Post-Game Talk: Penguins 5, Flyers 1 - Pens Undefeated in 2018

[Nakawick]

When I see Sid plaster his name all over the scoreboard and look like the best player in the world, that is when I think the Pens will be back. I hope we see it this season,..this month actually. We got a taste of what things may look like without our worst center playing.

 

[ColePens]

I always find it funny what you remember and quote and the things you conveniently forget. I thousands of posts here, but that's ok, sum me up with a random quote that's completely taken out of context.

You... you're good you

I've always found it imperative to not irrationally lash out and say things. Example: 2008-09: "BLOW IT UP. THIS TEAM IS DONE." Instead I said they put themselves in a bad position, gave up on the coach, but a few changes and we could make a run. In 2015: "THE WINDOW IS DONE. TRADE EVERYONE!" I said similar the major thing the team needs is an identity and to stick with it, preferably one with speed/skill. But if they wanted to go big, then commit. Whatever they do, commit to one way and have accountability/a strong culture. Many others post like that, too. They know there just isn't one way to win.

Analyze what you see and add an opinion, but recognize there are more ways to win other than just one. You absolutely hated, and I mean HATED, how small we were. You were very vocal about it. And then we win b2b cups because of the speed/skill.

So when you are the type to throw it out there like that, you can't then thump your chest at a W when you have about 40 Ls.

 

[Captain Hook]

Amazing how much better the team looks when the bottom 6 chips in. Now imagine if they had a bottom 6 that's able to do this regularly instead of the fluky once every 38 games or so.

 

[ColePens]

This didn’t seem like some breakout game. Just for once we capitalized on a reasonable amount of our chances and the opposition didn’t. And no magic to the goals either. Pucks were actually elevated.

When any team gets even 1 goal from their 4th line, let alone 2 goals, they’re going to win more often than not. Even garbage teams probably have a good record when their 4th chips in.

The issue still is that neither of those things happen often enough. 1 outta 3 games isn’t enough.

Beggars cannot be choosers. We are in a hole. We are climbing out way out and we are only up an inch, but we stopped the sinking, if only for a night.

 

[ColePens]

Amazing how much better the team looks when the bottom 6 chips in. Now imagine if they had a bottom 6 that's able to do this regularly instead of the fluky once every 38 games or so.

Capt... are you reading what you are writing? "Imagine if we had a bottom 6 that could do that regularly." A bottom 6 that can score 2 goals a game!??! In what world? Isn't it supposed to be the top 6-9 contribute and the bottom 6 score every now and again.

I mean I know our bottom 6 is worse than normal, but Matt Cullen really gave a lot of people false hope. That was not the norm, what we got from Cully in his 2 season. That was a blessing in disguise as "dad".

I'm not saying our bottom 6 is fine. I would never say that. It needs fixed and needs fixed fast. Hell, I even think we have/had internal options that could AT LEAST do better than what they are currently doing. But when you are asking for a bottom 6 to score like that and ignoring that Sid can't do much of anything... I find that backwards.

 

[Ryder71]

Amazing how much better the team looks when the bottom 6 chips in. Now imagine if they had a bottom 6 that's able to do this regularly instead of the fluky once every 38 games or so.

It's only one game and I'm not gonna get a head of myself but I always believed Sheahan was better geared for a 4th line role. The problem is he's been overslotted here. He has a good stick, solid on faceoffs an effective on the PK. But when he's playing above his skill level it shows. 4C and he'd be a real plus for us. Which is why bringing in a solid third line pivot could pay huge dividends and completely transform the bottom six.

 

[Pens x]

I’m just happy they beat the Flyers as this was a relatively big game. But it’s just one game. Hopefully they can build off this.

 

[Jacob]

I think it’s very reasonable and attainable for your 3rd line to score once every other game and for your 4th line to score once every four games, on average.

 

[NMK11]

He’s ok there but he’s much better on the right. If he plays on the left we don’t get RW Rust, we get a lesser version. I always believe play your players in their best spots and if you have too many make a move.

Alternatively he could go the 4th line and push Reaves out.

Trade/Kuhnhackl-Sheahan-Rust is even better.

Why can Reaves only play the left side? Why are we counting him as an immovable winger? If he has to play,can't he make meanie faces on the left? I don't understand the rational to move someone who legitimately contributes to on ice production in favor of someone who doesn't.

