Post-Game Talk: Sharks 5 Penguins 3|Sid -5|The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Indifference

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Agreed on both.

Like I said... most teams would be thrilled to have a guy like Despres in their pipeline and relish the opportunity to work through some of his more raw spots. But this team seems dead-set on finding fault... so long as it's a guy like Despres and not a vetpet, of course. It's like they just don't want to bother having to, you know... do their jobs.

At least he wasn't shuffled off for some fossil at the deadline. Hopefully it portends better things for him, soon.

He only tried to carry the puck out once I believe, so that should make the coaching staff all giddy.

 

[Terrapin]

To be perfectly clear... I don't want goons. Goons won't help. Not these days.

But I want the (majority) of the guys (Park, Conner, etc.) you listed later in your post even less. I'd way rather dress PL3 every game instead of friggin' Adams and Conner, or whoever the try-hard midget du jour is that particular season.

There is a happy medium to be found and this team needs to find it fast.

Agreed. Icing a Steve Macintyre isn't going to do any good, although it's hard to be less effective than a lot of those guys mentioned.

I want a few 'blood and guts' guys that not only refuse to wilt under physical play, but actually go and seek it out. This team doesn't even have a guy that forces teams to play with their head on a swivel. We always had guys like Ruutu, Cooke (although he obviously took things too far), Talbot, Armstrong, Roberts, Kasparitis, etc. Guys that gave the other team something to worry about other than shutting down our 2 lines.

 

[cheesedanish87]

+ Great game, one of the best pens games all year.


-Sid, just an awful game, some games Sid plays defense, some games he doesn't, hopefully he plays def in every game when the playoffs start.

-Zatkoff i thought he should of stopped 3 of the 4 goals he gave up, the Burns goal was the only goal i wouldn't blame him on.

 

[Shady Machine]

I should amend my San Jose announcers comment. They also made a point to say how hard the Pens went to the net and how they battled to get to the paint better than most teams. That was certainly an odd statement.

 

[IcedCapp]

He only tried to carry the puck out once I believe, so that should make the coaching staff all giddy.

the play where he carried to the blue line then made a nice bank pass that sprang an offensive chance?

Actually, I think there were two. He skated it to the red line and dumped it in on his backhand once!


The Despres hate on this board is hilarious. People were mad at him for wearing his helmet wrong last night because it came off AFTER BEING SLASHED ON THE FOREHEAD.

 

[Shady Machine]

the play where he carried to the blue line then made a nice bank pass that sprang an offensive chance?

Actually, I think there were two. He skated it to the red line and dumped it in on his backhand once!


The Despres hate on this board is hilarious. People were mad at him for wearing his helmet wrong last night because it came off AFTER BEING SLASHED ON THE FOREHEAD.

Somehow I missed that gem.

 

[Terrapin]

I think we have what it takes physically. We aren't exactly a team chalk full of smurfs and muffins. It's rather the MENTAL aspect that really, really, concerns me.

We absolutely do not. As I just said, there is nobody on this team that strikes any fear in anyone, or even gives anyone a second thought. And I don't mean having goons that can beat everyone up (although I wouldn't mind one). Teams used to have to be aware of Cooke, Colby, Talbot, Ruutu, Roberts, Kaspar, etc. Those guys had to be accounted for because they could and would lay you out given the opportunity. Who do we have that even comes close to that? Glass? Orpik?

And even if we disregard that aspect of the game, who do we have that will park themselves in front of the net like Malone, Guerin, Roberts, etc used to? For that matter, who do we have that will clear our net besides Bort?

There is a serious lack of toughness on this team that I've been clamoring about for 2 years. I was laughed at because of it, but as usual, I was right!

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

He only tried to carry the puck out once I believe, so that should make the coaching staff all giddy.

Indeed!

Can't have those defenseman carrying the puck out of danger. Nope. Better to stay totally stationary and bomb prayers up the middle of the ice, instead. See... it only takes that (usually errant) pass a second to leave the zone! Uh... unless it's picked off. Details.

 

[Coastal Kev]

I think we have what it takes physically. We aren't exactly a team chalk full of smurfs and muffins. It's rather the MENTAL aspect that really, really, concerns me.

I have the opposite opinion. We can talk coaching or about this or that player not doing enough. But at the end of day, in a physical sport, when your opponent can wear you down physically, you don't have a shot. When San Jose got to their game last night, it was over. Yes the Pens could have held on and won, last night. But come playoffs, teams like San Jose will always be at their game. And the Pens will wilt like the delicate flower that they are. Their D is soft, their Wings are soft and their Centers are soft.

Sutter had to go at the trade deadline, he is the poster child for the PENS. He floats, he floats, he floats and then he floats some more. Never wanting to get dirty he always seems like he just going through the motions. Every 5 games or so, he gets energy for a shift or two and makes a dazzling play, even scores a goal or two. But then it's back to the floating.


Teams that win cups cannot have a BRANDON SUTTER as their 3rd center.

 

[AquaticBirdman]

This team could use a Jamie McGinn..

 

[NastyNick]

Expectations for different players. Zatcoff is a first year backup. Fleury is supposed to be a franchise goalie. That goal wasnt good by zatcoff, thats why he's a backup. What's fleury's excuse?

Hes sucks?

Seriously.. we don't know what good goaltending looks like in this city.

Vokoun was the most consistent we've had in years, and he was probably a 5 out of 10. Zatkoff is an AHL guy. Fleury should be a backup.

