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

[vodeni]

• 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.

This is critical in Sully's game...First line is OK Sid is great at that, Simon is good too, however they are slow transitioning back, Geno's line gone from great to below the line...watching Rust lately he is not playing F1 anymore, kind of lingering on the wall...with Horny he is to slow to get to the first d-man and Geno is geno...flying by unless Horny or slows down d-man that Geno can work his stick in tight corners, Third line is the best ...Bluegs and Tanev are flying there but they are offensively challenged so not much of that momentum is carrying over, our fourth line is a mess....our d-man by and large are not great on the wall and the blue line to keep that puck in, also when they have puck the probability that that blue line shot will be dangerous is close to none unless its Tanger....Losing Jake who is such an underrated forechcker really hurt...

Geno's line could compensate that if our transition offense is better, but the lack of that first crisp pass is now problem, it actually worked nicely mid season, but without Dumo and Marino that is really tough (that would be two pairs capable of bringing the puck quickly)

 

[ChaosAgent]

This is critical in Sully's game...First line is OK Sid is great at that, Simon is good too, however they are slow transitioning back, Geno's line gone from great to below the line...watching Rust lately he is not playing F1 anymore, kind of lingering on the wall...with Horny he is to slow to get to the first d-man and Geno is geno...flying by unless Horny or slows down d-man that Geno can work his stick in tight corners, Third line is the best ...Bluegs and Tanev are flying there but they are offensively challenged so not much of that momentum is carrying over, our fourth line is a mess....our d-man by and large are not great on the wall and the blue line to keep that puck in, also when they have puck the probability that that blue line shot will be dangerous is close to none unless its Tanger....Losing Jake who is such an underrated forechcker really hurt...

Geno's line could compensate that if our transition offense is better, but the lack of that first crisp pass is now problem, it actually worked nicely mid season, but without Dumo and Marino that is really tough (that would be two pairs capable of bringing the puck quickly)

Nice breakdown and informative post.

Inspired by your post, today I'm really going to concentrate on Sid's line transition defense back and Rust's activity level on the forecheck. Thanks man.

 

[LOGiK]

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.

Because there is a possibility it will not get delayed and the thought of things going smoovly makes you happy? (no matter how slim a chance).

When it gets delayed this makes your brain reconfigure out several dozens of events and hundreds of intricate details now to replace an otherwise seamless day. That is why people get upset when their flight is delayed.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Stats on airline delays seem perfect to post in the waning minutes before this thread gets locked:

OST_R | BTS | Title from h2

The majority of the time they aren't delayed. Having said that if you're flying into like Newark/Laguardia/O'Hare/LAX you shouldn't be too upset.

 

[Angrrus]

Yikes.

Funny how the downward part coincides with the timing of Crosby’s return.