Mad City Mike wrote:Why was Orpik scratched, anyway, especially against a physical team like Toronto?
GOALTENDING: D. By far, Fleury’s worst game since Christmas. Maybe he was tired or is starting to wear down, but he definitely was not sharp last night. Lots of ugly rebounds and a long-range goal by McCabe. He never looked comfortable the second half of the game.
STRIPED BUFFOONS
Mad City Mike wrote:GOALTENDING: D. By far, Fleury’s worst game since Christmas. Maybe he was tired or is starting to wear down, but he definitely was not sharp last night. Lots of ugly rebounds and a long-range goal by McCabe. He never looked comfortable the second half of the game. They probably win this game in regulation if he had played up to his recent standards. But he didn’t and they still won, so what does that say?
netwolf wrote:Mad City Mike wrote:GOALTENDING: D. By far, Fleury’s worst game since Christmas. Maybe he was tired or is starting to wear down, but he definitely was not sharp last night. Lots of ugly rebounds and a long-range goal by McCabe. He never looked comfortable the second half of the game. They probably win this game in regulation if he had played up to his recent standards. But he didn’t and they still won, so what does that say?
I think that's a touch harsh. He never saw the McCabe shot thanks to a few bodies screening him, including Michel Ouellet. Also, factor in how rough the team defense was and I'd bump that up an entire letter grade to a C.
opie22002 wrote:Speaking of officiating, the one thing that I notice teams getting away with more and more is interference. How many times did you see the Pens chip the puck into the zone (with speed) and get interfered with by defenders. How can a player skating backwards be allowed to hold up a forechecker, without any intention of playing the puck, and not get called for interference. You've got to call that interference or rewrite the rule!
Mad City Mike wrote:STRIPED BUFFOONS: F. Broken record here. You know, I have never been one to continually harp on officiating, especially as an excuse for losing. But lately, I am doing it because the Pens are winning in spite of the Striped Buffoons. Last night might have taken the cake. Can someone please explain to me how Hal Gill (another no-talent hack who can’t play in the new NHL) can commit six infractions while being stared at by Blind Massenhoven and not get called for one of them. And all on one play? That might be the single greatest case of incompetence you will ever see. Let others praise Blind Massenhoven for coming back. Not me. The league is worse for it. These two buffoons quite obviously decided, for whatever reason, to call it Old NHL style in this one. Guys were being hooked and held all game long. I will leave it to the loyal readers to decide which slow slug team from Hogtown that this benefited. I will also leave it to you to decide if it was deliberate, it being Hockey Night in Canada and all. Then, after they ignore everything (and the Rock means everything) late in the game, they suddenly decide to whistle Scuderi in OT. I was livid at that point. Fortunately, they buffooned their way out of it by calling one on them where Eaton most definitely embellished. You know, if refs aren’t fired after a performance like this, they never will be. Simply disgusting.
Mad City Mike wrote:Otherwise known as Jordan Staal Night in Canada.
OFFENSE: A. The goals just continue to rain down. What an amazing performance, netting five goals against a Leafs team that had been very stingy lately. Staal and Malkin are just amazing together. If only Sid had somebody that talented to play with. The Pens were once again great in transition. When they get that transition game going, a slow slug team like Toronto cannot keep up. They once again got two goals from unexpected sources (Malone and Talbot). The game winner was just a beauty. All three Pens just stormed up the ice, and the Leafs were left in the dust. It does kind of remind you of old-time Edmonton Oilers firewagon hockey. In the third period, it looked like Therrien had finally tired of Malone dragging the first line down and replaced him with Crusher Christian. Unfortunately, it helped the third line more than the first, but he needs to stick with this awhile and see if it works.
DEFENSE: F. Very ugly performance in their own end. Most of the time, they were either not skating or doing their best chickens with their heads cut off imitation. The defensemen were bad, and the forwards no better. Too many guys wide open in front of Fleury. Scuderi had a particularly rough night, being on for three goals against and taking the untimely penalty in OT (more on that under Striped Buffoons). But the forwards were of no help most of the night either, especially the Malkin line, which got lit up for two (Ouellet was actually on for three). Just not a solid effort at all here, in what is becoming more and more of a habit. In case anyone’s watching, that’s four or more goals against in four of the last six games. Not a good trend.
