Post-Game Talk: Pens/Isles Game 1: Home Ice + Good Matchup all for nothing

[Smasher]

Wait, we lost one game? Did anybody expect to sweep the series 4-0? I mean, it sucks, Jarry wasn't great on the goals, but he was great in many other occasion, he'll rebound, and the defence need a little more tighten up, and we will be fine.
And it was an afternoon game after a week hiatus, both are poison for the Penguins.

You're right, but the Pens recent no-shows in the playoffs have traumatized the fans. It's very easy to be pessimistic until the Pens start winning playoff games.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Regarding goaltending in this series... the worst thing that could have happened to the Penguins is Sorokin starting. He has all the makings of a goalie who can get hot and steal a series due to unfamiliarity.

I refuse to oxygen to any narrative that talks about the Pens losing to Hot Goalie X. That mantle has been taken up by goalies of all kinds - legitimately great ones, washed up ones, promising rookies, and AHL call-ups.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

That article was weird for a lot of reasons, but the funny part to me was the whole "Pittsburgh's neither good or bad" and so there's no point in Crosby sticking around, but then he goes on to talk about imagine Crosby with the Habs versus another Canadian team. If the Pens are neither good nor bad, what the hell are the Habs? Even with Crosby they're ... the Penguins at best.

Seems more like a Montreal fan wanting to see Crosby play in Montreal than anything else.

Really though.

 

[Angrrus]

That's what pissing away 3 PPs will do to a team.

Pens win if they score on that PP to end the 3rd.

f***ing PP loses us another game.

... but according to most, you can't balme our stars for this loss. Weird.

 

[LOGiK]

Well...

after perusing the posts I don't really think there is something someone hasnt already discussed or pointed out in there.



I guuuuuuuuuesss..... lines... are you confident in these lines? I don't want Zucker getting much ice time, but he currently is 3rd lowest >> Gaudreau >> ERod

I personally would stick Zucker with Tanev... because both of them are on my shit list. Tanev from last season post season and Zucker from this entire season.

 

[spcastlemagic]

You're right, but the Pens recent no-shows in the playoffs have traumatized the fans. It's very easy to be pessimistic until the Pens start winning playoff games.

Right. It feels like this team has a mental block to competing in the playoffs and until they've proven they have exorcised it, maximum pessimism is probably the clearest-eyed view to take. I want them to run off four in the a row. But that doesn't feel like dealing with reality right now.

 

[LOGiK]

Right. It feels like this team has a mental block to competing in the playoffs and until they've proven they have exorcised it, maximum pessimism is probably the clearest-eyed view to take. I want them to run off four in the a row. But that doesn't feel like dealing with reality right now.

You can see the islanders just waiting to goo up the middle of the ice and force it to the boards and converge from there... Penguins have no solution to this.

You know what else? For years this was difficult to beat for the penguins when it was new jersey's game. It works specifically well for the penguins because they very much rely on passing. They never really have power forwards that will chug a lug a chip away at it.

Penguins can't get speed, and can't keep the puck for too long which would allow them to dictate the play (outside of scoring goals forcing the isles to change up the game) ... so until the penguins get the isles off their sit back and wait game... I think the penguins are the fly in this series. Islanders are the spider and the trap is the web. You can power your way out of it or you could squirm enough just to bring your doom.

 

[End of Line]

I hate to say it but this team has the same vibe as the 16-17 Blackhawks..

 

[JTG]

To those who said the Palmieri addition wouldn't matter that much...

 

[Randy Butternubs]

To those who said the Palmieri addition wouldn't matter that much...

I think that was @Soggy Biscuit ?

 

[LOGiK]

Just watched OT again... it's like the islanders game plan is to never press the attack until the puck is deep into the penguins zone, which was oft the result from islanders gladly dumping it in using minimal effort.

Penguins dominated possession, but in a weird way: the islanders pretty much gave it to them in the form of a dump in with their 1(or 2) forwards pursuing - in turn pressuring the penguins back end to cough up the puck. They pretty much stay in 2-1-2 but it did vary situationally when I watched it.

It's going to be tough to beat... HCMS is most likely going to keep the same strategy... so... I donno...


Looking at the heat map is even uglier for the GA for tj

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

You can see the islanders just waiting to goo up the middle of the ice and force it to the boards and converge from there... Penguins have no solution to this.

You know what else? For years this was difficult to beat for the penguins when it was new jersey's game. It works specifically well for the penguins because they very much rely on passing. They never really have power forwards that will chug a lug a chip away at it.

Penguins can't get speed, and can't keep the puck for too long which would allow them to dictate the play (outside of scoring goals forcing the isles to change up the game) ... so until the penguins get the isles off their sit back and wait game... I think the penguins are the fly in this series. Islanders are the spider and the trap is the web. You can power your way out of it or you could squirm enough just to bring your doom.

It's actually very simple.

#1: Pens need to speed up the breakout up the ice, even if it isn't the perfect pass, or even if it leads to an icing. The passing D-D just let's Islanders have time to collapse back into formation. We actually have great success getting pucks away from their D when we are coming in with speed. It disrupts their structure big time. It also gives our F (BLT line especially) go in and get in some solid hits to wear down their D.

Worst case the pucks goes off a skate or stick and ends up all over the place in the neutral zone, but those don't lead to odd man rushes.

#2: We need to take pucks to the net on the rush, before they have time to setup in their 5 people in front of the net structure.

#3: Our D (Matheson/Letang/Ceci) need to be less tentative in seeing an opportunity to create/join a rush.

We need to play our way, and not get scared into playing their way.

