Post-Game Talk: |Pens vs Hawks | win | We won it for Geno.... Barely.....

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

It's funny that Zucker and Malkin being a powerhouse duo has made you resort to being negative about something else. lol.

I'd... maybe pump the breaks on "powerhouse" buddy.

But obviously Zucker has been great this year. I'm actually fine copping to when I'm wrong about stuff.

 

[Gurglesons]

I'd... maybe pump the breaks on "powerhouse" buddy.

But obviously Zucker has been great this year. I'm actually fine copping to when I'm wrong about stuff.

Why?

You're so negative when it comes to favorite player

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Why?

You're so negative when it comes to favorite player

Because they aren't?

They're an adequate second line. Maybe without a boat anchor on their wing they'd be terrific.

 

[Gurglesons]

Because they aren't?

They're an adequate second line. Maybe without a boat anchor on their wing they'd be terrific.

I mean Malkin is on a seven game point streak playing with Zucker and a PPG.

NHL Lines Advanced Stats

The Best Offensive and Defensive Lines in the NHL

moneypuck.com

We know how I feel about these metrics, but they have them at #5 in the league.

 

[orby]

It's nice to see Zucker looking like the player everyone wanted him to be when the Pens traded for him. I think this is the first time we've really seen him fully healthy for an extended stretch.

 

[Zbynek]

Nikita Malkin line read was awesome

 

[AjaxTelamon]

It's nice to see Zucker looking like the player everyone wanted him to be when the Pens traded for him. I think this is the first time we've really seen him fully healthy for an extended stretch.

Shhh, you're going to jinx it. I never liked Zucker coming here because there's no natural fit with Geno, he's tiny, and he gets hurt a lot. But as long as he plays a simple game and hangs around the net, Geno can make use of that and the duo can be functional, if not optimal for the cap space. I'm hoping against hope the guy can stay healthy through the playoffs.

We do have the wrong RW to play with Zucker and Geno though, we need a strong defender there. But it is the best place to hide Rust.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

You don't find it a little bit suspicious that Crosby's slump started immediately when Rust was put on his line and then ended immediately when Rust was taken off his line?

I can't believe there are still some defending the switch.

At some point people just need to take the 'L' and admit Sullivan f***ed up on this one.

 

[3ladesof5teel]

I can't believe there are still some defending the switch.

At some point people just need to take the 'L' and admit Sullivan f***ed up on this one.

There's nothing to take an L on. I want to spread the wealth and have our number one winger on L1 and our number 2 winger on L2. It's simple.

Dont act like Zuck Geno RR isn't an excellent line

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

There's nothing to take an L on. I want to spread the wealth and have our number one winger on L1 and our number 2 winger on L2. It's simple.

Dont act like Zuck Geno RR isn't an excellent line

So you'd take spreading the wealth to the tune of the team winning like 2 or 3 games in 11 games versus doing the smart thing and putting Rakell with Sid and see the team 6-0-1? That's ridiculous. You're not spreading the wealth, you're watering down your top line that plays the most minutes.

That's like arguing removing Jake from Sid's line and putting him on L3 and replace him with Heinen that way you have 3 lines with elite players instead of stacking one line. At some point, "spreading the wealth" makes no sense when it just hurts all the lines.

 

[3ladesof5teel]

So you'd take spreading the wealth to the tune of the team winning like 2 or 3 games in 11 games versus doing the smart thing and putting Rakell with Sid and see the team 6-0-1? That's ridiculous. You're not spreading the wealth, you're watering down your top line that plays the most minutes.

That's like arguing removing Jake from Sid's line and putting him on L3 and replace him with Heinen that way you have 3 lines with elite players instead of stacking one line. At some point, "spreading the wealth" makes no sense when it just hurts all the lines.

Now your putting words in my mouth. We have 2 top centers and I said what I said. I wouldn't advocate putting Jake on L3 and never said anything along those lines.

Crosby was going to break out here shortly no matter. You think a player of his caliber was going to continue to go pointless with or without Rust? We have 16 seasons otherwise that said differently.

We aren't hurting more lines. I wanted L2 to play more minutes. Right now we are making L1 elite at the expense of L2

I'll be here when the Geno is too old chants start up

 

[Gurglesons]

Interesting.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I had to be up at 4am so I tapped out somewhere along the line.

Grats to G!

 

[vodeni]

;(



I’m not sure I feel that way about Jake.

10 more games and you'll come around, I hope not

 

[Turin]

This is from a poster on another site…

“Here's a look at the 4th line since Blueger returned:

vs Toronto - 60% CF, 4 SCF 1 SCA, 95.6 xGF%
vs Minnesota - 73.3% CF, 6 SCF 1 SCA, 92.6 xGF%
vs Winnipeg - 41.2% CF, 3 SCF 5 SCA, 56.1 xGF%
vs Chicago - 41.2% CF, 1 SCF 3 SCA, 44.87 x GF%

Through 4 games the 4th line has been on for 1 5v5 goal for and zero against. A little hemmed in their zone the last two games, but not being on the ice for a 5v5 goal against is nice to see.

Brock McGinn is a career 10.4% shooter. He's currently firing at a 20.0% rate.
Bryan Rust is a career 12.7% shooter. He's currently shooting 9.8%
Zucker is a career 12.3% shooter, he's currently 11.4% and shot a measly 7.8% last season. Injuries matter.

Over the last two weeks there are only 5 skaters with a CF% over 51%. Geno's line (which has been outstanding), Ruhwedel (3 games) and Rutta. McGinn is dead last at 38.46%. His high shooting % has kept him afloat. Not a recipe for success. Not far behind McGinn are Carter and Heinen. Maybe, just maybe that 3rd line isn't very good?

