Post-Game Talk: Pens 5, Habs 2 - Pens Clinch a Playoff Birth

[Dey so soff*]

So how sure are some of you that the Pens are just loafing through these games, not exerting themselves or really trying all that hard because they don’t have to?

So the mental mistakes and defensive breakdowns are just the result of them taking it easy till the end of the year? We know this for sure?

This team has so much confidence that they know they can flip that switch whenever they want to?

Trust me, I want to believe that but pardon me if I am a bit leery about that being the case...

 

[Andy99]

I just knew future Hall of Famer Ian Cole’s name was going to resurface during this argument about the state of the Penguins...lol

 

[Ryder71]

And how did that translate in the playoffs? I can’t seem to remember.

So you essentially want to go to the opposite end of the spectrum and back in to the playoffs?

 

[Jaded-Fan]

We will know fairly soon how much water the sandbagging it/conserving themselves/flip the switch narrative holds water.

NOT by whether they win another cup. That is highly unlikely no matter the narrative given how much has to break right for even great teams to win a cup any given year.

But more by the eye test. How they play when the games really begin to count.

 

[Ryder71]

I just knew future Hall of Famer Ian Cole’s name was going to resurface during this argument about the state of the Penguins...lol

See, here's an example of someone taking things out of context. No one said Cole was a hall of famer, nor was Scuderi or Gill or Hainsey. But guys like that fill important roles and our very much needed through the rigors of the playoffs. And currently we don't have anyone like that. It's that simple and it's that easy.

 

[Dey so soff*]

We will know fairly soon how much water the sandbagging it/conserving themselves/flip the switch narrative holds water.

NOT by whether they win another cup. That is highly unlikely no matter the narrative given how much has to break right for even great teams to win a cup any given year.

But more by the eye test. How they play when the games really begin to count.

I agree. It just seems that some people seem to be uber confident that the Pens ARE sandbagging it and I just don’t know how they can be so sure.

 

[Ryder71]

I agree. It just seems that some people seem to be uber confident that the Pens ARE sandbagging it and I just don’t know how they can be so sure.

If they're playing possum they're doing one hell of a job.

 

[Gurglesons]

So you essentially want to go to the opposite end of the spectrum and back in to the playoffs?

No, I just think it should be obvious that the regular season has little impact on playoff performance as has been proved time and time again over the past thirty years you’ve watched hockey.

 

[ImporterExporter]

I told Murray to pull his head out of his ass after 1.

He did.

Thank you 30.

 

[Ryder71]

No, I just think it should be obvious that the regular season has little impact on playoff performance as has been proved time and time again over the past thirty years you’ve watched hockey.

39 years actually. But you want to go in playing the right way. 2016 for example, we really played some exceptional hockey late in the season and into the playoffs. I don't expect that, but I expect us to pay attention to our puck management a bit better than we are this season. You want to fine tune things and we're not seeing much evidence of that.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I agree. It just seems that some people seem to be uber confident that the Pens ARE sandbagging it and I just don’t know how they can be so sure.

Well to some degree it is obvious that they are. They are not sacrificing to block shots all that often for one. The forwards cheat a lot in Ovechkin style, and are extremely lazy for long stretches. Most of the most egregious offenders have for most of their careers been much better at handling the puck, passing, supporting the exiting of their zone, and on and on. They didn't suddenly forget how to play.

The question is not if they are sandbagging it. They are. The question is how much. And how much is either a degradation of skill and speed with age or being exhausted having played almost half a season more than most other teams the past two years.

 

[Gurglesons]

39 years actually. But you want to go in playing the right way. 2016 for example, we really played some exceptional hockey late in the season and into the playoffs. I don't expect that, but I expect us to pay attention to our puck management a bit better than we are this season. You want to fine tune things and we're not seeing much evidence of that.

You want to. It proves nothing though. Regular season success means literally nothing but seeding after the 1st game.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

39 years actually. But you want to go in playing the right way. 2016 for example, we really played some exceptional hockey late in the season and into the playoffs. I don't expect that, but I expect us to pay attention to our puck management a bit better than we are this season. You want to fine tune things and we're not seeing much evidence of that.

Many fans said this exact same thing last season right before the playoffs. They found a way to gut out another Cup, even if it wasn't pretty.

At what point does this core earn some benefit of the doubt?

 

[Jaded-Fan]

 

[Tom Hanks]

So how sure are some of you that the Pens are just loafing through these games, not exerting themselves or really trying all that hard because they don’t have to?

So the mental mistakes and defensive breakdowns are just the result of them taking it easy till the end of the year? We know this for sure?

