off the boards to the forwards if need be. I get tunnel vision when I play the 'correct' or 'natural' side. I can see the wall, and I have to look over to pass or shoot, and when it comes to shooting, I have very little options. On the off side, I can pull it around the goalie to the right, I can deke left and get under my stick for the backhand, or I can simply shoot and pick any corner I wish. On the right side, it's throw at the goalie and hope he's off his angle.

Then again, I also use a near flat stick, and I'm pretty good at passing, receiving passes, and shooting off my backhand. But it can be really difficult for most people, even professional hockey players. Playing on the 'natural' side gives you more direction, you generally have an easier time knowing exactly which play is the right play, instead of having to choose from a number of options and hoping for the best. It's also easier to receive a pass in stride, especially when you have to worry about receiving passes at the blueline. Sometimes if someone passes to your stick and your trying to get onsides in the offensive zone it's easier for the defender to pinch against you and prevent you from entering. At least that's what I've noticed from my amateur experience.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

It depends on how you play. I mean, I play low level inline hockey, so make of it what you will, but I actually prefer the off side. As a right handed defenseman, I like my hips to be open to the play. I have so many more options since I can see everything to my right, but I can still send a bank pass off the boards to the forwards if need be. I get tunnel vision when I play the 'correct' or 'natural' side. I can see the wall, and I have to look over to pass or shoot, and when it comes to shooting, I have very little options. On the off side, I can pull it around the goalie to the right, I can deke left and get under my stick for the backhand, or I can simply shoot and pick any corner I wish. On the right side, it's throw at the goalie and hope he's off his angle.

Then again, I also use a near flat stick, and I'm pretty good at passing, receiving passes, and shooting off my backhand. But it can be really difficult for most people, even professional hockey players. Playing on the 'natural' side gives you more direction, you generally have an easier time knowing exactly which play is the right play, instead of having to choose from a number of options and hoping for the best. It's also easier to receive a pass in stride, especially when you have to worry about receiving passes at the blueline. Sometimes if someone passes to your stick and your trying to get onsides in the offensive zone it's easier for the defender to pinch against you and prevent you from entering. At least that's what I've noticed from my amateur experience.

I played 4-4 floating offsides summer league roller hockey against former RHI players (Mostly Phantoms) when I was younger. Highly skilled league, but pretty wide open and lots of offense and it really helped develop my vision and skill when I got back on the ice. So I'll never knock roller, aside from being unable to stop on a dime and cut like on ice.

I played on the backend in those leagues just to mess around, but I liked being on my offside, just like when I was at wing. Ironically I've found my natural side feels un-natural.

 

[Fordy]

It does seem that way. I've never really liked Horny with Geno, but he can make it work if the other guy can catch and make a pass. Horny shoots when Geno wants a pass and passes when Geno wants a shot. I actually thought Hornqvist was most effective running his own line with Rowney (at least lately).

eh, i thought they were actually building some chemistry before geno went down. it came extremely unnaturally and took a long time, but since sully refused to separate them for weeks and weeks, they did start to get somewhere

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Well, for now. But it's really about making space for Sheary.

When Sheary comes back, Guentzel can simply slide down to Geno.

I'm not convinced that's true. Let's say they used Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist. Who does Geno play with?

Cullen-Geno-xxx

It's obvious that Sully wants Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel on 3 separate lines. Not sure how you effectively do that right now with Guentz and Horny with Sid.

Hornqvist would make Crosby's line much better. He does not make Geno's line any better when there's an unskilled LW on the other side.

Guentzel was the only thing that made the Geno/Horny combo palatable.

What if I said Sid loves Hornqvist's compete level and work ethic, but his lack of skill and Hockey IQ frustrates Crosby so much that he wants to try something different? Maybe Kunitz is just there as a place holder for Sheary and they're giving Jake time to transition to RW?

Of course, I could be totally out in left field with the sun in my eyes

I'd tell you that Sid should suck it up because Hornqvist makes his line significantly better than Kunitz does no matter how frustrated he may get with his style.

Everybody's trying to solve the great mystery of why Sid's goal-scoring took a huge nosedive. It's not rocket science. It fell off a cliff as soon as Rust replaced Horny.

 

[mpp9]

Malkin looked fine to me last night playing with an unskilled LW. He's never really needed one with the way he plays the game. We're better off spreading things out, IMO.

With the way Bones is playing, I'd even try Guentzel with Phil before putting him back with Malkin. Hags and Horny or Rust works for me.

 

[Shaftception]

Everybody's trying to solve the great mystery of why Sid's goal-scoring took a huge nosedive. It's not rocket science. It fell off a cliff as soon as Rust replaced Horny.

Correlation doesn't imply causation. The actual video of those goals does not back up the certainty of such a statement.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Malkin looked fine to me last night playing with an unskilled LW. He's never really needed one with the way he plays the game. We're better off spreading things out, IMO.

With the way Bones is playing, I'd even try Guentzel with Phil before putting him back with Malkin. Hags and Horny or Rust works for me.

Yeah, a Kunitz-Dupuis wing duo wouldn't work for Crosby in the playoffs, but I do think that duo could work with Malkin, especially if Kessel is on the 3rd line. I think this lineup:

Sheary-Crosby-Guentzel
Hagelin-Malkin-Hornqvist
Wilson-Bonino-Kessel
Kunitz-Cullen-Rust

Is completely solid. There really isn't a weak part of that lineup, all of those lines should be effective.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Yeah, a Kunitz-Dupuis wing duo wouldn't work for Crosby in the playoffs, but I do think that duo could work with Malkin, especially if Kessel is on the 3rd line. I think this lineup:

Sheary-Crosby-Guentzel
Hagelin-Malkin-Hornqvist
Wilson-Bonino-Kessel
Kunitz-Cullen-Rust

Is completely solid. There really isn't a weak part of that lineup, all of those lines should be effective.

