Post-Game Talk: |Pens vs Caps| Loss | Its fine, fine, no really, its fine (Mod warning 1st post)

[Honour Over Glory]

So many opportunities to blow this thing open early in the 2nd. Where are this team's finishers? Open nets, other great looks and come away with nothing time and time again.

Then shortly after that it was a parade to the box, setting up extended 5 on 3 for Washington and the tying goal.

3rd period was a stink sandwich.

To me, seeing Letang in the box with a smirk/smile on his face just sort of pissed me off. I mean I get it if he's mad and just in disbelief, but he was with that look on his face as Carter and Dumoulin joined him and neither Carter nor Dumoulin looked happy to be in the box, but Letang? He looked like he was enjoying himself and I don't quite get that. It's been stuck in my head since around 2pm.

Also what the f*** is up with Crosby and the cheap shots, we like to call them out on Wilson and Ovechkin and countless others, but him doing it without even really being provoked to do it is some pure tantrum baby bullshit. Did I miss what Nic Dowd did to him? Because a gloved punched to the head is some whiny shit.

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

I think it's the perfect description, pretentious. They refuse to goto the dirty areas, pas and pass and miss, shoot from the perimeter. Think they're more skilled than everyone else.

Nah. We overpass but I didn't see any of what is described here in the game yesterday. There was plenty of net front play and plenty of grit along the boards. People really do love to be mad at this team, I don't know if there's another explanation. Third period was a noticeable drop in focus but first two we played hard. We're not going to be winning many playoff games with 40 minute efforts so it would be nice to string some consistent games together soon. But people want a mistake free game, especially from Malkin, and hockey doesn't work that way. We haven't been getting the saves recently and Jarry has fallen off a bit. Need to rest him.

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

I mean, Giroux is very similar to Malkin and he was traded to be an elite skilled vet to complement franchise/core players, not be one. They're at that age.

I don't know who was worse - Sid's invisibility act, Letang's increasing regression or Geno's "dominant but oh yeah the other team still scored a helluva lot more when I was on the ice."
Oh wait. It was Dumo whose wheels have almost entirely come off.

Yeah, some people just like being mad...the only thing Giroux has in common with Malkin is they play ice hockey.

We play a style that in order to work, the other team needs to not play hard nor play defense. We make countless blind passes and little dipsy doodle moves that do not respect the talent of the other team. When your 23 and capable, great. When you're 35 and slower, it doesn't work. We play a soft perimeter game and make low percentage passes to guys who, in order to score or get a shot, require a lapse in the other teams defense as opposed to creating one. We are the rich, white girl who doesn't want to do the work. We are the spoiled kid who scoffs at hard work. We are the Karen who insists you give her the meal for free after it's eaten because it tasted meh.

Simply put, they do the same soft shit over and over again and all it yields is low danger shots from the point where the goalie has a clear line of sight to the shooter and they believe, over the long term, this will yield goals. It doesn't. It's pretentious to believe that we possess the skill out laughably outskill the other team and not have to do the work needed to create.

Good grief. This does not describe this team at all, you really do a disservice to their effort this year with this post that seems more in love with its word play than any commitment to describing reality. This team has ground out a lot of wins, with a lot of great efforts. They've never been healthy the whole season. This is just really over the top , and not fair at all. We get fancy at times but that's the nature of great players. They've done ok.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Was just thinking that if the Caps pass the Pens, that would leave the Pens playing the Panthers in the first round.

At the least, that could be an entertaining, must-watch TV type of high scoring playoff series that the Pens would likely ultimately lose. That would be a best case scenario.

Though with our luck, Chiarot will turn into a stone wall and Ekblad will be back at 100% for game one, and the Panthers will lock it down while scoring a ton on Jarry.

 

[Pengu]

please, please do not not extend Malkin or Letang after another 1st round exit....

 

[chethejet]

Pens are a combo of long season, age, going through the motions and no real fire from leadership. The guns know they are not the players they were 10 years ago and just need to keep some powder dry as to all out effort. Pens still play hard but chasing the game due to not scoring when it is there is where things stand. Sully 2016 playbook just isn't going to cut it and Pens would be better served making the changes this off season. But they won't and that is how franchises go down the hole to mediocre play and being behind the 8 ball for years. Detroit, Chicago to a degree the Kings. Kings at least knew the path was to rebuild immediately and not try to keep a declining program going in need of constant repair. I have gone from subtle changes to blow it up and get cap space to add when appropriate. Letang, Malkin need to test the market and let that set the deal. Rust has to take the best offer and bank the money here. Move Petts as he needs a new home. Zucker is on his last year so it is no longer a big deal. Dumo is a D man who needs to play down. Last year as well so DO NOT EXTEND HIM. Hextall has to begin the changes and get the talent flow back into the system.

