Post-Game Talk: Welp.. that happened

[Will Hunting]

I think Geno was a little more irresponsible than Sid. He made some bad decisions, Sid made a bad reaction.

Benn sucked him into that penalty. I've actually seen Sid do the same thing. Forward on the faceoff, stay close to the centerman, second you feel the stick, go down.

In an ideal world, he's smarter than than that (if Sid lets him go, it's not likely Benn gets anything out of a 1 on 2 with 2 guys on him and no support...maybe more likely with Benn, but still not likely), but in a split second I have to figure it's tough to not reflexively try to slow him up a little.

To be honest, Malkin did a LOT of good plays in this game, too. He had some strong offensive shifts, set up a glorious chance for Duper shortly before he got hurt, too. Geno made some terrible plays, too, but it wasn´t what cost us the game. We got a lucky break not once, but twice (Goligoski´s goalpost) and still couldn´t capitalize on that luck. Stars were coming at us.

Sid got schooled by Benn, but it happens. I was thinking, oh well, we are gonna lose in OT because of 4 on 3 PP. We are not gonna kill that scary Benn-Seguin-Spezza-Goligoski combo with Paul Martin and Rob Scuderi being 2 of our 3 players there. That would be understandable, but we would have a point at least. To lose it like we did, there is absolutely no excuse.

ONE FACT: From 6 PP goals suffered, Paul Martin & Rob Scuderi were on the ice together on 5 of those. That´s pretty brutal to me.

 

[mpp9]

I was grinding my teeth when Malkin kept making iffy passes back to the point late in the 3rd. Like, what the **** man.

 

[ProgOg]

That Dupuis-Sutter-Malkin line was kind of nice, no? Had some good moments - Johnston matched them up against Benn and Seguin before Dupuis went down. Crosby and Co got 2nd and 3rd line matchups - again, until Dupuis went down. After that Crosby went out against the 1st line.

(Here is the shiftchart for the game, for those interested in it.)

Wrote this earlier. Malkin and his line definitely didn't let Seguin and Benn into the game. Maybe those two just had a bad 57+ minutes start, maybe that line did some good things.

 

[joeyjake5]

There are some desperate teams like Edmonton that just might take a chance on him but don't expect anything more then cap relief to come from the other direction though.

If EDM took Scuds, their GM would be lynched. No one is that desperate. Well, then again if they played 20 minutes a game, that would get them the #1 pick again. Maybe you got something there

 

[SEALBound]

Bottom line, we lost the game last because they did not play a full 60 minutes. They took their foot off the gas and it cost them. They were on eggshells after the no goal and Dallas was in fury mode. Then with 9 flippin seconds to go, they turned absolutely gut less. They let the Stars score 6 seconds into the PP...with 9 seconds left to go in the game. THAT is gutless, plain and simple.

This team, if it wants to win, HAS to have the balls to make a stand. I don't know how many teams lose in the closing seconds of games or get scored on in the closing seconds of periods, but I would be absolutely flabbergasted if the Penguins weren't Top 3 in that category.

All it comes down to is looking inside and gutting it out. I thought we had a new team in that regard...guess we don't.

 

[Gurglesons]

Bottom line, we lost the game last because they did not play a full 60 minutes. They took their foot off the gas and it cost them. They were on eggshells after the no goal and Dallas was in fury mode. Then with 9 flippin seconds to go, they turned absolutely gut less. They let the Stars score 6 seconds into the PP...with 9 seconds left to go in the game. THAT is gutless, plain and simple.

This team, if it wants to win, HAS to have the balls to make a stand. I don't know how many teams lose in the closing seconds of games or get scored on in the closing seconds of periods, but I would be absolutely flabbergasted if the Penguins weren't Top 3 in that category.

All it comes down to is looking inside and gutting it out. I thought we had a new team in that regard...guess we don't.

Boston just did the same thing against the Avs. **** happens. I don't think our team is gutless.

 

[SEALBound]

I says a lot about our resiliency. It sucked last year too.