If we assume Wilson doesn't work with PH, and it sure doesn't look like it will, and Sheary is with Sid, then that's about the best use of our forwards.

The big question will be Bonino. But the simple fix is right there, slot Cullen up to L3 if Bonino doesn't pick it up.

 

[The Old Master]

Yeah, a Kunitz-Dupuis wing duo wouldn't work for Crosby in the playoffs, but I do think that duo could work with Malkin, especially if Kessel is on the 3rd line. I think this lineup:

Sheary-Crosby-Guentzel
Hagelin-Malkin-Hornqvist
Wilson-Bonino-Kessel
Kunitz-Cullen-Rust

Is completely solid. There really isn't a weak part of that lineup, all of those lines should be effective.

the sheary... sid.... jake-n-bake. would be fun.....but too small to work in the playoffs

 

[Empoleon8771]

the sheary... sid.... jake-n-bake. would be fun.....but too small to work in the playoffs

I guess Sheary and Hornqvist as a wing duo was too small in the playoffs last year too.

 

[EliteGoaltending]

When Sheary comes back, Guentzel can simply slide down to Geno.



Hornqvist would make Crosby's line much better. He does not make Geno's line any better when there's an unskilled LW on the other side.

Guentzel was the only thing that made the Geno/Horny combo palatable.



I'd tell you that Sid should suck it up because Hornqvist makes his line significantly better than Kunitz does no matter how frustrated he may get with his style.

Everybody's trying to solve the great mystery of why Sid's goal-scoring took a huge nosedive. It's not rocket science. It fell off a cliff as soon as Rust replaced Horny.

That's true. Can't believe how many people on here are ok with Malkin-Hornqvist combo. These two are making each other worse, because they think and play the game differently.

If Hornqvist is taken off from the first line for some reason, then play him on the 3rd line and not with Geno, they're just less effective together.
It's not like Bonino-Kessel combo is lights up, more like the opposite. The whole point of Kessel on the 3rd line is to provide depth, but it's not happening, that 3rd line has weak possesion numbers and they're not scoring much at all. Like yesterday, I thought Bonino and Kessel both were bad. Kessel scored, but not with his line and I feel like a lot of Bonino's points this season came when there's at least 3+ goal lead and therefore these points not that meaningful.

 

[The Old Master]

I guess Sheary and Hornqvist as a wing duo was too small in the playoffs last year too.

10 lbs. might not seem like much, but it does make a deference.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I've never understood having to pigeonhole a winger to his natural side. You simply need to be more skilled on your backhand. There are way more advantages to playing your off-wing IMHO.

Some of the most skilled Pens ever played their off wings, including Jagr and Kovy. Lemieux played LW when he wasn't a pivot, Malkin plays RW when he slides to that position.

Arguably the best winger in the game, Tarasenko, plays his off-wing.

Guenztel is extremely skilled on his backhand, so I'm not sure why it's a surprise he can play RW well.

I don't get it either, everyone is usually all "Yeah but he's been a LW'er most of his career!" so was James Neal before he found his wing that he plays now in Nashville too, on the right side.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I don't get it either, everyone is usually all "Yeah but he's been a LW'er most of his career!" so was James Neal before he found his wing that he plays now in Nashville too, on the right side.

I can at least see not wanting to move a guy who has excelled at a certain wing, even though I did argue back then it wasn't a big deal.

But it just seems like too many people are buying into this idea that a guy needs to be on his natural wing to play well. None of us know which wing Guenztel even prefers, so I don't see why some posters were making a big deal of him at RW.

I'm 99% sure the org simply put him at LW because that's what coaches prefer for their systematic and robotic structure, and their dearth of LW at the pro level. I don't think they asked him where he wants to play and he said LW, TBTH.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Correlation doesn't imply causation. The actual video of those goals does not back up the certainty of such a statement.

Sure it does. And it was evident the moment they were put back together for a game too.

 

[Mr. T]

Guentzel played center in high school and college. He just started playing wing full-time last year, right?

I really don't think it matters what side he's on. Guy is such a smart player.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

That's true. Can't believe how many people on here are ok with Malkin-Hornqvist combo. These two are making each other worse, because they think and play the game differently.

If Hornqvist is taken off from the first line for some reason, then play him on the 3rd line and not with Geno, they're just less effective together.
It's not like Bonino-Kessel combo is lights up, more like the opposite. The whole point of Kessel on the 3rd line is to provide depth, but it's not happening, that 3rd line has weak possesion numbers and they're not scoring much at all. Like yesterday, I thought Bonino and Kessel both were bad. Kessel scored, but not with his line and I feel like a lot of Bonino's points this season came when there's at least 3+ goal lead and therefore these points not that meaningful.

Bonino has only scored any kind of half-respectable point totals because he's literally being force-fed great ice time, situations and linemates. And really those totals aren't all that respectable. Especially under the circumstances.

As for the bolded... I don't get it either. It's like people are refusing to use their eyes and good judgement. But it sure seems like something (stupid) the coach is stuck on so what can you do.

 

[ColePens]

Let's move to the off-day thread