Post-Game Talk: "Scared" Rangers def Pens in OT

[Sideline]

To me... Fleury has actually slowed games down this year. That's a first. I can't say for sure he'll revert back to spaz Fleury in the playoffs. The betting side of me would say yes because of the past 5 years, but if I'm looking at just this year.. I expect him to be solid.

He's playing amazing this year. But yes... ultimately he has to do it in the postseason. And one solid playoff performance that leads us to a Cup would ABSOLUTELY make me forget the last 5 years. It would be a completely clean slate IMO for MAF. I would even go as far as saying I like the deal.

But that's a lot to ask for, eh?

I might be the biggest critic of MAF on the boards, but even I will admit I really like what I've seen so far. I still don't trust him in the playoffs; he's be much too unreliable in the past to make me forget all his demons there.

He's a good guy off the ice so I do hope he has it figured out.

 

[IcedCapp]

Practice is at 12:30 today at Southpointe. HCMJ said they'd have an update on Hörnqvist today, hope it's good news but bracing for something not good. Either way should find out in a couple of hours.

game last night, lots of injuries, and 3 days off...

Practice will be canceled in the next 37 minutes =p

 

[DegenX]

game last night, lots of injuries, and 3 days off...

Practice will be canceled in the next 37 minutes =p

Canceling a practice that's open to the public would be bad PR

Seriously, though, I'm more interested in an update on Hörnqvist than whatever lines they cobble together for practice.

 

[cheesedanish87]

Practice is at 12:30 today at Southpointe. HCMJ said they'd have an update on Hörnqvist today, hope it's good news but bracing for something not good. Either way should find out in a couple of hours.

Well at least we haven't seen any tweets about a pens press conference with Doctor Vyas today, i'l take that as a positive sign.

 

[DegenX]

Well at least we haven't seen any tweets about a pens press conference with Doctor Vyas today, i'l take that as a positive sign.

Agreed.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Well at least we haven't seen any tweets about a pens press conference with Doctor Vyas today, i'l take that as a positive sign.

We have really low standards for these things.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Shelly Anderson retweeted
Jenn Menendez ‏@JennMenendez
#Pens practice underway at Southpointe. Looks like no Maatta or Hornqvist.

 

[DegenX]

Jenn Menendez
‏@JennMenendez
#Pens practice underway at Southpointe. Looks like no Maatta or Hornqvist.


I know there's an umlaut joke in there if only I were witty enough

 

[vikingGoalie]

sorry haven't crawled through this whole thread and I'm sure it's been touched on.

but I just don't get at this point in the season why Despres averages less time on the ice then every single other defender we have. He is averaging less then Dumo, a wbs call-up, who does have some promise but has looked like a dumpster fire at times. He is averaging less then Bortuzzo, who I like the grit, but who has joined Dumo in the dumpster on fire at times.

Then you have Despres who I thought when paired with Erhoff last night looked even better. Those two can be a solid pairing. Something just doesn't add up to me.

I know I'm big on Despres and what he can bring for this team, and always have been. BUT to my eyes he is easily one of the top 3 Defensemen on the team, the minutes he has been given he has been above solid on. Why would you not give him more minutes in games in December to see what you got?

The guy is noticeable, in a good way, on just about every shift he takes. He's really noticeable in person since he is so much bigger but yet skates so well.

But yet he gets less TOI then every other defensemen on the team

 

[IcedCapp]

Jenn Menendez
‏@JennMenendez
#Pens practice underway at Southpointe. Looks like no Maatta or Hornqvist.


I know there's an umlaut joke in there if only I were witty enough

um, lots of people missing from practice...

 

[vikingGoalie]

I do like Johnston's comment when asked by a reporter why he didn't put Sid-Geno together in the 3rd since the fans are used to seeing that.

His reply. He liked the chances both lines where generating, that having a balanced attack it gave the Rags 2 lines to worry about and that since they got the last line change they couldn't just shut down one line, but had to worry about 2.

Blysma are you taking notes?

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Well, I havent and wont be expecting much from these next few games. Having 2 of your top 3 dmen out and 3 of your top 4 wingers out is a recipe for some mediocre results.

They played well enough but ....

 

[BHD]

I heard someone on NHL radio refer to the last two goals as "unfortunate luck" for the Rangers, and shoke my head. This team - depleted roster and all - put in the effort to score those goals, and could have won it. Obviously it wasn't the outcome desired, but there were a lot of things to like from last nights game.

 

[Shockmaster]

I think Dumoulin just needs to play defense and not jump up in the play as much as some of the other d-men. He's doesn't come off as someone who is going to add much offensively at the NHL level.

 

[IcedCapp]

I think Dumoulin just needs to play defense and not jump up in the play as much as some of the other d-men. He's doesn't come off as someone who is going to add much offensively at the NHL level.

funny, Despres detractors/Dumoulin supporters were saying the same thing about Despres last year.

Not saying you're right or wrong, just find it interesting that i read that verbatim a year ago regarding 47

 

[Shockmaster]

funny, Despres detractors/Dumoulin supporters were saying the same thing about Despres last year.

Not saying you're right or wrong, just find it interesting that i read that verbatim a year ago regarding 47

I was never a Despres detractor, so I can't really speak to that. All I can say is from watching Dumoulin his puck handling is nothing special and his skating isn't all that great. Never felt either of those were problems with Despres.

 

[IcedCapp]

I was never a Despres detractor, so I can't really speak to that. All I can say is from watching Dumoulin his puck handling is nothing special and his skating isn't all that great. Never felt either of those were problems with Despres.