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

We looked flat after Duper went down. It killed our moment from the past 7 periods of great hockey. It's gonna happen, no big deal.

I would love to romp the overachieving Isles tomorrow.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I thought our play went downhill before Dupuis went down. It didn't seem like we were providing the same support as in the 1st.

I don't know if the stars made an adjustment or if we just weren't getting to our game.

 

[M0NTY26]

Pens phoned it in once Dupuis got hurt.

This. You could tell that really stirred them up, esp. Geno.

Shouldn't have happened, but I get them being a little shook up after one of their better friends gets taken off on a stretcher.

 

[ColePens]

Part of me blames Letang for his hilarious gap on the faceoff. He was basically playing the top of the circle at a neutral zone faceoff. What the **** is that? There are 10 seconds left.... if it's a 50/50 battle, you can jump in and poke up to safety. Terrible.

 

[The Old Master]

Part of me blames Letang for his hilarious gap on the faceoff. He was basically playing the top of the circle at a neutral zone faceoff. What the **** is that? There are 10 seconds left.... if it's a 50/50 battle, you can jump in and poke up to safety. Terrible.

he may have been told to play there. just say'en

 

[PensPlz]

ONE FACT: From 6 PP goals suffered, Paul Martin & Rob Scuderi were on the ice together on 5 of those. That´s pretty brutal to me.

Let's see what changes against the Islanders. If adjustments aren't made when something clearly does not work, then I have little hope for Johnston being any better than Bylsma.

Realistic adjustments I'm praying for: Put in Harrington to kill penalties, trade Martin for top 6 winger that can also kill penalties. I don't think we are getting rid of Scuds. No one wants him. I just hope we deal Martin before his value tanks.

Our even strength play has been good, MAF has been real strong at even strength (except the one gaff), and our powerplay seems to be clicking. Fix this PK garbage.

 

[ColePens]

It technically is the center's responsibility to set where he wants players. That's the one sole thing I'll give Bylsma props on. The art of a faceoff is so important in a game. DB put a lot of focus on faceoffs.

People take that aspect for granted so much. I remember playing high level and we'd have like 2-3 faceoff sets but we wouldn't even run them all the time. It also bugs me when the forward, in the offensive zone on the open part of the ice, lines up w/ the d-man. Line up and run a pick on the forward trying to get to the point. It's so simple.

Faceoffs are huge in hockey. Just so huge. That was so smart by the NHL to create a gap there because NHL schemes were really starting to clog up faceoffs. I just wish more hockey teams would study the art of a faceoff and be creative.

 

[penguins2946*]

Let's see what changes against the Islanders. If adjustments aren't made when something clearly does not work, then I have little hope for Johnston being any better than Bylsma.

Realistic adjustments I'm praying for: Put in Harrington to kill penalties, trade Martin for top 6 winger that can also kill penalties. I don't think we are getting rid of Scuds. No one wants him. I just hope we deal Martin before his value tanks.

Yes, Johnston is just as bad as Bylsma because he didn't change the PK by game 4

Some people...

 

[radapex]

not blaming sutter at all, actually acknowledging that he's been fantastic on FO tonight, got nothing to do with this goal

Flower was bad, but that is no surprise, that will never change, he is under 910 SV goalie,, right now he is below 890 goalie, however you slice it...

What do Ryan Miller, Carey Price, Tuukka Rask, and Henrik Lundqvist all have in common?

They've all got a lower SV% on the season than Fleury.


People are looking for every excuse to crucify the game just 3 games into the season and holding a 2-1-0 record. Here's another statistic - Fleury has a .952 SV% at even strength this season, having surrendered just 3 goals on 62 shots. He wasn't the reason the Pens lost last night... but he had the opportunity to be the reason they won.

I get that people want Fleury gone, but if you're going to spend the entire season nitpicking every goal he lets in and blaming him for every loss, then it's not going to be a very enjoyable season.

 

[PensPlz]

Yes, Johnston is just as bad as Bylsma because he didn't change the PK by game 4

Some people...

