Emergency GDT: BOS @ PIT 12/5/2011

[columbia]

He's younger than me.

Get used to it.

[Steve]

I think the Bruins & their goalie had something to do with #87's play tonight too.

It does look like Sid has hit a wall though, which is to be expected. The transition game isn't there either, with the new players on D.

Pens never quit - still love this team.

[Gaucho]

I'm trying, I'm trying...

[newarenanow]

If they go to 4 confrences what happens to the Prince of Whales and Campbell Cup?

That's a good question.

[pens#1]

hopefully 1 or 2 of the three injured D man can make it back for Thursday

[sniper]

I think the Bruins & their goalie had something to do with #87's play tonight too.

It does look like Sid has hit a wall though, which is to be expected. The transition game isn't there either, with the new players on D.

Pens never quit - still love this team.

Possibly, but I'm still not seeing him pick up any speed in the neutral zone. Even back checking the burst isn't there. Whether it's injury or just not in game shape yet I'm not sure.

[RxBandit66]

What Tim Thomas is doing at his advanced age is very impressive.

Sure is. Would have liked to of seen more traffic in front of him. Definitely the main reason Boston is where they are.

At his age, he could fall off at any second, or get injured. As a matter of fact, he will get hurt at his age, it's just a matter of time. Not that I'm hoping for it to happen. I'm just saying, like with Brodeur, the wear and tear becomes too much. His body might have a few good years left in it, but even Hasek ran out of gas and had to retire eventually.

Same thing is going on with Pronger in Philly. When he playe, he is great (10 pts in 13 gp). But his body is in the process of breaking down. That's going on with many of the Steelers right now (Ward, Farrior, Hampton, Smith, etc). One thing I'm thankful for is that the Pens don't have a ton of aging players on long-term deals.

[SDPen77]

I could not watch the game tonight but I hope that Sid is ok. I figure that it should take time for him to regain his normal stamina and game form. It seems like in his first game back that he was more aggressive and driving to score. Now it appears that he is passing the puck more and being an assist to his teammates. I wonder if he recieved pressure after his first game back to be more team driven? Some people as ridiculous as it sounds may have been irritated by all of the Sid this and that after he returned. I am not sure but it feels like something has changed and clearly not for the better. Hopefully it is nothing and everything will work itself out. There is so much talent on this team. It is a shame that they are not performing better.

[Pen48guins]

I think its time to put Kennedy with Malkin instead of Sullivan. At least Kennedy will take a shot and he can win a battle on the boards. It seems like Sullivan never comes away with the puck when its on the boards.

[bhaw]

Things I don't understand:

-Continued criticism of Sullivan

He's doing exactly as you would expect a 1.5M winger of his age. I don't see him effing up, but this looks a lot like the Whitney/Martin syndrome. If you want to criticize him, you're going to watch everything he does and blow small mistakes out of proportion as if no one is making the same mistakes.

Thinking TK has done anything to deserve a promotion to the top 6 is ridiculous. He has been just as abysmal, if not more so, than Sullivan. For some reason TK gets the Armstrong treatment where no matter how mediocre he plays, he would somehow be a great fit in the top 6.

[CERV96]

I could not watch the game tonight but I hope that Sid is ok. I figure that it should take time for him to regain his normal stamina and game form. It seems like in his first game back that he was more aggressive and driving to score. Now it appears that he is passing the puck more and being an assist to his teammates. I wonder if he recieved pressure after his first game back to be more team driven? Some people as ridiculous as it sounds may have been irritated by all of the Sid this and that after he returned. I am not sure but it feels like something has changed and clearly not for the better. Hopefully it is nothing and everything will work itself out. There is so much talent on this team. It is a shame that they are not performing better.

I said this earlier in the thread I believe Sid may have tweeked his groin or something in the 1st period of the Rangers game last week during a collision. Hence why he has not been digging in corners as much since then. Still dont understand why he isnt shooting as much though. I dont think he wants to sit out with being out for almost a year.

[columbia]

Things I don't understand:

-Continued criticism of Sullivan

He's doing exactly as you would expect a 1.5M winger of his age. I don't see him effing up, but this looks a lot like the Whitney/Martin syndrome. If you want to criticize him, you're going to watch everything he does and blow small mistakes out of proportion as if no one is making the same mistakes.

