Post-Game Talk: Cole's Minus/Minus Thread: The Pens duck a win to continue their impressive streak!

[Jaded-Fan]

That's where the concern is. The Pens WERE playing like you described in the bolded about 20 games back. Ever since about the new year, the Pens have started to look more like last year's club than the 2016 Cup winning club. That's the reason for concern, because now the results are matching the regression in "advanced stats".

Pens not only have among the most man games lost, almost six times as many as the Capitals, but no team can keep up that pace all year.

I have said a million times, I don't give a damn if the Pens win the President's Trophy or end up the last seed.

Just make the playoffs, be healthy, and play hard when the games count.

 

[HandshakeLine]

It’s a good thing that nothing really matters anyway.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Tanev vs Sheary; who would be better? with Sid and Zucker?

I mentioned Marleau in another post. I think that’s the better one. He’s played with Sid and has had time on the RW. Sheary has played well though too.

Not sure how Sully will go tomorrow. On one hand we should be winning these past 2 games, on the other hand we didn’t and it’s 5 in a row.

Another option (more so the top 6)

Zucker-Crosby-Rust
Marleau-Malkin-Hornqvist
Simon-Blueger-Tanev
Sheary-McCann-ERod

 

[HandshakeLine]

Looking forward to the new bubonic plague making this all a moot point tbh.

 

[Tom Hanks]

We're not setting the bar even low, we're just placing it on the floor, eh?

I got a good feeling about our game tomorrow. I think an injured D man is back too!

 

[Ryder71]

I got a good feeling about our game tomorrow. I think an injured D man is back too!

Available, possibly, but how do we know Trotman doesn't get the call instead?

 

[USMC607]

I don't really know what to say. It's frustrating. PP1 has disappeared. PK is bad. We are losing our cool. Nobody is supporting the puck. We are not playing as a team. We are losing battles to Carter Rowney. They aren't playing like a team right now and it's bad.

It sucks. This team, early in the year, was playing better than any team in the NHL. Even when they lost they still played the way they needed to be. And just like that it all disappeared. They go from beating Toronto with like nobody healthy and Geno sick to a 5 game losing streak. And they can't score goals. They keep playing Trotman over Riikola. JJ is the JJ we all knew he'd be. A complete joke.

It's a frustrating time. It's just out of nowhere. And it is very frustrating.

The offense has definitely gone dry for alot of the players. But just like it was when we were scoring well it should level back off.

It's frustrating for sure. But this team has way too many talented players for it to continue to struggle to score.

I know some wont agree and it really isnt the ONLY reason but I think the defense has been one of the tops reasons for the bad play.

During all the injuries players like JJ and Petterson were playing above their normal performances. Espeacially given their bump in playing time and pairings.

Recently they have not just came back down to earth but crash landed... That along with Letangs occasional mental lapse, Schultz being meh and trotman taking Cough Drops spot our D core is just really struggling.

It has led to us being pinned in our own end too often with poor or Ill advised clearing attempts. Crappy passes trying to exit our end of the ice, transition game. Etc etc.

Marino and Dumo cant get back soon.

That should us out a good bit.

But we also need someone to come suck the poison out of our forwards asses. Because there are a good bit that are snake bitten right now.

 

[USMC607]

Apologies for the long post I normally dont do that and dont expect many to read THAT much.

 

[Tom Hanks]

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The offense has definitely gone dry for alot of the players. But just like it was when we were scoring well it should level back off.

It's frustrating for sure. But this team has way too many talented players for it to continue to struggle to score.

I know some wont agree and it really isnt the ONLY reason but I think the defense has been one of the tops reasons for the bad play.

During all the injuries players like JJ and Petterson were playing above their normal performances. Espeacially given their bump in playing time and pairings.

Recently they have not just came back down to earth but crash landed... That along with Letangs occasional mental lapse, Schultz being meh and trotman taking Cough Drops spot our D core is just really struggling.

It has led to us being pinned in our own end too often with poor or Ill advised clearing attempts. Crappy passes trying to exit our end of the ice, transition game. Etc etc.

Marino and Dumo cant get back soon.

That should us out a good bit.

But we also need someone to come suck the poison out of our forwards asses. Because there are a good bit that are snake bitten right now.

Summary: this team's MVP is John Marino.

 

[Extra Texture]

I just cannot fathom how Sullivan has so little trust or regard for Riikola, and JR still doesn’t pick up a D-man.

Ruhwedel should be the 8th man on the depth chart, but he’s effectively 5th because we have two out and Rii is in the press box. Carolina lost two major blueliners and went out to get two replacements. Why were we futzing around looking for yet more forward depth?

I mean, if MS dislikes Riikola that much, then find a trade partner and move him for someone he’s actually willing to play. How on earth does he sit when we can all see Trotman can’t hack it, and Schultz, JJ, and Petts are all struggling?

 

[spcastlemagic]

It’s so frustrating to go from being swept in the playoffs, to rediscovering our defensive game and ability to dictate, to one month before the playoffs finding ourselves playing the way that got us swept again. Something’s gotta give. It’s amazing to think this season could’ve been an unmitigated disaster less the Marino pickup.

