Post-Game Talk: Sabres 5, Penguins 2 - The Pens Have Gone from Suck to Blow

[Turin]

For as hyper neurotic as this board is, imagine being a Leafs fan right now.

 

[EightyOne]

For as hyper neurotic as this board is, imagine being a Leafs fan right now.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think Sully and Babcock went to the same coaching school.

Posers.

There's rumours Sullivan made Jarry make a list of who he feels is least to most soff and made him read it out loud after the game.

 

[ColePens]

For as hyper neurotic as this board is, imagine being a Leafs fan right now.

Meh I think it's just a society thing. There is so much negativity that it is poisonous. I realize like a lot of people (still being the minority of people here) are just hellbent on negativity. They only show up when things are down and they want to throw out "I TOLD YOU!" because I swear they actually want to see the team lose. It is mind boggling.

My take: A hockey team in the NHL is experiencing ups/downs. Holy shit! I am not shocked in any way. I think because i've played the game and understand life isn't some magical sequence where everything goes perfect and you win. The season is like an emotional rollercoaster of ups/downs and all arounds.

The one thing I know.. the Pens have found the ultimate glory in the wake of some EXTREMELY dark times. So I am a full believer that this team sometimes has to experience some downs to find that extra edge to push them over to the top. Anything from here on out on the Sid/G era is beyond icing on the cake. It's like a tub of extra icing you get to take home.

So i'm going to enjoy and watch. Because at the end of the day this is entertainment. And it will forever make me wonder why people just drown in negativity and almost hope for the team to struggle so they can whine. It is beyond me.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Meh I think it's just a society thing. There is so much negativity that it is poisonous. I realize like a lot of people (still being the minority of people here) are just hellbent on negativity. They only show up when things are down and they want to throw out "I TOLD YOU!" because I swear they actually want to see the team lose. It is mind boggling.

My take: A hockey team in the NHL is experiencing ups/downs. Holy shit! I am not shocked in any way. I think because i've played the game and understand life isn't some magical sequence where everything goes perfect and you win. The season is like an emotional rollercoaster of ups/downs and all arounds.

The one thing I know.. the Pens have found the ultimate glory in the wake of some EXTREMELY dark times. So I am a full believer that this team sometimes has to experience some downs to find that extra edge to push them over to the top. Anything from here on out on the Sid/G era is beyond icing on the cake. It's like a tub of extra icing you get to take home.

So i'm going to enjoy and watch. Because at the end of the day this is entertainment. And it will forever make me wonder why people just drown in negativity and almost hope for the team to struggle so they can whine. It is beyond me.

There's humor in both ups and downs. I'll get mad for a minute, we control nothing.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

lol @ sitting Riikola for Trotman. Riikola is playing better than Schultz, Pettersson, Johnson, and Ruhwedel right now. And he's miles better than Trotman. You're an idiot, MS.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Well, we didn’t lose to our zamboni driver, silver lining?

 

[Night Shift]

Well, we didn’t lose to our zamboni driver, silver lining?

I can just see it: Emergency goaltender Dan Potash

 

[Invalid cuz QoC]

Idk who said it but think of it like this...you see people at the airport get upset their flight got delayed, when the probability of their flight being delayed is high. So I’m not sure why they get so upset when it happens.

Apply that logic to hockey games. Decent chance your team will lose on a given night so why be so upset they lost.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Meh I think it's just a society thing. There is so much negativity that it is poisonous. I realize like a lot of people (still being the minority of people here) are just hellbent on negativity. They only show up when things are down and they want to throw out "I TOLD YOU!" because I swear they actually want to see the team lose. It is mind boggling.

My take: A hockey team in the NHL is experiencing ups/downs. Holy shit! I am not shocked in any way. I think because i've played the game and understand life isn't some magical sequence where everything goes perfect and you win. The season is like an emotional rollercoaster of ups/downs and all arounds.

The one thing I know.. the Pens have found the ultimate glory in the wake of some EXTREMELY dark times. So I am a full believer that this team sometimes has to experience some downs to find that extra edge to push them over to the top. Anything from here on out on the Sid/G era is beyond icing on the cake. It's like a tub of extra icing you get to take home.

So i'm going to enjoy and watch. Because at the end of the day this is entertainment. And it will forever make me wonder why people just drown in negativity and almost hope for the team to struggle so they can whine. It is beyond me.

Our board has had a lot of negativity and toxicity pumped into it over the last 2-3 seasons and it's tough. At first you don't want to respond or report or even acknowledge people like that but then it finds an audience and suddenly it starts to grow and it's tough to want to be here and people will scoff and say well go away then but it's not that simple. We all came here because we are fans of hockey and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Largest community of us that aren't casual fans for the most part. So we can't just leave and trying to get that toxicity to leave means sometimes you think you have to stop it and say something and that just ends up getting you in trouble.

