Post-Game Talk: Game VII Pens win vs Avs: I dreamed a dream

[DesertedPenguin]

Let me guess, you feel like it's a turning point?

Daniel Stern voice over *But it wasn't a turning point, it got worse, the Penguins would go on to be up and down all season which led to Kyle Dubas making more deals to justify the nonsensical behavior of his coach, Michael Barry Sullivan. They just barely made the playoffs and were swept in the first round*

It's game 7 of 82. I'm not going to read much of anything into one game.

I'd also prefer to root for this team to do well rather than campaign for their failure.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Just finished watching on delay.

Great team win.

Jarry played quite well, but also the team stopped him from having to make 10 A-grade saves. He had to make 3-4.
Letang's best game all year.
Geno electric but dumb with the penalties
Zohorna should never, ever go down. He is one of our highest potential players. Low bar, but still.

 

[Andy99]

Well, we’re no longer dead last in the East…we got a point on the Caps and are tied for second to last with the Sabres and Sens lol…keep it going, boys

 

[Pancakes]

I've missed two of our three wins this year lol.

I guess I'm the hex on this team

 

[AuroraBorealis]

@Radim Zohorna
@AuroraBorealis

So is the Z Fan Club a more is merry type of thing where we let everyone in? Or like an exclusive club that you had to get in at the beginning?

We're getting more applicants by the game, I think.

We are a wholesome bunch who forgive past grievances, provided someone's turned over a new leaf entirely.

Where are all the people that said the Pens would get steamrolled tonight?

I was one of them. I'll take it on the chin.

 

[cygnus47]

Can people articulate this for people like myself that got to watch zero seconds of the game? Saw a few posters praising Sully

Instead of having all the defenders low around the net, he returned to having a player high in our zone to try to disrupt their passes…we haven’t done this for many years…

This.

Led to a lot more easy breakouts from our forwards and an easier time through the neutral zone. Gave up a few dangerous looking one timers that we probably wouldn't have playing the collapse game, but Jarry made the saves.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Zohorna should never, ever go down. He is one of our highest potential players. Low bar, but still.

Zohorna's upside seems to be a play driving bottom-6 player, which is probably the highest upside forward they have (not named Yager or maybe Puustinen). I think the more appealing thing is that he and Eller seem to have some really good chemistry, so I really don't want them to break up that duo anytime soon.

This team doesn't need any young guys to come in and perform at legitimate top-6 levels, they just need to get some young guys who can be strong bottom-6 guys. Eller and Zohorna looks like 2/3 of their 3rd line going forward, I really hope they find a 3rd guy for those two.

I actually don't know that they have a great fit for those two. Even with what those two have shown so far, I think you need a natural goal scorer with them. I think Eller and Zohorna both have good playmaking skills and are good at opening up space, but you need someone who can finish their chances. You also need that guy to be good defensively, just from what is required in a bottom-6 role. I'm really not sure who fits that. Clone 2011 Tyler Kennedy and put him on that line and I think that would work really well.

Hell, if Kapanen was still here, I think he'd be a pretty damn good fit with those two. You'd never have the cap space to be able to afford him, though.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Just finished watching on delay.

Great team win.

Jarry played quite well, but also the team stopped him from having to make 10 A-grade saves. He had to make 3-4.
Letang's best game all year.
Geno electric but dumb with the penalties
Zohorna should never, ever go down. He is one of our highest potential players. Low bar, but still.

I was on Vancouver Island and missed this one. Just watched the highlights. 3 of those stops from Jarry were fabulous.
Why do we own the Avs? 3 straight W's. Goaltenders awesome in all 3.

Also, Pittsburgh continue to be proven streakbusters. RIP Avs unblemished record.

 

[Ryder71]

Let's hope they bottle this performance for SAT.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Shea a +3 against a top tier contender, playing 14 mins. Happy for the kid.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I actually don't know that they have a great fit for those two. Even with what those two have shown so far, I think you need a natural goal scorer with them. I think Eller and Zohorna both have good playmaking skills and are good at opening up space, but you need someone who can finish their chances. You also need that guy to be good defensively, just from what is required in a bottom-6 role. I'm really not sure who fits that. Clone 2011 Tyler Kennedy and put him on that line and I think that would work really well.

Hell, if Kapanen was still here, I think he'd be a pretty damn good fit with those two. You'd never have the cap space to be able to afford him, though.

Maybe Poulin?

But I haven't minded DOC there at all. That 3rd line has been tilting the ice regularly. DOC has speed and some skill.

 

[Ryder71]

Letang and Shea were tremendous tonight. Jarry, hell everyone pulled their weight this fine evening.

We kept them to the outside quite a bit, really good structure against an offensive juggernaut!

PK was superb!

Shea a +3 against a top tier contender, playing 14 mins. Happy for the kid.

He was absurdly effective tonight, again he and Letang hats off!

 

[Empoleon8771]

Maybe Poulin?

But I haven't minded DOC there at all. That 3rd line has been tilting the ice regularly. DOC has speed and some skill.

