Post-Game Talk: Pens 4, Habs 1 - Old School Geno

[KIRK]

Pierre McGuire once said Geno, when the Pens drafted him, plays like he's Ron Francis on steroids.

That's the Geno who played tonight. Taking pucks away all over the ice, excellent attentjon to detail, thinking defense first in his positioning, and just gave the Habs fits all night when the puck was on his stick.

Best 200 foot game this year . . . and only 1 shot and 1 assist to show for it.

EDIT: Okay Cole?

Click to read more...

 

[Speaking Moistly]

- I expected a better thread title
+ The Pens weren't a lazy mess

 

[Hank Plank]

Malkin didn't get a star but he was a beast all night. Crosby was a marshmallow on skates worst game from him in years.

 

[MrBurghundy]

+ Another goal for Unsustainable Jake.

edit: Oh, and he had 6 hits. Most on both teams. Clearly unsustainable also as his frail body will break down with that kind of punishment.

 

[Sideline]

Eric Fehr had the best game I've seen him play this year. Murray got the job done, but he looks like he's having trouble tracking the puck on rebounds and behind the net plays.

 

[Fordy]

great games from everyone except rust, horny, and the third line. and kunitz sucks

 

[WayneSid9987]

Needed a solid road victory and got one.
Can't really complain much about that one.
Put Horny with Sid, PP sucks, the usual...
And yea Geno was a beast all night.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

+ Another goal for Unsustainable Jake.

He better be up full time now...

 

[DegenX]

Malkin didn't get a star but he was a beast all night. Crosby was a marshmallow on skates worst game from him in years.

Malkin, Sheary and Schultz are listed as the 3 stars on NHL.com

 

[Shady Machine]

+ Another goal for Unsustainable Jake.

Yeah but what about his GA/60?

 

[BHD]

Great to know they can still win by not giving the other team anything.

 

[ColePens]

+++ Best 200 foot game by Geno without a single doubt. He was the best player tonight. Dominant in all 3 zones, ESPECIALLY defensive. Best game by 71. Not enough words for him right now. Great game.

+ Murray: Got that felt good to see him get back on track. Most of it could be Montreal over passing early on, but the game progressed and Murray got better. Great coaching decision to use Murray tonight. Great confidence booster. They should use him again Friday.

+ Cole: Schultz went down a little bit having a rough game, Cole absolutely picked it up. Opening bad turnover and never looked back. Great game.

+ Sheary: What else can we say about him? Seriously? Mini-Sid.

+ 4th line: Fehr was really good as a center. His wingspan FINALLY showed up. Kunitz and Wilson were terrific with limited minutes. Great stuff by the 4th line.


That's my mini post-game. Best road game we played. Led by 71 the whole way. Great game. I couldn't ask for a better game than that.

 

[Penske]

Eric Fehr had the best game I've seen him play this year. Murray got the job done, but he looks like he's having trouble tracking the puck on rebounds and behind the net plays.

I missed the game. Was he playing centre? He always seems better there.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

He is to be up full time now...

Barring a serious regression I don't know how he gets sent down again.




Then I remember it's the Pens.

 

[orby]

Nice solid game considering the shorthanded defense. Murray looked better than he has. Great game for Geno's line, and the fourth line worked out really nicely. Kunitz looked okay!

The third line is very bland. They've GOT to switch Kessel, Horny and Rust. Sid didn't have his best game but Sheary was flying all night. Those two with Kessel or Hornqvist would be dynamite.

 

[canadianguy77]

Leave Kunitz on L4 please. He'll hang himself soon enough. If you promote him we're right back to square one.
Crosby's line was mostly vomit. Decent game from Murray. Keep playing him please.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Yeah but what about his GA/60?

I can't tell you that, but what I can tell you is that he had a game leading 6 hits (both teams). Clearly he's going to hurt himself if he keeps that up.

 

[KIRK]

Malkin didn't get a star but he was a beast all night.

He was a man among boys tonight.

As noted, once upon a time, before the Pens decided he was a one dimensional offensive superstar, the Geno who came into the league and played for Therrien is the guy we got to see tonight. It's a shame that Sully can't see it (as a Torts protege, the parallels between how Torts used to use Prince Vinny and how Sully should be using and pushing Geno to play are there).

One other thing: Like Cole, I thought Murray's reflexes and reactions seemed off in the first two periods. That third period is the first time I thought he pretty much looked like himself since he was being used like the starter.

 

[Hank Plank]

Malkin, Sheary and Schultz are listed as the 3 stars on NHL.com

That's not what the gold standard known as Sportsnet showed.

 

[Shady Machine]

Eric Fehr had the best game I've seen him play this year. Murray got the job done, but he looks like he's having trouble tracking the puck on rebounds and behind the net plays.

Agreed. Eric Fehr is a center. We knew that but man he was so much more impactful in the middle.

Also agree about Murray. Still looks a bit shaky and that goal was weak

 

[mpp9]

Anyone wanna say Sheary isn't a top 6 forward? Dude's on pace for like a 30/30 type of year.

 

[ColePens]

One thing I'd like to see the team do a lot better in the d-zone is finish hits/run picks on opposing forwards so we can get out of the zone easier. We need to create space by running interference. We did it very well in the playoffs but right now we aren't finishing hits and running picks to create room/space.

Moving guys ever so slightly opens up skating lanes and opens up passing lanes.

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

I missed the game. Was he playing centre? He always seems better there.

Yeah he centered the 4th line with Cullen out

 

[DegenX]

That's not what the gold standard known as Sportsnet showed.

See for yourself: https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/pit-vs-mtl/2017/01/18/2016020672#game=2016020672,game_state=final,game_tab=stats

 

[66-30-33]

Anyone wanna say Sheary isn't a top 6 forward? Dude's on pace for like a 30/30 type of year.

Hopefully Sprong is the same way, same with Guenztel. Then start getting our own awesome players in the 1st round...Saad or better types.