Post-Game Talk: Habs 3, Pens 2 - To Me It Looks Like Monkeys Trying to Hump A Football

[KIRK]

If Dumo is out at any point this year, other than for injury, this team is ****ing hopeless

As opposed to what it is now?

 

[Gurglesons]

Agreed on Bourque being pretty honest but he specifically said scratch Dumoulin for Clendenning.

Must've missed it. I turned it off around when he was talking about putting Sprong up in the top six because playing him 8 minutes a night is a complete waste and stupid for a nine game run. Loved how much him and Lange were talking up Letang tonight.

Most of what I heard in regards to the defense was that our offense is not supporting them enough.

 

[m302291]

grades:

Kunitz (C-) - Crosby (B-) - Kessel (B+)
Perron (D) - Malkin (B-) - Hornqvist (B-)
Plotnikov (B+) - Bonino (A-) - Bennett (A)
Porter (A-) - Cullen (B) - Sprong (B)

Cole (B-) - Letang(B+)
Maata (B-) - Dumolin (B+)
Scuderi (F) - Lovejoy (B-)

Fleury (B-)
__________________________
very impressed with Porter, i think he might even edge out Cullen for the final forward spot when Fehr comes back.

Dumolin continues to exceed expectations.

Perron is looking worse and worse. pair him with Sid-Hornqvist to see if he is capable of anything. if not trade him to the highest bidder before his value plummets anymore.

I had faith in Bennett during the summer, and he has not failed me. after the first game I called that a third line of Plots Bonino BB would be great, and right now its our best line with BB getting more confidence and Plots getting more adjusted with every passing day.

1/3 of the way thru Sprong's NHL stint its obvious that they aren't giving him a real shot to stay this year. hopefully he will be ready to dominate in two years when we don't have to deal with Kunitz, Dupuis and Perron.

they must be trying to get Scuderi injured at this point. there is no feasible way that NHL coaches don't put in one of two hungry U25's (Erixon, Clendening) as replacements for Scuds, especially with dropping three in a row
_________________

my lines for next game:

Perron - Crosby - Hornqvist
Kunitz - Malkin - Kessel
Plotnikov - Bonino - Bennett
Porter - Cullen - Sprong

Cole - Letang
Maata - Dumolin
Clendening - Lovejoy

 

[IcedCapp]

As opposed to what it is now?

reminds me of a movie from the 80s or 90s, Men at Work, with Sheen and Esteves, and they are talking about Hopeless "less than hope"

i can't find a clip

 

[KIRK]

grades:

Kunitz (C-) - Crosby (B-) - Kessel (B+)
Perron (D) - Malkin (B-) - Hornqvist (B-)
Plotnikov (B+) - Bonino (A-) - Bennett (A)
Porter (A-) - Cullen (B) - Sprong (B)

Cole (B-) - Letang(B+)
Maata (B-) - Dumolin (B+)
Scuderi (F) - Lovejoy (B-)

Fleury (B-)
__________________________
very impressed with Porter, i think he might even edge out Cullen for the final forward spot when Fehr comes back.

Dumolin continues to exceed expectations.

Perron is looking worse and worse. pair him with Sid-Hornqvist to see if he is capable of anything. if not trade him to the highest bidder before his value plummets anymore.

I had faith in Bennett during the summer, and he has not failed me. after the first game I called that a third line of Plots Bonino BB would be great, and right now its our best line with BB getting more confidence and Plots getting more adjusted with every passing day.

1/3 of the way thru Sprong's NHL stint its obvious that they aren't giving him a real shot to stay this year. hopefully he will be ready to dominate in two years when we don't have to deal with Kunitz, Dupuis and Perron.

they must be trying to get Scuderi injured at this point. there is no feasible way that NHL coaches don't put in one of two hungry U25's (Erixon, Clendening) as replacements for Scuds, especially with dropping three in a row
_________________

my lines for next game:

Perron - Crosby - Hornqvist
Sprong - Malkin - Kessel
Plotnikov - Bonino - Bennett
Kunitz - Cullen - Porter

Cole - Letang
Maata - Dumolin
Clendening - Lovejoy

Malkin is as likely to center Kessel as Kunitz is to play anywhere outside the top six.