I see it a lot at the moment. Posters that constantly derail stuff to push their agenda and think it's funny or cute because they feel like that method is the best way to get their point across. There's being funny and then there's being an asshole and saying dumb shit and that line is getting blurred by a select few. It's frustrating. Imagine trying to report and ignore those people. It feels shitty to do. You don't want to do that because even if that person is 9 times out of 10, a wanker, you still want to hope that person gives some valuable contribution at some point.

Some of the shit I saw in that gdt. Just so petty. There's this f***ed up view right now by a group of fans and it's tough to want to participate when it takes over.

I do feel less annoyed when I watch some games and don't post here. Knowing what kind of narrative some are pushing is taking over and not having to see it allows you to enjoy the game even when it's a loss. Shouldn't have to be like that. Imagine not being able to enjoy the game with your mates?

Anyways. Just my thoughts on the whole negativity and toxicity part of your post.

 

[Turin]

Tampa gets blown out by Arizona, Boston gets blown out by Vancouver, Washington loses to New Jersey. Time to relax, today was just weird.

 

[pensfan71]

Our board has had a lot of negativity and toxicity pumped into it over the last 2-3 seasons and it's tough. At first you don't want to respond or report or even acknowledge people like that but then it finds an audience and suddenly it starts to grow and it's tough to want to be here and people will scoff and say well go away then but it's not that simple. We all came here because we are fans of hockey and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Largest community of us that aren't casual fans for the most part. So we can't just leave and trying to get that toxicity to leave means sometimes you think you have to stop it and say something and that just ends up getting you in trouble.

I see it a lot at the moment. Posters that constantly derail stuff to push their agenda and think it's funny or cute because they feel like that method is the best way to get their point across. There's being funny and then there's being an asshole and saying dumb shit and that line is getting blurred by a select few. It's frustrating. Imagine trying to report and ignore those people. It feels shitty to do. You don't want to do that because even if that person is 9 times out of 10, a wanker, you still want to hope that person gives some valuable contribution at some point.

Some of the shit I saw in that gdt. Just so petty. There's this f*cked up view right now by a group of fans and it's tough to want to participate when it takes over.

I do feel less annoyed when I watch some games and don't post here. Knowing what kind of narrative some are pushing is taking over and not having to see it allows you to enjoy the game even when it's a loss. Shouldn't have to be like that. Imagine not being able to enjoy the game with your mates?

Anyways. Just my thoughts on the whole negativity and toxicity part of your post.

This board is legit ass, I've stopped posting on here for the major part of the last 2 years, but it is what it is. We've been spoiled and the entitlement is coming out

 

[Honour Over Glory]

This board is legit ass, I've stopped posting on here for the major part of the last 2 years, but it is what it is. We've been spoiled and the entitlement is coming out

It's maybe a bit of that. But this need to have your boy vs another dude or this person isn't who we should have etc. Is just cumbersome.

 

[heysmilinstrange]

It's maybe a bit of that. But this need to have your boy vs another dude or this person isn't who we should have etc. Is just cumbersome.

I would take posts like this more seriously if they weren't coming from one of the biggest participants in the activities being criticized.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I would take posts like this more seriously if they weren't coming from one of the biggest participants in the activities being criticized.

And here we go...

Weird to get called out by someone that literally lost it in a thread and started to reference social media and genitalia. But sure.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

For as hyper neurotic as this board is, imagine being a Leafs fan right now.

I don't think any Pens loss can top that. It's a meme that won't go away. "Dude, your team lost to a Zamboni driver".

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I don't think any Pens loss can top that. It's a meme that won't go away. "Dude, your team lost to a Zamboni driver".

To their own affiliate's Zamboni driver.

 

[JTG]

That screams one of the big problems is the coaching then...

It's not with coaching. It's with the fact that this team cannot all get 90% healthy at the same time. We have no idea how this team would look healthy at this point in the season, and we are in a playoff run right now. It's insane.

Meh I think it's just a society thing. There is so much negativity that it is poisonous. I realize like a lot of people (still being the minority of people here) are just hellbent on negativity. They only show up when things are down and they want to throw out "I TOLD YOU!" because I swear they actually want to see the team lose. It is mind boggling.

My take: A hockey team in the NHL is experiencing ups/downs. Holy shit! I am not shocked in any way. I think because i've played the game and understand life isn't some magical sequence where everything goes perfect and you win. The season is like an emotional rollercoaster of ups/downs and all arounds.

The one thing I know.. the Pens have found the ultimate glory in the wake of some EXTREMELY dark times. So I am a full believer that this team sometimes has to experience some downs to find that extra edge to push them over to the top. Anything from here on out on the Sid/G era is beyond icing on the cake. It's like a tub of extra icing you get to take home.

So i'm going to enjoy and watch. Because at the end of the day this is entertainment. And it will forever make me wonder why people just drown in negativity and almost hope for the team to struggle so they can whine. It is beyond me.

I remember first coming here in the early 2000's and reading the opinions of some guys who are still posting. Most have moved on, whether it is because of life events or whatever, but I think a lot of them stopped posting because this became a forum for people to piss and moan and shit on their least favorite players. I wish some newer quality posters could see how this place was 15 years ago and the quality of fan that was here. I always joked with WVP that after being on HF for a period of time you cannot have a normal conversation with a "fan" again. It's not that way anymore.