This team has so much confidence that they know they can flip that switch whenever they want to?

Trust me, I want to believe that but pardon me if I am a bit leery about that being the case...

We have history of turning it around. Before New Years we went 9-13 and after we went 17-5. In 2016/17 before the playoffs we went 7-8 then hit the playoffs and went 16-9 to win the cup.

We play a team defense so if the forwards aren’t we they should be things can look really bad. Come playoff time no way everyone isn’t going 100%. If the last 2 years don’t prove that, nothing will. We might not win but we won’t go quietly.

 

[Ryder71]

Many fans said this exact same thing last season right before the playoffs. They found a way to gut out another Cup, even if it wasn't pretty.

At what point does this core earn some benefit of the doubt?

They were able to gut it out last season because they had better depth in goal and on defense. This team does not. That's a big variable some here apparently are not considering. I'd also suggest that there are more quality teams in the east this time around. That to is a variable that isn't necessarily in our favor.

 

[LOGiK]

 

[Ryder71]

You want to. It proves nothing though. Regular season success means literally nothing but seeding after the 1st game.

I don't like the make up of this team as much as last years. I've said the reasons why in an above post. But this is not the same team. Hopefully they'll get their stuff together, but I don't know how all of a sudden Letang will develop a good hockey IQ or how Hunwick will prevent a cross crease pass like Cole or Hainsey would. Trust me, the playoffs will illuminate these things for everyone to see. Maybe we'll win games 6-4 or 7-5 every other night, but that'll be hard to do.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

They were able to gut it out last season because they had better depth in goal and on defense. This team does not. That's a big variable some here apparently are not considering. I'd also suggest that there are more quality teams in the east this time around. That to is a variable that isn't necessarily in our favor.

They didn't have Letang last year. They also had a Maatta that was coming off a serious foot injury and was playing catch-up most of the playoffs. Ditto for Daley. This year, the defense (by all accounts) is healthy going into the playoffs.

Letang
Dumoulin
Schultz
Maatta
Oleksiak
Hunwick
Ruhwedel

...is better than ...

Dumoulin
Injured Maatta
Injured Daley
Hainsey
Schultz
Cole
Ruhwedel
Streit

 

[billybudd]

Riley Sheahan's come a long way this year. Good stuff. Interested to see where that goes in the future. I really liked the potential of this player when he was a rook.

 

[Invalid cuz QoC]

Worst post game thread ever. I come to read thoughts on the game, instead I have to wade through crap posts and children bickering.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't like the make up of this team as much as last years. I've said the reasons why in an above post. But this is not the same team. Hopefully they'll get their stuff together, but I don't know how all of a sudden Letang will develop a good hockey IQ or how Hunwick will prevent a cross crease pass like Cole or Hainsey would. Trust me, the playoffs will illuminate these things for everyone to see. Maybe we'll win games 6-4 or 7-5 every other night, but that'll be hard to do.

Or you know, Murray goes on a tear like he has two Cups in a row and our forward depth carries us like they have two Cups in a row.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I don't like the make up of this team as much as last years. I've said the reasons why in an above post. But this is not the same team. Hopefully they'll get their stuff together, but I don't know how all of a sudden Letang will develop a good hockey IQ or how Hunwick will prevent a cross crease pass like Cole or Hainsey would. Trust me, the playoffs will illuminate these things for everyone to see. Maybe we'll win games 6-4 or 7-5 every other night, but that'll be hard to do.

Cole was a positive here but you constantly have your foot on the exaggerator when it comes to him. You have him on a pedestal and seem to believe he’s the main reason we won’t win the cup this year.

Ian Cole doesn’t walk on water and swim on land.

When google has a question they don’t “Ian Cole” it.

Ian Cole’s diary isn’t the Guinness Book of World Records

 

[LOGiK]

Let's face it. The Penguins are in.

 

[Ryder71]

Cole was a positive here but you constantly have your foot on the exaggerator when it comes to him. You have him on a pedestal and seem to believe he’s the main reason we won’t win the cup this year.

Ian Cole doesn’t walk on water and swim on land.

When google has a question they don’t “Ian Cole” it.

Ian Cole’s diary isn’t the Guinness Book of World Records

Again, you use hyperbole. Amazing! You just don't get it. I never said Cole was great, I said such a player is necessary. You can't seem to differentiate between the two. But when Letang is on the PK late in a tie playoff game, and attempts to block a shot or man someone off the puck, just remember what you're saying here. lol

Maybe you want to throw out some false stats about our PK from last year to promote your misguided narrative?