Post-Game Talk: Pens 2, Oilers 1: The Junior Player Edition

[Ugene Magic]

I thought edm controlled the play. They had four dingers and that game could have been in their favor.

Much like the Pens controlled it for spans as well. The Pens are not impervious to looking bad for spans as they themselves miss on great chances a lot. They have rung the goalbar bell quite a bit themselves this season. Just because Edmontons four rang louder doesn't make them any different.

Both teams took turns. The Pens made them look like the normal team they've been for years for long stretches pursuing the puck carrier winning a lot of battles last night.

Edmonton just has some quality players and a huge 6'6" giant in net who likes to play deep in net leaving absolutely no room to shoot at.

 

[canadianguy77]

With that one crazy cross ice pass Scuderi made last game, MJ is never going to bench him again.

There was so much time and space to make that pass that virtually every guy in the league could make it, it's just that we were so surprised that Scuderi made it.
Our expectations of him are so low.

 

[Shady Machine]

Do people honestly believe we're in an alright spot?

Sid, not only isn't scoring, looks like complete **** night in and night out. If not for Fleury playing damn-near Vezina hockey (and make no mistake, it's entirely Fleury, not the defense), we'd be completely ****ed. We give our goalies some pathetic goal support, and they've managed to bail us out thus far.

Wonder what's gonna happen if MAF comes back to Earth, and we have to rely more heavily on scoring goals and our blueliners--whom have all been varying degrees of horrible all season, save for Dumo.

Things are not good. Things are not awesome. It's cool that we're winning, but unless we start scoring a Hell of a lot more, and we start to get the ****ing TOI distribution/scratches/lines/PP right, we're as big a team of paper tigers as you'll see. That doesn't even account for the fact that we're still a #2/3 d-man away from having some semblance of a legit blueline.

This is what I got from your post "My point of view is factual and I'm not going to provide any evidence. If you don't agree you are wrong"

 

[Shady Machine]

I don't really think any of the forwards have stood out to me defensively except for Geno. Sid's been pretty good from time to time, but not as consistently as Geno has. Fehr too, but it's been three games.

Our blueline is hot garbage, top to bottom. Credit to all you wily vets who recognized Dumo's potential though, he's been the lone bright spot. Everyone else has sucked; Letang, Maatta, Cole, and Scuderi and Lovejoy--but the last two are expected.

It's not that the forwards have been individually great defensively. It's a systematic focus on puck support and no one flying the zone unless you are sure. This team is rarely giving up odd man breaks. There were the two against Vancouver from stretch passes, but for the most part, they always have numbers back now. The downside of this is our own fast break offense is killed.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

The overreactions on this site are hilarious. We're not winning the way I want to win, MJ needs fired! The team is 9-4 when a good chunk of the team (top-6, D outside of Dumoulin) is struggling. Yes, the insane save% of Fleury and Zatkoff isn't sustainable. However, neither are the struggles of the D or top-6. You guys really need some perspective, the reactions here are way too much.

ugh, that's not why people are mad.

 

[3074326]

I thought edm controlled the play. They had four dingers and that game could have been in their favor.

When did Edmonton control the play? They struggled in the first and third. The Pens dominated the entire first. They were not great in the second, but I don't recall ever being afraid of Edmonton. I thought the Oilers looked like garbage. They couldn't win battles and struggled to move the puck. The Pens were clearly the better team throughout, in every aspect. The Pens even had a goal taken away. The Pens were winning battles and causing turnovers all night.

It wasn't a perfect game, but I saw some real chemistry and an identity last night. The Oilers were in their zone a lot. Against all lines. Scuderi actually had some nice passes and I remember him pinching once to keep the puck in.

I respect your opinion but disagree in this case. They're better than this forum thinks they are.

This does not mean that I don't want to dump Scuderi and Kunitz, however. They still make too much and don't offer enough to keep them around.

 

[Ogrezilla]

The overreactions on this site are hilarious. We're not winning the way I want to win, MJ needs fired! The team is 9-4 when a good chunk of the team (top-6, D outside of Dumoulin) is struggling. Yes, the insane save% of Fleury and Zatkoff isn't sustainable. However, neither are the struggles of the D or top-6. You guys really need some perspective, the reactions here are way too much.

I disagree with the bold. Sure, maybe not quite to the current extent. But I just don't buy that these are individual player struggles with no correlation that they will just work themselves out of.

 

[cygnus47]

Loved how we played in the first period, especially Perron who was everywhere. Powerplay too. Most of that may have been Edmonton adjusting to the McDavid -> Eberle swap and not being great but still. After they adjusted and put the pressure on we looked average again. I'm seeing signs of life though which is nice. Hate the passive penalty kill still.