I agree with you, like I said, I wasn't really judging you, just found it interesting.

I think Dumoulin has looked OK carrying the puck. Had a nice rush that earned a PP against Ottawa.

If you look at all 3 goals against last night, were any really "bad decisions"?

maybe the first goal, he could have played a bit more decisive, but it was Martin's turnover and Klink's limp backcheck.

The second goal was a bad bounce. I would have preferred he not play it with his skate like that (who other than Crosby can really do that consistently), but it was still a horrendous bounce.

The third goal - sure, it's a bad turnover, but it's 150ft from the net, and Martin DID HIM NO FAVORS.

Also, I thought Fleury had a pretty good night, but they really could use a stop on one of those 2-on-1s.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I was never a Despres detractor, so I can't really speak to that. All I can say is from watching Dumoulin his puck handling is nothing special and his skating isn't all that great. Never felt either of those were problems with Despres.

Dumo can rush the puck and dish it pretty well. His skating is right about what you expect from a big guy like that as well.

That's why I keep calling Despres a freak, because he is. Big guys usually don't transfer energy as efficiently in their stride, that's why most of them look like Dumo and it's rare a big guy can do what Despres does.

Dumo is a better skater than Bort and can dish much better than him as well. People are unfairly comparing Dumo to Despres and that's a little silly. Dumo is a 5th and can play that role well.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Young d-men have their bumps. People who expected perfection out of Dumo (and Depres) are/were dumb. Let's hope the coach and front office isn't that dumb and lets Dumo play out his mistakes. And while we're at it, breaking up that third pairing to either sit Scuds or get Despres more minutes would be swell.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Like I said... Dumoulin had a rough game. Which, ya know... happens when you are cutting your teeth at the highest level of the game to even the best prospects.

But he really wasn't even the worst defenseman, that night. Martin was worse. By a wide margin, actually. No excuse, for that guy. Unknown injuries/illness/curses aside.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I really kind of hope Martin's on the trade-block come Jan. 2nd. He's been bad of late, and in a contract year to boot.

 

[Old Gregg]

I agree with you, like I said, I wasn't really judging you, just found it interesting.

I think Dumoulin has looked OK carrying the puck. Had a nice rush that earned a PP against Ottawa.

If you look at all 3 goals against last night, were any really "bad decisions"?

maybe the first goal, he could have played a bit more decisive, but it was Martin's turnover and Klink's limp backcheck.

The second goal was a bad bounce. I would have preferred he not play it with his skate like that (who other than Crosby can really do that consistently), but it was still a horrendous bounce.

The third goal - sure, it's a bad turnover, but it's 150ft from the net, and Martin DID HIM NO FAVORS.

Also, I thought Fleury had a pretty good night, but they really could use a stop on one of those 2-on-1s.

On the second and third goal fleury made the first stop. Both guys made great plays by stuffing in the rebound. Not much fleury could do on those.

It sucks to lose when both Crosby and Malkin play like that but considering the rest of the roster we did pretty well.

 

[Shady Machine]

On the second and third goal fleury made the first stop. Both guys made great plays by stuffing in the rebound. Not much fleury could do on those.

It sucks to lose when both Crosby and Malkin play like that but considering the rest of the roster we did pretty well.

Yeah third goal is Martin's fault. No idea what the hell he was doing on that 2 on 1.

 

[wopper]

I agree with you, like I said, I wasn't really judging you, just found it interesting.

I think Dumoulin has looked OK carrying the puck. Had a nice rush that earned a PP against Ottawa.

If you look at all 3 goals against last night, were any really "bad decisions"?

maybe the first goal, he could have played a bit more decisive, but it was Martin's turnover and Klink's limp backcheck.

The second goal was a bad bounce. I would have preferred he not play it with his skate like that (who other than Crosby can really do that consistently), but it was still a horrendous bounce.

The third goal - sure, it's a bad turnover, but it's 150ft from the net, and Martin DID HIM NO FAVORS.

Also, I thought Fleury had a pretty good night, but they really could use a stop on one of those 2-on-1s.

I think you could argue 2/3 of the goals were "bad decisions."

I think it was the first goal, the "2 on 1" but he was defending the guy with the puck who had a backhand no angle shot, and Dumo's stick was on the short side of the net instead of protecting the pass. Not saying he would have gotten the pass, but he played that wrong and MJ even mentioned that on his bench interview "playing the wrong side" or something to that effect.

Playing the puck with his foot on that next goal was also a bad decision. He not only let the guy get around him with his move but missed the puck. Should have just played it safe, but he tried to be a bit fancy or maybe he thought it was the safer play. It wasn't..

The third goal wasn't on him much at all, yet he got benched after it. What does that tell the players? This is what bugs me. Bench him after one of the first two if you have to. Not when Martin isn't doing anything to help on the 3rd goal.

I think Dumo is going to be a fine 5/6 defensemen. He's not what this team needs. I don't really have an issue with his play, this year or last, but we have too many better defensemen to waste a roster spot on him in the long run, I think.

 

[madinsomniac]

Young D make mistakes... which is why you play them in the relatively meaningless regular season and get their heads in the NHL game and get them used to NHL speed. They never get that on the bench. That's why NHL coaches often have to be forced into using young guys... though when you do get them ready and up to speed in your system...then you have a half decade or more of not having to worry about filling a spot because they are cheap, controlled, are on the upswing, and often have fewer health issues than guys who have taken a lot of hits through the years