So I see a lot of complaining about Adams on Crosby's line.
Rightfully so.
But Beau, as much as I like him was awful tonight. This was his worst game as a Penguin. His turnover led to the Ducks first goal and it came with no pressure. Just an ill advised pass up the boards and he was a part of that comedy of errors which led to Ryan Getzlaf of all people standing all alone directly in front of MAF.
I know this board well and I can guarantee you that had Dupuis played the game tonight that Bennett did, this board would be calling for his head (like they aren't already).
Having said that, despite how Beau played I think demoting him and cutting his ice time makes me hate our coach even more. I can't stand this guy a second longer. How many mistakes has Dupuis, Kunitz, Joker, Adams, Glass, Sutter etc. etc. made this year without any retribution by the leader of our team? This sends the very worst kind of message to the players on this team. The message is loud and clear in that there is a different set of rules for the players. And it isn't a rule which is even set in stone. It moves back and forth depending on whomever or whatever the person or situation. He has no control over his team. They play undisciplined because there is no discipline.
- Dupuis. Of course he was bad again. I'm not one who goes all overboard on the whipping boys around here, but yeah he played poorly. Not near as bad as some are making out, but still...
- Martin/Orpik pairing. Now Orpik was worse than Martin and has been for the most part this year, but Martin hasn't been the stellar Paul Martin he was last year for the past couple of games.
Crosby, geez. It's crazy. He was awful for most of the night. It looked like the same old story. Dumb passes, key faceoff losses while winning "non" key faceoffs (I know, they're all important), easily losing pucks etc. But then Gibbons scores and Sid is energized and for most of that last period looked like Sid of old. Overall I didn't like his game at all. But I was encouraged to see signs of that dominant Crosby for extended shifts and am hoping that this is a sign of things to come.
- Juice and Neal looked bad and indifferent.
+ Sutter had a decent game.
+ Niskanen continues to justify my hatred of him as a hockey player...but I'm are he's a nice guy.
+ Malkin had his jump back. Nice vision on that Gibbons goal but I give more props to Gibbons (see below)
++++ GIBBONS, BRIAN. I would isolate him and really watch to see what he was doing without the puck and on that Malkin goal I saw the play develop like two seconds before it happened. He looks around at Malkin and goes down low. As Malkin goes high, Gibbons follows and shadows him while Malkin starts his circling, Gibbons just fades back and at the perfect pace drifts into a wide open soft spot going towards the net, stick on the ice and wham!
He scored at an opportune time right when that team desperately needed that goal. The second goal he was involved on was awesome as he went behind the boards and got all feisty, hounding a much bigger guy into a turnover.
Man, I really really liked this kid. I really like that we have some guys down on the farm who came up and showed us some spark. And not only that, they actually produced on the scoresheet.
And then it gets me upset that we have them, knowing that they could make this team better yet we have them getting demoted in favor of guys who bring little to nothing to negatives to the team. All in all, I have liked Sill, Megna and Gibbons although Sill really didn't get a chance to prove anything.
Hopefully these guys are coming up to possibly see if they can play at this level so that our team makes some moves... But that's a topic for a different thread.
I'm also not an Engelland basher because I like the element that he brings and don't think that he is as terrible as the hyperbole around here makes him out to be. But having said that there is absolutely NO WAY that either him or Niskanen have earned or done enough to keep a roster spot over Bortuzzo. It is a travesty in leadership that he continues to sit.
+ Letang played yet another strong game. Funny how quick people are to bash him and how difficult it is for people to give him credit. He was solid yet unspectacular and very good on the PK tonight.
+++ Possibly Määtta's best game of the season. If not the best, certainly top 3. So smart. So calm. So skilled and poised. His awareness of everything going down on the ice at all times is legendary. I'm gonna say that I see a possible number one and almost a certain number two defenseman. He is going to be a leader with an "A" on his chest. Well respected at a young age and mature beyond his years. And the best part is he doesn't seem like he is interested in any of the hype or that stuff. He just seems like a kid who plays because he likes to play. Kind of a modest type guy. Refreshing in today's "look at me" world of sports.
#WaiveDags
#TradeNisky