Game 20 vs FLA - Thoughts from the Morning After

[joe icepick]

Really, we only had 52 penalties and he gets called for hooking trying to chase someone around the net.

[owtahear]

The Florida TV crew wouldn't let the Adams non-call go. And, man, do they like saying Huberdeau...

So do I. I think he is another Jonathon Toews. If I could choose any under 20 forward, it would be him. I would take him over Yakupov.

[iWonTheCup87]

i cant take these comebacks that fall short. I would have rather just lost 4-1. Its nice they have fought back when they get down recently but man its so freaking frustrating seeing the comeback only to throw it away because of a stupid play by Letang. I watched that play again and its awful what he did there i cant believe how stupid he was. I really wish letang would learn to shoot the puck.

Team has to stop taking penalties its getting out of hand

Vokoun had 2 shaky games oh well. He was excellent most of the season, i love how now all of a sudden hes a waste of $$ riiight.

Pens better wake up and steamroll these southeast teams

[Kovy27]

What don't you understand?

3. Vokoun best years are gone and not worth 2 mill
5. Neal's hooking penalty?
6. This year Kovy

3. K
5. Malkin takes those all the time.
6. What?

[Idoit40fans]

If they're gonna lose, may as well lose like that, since I was facing both Vokoun and Theodore in fantasy.

[Nizzy]

I just feel so disappointed watching this Penguin team. Forget winning the Stanley Cup this year. Just throw that idea out of the window, the sooner you let that pipe dream go, the better. You simply cannot be letting up this many goals consistently in this era of NHL and win the Cup. This team is a 2nd round exit again, should be first round but might win on talent. Game in and game out, the Pens show up with no emotion/unmotivated whatever you want to call it. They start hot for 10 minutes, 2nd period blow it away. Don't be fooled, this starts and ends with coaching and discipline which also comes from coaching. I'm just sitting here drooling over what a Mike Babcock or even a Tortorella could do with this team just for 1 season. Dan Bylsma wins coach of the year without superstars, that says it all. He's a coach that takes fringe players/grinders and gets the most out of them and can win with a good-great defense. He shouldn't be coaching this team anymore, but he is completely safe in this shortened season. No structure, no system besides north-south as fast as possible. Defenseman not knowing what to due with the puck so they stretch pass, icing, repeat. I'm really concerned going forward as a Pens fan. We won the Cup and Bylsma says something like 'they still aren't even playing the way fully that I want, wait til I get a full camp under them.' It's just been worse since then, honestly.. what direction is this team going? It's like no Identity this year, oh wait, there is...work hard to get a lead then just blow it.

-Bortuzzo stood around with the puck for a second not seeing anywhere to go, Bylsma immediately talked to him on the bench, hey Dan maybe its you? Borts will be fine, I kind of wish they just sat Engelland and used him as the plug in 7th guy.
-I agree with the newly created Despres thread. Letang - Despres should be a pairing and not broken unless one gets injured. This is a joke. Enough of this 'okay its your turn crap' This isn't PeeWee hockey. This is how prospects get screwed up. I checked ESPN.com one day (I know ESPN lol) and it had Despres ranked as the 11th rookie in the standings. Why is he not playing over Engelland at least? Don't ruin this kid, he's special. Future solid #2.
-Bennett - good thing this is Shero's draft pick and isn't letting Bylsma tool him around. I like the consistency. With our inconsistency in the bottom 6 all year and lack of offensive talent (besides Sutter, maybe Cooke) Bennett needs to stay in the Pros the entire year. I don't even care if he starts playing slightly worse. The kid 'Sunshine' has already made it. Great job Jesse suggesting this pick, you really know you stuff. For every Nathan Moon you have Despres & Bennett picks. This is great to see a young Penguins forward prospect playing well.
-Vokoun - Not worried at all, he's the back up. The better he plays it helps Fleury. Vokoun is making more than a backup should but he's still a veteran. Just in a funk maybe? I don't really care going forward, they shouldn't play much in the playoffs anyway when it matters. It's all and always has been about Fleury.
-Jeffrey - heh wow. It's so funny to me how this guy can sit for how many games? 15? Then come right back and score 2 goals/have a semi decent 200-foot game. But TK can be TK for 15 games, doing nothing (not just all about the points) but useless TK and still be safe. Dustin Jeffrey should never sit again over Tyler Kennedy. Jeffrey shows he can produce and hopefully keep improving his game. Kennedy is a joke, I'm tired of seeing him on this team. Maybe when Malkin is back give him Bennett, and go with Cooke-Sutter-Jeffrey. TK sits or 4th line. Hope he isn't back next year but if I had to do it, 1yr-1m nothing more please.
-Niskanen - someone on this board told me he's fine when hes in the top 4, I'm sorry I still disagree. He needs to be number 5 and start rotating Engelland/Bortuzzo.
-Martin - yeah hes worth his 5M as the UFA we signed him for this year.
-One thing that I'm pleased to see with Bylsma is finally letting Jeffrey/Bennett/Despres/Bortuzzo PLAY. Go with young guys. I still honestly believe if he sat Martin after game 2 last playoffs, we could have turned that series around. All we had to do was start playing NHL quality defense. That Flyers team was pathetic.

