Post-Game Talk: Sharks 5, Pens 0 - After the Meat Sweats Subside, It's the Hangover I Must Contend With

[HandshakeLine]

God. DAMN.

You are in postseason form, and it's barely... well, March! At least someone is, though!

 

[Gurglesons]

You called me a yinzer and then you agree'd with me?

.... I gotta get out of here...

Anyways... let's hope at least one of marino / dum. Even if it doesn't entirely fix things it should plug a major hole in JJ being on the top pair. I hope. Who knows anymore.

The Yinz take is because the world is falling after a six game stretch.

 

[Ryder71]

No question losing both Marino and Dumo is hurting this team. I mean it's so obvious. But another concerning aspect of this is the fact that our structure is not as competent or sound as it once was. And that's an issue more about being disciplined and paying attention to detail than anything. Maybe some players are trying to do too much.

Maybe some for whatever reason are playing more selfishly or deferring too much in other cases. We're just not pulling in the same direction. We've had less talent in our line up earlier in the season yet attained better results. I think it's less about talent and more about lack of focus, cohesion and chemistry.

 

[WayneSid9987]

No question losing both Marino and Dumo is hurting this team. I mean it's so obvious. But another concerning aspect of this is the fact that our structure is not as competent or sound as it once was. And that's an issue more about being disciplined and paying attention to detail than anything. Maybe some players are trying to do too much.

Maybe some for whatever reason are playing more selfishly or deferring too much in other cases. We're just not pulling in the same direction. We've had less talent in our line up earlier in the season yet attained better results. I think it's less about talent and more about lack of focus, cohesion and chemistry.

There's definitely a case of this but they have to right now.
That was the point of my last post that the poor puck moving from the back is forcing guys to do alot of stuff that (a)they don't want to do and (b)that they aren't trained to do.
These guys are pushing up ice, excepting a puck on their blade and have JJ, MP, JS trying to and failing to get it to them.
Theres a reason Riiko-Ruh has looked like our most competent pairing since JJ-Letang was put together.
They can push the puck up competently(and/or skate it in Riiko's case) + play the OZ support game well. JJ and MP with some JS drag down every other pair.

 

[Ryder71]

There's definitely a case of this but they have to right now.
That was the point of my last post that the poor puck moving from the back is forcing guys to do alot of stuff that (a)they don't want to do and (b)that they aren't trained to do.
These guys are pushing up ice, excepting a puck on their blade and have JJ, MP, JS trying to and failing to get it to them.
Theres a reason Riiko-Ruh has looked like our most competent pairing since JJ-Letang was put together.
They can push the puck up competently(and/or skate it in Riiko's case) + play the OZ support game well. JJ and MP with some JS drag down every other pair.

Both JS and MP have had long stretches where by their play has been at best an adventure. It's as if any modicum of a hockey IQ or ability to read the play went out the window. We need better from these two, plain and simple. We've seen them play better. We've seen each play a solid all around game in the past. They're capable. But for whatever reason neither has come close to their talent level or potential of late or even much at all this season.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Both JS and MP have had long stretches where by their play has been at best an adventure. It's as if any modicum of a hockey IQ or ability to read the play went out the window. We need better from these two, plain and simple. We've seen them play better. We've seen each play a solid all around game in the past. They're capable. But for whatever reason neither has come close to their talent level or potential of late or even much this season.

It's a real question. They'll get pushed down the pecking order soon. That may help but you also wonder if their confidence is fried for this year.

I'm guardedly optimistic about Petts returning to form at least.

 

[MrRuckus]

It keeps boggling my mind how people blame the D after games where our star studded offense scored 0 or 1 goals.

What boggles my mind is that anyone thinks defense and offense are separate entities that don't have major impacts on each other

 

[madinsomniac]

The Yinz take is because the world is falling after a six game stretch.

Pretty sure sky is falling mentality starts after every loss and doubles exponentially with each consecutive loss thereafter...

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

Pretty sure sky is falling mentality starts after every loss and doubles exponentially with each consecutive loss thereafter...

Not entirely sure I get "doubles exponentially" but I am damn down with your point. Wait until we win two in an row. Sully, coach of the year, Pens, most resilient team in the league. It does get tiring. We're flipping 4 points out of first place in the best division in hockey after our worst week in a decade for god's sake.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Not entirely sure I get "doubles exponentially" but I am damn down with your point. Wait until we win two in an row. Sully, coach of the year, Pens, most resilient team in the league. It does get tiring. We're flipping 4 points out of first place in the best division in hockey after our worst week in a decade for god's sake.

How they have to look at it.
Pray Dumo/JM check in for full pairings practice tomorrow and get back to work winning hockey games. This slump COULD be forgotten in a week.

 

[Andy99]

Not entirely sure I get "doubles exponentially" but I am damn down with your point. Wait until we win two in an row. Sully, coach of the year, Pens, most resilient team in the league. It does get tiring. We're flipping 4 points out of first place in the best division in hockey after our worst week in a decade for god's sake.

6 points out of first place...

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

6 points out of first place...

It's tax season, I'm busy and in the wrong friggin' timezone to boot. ;-)

 

[HandshakeLine]

Pretty sure sky is falling mentality starts after every loss and doubles exponentially with each consecutive loss thereafter...

Imagine, if you will, a year in which the Stillers and Pens miss the playoffs and the Pirates do, but unceremoniously shit the bed. The whingestorm that would arise threatens not only the bodies and minds of yinzers in the tricounty area, but even the physical bedrock of the Pittsburgh area. In short, yinz would yinz so bad, yinz wood yinzify Picksburgh in ta da grahn.

 

[Angrrus]

What boggles my mind is that anyone thinks defense and offense are separate entities that don't have major impacts on each other

That’s not what I said. But let me ask you: when you blame the defense - do you mean their d zone gaffes or their inability to move the puck? If latter - then my question is: are the players of Malkin’s and Crosby’s caliber SO dependent on the defense that they can’t score/create a single goal in a game?

 

[HandshakeLine]

Nobody curr anymore.

 

[Tweed]

Last 5 games have been played at off-hours, with travel, and at bad rest-intervals (# of days between games). So I'm not losing much sleep over this bad stretch, even if the team is because the Schedule-maker is f***ing them for a spell. We're just not going to see the best version of ourselves under those conditions.

What worries me more is that we've got another 6 games like that this month, because we're being "showcased".

 

[EightyOne]

That’s not what I said. But let me ask you: when you blame the defense - do you mean their d zone gaffes or their inability to move the puck? If latter - then my question is: are the players of Malkin’s and Crosby’s caliber SO dependent on the defense that they can’t score/create a single goal in a game?

I blame the dmen's inaccurate passing, puck whacking panic, weak positioning in d zone, and ineffective jumping up into rushes.
BUT
The forwards however, can't seem to navigate through the neutral zone, sure as hell can't establish a cycle, are misfiring chances constantly, and poorly support each other when trying to play team defense, also.


It's VERY tiring and difficult to play the game with so little control of the puck, flow, or pace. They're constantly weathering opponents storms.

The whole team is making the game hard for themselves.

 

[BHD]

We take things to the off-day thread.