Post-Game Talk: The Russian Bear Wakes Up - Pens Win!

[EightyOne]

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Yeah, he needs to make those moves more often. Too often he loves his quick shot five hole. Switch it up and look what happens. You freeze the goalie.

Overall, Pens looked pretty good tonight. Still don't understand why they struggle to finish as much as they do around the net. Probably just perception but they seem to shoot high less than most teams. A lot of our glorious scoring chances end up with low shots that hit the goalie's leg pads.

Good to get a win, but constantly giving the opposition a point is really going to kill them.

From looking back at clips when our centers were more dominant, I'd say they used to be much more willing to penetrate the high danger scoring areas through will power and risk taking contact at speed. They were obviously much faster back then too.

Since our wingers are so respectful of them, this new perimeter, safe mindset has crept into their games too. Kapanen is sort of an exception, but that's only the case when he's leading the charge and not just reading off Geno.

Like Jake in particular is moving so gingerly compared to pre-surgery. Probably just protecting himself. He used to be much more daring. That, combined with our playstyle and the woeful power play is making it very hard for him to have dominant games. He's still getting some points but he's not what he was.

The bottom 6 just lack scoring ability really. Have to keep our expectations low.

We succeed most when we make urgent, yet calculated pushes into the slot or to create space on the walls. For example Marino got us our first goal by keeping the play alive, pushing past his man at speed on a pinch and opening new passing options. The easy way would have been for him to make a boring, safe play along the perimeter or to just give possession away by throwing a muffin at the goalie from the wall, just to get a face-off.



There's another example. This was old school Sid. Strong push to create space, got head up and found Jake in prime real estate. Sid could have just easily passed it earlier in the play to the point, which would have ended in nothing.

Vegas are so good at making these power moves throughout their lineup. That's what has made them so good since they arrived. They challenge the defense and force them out of their structure. They are pushing guys back with speed through the neutral zone already, going right down the gut.

That's why Kapanen is so exciting for me. He's so out of our standard mold. He uses his abilities to get into the danger areas fearlessly. It creates so much more than I'm used to seeing from our Forwards. Obviously today was an off-day for him, with him bobbling the puck so much. But even tonight he got a great slapshot off from the high slot, after pushing to get space.

We need wayyy more of this attitude throughout our lineup. Zucker is capable of playing this way, but his willingness to do it is sporadic at best. He takes nights off like this game.

Basically we're way too predictable and safe. If you want to score consistently, you have to create more chaos.

 

[Burn]

Happy for the win but its another sloppy and horrid game.

Letang is just flat out weird. Always gives 150% but he's just flat out all over the ice and makes hockey hard. Always hoped that the Pens would bring in a Larry Robinson type and that peraon could do for Letang what Robinson did for Stevens.

The Pens lack that Scuds, Lovejoy or Cole type to battle around the net and block shots. I like the D as players but as a collective unit I can't stand them.

Also hate how aggressive the D is. 2 D in the same corner, behind the net together...

Kap has turned invisible. Not a threat and doesn't matter unless he's given the puck in open ice.

Please at least try...
Guentzel Crosby Zucker
Rust Malkin Kapanen
Malkin and Zucker just don't work and Zucker has looked good with Crosby in the past.

Malkin needs someone that can handle the puck and skate with it at this point. If not that then someone that can go out and win puck battles with the sense and skill to them get Malkin pucks.

Pens need a starter. Plain and simple. The goaltending isn't good enough and I think it goes beyond the players. Weekes should have been asked to be the goalie coach and start his coaching then GMing career that way.

You can see these coaches are trying to bring in a new system but this team isnt built for give and go... Keep the puck hockey. I'm not sure what its built for... Plugged up and pasted together BS.

 

[Smasher]

It took a one in a million equipment malfunction penalty to finally get a PP and... They still refuse to shoot the puck.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

Love Sid's Patrick Kane impression. He should do that more

My 14 year-old son and I were saying the same when it happened. Front to back with 15 touches in like 2.5 seconds if my eyes don't lie. Almost felt sorry for Varlamov. Almost...

