Post-Game Talk: Dunked On Long Island - 4-3 (SO/L) well...shit outta luck works as well.

[AuroraBorealis]

+ Bunting breaking through. It was coming. Strong the last 4 games. Him and JP have chemistry.
+ Using Puljujarvi. Solid offensively all night. Still playing under 10 mins though, which is annoying.
+ Team defending was pretty strong for most of it.
+ Malkin was all over it. More confidence.
+ Rakell racking up points lately
+ Lizotte...I like his desperation.
+ We outworked the Isles on the walls in this game, which is a very rare thing against them.
+ Karlsson's improving defensively...particularly his battle level and using his feet. +2 tonight.
+ Pettersson's game is stabilizing
+ DOC numerous clutch backchecks

- Can't even hold a 2-goal lead against the 31st ranked offense in the league.
- Bad luck on that 1st Isles goal. Ned should back up to the goal line in that situation though, when he doesn't know where it is. That's standard protocol.
- DOC's penalty was BS. Cost us the game.
- Eller kinda ghosted today, for someone getting that many minutes. Glass too.
- Really don't like Sullivan choosing Letang in the shootout there. He hasn't been good at it in a long time, and he only has 1 move.

Really not that many negatives, cuz they played a solid game. The legs and attitude were there. It's a shame to lose this one.

 

[Ryder71]

Another two goal led blown. Can't say I'm surprised.

 

[Giskard]

can we stop accruing stupid losing points and tank properly?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Glass is not a top 6 player. He's fine in a 3rd line role at the highest and nothing is wrong with that. The worst part of this is that Glass was building a lot of chemistry with Beau and Bunts. Sullivan went and f***ed that up for literally no reason.

worst case scenario unfolding. Not bad enough to get a top 5 pick and cerainly not good enough to make the playoff. We are just middling. Those rebuilds never work. prob gonna pick 10-12 when all said and done.

It's sad knowing the roster this team could have had if Sullivan didn't piss away usage of so many players that forced gms to make trades that look worse because of him. All they had to do was fire him at least 3 years ago, at least.

 

[Pancakes]

I wasn't able to watch this one. I probably will be available to watch Thursday's game which I am dreading since Carolina plays the most hideous brand of hockey and are also way better than the Pens to boot.

At least Sid and Geno scored.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

+ Bunting breaking through. It was coming. Strong the last 4 games. Him and JP have chemistry.
+ Using Puljujarvi. Solid offensively all night. Still playing under 10 mins though, which is annoying.
+ Team defending was pretty strong for most of it.
+ Malkin was all over it. More confidence.
+ Rakell racking up points lately
+ Lizotte...I like his desperation.
+ We outworked the Isles on the walls in this game, which is a very rare thing against them.
+ Karlsson's improving defensively...particularly his battle level and using his feet. +2 tonight.
+ Pettersson's game is stabilizing
+ DOC numerous clutch backchecks

- Can't even hold a 2-goal lead against the 31st ranked offense in the league.
- Bad luck on that 1st Isles goal. Ned should back up to the goal line in that situation though, when he doesn't know where it is. That's standard protocol.
- DOC's penalty was BS. Cost us the game.
- Eller kinda ghosted today, for someone getting that many minutes. Glass too.
- Really don't like Sullivan choosing Letang in the shootout there. He hasn't been good at it in a long time, and he only has 1 move.

Really not that many negatives, cuz they played a solid game. The legs and attitude were there. It's a shame to lose this one.

I mean the legs and attitude should be there vs a team missing a ton of key players. This should have never went to OT.

 

[pistolpete11]

Struggling Islanders team missing key guys and the Pens still can't beat them.

Good job, Sullivan hockey.

With a 2 goal lead.

 

[Sike Mullivan]

-Harris
-Trump
+ Ralph Nader

+Pulju - loved his game. Using his size as an advantage without just running around hitting people. Would rather have him park his ass in front of the net on PP1 over having Gryz out there.

Probably because we are a slow team but Lizotte looks like a speed demon.

I wanna like Cody Glass so much but all I can see is a taller Zach Boychuk.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Not only does Puljujarvi's ass not appear in front of the net on PP1, he can't even make PP2. This is what I don't get about the coach. He takes Puustinen out in favor of Puljujarvi. OK, great. In terms of talent, it is not even close between these two. Puljujarvi is easily the third-most talented forward on this team. Yes, he is more talented than Rakell, who is an easy fourth. Anyway, the coach makes all kinds of adjustments to the lineup just to put Puljujarvi back in. As if playing Puljujarvi is the scariest thing imaginable. Oh my god, can we properly shelter a talented player? Can we win with this talented player in the lineup?

Glass goes on PP2 replacing Puustinen, because you know, how can we trust Puljujarvi on the PP? Then, instead of just putting Puljujarvi where Puustinen was playing, he has to move Acciari to center and Glass to wing. Why? All that disruption just to insert a talented player into the lineup? Seriously?

Anyway, Bunting and Puljujarvi look good together. So naturally, Rust will take Puljujarvi's spot in the lineup and then Nieto will replace Bunting. I mean, is it not obvious? What do you expect the coach to do? Coach these players? Or just insert the hamsters that will keep this wheel of mediocrity churning? The choice is clear and easy.

I could be wrong about this, but since the team started its current three-game "points" streak, all of the goals have been scored by Crosby except for Bunting's would-be insurance tally last night, plus an empty-net goal by Lizotte on Saturday against Montreal. Is that accurate? Oh, the Malkin PPG last night. I forgot that one. And Crosby's goal last night was clearly a gift from the incompetent refs because it was blatantly obvious that Acciari was still on the ice. The Avs lost a goal in the playoffs a few years ago when Gabriel Landeskog was exactly in that position that Acciari was in last night. It cost Colorado a win and possibly the series.

