Post-Game Talk: Pens 4 Habs 0 | Beau + The Boys Win One for the Duper

[Deutschland Dangler]

I thought everyone loved beau here?? The only haters are ones who get frustrated he's injured a lot.

Yeah I saw a couple of these posts today and was wondering who they were directed at?

 

[IcedCapp]

Yeah I saw a couple of these posts today and was wondering who they were directed at?

BillyBudd and only BillyBudd, and he would argue that he's not a hater.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Zach Sill was very good tonight. He provided plenty of early-game energy and was finishing his checks with aplomb. It's nice to see the coach reward him late in the game with some second-line ice time. No he's no solution there. It's just nice to see him be rewarded. Especially since there was a contingent from Nova Scotia in the building who drove 10 hours just to see Sill play. I assume they're family/friends of his. Cool stuff.

Christian Ehrhoff sucks. For a supposed puck mover, his passing is off. Waaaay off. He iced the puck more tonight than the other five D combined. Horrible game. Scuderi struggled badly, too. Clearly our two worst defensemen. Bortuzzo needs to play for one of them.

The top six created virtually nothing all night. Comeau had a very good game...for a fourth liner. He not only finished checks, he hurt some people a few times with huge hits. Nice to see that from the top line, but he whiffed on his only real scoring chance early on and that was it for him tonight. Chris Kunitz has become a passenger. You rarely see anything out of him. And Sid seems to be riding right along with him. Those two need to be broken up A S A P.

Very quiet night for Patric Hornqvist. Please place him back on Crosby's line. Please.

The third line was dominant. All three played great. But we do not want another Cooke-Staal-Kennedy situation again, where we're wondering why the third line is our best line most nights. Those days need to be over.

I liked Simon Despres' game tonight. Letang was brutal at times, great other times. Typical Letang night, I suppose. Maatta showed some rust but overall he wasn't terrible. Martin was Martin. He's quite a bit better than Ehrhoff at the moment. Maybe he's always been. It's definitely time to sit Ehrhoff for a game or two.

Adams had little to do, but botched that up too. He was terrible. Sill is so much more valuable to this team.

Oh, and I still don't trust him and never will again, but Fleury was definitely sharp tonight. Focused. Concentrated. He looked good.

All told, a good evening.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

four games since a Despres Minor!

Screw that, Downie didn't take a penalty.


And he scored a goal and I think had an assist... we should all be afraid.


Despres might actually be learning or settling down after being allowed to play through his mistakes.

 

[Deutschland Dangler]

Sill was good and Ehrhoff needs to sit? Huh?

 

[ColePens]

I thought Sill was more effective than Adams for most of the game. First time this season.

As for Ehrhoff...he is progressing. Still not the player we thought we were getting, but progression is there moving forward.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Sill was good and Ehrhoff needs to sit? Huh?

Yes. Were we all watching the same game tonight? Sill was impactful in the first period. Really set the tone with some strong hits. Then later, his backchecking was noticeable in breaking up a few rushes. The coach saw something too, because he replaced Spaling in the third period on Malkin's line. Says more about the state of our top six, but doesn't diminish Sill's night.

Ehrhoff iced the puck like six times tonight. He can't go tape to tape. If No. 4 had a game like this, people here would be absolutely destroying him. Oh, and he actually did play badly as well. It's just expected more with Scuderi. We all expect better from Ehrhoff. But he's been hot garbage.

 

[fate]

just caught the highlights, so many beauners

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

To clarify... I'm not saying to stick Bennett on the first or second line next game. I'm fine with him working on his game on the third line with a guy he has chemistry with in Sutter. But it better not be something that is off the table. The overall puck skills and offensive vision in the top six is pretty embarrassing, right the moment and a trade is still probably a while off. If Bennett keeps playing well (and I think he can)... it should be a no-brainer to move him up in a few games.

I really think MJ wants him with Sutter eventhough Spaling and Comeau aren't top six guys. Hornqvist comically has the most dazzle of any of their top six fwds. He is literally the first top six winger to beat a guy 1-1 this season, unless I somehow missed some Dupuis and Knuitz magic.

It's just funny at this point.

