1/29/13 Islanders v. Penguins- Official Game Thread

[Metalmike]

When is the trade deadline again? RS needs to use Tangradi, Cooke, Kunitz, Adams, Lovejoy and future considerations as trade bait. Maybe even Despres if it means making this team bigger and tougher overall.


Metal Mike, Canada's #1 Penguins Fan.

[Lt. Dish]

Oh man, if Talbot messed of Callahans arm that will be interesting.

Bourque said from the awkward way Callahan was holding his arm as he rushed down the tunnel, it looks like a shoulder separation.

I know there's a failboat's worth of stuff to justifiably complain about, especially about the coaching and strategy, but I'll leave that to all of you. At this point, I'd like to step away from the play on the ice and offer a theory on the players' collective psyche because I think they're a psychological mess. Duh, right? They're trying to do too much, too flashy, all at once and it ends up being a cf. All this coming out and trying to outskill the opponent appears to be resulting in them doubting their skill.

The Rangers played a crap game vs. the Pens last week, but, until the Pens got lax in the 3rd period, they had been sucking the will out of the Rangers. It's obvious we'd like to see the Pens just get back to the effort they showed in the first two periods of that game: patient, no flash, simple, defensively sound. But, to me, they looked relatively calm. "Doing the little things" is a cliche, but I think if they mentally just calm the f down and focus on simplifying, one period, one shift at a time, then they can at least give themselves a chance to address the little things that can lead to better decisions.

Freaking out is just making them hastily force stuff. They've got a big picture We're-Cup-favorites-omg-we're-playing-like-crap-omg-we-won't-win-the-Cup-like-this-but-we're-the-Cup-favorites mentality. They need a perspective that's narrower than (1) go north with firepower (2) must score (3) ??? (3) profit with Cup. They still have time to shrink their perspective to winning each period and then build from that.

I know a bit about organizational and team psychology (not sports, specifically), and I've seen this in teams comprised of type-A, competitive people. Right now, I think they need to just stop for a moment and process. They're caught up in the sturm und drang of the rushed campaign for the Cup and not on each small battle they need to fight. They're wearing themselves out and it's resulting in them dragging. I don't think it's a lack of effort; I think it's the wrong manner of effort.

Part of me is surprised at this perceivable (to me) freakout behavior because so many of these guys were on the Cup team. But, in much the same way that new bad physical habits can develop, so can new bad mental habits. Just a theoretical opinion based on observation.

[Sarcastic]

It's becoming apparent this team will not improve on its own, so I'd start taking numbers and looking to move people. I'd put Bylsma on a short leash, as well.

[NashvilleCat]

Out shot 38 to 24.
Our PP 0 for 3
Their PP 2 for 2

What else needs said? Terrible special teams and even strength. Other than that, we're fine.

Pens actually out shot them 38 to 24. Don't ask me how. I sure didn't see it.

Wow,you're right. I missed that totally, and it sure didn't seem that way.

It seems like 37 of them came from the side of the net on the redline

[pens_CT]

This team is severely underskilled, once you get past the top 3 and Letang. We lack size, we lack grit, we are small and we are soft. We don't have enough support scoring behind the top 3 and maybe Dupuis sometimes.

I guess they won 51 games last year with mirrors because its basically the same team. I think what they lack is leadership in the locker room first and foremost.

[offsides]

It's becoming apparent this team will not improve on its own, so I'd start taking numbers and looking to move people. I'd put Bylsma on a short leash, as well.

Shero needs to get a little Craig Patrick in him. Before he had to save money, Craig made some very big\good moves that got us 2 cups.

[BleuLineLady]

I think tonight's performance deserves a Michele Therrien moment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agL3NHgb ... ata_player

[Sarcastic]

This team is severely underskilled, once you get past the top 3 and Letang. We lack size, we lack grit, we are small and we are soft. We don't have enough support scoring behind the top 3 and maybe Dupuis sometimes.

I guess they won 51 games last year with mirrors because its basically the same team. I think what they lack is leadership in the locker room first and foremost.

I don't think the number of wins we had is relevant because the signs were there all season. It didn't surprise me we lost against the Isles and Ottawa toward the end and against the Flyers in the playoffs. I know I spoke out way early that we needed changes. How can a team go far without a PP quarterback or a big D, or with lack of size and scoring depth at forward. I don't like this lineup anymore than I did a year ago and, yes, I said that too last season.

I want to see Bennett in for the next 5 games on the top two lines. Maybe he can give our forwards a spark.

[BleuLineLady]

I think tonight's performance deserves a Michele Therrien moment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agL3NHgb ... ata_player

[MRandall25]

Pretty sure Bennett is injured right now. At least, he missed the AHL ASG because of it.

[knives of ice]

as i said before Jeffrey deserves a chance on that 2nd line given the other alternatives. he was the best forward on the team tonight, which isn't saying much but he definitely made some good plays and worked hard. this guy has skill minimally you can see he has the ability to score goals and make plays unlike someone like #25

i can't see the powerplay ever being successful with Letang running it. i think he is a very talented player but is the opposite of poised, calm, and a good decision maker which is what you need obviously for someone that the power play is to run through. he's pretty much near worthless at getting pucks on net or actually scoring from the point as well.

no idea why shero didn't bring back sullivan, i guess he made him wait too long going after parise but that was a big loss.

there is just no way this team as its constructed right now is even as good as the team that lost to philly, we didn't upgrade anywhere and the offseason was a bust.