 

[BobCole]

Letang had the best start to a season he's had in ages. Malkin came back and was extremely productive until getting blasted in the game against MN - since then he's been bad.

15+ years of stellar play from these guys. One four game losing streak and you all want to blow it up.

 

[BeatenLikeRentedMule]

Some may not what to hear this said; but it would be the best thing for this franchise to have horrific finish to this season.

Everything that this current group was planning would be blown to smithereens.

There needs to be 5000 in the attendance for ownership to really take notice.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Disagree, biggest issue is defense. We have 5 guys making 4mil + back there and on any given game I want 3+ of them benched.

I mean, yah. But this is baked into the pie. When they acquired Kapanen I didn't like it not because his scoring was borderline top 6, but because his defensive metrics were bad. Zucker never was a good defender. Rust stopped playing defense, backchecking, and even forechecking after he got promoted to the top 6.

Geno and Sid are not going to play hard-nosed defense when their linemates put in no effort and/or are just no good defensively.

This team's construction is just a random collection of forwards and Dmen put together by JR, and that's what happens with his rosters eventually.

What's really disheartening is that GMRH could have significantly changed the team's makeup this past offseason, he had the assets to do it. Rust could have been traded for a two-way player. Zucker could have been bought out and they could have used the money to sign a player like Saad who has always been more of a two way guy and kills penalties.

We need guys like Hornqvist, Hagelin, Ian Cole, Bonino, Cullen, and 2016-2017 Rust. Guys who do the dirty work. The only one we have who even sort of does it is McGinn. So as soon as games get tight, the whole team just wilts. I'm not convinced they could win with this system even with those same quality role-players now, the rest of the league has caught up, and Sid and Geno are older. But without them we can't even be competitive in a playoff series.

 

[vodeni]

I said something similar to a buddy I was watching the game with. Pens were up 3-2 and were dominating that one shift early on in the 2nd period, but like usual, couldn't score to give themselves a bit of breathing room. So I said told him this is exactly the issue with the Pens' inability to finish chances. They'll "dominate" stretches of games but have no goals to show for it, only for the other team to score and tie it up (or take the lead) on one of their first chances.

The Pens' inability to put games out of reach when they're dominating the possession is beyond annoying. Even when they do manage to hold on for the win, they turn what should be an easy 5-2 romp (based on possession) into a 3-2 nail biter where they have to hang on for dear life all 3rd period because they can't score that 4th or 5th goal to give themselves some breathing room.

I often think about that, wondering why? I mean you already scored 2-3 goals, so you showed you can score...but those one or two additional goals when you are suppose to secure the win, its kind of mistery....the puck just does not go in...I don't remeber that we beat nay decent team by two goals (not being EN), its as you say always doen the wirem scratch and claw,......weird

 

[Andy99]

I said something similar to a buddy I was watching the game with. Pens were up 3-2 and were dominating that one shift early on in the 2nd period, but like usual, couldn't score to give themselves a bit of breathing room. So I said told him this is exactly the issue with the Pens' inability to finish chances. They'll "dominate" stretches of games but have no goals to show for it, only for the other team to score and tie it up (or take the lead) on one of their first chances.

The Pens' inability to put games out of reach when they're dominating the possession is beyond annoying. Even when they do manage to hold on for the win, they turn what should be an easy 5-2 romp (based on possession) into a 3-2 nail biter where they have to hang on for dear life all 3rd period because they can't score that 4th or 5th goal to give themselves some breathing room.

I see it more like they never pull out the big win…when was it last that you saw the Pens pull out a win in a tight game against a playoff team when they were up or down one goal, or tied? They just don’t have the mental or physical ability or fortitude to make big (positive) plays to pull out a win…it’s very sad

 

[Pens x]

Are people still clamoring for Sully to win the Jack Adams? Again, he’s a great coach when we have half of our forwards out, and he gets to play turds.

