4/11/2012 Flyers v. Pens Game 1- Official Game Thread

[Henry Hank]

The missed offsides is irrelevant. That whole thing started with a bad giveaway in the neutral zone by the fourth line. That CANNOT happen when you're playing with a 3-0 lead. They gave them an opening and they took advantage. Sure it was a bad call. That happens. The Pens were starting to give the puck away and run around before that. A goal against was bound to happen.

The PP really killed them tonight too. If they take advantage of one of those PPs, this game probably is over. You knew eventually Philly was going to get their's. That's just how it goes. Philly took advantage and they ended up winning. It's very typical of this team to blow chances to take games over on the PP. There's no killer instinct on this Pens team. It's been missing since they won the Cup.

Sorry for contributing to the negativity but what else can you say? Everybody sees this stuff coming and then it still happens. I've had the same feeling about this team as I had about the 2010 from the last few weeks of the season on. You knew that team was in trouble with the way they finished the season and the way they opened the playoffs. It was just a matter of time before they got beat and I can't help but feel the same way about this one.

[KG]

My blood pressure has gone back down, but man, I really hope this serves as a wake up call for everyone. They've been pulling this gig for weeks now; it's got to stop. This has nothing to do with gameplan or lineup adjustments. It's all about mentality. They need their killer instinct to kick in when it really matters, and not exclusive to the first period.

I know a lot of people are all "step off the ledge", but this is becoming habit for this squad.

On to Friday; Go Pens.

Good post. I agree! although I'm still very upset...!

[Stevo]

Eh, I'm not that worried the way i see it The Pens woke the flyers up in the 1st then the Flyers Woke the Pens up in the 3rd. Welcome to the playoffs.

[iWonTheCup87]

just dont get how people can say its just one game thought. They way the lost that game is awful and its a continuing trend for them to come out hard in the first and then sit back. If you arent worried after that choke job i dont know what to tell you. Game 2 is a must win game and if you think we can come back from 2-0 i dunno what to tell you

[mariojr]

It'd be pretty hard to generate any amount of negativity that could possibly exceed what actually happened tonight.

[columbia]

Pretty boy talent?

[shafnutz05]

The truth is somewhere in the middle. Yes, it's only game one. But no way can you chalk this up to an "aw shucks" loss. This loss was characterized by the same systematic failures we've seen for weeks. There is reason for concern, If they don't pull their heads out of their collective asses

[offsides]

Another scary part, we can not stop the Briere Simmonds line.

[canaan]

just dont get how people can say its just one game thought. They way the lost that game is awful and its a continuing trend for them to come out hard in the first and then sit back. If you arent worried after that choke job i dont know what to tell you. Game 2 is a must win game and if you think we can come back from 2-0 i dunno what to tell you

This same Speil was spewed after the caps went up 2-0--that worked out well for Washington then

[farnham16]

The missed offsides is irrelevant. That whole thing started with a bad giveaway in the neutral zone by the fourth line. That CANNOT happen when you're playing with a 3-0 lead. They gave them an opening and they took advantage. Sure it was a bad call. That happens. The Pens were starting to give the puck away and run around before that. A goal against was bound to happen.

The PP really killed them tonight too. If they take advantage of one of those PPs, this game probably is over. You knew eventually Philly was going to get their's. That's just how it goes. Philly took advantage and they ended up winning. It's very typical of this team to blow chances to take games over on the PP. There's no killer instinct on this Pens team. It's been missing since they won the Cup.

Sorry for contributing to the negativity but what else can you say? Everybody sees this stuff coming and then it still happens. I've had the same feeling about this team as I had about the 2010 from the last few weeks of the season on. You knew that team was in trouble with the way they finished the season and the way they opened the playoffs. It was just a matter of time before they got beat and I can't help but feel the same way about this one.

We will see if Bylsma earns his keep. Adjustments have to be made against Philly. The Flyers completely took away the wall in the Pens defensive zone and the Pens continued all game to try to use the wall to break out. Same thing will happen if the Pens don't adjust.

The Pens can dominate the Flyers. When they are all skating hard and playing their game Philly can't win. Pens gave up after the first. Plain and simple. They either learn from this and never let it happen again, or they don't and they lose this series.

I think they will be okay because this group normally responds to adversity very well. I will say this though, if the Pens lose, Bylsma has to be fired.

[lemieuxReturns]

This one is hard to take because it was a game where we finally got the third one and still managed to lose the game.

[spiritfan]

The problem is easy to identify but difficult to fix... too many freakim blue shirts in the stands... crowd was as dead as the Pens

[iWonTheCup87]

just dont get how people can say its just one game thought. They way the lost that game is awful and its a continuing trend for them to come out hard in the first and then sit back. If you arent worried after that choke job i dont know what to tell you. Game 2 is a must win game and if you think we can come back from 2-0 i dunno what to tell you

This same Speil was spewed after the caps went up 2-0--that worked out well for Washington then

im sorry but i dont think we can do what we did in 09. It sure feels like if we go down 2-0 we are done. We had much better defense then compared to now.