POWER PLAY: A. Though they only had three chances (more on that under Striped Buffoons), they managed to pot one on a beautiful transition play keyed by a tremendous Sid pass to Malkin. They also moved the puck reasonably well and had some other good chances thwarted by Raycroft. The fact they only had one PPG was more the fault of the Striped Buffoons than anything else.
PENALTY KILL: C. So-so. They essentially allowed one PP goal, though the guy had just come out of the box. But it seemed like they were never in total control on the kill, as Toronto did generate good chances. They just continue to leak oil here.
GOALTENDING: D. By far, Fleury’s worst game since Christmas. Maybe he was tired or is starting to wear down, but he definitely was not sharp last night. Lots of ugly rebounds and a long-range goal by McCabe. He never looked comfortable the second half of the game. They probably win this game in regulation if he had played up to his recent standards. But he didn’t and they still won, so what does that say?
OVERALL: C+. They simply cannot keep blowing leads like this. Three times in the last week, they blew leads that made them go to OT each time. The luck will run out eventually. There are starting to be many cracks in the armor, and these cracks will become gaping holes when they play good teams. But somehow right now, they just keep on winning. It shows how good they have become when they can play nowhere near their ability and still win.
Others…
STRIPED BUFFOONS: F. Broken record here. You know, I have never been one to continually harp on officiating, especially as an excuse for losing. But lately, I am doing it because the Pens are winning in spite of the Striped Buffoons. Last night might have taken the cake. Can someone please explain to me how Hal Gill (another no-talent hack who can’t play in the new NHL) can commit six infractions while being stared at by Blind Massenhoven and not get called for one of them. And all on one play? That might be the single greatest case of incompetence you will ever see. Let others praise Blind Massenhoven for coming back. Not me. The league is worse for it. These two buffoons quite obviously decided, for whatever reason, to call it Old NHL style in this one. Guys were being hooked and held all game long. I will leave it to the loyal readers to decide which slow slug team from Hogtown that this benefited. I will also leave it to you to decide if it was deliberate, it being Hockey Night in Canada and all. Then, after they ignore everything (and the Rock means everything) late in the game, they suddenly decide to whistle Scuderi in OT. I was livid at that point. Fortunately, they buffooned their way out of it by calling one on them where Eaton most definitely embellished. You know, if refs aren’t fired after a performance like this, they never will be. Simply disgusting.
JORDAN STAAL: A. Phil Kessel, anyone. Not me anymore. I’ll say it right now. I was wrong, wrong, wrong to say they should have taken Kessel. Staal is nothing short of amazing. Malkin is lucky they put Staal with him, or he’d be racking up all these points with Sid and giving Geno a run for the Calder. When was the last time guys from the same team finished 1-2 in the Calder voting? If Staal keeps going at anything close to this pace, it could happen.
GOLLUM OF THE GAME: Easy, Hal Gill for his attack on Colby Armstrong. What’s the matter Hal, are we not allowed to check the Big Oaf anymore? Poor guy. He needs to be taken out. Oh, no he doesn’t. We are better off with him out there. That was a beautiful little -4 he put up last night. No wonder the big goof gets frustrated.
BRYAN MCCABE: F. The nerve of the Canadian press lackeys to say that Sid whines, while totally ignoring this guy. He whines after every single call, even if it’s blatant. He was even whining about something on the game-winner.
LEAF NATION: Yes, I know you are the greatest franchise ever created, God’s gift to hockey so to speak. But I have an equation for you. 1000+900+60+7. You figure it out.
KELLY HRUDEY: A. During Behind the Mask in the second HNIC game, he told Aaron Downey to STFU, regarding his comments to Sid last week. Said the yapping on the bench was fine, but he was way out of line going to the press and saying what he did.
RAY SHERO: C. Please, please find Sid a real linemate. Please. Sid is not playing well right now, and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because he has nobody to help him out?