This team is going to get shutdown in the playoffs so bad. Its going to happen with systematic play as well. I won't get my hopes up until Bylsma is gone and hopefully he is in the offseason. He doesn't know how to coach other styles. His coaching style is, get a bunch of grinders to go grind out wins. When the grinders fail, because they are just grinders, he loses. He can't change it up, he doesnt have any answers when asked in the media.

The team defense is the worst thing. This also falls on coaching. You never see Detroit/New Jersey blow this many leads/even let up this many goals consistently.

Lemieux will step in after the first/second round loss and get Bylsma out of here. Give Cooke 1 year deal, Dupuis deserves 2-2.5m per year for 2 years, re-up Kunitz for another 2. Do no bring Adams back, I'm sick of having a guy on the team just for PK.

I'm just going to sit back and enjoy hockey the rest of the season because I didn't think I would even get to see 48 games this year with the lockout. I'm just sure this team won't go past the 2nd round so don't get excited anyone. A team like Boston will smack this weak team around like a rag doll. No system here at all, so no problem for New Jersey.

Also all you jokers laughing at me for saying Brandon Saad is already a top 6 player. He's on Toews wing, scoring goals ahaha.

ID40, Bro do you even lift?

[Pavel Bure]

I'm confused by the people whining about Glass not scoring. Did you expect Glass to be a 30 goal 60 point guy? That's not his game. His game is to be physical and cause trouble. He's done that. He's exactly as advertised.

[shmenguin]

The Florida TV crew wouldn't let the Adams non-call go. And, man, do they like saying Huberdeau...

my initial reaction to them was, "ok, guys. that's enough whining." but it took me about 2 seconds to remember that they were 100% correct. it was such a botched call that they could have talked about it the rest of the game and it would be ok.

[Nizzy]

Letang is becoming a serious defensive liability

Look at his partner first. The way Letang plays is fine, he needs the right pairing to be effective.

think Doughty - Scuderi. One Roamer, one to always be in position for the low chance when Letang gets beat/makes wrong play.

Letang - Despres

Don't touch it for the next decade.

It was also similar slightly to the way Weber and Suter used each others strengths perfectly together...

[meow]

Can't lean on the PK so hard. It'll break eventually.
Pens got out worked for 55 minutes of the game.
I'm going to start pointing out adjustments Bylsma makes because it is apparent that there are some posters here that either don't have enough hockey knowledge to see them (not that there is anything wrong with that) and follow suit with others complaining about the lack of adjustments or you have on fire Bylsma glasses and cannot see his adjustments
- the goalie change
- changed the PK unit pairings
- added Crosby and Bortuzzo to the PK
- adjusted the breakout to deal with florida's 1-2-2 high - had the wingers swing lower to move all 5 guys up together and eliminate the possible stretch pass.
Fleury was good, again. Too bad he got stuck with the L.
This is why I laughed at all the goaltending controversy claims to start the year.