 

[MrBurghundy]

No clue how you gave so many players such high grades.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

No clue how you gave so many players such high grades.

Frankly I think I would downgrade everyone an entire letter grade or more. Maatta a B-? I'm pretty sure he was incapable of keeping the puck on his stick tonight let alone doing anything of note. Also if that's Sid's and Geno's B- game we might as well stop watching the rest of the season.

 

[m302291]

Frankly I think I would downgrade everyone an entire letter grade. Maatta a B-? I'm pretty sure he was incapable of keeping the puck on his stick tonight let alone doing anything of note.

No clue how you gave so many players such high grades.

maybe this is where the confusion lies: I see "B" as average. "B-" or lower to me signals playing poorly, not "C-"

 

[KIRK]

No clue how you gave so many players such high grades.

The Johnston Curve?

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

As worried as I am about the lack of offensive production, and I am very worried about it, I'm more worried about Maatta. Like I said before, I expected a lot of guys on the blueline to be terrible, if not embarrassingly bad. I don't think Lovejoy is playing at an NHL level right now. I don't think Scuderi's played at even an AHL level in years. I don't think Cole is any more than a solid bottom pairing guy. All of that being said, Maatta's been atrocious.

That is worrisome. I hope a Maatta - Letang pairing kick-starts his game, because he's looked terrible; in all three zones, and with or without the puck.

 

[Jacob]

At this point putting Crosby back with Hornqvist is a no brainer. There's no chemistry to speak of and Kessel's only chances either come out of individual efforts or situations where poor changes resulted in Malkin being out with him instead of Crosby.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

maybe this is where the confusion lies: I see "B" as average. "B-" or lower to me signals playing poorly, not "C-"

Not to make a big deal of it but what do you have to do to get a D? Shoot Fleury in the head?

 

[KIRK]

As worried as I am about the lack of offensive production, and I am very worried about it, I'm more worried about Maatta. Like I said before, I expected a lot of guys on the blueline to be terrible, if not embarrassingly bad. I don't think Lovejoy is playing at an NHL level right now. I don't think Scuderi's played at even an AHL level in years. I don't think Cole is any more than a solid bottom pairing guy. All of that being said, Maatta's been atrocious.

That is worrisome. I hope a Maatta - Letang pairing kick-starts his game, because he's looked terrible; in all three zones, and with or without the puck.

If this coach won't mix anything up to jump start Sid or Geno, what makes you think he'd bother to do it with Maatta?

 

[IcedCapp]

Not to make a big deal of it but what do you have to do to get a D? Shoot Fleury in the head?

a boob job

 

[KIRK]

a boob job

So, Scuderi is a F, Scuderi with a boob job is a D?

 

[tom_servo]

maybe this is where the confusion lies: I see "B" as average. "B-" or lower to me signals playing poorly, not "C-"

You're my kind of teacher.

 

[Saints11]

More than anything, Letang is worrying about too many things on the ice, such as officials calls or non-calls. He is by far our best defenseman, but needs to step back sometimes. He does need a responsible partner. Right now, I think Cole would be better off with Maatta, and put Dumoulin with Letang. Tanger and Dumo have been your best individual d-men these 3 games. In addition, it is time we get Clendening on the ice. It has been reported than JR specifically sought Clendening in the Sutter deal; the question should be , Why? If he can't get into this line-up, then he isn't an NHL defenseman. The elephants in the room are Lovejoy and Scuderi. There is absolutely nothing these two can do to get removed from the line-up. And that is exactly what they add to this line-up; absolutely nothing. Throw that veteran experience **** out the window. It is probably something stupid like, Scuds has to play to justify his contract and Lovejoy has to play or else we fully admit how ******* terrible the Despres deal was. Lovejoy has proven he is a 5-6 at best; just as Cole has proven he is a 3-4 at best. They are 1, more likely 2 defensemen from outside the organization away from being NHL adequate.

 

[IcedCapp]

So, Scuderi is a F, Scuderi with a boob job is a D?

i thought boob jobs were the easiest way to get a set of Ds?