I don't think Poulin has that skillset at all. I think he's more in the mold of Eller, I'm hoping he comes up and pushing Acciari to the 4th line RW spot. Go with Nieto-Poulin-Acciari as the 4th line.

O'Connor is the best guy for that role with who they have right now. His only issue is that he seems like he'll only generate chances/goals based on his speed because he has such a low hockey IQ. Kennedy was really similar to that, but he also had a lethal shot that would allow him to score off the rush as well. I don't think O'Connor has that.

He doesn't fit the bottom-6 they need at all, but I keep coming back to Daniel Sprong as a guy that I think is a perfect fit for that 3rd line with Zohorna and Eller. He doesn't have the defense you want from the role, but he pretty much perfectly fits what I want offensively out of that 3rd line RW. He was really good in the niche usage that Seattle gave him last year, and I think playing in that 3rd line RW role would fit that as well. It's a moot point though because that's never going to happen.

 

[Ryder71]

Zohorna creates havoc for the opponents, his size while not overly physical does seem to get in the way and creates pressure and TO's. Pretty solid on the forecheck and good NHL speed for a big man. Noticeable throughout. Props to DOC and Eller who had his best game in a Pens uni.

 

[Pancakes]

I honestly think Eller has been utterly fantastic on and off the ice.

The lone bright spot in the bottom six up until Big Z got called up.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Wow Avs 13-4 edge in high danger chances and got blanked. God that feels good when we're on the other side of it and just win due to good finishing and goaltending.

We got something cooking with this 3rd line. Love to see the hunger.

 

[Gurglesons]

Wow Avs 13-4 edge in high danger chances and got blanked. God that feels good when we're on the other side of it and just win due to good finishing and goaltending.

View attachment 758635

We got something cooking with this 3rd line. Love to see the hunger.

Feel like they didn’t have more than 2 great chances tonight tbhz

 

[cygnus47]

Wow Avs 13-4 edge in high danger chances and got blanked. God that feels good when we're on the other side of it and just win due to good finishing and goaltending.

I don't really buy the way they decide HDCs. According to those, we've been an amazing team that generates loads of "high danger" chances for years that's just been consistently unlucky. You can be completely offensively inept and apparently generate them. They definitely had some very good looks, but we had almost as many.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Zohorna creates havoc for the opponents, his size while not overly physical does seem to get in the way and creates pressure and TO's. Pretty solid on the forecheck and good NHL speed for a big man. Noticeable throughout. Props to DOC and Eller who had his best game in a Pens uni.

Zohorna lines play in their opponents end of the ice.
This has been true every time he's gotten a chance here.
Reach, speed and a willingness to disrupt is a very valuable combination.
Rather curious to see him get an audition in the top 6 if injury strikes. Sullivan is going to give him a shot with Malkin soon.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I don't really buy the way they decide HDCs. According to those, we've been an amazing team that generates loads of "high danger" chances for years that's just been consistently unlucky. You can be completely offensively inept and apparently generate them. They definitely had some very good looks, but we had almost as many.

Yeah, I've had similar questions with how they count them. I've tracked them on my own before in games and the game logs spit out something entirely different from what I'm seeing.

I didn't watch this one though, so I can't weigh in tonight.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

I don't really buy the way they decide HDCs. According to those, we've been an amazing team that generates loads of "high danger" chances for years that's just been consistently unlucky. You can be completely offensively inept and apparently generate them. They definitely had some very good looks, but we had almost as many.

The Avs had the same formula the Pens have had in the past when it comes to high danger chances.

There were good looks in close, but they were also clean looks for Jarry. It was just like the Pens the other night against Oettinger. You give a decent goalie a clean look, even from a prime scoring spot, and he's going to make the save.

Add in a couple high level saves and it leads to a shutout despite Colorado having better overall chances.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Zohorna lines play in their opponents end of the ice.
This has been true every time he's gotten a chance here.
Reach, speed and a willingness to disrupt is a very valuable combination.
Rather curious to see him get an audition in the top 6 if injury strikes. Sullivan is going to give him a shot with Malkin soon.

He hit the post on a shift with Malkin
So close

 

[ChaosAgent]

Wow Avs 13-4 edge in high danger chances and got blanked. God that feels good when we're on the other side of it and just win due to good finishing and goaltending.

Aside from their powerplays, the 13-4 seems very skewed relative to the game I watched. That count makes me question the stat.

 

[OtherThingsILike]

I've always thought Zohorna would make a great forechecker. I'm glad he's betting the chance to do that.

 

[cygnus47]

The Avs had the same formula the Pens have had in the past when it comes to high danger chances.

There were good looks in close, but they were also clean looks for Jarry. It was just like the Pens the other night against Oettinger. You give a decent goalie a clean look, even from a prime scoring spot, and he's going to make the save.

Add in a couple high level saves and it leads to a shutout despite Colorado having better overall chances.

Yeah completely agreed. If there's one glorious save that goalies know how to make its the slide across the crease glove save.

IMO even mid-range rush chances are far more dangerous than cross seam passes with clear vision for the goalie.