Series Talk: Pens vs. Habs --- THIS IS IT!!

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Big Friggin Dummy

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Feb 22, 2019
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I'm not even that upset with Geno's game, to be honest. He's getting scoring chances, he just hasn't been able to produce. If he had like, 4SOG through three games, that'd be a different story, but he's averaging like 6SOG a game, many from great scoring spots.

I still think the big issues are depth-related. Third line is hot garbage. Bottom pairing is garbage. Zero offensive threat or production from the blueline.
 

ownal

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I'm not even that upset with Geno's game, to be honest. He's getting scoring chances, he just hasn't been able to produce. If he had like, 4SOG through three games, that'd be a different story, but he's averaging like 6SOG a game, many from great scoring spots.

I still think the big issues are depth-related. Third line is hot garbage. Bottom pairing is garbage. Zero offensive threat or production from the blueline.

On a normal goalie.... not Price... he would have 3-4 goals.
 

Big Friggin Dummy

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On a normal goalie.... not Price... he would have 3-4 goals.
Sure, but that's an execution thing. He's in the right spot, he's doing the right things. He just isn't finishing--which, granted, is the ultimate measuring stick. :laugh:

But we're embarrassed elite goalies before. Rinne, Holtby, Bobrovsky, Lundqvist, etc. The guy in goal isn't as big a problem as people are making it out to be. This is an execution issue, and, more importantly, a team composition issue.
 

Andy99

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BTW, if we were even to win this series, we’d be playing either the Bruins or the Caps...tbd this weekend depending on the loser of that round robin game. Flyers and Tampa have secured the top two seeds...we’ll be mashed to a pulp in either series but I’d much rather face the Caps...doubt that we’ll get past MTL but whatever...
 

Big Friggin Dummy

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BTW, if we were even to win this series, we’d be playing either the Bruins or the Caps...tbd this weekend depending on the loser of that round robin game. Flyers and Tampa have secured the top two seeds...we’ll be mashed to a pulp in either series but I’d much rather face the Caps...doubt that we’ll get past MTL but whatever...
Every single team in the East would absolutely wipe the floor with us, like the Islanders did, if we make it to the actual playoffs. :laugh:
 
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Rakell67

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So if the Pens pullout a win over MTL this series, they will face either BOS or WSH correct?
 
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Big Friggin Dummy

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So if the Pens pullout a win over MTL this series, they will face either BOS or WSH correct?
Think so. That's why I genuinely hope we bow out in the qualifier. It's been made blatantly obvious we're not up to snuff if we can't breeze through Montreal, a team that should be hands down the weakest team playing.

I'd rather the shot at Lafreniere, and the wake up call that a loss in this series causes than to limp by a team that, for all intents and purposes shouldn't present a problem to any legitimate team, just to be absolutely thrashed at the hands of whoever we play in the real 1st round just like last season.
 

Jaded-Fan

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Now that I have accepted the loss, and found silver linings, the Pens are going to win the next two. Right?

Kinda a win-win, right?
 
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Luigi Lemieux

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Sep 26, 2003
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If it's up to me, I run

Zucker - Crosby - Sheary
Guentzel - Malkin - Rust
McCann - Rodrigues - Hornqvist
Aston-Reese - Blueger - Tanev

Dumoulin - Letang
Pettersson - Marino
Riikola - Ruhwedel

Jarry
Agree here. Big problem so far is that Sullivan has largely ignored what made the team successful this season. During the best stretches of the season Riikola/Ruhwedel were playing and Guentzel/Malkin/Rust was the best line of the year by a mile. Jarry also in the net when the pens were playing well.
 
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Gurglesons

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Agree here. Big problem so far is that Sullivan has largely ignored what made the team successful this season. During the best stretches of the season Riikola/Ruhwedel were playing and Guentzel/Malkin/Rust was the best line of the year by a mile. Jarry also in the net when the pens were playing well.

Yeah, if he plays that roster guarantee we win like 5-1.
 
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Big Friggin Dummy

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Them or Vegas.
Can't see myself rooting for Vegas after they screwed Gallant. Still boggles my mind he was fired. :laugh:

Huge fan of MacKinnon, Landeskog, Rantanen, and Makar. Honestly, I've grown to like the Avs a ton over the past couple seasons. They're easily my favorite team after the Pens, and it's not even close.
 
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Speaking Moistly

What a terrible image.
Feb 19, 2013
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No team has ever won a series where Jack Johnson played for them. That might be the most impressive achievement of his career.

LA started winning Cups once they got rid of his ass :laugh:

Jesus. That’s surprising... a lot of bad players have at least been dragged through a round or two. JJ is truly special.


Their fans are obnoxious about their team right now.

Canucks all the way.

I’d be fine with either. I like their young cores and can ignore their fans.
 

Dipsy Doodle

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May 28, 2006
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We also had the luxury of a prime Sid, Geno and Letang when we landed Dumo, so the need wasn't as pressing. And no, I'm not satisfied with Petts' play, and think we should strive to improve on that spot. He's routinely getting worked by smaller, faster guys. He doesn't provide enough offensively or in transition to make up for that. His defensive lapses are glaring, and tend to be costly. He's a bottom pairing guy right now, imo, forced into a middle pairing role because of how poorly our other blueliners are playing.

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MP played 2nd pair minutes all year and both his production and metrics are good. His pairing hasn't allowed a goal through 3 playoff games.

If he's regularly getting worked - something I haven't seen evidence of - it's not manifesting itself in a quantifiable way over a large sample size in the regular season or a small sample size when it matters most.

I don't think Marino's production is up to snuff for the #1 blueliner on a team chasing Cups. I think it's impressive, especially as a 23 year old rookie, but I would feel a whole lot better about the near and distant future if he and Letang weren't the only guys doing anything offensively from the blueline. And again, Letang's production and impact are going to drop off sooner rather than later. And no, again, I don't think going out and getting another stud blueliner (if possible) can result in any sort of negative. Our blueline's been a massive weakness for years, and with the big three approaching a drop off, it's important to shore it up. We've got wingers in Jake, Zucker and Rust that'll be around well into Sid/Geno's twilight. After we tinker with the 1RW spot, we're basically done in the top-6 for the Sid/Geno era.

Marino's ES pace as a rookie was 32.

Pietrangelo's in '18-'19 was 29.
Carlson's in '17-'18 was 36.
Schultz's in '16-'17 was 33.

Having 2 blueliners who can produce like Marino and Letang (and understanding that the former will likely increase and the latter decrease over the next few years) is a luxury in itself. The middle pairing's getting it done but our wing group isn't, and no minor tinkering is going to fix the PP.

What else do we spend assets on? A 3C? A 1RW that doesn't even need to be an expensive pickup anyway? I don't think either role is going to cost us a lot, nor are they as pressing now or heading into the future as the 2LD spot. We've got Poulin and Legare who may be able to step into the top-6 in a year or so. We've got one guy in PO Joseph, who I haven't exactly heard rave reviews about when it comes to his development on the ice or with regard to his physique.

Unless you want to get a guy like Kadri's caliber to be the 3C, I don't think that'll be an expensive acquisition either. As we've learned, it's about finding the right guy, not the most expensive guy (cough, Brassard, cough).

It's proven a lot more difficult than most anticipated to replace both Bonino and Kessel.

If I had my say about how we spent our assets, they'd clearly go to those weaknesses rather than a top 4 that looks pretty well set up for the next few years based on the numbers.
 
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