Game 31 vs. Canes - Thoughts from the Morning After

[Admin]

• A win is a win but gave Carolina a point.
• 0-5 on the power play sure didn't help.
• Ned is on a roll. Felt pretty confident once it got to the shootout that the extra point was going Pittsburgh's way.
• Didn't catch his name but #87 looks like he's going to stick with this team.

[Skatingpen]

The speed difference was huge in that game. I am shocked the pens were able to hang in this game. I watch them and the caps and they both look old and slow but the caps keep finding ways to win.

[Antonio]

That's the interesting thing, isn't it? The pens ARE old and slow and unlike Washington, they've found ways to lose. As bad as they have been, and they've been terrible, they actually very realistically could have another 5-10 points right now pretty easily having put in just a few moments of not sucking into multiple games, like having a functional pp. Problem is, they just are a bad team in general, not a good team playing poorly, so even if things broke their way for a bit, their base performance level is not high enough to make enough of a difference. Honestly they've got one productive line, and if we are being honest, one guy is damn near carrying the entire team by himself. Washington will likely come to Earth as well as others have said.

[Puck-Lurker]

I think people who think this is a good team and those that think it's a bad team are equally mistaken. We're mediocre.

Doesn't stop Sid trying to carry this whole team on his back though. Nedeljkovic with another solid performance.

[Antonio]

Well ok, to be more clear when I said "bad team in general" I was referring to a complete evaluation of the situation. The personnel alone I think is an average, lower average team, but I think combined with other issues like the coaching staff, I think overall it is a bad team. I think it could be better with a different staff and system. My fault for not being clearer.

[Dynasty1970]

This team still can’t seem to perform fundamental tasks like making good crisp passes. Why do they seem to think that long backhanded passes thru traffic are a good decision? They still don’t clear the puck when they have the opportunity. They don’t get the puck deep when they do have the lead. These are things that the coaching staff should be able to identify and correct. It’s BS for Sully to say he doesn’t want to curb their creativity. How is that working out for ya? Curb the lazy cross ice no look passes and the general lazy work ethic or sit them down. That is what a coaching staff is supposed to do, otherwise why do they need a coach? It’s frustrating to watch it night after night. Ned, I think has been really good. He seems calm and confident back there. This team needs to play better in front of him.

[Puck-Lurker]

Well ok, to be more clear when I said "bad team in general" I was referring to a complete evaluation of the situation. The personnel alone I think is an average, lower average team, but I think combined with other issues like the coaching staff, I think overall it is a bad team. I think it could be better with a different staff and system. My fault for not being clearer.

That's fair. Different staffing and we're in the playoffs picture, just not a threat to win