Someone mentioned something about lines....
I felt Carter looked out of place on L2. Wonder if it would make sense to move McCann to C2 (as he has had success in the past), and leave Carter on C3 with Gaudreau on the wing?

 

[Zap Rowsdower]

Jarry was terrible. Matheson was terrible but guessing it was the facemask messing up his vision.
I think we have a solid group of forwards, but you can't win many playoff rounds these days with 6 non-physical defenseman. I'm sure GMRH recognizes that, but might not be much he can do about it short term. Maybe do a Malkin trade or something

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I think that was @Soggy Biscuit ?

Just might be

 

[dingo71]

4th I would say.

IDK what else it must take for the brass to undestand that it's high time to let go of the HC and dismantle the core.

lol of course coming off two Cup runs and losing in 6 games in the second round to the eventual Cup champs counts as not showing up in your mind

 

[LOGiK]

At 14:50 ish of OT

This crude... very crude drawing is how you can see the isles force the play into the goo.
(yes I stink at drawing)

 

[LOGiK]

It's actually very simple.

#1: Pens need to speed up the breakout up the ice, even if it isn't the perfect pass, or even if it leads to an icing. The passing D-D just let's Islanders have time to collapse back into formation. We actually have great success getting pucks away from their D when we are coming in with speed. It disrupts their structure big time. It also gives our F (BLT line especially) go in and get in some solid hits to wear down their D.

Worst case the pucks goes off a skate or stick and ends up all over the place in the neutral zone, but those don't lead to odd man rushes.

#2: We need to take pucks to the net on the rush, before they have time to setup in their 5 people in front of the net structure.

#3: Our D (Matheson/Letang/Ceci) need to be less tentative in seeing an opportunity to create/join a rush.

We need to play our way, and not get scared into playing their way.

Someone mentioned something about lines....
I felt Carter looked out of place on L2. Wonder if it would make sense to move McCann to C2 (as he has had success in the past), and leave Carter on C3 with Gaudreau on the wing?

#1: Two Isles press the D... there isnt really much time. (situating dictating of course, but I watched OT a few times and they pressed basically every time unless a line change.)
#2: I agree.
#3: You saying they need to be more confident to join the rush? I wasn't paying much attention to what our D was doing in the re-watches, as in joining the rush)

 

[Andy99]

Just watched OT again... it's like the islanders game plan is to never press the attack until the puck is deep into the penguins zone, which was oft the result from islanders gladly dumping it in using minimal effort.

Penguins dominated possession, but in a weird way: the islanders pretty much gave it to them in the form of a dump in with their 1(or 2) forwards pursuing - in turn pressuring the penguins back end to cough up the puck. They pretty much stay in 2-1-2 but it did vary situationally when I watched it.

It's going to be tough to beat... HCMS is most likely going to keep the same strategy... so... I donno...


Looking at the heat map is even uglier for the GA for tj

in the third period, Trotz made adjustments by tightening their gap and attacking the Pens dump-ins to generate more chances and it worked on the Nelson goal...adjustment from Sully? Crickets...his system is great for the RS with 3on3 OT and SOs...he needs to go if they want to win the postseason again

 

[The Old Master]

If you think about, there's been a lot of roster turnover in the last few years. They only common denominators who have been present every losing postseason since 2017 are the following:
Crosby
Malkin
Guentzel
Rust
Blueger
ZAR
Letang
Dumoulin
Sullivan

Somewhere herein lies the root of our postseason struggles.

and one of them is not like the others.

 

[Ryder71]

Right. It feels like this team has a mental block to competing in the playoffs and until they've proven they have exorcised it, maximum pessimism is probably the clearest-eyed view to take. I want them to run off four in the a row. But that doesn't feel like dealing with reality right now.

When you go 1-10 in your last 11 playoff games, that's bound to happen.

 

[LOGiK]

If you think about, there's been a lot of roster turnover in the last few years. They only common denominators who have been present every losing postseason since 2017 are the following:
Crosby
Malkin
Guentzel
Rust
Blueger
ZAR
Letang
Dumoulin
Sullivan

Somewhere herein lies the root of our postseason struggles.

Some reason I have it in my head that I heard 90 players have come and gone since the sid debut.

Seems high as in the entire roster and not just players they ice. Never verified it, but... yeah the make up of the team changes completely ever few seasons.

 

[Ryder71]

... but according to most, you can't balme our stars for this loss. Weird.

When you're 1-10 over your last 11 playoff games theres plenty of blame to go around, starting at the top. The Coach and our high priced talent deserve the brunt of that angst IMO.

 

[LOGiK]

in the third period, Trotz made adjustments by tightening their gap and attacking the Pens dump-ins to generate more chances and it worked on the Nelson goal...adjustment from Sully? Crickets...his system is great for the RS with 3on3 OT and SOs...he needs to go if they want to win the postseason again

Yeah... it drives me ******g crazy to see adjustments be made and the only time the penguins adjust is when they are winning.... they turtle defense.

It's just annoying watching the tortoise beat the hare... time and time again... not to mention the tortoise has an obvious advantage in strategy.

 

[pistolpete11]

It's not a 1-for-1 comparison, but this has me feeling like last year. Overall, they were probably the better team in Game 1, but there were stretches where the 'inferior' team carried the play. Price was great last year / Jarry sucked this year. Lost in OT.

If I didn't watch them lose 3 series in a row, I'd probably say no need to panic and Jarry just needs to play better, but shit, man. I don't know how any Pens fan could say they aren't nervous now.

 

[Gurglesons]

I think that was @Soggy Biscuit ?

Most definitely @Soggy Biscuit. Let’s start calling him Arrogance Biscuit.