Pre-Game Talk: Pens/Stars Pregame talk - Do we even play hockey anymore?

[Speaking Moistly]

I'm sure other teams are still working the kinks out, just like we are. But it's unlikely that they aren't doing some sort of game planning. I do agree that Johnston seems like the kind of guy who enjoys a challenge, though. The sit down he did with Potash was pretty interesting ... he came across as a guy who is not afraid to try new things and keep working to be better at what he does.

Does anyone have a link to watch that?

 

[ProgOg]

Yeah, I'm not sure how deep other teams are looking for weaknesses in their opponents this time of year. I expect most of them would, like us, be more concerned with things like their own PK.

That said, when teams do start probing for weakness and gameplanning Johnston, that seems like something he would enjoy.

According to Hitchcock, he's one of a rat pack of coaches (along with Hitch, Babcock and Willie Desjardins) that spend the offseason attending and giving presentations on that sort of thing to each other.


Edit: IcedCapp might like to know that this is the face Johnston made after Despres started punching JVR on the ground. Safe to say he liked that, haha.

The funny thing about that gif was Crosby basically having the same expression as Johnston after the fight.

 

[DegenX]

what sit down?

With Potash for his 'Inside Penguins Hockey' segment.

Does anyone have a link to watch that?

I couldn't find one. Sorry.

 

[Syrinx]

Dallas Gameday Story

Ruff ran similar lines at the morning skate:



Jamie Benn-Tyler Seguin-Colton Sceviour

Erik Cole-Jason Spezza-Ales Hemsky

Antoine Roussel-Cody Eakin-Ryan Garbutt

Shawn Horcoff-Vernon Fiddler-Patrick Eaves



Alex Goligoski-Trevor Daley

Jordie Benn-Brenden Dillon

Kevin Connauton-Patrik Nemeth



Kari Lehtonen

Kari Lehtonen will be in goal for the Stars. He is 8-5-3 in his career against Pittsburgh with a 2.76 GAA and .911 save percentage. Lehtonen is 1-0-1 this season with a 1.92 GAA and .934 save percentage.

Those stats for Lehtonen could be a bit skewed from his time with the Thrashers.

 

[penguins2946*]

Holy **** the Stars D is bad. Holy cow, that's atrocious.

 

[ProgOg]

No Nichushkin makes that top line a little less scary. Still scary, tho.

But yep, the Dallas Stars and "classis solid Western team" don't really belong in the same sentence. That D and that depth...

 

[NMK11]

One thing I think we might be overlooking with regards to the Pens' performance thus far is the fact that teams are probably playing the Pens with Bylsma in mind.

I think we probably have a few weeks before teams start adjusting to what the Pens are doing, especially when it comes to the breakout.

True, but the key is we (may) now have a coach who can re-adjust.

 

[billybudd]

Dallas Gameday Story





Those stats for Lehtonen could be a bit skewed from his time with the Thrashers.

Too bad Farnham's not in the lineup. I'd have liked to see him go troll to troll with Roussel.

 

[Shady Machine]

No Nichushkin makes that top line a little less scary. Still scary, tho.

But yep, the Dallas Stars and "classis solid Western team" don't really belong in the same sentence. That D and that depth...

Their D is not strong but what's wrong with their depth? Their forward lines match up with most of the top teams in the West IMO.

 

[ProgOg]

Their D is not strong but what's wrong with their depth? Their forward lines match up with most of the top teams in the West IMO.

Meant the 3rd and 4th line. Not bad per se, but not really good, too, in my opinion. 1st and 2nd? Definitely amazing.

 

[Vujtek]

Meant the 3rd and 4th line. Not bad per se, but not really good, too, in my opinion. 1st and 2nd? Definitely.

I'd say that's one of the better 3rd lines in the league.

Horcoff and Fiddler are solid veteran players to the 4th line as well. Horcs is way overpaid, but still solid.

 

[Shady Machine]

Meant the 3rd and 4th line. Not bad per se, but not really good, too, in my opinion. 1st and 2nd? Definitely amazing.

Really? That 3rd line is very good. If Peverly ever makes a come back, it's one of the better bottom 6's in the league IMO.

 

[Vujtek]

I think their 3rd line is pretty good, especially with Nuke is healthy because Roussell slides down. If Peverly decides to play again, their bottom 6 is very good.

Roussel is a mainstay on that 3rd line. Great player. Everything we can hope Downie will be for us. A super pest with offensive touch.

When Nuke returns, Sceviours drops from 1st line to 4th or out of the lineup most likely.

