Game 18 vs Flyers - Thougths from the Morning After

[Penspal]

Pens lose 2-1

- Pens could not score in a red light district
- Emery becomes the latest in "Pens vs. hot goalie" which was not screened, and made it look easy
- Pens missed the net on 4-5 "Grade A" scoring chances. Not hitting the net means no 2nd chance
- The look on HCDB's face after the Flyers 2nd goal was incredible. Laser beams from his eyes, then ... idk, maybe fear for his job?
- According to Pee-Air Maguire, Pens goal was a total fluke, puck hit something, strange bounce let Pens keep it in resulting in goal (hockey is a crazy game) (sacrifice moar )
- Officially a team wide slump. IMHO they are missing a spark. (not sure what, but in year's past it might have been the odd fight, big hit, etc... Need to inject emotion & energy)
- While I think its too early to call for a shakeup of some kind, I would not be surprised to see one (trade, demotion/promotion, etc)
- Malkin needs to shoot more (or is his shoulder bothering him)
- Glass had one hell of a shift with 3 blocked slappers in about 5 seconds!!!
- Pens miss Scuds/Martin but that does not improve their goal issues

[Cu11en]

Another thought from the morning after - the crowd at Consol was more lifeless than usual.

Especially after Duper's questionable slash and resulting PP goal, it was at best a brief spell of mild booing and half-hearted discontent. The whole sequence could've caused riots in Montreal. In Consol last night, it barely kept the crowd from falling asleep.

[shoeshine boy]

I agree with everything except the very last statement. when it comes to scoring goals a lot of people dismiss the D's role. a good D can be the first link in a chain of goal scoring. I'm not talking about the D actually scoring the goal or even getting an assist. I'm talking about that D that get the puck out of the zone with a good first pass or the D that crosses the red line and then gets the puck deep. these are things Martin and Scuds do well.

[slipshod]

Nobody goes to the net and sets up camp, takes the abuse, and sticks their ass in the goalies face (Morrow, as slow as he was, was good at this). They either stand to the side and waive their stick at the shot... or they don't go there at all. England did a good job of screening Fleury on the Flyers first goal though.

[skullman80]

I hate losing to the Flyers. That is all.

[PensHckyFan79]

-Why is it that Brayden Schenn always seems to cheep shot the Pens and they never do anything to him. I swear I have seen him taking runs at pens and then the slew foot of fluery last night. I am surprised the pens did not stand up more for their goalie in that situation.
-Crosby 0-2 on breakaways last night!
-Letang Maatta doesn't look too bad, but really like Maatta Bort cant wait for PM and "the piece" to be healthy Orpik Englland is rough
-Granted the PP got a goal last night, but entry into the zone still is brutal the first PP they wasted over a minute trying to get into the zone

[Pitt87]

I hate losing to the Flyers. That is all.

This. And Giroux looks completely disengaged. Would not be surprised if that guy gets shipped in true "Save the Ship, Trade the Captain" Flyers style.

[Stevens25]

Nobody goes to the net and sets up camp, takes the abuse, and sticks their ass in the goalies face (Morrow, as slow as he was, was good at this)

Is there really a lack of players willing to do this? The Pens just can't get anyone to sit their rear end in front of the net.
You know who does a great job of that... Crosby. Is it worth it to put him in front of the net on a few PP until we get it going again? Maybe- but dangerous for him.

[Cu11en]

Nobody goes to the net and sets up camp, takes the abuse, and sticks their ass in the goalies face (Morrow, as slow as he was, was good at this). They either stand to the side and waive their stick at the shot... or they don't go there at all.

I think regardless of Flower, Letang, or HCDB's lines, if offensive net presence doesn't get stronger they have no shot of going deep in the postseason.

[thehockeyguru]

-I am pretty sick of hearing, "The Pens came across another hot goalie" When you shoot from the perimeter the whole game, with the two exceptions being Crosby and Orpik sliding into the slot you arent going to score. WE HAVE SEEN THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN. Nobody on this team will go to the dirty areas. More blame needs to be put on the Pens than praise on the other team.

-The Flyers used the blueprint on beating the Pens flawlessly. They backchecked with 4 guys and anytime the Pens got the puck low they brought all 5 players below the circles and packed it in.

-I would trade Letang no matter the consequence. When you let a guy stand in front of your net, gather a rebound and let him finish without trying you shouldn't be in a Pens jersey.

[Cu11en]

--I would trade Letang no matter the consequence.

I'll take 3 scrubs who aren't afraid of redirecting 90mph slapshots and a box of Ho Ho's.