Anyway, my point is this current situation is completely and utterly unsustainable. You don't have to be an analytics junky (or even subscribe to analytics at all) to understand that this cannot be sustained. You cannot play a one-line offensive team, hope the goaltender continues to stand on his head, hope the PP continues to produce better than expected and just work work work. I mean, I know this is what Mike Sullivan believes is how this team wins. He is also wrong more than he is right.

And for a head coach who has almost always preached four-line hockey, to the point where we have had so little toughness on this team that is is embarrassing, why are so many forwards getting enforcer minutes on this team? It makes zero sense.

Anyway, enjoy No. 18 when he actually gets into the lineup, because Bryan Rust is back soon. And clearly, you cannot scratch any other forward on this team. Clearly.

 

[Whyme]

As I wrote to Puljujarvi's thread I thought a trade is pretty inevitable, but it's nice to read you guys think he had a solid game and would deserve more. Maybe not all hope is lost, but as his supporter it is naturally a shame to see him being 2nd and 3rd in /60 stats but not getting any reward. At least he got to play this time, but still only under 10 minutes.

 

[KareemTrustfund]

I like Grizz on the PP. A left handed PPQB is what we need to feed Geno more one timers. I think he’s terrible at ES though

I don’t see why Puustinen is sitting for Glass. Glass had his best game last night and was still a non factor.

Letang continues to be a problem defensively. Even Karlsson has tightened up a lot in comparison.

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

My take...
+ MCR - fun a usual. 2 goals (even though 1 was PP) but were on ice for the tying one..ugh. It's odd that Malkin is our best forechecker?? It's not like he goes barreling into people, but he goes in strategically and makes life difficult for the defender. A bit of a high IQ way of doing it. Just surprised we have so many guys bad at it, considering it isn't really all that difficult.

+ Crosby scored
+ Malkin scored

- Sully - can't figure out why we are so bad at holding a lead. Even crappy teams with no talent can play a trapping stifling defensive system. It almost feels like unless we're playing in the O-zone, we don't know what to do.

+= Ned - he played well....but I knew he was going to lose the shootout. He was better than last time though....so maybe next time :\.

- more of the same that we've been seeing the last 2 years.

Deflating loss...for sure.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Only watched the second and had hope from our solid play.

Saw we lost in the shootout. Predictable.

 

[Sike Mullivan]

It's odd that Malkin is our best forechecker?? It's not like he goes barreling into people, but he goes in strategically and makes life difficult for the defender.

He did it alot when Therrian used him on the PK, reminds me alot of Mario. Almost like a swoop more than a forecheck.

 

[canadianguy77]

As I wrote to Puljujarvi's thread I thought a trade is pretty inevitable, but it's nice to read you guys think he had a solid game and would deserve more. Maybe not all hope is lost, but as his supporter it is naturally a shame to see him being 2nd and 3rd in /60 stats but not getting any reward. At least he got to play this time, but still only under 10 minutes.

Our coach isn’t big on European players without a ton of experience. When we got Rakell, he had to first get into “game-shape.” That meant that he had to work his way up the lineup. Sullivan started him on L4 even though the f***ing guy was playing big minutes in Anaheim. Strangely enough, these sorts of rituals never apply to North American players. I’ll never understand why no one has reported him to the players association for his Xenophobia.

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

He did it alot when Therrian used him on the PK, reminds me alot of Mario. Almost like a swoop more than a forecheck.

Yeah...I remember that. I'm actually surprised with how well he does it considering he isn't as fast as he used to be at 38 years old.

It kind of takes away from the perception that we need fast guys to forecheck. We can also do it with smarter players.

It's still fun to watch guys like Crosby and Malkin play.

BTW I do expect Sully to move back to them on separate lines at some point. Probably when Rust comes back.

 

[SEALBound]

At any point, does out ineptitude in the shootout become embarrassing?

I'm embarrassed. Just wondering if anyone else is, including the organization .

 

[Sike Mullivan]

At any point, does out ineptitude in the shootout become embarrassing?

I'm embarrassed. Just wondering if anyone else is, including the organization .

 

[SEALBound]

Dan "The Blind Squirrel with the Broken Clock" Bylsma.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I don't think anyone should be shocked that they picked Letang over Malkin in the SO. Hasn't that more or less been the case for years, now? Malkin rarely if ever gets a shot at the SO. Which makes sense. Evgeni Malkin has never been known for his hands.

 

[BusinessGoose]

There was a time Letang was in the top choices for this team in a SO

That time was a decade BEFORE Sullivan, though, and was more because we had no one better on the roster

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

There was a time Letang was in the top choices for this team in a SO

That time was a decade BEFORE Sullivan, though, and was more because we had no one better on the roster

So you are saying that was many years and exactly one move ago?

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

At any point, does out ineptitude in the shootout become embarrassing?

I'm embarrassed. Just wondering if anyone else is, including the organization .

What do you propose they do?

I mean a shootout is breakaway skills.
Are they not practicing breakaways?
Are they not scoping goalies out on potential weaknesses?

I mean...maybe they aren't doing the above 2, which I guess is incompetence if true!

 

[vikingGoalie]

the worst part of this is we got a point. we know what this team is

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

What do you propose they do?

I mean a shootout is breakaway skills.
Are they not practicing breakaways?
Are they not scoping goalies out on potential weaknesses?

I mean...maybe they aren't doing the above 2, which I guess is incompetence if true!

I mean... they COULD have the guy that maybe has the best hands on the whole team take a crack at it here and there but IDK I'm just some idiot.