Game 16 vs. Sabres - Thopughts from the morning after

[Penspal]

pens win 4-3

- Paul Martin made a simple play which had huge results
- Sabres are imploding (Myers is sitting games, Miller has critical colourful comments to reporters after game). Could Ruff finally get the hook?
- Glass owes a huge tip of the hat to McCormick for not pummelling the sand out of him during their fight. The code still lives.
- Super Duper must read LGP, he wants to stay on the first line, and he should. Letang's pass for Duper's tying goal was special.
- MAF played well when it mattered, big rebound on that first goal. I suspect Vokoun will see next game, keep them both going well.
- HCDB's now famous headbob (rocking out) is already GIF'ed, please give it to us in this thread!!!!
- What happened at the end of the game? Ott looked like he was nose to nose with Fleury until Cf'nA came in to clear up the matter.

[tfrizz]

The game was a bit strange in that we don't often see a 4-3 game where the goaltending was pretty good for each team.

Ott didn't like MAF giving him the lumber through the game, and the rest of the guys didn't like Ott getting in MAF's face after the game. Good on them for jumping in quickly.

[tfrizz]

- MAF played well when it mattered, big rebound on that first goal. I suspect Vokoun will see next game, keep them both going well.

Pens face the Flyers on Wednesday. Hard to say how HCDB goes with that one, but I'm going to guess MAF makes his 4th straight start. I figure we'll see Vokoun on Friday against the Panthers, then back to MAF against the Lightning on Sunday.

[Gaucho]

Looks like we found a pretty good PP QB in Paul Martin, even though PKers do not have to worry about his shot from the point.

[Froggy]

I don't think they really respected letang's shot, either

[Gaucho]

I don't think they really respected letang's shot, either

Yes, I wanted to add that and forgot it. Despres has a wicked shot.

[sil]

Looks like we found a pretty good PP QB in Paul Martin, even though PKers do not have to worry about his shot from the point.

They do now after that game winner yesterday! Looked like a slowed down version of Keenan Thompson's knucklepuck.

[Idoit40fans]

Someone should have got themselves suspended for what they did to Ott at the end of that game.

[RxBandit66]

Positive:

Letang made some spectacular plays at both ends.
Dupuis is firing the puck accurately and is unbelievable in the corners.
Fleury appears to be mentally tough and making the big save when it matters.
I thought Bylsma did a good job matching the lines.


Negative:

Another 2-0 lead lost. Why does this happen so often?
Malkin continues his fog. He's on pace for 9 goals in 48 games.
Attention Penguin forwards: STOP TAKING STUPID PENALTIES!!!

[malksby8771]

I feel bad for all my previous Martin bashing moments last year. I knew that Martin, Z pairing was responsible for a lot of goals against but I'm starting to think it was more of Z's inability to adjust to our uptempo style that threw that pairing out of synch. Martin once again had a huge game and is our bounceback player of the year so far. Great for him.

[Gaucho]

Another 2-0 lead lost. Why does this happen so often?

Does it? I remember it happening with disturbing frequency about three years ago (?), but not really all that much since then.

[tfrizz]

Also, don't look now but MAF is tied for the league lead with Viktor Fasth and Carey Price at 8 wins.

[Idoit40fans]

Martin sucked last year, the entire hockey world(outside of Martin apologists but including Martin himself) acknowledges this. You shouldn't feel bad. He's having a strong season now and thats really all that matters right now.

[shafnutz05]

I'm sure the fog will lift off Malkin eventually, but I really expected him to come out like gangbusters this year.

[iWonTheCup87]

+good PK
+first line
+Letang and Martin
+Fluery
+come from behind

-blown lead, took the foot off the gas after 2 quick goals
-dumb penalties
-besides the nice passing play geno looked non existant out there, really want to see him show more confidence. I think itll take one or two goals and he'll be fine

[RxBandit66]

I feel bad for all my previous Martin bashing moments last year. I knew that Martin, Z pairing was responsible for a lot of goals against but I'm starting to think it was more of Z's inability to adjust to our uptempo style that threw that pairing out of synch. Martin once again had a huge game and is our bounceback player of the year so far. Great for him.

Don't feel bad about it. Martin was admittedly bad at times last season, and with his track record and salary, he was expected to be much better. The way he's playing now is more in line with what a $5 million per season defenseman is supposed to do. Martin makes about 10 plays per game that won't show up on the stat sheet but the majority of players in the league could not make. Away from the puck, he is a great player. Despres on the other hand is talented obviously with the puck, but needs to be better away from it and anticipate better. With a team full of superstars, they need a steady hand like Martin back there who makes the simple play and eats up tons of minutes. And with the lack of discipline and constant penalties taken by the Malkin line, they need their "D" to stay out of the box as much as possible. Martin and Orpik are typically good at doing that also.

