Post-Game Talk: Pens vs Wings: You ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?

[Fatty McLardy]

Now the Pens control their own fate, which means they'll let us down....

 

[Andy99]

Now the Pens control their own fate, which means they'll let us down....

I’ve been through so many ups and downs with this team, even within games, I’m now permanently bipolar lol

 

[Malkinstheman]

Why does this team have to make everything so painful. I hope giving Detroit that extra point doesn't bite them in the ass.

 

[Karl Prime]

EK is bang on that he needed that goal. His reaction says it all, really - he wasn't good on the 4th and 5th goals. Great job by Sid to keep the play alive and then Karl with the rolling puck screamer. It's his most important goal since the OT hand pass goal in 2019.

The missed trip on Rust's goal was hella fortunate but we saw Giordano trip EK on Monday without a call. Over the course of 82 games I'm guessing every team gets missed calls for and against them pretty evenly. I was watching Detroit's broadcast and it was funny how testy they were about Pettersson after that and his cross-check on Larkin.

As for the pinching on the tying goal, I have to believe that Sullivan would have a "retreat at all times" strat for a lead, but seems not. He knows EK and Letang are aggressive at the line, but I don't believe either would be pinching if he didn't want it. Erik has rarely gone outside the lines of the system all season, which is why he's barely rushed up ice.

After watching it again, Petts would have been better off letting Larkin gather the puck and playing it as a 2-on-1, since he's so exceptional at playing those.

If they clean up some of the turnovers like the two by Letang tonight, they will give themselves every chance to beat Boston. For all the faults this team has, they do battle really hard, and right now it feels like 87 will drag this team to the playoffs himself if he has to.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Yes and given Detroit has MTL x2, I think we need 2-0-1 or 3-0.

We have a better Row even if they win out. They have to beat us in points. They need to go 3-0 or we need to crash hard.

 

[Ryder71]

Yes and given Detroit has MTL x2, I think we need 2-0-1 or 3-0.

The Habs won't be easy, ask the Isles, and DET plays in TOR, that also won't be easy.

Now the Pens control their own fate, which means they'll let us down....

Likely

I’ve been through so many ups and downs with this team, even within games, I’m now permanently bipolar lol

This makes a lot of sense.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Makes me sad that Sid could have easily had another/one last 100+ point season if coaching and 80% of this team wasn’t such garbage.

Of course, him sulking about losing Jake didn’t help either.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Why does this team have to make everything so painful. I hope giving Detroit that extra point doesn't bite them in the ass.

Detroit ends up finishing 1 point ahead of the Pens confirmed.

 

[Gurglesons]

For those that thought the Guentzel comment I made was a little crazy about replacing him with Rakell.

Rust since Jake went down with injury has 13 goals and 24 points in 22 games. 48 goal pace. 89 point pace.

Obviously a little absurd that he'd hit those numbers, but I think it does illustrate if you give someone Jake's minutes they will produce on the ice similarly.

 

[Zbynek]

 

[Hank Plank]

Most consistent team ever at blowing leads.

 

[Zbynek]

7-0-3 in last 10 games

 

[Ulf5]

View attachment 850224

First- How awesome of a player to be put out with and get assists on goals by Harry Z, Nasreddine, Megna, etc., etc.
Second- How the $#@! does Sid have more assists on Noah Welch goals than Marcus Pettersson goals?

 

[KareemTrustfund]

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

The Habs won't be easy, ask the Isles, and DET plays in TOR, that also won't be easy.

Especially since Matthews will be gunning for 70 goals. They could use some help.

 

[OtherThingsILike]

Happy with the win, don't like that it went to OT - though the OT goal was cool, as was Crosby getting his 1000th assist and becoming the sole #10 on the all-time scoring list at the same time.

Honestly no. They needed a kick in the nuts.

I don't think it's a coincidence that the first game we won during the point streak was Guentzel's return to Pittsburgh with his new team.

 

[OtherThingsILike]

 

[HandshakeLine]

Good old times when Sullivan glued Dominik simon on Sid's line. Guy never scored NHL goal outside of Pittsburgh and has pathetic results in Czechia league on his prime age now. 3 points in 22 games last season

I mean, I don't disagree, but Simon had 17 points this year. He only had 3 points last year because Sparta was playing him like a shutdown bottom 6 guy. You put him on a weaker team like Budejovice (undrafted Canadian nobody Brant Harris is Budejovice's 4th leading scorer, for instance) and he looks better. Not good, per se, but better.