 

[Phil68]

Replace him with who? Break up Crosby’s line?

Have Zucker play on line 3, put Taney with Malkin.

 

[Tender Rip]

This is a team that has had most its D out and played pretty good 5-on-5 hockey for the majority, despite its aces being far from what we must hope they are still capable of.

I am not going to be talking about goaltending for a team that has a questionable D and is, what, 6 games removed from a PP goal and is leaky on the PK.

We play to potential, we’re very good. But you dont win consistently without an effective PP. That’s just a fact.

 

[PensandCaps]

Have Zucker play on line 3, put Taney with Malkin.

Tanev can't play top 6 mins with his game.

 

[Icarium]

We almost managed to lose three in a row due to puck over glass penalties and bad PK, this would have been some kind of record, I bet. Malkin and Kapanen play as if Zucker doesn't exist most of the time, this doesn't bode well for that line. But honestly, as much as people rave about Trotz and his defensive structure, in these two games the Isles probably had more defensive breakdowns, while we plaid dearly for individual mistakes and bad PK. So I am not giving up on our D yet, most teams have crappy defenses right now due to lack of time for practice. Matheson looked like a defenseman for the first time, that's encouraging. And lo and behold, when we didn't merely funnel the puck to the point and shot but instead had Marino go low and then combine creatively - Rust had a tap-in. More of that, please.
Also, Geno clearly still has that one-timer shot and we keep playing him on the left point on the PP. Utter madness. Put him on the right half-wall on the second unit if you must, but try to utilise that weapon. Change something, anything.
This team reminds me a bit of the 2011 team once Sid and Geno got injured - many ugly wins in OT or shootouts. We are yet to lead going into the third even once, this is not good at all, not for the team and not for the fan nerves but at least we get points and maybe we will figure things out.

 

[Crosbyfan]

Dear Pens,

Please don't leave POJO all alone to thwart off Barzal again anytime soon or ever again.

A couple more "don't stare at the puck" lessons might do him some good...

 

[Pens x]

Have Zucker play on line 3, put Taney with Malkin.

I agree that Zucker and Malkin need to stop being a thing, but do you really think Tanev will help get Geno going?

 

[Jesse]

Tanev can't play top 6 mins with his game.

Even Matt Cooke had a few weeks of productive top six minutes in him.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Have Zucker play on line 3, put Taney with Malkin.

Last 3 games that line at 5v5 has been 2 goals for and zero against. I wouldn’t change anything outside of trade and system right now.

EDIT: Last 6 games 5 goals for and 1 against

 

[Pens x]

But Tanev tries really hard! He should be made captain and a first line winger.

But seriously, we don’t have much depth at wing outside of the top 2 lines. I don’t blame Sully (and I hate him) for not breaking up Sid and Jake; there aren’t many good options for Malkin since Zucker isn’t working.

This is the best that our top six will look all season. Everyone is healthy right now. Imagine what will happen when Sid or Geno get injured? Lafferty will be your top six center.

This is just another reason why the off season was an utter failure for JR.

 

[Giskard]

Crosby and Malkin needs to switch wingers:

Zucker-Crosby-Kapanen
Guentzel-Malkin-Rust

 

[Empoleon8771]

Crosby and Malkin needs to switch wingers:

Zucker-Crosby-Kapanen
Guentzel-Malkin-Rust

Why would you ever consider breaking up that top line?

The top line is literally globetrotting right now.

Some of the stances that HFPens take just make me laugh. Guentzel-Crosby-Rust tearing apart the league since being put together? I don't care, I've been screaming about how Guentzel-Malkin-Rust needs to be a line since 2020 so I'm going to still say it! What makes it even more crazy is despite their crappy analytics, the 2nd line has been very productive since it has been put together.

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust this year has so far outperformed what Guentzel-Malkin-Rust was able to do last year. You're basically advocating breaking up a stellar top line just because Malkin is playing like poop. Malkin has 2 great wingers on his line already, he needs to figure his shit out himself.