[The Snapshot]

I feel bad for all my previous Martin bashing moments last year. I knew that Martin, Z pairing was responsible for a lot of goals against but I'm starting to think it was more of Z's inability to adjust to our uptempo style that threw that pairing out of synch. Martin once again had a huge game and is our bounceback player of the year so far. Great for him.

I am not going to go back and look for the old posts, but I said multiple times last year that Michalek was the anchor around Martin's neck. Didn't realize how good Marting would be, but I knew he would be better for getting rid of his partner.

[RxBandit66]

Another 2-0 lead lost. Why does this happen so often?

Does it? I remember it happening with disturbing frequency about three years ago (?), but not really all that much since then.

They blew three 2-goal leads against the Flyers last spring; two in the playoffs and one late in the regular season.

[Idoit40fans]

I feel bad for all my previous Martin bashing moments last year. I knew that Martin, Z pairing was responsible for a lot of goals against but I'm starting to think it was more of Z's inability to adjust to our uptempo style that threw that pairing out of synch. Martin once again had a huge game and is our bounceback player of the year so far. Great for him.

I am not going to go back and look for the old posts, but I said multiple times last year that Michalek was the anchor around Martin's neck. Didn't realize how good Marting would be, but I knew he would be better for getting rid of his partner.

That argument is fine, but then how to you explain the previous season? I think Martin just had a bad year.

[Hawkeynut]

- Paul Martin deserved a waiver wire pick up spot to my fantasy hockey team.
- How about that Dupuis, who cares if he isn't flashy, the guy gets it done. Sign him up Shero!
- When does Eugene Malkin show up? expecting him to catch fire really soon.
- Bennet is indeed Beau.

[topshelf]

I think playing the KHL might have something to do with Geno's current "slump". Some may argue that the level of play in the KHL is close to the NHL's, but I don't believe that to be true at all. Malkin was flying around guys over there and was having a good time doing it. He returned to a league that is played on a smaller rink, has teams that play tighter defense, and has a level of play that is superior to that of the KHL, so he is adjusting his game again.

[shmenguin]

-we're still a one line team at even strength. so it's not so much that we stepped off the gas - it's more like we just played our normal game, getting nothing, offensively, from 75% of the lineup at ES. it's not really a sustainable model for winning.
-even though i stand by my last statement, at least we were a tiny bit better at getting some pressure.
-dupuis is on the way to malone-ing him self out of pittsburgh. even if this is his favorite team to play for, it's his last chance at a big contract, so i expect him to follow the money.
-martin made a big play there, but it was probably his sloppiest game of the year
-letang is good. so good.
-i think it's 100% clear that it was just rust that was holding sid back early in the season.
-same with kunitz
-i think bennett looks better on line 3 than line 2 right now. i mean that in a complimentary way.

[The Snapshot]

I feel bad for all my previous Martin bashing moments last year. I knew that Martin, Z pairing was responsible for a lot of goals against but I'm starting to think it was more of Z's inability to adjust to our uptempo style that threw that pairing out of synch. Martin once again had a huge game and is our bounceback player of the year so far. Great for him.

I am not going to go back and look for the old posts, but I said multiple times last year that Michalek was the anchor around Martin's neck. Didn't realize how good Marting would be, but I knew he would be better for getting rid of his partner.

That argument is fine, but then how to you explain the previous season? I think Martin just had a bad year.

I think Michalek was horrible both years, and Martin wasn't very good in either of those years as well. I'm assuming you are saying Martin was good in the 1st year, but I don't agree. He was worse last year for sure, but he wasn't very good in year 1.

To me the pairing suffered more from Michalek's complete ineptitude last year - and Martin ended up trying to do too much. He's a player that thrived in NJ adding just a little creativity from within a very structure plan there. Now being paired with Orpik, they have a much more structured way of playing - not to mention that Orpik doesn't lose every puck battle in the corner or get muscled in front. The fact that Michalek was so soft didn't really augment Martin's game either - since he is a "stick on puck" guy instead of a banger.

[Eismann]

- Very entertaining game all around. BUF should have had more.
- MAF was crazy again.
- Pens had probs in their end clearing, but when they did, transition game was pretty good
- BB flubbed a few. He's still in the plays, which is good.
- BUF packed in the d very well vs. Geno and co. That line needs more hard drives to the cage
- Teh Sid

[penny lane]

I am an emotional wreck from the finale of Downton Abbey...but I'll carry on.
Killer instinct; they have to find that button. Wednesday would be purrrfect starting point.
Yesterday that backhand beauty worked from letang. High risk play though. That is what you have with these penguins.
Ryan Miller; any goalie; don't know how they don't all talk to themselves. Great save prior on james neal and in seconds, forgotten. Game over!

Eugene Malkin fly-boys need a beatdown, purrrfect game to start .