Kris Letang sits at an ugly 44.4 CF% over the last two weeks with a 43.9 xGF% and a 42.1 SCF%. His struggles are real right now.

The Pens are 5-3-2 in their last 10 with a 3 game winning streak, but the underlying numbers aren't great. Over the last 2 weeks, the Pens have a CF% of 48.89 and sit at 20th. They've been out chanced as well, albeit not by a huge margin. Their 5v5 shooting % sits 3rd in the league over this time, but you could actually say they're 2nd as the first two teams are only separated by .2. I'm not sure they can ride this shooting % all season.”

So aside from McGinn who is actually shooting above average?

 

[Trade]

Lazy Jake only has 10 goals in 15 games, he really needs to step it up. This slump he’s been on is killing us. I mean, only a 54 goal pace?

Sully should bench him and send him a message.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Interesting.

Line go... up?

 

[AuroraBorealis]

We aren't hurting more lines. I wanted L2 to play more minutes. Right now we are making L1 elite at the expense of L2
I'll be here when the Geno is too old chants start up

Who cares about Geno's production? That's not a priority for the team. We're 6-0-1 with these combinations, and he's not in the hunt for the Art Ross anyway.
If Rust is the problem then just put Heinen, McGinn or Kap there. If they play better then give them more minutes. It's not brain surgery.
L2 is getting fewer minutes partly because L4 is making a good case to get more. That's a good thing for the Penguins. We're also defending leads a lot lately, and Geno isn't someone you use defensively.

Crosby was going to break out here shortly no matter. You think a player of his caliber was going to continue to go pointless with or without Rust?

Ah yes Rakell has not had any impact on this 10 points in 3 games. Smoke and mirrors.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yeah Malkin isn't someone you use defensively.

But Jeff Carter definitely is.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Yeah Malkin isn't someone you use defensively.

But Jeff Carter definitely is.

Yeah, I don't get this. Geno's a way better two way player than Carter, especially when he's got a line-mate he clicks with. I get if they don't want to give Geno minutes to keep him fresh. I don't get not giving Geno minutes because the 4th line needs them, while keeping the 3rd line at the same minutes and riding an already not-great Carter into the ground.

I definitely believe that McGinn deserves a promotion to L2, he's looked great as of late. But I also shudder to think how overused a 3rd line of Heinen - Carter - Rust would be.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

There's nothing to take an L on. I want to spread the wealth and have our number one winger on L1 and our number 2 winger on L2. It's simple.

Dont act like Zuck Geno RR isn't an excellent line

You keep ignoring the fact that the lines that contribute to WINS matters more than this arbitrary "sharing the wealth" you keep talking about.

The Pens are winning games when Rakell is on L1 and Rust is on L2. The Pens are losing games when Rust is on L1 and Rakell is on L2.

That's all I care about. Which combinations result in the team actually winning games. And Rakell next to Sid is achieving that.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yeah, I don't get this. Geno's a way better two way player than Carter, especially when he's got a line-mate he clicks with. I get if they don't want to give Geno minutes to keep him fresh. I don't get not giving Geno minutes because the 4th line needs them, while keeping the 3rd line at the same minutes and riding an already not-great Carter into the ground.

It's because of OMGFACEAWVZ or something

You know... nevermind the fact that Malkin smoked Carter in the circle last night. This team constantly takes the same approach to every single game regardless of current circumstances. Shit man just flipping two players made the damned news with this squad.

But I don't wanna get too much into it or my "Malkin victim complex" or whatever might irritate some people.

 

[HandshakeLine]

We're almost 25% of the way through the season and I think we can safely say Geno's injuries aren't really the thing we should have been worried about all summer.

 

[Icarium]

Crosby was going to break out here shortly no matter. You think a player of his caliber was going to continue to go pointless with or without Rust?

I don't recall anyone claiming Crosby was going to pointless without Rust. The fact is GCRust was losing us games with their appalling defense and mediocre at best offense. Maybe Rust will manage soon to drag L2 down to that level too but for now this top 6 configuration has proven to be vastly superior on both sides of the ice.
Honestly, when I see Carter or Guentzel or Dumo playing in the final minutes trying to protect a lead, a part me hopes the opponent will score, so that we get burned for our stupidity and maybe learn our lesson. Then I remember that Sully doesn't learn from stuff like that these days and just feel bad for our goalie.

 

[3ladesof5teel]

You keep ignoring the fact that the lines that contribute to WINS matters more than this arbitrary "sharing the wealth" you keep talking about.

The Pens are winning games when Rakell is on L1 and Rust is on L2. The Pens are losing games when Rust is on L1 and Rakell is on L2.

That's all I care about. Which combinations result in the team actually winning games. And Rakell next to Sid is achieving that.

Who cares about Geno's production? That's not a priority for the team. We're 6-0-1 with these combinations, and he's not in the hunt for the Art Ross anyway.
If Rust is the problem then just put Heinen, McGinn or Kap there. If they play better then give them more minutes. It's not brain surgery.
L2 is getting fewer minutes partly because L4 is making a good case to get more. That's a good thing for the Penguins. We're also defending leads a lot lately, and Geno isn't someone you use defensively.

Ah yes Rakell has not had any impact on this 10 points in 3 games. Smoke and mirrors.

Who cares about Geno's production?

That's weird. Aren't we a much better team when we have 2 lines rolling? This has nothing to do with Genos production that has more to do with two strong lines. When both Gen and Sid are producing I like our chances much better

1 line isn't going to do us jack in the playoffs. Hasn't everyone been complaining about these 1st round exits?

We have been holding on to wins by the skin of our teeth. Sure a win is a win but those wins could have gone either way and I am not gonna sit here and say Rakell on L1 was the deciding factor on those wins. If you are you are kidding yourself. You're going to win some of those and you're going to lose some.