[rgj]

[/quote]

I would rather listen to Steigerwald x 100 than Pee-Air.[/quote]


Amen.

[Nizzy]

Can't lean on the PK so hard. It'll break eventually.
Pens got out worked for 55 minutes of the game.
I'm going to start pointing out adjustments Bylsma makes because it is apparent that there are some posters here that either don't have enough hockey knowledge to see them (not that there is anything wrong with that) and follow suit with others complaining about the lack of adjustments or you have on fire Bylsma glasses and cannot see his adjustments
- the goalie change
- changed the PK unit pairings
- added Crosby and Bortuzzo to the PK
- adjusted the breakout to deal with florida's 1-2-2 high - had the wingers swing lower to move all 5 guys up together and eliminate the possible stretch pass.
Fleury was good, again. Too bad he got stuck with the L.
This is why I laughed at all the goaltending controversy claims to start the year.

The goalie change? Wow, what an amazing coach we have.

I like the PK changes and to be fair this wasnt the first time I've see Sid on the PK this year. I want to see more of it.

Therrien: 'Hey, allotta guy don care. They act like dey care dey don care.'

""""""""""- adjusted the breakout to deal with florida's 1-2-2 high - had the wingers swing lower to move all 5 guys up together and eliminate the possible stretch pass. """""""""""""

and it didn't work out so well didit? Teams know how to beat Bylsma after losing to his junk once. It's still too much dumping in from the red line.

Go get em' little tiger!!!!!

/season

[IMFC]

- you give up 4 pp goals, you gonna lose
- quality comeback, ruined by ...
- tanger, uh, no reason to go rogue there, buddy - every reason NOT to
- some teams have that 'attitude' where they get away with everything - this team doesn't - seems like the blind zebras are having 5 on 3 contest - whoever calls the most gets a trip to hawaii . . . OFF season . . .
- Orpik blowing up Kennedy actually made a ton of idiots (prolly at least 40 so called 'fans') happy
- most announcers really do suck pretty bad, but you know who's the worst? Marv Albert.
- if teams do take on the personality of their coach, I wish hcdb was a little meaner

[Tico Rick]

I wonder what would happen if Letang tried playing D versus roaming forward? There have been many times this season where I have wondered if he thinks more highly of his offensive skills than he actually has.

Indeed. His poor decision making in Florida's end made their game-winning goal possible.

[Nizzy]

- you give up 4 pp goals, you gonna lose
- quality comeback, ruined by ...
- tanger, uh, no reason to go rogue there, buddy - every reason NOT to
- some teams have that 'attitude' where they get away with everything - this team doesn't - seems like the blind zebras are having 5 on 3 contest - whoever calls the most gets a trip to hawaii . . . OFF season . . .
- Orpik blowing up Kennedy actually made a ton of idiots (prolly at least 40 so called 'fans') happy
- most announcers really do suck pretty bad, but you know who's the worst? Marv Albert.
- if teams do take on the personality of their coach, I wish hcdb was a little meaner

Marv Albert... that doesn't even make sense. He was fired for, well.. look it up lol.. and people complained so much until they brought him back. I don't think comparing NHL/NBA is a good idea.

Someone on here told me they don't watch the game on mute, but really low so they only hear the small things and when something big happens they turn it up to find out. I've been doing this and enjoying it when I don't snyc it with Mike Lange on the radio. I really like it when Mike Lange is like 8 seconds a head of my stream so when we score I get all excited because I know whats coming.

kennedy is bad, I fist pumped it.

[Idoit40fans]

I was making food during that Orpik hit, didn't realize he hit Kennedy. I just laughed and shook my head in disappointment. Thats how the game was yesterday.