But yeah, looking at Dominik Simon play and thinking "wow, this guy needs to be Sid's wing" is indicative of a whole 'nother problem.

 

[Pengu]

Letang and EK are frustrating players. Talented as **** but so damn stupid in their own zone.
Letang was ABYSMAL in the 1st period causing turnovers for both their goals and then EK was just as poor in the 3rd being anywhere but where he should had been. Sure, both scored vital goals but it's always a roller coaster with either of them on the ice...

 

[OtherThingsILike]

While winning the Cup is always nice, it would be a disappointment if they don't make it, since there are other milestones that Crosby and Malkin could hit if they get to play some more playoff games.

Crosby is currently tied with Jagr for 5th all-time in playoff points. One more gives him sole possession of 5th, and 14 more moves him ahead of Glenn Anderson for 4th all-time in playoff points.

Malkin is currently tied with Ray Bourque for 14th all-time in playoff points. 11 more playoff points would move him ahead of Brett Hull for 8th all-time in playoff points.

We have a real chance here for both Crosby and Malkin to be top 8 all-time in playoff points, and it would be disappointing to squander it. Cup or no Cup.

 

[Crosbyfan]

Looks like Sullivan has certainly gotten them to their game. They looked more like the Team pre-trade deadline than the one of the recent resurgence.
They were lucky Detroit didn't get the 2 points, possibly lucky they didn't lose in regulation.
Good thing there are no back to backs, as we still need to ride Ned and he looked like he's losing his edge... though he certainly played no worse than Lyon.
They certainly didn't look sharp.

 

[cygnus47]

EK is bang on that he needed that goal. His reaction says it all, really - he wasn't good on the 4th and 5th goals. Great job by Sid to keep the play alive and then Karl with the rolling puck screamer. It's his most important goal since the OT hand pass goal in 2019.

The missed trip on Rust's goal was hella fortunate but we saw Giordano trip EK on Monday without a call. Over the course of 82 games I'm guessing every team gets missed calls for and against them pretty evenly. I was watching Detroit's broadcast and it was funny how testy they were about Pettersson after that and his cross-check on Larkin.

As for the pinching on the tying goal, I have to believe that Sullivan would have a "retreat at all times" strat for a lead, but seems not. He knows EK and Letang are aggressive at the line, but I don't believe either would be pinching if he didn't want it. Erik has rarely gone outside the lines of the system all season, which is why he's barely rushed up ice.

After watching it again, Petts would have been better off letting Larkin gather the puck and playing it as a 2-on-1, since he's so exceptional at playing those.

If they clean up some of the turnovers like the two by Letang tonight, they will give themselves every chance to beat Boston. For all the faults this team has, they do battle really hard, and right now it feels like 87 will drag this team to the playoffs himself if he has to.

The EK pinch and front of net abandonment would NEVER be good decisions, no matter the game situation. Those were on EK, not Sully. And I’m the biggest and longest serving Sully hater there is.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Marcus Pettersson hasn't been defending for months lol.

You'd be tired too from having to be the only defensive conscious repeatedly, for the first 5 months

 

[Icarium]

Outplayed for the most part but still feels bad that we couldn't win in regulation. That pinch by Karlsson was so stupid, think about the score and the situation, idiot! And L1 continues to bleed goals against, though this time it was more the fault of the D than the forwards. Good to see Riley Smith with two assists.

But it feels nice to take advantage of bad goaltending and be opportunistic for a change. Sully probably had an orgasm when Carter scored and will be sulking for weeks that it didn't end up as the GWG.

Why are they pinching and playing aggressive with a 2 goal lead in the third?

That's coaching. He won't change the system depending on the circumstance. It's pinch pinch pinch like you're down by 2.

I'm convinced the only way you get benched on this team is if you don't pinch in every situation. Probably why Ian Cole got ran off.

I am all for bushing Sullisma in general but they have turtling in the third a gazillion times this season, like mere days ago against Tampa. It doesn't work too well either but when you don't have a proper defensive structure collapsing in front of your goalie and not pinching at all can only do so much.

 

[Ulf5]

I think we all owe Big Jeff a Big Apology.

I won't go that far. Best I can offer is a less harsh expletive whenever I mention his name.