JOE MELICHAR. F. Welcome back, now go eat nachos. He was -1 in his return and looked like his usual unphysical, horrible self. Is it any coincidence they didn’t play this badly defensively the whole time he was out? Why was Orpik scratched, anyway, especially against a physical team like Toronto?
redmosqui wrote:I've constantly impressed with Staal and playing with Geno has simply lit a fire under him and these two click like crazy!!! I really want to see Staal replace Mark on the PP to camp out in front of the net,...i'm tired of watching teams push the elder around.
redmosqui wrote:Whitney is impressing me more and more, but him and sid really need to watch that 1 timer across the ice on the PP...teams and goalies are so ready for it right now...sure it works alot, but the unit needs to add set plays to their file to keep teams guessing!!
redmosqui wrote:MAF, needs a rest....period...oh, and a defense that can clear the net, and the zone!!
Kicksave wrote:redmosqui wrote:I've constantly impressed with Staal and playing with Geno has simply lit a fire under him and these two click like crazy!!! I really want to see Staal replace Mark on the PP to camp out in front of the net,...i'm tired of watching teams push the elder around.
Recchi, for the better part of the last 2-3 weeks has been one of your best players. He absolutely needs to be out on the powerplay right now but the thing is this, Recchi, where he would be bet suited on the power play, is where Crosby sets up.
When they can get the power play going full speed, usually what happens is Whitney (playing the right point) slides over and plays along the boards, Gonchar sets up in the middle, Crosby gets the whole right side where he can try and hit Whitney with the cross-ice pass, give it off to Sarge or he just turns around and takes it to the net himself. Malkin, who originally sets up at the left wing, floats down low and Recchi then goes to the front of the net. They seem to like this kinda diamond type set up, with Malkin behind the net, Gonch at the point, Whitney on the left, Crosby on the right and Rex in front and so far its been successful.
Mad City Mike wrote:Otherwise known as Jordan Staal Night in Canada.
OVERALL: C+. They simply cannot keep blowing leads like this. Three times in the last week, they blew leads that made them go to OT each time. The luck will run out eventually. There are starting to be many cracks in the armor, and these cracks will become gaping holes when they play good teams. But somehow right now, they just keep on winning. It shows how good they have become when they can play nowhere near their ability and still win.
Mad City Mike wrote:
STRIPED BUFFOONS: F. Broken record here. You know, I have never been one to continually harp on officiating, especially as an excuse for losing. But lately, I am doing it because the Pens are winning in spite of the Striped Buffoons. Last night might have taken the cake. Can someone please explain to me how Hal Gill (another no-talent hack who can’t play in the new NHL) can commit six infractions while being stared at by Blind Massenhoven and not get called for one of them. And all on one play? That might be the single greatest case of incompetence you will ever see. Let others praise Blind Massenhoven for coming back. Not me. The league is worse for it. These two buffoons quite obviously decided, for whatever reason, to call it Old NHL style in this one. Guys were being hooked and held all game long. I will leave it to the loyal readers to decide which slow slug team from Hogtown that this benefited. I will also leave it to you to decide if it was deliberate, it being Hockey Night in Canada and all. Then, after they ignore everything (and the Rock means everything) late in the game, they suddenly decide to whistle Scuderi in OT. I was livid at that point. Fortunately, they buffooned their way out of it by calling one on them where Eaton most definitely embellished. You know, if refs aren’t fired after a performance like this, they never will be. Simply disgusting.
opie22002 wrote:Speaking of officiating, the one thing that I notice teams getting away with more and more is interference. How many times did you see the Pens chip the puck into the zone (with speed) and get interfered with by defenders. How can a player skating backwards be allowed to hold up a forechecker, without any intention of playing the puck, and not get called for interference. You've got to call that interference or rewrite the rule!
Ron` wrote:The officiating changes that were promised to open up the game (speed) are slowly slipping away. This is why Mike continually harps about the Officials imo. It's true and hard to deny.
The old school mentality is driving this league right back in time to the trapping, interferring, clutch and grab play of the past. If there was a problem with diving, then call the diving tighter. Don't let the rest of the garbage slide to compensate.
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