[offsides]

as i said before Jeffrey deserves a chance on that 2nd line given the other alternatives. he was the best forward on the team tonight, which isn't saying much but he definitely made some good plays and worked hard. this guy has skill minimally you can see he has the ability to score goals and make plays unlike someone like #25

i can't see the powerplay ever being successful with Letang running it. i think he is a very talented player but is the opposite of poised, calm, and a good decision maker which is what you need obviously for someone that the power play is to run through. he's pretty much near worthless at getting pucks on net or actually scoring from the point as well.

no idea why shero didn't bring back sullivan, i guess he made him wait too long going after parise but that was a big loss.

there is just no way this team as its constructed right now is even as good as the team that lost to philly, we didn't upgrade anywhere and the offseason was a bust.

But this can't be right! Vegas picked us as Cup favorites.

[Godric]

In that case Godric you're fired

Its for the good of the team and I'll still collect a check. Peace out.

[bh]

The positives last night were Despres and Jeffrey. Both looked like they wanted to be there and both gave very good effort. I noticed both in good ways.

I am just flabbergasted how often Letangs shots get blocked. He gets like 1 out of 1,223,322,345 to the net. I saw Despres take only 2 or 3 shots and they all got to the net.

I am hoping that Sid is still just physically recovering from not playing hockey for two years. He is nowhere like the Sid before the concusison. The biggest difference is that burst that someone mentioned. It's gone. Is that because he lost a lot of muscle over those two years? Still getting back into shape? I don't know. He still has great net presance and his shot is there. I think he missing his top gear he had. Hopefully he can get that back.

Geno needs to cut the cute %$# and just shoot the %$#@ puck!

[k0la]

I got the impression that Crosby trained very well during the lockout, so don't think he's lost muscle, hopefully just rusty.
Same goes for Malkin, he's having trouble adjusting to the nhl rinks again, still playing too much like he's in khl.
Both do have a point per game tough, doesn't put them on the top of the list exactly, but they will increase their production while some that are hot right now will falter. Winning half of their games isn't too bad either, some teams that started hot out of the gates will slow down too.
It's 6 games. Penguins ain't hot, but their not cold turkey either. Some players are already off to a good start. As soon as the superstars tune in too the Pens will start looking like a cup contender.

[shmenguin]

I guess they won 51 games last year with mirrors because its basically the same team.

i dont know how you can say that

[Malkamaniac]

I guess they won 51 games last year with mirrors because its basically the same team.

i dont know how you can say that

The "basically" is his out word lol.

[shafnutz05]

I think Crosby's emotional disengagement is one of the more disturbing aspects of their recent play. He's always been the rock that you can depend on to take the game seriously and have his heart 110% in it, and I don't think that's the case right now.

[penny lane]

Isles remind me of the 2007 penguins.

It was an all skate with the pens looking feeble for not being able to shoot anywhere but to nabokov's belly.
I know they can lift the puck.
S Despres was the one guy with shots to the net from the point; all of them hand-cuffed nabokov, but give their goalie credit.

I've seen this team before february 09... hey boys; grow up, the coach didn't take away your ability to get to the net and score goals.

[littlemoonboot]

[MarioLives]

The is exactly the way things happend entire last year against quick/tenacious teams like the Islanders or Ottawa.

Nobody should be surprised by this.

This team is severely underskilled, once you get past the top 3 and Letang. We lack size, we lack grit, we are small and we are soft. We don't have enough support scoring behind the top 3 and maybe Dupuis sometimes.

I've been trying to say the same thing since last season. If Crosby or Malkin are off, this team's chances of winning are slim.

On defense, we still don't have a pp quarterback and I don't think anybody can shoot from there, not even Letang - or he refuses, I don't know, so teams collapse around own goalie (Flyers) and aren't worried about shots coming in from the point.

There are so many wrong things with this lineup, I'm pretty pissed off. Same crap as last year. Maybe we'll go on a good streak for a bit, but I know I'd change things going into the playoffs or we're risking getting kicked out again.

We have problems with big physical teams and quick, skilled, or even semi-skilled ones.

I would add another scorer. I would add 2 nasty agitators/hitters with size. I would add an offensive defenseman who can shoot and run the powerplay. And I would add one huge D like Hal Gill.

This small, not too skilled, lazy team is making things pretty lame to watch. We are, really, the opposite of the team we used to be.

Get out of my head.....this is exactly what I think too. Pretty shocking how far they seem to have fallen.

[shmenguin]

I think Crosby's emotional disengagement is one of the more disturbing aspects of their recent play. He's always been the rock that you can depend on to take the game seriously and have his heart 110% in it, and I don't think that's the case right now.

Crosby has had stretches like this before. I think it was right before he went on his tear in late 2010, when a lot of people were wondering what was wrong with him.

[sil]

Here's a scary question...sans the few short weeks at the end of last season, when was the last time Malkin played at his best while Crosby was also healthy and in the lineup? If you recall the season when Sid was injured, Malkin was on his second season in a row of less-than-stellar play, but then he too was injured. Last year he was on fire, but Sid was out for all but a few weeks. It just worries me a tad that we really haven't seen these two both at their best and at the same time since 2009.

[penny lane]

Nearing the end of the 3rd period i saw adams with sid & tanner glass with Evgeni.
edit~ yikes

[Digitalgypsy66]

Nearing the end of the 3rd period i saw adams with sid & tanner glass with Evgeni.
edit~ yikes

Yeah, I watched Sid take a look at Adams go into the slot and think "Yeecchh, not passing to him" and pass it back to the point, killing any close-in shot and setting up another perimeter shot that got blocked.