Post-Game Talk: Sharks 2, Pens 1 (SO) - The Kunitz Spoils Sid Going Old School Edition

KIRK

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
109,700
51,216
Let's go . . .

The Pouliot coming out party is very encouraging. Most ES TOI save Letang.

Sid starting to modulate his speed to his linemates is a huge plus.

Perron isn't meshing with Sid and Horny. I'd say try someone else if I didn't know who that would be.

Geno isn't good enough, even playing as he is, to beat a team defending well in layers with a third liner on one wing and a corpse on the other.

The coaches refusal to see Kunitz for what he is at ES and on the PP is going to cost this team at least one game in the playoffs.

Tocchet's bookie runs the Pens PP.

Pretty clear what the formula is: The Pens top four players need to be the top four players. You need contributions like you're getting from Horny and DP. And, you need to overcome guys like Kunitz, Sutter (at ES), and Scuderi, which is something made infinitely harder by the Pens coaching staff.

I'll say this again: Mike Johnston is a moron as a bench boss. Kunitz-Comeau, Winnik-Beau, Spaling-Downie. Quick, tell me which pair is best? There isn't one, and usually it's a question of feel in one a game by game basis. So, they SMART thing to do would be to mix up which combo is centered when by 71, 16, and 40. Get a feel for who's going with whom and then ride it. THAT is smart bench management designed to most fully leverage your assets. The best coaches in hockey would take this approach given the Pens roster, but, really, Mike Johnston makes Dan Bylsma look like Badger Bob when it comes to bench management of personnel. It's THAT ******* BAD.

Can anyone tell me WHY these coaches won't use the PP from the Columbus game? Pouliot right point. Letang left point. Horny net front. Geno roving the slot. Sid working either circle, where on the other side you get the defenseman working back door cuts. It worked because it put people into positions playing to their strengths. RICK TOCCHET IS A FRAUD.
 
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YinzAintBurgh*

Guest
+ Sid
+ Flower
+ DP
+ Crafty Chris Kunitz

-- Letang
- Not scoring on 4 on 3
- Comeau
 

Waffle Fries

Registered User
Mar 7, 2013
18,086
2
+ We played a really good game, and deserved a win.
+ Sid scoring against the Sharks
+ Hornqvist's existence

+++ Hertl
----- Kunitz

- Shootouts
 

Rectify

I HAVE A JOB!!
Oct 16, 2008
3,975
1
Around
+++ DP
++ Team effort, they looked fantastic for most of the game
+ Fleury

------------MJ
------------------MJ

Why in the world is Kunitz getting so much ice time/chances? EV/PP/4 on4/4 on 3/SO...what in Gods name is he thinking? HE IS TERRIBLE, WAKE UP. Loved the effort overall, they looked like a playoff team tonight, very enjoyable game.
 

Sh00terMcGavin

#Leadership
Jul 5, 2011
6,838
0
Pittsburgh
+DP. Guy played like a maniac (in a good way)

-Kunitz. He's finished. "Veteran presence" means **** if your presence just so happens to be completely awful.
 

Pancakes

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Mar 4, 2011
26,300
18,223
I know everyone is going to blame Letang for that 4 on 3 powerplay - and he refused to shoot as usual - but Malkin made some horrible decisions with the puck. He took two wristers that were blocked, and made a few terrible awful passes to Letang that were so bad Letang couldn't even think about one timing them.
 

tom_servo

Registered User
Sep 27, 2002
17,154
6,011
Pittsburgh
If the game film that Kunitz watches is being narrated by Steigerwald and Errey, he must think he's doing a pretty great job.
 

Speaking Moistly

What a terrible image.
Feb 19, 2013
39,728
7,402
Injured Reserve
The players deserved to win; the coaching staff threw that away.

----------------------------- Kunitz can **** off, but first take him to a doctor to make sure he isn't dying.
 

ShatteredGlass

∞ Posts Deleted :)
Dec 19, 2011
778
0
Pittsburgh / Vegas
We deserved to win.
Ran into an average goalie who had a Hasek-esque night.

+DP is an animal and I love how he is blossoming.
+Sid's backhand
-----Kunitz, Johnston

We used to be so good in shootouts. Whereforeartthou Bylsma?
 

Sidney the Kidney

One last time
Jun 29, 2009
55,750
46,770
Kunitz is reaching Adams level hatred for me. When I see him get top unit PP time while Hornqvist is on the bench, or see him next to Sid at 4 on 4 in OT, while Perron or Hornqvist are with Sutter, I just want to throw something.

The PP just sucks ass. Perfect opportunity to win it in OT, and the thing didn't even look dangerous. No movement, no actual dangerous chances. Fix it, Tocchet. You boasted how easy it would be to do so.
 

Waffle Fries

Registered User
Mar 7, 2013
18,086
2
I know everyone is going to blame Letang for that 4 on 3 powerplay - and he refused to shoot as usual - but Malkin made some horrible decisions with the puck. He took two wristers that were blocked, and made a few terrible awful passes to Letang that were so bad Letang couldn't even think about one timing them.

I think we're going with MJ and Kunitz for that one.
 

flaneur

Registered User
Jul 17, 2013
5,532
354
another fun game.

+ that goal by crosby.
+ pouliot. really on fire. he really should have been given a shot at the shootout. makes me think the coaching staff aren't good at reading their players.
- that 4 on 3 pp. too cute. plus why was kunitz in instead of hornqvist to start the OT pp?

- the winless streak at the shark tank continues to another season.
 

Ragamuffin Gunner

Lost in the Flood
Aug 15, 2008
34,878
7,092
Boston
The SO is going to cost us the Metro, which is gonna lead to playing the Rags or Caps which is going to lead to losing in the 1st round. ****ing pathetic.
 

Dipsy Doodle

Rent A Barn
May 28, 2006
76,579
21,121
Pouliot and Fleury were amazing, and most of our other guys were pretty good.

Except Kunitz, who was an abomination and cost us the game. And by extension, MJ.
 

Michael8771*

Guest
We just couldn't finish, beyond that we dominated end zone time, we cycled effectively and largely controlled the play. It's hard for me to find much fault in this defeat. Other than my original point, which is we just couldn't finish.
 

BeautiPhil

Toronto Sun Model
Nov 23, 2010
1,028
0
Virginia
I had gotten tired of hating on kunitz, because he was basically the same level of bad every game. But tonight he played so spectacularly awful in every facet of the game, it is simply astounding that our coach didnt bench him or at least reduce his ice time.
 

vodeni

Registered User
Oct 27, 2010
30,335
15,232
Pittsburgh
I know everyone is going to blame Letang for that 4 on 3 powerplay - and he refused to shoot as usual - but Malkin made some horrible decisions with the puck. He took two wristers that were blocked, and made a few terrible awful passes to Letang that were so bad Letang couldn't even think about one timing them.

I thought Geno was really something on that PP, no clue where to be, what to do
 

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