GDT: #43 | Ducks at Penguins | 7:00 PM | The one where Pixies watches this team and knows more than all of you.

[Icarium]

Over this time period, which includes the last 13 games played the Penguins have received:

—Bryan Rust: one ES goal on 30 shots
—Brock McGinn and Kasperi Kapanen: one ES goal a piece on a matching 19 shots
—Rickard Rakell: zero ES goals on 40 shots
—Danton Heinen: zero ES goals on 16 shots
—Teddy Blueger: zero ES goals on 15 shots
—All non-Ty Smith defensemen: 73 combined man-games played, one ES goal (P.O. Joseph), 72 shots

That’s half the team’s forward group and just about their entire defense that couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat right now,”

This is what happens when your confidence is low, half of your D is injured and nobody goes to the dirty areas. Oh, and your coach lost the plot years ago.
Depressingly enough, Guentzel isn't any better at 5 on 5 than all those snake-bitten players despite finally scoring recently. Well, maybe he is better than Heinen.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Out of available players I'd do this:

ZCRak
GMRust
McGinn-DOC-Kap
Gruden-Blue-Carter

POJ-Rutta
Petts-Frieds
Dumo-Smith

 

[Ugene Magic]

Gruden sacrifices himself.... down, to the depths of the sewer...

 

[Gurglesons]

Very likely not Freddie G 2.0. Less-agitatey Vitale.

He’s got better hands around the net than Vitale IMO.

If Gruden was given a spell of 30-40 games in the NHL, I could see him scoring at potentially a 10 goal pace.

 

[vodeni]

He's more of a defensive center, even though he's scored a lot the last few games. He'll get maxed out D-zone starts here I'm sure.

hmm....we need to play to Brock and Kappy's strength there, hope he can provide a solid support, otherwise waisting two guys with some hands buried on whatever this line intend to be, somekind of lite version of HBK

 

[eXile3]

Out of available players I'd do this:

ZCRak
GMRust
McGinn-DOC-Kap
Gruden-Blue-Carter

POJ-Rutta
Petts-Frieds
Dumo-Smith

I would move Rust down to 3, Kap up to 2. Start giving 3c some more offensive zone starts and see how that goes.

That will never happen of course

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I would move Rust down to 3, Kap up to 2. Start giving 3c some more offensive zone starts and see how that goes.

That will never happen of course

I'd be open to moving Rust down after it's proven GMRust doesn't work anymore. Maybe like 5 games.

 

[Andy99]

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

This will be one of those games where the Penguins go down like 3 goals right off the cut to a truly horrible team then somehow claw their way back in and barely edge them out due to a standout individual performance or two. Then everyone pats themselves on the back and talks about how they're looking to rebound and are out there digging deep under the watchful eye of their hero coach or whatever stupid nonsense.

 

[Andy99]

This will be one of those games where the Penguins go down like 3 goals right off the cut to a truly horrible team then somehow claw their way back in and barely edge them out due to a standout individual performance or two. Then everyone pats themselves on the back and talks about how they're looking to rebound and are out there digging deep under the watchful eye of their hero coach or whatever stupid nonsense.

L3 will look like shit again, Gruden will score a goal but will get benched in the third period and Rust will again be flubbing chances and soft on the forecheck/back check on L1, but we’ll someone eke out a win and everyone will say we’ve turned things around …until we get hammered by Ottawa lol

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

L3 will look like shit again, Gruden will score a goal but will get benched in the third period and Rust will again be flubbing chances and soft on the forecheck/back check on L1, but we’ll someone eke out a win and everyone will say we’ve turned things around …until we get hammered by Ottawa lol

It's gonna be GCR coming up with a goal or two in this one on the strength of a suddenly-interested-for-the-night Crosby. Which of course in some ways just does more harm than good because GCR. L2 is gonna get hammered because they just have that look lately. I don't even think about L3 these days TBH.

 

[Andy99]

It's be GCR coming up with a goal or two in this one on the strength of a suddenly-interested-for-the-night Crosby. Which of course in some ways just does more harm than good because GCR. L2 is gonna get hammered because they just have that look lately. I don't even think about L3 these days TBH.

Zegras is going to score a Michigan goal behind CDS with Ruhwedel “defending” him lol

 

[BusinessGoose]

Letang rejoining team doesn't mean this injury is over.

 

[Andy99]

Letang rejoining team doesn't mean this injury is over.

Right, Sullivan said he still has to rehab it…

 

[HandshakeLine]

This will be one of those games where the Penguins go down like 3 goals right off the cut to a truly horrible team then somehow claw their way back in and barely edge them out due to a standout individual performance or two. Then everyone pats themselves on the back and talks about how they're looking to rebound and are out there digging deep under the watchful eye of their hero coach or whatever stupid nonsense.

I see you’re familiar with our body of work.

 

[SEALBound]

I would move Rust down to 3, Kap up to 2. Start giving 3c some more offensive zone starts and see how that goes.

That will never happen of course

I think the worry may be - are you cannibalizing the 2nd line to bolster a meek 3rd line? Adding a tweener would sure help. Or hell, even giving the nod to McGinn.

Jake-Sid-Raks
Zuck-Geno-Kap/McGinn
Rust-DOC-McGinn/Kap
Gruden-Bleuger-Carter

But sadly, until Hextall takes toys away or adds, we get what we get.

I can't understate what a huge boost we will get add those two back on the defense.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I see you’re familiar with our body of work.

Unfortunately all too familiar with this latter day brand, yes.

I sure wish they'd at least switch it up and be ENTERTAININGLY horrible. Instead of the most offensive thing you can be in the sports industry -- mediocre and dull.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Unfortunately all too familiar with this latter day brand, yes.

I sure wish they'd at least witch up and be ENTERTAININGLY horrible. Instead of the most offensive thing you can be in the sports industry -- mediocre and dull.

Hey, I voted for an agitator and I also suggested that the Igloo replace the music with a circus calliope.

 

[Andy99]

Gibson looks like he’s playing tonight, as he was first off the ice for ANA…he’s been terrible this year so far but watch him get a boost playing in his hometown tonight and stone us lol…

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Gibson looks like he’s playing tonight, as he was first off the ice for ANA…he’s been terrible this year so far but watch him get a boost playing in his hometown tonight and stone us lol…

Not hard to stone a team that has zero creativity and a buncha bricks for hands. And when they DO try something it's like a blind backhand drop pass while skating slow as frozen molasses through traffic.

 

[Pancakes]

Not hard to stone a team that has zero creativity and a buncha bricks for hands. And when they DO try something it's like a blind backhand drop pass while skating slow as frozen molasses through traffic.

Big John Gruden is gonna spark the team

 

[Andy99]

Not hard to stone a team that has zero creativity and a buncha bricks for hands. And when they DO try something it's like a blind backhand drop pass while skating slow as frozen molasses through traffic.

Part of our low shooting % at ES is that we telegraph passes and shots, get shots off slowly, and rarely use deception or dekes to create better shooting lanes…it’s so god awful to watch lol

Big John Gruden is gonna spark the team

Is he better than Joe Vitale?…someone let me know lol

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Big John Gruden is gonna spark the team

I didn't know he played hockey. I thought he mostly sent racist emails?

 

[HandshakeLine]

Big John was a Gruden both honest and true
Played for the Pens and attempted a shot or two
But the coach said nope that’s not whatcher here to do
So back to the bench til your skating days are through.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Part of our low shooting % at ES is that we telegraph passes and shots, get shots off slowly, and rarely use deception or dekes to create better shooting lanes…it’s so god awful to watch lol

Hey they just gotta get more third and fourth liners though, right? That's the problem.