Official Game Thread - 11/6 - Penguins vs. Ducks - 10:00pm

[PittPensFan]

The team should buy Thibault a cooler of cold beverages. As was stated before, he stole a point for them.

[netwolf]

I don't think I saw a defenseman make a clean outlet pass out of our end all night.

Melichar had quite a few.

It sounds crazy, but Melichar might be the best outlet passer on the team right now. With the offensive talent they have, he shouldn't be, but he just might anyway.

[NIN]

Oh and props to our PK!! Wow, it was great tonight.

Seriously, we shouldn't have even been in this game because of the PP chances, but the PK'rs stepped up huge. They along with Thibault are the stars of the game.

Seriously, look at the penalties they killed off. GREAT job.

Am I mad at the refs? Hell yeah, but I can't complain that much. Our sieve of a goalie gave us a chance to win. We killed off a ton of penalties. We played against the best team in the league. We played against possibly the two best defensemen in the league...

and oh yeah, we took a point...

I'm not going to make excuses for the Pens for two reasons:

1. The don't deserve any, they played well enough to get a point vs. arguably the best team in hcokey. They played hard but undisciplined.

2. They are so, so young and inexperianced. Diving is a part of hockey, whether you accept it or not, it exists and it always will. Rookies get victimized by good divers all the time.

[NIN]

I don't think I saw a defenseman make a clean outlet pass out of our end all night.

Melichar had quite a few.

It sounds crazy, but Melichar might be the best outlet passer on the team right now. With the offensive talent they have, he shouldn't be, but he just might anyway.

I was really impressed with Joe tonight. Solid game.

[Sigwolf]

It breaks my heart to think that the Pens wont get to play against Pronger and Neidermeyer for 2 or 3 years.

Would now be the wrong time to tell you that the longest they can go without seeing any team is 1 year, not 2 or 3? They won't play IN Anaheim for another 3 years, but they'll have them at home either next season or the year after. One year home, one year away, one year off, repeat...

[arizonahotrock]

I don't have that big of a problem with the officials. I thought the OT call on Welch was wrong, but at full speed I can see why it was made. It is kind of tough that Anaheim scored on that one and one the penalty Moore took, even though the Duck he fouled should have been rung up for a dive too.

To play Devils Advocate, I offer up two questions:

1: If that had been Crosby on Pronger in OT and it wasn't called, would this board have been up in arms? I expect it would.

2: If you are upset about the disparity in the number of calls, does that mean you think PP chances should be even at the end of a game?

The Pens took a point out of Anaheim and to be honest, they probably shouldn't have because of all the penalties they took. Thibault stole them a point.

It was a good road trip. Come on home and get ready for Tampa on Wednesday. That game is a bit of a question mark and Tampa has been up and down all year long.

1: It would...if Crosby took a dive like that. Not one person who has ever laced up the skates be it for pro hockey or friday night skates can tell me that a great skater like Selanne would fall from a loosely gripped stick barely touching his skates. If Crosby did and got the tripping call, I'd be happy, but could at least admit it was a dive.

2: No, I don't think that the penalties need to be even at the end of the game. I just expect a little more in terms of consistency. For example, how does one explain a call not going in Ruutu's favor when, behind the play, he gets knocked down? No idea...

It was a good road trip, and hopefully a good learning experience for this team. I expect a big bounce back vs. Tampa.

[The U]

I also think the "grinders" and "energy" guys played great on this road trip while the "All Stars" struggled a bit. Thats a sign of a good team with good role players and chemistry. Talbot, Thorburn, Moore, Ruutu, Melichar, Leclair, Armstrong, etc...

[Donald Fagen]

#87 went yet another game without a SOG.........WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sigwolf]

I also think the "grinders" and "energy" guys played great on this road trip while the "All Stars" struggled a bit. Thats a sign of a good team with good role players and chemistry. Talbot, Thorburn, Moore, Ruutu, Melichar, Leclair, Armstrong, etc...

Yes, and it's very nice to finally have some energy guys that can occassionally put the puck in the net. It's been a while since we've seen that...

[letsgopens87]

If Crosby would have taken a dive like Selanne, the Ducks coach would have called him out and there would be more 30 page threads on whether Crosby dives or not. But since it's Selanne, no one cares.

[Jesse]

This makes three straight games Crosby had not had a shot on goal.

[NIN]

It breaks my heart to think that the Pens wont get to play against Pronger and Neidermeyer for 2 or 3 years.

Would now be the wrong time to tell you that the longest they can go without seeing any team is 1 year, not 2 or 3? They won't play IN Anaheim for another 3 years, but they'll have them at home either next season or the year after. One year home, one year away, one year off, repeat...

I actually WANT to see them play. neidermeyer is the best skater in hockey and Pronger is a monster. very entertainimg players.

[André]

Something of a let down to see the final score was 3-2 since it was 1-2 when I went to bed. Looking at the shots made me think again though

3 road games out west and 3 points. I'm pleased.

[canaan]

Something of a let down to see the final score was 3-2 since it was 1-2 when I went to bed. Looking at the shots made me think again though

3 road games out west and 3 points. I'm pleased.

i said before the road trip, 3 points outta this one i will be super pleased...and i am