Dude, 6/9 goals allowed this year are on the PK, 5/6 of them are the same people on the ice for it. When is a good time to change it then? Before or after Tavaras ***** all over us?

 

[penguins2946*]

Dude, 6/9 goals allowed this year are on the PK, 5/6 of them are the same people on the ice for it. When is a good time to change it then?

It's almost like we've played 3 games and the system will need time to clean itself up. Shocking, I know. I think people have magically forgotten that we're in a completely new system with a lot of new players. It's going to take longer than 3 games for stuff to start clicking. The overreactions from the first 3 games here are obscene.

 

[radapex]

Dude, 6/9 goals allowed this year are on the PK, 5/6 of them are the same people on the ice for it. When is a good time to change it then? Before or after Tavaras ***** all over us?

Step 1: Scratch Scuderi
Step 2: Dress Harrington.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit

 

[penguins2946*]

Step 1: Scratch Scuderi
Step 2: Dress Harrington.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit

That would work too. It's just ridiculous, the PK doesn't need to be scrapped because of it not working well in the first 3 games.

 

[PensPlz]

It's almost like we've played 3 games and the system will need time to clean itself up. Shocking, I know.

It's nothing to do with "the system". It's a bad line up for penalty killing that has let in more than half of the entire goals scored against. Doing the same thing over and expecting different results.... yeah...

 

[PensPlz]

That would work too. It's just ridiculous, the PK doesn't need to be scrapped because of it not working well in the first 3 games.

Working well is a huge understatement. And it's not scrapping it, it's changing the personnel.

 

[Will Hunting]

Let's see what changes against the Islanders. If adjustments aren't made when something clearly does not work, then I have little hope for Johnston being any better than Bylsma.

Realistic adjustments I'm praying for: Put in Harrington to kill penalties, trade Martin for top 6 winger that can also kill penalties. I don't think we are getting rid of Scuds. No one wants him. I just hope we deal Martin before his value tanks.

Our even strength play has been good, MAF has been real strong at even strength (except the one gaff), and our powerplay seems to be clicking. Fix this PK garbage.

PK setup has to be changed, but don´t be shocked if it fails again. The Isles PP is right there with ours being the best in the league. Very few teams can defend that, expecting from Harrington to do the job is a little too much. It doesn´t sound like an ideal game to bring the kid in, but whatever, everyone is better than Scuds right now.

 

[penguins2946*]

It's nothing to do with "the system". It's a bad line up for penalty killing that has let in more than half of the entire goals scored against. Doing the same thing over and expecting different results.... yeah...

Again, IT HAS BEEN 3 GAMES. It's going to take time for the PK to finally start clicking. This is the first new PK structure that the Pens have had in a while. It's not going to be instantaneous.

Working well is a huge understatement. And it's not scrapping it, it's changing the personnel.

Changing from Scuderi to Harrington won't change much at all. That is mainly a change that will help at ES. The PK needs time to work the kinks out. Also, if you're saying that Johnston is just as bad as Bylsma because he's scratching Harrington for Scuderi, that makes your argument even worse.

 

[PensPlz]

Again, IT HAS BEEN 3 GAMES. It's going to take time for the PK to finally start clicking. This is the first new PK structure that the Pens have had in a while. It's not going to be instantaneous.

Changing from Scuderi to Harrington won't change much at all. That is mainly a change that will help at ES. The PK needs time to work the kinks out. Also, if you're saying that Johnston is just as bad as Bylsma because he's scratching Harrington for Scuderi, that makes your argument even worse.

No idea why you are so optimistic that a Scuds, Martin, Adams, X PK is going to suddenly click when they are the reason we are #30 in that department. But whatever.

And I clearly said Harrington should be dressed, Martin should be traded, and Scuds should be buried in the depth since we won't be able to move him. You know, adjustments Byslma never made and that Johnston hasn't made yet

And this isn't anything that people haven't been saying the entire off-season. But now since it's the start of the season, we should suddenly shut up about it and give it time? Even when it's failing miserably? No thanks.