Post-Game Talk: Rangers 4, Penguins 3 (OT) - Oh, Oh, Oh

[Speaking Moistly]

I get the feeling this thread became an absolutely ridiculous shit show.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I do believe in fairies. I do.
Seriously Jaded, that's what this sounds like. Yes Letang was out last year, but this year his play has been inconsistent. And that's being generous. It might actually be better if he was out, then we could plan ahead. As it is, it's a crap shoot from period to period what version of Letang will be on the ice.

The point was not about Letang but the defensive play going into the playoffs last year being similarly, if not more, questioned.

Even from an analytics standpoint the Pens were in the bottom of teams in possession numbers all last year, one of the primary predictors of playoff success. Although it is ugly to watch the Pens have been near the top this year, currently fifth in team CF% and third in FF%.

Team Advanced Stats Finder | Hockey-Reference.com

THAT was more the point rather than focus on Letang who was a throw away reference in my point.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

I'll politely disagree. We had an AWFUL start to the season. I'd chalk that up to a tired team from playing way more hockey than any other team. Since the first of the year we have been one of the hottest teams in the league. Player wise, I'd take Brassard over Bonino 7 days a week and twice on Sunday, ZAR over Wilson, Big Rig and Cole are pretty much a wash, and a healthy Letang. I'd say we are in pretty good shape.

JR did somewhat of a good work to patch the holes in the lineup, but he did it with unproven players. ZAR, Oleksiak are still unproven in the playoffs and Brassard is not playing like he should be (as of now). The logical interpretation of the 1st half was probably fatigue from two shorts off-seasons. Like I said, without Malking in the 2nd half, were probably still a wild-card team.

If we continue to play like we do right now, we ain’t passing any of Toronto, Boston or TB in the playoffs.

 

[AverageJoeFan]

I get the feeling this thread became an absolutely ridiculous **** show.

Similar to last night's game...lol

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Bones > Brassard, until Brass shows up in the playoffs for us.

Bones showed up in one playoff run, and last season went 18 playoff games between goals.

The Legend of Bones around here needs to stop.

Dude had one very good playoff run, mixed in with major bouts of being a ghost and a dud of a playoff run last season.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Daley in the playoffs for us > Healthy Letang this season.

This season Letang > This season Trevor Daley.
If you'd honestly rather have Daley than a healthy Letang come playoff time... Ooof!

 

[Tom Hanks]

JR did somewhat of a good work to patch the holes in the lineup, but he did it with unproven players. ZAR, Oleksiak are still unproven in the playoffs and Brassard is not playing like he should be (as of now). The logical interpretation of the 1st half was probably fatigue from two shorts off-seasons. Like I said, without Malking in the 2nd half, were probably still a wild-card team.

If we continue to play like we do right now, we ain’t passing any of Toronto, Boston or TB in the playoffs.

You may have said the same thing last season.

In our last 15 games of the season we only won 7 games (and only 2 wins were against playoff teams) and on average we gave up more goals than we scored, GA 3.2 (that’s bad)

 

[AverageJoeFan]

Bones showed up in one playoff run, and last season went 18 playoff games between goals.

The Legend of Bones around here needs to stop.

Dude had one very good playoff run, mixed in with major bouts of being a ghost and a dud of a playoff run last season.

I like Brassard. I am a bit concerned about the fit with Kessel, but maybe just needs a bit more time to gel. The one thing I did like about Bones was his play below the goal line. Brassard is pretty similar. I think it's just a matter of time before we see Brassard start to pay in spades.

 

[AverageJoeFan]

You may have said the same thing last season.

In our last 15 games of the season we only won 7 games (and only 2 wins were against playoff teams) and on average we gave up more goals than we scored, GA 3.2 (that’s bad)

God, I hope we do not follow the same path...I will need heavy medications if we do...

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Bones showed up in one playoff run, and last season went 18 playoff games between goals.

The Legend of Bones around here needs to stop.

Dude had one very good playoff run, mixed in with major bouts of being a ghost and a dud of a playoff run last season.

This needs to be reiterated and stickied somewhere. Nick Bonino had one amazing run with HBK here. He never came close to it again and was arguably the 4th most important centre in 2017. He was 50/50 for the playoffs here and a ghost for long stretches. Sheahan, who the board has loved ever so much the entire time he’s been here, is out producing him this season.

 

[Tom Hanks]

God, I hope we do not follow the same path...I will need heavy medications if we do...