 

[Gurglesons]

Beggars cannot be choosers. We are in a hole. We are climbing out way out and we are only up an inch, but we stopped the sinking, if only for a night.

This 100%. I swear people want us to miss the playoffs just so we trade Letang.

I know our roster isn’t as good as the past two years, but the only team that is scary in the East is Tampa, and we possibly could not even have to play them.

 

[Captain Hook]

Capt... are you reading what you are writing? "Imagine if we had a bottom 6 that could do that regularly." A bottom 6 that can score 2 goals a game!??! In what world? Isn't it supposed to be the top 6-9 contribute and the bottom 6 score every now and again.

I mean I know our bottom 6 is worse than normal, but Matt Cullen really gave a lot of people false hope. That was not the norm, what we got from Cully in his 2 season. That was a blessing in disguise as "dad".

I'm not saying our bottom 6 is fine. I would never say that. It needs fixed and needs fixed fast. Hell, I even think we have/had internal options that could AT LEAST do better than what they are currently doing. But when you are asking for a bottom 6 to score like that and ignoring that Sid can't do much of anything... I find that backwards.

I understand your point but regularly does not mean every game. I certainly don't expect two goals a game from them but I do think to win in this league we need more steady production than what we've gotten this year out of the bottom 6.

 

[NMK11]

Capt... are you reading what you are writing? "Imagine if we had a bottom 6 that could do that regularly." A bottom 6 that can score 2 goals a game!??! In what world? Isn't it supposed to be the top 6-9 contribute and the bottom 6 score every now and again.

I mean I know our bottom 6 is worse than normal, but Matt Cullen really gave a lot of people false hope. That was not the norm, what we got from Cully in his 2 season. That was a blessing in disguise as "dad".

I'm not saying our bottom 6 is fine. I would never say that. It needs fixed and needs fixed fast. Hell, I even think we have/had internal options that could AT LEAST do better than what they are currently doing. But when you are asking for a bottom 6 to score like that and ignoring that Sid can't do much of anything... I find that backwards.

Dude, total strawman, you're better than that. No one is saying we need a bottom six that can score two a game, so the fact that you use that as an comeback is over the top.

What people are wanting is a bottom six that scores every other game or two in three, and also can play more minutes to take a load off our stars.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

This 100%. I swear people want us to miss the playoffs just so we trade Letang.

I know our roster isn’t as good as the past two years, but the only team that is scary in the East is Tampa, and we possibly could not even have to play them.

I just want them to show that they have a pulse. Or even some vague impersonation of a team who gives a damn.

Three shots in three quarters of the first period is not the way to do it.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Say what you will but Reaves was never the problem with the fourth line. He looked better early on with McKegg, and with Sheahan I think he would be just fine. Rowney has been the problem with the fourth line all along. He is a replacement player, a depth player.

If Rust-Sheahan-Reaves is our fourth line down the stretch, we're going to win a lot of games.

 

[ColePens]

I understand your point but regularly does not mean every game. I certainly don't expect two goals a game from them but I do think to win in this league we need more steady production than what we've gotten this year out of the bottom 6.

Fair enough. I'm not defending the bottom 6. We've all agreed since we won the Cup it needs help. I cannot believe it's been 6 full months and we can't even acquire some bottom 6 help. It sucks.

But ultimately Letang/Sid need to be great. And dammit, JR. Please work some magic.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Why can Reaves only play the left side? Why are we counting him as an immovable winger? If he has to play,can't he make meanie faces on the left? I don't understand the rational to move someone who legitimately contributes to on ice production in favor of someone who doesn't.

Cmon you know Reaves is staying and we likely don’t have the asset fluidity for Rust to go to the 4th line. It’d be great if we could bring in 2 stronger LW’ers and a 3C and put Rust on the 4th. No chance unless we trade one of the top 4 D.

 

[ColePens]

This 100%. I swear people want us to miss the playoffs just so we trade Letang.

I know our roster isn’t as good as the past two years, but the only team that is scary in the East is Tampa, and we possibly could not even have to play them.

I know #58 has struggled, and tonight was another roller coaster game of good/bad, but it's not for a lack of effort. That guy is busting his ass out there. I'm not fed up with how #87 has been for 30+ games. He's lazy and taking lazy ways out that force into turnovers. It's brutal. At least #58 is doing everything he can, it's just a huge confidence issue.