[KG]

I want to hear DB and the rest of the team comment about how come they totally stopped playing there game. They came out hitting the Flyer defense hard (Grossman etc.) Then they just stopped.

They were playing scared. This team has a little fear of the Flyers I hate to say it. But I believe it...

[nocera]

just dont get how people can say its just one game thought. They way the lost that game is awful and its a continuing trend for them to come out hard in the first and then sit back. If you arent worried after that choke job i dont know what to tell you. Game 2 is a must win game and if you think we can come back from 2-0 i dunno what to tell you

Because it literally is just one game.

[The U]

These are the two best teams in the East. Whoever wins this is going to the finals IMO. This will be the toughest round for us. A shame to blow a golden opportunity like we did tonight.

If we blow them out they are down 1-0, questioning their goalie, questioning their whole team and we keep home ice. Now, the exact opposite. They'll think they are in every game no matter the score, they'll continue to love playing in CEC, they got home ice, etc

[farnham16]

I will say this though. Pens actually did a great job on defense through 2 periods. Flyers only had 13 shots through 2. Has to be said, their first goal shouldn't have counted. It was just an absolutely horrid 3rd that did them in.

[Sarcastic]

To be fair, Briere's goal should not have counted and this game should have been ours. I still feel Pens should win the series. But what worries me is how half our D is going to hold up againt the more physical teams later on and also that we are going to make it very difficult for ourselves against these Flyers. I wish we could replace one of Martin/Michalek with someone like Grossman or Coburn.

What is the psychological effect of tonight's game? We came out in full swing only to lose like this. This is not a good loss. Although, what makes me feel better is that with Crosby and Malkin and some other pros on the team who really want to win, we'll come out hard next time. I do believe in Crosby's leadership and that he will not allow our guys to give up.

[Henry Hank]

just dont get how people can say its just one game thought. They way the lost that game is awful and its a continuing trend for them to come out hard in the first and then sit back. If you arent worried after that choke job i dont know what to tell you. Game 2 is a must win game and if you think we can come back from 2-0 i dunno what to tell you

This same Speil was spewed after the caps went up 2-0--that worked out well for Washington then

Falling behind Washington was completely different. The Pens owned the two games they lost to Washington but couldn't solve Varlamov. It was obvious who the better team was in those games. If anyone came away from tonight feeling like the Pens were the better team, they must have stopped watching after the first. The Flyers owned the Pens this season and they owned them tonight in the same fashion. That's why this is concerning. It's not really fluke or bad bounces that made the difference, it's one team simply having the blue print to beat another team.

[ranci]

I want to hear DB and the rest of the team comment about how come they totally stopped playing there game. They came out hitting the Flyer defense hard (Grossman etc.) Then they just stopped.

They were playing scared. This team has a little fear of the Flyers I hate to say it. But I believe it...

i will explain it to you again. our coach got scared and started playing not to lose and ordered a forward to stay back. it was even commented on by pierre who was right next to him hearing all his orders. pierre said on the broadcast that bylsma ordered a forward to be a 3rd man back, thus neutering our offense and our ability to keep the pressure on. this is not a mystery. either chose to accept reality or persist in delusion with a bunch of other people claiming its all the players fault.

[Staggy]

Wow. Heart-breaker. That one hurt.

[iWonTheCup87]

just dont get how people can say its just one game thought. They way the lost that game is awful and its a continuing trend for them to come out hard in the first and then sit back. If you arent worried after that choke job i dont know what to tell you. Game 2 is a must win game and if you think we can come back from 2-0 i dunno what to tell you

Because it literally is just one game.

i dont care if its one game. The way they lost made it worse than just a "loss" i dont know how you cant see that. The pens either bounce back from this friday or they go in free fall

[lemieuxReturns]

Martin was atrocious tonight. Man, when he has a bad game he rally has a bad game. You have to wonder when he is sitting in his stall if he thinks about maybe trying a a littler harder to retrieve pucks or feels a little guilty knowing that he consumes roughly 10 percent of the penguins payroll.

[farnham16]

When the Pens are firing on all cylinders and trying their hardest they have dominated the Flyers through long stretches this season. The problem is the Pens haven't shown that they can play 60 mins against them. If they do, they win no doubt.

[Sarcastic]

The PP really killed them tonight too.

Flyer's PP terrifies me. It's the way they set up and pass the puck, looking for open net shots, while screening the goalie. Our PP looked sort of good, but if you don't get results, then it doesn't matter.