I'm just so weary of saying they need skill in the top six. I came across posts from 2007 the other day, where we were all *****ing about Armstrong going ten games without a point playing with Crosby/Malkin... some were arguing he was just a third liner... and the majority of posts agreed they needed to find a legit winger for Crosby. It is the Neverending Story without the happy ending.

At this point, I just want to see BB play. He is the first legit skilled winger they have drafted since Malone 15 years ago. I don't care where he plays right now. I just want to enjoy seeing him play...watching him piss on guys with his skill.

I'm sure the top six mess will grate on my nerves as usual at some point, but BB is healthy and I just want to enjoy seeing him play.

 

[ColePens]

Horny loves to cycle that is one area him and Sid dominated at. With Geno, chemistry looks weird. Still early. The games just don't mesh.

Not a great sample size, but Sid and PH look like the better duo.

 

[Deutschland Dangler]

Yes. Were we all watching the same game tonight? Sill was impactful in the first period. Really set the tone with some strong hits. Then later, his backchecking was noticeable in breaking up a few rushes. The coach saw something too, because he replaced Spaling in the third period on Malkin's line. Says more about the state of our top six, but doesn't diminish Sill's night.

Ehrhoff iced the puck like six times tonight. He can't go tape to tape. If No. 4 had a game like this, people here would be absolutely destroying him. Oh, and he actually did play badly as well. It's just expected more with Scuderi. We all expect better from Ehrhoff. But he's been hot garbage.

Well, I respectfully disagree, pretty much on all accounts.

 

[Shaftception]

So here's a statistic you wouldn't have expected of a Bylsma coached team.

The Pens are tied for the least amount of goals against with 35, while scoring the second most goals for with 64.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Sill was good and Ehrhoff needs to sit? Huh?

Yes. Were we all watching the same game tonight? Sill was impactful in the first period. Really set the tone with some strong hits. Then later, his backchecking was noticeable in breaking up a few rushes. The coach saw something too, because he replaced Spaling in the third period on Malkin's line. Says more about the state of our top six, but doesn't diminish Sill's night.

Ehrhoff iced the puck like six times tonight. He can't go tape to tape. If No. 4 had a game like this, people here would be absolutely destroying him. Oh, and he actually did play badly as well. It's just expected more with Scuderi. We all expect better from Ehrhoff. But he's been hot garbage.

How many beers did we have at the game?

 

[StaalForOne]

I might be on my own here, and I'm sure my username won't help my cause much, but I think the Kunitz hate lately is a little out of whack. I think people are expecting too much from him.

-He has always been a passenger
-Has never been able to carry offense/create it for himself.
-Never was known to have good hands, or be a great passer. He can make good chip/support passes, but he was never considered one of the best passers on the team.

His job is to win battles, and be a PITA in front of the net, and to defensemen. Over the years he hasn't been as aggressive on the forecheck, in part because Dupuis has taken over that role a little bit, and I think/blindly hope that he is just saving that aspect of his game for the playoffs. It isn't as if he is shying away from hits though, and he does still create havoc in front of the net. Considering his price tag there really isn't too much to be so upset about IMO. Am I hoping he improves? of course, but things could be worse.

 

[Al Smith]

I thought Sill was more effective than Adams for most of the game. First time this season.

As for Ehrhoff...he is progressing. Still not the player we thought we were getting, but progression is there moving forward.

"More effective than Adams" isn't saying much, but removing Adams from the lineup is beyond all hope at this time. Hopefully Dupuis will be back this weekend and Sill will sit. He doesn't really add much (although I'll take him over Glass) and as long as MJ is limiting his minutes, it's not a big deal. I'm pretty sure the Pens are just grooming Sill for Adams' position of non-scoring veteran when Adams retires after he plays in his 1000th consecutive game.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Horny loves to cycle that is one area him and Sid dominated at. With Geno, chemistry looks weird. Still early. The games just don't mesh.

Not a great sample size, but Sid and PH look like the better duo.

I'm only being slightly sarcastic when I say that Malkin probably forgets how to play the cycle game since he had to play the boards mostly by himself for the last few years.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Horny loves to cycle that is one area him and Sid dominated at. With Geno, chemistry looks weird. Still early. The games just don't mesh.

Not a great sample size, but Sid and PH look like the better duo.

