Post-Game Talk: The Habs and the Hab Nots: Montreal - 4, Pens -1

[MrBurghundy]

Malkin was in God mode and there were Hornqvist on those PPs.
I actually really miss Neal and Niskanen on PPs.

At least they knew how to shoot the damn puck, if nothing else...

 

[Sam Spade]

-about 4 shifts a piece full of energy then nothing
-bad puck support with poorly moved pucks from the back end
-reminded me of the Ranger game in MSG where the Pens couldn't handle the forecheck and the D were holding onto the puck too long with no support
-total stinker with no push back in this one

Sums it up nicely.

Will add that the Habs stayed on the wall, cut off those passes and forced the Pens to come through the neutral zone, which is difficult to do against any team.

Non-calls or not, they got outplayed by a lot in the second and third.

 

[Tender Rip]

As for the IcedCapp and Despres related issues.... .
There is no point even talking about defensemen playing bad in this one if the conversation does not start with Ehrhoff having his worst game as a Pen.

After that, Bortuzzo was really poor. Scuderi was really poor. Harrington didn't stand out much either way which probably speaks to him being among the better, and Letang mixed impressive with mind farts while still being our best D-man of the night.

If anything Despres was the second or third best... or as it was tonight, second or third least worst.

The D overall was not helped by the forwards and/or the coaching staff, because Montreal executed their system brilliantly, and we never adapted unless Geno and Sid took it upon themselves to make things happen.

Deserves to be mentioned how bad our 4th line was.... won't say it is down to Farnham being out and Ebbett had done well in the previous games.... but Ebbett the Weak and Adams the Sloth does not provide much for Goc to work with as a winger combo.

Plusses: Perron, Geno, Sid and kinda liked Rust also.

 

[Your Boy Troy]

The only upside for Farnham not playing is that he avoids a beating by Prust. Bobby should have played. Which is sad when you compare him to the likes of a Rupp, Asham, Godard, or Talbot. The fourth line provides zero spark without Farnham.

That being said; I really couldn't care less about a loss in January.

 

[Jacob]

I'd say every d-man except Letang was pretty bad. Despres and Bort didn't have good games. But Scuderi and Ehrhoff were much worse. Ehrhoff was just panicking with the puck and throwing it all over the place. Lotta turnovers.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Fleury had a laugher.

Kunitz-Sutter-Bennett looked real stale out there. Might be time to shake up the lines a little.

 

[gordie]

No Comeau, Martin, Maatta or Hornqvist. When those guys are in the lineup this team tears this Montreal team apart. Too many penalties that disrupted the flow and you can see the downside of Downie, he is watched by the officials all the time. Pouliot should have played instead of Harrington who I would have played against Tampa instead of Pouliot. Pouliot could have given a boost to this sagging powerplay.

 

[Deutschland Dangler]

I'd say every d-man except Letang was pretty bad. Despres and Bort didn't have good games. But Scuderi and Ehrhoff were much worse. Ehrhoff was just panicking with the puck and throwing it all over the place. Lotta turnovers.

I also didn't like Tanger, to be honest. It was one of those games where he seemed to be everywhere except on his actual position.

 

[billybudd]

-------Ebbett over Farnham

I mean, if they needed someone to play in the top 9, fine. That's beyond Farnham, from what I've seen.

But Ebbett doesn't do anything for a fourth, except put it out of synch.


Anyways, the entire D gets my minus. The first line my plus.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

As for the IcedCapp and Despres related issues.... .
There is no point even talking about defensemen playing bad in this one if the conversation does not start with Ehrhoff having his worst game as a Pen.

After that, Bortuzzo was really poor. Scuderi was really poor. Harrington didn't stand out much either way which probably speaks to him being among the better, and Letang mixed impressive with mind farts while still being our best D-man of the night.

If anything Despres was the second or third best... or as it was tonight, second or third least worst.

The D overall was not helped by the forwards and/or the coaching staff, because Montreal executed their system brilliantly, and we never adapted unless Geno and Sid took it upon themselves to make things happen.

Deserves to be mentioned how bad our 4th line was.... won't say it is down to Farnham being out and Ebbett had done well in the previous games.... but Ebbett the Weak and Adams the Sloth does not provide much for Goc to work with as a winger combo.

Plusses: Perron, Geno, Sid and kinda liked Rust also.

Letang and Ehroff were pretty bad in the third, killed a lot of the momentum generated by Perron-Crosby-Malkin towards the end. Scuds had a poor game, capped off by an atrocious giveway in that sequence where Despres had a guy hounding him, cut right in front of Fleury with the puck, then did a neat little spin-move and passed it back to number four.

