Power Play is top problem.....simple fix

[vyktor]

Our pp is always trying to trick the other team or get fancy. Look at he Caps PP 2nd in the league. Everyone knows that the goal is to get the puck to Ovi and as a result he is leading the league in PPG and scores 40% of his teams PPG. Malkin is our leader at 9 PPG 21%

It is simple, you are up a man so you dictate who is going to shoot. Ovi hangs out in a relatively small area and even though you know what they want to do they dare you to try and stop it. Even in the last game when we beat them, they shadowed him and he still got the shots and eventually scored.

 

[ColePens]

The Caps set teams up. Ovy sits on the back end and they work it on the strong side. They look strong side first and then the box collapses toward the strong side. Then it opens up #8.

It's first set up by the strong side taking shots and not forcing pucks to Ovy all day. Nobody in the league is scared of #87 on the PP. He sits back and throws wild passes. If he were starting to be a threat, Geno would score more on the back end because he's be wide open.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

And that's the problem with having Kunitz on the top unit, instead of another righty. The Caps are dangerous because they load up on the one side of the ice, with Ovie being the only one on the other. So the PK has to choose between covering the four guys who are on one side, or covering Ovie on the other.

The Pens load up the side of the ice where their main threats are, with zero option for that cross-ice one timer from a righty. So it's easier for the PK to crowd them since there's only a threat from one side of the ice.

Perron playing the "Ovie" side would at least open up that option as a threat. Instead, the coaching staff insists on Kunitz being out there, doing **** all, and the Pens being a lefthanded-heavy unit, with all their plays designed around that right side of the ice (left of the goalie).

 

[billybudd]

They should play an aggressive umbrella style with one "point" man (the PPQB), two players on the half wall (the ones with the post powerful one-timers), and two people mucking infront of the net.

[ Net ]
Crosby-Hornqvist
Perron-Malkin
Pouliot

[ Net ]
Comeau-Kunitz
Sutter-Martin
Letang

I'm not married to the 1-3-1 with our personnel. Usually works best when you have your most-lethal guy opposite your opposite-handed best puck distributor. Our most-lethal guy and best passer are both lefties. You also ideally have a guy with a big point shot, which in our case, is probably Cole, but who is otherwise a bad choice for the job.

If our guys are going to overpass it no matter what you tell them, probably should look at having two people at the point--a lefty at the right-middle point and a righty at the left-middle.

 

[Headshot77]

I'm not married to the 1-3-1 with our personnel. Usually works best when you have your most-lethal guy opposite your opposite-handed best puck distributor. Our most-lethal guy and best passer are both lefties. You also ideally have a guy with a big point shot, which in our case, is probably Cole, but who is otherwise a bad choice for the job.

If our guys are going to overpass it no matter what you tell them, probably should look at having two people at the point--a lefty at the right-middle point and a righty at the left-middle.

Well then maybe my idea would work since there would be fewer chances to make passes

 

[WayneSid9987]

Our pp is always trying to trick the other team or get fancy. Look at he Caps PP 2nd in the league. Everyone knows that the goal is to get the puck to Ovi and as a result he is leading the league in PPG and scores 40% of his teams PPG. Malkin is our leader at 9 PPG 21%

This is exactly right. It's sad cuz Geno's easily the best shooter and to not have him in a cemented spot after all these years is just crazy. I actually think they don't listen to Tocchet much though, they just improvise it themselves which is the main problem.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Easy fix.

Tell Malkin and Crosby to shoot more.

Letang lately has been doing well. But a powerplay can't score if everybody doesn't shoot.

and WTF is Kunitz doing half the time I don't even know.

 

[HMPens]

During one of the Los Angeles power plays Steigy was yelling how Letang needs to shoot like Doughty (which I don't disagree with). I was surprised to find out that, with all the accolades Doughty gets, he doesn't have a power play goal this season.

 

[wej20]

You know that you can pressure Kunitz when he's somehow managed to get to the left point.

 

[cassius]

The PP lost us another game last night.

Malkin on the left point, Letang turnover over the puck left and right, Crosby making low % passes.. not good.

 

[cheesedanish87]

The best PP of the entire road trip was the PP that Sid and Geno weren't on for, they should of scored a goal, but Kunitz missed an empty net.

I would try Sid Geno Perron Horny and DP on the first unit.