[beachinit]

1) Vokoun sucks...What is that 14 or 15 goals in 3 games (NJD, PHI, FLA). I say send Vokoun down (waivers) and bring up the minor leaguer. Cant do know worse
2) Crosby on Powerplay needs to quit the cross ice pass to Letang. It works maybe 1 out of 30 times. Take the shot or feed to the point
3) Letang- Quit overplaying the puck. Get it out of the zone and dont pinch in the last 10 seconds of a powerplay.
4) Florida may be a vacation spot but its not yours on game day.
5) Stupid penalties..Although Orpiks and Kennedy's were questionable. I thought you had to actually hit a guy with an elbow to get an elbowing penalty. And on the hit on the icing call sure felt like both were playing the puck as if it was not icing
Good Things
1) Orpik and Martin..Looked good for the most part. Clearly the best defensive pairing for the Pens
2) Sutter in front of the net. Pissed Theodore enough
3) Martin on the Power Play...Almost looks like a little Gonchar out there..the patience is what was needed
4) The big saves Fleury made coming off the bench. Clearly is posistioned well lately

[canaan]

Vokoun is not good, but Fleury is worse...which is why he was given the loss.

wat

[owtahear]

The Pens played a lazy game.
The Panthers outworked them from the get.
The Pens are a stupid team.
I think the Pens need a Roberts/Guerin type to reinforce this. They are not getting the message.
Orpik is declining as a player.
Letang is great, I can't believe all the hate. He is Sergei Zubov. Who do you want, Kevin Hatcher?
The Pens need to stop throwing the puck blindly through the slot.
It looked like 3 Panthers to 1 Penguin out there. One on three. The Panthers just worked their butts off and was rewarded with PP"s that they capitalized on.
That "atmosphere" there is almost a home advantage in the fact it has the feel of a preseason scrimmage.
The Pens got to stop engaging in stupidity.
Vokoun was scary.
I'll take Despres over Bortuzzo. His upside is high. Let him go through the growing pains.

[Froggy]

Letang is flashy and he does the showy stuff really well. It's just that sometimes I think he doesn't have a grasp on the basics.

[Hawkeynut]

Seriously... this board has to be bi-polar (no offense to those of you who suffer).

Let's look at the good of this game:
- The Pens cannot win EVERY game, sometimes the other team will come in more desperate.
- Pens were down 4-1 remember and came back to tie it after a mega hit by Engelland (who everyone wants sent to the dog house for some reason).
- The Pens showed a ton of life after the goaltending change which tells me that they are backing up their teammate.
- After 4 bad PK's they turned it around and looked solid on the PK afterwards.
- Flower looked pretty damn good coming in cold.
- Crosby-Neal-Kunitz is a legit line and read off each other very very well.
- Bennet once again made a dandy pass and landed another point.
- Paul Martin, while not perfect is looking pretty damn good and is coming up with very timely offense.

I don't know about the rest of you but I didn't see this as a horrible bad game. When your goaltender isn't on his game and your PK stinks, you are bound to look horrible. But the rest of the Pens game looked good! PP is looking really solid for the most part and has me excited once again for it after 2 years of "WTF are they thinking??" power plays. Trolls be damned, this was a good game as it was entertaining at times and had a feel as though the Pens could win it..... even down 4-1.

[penny lane]

Paul Martin~ salute!
Letang with Despres was working. I appreciate all of the skills Letang has, but he is so non chalant about his shot.
Brandon Sutter needs to assert himself more on the PK. I don't need him to score a lot of goals, but his focus should be on the PK. His face offs need to improve also.

Collectively they wanted an easy game and to walk away with 2 points. To lose to that fla team is awful. If not for theodore, it wouldn't have been close.

[sil]

You know who works hard...

Ryan O'Reilly.

[Beveridge]

Nizzy, you could have saved yourself a lot of time by saying: Fire Bylsma

This whole board gets your axe.

[Puffymuffin]

I like Jeffrey, no clue why he seems the odd one out so many games. That said, I didn't watch the game.