As for Rust, he's the king of the "almost" plays. Almost scores, almost makes a nice pass. Not quite, but almost.

 

[gordie]

I mean, if they needed someone to play in the top 9, fine. That's beyond Farnham, from what I've seen.

But Ebbett doesn't do anything for a fourth, except put it out of synch.


Anyways, the entire D gets my minus. The first line my plus.

I have a feeling Ebbett will gone soon, so not too concerned about him still being around.

 

[Ogrezilla]

did Bennett get hurt?

 

[cygnus47]

did Bennett get hurt?

 

[The Tang]

Only thing worse than the Pens defense were the refs. I don't remember the last time I saw so many blatant calls missed. As others have said, outside of Crosby, Malkin and perron, no real positives tonight.

 

[Night Shift]

Only thing worse than the Pens defense were the refs. I don't remember the last time I saw so many blatant calls missed. As others have said, outside of Crosby, Malkin and perron, no real positives tonight.

I'm never one to complain about officiating but I don't think I've ever seen it so bush league, they seem to have an ax to grind. They are supposed to be the best the NHL puts out there?

 

[Wes C Addle]

Dave Jackson was one of the refs tonight. His stats on the season indicate that he calls the fewest amount of penalties against road teams of any ref in the league. Consequently home teams only win 39% of the games he referees.

 

[Jacob]

Also, they weren't physical enough. This team only tends to play up to the physicality of the opponent, rather than setting the tone themselves. The Habs weren't real physical and we played down to their level.

We need to be setting the tone earlier, especially against a team with a lot of small forwards.

Farnham probably would've helped in that regard. But we can't really rely on one guy for that. Bort, Despres, Downie and Adams should've.

 

[IcedCapp]

Also, they weren't physical enough. This team only tends to play up to the physicality of the opponent, rather than setting the tone themselves. The Habs weren't real physical and we played down to their level.

We need to be setting the tone earlier, especially against a team with a lot of small forwards.

Farnham probably would've helped in that regard. But we can't really rely on one guy for that. Bort, Despres, Downie and Adams should've.

16 hits from those 4 players combined (Adams (4), Bort (2), Downie (6), Despres (4).

Hits were 38-21, but that's home scoring, so who knows.

 

[The Greatest 101]

At least they knew how to shoot the damn puck, if nothing else...

PP was much more organized too.

 

[DearDiary]

Seemed like everyone on the Pens was allergic to physical contact tonight. Even Despres was letting up when he could have got a good hit in. The only time the Pens play physical is if the other team starts doing it first.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

This and the Stillers game was complete and utter dookie.

 

[GreatjonUmber]

Letang and Ehroff were pretty bad in the third, killed a lot of the momentum generated by Perron-Crosby-Malkin towards the end. Scuds had a poor game, capped off by an atrocious giveway in that sequence where Despres had a guy hounding him, cut right in front of Fleury with the puck, then did a neat little spin-move and passed it back to number four.

As for Rust, he's the king of the "almost" plays. Almost scores, almost makes a nice pass. Not quite, but almost.

I don't think I would call that a "neat" move. That was a desperate move that followed a terrible terrible decision. The puck got to Scuderi about a half second before the Habs player did. I'm not a fan of Scuds, but that play was all Despres' bad.

 

[66-30-33]

I'm starting to really question this coaching staff. MJ seems every bit as clueless with lineup decisions and line combinations as Bylsma, and Tocchet is seemingly clueless when it comes to the PP.

I still want Babcock to coach this team next year. If he comes asking, i hope JR will say "sure thing" and can the coaching staff. Sure, we will still ***** about coaching but he's the best in the game and he will get the most out of the players even when they get injured and we wont have friggin ADAMS on the roster anymore. Also a Babcock coached team are good vs Flyers and Bruins.

 

[MrBurghundy]

I don't think I would call that a "neat" move. That was a desperate move that followed a terrible terrible decision. The puck got to Scuderi about a half second before the Habs player did. I'm not a fan of Scuds, but that play was all Despres' bad.

It started off with bad puck support and ended with a horrible decision. Just like I said earlier.

 

[drpepper]

The breakout is still having the same problems it did against NYR, WPG, etc. The defense is too slow to make decisions with the puck and fast forechecking teams cut down the options resulting in: defenders under greater pressure, forwards not in a position to support the puck, bad decisions, and turnovers. If the team can't adapt better to HCMJ's system and/or if HCMJ can't adjust the system, the Pens don't have a great chance with good forechecking teams like the Habs, Rangers or even Islanders.

EDIT: The defenders have to be capable of making quicker and better decisions with the puck, and the forward group needs to be better positioned to support the play.