 

[NMK11]

Their D is not strong but what's wrong with their depth? Their forward lines match up with most of the top teams in the West IMO.

Their fourth line looks tough, but I'm not too familiar with the guys on the third line. Quick scouting report?

 

[billybudd]

Their fourth line looks tough, but I'm not too familiar with the guys on the third line. Quick scouting report?

Quick scouting report is that they're an awesome combo. Bunch of extremely aggravating guys that can chip in offensively. Garbutt can fight a little too. Think he had close to 20 goals last year.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Their fourth line looks tough, but I'm not too familiar with the guys on the third line. Quick scouting report?

Eakin is a solid two-way player who has produced well for the Stars in a secondary role. Roussel has become one of the league's premier agitators while chipping in with some scoring, while Garbutt is a bit of a surprise, has 2 points so far this year but more importantly had 32 points last year. He has a tendency of taking dumb penalties.

It's the kind of line you should not sleep on even if the names involved aren't well known. All three of them can play.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Roussel is a mainstay on that 3rd line. Great player. Everything we can hope Downie will be for us. A super pest with offensive touch.

Downie's already been there, done that, gotten the T-shirt. Last year was Roussel's breakout season...29 points, 209 PIM.

Downie had 41 points in '11-12 splitting time between the Avs and Bolts. 137 PIM that year.

His career best was 22 goals, 46 points and 208 PIM with TB in '09-10.

If anything, Roussel aspires to one day become Steve Downie, not the other way around.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Downie's already been there, done that, gotten the T-shirt. Last year was Roussel's breakout season...29 points, 209 PIM.

Downie had 41 points in '11-12 splitting time between the Avs and Bolts. 137 PIM that year.

His career best was 22 goals, 46 points and 208 PIM with TB in '09-10.

If anything, Roussel aspires to one day become Steve Downie, not the other way around.

I think its fair to say that Steve Downie aspires to be that version of Steve Downie again himself.

 

[Vujtek]

Downie's already been there, done that, gotten the T-shirt. Last year was Roussel's breakout season...29 points, 209 PIM.

Downie had 41 points in '11-12 splitting time between the Avs and Bolts. 137 PIM that year.

His career best was 22 goals, 46 points and 208 PIM with TB in '09-10.

If anything, Roussel aspires to one day become Steve Downie, not the other way around.

Nope, Downie needs to get back to that level. He's not the player he was few seasons ago as injuries have slowed him down. That's also why we were able to get him so cheap. Roussel is the better player of the two as of right now, not a question about that in my mind.

 

[ProgOg]

I think its fair to say that Steve Downie aspires to be that Steve Downie again himself.

Haha, yeah.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Of course injuries have hurt Downie. But he's only 27. Not exactly over the hill.

I just found it funny that someone suggested Downie aspire to become Roussel, when he was significantly better than Roussel before injuries took a toll.

Steve Downie was a first-round pick in 2005, people forget.

 

[mikethelegacy]

I can't wait to play a solid defensive team and see how we match up. We continue to play teams with good offensive talent and subpar defenses. Anaheim's was the best defense we've played so far, and they aren't the Kings or the Hawks, or even Boston for that matter.

 

[ProgOg]

The thing about Roussel and some of the others is that that production came from playing on the second line ( Cody Eakin and Ryan Garbutt were the other two, I think) - it definitely improved their depth in bumping them down because of Spezza and Hemsky. Will be interesting to watch the Stars this season.

I don't really love the vets in the depth - but maybe I just watched bad games from them.
Still, scary team. Didn't want to take away from that.

 

[ProgOg]

I can't wait to play a solid defensive team and see how we match up. We continue to play teams with good offensive talent and subpar defenses. Anaheim's was the best defense we've played so far, and they aren't the Kings or the Hawks, or even Boston for that matter.

Kings come in at the end of the month.

 

[Vujtek]

Of course injuries have hurt Downie. But he's only 27. Not exactly over the hill.

I just found it funny that someone suggested Downie aspire to become Roussel, when he was significantly better than Roussel before injuries took a toll.

Steve Downie was a first-round pick in 2005, people forget.

No one was calling Downie being over the hill. Or that Downie needs to aspire to become Roussel. I said Roussel is everything we can hope Downie to be for the Penguins. Right now Roussel is the better player. If Downie can get back to that level, JR hit a jackpot with the Downie signing.

Downie being a 1st round isn't relevant here. Roussel wasn't even drafted. So what? We're talking about them as players today.