Thinking TK has done anything to deserve a promotion to the top 6 is ridiculous. He has been just as abysmal, if not more so, than Sullivan. For some reason TK gets the Armstrong treatment where no matter how mediocre he plays, he would somehow be a great fit in the top 6.

bhaw makes the donuts on time in this post.

[bhaw]

Things I don't understand:

-Continued criticism of Sullivan

He's doing exactly as you would expect a 1.5M winger of his age. I don't see him effing up, but this looks a lot like the Whitney/Martin syndrome. If you want to criticize him, you're going to watch everything he does and blow small mistakes out of proportion as if no one is making the same mistakes.

Thinking TK has done anything to deserve a promotion to the top 6 is ridiculous. He has been just as abysmal, if not more so, than Sullivan. For some reason TK gets the Armstrong treatment where no matter how mediocre he plays, he would somehow be a great fit in the top 6.

bhaw makes the donuts on time in this post.

I don't even know what that means

[shmenguin]

Thinking TK has done anything to deserve a promotion to the top 6 is ridiculous. He has been just as abysmal, if not more so, than Sullivan. For some reason TK gets the Armstrong treatment where no matter how mediocre he plays, he would somehow be a great fit in the top 6.

umm...did you miss the part where people were running kennedy out of town for like a whole calendar year?

[columbia]

It was a compliment (and I've had a few too many).

[bhaw]

Thinking TK has done anything to deserve a promotion to the top 6 is ridiculous. He has been just as abysmal, if not more so, than Sullivan. For some reason TK gets the Armstrong treatment where no matter how mediocre he plays, he would somehow be a great fit in the top 6.

umm...did you miss the part where people were running kennedy out of town for like a whole calendar year?

Probably. I avoid stupid crap like that. I just notice he's always listed as someone who should be in the top 6 because he shoots a lot (despite only scoring 3 goals on 60 shots this year).

Reasonable people realized Sid wouldn't crawl in a cave and die when Army was traded too, but it was still widely accepted (not among everyone, of course) that Sid was a sad panda anytime he struggled due to his buddy being traded.

[shmenguin]

Probably. I avoid stupid crap like that. I just notice he's always listed as someone who should be in the top 6 because he shoots a lot (despite only scoring 3 goals on 60 shots this year).

Reasonable people realized Sid wouldn't crawl in a cave and die when Army was traded too, but it was still widely accepted (not among everyone, of course) that Sid was a sad panda anytime he struggled due to his buddy being traded.

i think the plan should be that kennedy gets swapped with sullivan if sullivan is struggling or if kennedy is playing well. it gives both guys a dangling carrot. i think sullivan helps our power play (meanwhile malkin is one of the most surprisingly terrible 5-3 guys out there), but seems lost at even strength lately. way too much deference/reverence, which is another way of saying he's over-thinking everything. but is it at the point where there should be a change with kennedy? meh. don't know about that. if it is, it would be more to get some fresh blood flowing rather than because people are struggling.

[columbia]

Do you honestly believe that Sullivan would be more effective on a checking line?

[shmenguin]

Do you honestly believe that Sullivan would be more effective on a checking line?

i don't think he should be cemented in the top 6. which idea wins out?

[columbia]

Do you honestly believe that Sullivan would be more effective on a checking line?

i don't think he should be cemented in the top 6. which idea wins out?

In that case, you should be advocating a healthy scratch for Sullivan; he's not physically capable of a role outside of what he is doing now.

[Wrangler98]

Hoping for a suspension for the slew-foot on Nisky. Malkin also got head butted by a guy in a full face shield - coward.

[marek]

Hoping for a suspension for the slew-foot on Nisky. Malkin also got head butted by a guy in a full face shield - coward.

But seeing how Shanahan is doing his job so far he's going to say the slew doesn't warrant further action because nisky "took care of it" himself by dropping the gloves with him.

[ILikeTurtles]

Didn't get to watch the game, but saw a stat that Boston is 14-0-1 in the last 15 games. That is a shocking stat, Boston is on a roll right now, but come play-off time my money is on this Penguins team everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

[shmenguin]

i guess i buy that slew foots are really dangerous, but i can't remember the last time i actually saw an injury happen because of one.

[jsp]

Hoping for a suspension for the slew-foot on Nisky. Malkin also got head butted by a guy in a full face shield - coward.

The full steel mask to face shot was worse. Should be held responsible for injuries caused when wearing one.