Everything Sully does from here will be to have the team at its best for Round 1. That might lead to some losses we should win. He won’t be happy how things played out last night. Sure up 2-0 in the third take the foot of the accelerator a bit and just work on good positioning and the safe plays but not how the players did it last night.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I like Brassard. I am a bit concerned about the fit with Kessel, but maybe just needs a bit more time to gel. The one thing I did like about Bones was his play below the goal line. Brassard is pretty similar. I think it's just a matter of time before we see Brassard start to pay in spades.

Phil has been injured and they never had the right LW (until last night). In terms of fit with Phil I’d not use any of the previous games to measure that success.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I like Brassard. I am a bit concerned about the fit with Kessel, but maybe just needs a bit more time to gel. The one thing I did like about Bones was his play below the goal line. Brassard is pretty similar. I think it's just a matter of time before we see Brassard start to pay in spades.

Brassard's playoff resume speaks for itself. Maybe he has an off playoffs this year, who knows. They have him for at least another season so no biggie if he does.

Just funny how people forget that it took Bones almost an entire season and benefitting from great chemistry between Kessel and Hagelin, before he did anything worthwhile as a Pen.

Brassard had a sweet feed on Rust's goal last night and he and Kessel are making some really nice plays together now, puck just isn't going in yet. So people probably don't notice it I guess, no idea.

 

[AverageJoeFan]

This needs to be reiterated and stickied somewhere. Nick Bonino had one amazing run with HBK here. He never came close to it again and was arguably the 4th most important centre in 2017. He was 50/50 for the playoffs here and a ghost for long stretches. Sheahan, who the board has loved ever so much the entire time he’s been here, is out producing him this season.

I really like Sheahan. I am not so sure on wing with Sid...that was interesting to see last night.

 

[DegenX]

The point was not about Letang but the defensive play going into the playoffs last year being similarly, if not more, questioned.

Even from an analytics standpoint the Pens were in the bottom of teams in possession numbers all last year, one of the primary predictors of playoff success. Although it is ugly to watch the Pens have been near the top this year, currently fifth in team CF% and third in FF%.

Team Advanced Stats Finder | Hockey-Reference.com

THAT was more the point rather than focus on Letang who was a throw away reference in my point.

Hard to infer THAT was your point when you posted THIS

To put aside my name for a moment.

Wasn't this the exact same argument going into the playoffs last year, especially when it became clear that Letang was done for the year?

 

[Nadal On Clay]

Bones showed up in one playoff run, and last season went 18 playoff games between goals.

The Legend of Bones around here needs to stop.

Dude had one very good playoff run, mixed in with major bouts of being a ghost and a dud of a playoff run last season.

Still better than Brassard as of now.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Hard to infer THAT was your point when you posted THIS

Maybe I was not clear, I thought that I was. My point in the Letang throw in was that once he went down, on top of playing extremely lackluster, especially defensively, everyone threw in the towel.

Myself included.

Pittsburgh was in the bottom half of the league, 17th, in CF%, the possession number often cited as the single best playoff predictor. Under 50%.

Team Advanced Stats Finder | Hockey-Reference.com

Letang, who was their primary puck moving defenseman, had gone down. They were not burning it up toward the end of the year, again especially defensively. Their primary trade pickups to address the issue were Hainsey and Streit who looked like bandaids at best. Murray was out, and it looked like it would be for a long time. It turned out to be two rounds.

Letang going down was merely part of the narrative of the point that I was making.

Namely that last year it looked a whole lot worse and they did indeed flip a switch when the playoffs began.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

This season Letang > This season Trevor Daley.
If you'd honestly rather have Daley than a healthy Letang come playoff time... Ooof!

I would rather have Letang, but Daley is playing with Detroit... Letang needs to start being a great defenseman again.

 

[DegenX]

Maybe I was not clear, I thought that I was. My point in the Letang throw in was that once he went down, on top of playing extremely lackluster, especially defensively, everyone threw in the towel.

Myself included.

Pittsburgh was in the bottom half of the league, 17th, in CF%, the possession number often cited as the single best playoff predictor. Under 50%.

Team Advanced Stats Finder | Hockey-Reference.com

Letang, who was their primary puck moving defenseman, had gone down. They were not burning it up toward the end of the year, again especially defensively. Their primary trade pickups to address the issue were Hainsey and Streit who looked like bandaids at best.

Letang going down was merely part of the narrative of the point that I was making.

Namely that last year it looked a whole lot worse and they did indeed flip a switch when the playoffs began.

Fair enough.
With that said, we've moved past the game, so let's take it to the all purpose thread.