 

[Icarium]

Honestly, this team reminds me of the final month of last year - the injured players returned but we lost the defensive structure, got the wins thanks to good goaltending and timely goals but never looked like real contenders, then got exposed in the playoffs. This year, we were playing good defence for much longer than last year which is good but it's disheartening to see us abandoning what got us so many wins. I know you can't play hard in all 82 games but it's weird how the team is usually so motivated when Geno or Sid is out and so Jekyll and Hyde like when both are fit to play.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

The simplest solution to making the board better is to contribute positivity and refuse to give the negative vibes a sounding board.

Always trying to keep criticism about the content of posts rather than posters goes a long way too. Nothing wrong with a good natured jab, but when you start making value judgments on people, that's usually when the shit storm starts.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Meh I think it's just a society thing. There is so much negativity that it is poisonous. I realize like a lot of people (still being the minority of people here) are just hellbent on negativity. They only show up when things are down and they want to throw out "I TOLD YOU!" because I swear they actually want to see the team lose. It is mind boggling.

My take: A hockey team in the NHL is experiencing ups/downs. Holy shit! I am not shocked in any way. I think because i've played the game and understand life isn't some magical sequence where everything goes perfect and you win. The season is like an emotional rollercoaster of ups/downs and all arounds.

The one thing I know.. the Pens have found the ultimate glory in the wake of some EXTREMELY dark times. So I am a full believer that this team sometimes has to experience some downs to find that extra edge to push them over to the top. Anything from here on out on the Sid/G era is beyond icing on the cake. It's like a tub of extra icing you get to take home.

So i'm going to enjoy and watch. Because at the end of the day this is entertainment. And it will forever make me wonder why people just drown in negativity and almost hope for the team to struggle so they can whine. It is beyond me.

• There is definitely some element of wanting to be right. I enjoy being right, but I enjoy watching the Pens win a LOT more. I would have GLADLY eaten crow if Phil won the Conn Smythe (or even just materially contributed to winning a Cup) last year after railing against him for 500-1000 posts.
• I've been in companies where we have big meetings when things are going badly but nary a peep when things are going well to understand why (mind you, this isn't a good thing); people are more interested in chiming in when stuff is going wrong. It's not quite the same but I think it's close here.
• As for tubs and icing and stuff: first off, no ice cream? I know it's your favorite. Second: I understand the long view of the post-lockout Pens is a roaring success even if it flames out from this point forward. I really do. But it's unfair to not allow people to compartmentalize it and get greedy a little bit.

As for the current issues with the Pens:

First off they extend to way before these 2 games. They've been pretty bad at 5-on-5 in chance generation for a while now. And I truly believe that is the leading indicator for a team's future success. Good news is that they have time to turn it around.

1. It starts with losing 2/3 of your best defensemen. In fact, 2/3 of your actual good defensemen. The 6-man group we've been trotting out there (pun not intended but whatever) is a joke right now.
2. Winger-wise: Zucker's average but not great so far, Rust has gone very cold not just from an end-product standpoint but in play-driving. Like "plz be injured I hope you didn't just turn into a pumpkin" cold. McCann has been notably cold from an end-product standpoint, though the play driving is still there.
3. Sid's defensive effort is really, really subpar right now. His playmaking still dazzles but he's been playing like Patrick Kane and this team doesn't need that from its #1 center-man right now.
4. Tactically, you are far more of an expert on this but something is very wrong with our forecheck and breakouts right now. Other teams are making clean tape-to-tape passes and carrying the puck into our zone with speed. We're exiting by walling the puck, making Murphy dumps and random chips and desperately going for a change. My continued belief on the breakouts is that our collapsing defensive style works well in the defensive zone itself but leads to the team being bunched up and unable to exit the zone cleanly with true possession. I don't have a good POV on why the forecheck can't establish possession but it's concerning.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Always trying to keep criticism about the content of posts rather than posters goes a long way too. Nothing wrong with a good natured jab, but when you start making value judgments on people, that's usually when the shit storm starts.

This is a very, very wise statement. One that the dude in your avatar would endorse. I'll check myself on that; I haven't been as good as I'd like to be there.

 

[JRS91]

I think it's fair to say that when you're missing arguably two of your top-four defensemen, you're going to struggle defensively.

 

[vodeni]

The simplest solution to making the board better is to contribute positivity and refuse to give the negative vibes a sounding board.

Always trying to keep criticism about the content of posts rather than posters goes a long way too. Nothing wrong with a good natured jab, but when you start making value judgments on people, that's usually when the shit storm starts.

amen!

 

[ChaosAgent]

I think it's fair to say that when you're missing arguably two of your top-four defensemen, you're going to struggle defensively.

It's 2/3 if we're talking "best" defensemen. And they are closer to our best DMan than our 4th best DMan in terms of impact.