The only reason he isn't is draft pedigree.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

As a Sharks fan I actually thought Despres played fantastic last night

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

As a Sharks fan I actually thought Despres played fantastic last night

Everyone here who is a sane individual thinks the same thing as well.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Indeed!

Can't have those defenseman carrying the puck out of danger. Nope. Better to stay totally stationary and bomb prayers up the middle of the ice, instead. See... it only takes that (usually errant) pass a second to leave the zone! Uh... unless it's picked off. Details.

Don't forget the ol' "bank it off the boards in hopes it will get out, in which the best case scenario is the other team collects it at the red line and brings it right back into the zone."

6-second rule guyz!

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Don't forget the ol' "bank it off the boards in hopes it will get out, in which the best case scenario is the other team collects it at the red line and brings it right back into the zone."

6-second rule guyz!

Ah yes. A strategy I know all too well. With a slight amendment -- it has to be banked off the boards/glass either far too soft or far too hard. Anything in between is far too handsy. It has a name, you know... it's called The Scuderi. I missed it for all those years. Though Orpik kept the dream alive in his too-long absence.

Seriously. What was the team's otherwise seemingly intelligent GM thinking when he signed that guy in the offseason? Long term. I hate to pick on just one guy... but you couldn't find a worse match for this system. It's not all his fault... but it's glaring.

 

[Penguinzilla*]

As a Sharks fan I actually thought Despres played fantastic last night

He played well. He had a couple blunders but nothing major. You can tell how good he CAN be with his size, strength, skating, and puck handling. He can end up being a stud if Bylsma doesn't ruin him

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Remember when Sid was one of the more tenacious stars in the league defensively? Remember when he was the one guy on the team you could count on to bust his ass from the time he hopped over the boards until he got back onto the bench? That gif, and to be honest all of last night's game, was a complete joke. Probably the worst game Sid's ever played in the NHL. This is where someone behind the bench with a sack would help out. But it's Bylsma, so, no big deal. Everyone still gets ice cream after the game.

And, not to beat an already decomposed horse, but you gotta think that goes back to Bylsma. No accountability, constantly playing him with guys who are borderline AHLers, seeing Bylsma's inability to coach, etc. That's gotta be wearing on him mentally.

How many other superstars in the league are left with a guy like Gibbons on their wing? Or better yet, when healthy, Dupuis. We're looking at eight years of this, too. Not that anyone on his line keeps him from pulling that kind of **** on the power play, but in general--Sid's probably frustrated beyond belief but he's not the kind of guy who will ever speak out. It's the Therrien situation all over again, but the opposite side of the spectrum.

Top to bottom, we got embarrassed last night. The only guys who showed up were Maatta, Despres. Zatkoff was the reason it wasn't 10-3, so I can't really give him a minus, but a couple of his goals were pretty awful. The first goal was pretty much the Penguins' D allowing the Sharks to own the crease (that's nothing new). The Marleau goal probably should have been a save, but whatever. The third goal, Orpik just decided he was bored and went for a walk leaving Burns wide open in the slot. Orpik's as big a problem with this team as anything you can possibly point out, he's been absolute **** for several years now. His play has dropped off precipitously since the Cup. The Thornton goal was BAD, like Fleury in the post-season bad. So again, not great when you look at the goals, but Zatkoff was solid for the other 850 shots against.

I've been saying it for months. This team is a paper tiger, and we're going to get decimated when the games really start to matter. I'd be absolutely astonished if we made it out of the East, like floored. But hypothetically, if we made it to the Finals, we might as well not even show up. We'd lose in 3.

Shero's got a LOT of work to do to fix this problem, and I'm not sure he has the sack or the brains to do it.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

I've been saying it for months. This team is a paper tiger, and we're going to get decimated when the games really start to matter. I'd be absolutely astonished if we made it out of the East, like floored. But hypothetically, if we made it to the Finals, we might as well not even show up. We'd lose in 3.

Shero's got a LOT of work to do to fix this problem, and I'm not sure he has the sack or the brains to do it.

Stop saying paper tiger -- that song will keep getting stuck in my head!

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The Beck song?

There are worse things.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

The Beck song?

There are worse things.

No, I like it a lot -- one of my favorite tracks on one of my favorite albums. But there comes a time when I want something else running through my brain, especially when I'm trying to stay awake.

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

No, the Spoon song

 

[Farnham4top6]

Judging from the score and this thread I am glad that I didn't wake up 04:30 to see the game as thought. Turned of the alarm in my sleep...

 

[thecore]

So....after this game, how does everyone feel about not overpaying for Kesler? He adds a toughness element that our forward group outside of Glass (who can skate but also can't play hockey) sorely lacks, as evidenced by last night.

I was on the fence about whether we should have gone all in for him. But I think this team needs a culture change, and he might have been able to help in that regard.

Of course, we could also use another Cooke, Torres, etc. Basically a guy who hits but can also play hockey unless Glass.

Also, if Adams suits up in the playoffs DB is a joke. He is just a Glass that can't skate. The 4th line will continue to get eaten alive at ES with both those guys there. And now we have options on PK - Sutter, Goc, Stempniak, Sutter, Glass, Kunitz. There is absolutely no reason Adams has to dress. He should be the 13th forward at this point in his career.

 

[Wes Mantooth]

I'm getting the Thrice song stuck in my head

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

Remember Tyler the Tiger? Steiggy never got that to stick.