Sleepy should fire Sully just like the Devils canned Julien in 2007 despite being in first place. Let’s not waste a fourth consecutive season to a crappy coach.

I still think this team should be good enough to win a playoff series. We are stumbling at the worst possible time.

 

[metalan2]

I see it more like they never pull out the big win…when was it last that you saw the Pens pull out a win in a tight game against a playoff team when they were up or down one goal, or tied? They just don’t have the mental or physical ability or fortitude to make big (positive) plays to pull out a win…it’s very sad

This is the problem.

The Pens always "play well" seemingly, but they can never get the goal, never pull out the win. It is an intangible this team is missing and that just doesn't appear. They believe they will lose.

 

[BeatenLikeRentedMule]

So long as the fan base is content hoping for making it to round 2, ownership will continue with this train wreck. Fans need to lose interest and stop paying good money for this garbage excuse of a team. Only then, will changes happen.

 

[Giskard]

So long as the fan base is content hoping for making it to round 2, ownership will continue with this train wreck. Fans need to lose interest and stop paying good money for this garbage excuse of a team. Only then, will changes happen.

Wait for Crosby and Malkin to retire then you'll know what a real garbage team is.

 

[Coachcorner]

Does y'all think that uh, Jarry will play again tonight in this important game or no? Trying to win something. Coulldn't find a GDT.

 

[chethejet]

That is why you make the changes early before you really stink. Set the roster for success will take to long under the 5 year plan and get lucky with the draft. I think Letang with some discipline and limiting his ice time is doable at 7 million per. Malkin is floating much more and when he is focused he is still very good. But that is just not consistent enough to warrant taking up 7 or more in cap space. Rust I think will take the best offer and team that is closer to success.

 

[madinsomniac]

Letang had the best start to a season he's had in ages. Malkin came back and was extremely productive until getting blasted in the game against MN - since then he's been bad.

15+ years of stellar play from these guys. One four game losing streak and you all want to blow it up.

Oh lets be fair… some here have been calling to blow it up since about 09… id like to put a sarcastic emoticon here, but its more the truth than i’d like it to be. People don’t know what they got till it’s gone

 

[Icarium]

Letang had the best start to a season he's had in ages. Malkin came back and was extremely productive until getting blasted in the game against MN - since then he's been bad.

15+ years of stellar play from these guys. One four game losing streak and you all want to blow it up.

Sports fans are notoriously fickle. Take a look at the PGT thread after the last Penguins win if you don't believe me. The most liked post was "Extend Malkin, Rakell and Rust already". I know it feels forever since the Penguins last won but it was only last week and we were all ecstatic except for the usual suspects who seem to enjoy seeing the team loses. Less than 10 days later and the team is worse than the 1974/1975 Capitals apparently.
I get not being optimistic about the playoffs (I am not either) but claiming that the team is absolute trash is asinine. It's a decent team which has a very frustrating inability to maximise its potential.

 

[PaulD]

Pens are a combo of long season, age, going through the motions and no real fire from leadership. The guns know they are not the players they were 10 years ago and just need to keep some powder dry as to all out effort. Pens still play hard but chasing the game due to not scoring when it is there is where things stand. Sully 2016 playbook just isn't going to cut it and Pens would be better served making the changes this off season. But they won't and that is how franchises go down the hole to mediocre play and being behind the 8 ball for years. Detroit, Chicago to a degree the Kings. Kings at least knew the path was to rebuild immediately and not try to keep a declining program going in need of constant repair. I have gone from subtle changes to blow it up and get cap space to add when appropriate. Letang, Malkin need to test the market and let that set the deal. Rust has to take the best offer and bank the money here. Move Petts as he needs a new home. Zucker is on his last year so it is no longer a big deal. Dumo is a D man who needs to play down. Last year as well so DO NOT EXTEND HIM. Hextall has to begin the changes and get the talent flow back into the system.

Hey Mario. Hire this man in.

 

[PaulD]

Wait for Crosby and Malkin to retire then you'll know what a real garbage team is.

Yep.

 

[BeatenLikeRentedMule]

Oh lets be fair… some here have been calling to blow it up since about 09… id like to put a sarcastic emoticon here, but its more the truth than i’d like it to be. People don’t know what they got till it’s gone

This isn't 09. Three straight 1st round exits will have any fan base questioning the team.