 

[BHD]

Happy for the win but its another sloppy and horrid game.

There were some mistakes, but the effort was there. Last night was probably their best game of the season from a compete standpoint.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Frankly if you want to be changing wingers for Malkin, you should look at trading Zucker for a LWer that fits better with Malkin. But that still pretty severely grinds my gears to trade a legitimate top-6 winger that has been good with the Penguins overall just because Malkin is playing like it's a public skate out there.

 

[PensandCaps]

Even Matt Cooke had a few weeks of productive top six minutes in him.

I don't think Cooke used as much energy as Tanev does.

Tanev playing the way he does, he'll be dead tired playing that many minutes at 5v5. Unless you cut back his PK time.

 

[PensandCaps]

Frankly if you want to be changing wingers for Malkin, you should look at trading Zucker for a LWer that fits better with Malkin. But that still pretty severely grinds my gears to trade a legitimate top-6 winger that has been good with the Penguins overall just because Malkin is playing like it's a public skate out there.

Yep. It's also frustrating that we know that he works with Sid pretty well, but line 1 is on fire.

Last resort is swapping him with Rust, idk. Hopefully he can play off wing with Sid.

 

[Phil68]

Tanev can't play top 6 mins with his game.

Malkin doesn't need another Top 6 on his wing. A puck/board chaser is what he needs to give him the puck and between him and Kapanen is where the talent is on that line.

 

[StutzlesTapeJob]

The effort was better tonight, particularly in the area of physical contact. I’ve thought our execution has sucked all year, but our effort save a few games hasn’t been awful.

there’s just a difference between moving your feet generally efforts and tight checking/hard on pucks effort. We still have a long way to go here, but for tonight:

+ for not looking like a roller team

I’ll also give a general + TB. His lines have consistently looked like capable bottom 6 lines. Better than we’ve seen the past 2 years at least.

- even when it’s a step in the right direction, we still don’t look like a team with any sort of winning recipe we can have faith in

 

[Tender Rip]

Why would you ever consider breaking up that top line?

The top line is literally globetrotting right now.

Some of the stances that HFPens take just make me laugh. Guentzel-Crosby-Rust tearing apart the league since being put together? I don't care, I've been screaming about how Guentzel-Malkin-Rust needs to be a line since 2020 so I'm going to still say it! What makes it even more crazy is despite their crappy analytics, the 2nd line has been very productive since it has been put together.

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust this year has so far outperformed what Guentzel-Malkin-Rust was able to do last year. You're basically advocating breaking up a stellar top line just because Malkin is playing like poop. Malkin has 2 great wingers on his line already, he needs to figure his shit out himself.

This is insane. GMR of last season dominated ES, scored at awards challenging pace while together and kept Penguins winning while decimated with injuries.

With Malkin and Guentzel playing like they are right now I would not expect that replicated, but certainly GCR are not doing anything to even begin to compare.

What are you even talking about?

 

[Empoleon8771]

This is insane. GMR of last season dominated ES, scored at awards challenging pace while together and kept Penguins winning while decimated with injuries.

With Malkin and Guentzel playing like they are right now I would not expect that replicated, but certainly GCR are not doing anything to even begin to compare.

What are you even talking about?

Well that's just false. GCR and GMR have the same exact GF% (both are at 66%), while Crosby's line is performing even better analytically.

Look at the results for yourself:

GMR
GCR

The Crosby line has been better, although it's not by a huge margin. And that's while playing with a team that has performed way worse around them than what the 2019-2020 Penguins were while Guentzel-Malkin-Rust was together.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Frankly if you want to be changing wingers for Malkin, you should look at trading Zucker for a LWer that fits better with Malkin. But that still pretty severely grinds my gears to trade a legitimate top-6 winger that has been good with the Penguins overall just because Malkin is playing like it's a public skate out there.

Makes you wonder why Crosby didn't want to play with Zucker, who was much more productive on Crosby's line last year than he is on Malkin's this year, but Crosby similarly didn't find chemistry with him.