[Staggy]

Then we'd just need to find someone capable of shooting 90 mph.

[penny lane]

Another winnable game in the lost column. Fleury played well.
Best part of the game was the 5 on 3 PK. Horrible to let them score at the end of the regular power play.
Bennett and Sutter bumping into each other all evening.
Did Megna do somthing wrong?
All shots lead to the goalie's mid-section or chest.

Hate losing to the flyers; so I should stop going when they come to Pittsburgh.

[Cu11en]

Then we'd just need to find someone capable of shooting 90 mph.

Wasn't Orpik's shot to Crosby's jaw registered at 92mph?

You gotta start somewhere. If the scrubs can redirect with their face, we're in business.

[thehockeyguru]

Did Megna do somthing wrong?

This is a good point, I am not sure what the love affair is with Matt D'Agostini but I just dont see what this guy brings. Megna is more skilled and has shown a better motor.

[M10]

-I would trade Letang no matter the consequence. When you let a guy stand in front of your net, gather a rebound and let him finish without trying you shouldn't be in a Pens jersey.

Coaching.

[IntangibleBeer]

- Extremely frustrating game to watch. All through the 3rd period you knew they wouldn't score to tie it.
- Glass had himself a pretty good game. Impressive shot-blocking shift.
- Fleury played well. This was not his fault.
- By and large, I thought the defense played well, even with Martin and Scuderi out.
- I apologize for not knowing who wrote it, but someone in the GDT noted that Craig Berube's plan was working and HCDB was squandering line match-ups. It frosts me no end that HCDB should get outcoached by a cement-head like Berube. Of course, it doesn't seem to matter WHO the opposing coach is, we make him look like Scotty Bowman.
- Flyers came into our house with less skilled players, a lower level of play, and stole a victory. Not Acceptable!
- Where was the traffic in front of Emery????

[M10]

I miss the days when we could count on Cooke Staal and Kennedy to come up with some offense in a game like that. Those guys weren't afraid of the blue paint.

[Cu11en]

When the Pens have the puck behind the opposing net, I am wondering how long before its sent around the boards or just simply lost.

When the opposition has the puck behind Fleury, I am wondering how long before the trailer shows up in the TV picture and puts the centering pass on net.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Only one thought: WE NEED TO SCORE!

Pens had the possession game in tact despite some serious bonehead mistakes by the defense. It was the lack of scoring that lost the game.

I'm really glad this game was on NHL Network so I didn't have to hear Steigerschmuck say how the Pens are "running into a hot goaltender" for the 1,000th time.

[scals37]

Nobody goes to the net and sets up camp, takes the abuse, and sticks their ass in the goalies face (Morrow, as slow as he was, was good at this)

Is there really a lack of players willing to do this? The Pens just can't get anyone to sit their rear end in front of the net.
You know who does a great job of that... Crosby. Is it worth it to put him in front of the net on a few PP until we get it going again? Maybe- but dangerous for him.

They way Letang and the rest of the team was shooting last night, I don't feel comfortable with Sid being in the same building... Who the heck knows where the next shot will end up

[thehockeyguru]

When the Pens have the puck behind the opposing net, I am wondering how long before its sent around the boards or just simply lost.

When the opposition has the puck behind Fleury, I am wondering how long before the trailer shows up in the TV picture and puts the centering pass on net.

Of all people to break that mold, Brooks Orpik and he almost scored.

[Jim]

The Pens played so bad it made me sick... literally. I have a temperature and everything.

The Pens must have had 10-12 "wiff" passes where they completely blew the passes. Not a couple feet off, but more like they had never hels a hockey stick before.

* Bortuzzo's play was facepalm at best. Did he actually have a brain freeze on the first goal?

* Malkin is a turnover machine, on both sides. He seems to pick a lot of pockets but he coughs up the puck more than anyone (Letang is giving him a run though)

* Is Letang just having a "I just signed a huge contract so I can ease off" year?

* Where did Malkin leave his hockey-sense? He skates into double coverage, on purpose. He doesn't go to open ice when he does not have the puck. He looks confused.

(Hey look, no negative comments about Fleury or Orpik)

[slipshod]

I didn't see a replay but did Letang just miss the net with those two wide open shots from the low circle in the 3rd or did a stick get in there somewhere?

[Dickie Dunn]

-I would trade Letang no matter the consequence. When you let a guy stand in front of your net, gather a rebound and let him finish without trying you shouldn't be in a Pens jersey.

Coaching.

Yea, but a pee wee level coach. An NHL coach having to teach a highly (over)paid defenseman basic fundamentals is just pathetic.