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

[ChaosAgent]

I'm surprised there's little 58 hate from this game. He was horrible. Most of the team was clumsy AF but 58 was flat out horrible...and stupid. Same 58 from early 2010's getting emotional and taking penalties, bad BAD turnovers...
I'm holding out faith. 6&8 come back, this stretch is a wake-up call... Let's be positive!

It's hard to hate on 58 because he's the only guy on the defense that you actually want to take the ice right now.

I really think JR blew it in not going after defense even with Dumo & Marino back. That's 3 guys. We need more.

...though Petts wasn't too bad tonight.

 

[HuskerTornado]

It's actually just bizarre at this point. His dislike of Riikola for no apparent reason is Bylsma-level weirdness.

My hunch is Sully's last cough was not resolved by a Ricola drop and therefore Riikola must pay.

 

[canadianguy77]

I like the forward lines. The defense is really hampering us at the moment but still we had our chances the last two games particularly against LA.

But they're just "chances."
At some point you have to put the puck in the net, and you should base that around your best goal-scorers.

 

[Hank Plank]

Sully has too big of an ego at this point. Gerard Gallant would be a nice coaching change.

Make is so #1.

 

[Trade]

Don’t worry everyone, Sully’s big move to get the boys going again will be Simon back to L1.

 

[Dangles78]

I don't know why people are piling on Sullivan when Crosby has played like shit ever since the adrenaline of his comeback wore off. I listened to Bourque on the radio say that Zucker and Crosby weren't showing chemistry, and all I could think was "maybe they'd show chemistry if Crosby stopped playing like crap".

Imagine bitching about guys like Trotman, JJ, Sullivan or Simon when the reason you're losing games is because the captain is playing with his head up his ass.

Yerp. Crosby is -6 with 1g 0a during this losing streak

 

[Pancakes]

This isn't a recent affair. Our analytics have plummeted over the past 20 or so games.

 

[Ryder71]

this game was 100% lost when sully decided to once again indulge his hate-on for riikola

he directly gifted two goals to the ducks in what was largely a one goal game

the pens haven't been rolling over and dying this trip, but they haven't had much go their way, either, and that's extra hard when the handicapping starts behind the bench

again, simply playing *five defensemen* might actually have been preferable. get the f*** over yourself, sully.

This Riilola/Trotman issue is beyond idiotic. Unfortunately this isn't the first time he had an OBVIOUS agenda against a player, and unfortunately it certainly won't be the last. No excuse to do this, none! Not when Riikola actually came off a decent game against LA and was far better than either JJ or MP. Just crazily stupid!

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

It's actually just bizarre at this point. His dislike of Riikola for no apparent reason is Bylsma-level weirdness.

bizarre is an odd way to spell infuriating, but yes, yes indeed. and supposing trotman is the "safer" option, he brings nothing else, and he's brought *none of any of that* since sully's had his riiko-induced hissy fit, so the team is struggling that much more than they need to be when they're already finally fully in the gigs of struggling mightily.

jack johnson on the top pair? i hate it, but i get it. other than that, stop making things harder than they have to be because you don't like a guy's flow or whatever. just. stop.

 

[canadianguy77]

This isn't a recent affair. Our analytics have plummeted over the past 20 or so games.

I don't know what he's trying to do. But he's trying to do something.

I think he's trying really hard to get careers going with has-beens or never weres. Lol.
Trying to solidify that Jack Adams he earned in the 1st half of the season.

It's not working out the way he wanted it to though.

 

[deakka]

Soon out of the playoffs. What a choke job

 

[HuskerTornado]

Someone asked why Trotman over Riikola. They got a non-answer, dumb coachspeak response about putting together a lineup that gives them the best chance to win. Lol

 

[canadianguy77]

Soon out of the playoffs. What a choke job

They'll get in.

 

[Tom Hanks]

But they're just "chances."
At some point you have to put the puck in the net, and you should base that around your best goal-scorers.

We aren’t putting it in the net but our best goal scorers are playing with each other.

Crosby, Malkin, Rust, Zucker, Hornqvist and McCann are our best goal scorers. Only McCann isn’t in the top 6 because of playing centre. Sheary’s last two seasons was scoring at a 24 goal per season pace.

 

[Hank Plank]

They'll get in.

And then choke, probably.

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

This Riilola/Trotman issue is beyond idiotic. Unfortunately this isn't the first time he had an OBVIOUS agenda against a player, and unfortunately it certainly won't be the last. No excuse to do this, none! Not when Riikola actually came off a decent game against LA and was far better than either JJ or MP. Just crazily stupid!

sully has pushed so many right buttons as a coach this season, but the ones he's missed are costly, and this is one he's determined to miss when it's *most* costly. maybe it's a three in four concern, but the team's on the schnide and riiko hasn't exactly had a heavy load. dressing two of JJ, JS and ZT at this point is p*ss poor judgment, imo.

 

[deakka]

My god. Even the Flyers are ahead of us now. Even without guting their farm sytem.

 

[vodeni]

Someone asked why Trotman over Riikola. They got a non-answer, dumb coachspeak response about putting together a lineup that gives them the best chance to win. Lol

yes but you could tell that not even he believed himself

 

[Ryder71]

I will say this, WAS, TB and PIT have all gone through rough spots lately. When you lose momentum it's a bitch sometimes to get it back. Heck even Boston got blown out a couple in a row. Confidence and momentum can be a very fragile thing.

 

[vodeni]

zucker: I was terrible tonight with my hands

 

[Ugene Magic]

Zucker... You scored 2 goals.... Don't take any blame...

 

[Gurglesons]

Zucker has been a godsend.

Petts had a wonderful game.

That’s about it. Refs blew and Malkin, Sid and Sully bought right into it. I thought we were over that.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I will say this, WAS, TB and PIT have all gone through rough spots lately. When you lose momentum is a bitch sometimes to get it back. Heck even Boston got blown out a couple in a row. Confidence and momentum can be a very fragile thing.

I want to believe they can get it back. But it's getting awfully late. Going from AHL bozos to top-pairing NHL D will help but man...something is just off. This should be a December lull, not March.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Don’t be modest Zucker you got 2 goals tonight, we scored 2 goals.

 

[Andy99]