Official Gameday Thread: Penguins vs Bruins 3/17/2013

[Froggy]

It really is astounding that Despres continues to sit.

why? they looked pretty good with engelland in there today.

bylsma has said REPEATEDLY that he wants engelland in there against physical teams. So far, especially as of late, it has worked pretty well. It's not like it's an arbitrary decision on his part. Bottom line, the lineup we had today only let up 1 goal against a top team in the league with our back up goalie in net. I'm gonna go ahead and give Bylsma the benefit of the doubt on our defensive line up after that.

[littlemoonboot]

I have to say, I love seeing this gif every time the Pens win. It cracks me up for some reason.

Never to replace filet o fish, it has great supporting playoff juju potential with all that fun cheese.

[Shakes]

Pens haven't played a game where at least one of 14, 9, or 87 scored a goal since 2/15 against the Jets. 15 games. Not

[Rylan]

Why does that video lie?!? Before you click play it says its a 16 second video, after you hit play it becomes a 15 second video

[FreeCandy44]

Why does that video lie?!? Before you click play it says its a 16 second video, after you hit play it becomes a 15 second video :scared:

The machines have become self aware!

[Tico Rick]

So will we get lots of "man, the win is great, but the offense just isn't built for the playoffs" hand-wringing posts after this win?

Actually...I'm of the mind that some tinkering is needed to make a run.

Downright revolutionary thought!

The Pens are playing pretty well now, but it's a shame they've forgotten all sense of defensive responsibility that MT instilled in them. :pop:

[thepittman]

It really is astounding that Despres continues to sit.

Because they are on a 9 game winning streak and whatever decisions HCDB is making are working.

[The Snapshot]

Man, sucks that this team is playing well now. They should mail in the games for another two weeks before they start playing well. Fire Bylsma.

Can't believe Fleury and Vokoun are so stupid as to start playing their best now. What idiots.

Seriously, that game today was pretty solid, but Vokoun bailed them out of several brain cramps as well and faced 32 shots. That is what I was talking about with the symbiotic relationship there. The D keeps rolling with another 1 goal allowed, but in reality we were outplayed - especially after Letang went out. He made saves on Seguin and Horton that there was NO way he made in his slump.

If you ask me we sat back TOO much in the 3rd, and Vokoun stood tall. That is every period since Fleury was pulled in Philly, and Fleury rebounded like a champ from that as well.

If you think that this team was missing Letang and Malkin for the better part of this game, Malkin obviously for the whole thing, we handled the "best" team in the East pretty well.

The themes through the last 4+ games has been based on better PK, better defense, better goaltending and supporting scoring. You can't play this well without all 4 being positive.

[The Snapshot]

It really is astounding that Despres continues to sit.

why? they looked pretty good with engelland in there today.

bylsma has said REPEATEDLY that he wants engelland in there against physical teams. So far, especially as of late, it has worked pretty well. It's not like it's an arbitrary decision on his part. Bottom line, the lineup we had today only let up 1 goal against a top team in the league with our back up goalie in net. I'm gonna go ahead and give Bylsma the benefit of the doubt on our defensive line up after that.

I think Bylsma should be given his due. Were Letang not hurt today after only 7 minutes of ice time, it would have been Orpik, Letang, Martin, Niskanen and Eaton getting most of the 15 that Engelland got. Engelland plays a lot less today than Despres played the game before. Engelland is added for an element to the D, knowing that each of the other 5 will play a little more than if Despres dressed.

When Despres dressed he gets the same kind of minutes as Engelland only got today because of the loss of Letang. When you have 5 D for most of the game and one of them has ONLY 15 minutes, you know he was only there for his physical presence and is deployed very strategically.

Dressig Engelland is similar to dressing 7 with respect to Crosby and Malkin. You aren't dressing the 7 D for big minutes, you just know that you will spot him in to rest the other 6 as well as now giving more icetime to Crosby and Malkin.

It's not really and Engelland is better than Despres kind of decision. They aren't used the same way when they play.

[Bathgate]

Hmm...this is weird. I'm gonna sound like a broken record though. The best goalies in the NHL are the ones on defensive teams. The Penguins are a bad defensive team and, therefore, have bad goalies. Now, the Pens play good defensive hockey and our goalies look great. Even the crappy one (which one that is seems to vary here).

Well, I'm stumped...

Have you not heard all the mentions about the bad defensive teams that Florida had when Vokoun played for them? Yet every year his save percentage was 92 or higher.

[pugilist13]

It really is astounding that Despres continues to sit.

why? they looked pretty good with engelland in there today.

bylsma has said REPEATEDLY that he wants engelland in there against physical teams. So far, especially as of late, it has worked pretty well. It's not like it's an arbitrary decision on his part. Bottom line, the lineup we had today only let up 1 goal against a top team in the league with our back up goalie in net. I'm gonna go ahead and give Bylsma the benefit of the doubt on our defensive line up after that.

I think Bylsma should be given his due. Were Letang not hurt today after only 7 minutes of ice time, it would have been Orpik, Letang, Martin, Niskanen and Eaton getting most of the 15 that Engelland got. Engelland plays a lot less today than Despres played the game before. Engelland is added for an element to the D, knowing that each of the other 5 will play a little more than if Despres dressed.

When Despres dressed he gets the same kind of minutes as Engelland only got today because of the loss of Letang. When you have 5 D for most of the game and one of them has ONLY 15 minutes, you know he was only there for his physical presence and is deployed very strategically.

Dressig Engelland is similar to dressing 7 with respect to Crosby and Malkin. You aren't dressing the 7 D for big minutes, you just know that you will spot him in to rest the other 6 as well as now giving more icetime to Crosby and Malkin.

