GDT: Columbus @ Carolina | Dec. 23, 2013 | 7 pm

[Wolfpuck]

None of this will change until this team has a new GM and a new identity (not that they have one now).

 

[Lazyking]

None of this will change until this team has a new GM and a new identity (not that they have one now).

I agree, the team is broken. No starting goalie anymore even, best to hope for is bubble team.. The core stays the same, top to bottom and we'll never be any better.

 

[DaleCooper]

 

[Anton Babchuk]

Yep. I agree that Bellemore and to a lesser extent Gleason are also at fault, but Tlusty's poor decision put that all in motion so as you said, he should get most of the blame. Knowing that he has his bottom pairing, slow footed defensemen out there makes his decision ever harder to take. If he puts it deep right away, they keep cycling or get a change.

bellemore is a top 4 defenseman on this team

 

[Wolfpuck]

Mufasa = our playoff chances

 

[jstaal]

Center ice

If i was living alone, i would have busted the remote, i predicted a win, i thought this team had some canolis, i thought wrong..

 

[Razputyn]

We did alright, and then we screwed it up. We haven't imploded nearly as often lately as I feel like we used to. This "team identity" stuff is taking advantage of a thing that doesn't really exist. Oh, we've been imploding while riding the hottest goalie in the NHL for the past month and a half?

Bad outcome, but that happens sometimes. We need wins, but offense is normally the problem, not boneheaded defenseman.

 

[jstaal]

sure

But, a playoff caliber team doesnt choke like that

 

[What the Faulk]

If i was living alone, i would have busted the remote, i predicted a win, i thought this team had some canolis, i thought wrong..

I think you're thinking of eclairs. They definitely have eclairs.

 

[jstaal]

right

yup, cream puffs.. Bingo... Jr do u make a move, and or just wait to get canned>>>

 

[Razputyn]

But, a playoff caliber team doesnt choke like that

Our Stanley Cup-winning team choked like this... while they were in the Stanley Cup Finals (see: game 6.).

We were up for 55 minutes. Tlusty made a mistake and we gave up two goals. I don't know, I'm strangely not that upset.

 

[Ole Gil]

4 pts out with only 40 games to play? See you next season guys.

Edit...2 pts out. Still, conclusion stands.

 

[bleedgreen]

Yeah some overreaction going on, which is the way it goes. We've got plenty of time to recover and there really isn't a need to panic yet. If we fall too far behind we're screwed but we aren't there yet.

 

[Lazyking]

I know what this team is and I just hate losing div. games. With a bad Metro, the third spot is there, take advantage or we could have 20 games left with no shot.

 

[Wolfpuck]

I'm sure that consistency we've been looking for for 4+ seasons is right around the corner.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

There have been plenty of overreactions tonight, sure. But we're getting our best goaltending of the year and have been pissing away points.

Immediate history suggests we won't make the playoffs. The last several seasons' worth of history suggests we won't make the playoffs. Nothing at all suggests we'll make the playoffs.

Are we out? Absolutely not. Is this a bad sign of things to come from a team that didn't look playoff caliber anyway? Well, yeah. Best stretch of goaltending we've had in years (well, a fairly good stretch of goaltending, anyway) AND the hottest scorer in the league, and we've won one of our last seven.

Using actual evidence, not gut feelings, why do we think things will actually get BETTER? This roster brought us the 5th overall pick last year.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

So who do you start on Friday? Tonight wasn't Peters fault by any stretch of the imagination (really, only the 2nd could be put on him), but those saves he made in Tampa and has made recently, he didn't make in this game.

Do we start Peters and see if it was just a one game fluke or start Ward and hope for an after Christmas miracle?

 

[Lazyking]

I would go with Ward. I still believe he handles rebounds better than peters, and we're going to need to not be in a defensive shell around the slot to get some offense against the pens..

 

[rocky7]

well they need to get another goalie going somehow.

 

[Wild Caniac]

With the way Ward is playing, I see no reason to put him in against Pittsburgh, considering the talent they have.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Who started the last Pittsburgh game? I'd start whoever didn't start that one.

 

[Lazyking]

With the way Ward is playing, I see no reason to put him in against Pittsburgh, considering the talent they have.

Then the defense better be up to par, or we'll be in for a long night regardless. Peters flaws don't go away, they're just hidden.

 

[What the Faulk]

I'd definitely start Ward. As well as Peters has played, this team is going to live or die with Ward in net. Peters wasn't bad against Columbus, but he wasn't lights-out either. With no consecutive games off until January 11/12, Peters is going to get his games anyway.

FWIW Ward started the first Penguins game and Peters the second.

 

[Sasha Cares]

You guys already know how this season will play out right? 4th in the metro and no WC and finish just about .500. Frustrating to know that already. But I just don't see us winning those games that playoff teams do. The OT losses piling up, losing last night, struggling to play 3 quality games in a row, awful ST, etc. ugh.

 

[What the Faulk]

Can you let us all know exactly what record they finish with so I can put some money on it? If they're going to miss the playoffs, I'd at least like to bring home a profit.