 

[ColePens]

Cmon you know Reaves is staying and we likely don’t have the asset fluidity for Rust to go to the 4th line. It’d be great if we could bring in 2 stronger LW’ers and a 3C and put Rust on the 4th. No chance unless we trade one of the top 4 D.

Just remember one thing. As much as we all hate Kuhn, he was part of the best 4th line I've ever seen on the Pens. Cully/Rust/Kuhn. They flat out dominated until Rust was too good they had to move him up. So there is nothing saying that Reaves can't at least be a solid 3rd wheel to a Cullen/Rust type 4th line. The problem is finding our dad and Rusty again.

 

[LOGiK]

Magic number to the playoffs is roughly 96 points. They seem so far off yet so close. It's possible. Even with a rag tag D and bottom 6.

 

[ColePens]

Say what you will but Reaves was never the problem with the fourth line. He looked better early on with McKegg, and with Sheahan I think he would be just fine. Rowney has been the problem with the fourth line all along. He is a replacement player, a depth player.

If Rust-Sheahan-Reaves is our fourth line down the stretch, we're going to win a lot of games.

Man if it was Sheahan/Rust/Simon or Sheahan/Rust/Wilson... that would have been sick. It isn't #7, but that wasn't anything we could control.

 

[Will Hunting]

I know #58 has struggled, and tonight was another roller coaster game of good/bad, but it's not for a lack of effort. That guy is busting his ass out there. I'm not fed up with how #87 has been for 30+ games. He's lazy and taking lazy ways out that force into turnovers. It's brutal. At least #58 is doing everything he can, it's just a huge confidence issue.

Letang had a veeeeery long summer, unlike Sid. Sid has an excuse here at least. Also, Letang is a much more negative element for us this season than Sid is. Sid is simply behind the expectations. Much behind them, because standards are high for him. But he is still a good player out there. Something that can´t be confidently said about Letang..

 

[ColePens]

Letang had a veeeeery long summer, unlike Sid. Sid has an excuse here at least. Also, Letang is a much more negative element for us this season than Sid is. Sid is simply behind the expectations. Much behind them, because standards are high for him. But he is still a good player out there. Something that can´t be confidently said about Letang..

To be completely fair - I've said a million times I think Sid has every excuse. When you ask a player to lay everything you had on the ice after how much hockey he's played, he did so to bring home b2b Cups. All you have to do is watch Game 5 of the SCF to see that. He laid it all out there and i'm sure he's paying for it now.

So I understand the excuses and do think it's fair. Just bad timing because we needed him to buy us time to get a better bottom 6.

 

[Sideline]

Magic number to the playoffs is roughly 96 points. They seem so far off yet so close. It's possible. Even with a rag tag D and bottom 6.

The Penguins points percentage in the second half would need to be .650 to make 96 points. Only 7 teams have done that in the first half. It's going to be very hard for them to make it.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Just remember one thing. As much as we all hate Kuhn, he was part of the best 4th line I've ever seen on the Pens. Cully/Rust/Kuhn. They flat out dominated until Rust was too good they had to move him up. So there is nothing saying that Reaves can't at least be a solid 3rd wheel to a Cullen/Rust type 4th line. The problem is finding our dad and Rusty again.

If Sheahan drops down that might be enough for Kuhn/Reaves to work. If not shouldn’t be too hard to pick up a replacement for Kuhn at the deadline. I would prefer a speedster (like Archie ).

If Sheahan is dropping down that means we got our 3C which means we’d be more dangerous again. Which would be awesome.

 

[Will Hunting]

The Penguins points percentage in the second half would need to be .650 to make 96 points. Only 7 teams have done that in the first half. It's going to be very hard for them to make it.

Right now, it doesn´t look like they would need 96 points tho. East has some very strong teams and then some real mediocre teams. We are gonna fight with the Canes and Isles for that wildcard spot and we are 1 point behind both right now. They have games in hand, but it´s not a big hole yet. Kinda shocking, but it´s really not that bad. That said, just squeezing into playoffs and playing TB powerhouse team there is not ideal either. 96 points should be our goal then, and that might get us into playoffs and possibly avoid TB... All speculation for now tho.