Yeah, I agree with that. Johnston picked the wrong winger to move from Crosby's line. The lazy wonder has a history of working with Malkin and needs a kick up the ass.

 

[The GM]

There's nobody anywhere that can fit in the 400k of cap space the Pens have right now.

It's actually Higher than that as Sill would be waived to open the roster spot so you gain that space as well

 

[Your Boy Troy]

Zach Sill had a decent game I thought. He's never going provide anything offensively, but he does a good job back checking and throwing his body around. I am not sure what people expect from him? He's just a warm body for now. What's the point of calling up Jayson Megna to play a limited role? Completely pointless when the fourth-line is undersized and are not physical as it is.

I would call-up one of Leblond, Payerl, or Farnham. Preferably Leblond because he's good on the forecheck and can fill that enforcer role for the team. Payerl brings size and grit to the table. Farnham is a loose cannon that is hungry for a chance to get called up. Although I am afraid that Farnham might not last long because of his size; I recall him getting hurt twice in both preseasons.

Marcel Goc hasn't impress me the last few game. Him playing with Adams and Sill isn't a legitimate excuse. He had a poor effort when Comeau was on his line. I miss 2011 Joe Vitale. The energy that he brought was so satisfying.

I'd sell my right testicle to have Rupp, Vitale, and Godard in their prime on the fourth line.

Congrats to Fleury on getting the shutout. And, awesome game by the checking line. I hope they stick come playoff time when moves are made.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Zach Sill had a decent game I thought. He's never going provide anything offensively, but he does a good job back checking and throwing his body around. I am not sure what people expect from him? He's just a warm body for now. What's the point of calling up Jayson Megna to play a limited role? Completely pointless when the fourth-line is undersized and are not physical as it is.

I would call-up one of Leblond, Payerl, or Farnham. Preferably Leblond because he's good on the forecheck and can fill that enforcer role for the team. Payerl brings size and grit to the table. Farnham is a loose cannon that is hungry for a chance to get called up. Although I am afraid that Farnham might not last long because of his size; I recall him getting hurt twice in both preseasons.

Marcel Goc hasn't impress me the last few game. Him playing with Adams and Sill isn't a legitimate excuse. He had a poor effort when Comeau was on his line. I miss 2011 Joe Vitale. The energy that he brought was so satisfying.

I'd sell my right testicle to have Rupp, Vitale, and Godard in their prime on the fourth line.

Congrats to Fleury on getting the shutout. And, awesome game by the checking line. I hope they stick come playoff time when moves are made.

I forgot to mention Goc. Yeah he shouldn't be playing limited minutes on the fourth line. He's more suited to more minutes on the third line (on another team, preferably).

 

[Deutschland Dangler]

Hm, we really seem to watch different games.

 

[Boocock]

I'd sell my right testicle to have Rupp, Vitale, and Godard in their prime on the fourth line.

Then you'd be selling yourself short.

 

[Stad]

Well, I respectfully disagree, pretty much on all accounts.

Same here, lol. I thought Ehrhoff and Scuderi were fine tonight.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Then you'd be selling yourself short.

and immortalized as Thriller's Bargain.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Missed most of the third period, but from the two and a bit periods I did see, the Pens looked really dialed in. Structurally, strategically, this is a much better team than what we saw last season.

That third line was huge tonight. Glad to see Bennett get on the scoreboard in a big way, too. Hopefully that will be a confidence boost for him and tonight will become more the rule than the exception, production-wise. Downie and Sutter were also great tonight.

All in all, a good effort against one of the best in the East.

-----

Now for the minuses, but they're not necessarily just about tonight, but have been minuses for a while.

-Kunitz. What the ****? He's sleepwalking through this season. He's been absolutely terrible. If that's his effort level from here on out, I wouldn't shed a single tear if he's dealt. I don't give a damn about his goals (largely on the PP). The guy is a minus every single time he's out there 5 on 5.

-Adams/Sill. I thought the goal was to improve upon a pretty lousy and unproductive fourth line from last year. Sure, it's not allowing as many goals as last year's version did. But it's also zero threat to score, just like last year's version. If we're going far in the playoffs, line four will also have to chip in timely goals. Between Adams and Sill, I'd be surprised if they score 10 goals between them this season.