 

[EightyOne]

Sully dont sound too fired up



"What was behind the decision to go with Trotman over Riikola tonight?"

"Um...[stammering] It's the same criteria we use everytime we make a line up. We're gonna put the best guys on the ice that we think are gonna give us the best chance to win"

 

[TKalltheTime]

f***ing PATHETIC. I just got home from shitty Anaheim. I’ll post my observations tomorrow, but OOOF!

 

[2wayPlay]

Injuries have caught up big time. I was shocked that they kept winning missing key players but the wheels have finally come off. Either Dumo Marino come back tomorrow or we are missing the playoffs for sure.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Sully dont sound too fired up



"What was behind the decision to go with Trotman over Riikola tonight?"

"Um...[stammering] It's the same criteria we use everytime we make a line up. We're gonna put the best guys on the ice that we think are gonna give us the best chance to win"

Could have sworn Riiko played really well in Los Angeles.

 

[Shrimper]

Haven't seen us play since Toronto. Not missed much then

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

I like Crosby and Sullivan but the problem is:

This is the year you can’t cater to Crosby above everyone else. You deny it has happened in the past I don’t care, bottom line Crosby gets the top minutes, the preferred linemates, the special teams positional preference, the critical faceoffs, the last minutes of the game. That can’t happen this year. This year was about Geno taking hold of this team in Sid’s absence after a terrible year. He was among the top 3 players in the league when Sid was out and he has been chomping at the bit to maintain it since Sid returned. But he’s being played like he’s #2 even though Sid is not the same player right now. Sullivan has to stop playing by old rules. This year is different. Stack Malkin’s line and let him go. Unfortunately he won’t because he has a massive ego that is getting worse and Malkin just isn’t a good old North American boy. Take that how you want to.

Sullivan’s downfall is his ego. He’s great and has a ton of attributes that we need and that have contributed incredibly to our success, but pride is a poison that has the potential to erase everything else. His weird bias for certain players is bizarre and hurts the team every game. Trotman is not an NHL player. ZAR is not an NHL player. Sheary and Simon do not belong anywhere near Crosby. Rust on his off wing to make room for Hornqvist is insane after the year Rust has had. Rust isn’t the same player. Tanev is wasted on the third line in a bizarre display of Sullivan’s attachment to plugger lines. JJ doesn’t belong anywhere near Letang. The bias to Murray and refusal to go with the best guy has resulted in Jarry losing confidence and looking average, I can’t blame him, our goalie situation is all about Sullivan hoping Murray will take back the spot instead of playing the best player. Stop catering to Crosby. Stop talking about playing your best players and do it.

Sullivan always blames the players and almost never himself. The greats don’t do that. As a player there has to be a direct line between your play and whether you get to play. When there isn’t, it breaks the confidence you have in leadership. At that point it isn’t about the best player it’s about who the coach likes. You can’t win like that. Since 2017 it’s gotten worse. Since Crosby got back it’s snowballed.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Yuck.

Team dedicates itself to the details and it rolls over the league. Team gets complacent and sloppy and this is what we get.

ETA: Wait, I assumed Riiko was sick or something. Sully actually chose to play 2 rightys rather than play Riiko? He must have been sampling some sweet Cali edibles. The NBC broadcast team was even praising Riiko against LA, so it isn't some fan thing.

Also, I've seen a few saying people are overreacting, it's just one game, etc. This is false. I think we have plenty of time to turn this around but make no mistake, this is a trend of decline. We started the season playing well and not getting results. Then we were playing great AND getting results (think 2016). After Christmas, our quality of play started declining but we continued to get good results (think 2017.) Now we are not playing well and we are not getting results, more similar to last season. It's a clear trend and I suspect that the only way it turns around is if the players take it upon themselves to rededicate to details. Dumo and Marino should help a lot but it won't matter if the team doesn't tighten up.

 

[Zero Pucks]

Sully dont sound too fired up



"What was behind the decision to go with Trotman over Riikola tonight?"

"Um...[stammering] It's the same criteria we use everytime we make a line up. We're gonna put the best guys on the ice that we think are gonna give us the best chance to win"

A blind f***ing girl scout with one f***ing leg would give you a better chance to win than Trotman would. You f***ing idiot Sullivan.

 

[The Worst One]

I think ya'll tripping too much.

 

[BHD]

Caught the Heinen goal... If that's how they played all night, then good thing I skipped.

 

[2wayPlay]

Nobody can blow a coach of the year possibility like TOMLIN.

Sully: hold my beer

 

[Mr Jeff Jimerson]

Send Trotman down to WBS and bring back "Tricky" Dicky Tarnstrom.

 

[Human]

Sullivan can go f*** himself and use Trotman in the process. He comes around like a pompous idiot when he explains why he plays certain players.

The Kahun for Sheary/Rodrigues move was one of those patented JR moves, “let’s do something just for the sake of doing something”. It doesn’t help the team at all. Sheary sucks and Rodrigues is a dime-dozen 4th liner...