 

[KIRK]

i thought boob jobs were the easiest way to get a set of Ds?

The question was a D, not a set of D's.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

If this coach won't mix anything up to jump start Sid or Geno, what makes you think he'd bother to do it with Maatta?

I don't. I'm just shooting the ****, because I'm tired of offering up suggestions as to what I'd do when there's not a snowball's chance in Hell it'll even be tried.

Honestly, I'm tired of this team. I have been for years. A lifetime of fandom doesn't just go away, but I find myself being disgusted, frustrated, or despising this team more than I am enjoying watching them play.

Some of this is on the owners for allowing it to get to this point without stepping in. Some of it is on the front office for repeatedly making idiotic decisions with long-term effects. Some of it is on the coaching staff for being as ****ing stupid as the last one. And some of it is on the players for just not giving a ****.

This team should've sent Babcock a private jet full of champagne and strippers with a blank check on the seat. But we didn't want to hurt the feelings of poor Mike Johnston, JR's like 3rd "guy."

I have no faith in this team to fix any of it's issues. I have no hope of us winning another Cup, or even getting close, before Sid and Geno are over the hill.

 

[IcedCapp]

The question was a D, not a set of D's.

a set for everyone!

 

[ColePens]

I like the guys a lot, but Sprong, Maatta, and Crosby all played very poorly. Maatta is finding his game and so is Sprong. I have no clue what Sid is doing. Not sure how they got rated a B.

 

[joeyjake5]

I am all for firing the entire coaching staff, but who is available? I suppose we could have Sullivan interim coach until someone becomes available. Maybe the team just needs a change, and the coach who steps in doesn't really even matter right now. I mean, this team won a Cup with Bylsma behind the bench--in spite of him being there--so I think the spark of change is pretty huge by itself.

And get rid of Kunitz, Scuderi and Lovejoy. Now. I don't give a **** if you get back conditional 7th rounders for all of 'em, they're atrocious hockey players.[/QUOTE]

You can't trade atrocious players. You are stuck with them. Hopefully, both kunitz and scuds are bought out next June and joy is not re-signed. What should happen right now, is that these 3 are permanent fixtures in the press box. .

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I don't. I'm just shooting the ****, because I'm tired of offering up suggestions as to what I'd do when there's not a snowball's chance in Hell it'll even be tried.

Honestly, I'm tired of this team. I have been for years. A lifetime of fandom doesn't just go away, but I find myself being disgusted, frustrated, or despising this team more than I am enjoying watching them play.

Some of this is on the owners for allowing it to get to this point without stepping in. Some of it is on the front office for repeatedly making idiotic decisions with long-term effects. Some of it is on the coaching staff for being as ****ing stupid as the last one. And some of it is on the players for just not giving a ****.

This team should've sent Babcock a private jet full of champagne and strippers with a blank check on the seat. But we didn't want to hurt the feelings of poor Mike Johnston, JR's like 3rd "guy."

I have no faith in this team to fix any of it's issues. I have no hope of us winning another Cup, or even getting close, before Sid and Geno are over the hill.

I'm not wise to this whole hockeying thing like I used to think, since the Pens basically do the opposite of what I know, but when I'm hoping the first two lines will hurry up and get off the ice so I can watch the third line, that's probably.... bad...

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

I like the guys a lot, but Sprong, Maatta, and Crosby all played very poorly. Maatta is finding his game and so is Sprong. I have no clue what Sid is doing. Not sure how they got rated a B.

I don't think anyone does. He had 4 shots which I guess is encouraging, but I remember one being anything close to threatening. Not to split hairs but that's how I saw it, and no points again so who gives a ****.

A crazy thought entered my mind? With Sid (obviously IMO) holding back somewhat due to the issues he's had, was getting Kessel mostly to get someone else to carry the load on that line and let Sid be more like a Joe Thornton type? It's somewhat of a reach but not impossible. In any case, no points.

Geno isn't any better. I thought his line looked so awful I had to mention it out loud a few times during the second half of the game. Perron is taking a lot of heat and I get why but all three of them were inexcusably bad tonight. That entire line made me want to puke in this game. Shameful from all three.