Game 5 vs. Ottawa - Thoughts from the morning after

[tfrizz]

Maybe Sid's back is strong enough to carry Tangradi?

To work on Sid's line you either need brains (Guerin) or speed (Dupuis). Tangradi has neither. Sid is a set-up guy while Geno and Neal are snipers which is why, in theory, the traffic caused by Big Dog would work.

Tangradi has taken the odd shift on Sid's wing and it wasn't a train-wreck. Maybe it's worth a shot?

25 - 87 - 9
14 - 71 - 18
24 - 16 - 48
10 - 46 - 27

[DelPen]

I'm ok with Brad Boyes.

Even if they were still trying to get Parise I'd have loved to see Boyes signed for the $1 million the isles signed him for then figure out the cap which really wouldn't have been tough to do if you then don't sign Glass.

Just imagine:
Kunitz-Malkin-Neal
Parise-Crosby-Boyes
Dupuis-Sutter-Kennedy
Cooke-Vitale-Adams

Now if you just had targeted Glass and Boyes the lineup would ahve had a big hole on offense at least partially filled.

[Rylan]

Let's wait 10 games then evaluate where a player's skills are this year. A normal season and they are still in training camp. After 10 games we should be seeing improvement.

As for the comment about not trusting Fleury made me laugh. Thanks

[Luckybreak]

-Fleury needs shots to stay sharp and he got them. Way out on the angle but need to be aware of the backdoor play.
-Martin was incredible (and I'm pleased to continue eating crow if he maintains this level of play).
-Engelland had a great game, was skating very well with and without the puck.
-Nisky looked to be well in his continued upward trend, really hope the injury is not serious.
-Tangradi drove the net and a goal was scored, avoided the previous glaring mistakes and is then demoted for much of the game... I don't get it?
-Duper and Adams are playing great composed physical hockey.

-Malkin needs to start meditating or something, his pent up anger is infecting the team at times.
-Kunitz is outdoing himself to be the Pens first buy out! But in all seriousness his game is rapidly declining over last few years.
-The line juggling needs to stop, it is preventing Sutter and Glass from finding their comfort zone IMO.
-Bortuzzo needs to play, Lovejoy needs to sit.
-The PP is a shambolic mess and needs to be blown up, simply put it could single handedly end a playoff series

[shmenguin]

kunitz always starts slow. we should be used to it by now.

[Luckybreak]

kunitz always starts slow. we should be used to it by now.

He seems to be finishing slow too. When was the last time you jumped out of your seat at one of his 'trademark' hits? The points may start to come but his physical game is no where what it used to be. In fact Dupuis had a massive open ice hit and I had to rewind to double check the number assuming it had been Kunitz...

[penny lane]

The PP is a shambolic mess and needs to be blown up, simply put it could single handedly end a playoff series

Not that is a phrase that doesn't turn up enough in the GDT.~

Kris Letang needs to mix up his shot selection. More shots needed on the net from letang.

[penmyst]

Kris Letang needs to mix up his shot selection. More shots needed on the net from letang.

Been hearing that since his first year.

I think it isn't likely to change. He is not Gonchar.

And Letang gets even worse when he tries to think about what he is doing on the ice. Intelligent shot selection is not one of his strong suits, and may never be.

But then, Crosby sucked on faceoffs to start his career and willed himself into a better than average faceoff guy. So anything *could* happen.

[Mongoose87]

Could Paul Martin be our best skater so far?

[Luckybreak]

Could Paul Martin be our best skater so far?

Best defender, not best skater (though the 'better' skaters aren't playing their best - yes, you Letang!)
PM's positioning has been virtually faultless and his skating ability certainly has been more evident through this.

[iWonTheCup87]

i just wish Letang would make quicker decisions shooting, he waits so long then his shots are blocked. He has a nasty shot when hes in tighter but his point shots are not very good. He really needs to work on just winding up and unloading or faking and sniping. All the pressure is on the forwards down low because our point shots are so bad and teams know it.