 

[Clatartar]

We have the depth/talent to run 2 good power play units. MJ has to realize what Tocchet is doing isn't working right? RIGHT??

Even using tocchet logic, we should be running:
Horny Net Front with Kuny on the goal line
Perron left circle---- Sid Right Circle
Tangers

Winnik net front with Beau beside the net
Comeau left circle--- Malkin Right circle
Hoff/ Poo

 

[pistolpete11]

Pouliot on the point. Letang in the left circle, Malkin in the right. Hornquist in front. Crosby roaming around the goal line, behind the net, and slot area.

Have Pouliot, Malkin, and Letang just blast away. That will eventually open up down low for Crosby who can find Hornquist popping out to the slot or Letang/Malkin coming backdoor. Most important though is to just start shooting the puck.

I would replace Letang with Perron, but I do like Letang's ability to track people down.

 

[Penguinzilla*]

They just gotta move and shot. They all just stand around waiting for someone else to do something.

 

[Shockmaster]

Kunitz simply has no usefulness on the top PP anymore.

 

[Clatartar]

Kunitz simply has no usefulness on the top PP anymore.

Too bad nobody in the front office has the balls to say that to Sid.

 

[cheesedanish87]

Todd Mclellan said the penalty they took late in the game helped them because they were able to ice the puck, at the end of the game pens had the Sharks trapped in there own end before they took the delay of game penalty.

The opposing coach saying a penalty his team took helped them tells you all you need to know about the pens PP right now.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Four things i'd establish is 1)Pooh playing the top of the diamond and 2)Geno playing the right wall/one-timer. 3)Make Sid play downlow/behind the net/to the net and 4)Horny net front/pull outs for quick one timers. Needs that kind of structure where guys KNOW their roles and not just Horny net front and 4 guys just winging it/improvising.

 

[BobCole]

The PP lost us another game last night.

Malkin on the left point, Letang turnover over the puck left and right, Crosby making low % passes.. not good.

This. Our PP is an unmitigated wreck right now. It's so bad that an organization with accountability would replace Tocchet now.

 

[Tender Rip]

This is exactly right. It's sad cuz Geno's easily the best shooter and to not have him in a cemented spot after all these years is just crazy. I actually think they don't listen to Tocchet much though, they just improvise it themselves which is the main problem.

If you think it is improv that sees the go to option for every zone entry being Letang carrying the puck, or Geno going to the left point like a sad puppy.... you are kidding yourself.

Whether Tocchet is really the one to blame though.... I can't really say. Just seems like he has formal responsibility.
I actually think Crosby demands the right wall, and a lot of the problems starts there.

 

[Shwag33]

This. Our PP is an unmitigated wreck right now. It's so bad that an organization with accountability would replace Tocchet now.

Wrong. Not a single organization would at this point.

 

[Shockmaster]

The refusal to take Kunitz off the top unit is mind-boggling.

 

[Shady Machine]

Pouliot on the point. Letang in the left circle, Malkin in the right. Hornquist in front. Crosby roaming around the goal line, behind the net, and slot area.

Have Pouliot, Malkin, and Letang just blast away. That will eventually open up down low for Crosby who can find Hornquist popping out to the slot or Letang/Malkin coming backdoor. Most important though is to just start shooting the puck.

I would replace Letang with Perron, but I do like Letang's ability to track people down.

Yup, that's the right set up. Pouliot needs more time at center point. If they ran this PP consistently, by the playoffs, we may actually see a few Gonch to Geno one timer type goals. Sid sucks at right circle but can be very dangerous down low. His one timer also blows. Geno is your best PP weapon and with Hornqvist in front, he will have a ton of opportunities. Pouliot has also shown to be good at getting pucks to the net through traffic.

Then the second unit, you can have run by Martin and Ehrhoff with Kunitz in front, Perron in left circle and Downie, Comeau, or Sutter down low.

 

[Coach Travis]

- Crosby at the right post

I have no idea why Crosby isn't a permanent fixture here. He's maybe the best in the NHL at knocking in garbage. It's not a waste of his skills! Anyone can move the puck around the perimeter!

 

[Shwag33]

I have no idea why Crosby isn't a permanent fixture here. He's maybe the best in the NHL at knocking in garbage. It's not a waste of his skills! Anyone can move the puck around the perimeter!

It's because of crosby. I'm not going to bash him... but it's the truth. Multiple coaches etc. Time to start owning up the fact that it's crosby.