It's not really and Engelland is better than Despres kind of decision. They aren't used the same way when they play.

You make good points here. Engelland averages 13/14 minutes a night. I know alot on this board feel he shouldn't be in the lineup, but you're right. He brings an element that others dont. We all know what that is. Shero/Bylsma have always had a guy like him in the lineup and always will. If used correctly, as he has been I really dont see the problem. You dont have to dress him every night certainly, and I get that. We can always have a slug like MacIntyre playing 30 seconds a night. I prefer a guiy who can play a regular shift.

[Tico Rick]

Beau Bennett tweeted this about an hour ago:

Don't propose to a girl publicly at a sporting event, it's weird

Anyone know what that's about?

[mikey287]

Hmm...this is weird. I'm gonna sound like a broken record though. The best goalies in the NHL are the ones on defensive teams. The Penguins are a bad defensive team and, therefore, have bad goalies. Now, the Pens play good defensive hockey and our goalies look great. Even the crappy one (which one that is seems to vary here).

Well, I'm stumped...

Have you not heard all the mentions about the bad defensive teams that Florida had when Vokoun played for them? Yet every year his save percentage was 92 or higher.

Sounds like an exception rather than a rule. Additionally, Florida's arena has been guilty of over-counting in the past.

[shmenguin]

Hmm...this is weird. I'm gonna sound like a broken record though. The best goalies in the NHL are the ones on defensive teams. The Penguins are a bad defensive team and, therefore, have bad goalies. Now, the Pens play good defensive hockey and our goalies look great. Even the crappy one (which one that is seems to vary here).

Well, I'm stumped...

Have you not heard all the mentions about the bad defensive teams that Florida had when Vokoun played for them? Yet every year his save percentage was 92 or higher.

Sounds like an exception rather than a rule. Additionally, Florida's arena has been guilty of over-counting in the past.

#robertsvehla

[mikey287]

Ha! Terrific player certainly, very underrated, but never played with TVo of course.

#jaybouwmeester

[shmenguin]

It was a reference to him somehow leading the league in hits all the time...basically more of florida's suspect "over counting"

[SolidSnake]

AO scored in the Caps/Sabres game and assist went to Vanek

[Great58]

Beau Bennett tweeted this about an hour ago:

Don't propose to a girl publicly at a sporting event, it's weird

Anyone know what that's about?

A guy proposed marriage to his GF on Kisscam. She said yes and they got all smoochie face on the jumbotron.

Any post-game discussion about Letang's injury?

[SolidSnake]

Ha! Terrific player certainly, very underrated, but never played with TVo of course.

#jaybouwmeester

#noah welch

[murphydump55]

Two huge wins against the Bruins, and some other big teams recently. This has to give this team some confidence, and it's starting to reflect in their play. Even the 4th line is starting to get a little life lately. Hopefully Geno can slide right back in and look like the old Geno again. Our d-zone has started to improve, but our PP continues to be a mess. (although the Bruins PK is number 1) At least our PK is starting to look a little more solid, although I'd still like to see a couple players added that can help out. Judging by what Shero has done in the past, he'll address this issue with a trade before the deadline.

The Bruins are still a scary team that is well coached. However, with Kelly out, and now possibly Krejci, it will definitely hurt them. They were auditioning for a wing on the third line all season (Chris Bourque failed) and now they'll be looking for a centre to replace Kelly.

We're finally starting to get an identity, and I think that identity will be further expressed after the trade deadline. I still don't agree with Byslma scratching Despres, but at least we're winning with him out of the lineup now, something we weren't doing before. Let's fix the damn PP and see where this team can go.

[columbia]

Fix the PP, which is running at 24.1%?

[brwi]

What I love about this is Gaucho posting something like "does it look like this man has any taste at all?" when it first appeared. I have to agree with that because Bud Light is toilet water and Pitbull is kind of a poser, but I'm starting to like this gif after yet another victory.

[PghSkins]

Fix the PP, which is running at 24.1%?

The "Outdated Conventional Wisdom" factor in today's GDT was pretty high.

[murphydump55]

Fix the PP, which is running at 24.1%?

As high as it's ranked, I'm still not confident or sold on it. We couldn't even gain the zone today. Come playoff time when you're playing the Bruins, those PP's are extremely important.

It just seems like a lot of our PP goals are broken play goals, and I'd rather not depend on broken plays to score on the PP. It would be nice to have some kind of identity on the PP, but we don't really, however we are finding ways to score. I'd just hope to look a little more structured. It also seems like (although I haven't checked) that we've scored a bunch of PP goals in some games, then look horrible in others.....therefore balancing out the PP%.

In the past we've had the Gonchar bomb from the point, the Whitney back door play, the Malkin one timer from the right side, and they could all score or produce a great scoring chance. This year I'm not really sure where we ever create scoring chances from exactly. A little more consistency and structure on the PP system would just make me feel more confident. The Leafs made our PP look bad, as well as Boston.

[Pitt87]

It really is astounding that Despres continues to sit.

why? they looked pretty good with engelland in there today.

bylsma has said REPEATEDLY that he wants engelland in there against physical teams. So far, especially as of late, it has worked pretty well. It's not like it's an arbitrary decision on his part. Bottom line, the lineup we had today only let up 1 goal against a top team in the league with our back up goalie in net. I'm gonna go ahead and give Bylsma the benefit of the doubt on our defensive line up after that.

When was the last time Engelland had a game off? Agree they played well today, but when your rotation doesn't move guys out of your bottom pair, its hard to explain how you have a guy like Despres on the bench.