Post-Game Talk: Pens get Sabred by Buffalo

[Sorry]

After the refs called off the second goal because...Luukkonen smelled him or whatever the reason, it was clear the Pens weren't going to win as the hockey gods weren't going to allow it. Sure the first called off goal, was offside and the right call was made. The second...nah...

The delay of game on Acciari was the real sign, IMO. The refs didn't even take a second to discuss it even when they all looked up and saw it on a 60ft wide screen.

Anyways. I expected the loss. Classic Sullivan Penguins. Big win in Boston, tides are turning, lose at home to the Sabres. It was too much to think they would conquer their demons in the Isles, Bruins and Sabres all in a short window(Yes, the Sabres have had the Pens number somewhat of late).

Puusy-Eller-Doc is a solid mixture for a third line. Skill, smarts, and forechecking. So I was happy with the line adjustments at the end besides that shift that Malkin and Crosby took together. Reminded me of Ned Flanders' parents...

 

[SEALBound]

Harkins has been very low on the list of problems IMO. I think he brings a lot to that 4th line.

I'm not really a fan of his, but it seems weird people are crucifying him.

I think Glass-Adams is similar to Harkins-Carter in a sense. It would be okay if one of them were there and being complemented by two others but both together is tough to watch at times when they produce so little. That said, lately, they've been serviceable so my hatred has certainly gone down.

A two minute 5 on 3 is almost an automatic goal if your PP unit has the first clue what it's doing. I mentioned it because the fact that we only managed to score after this chance served on a silver platter is pretty telling.

We have seen this kind of scenario happen way too many times over the past few seasons to put any stock in excuses like "they were unlucky", "didn't get the bounces", etc. Yes, there is parity in the league and in isolation games like this are a nothingburger but the trend is very clear. Every time the Pens seem to be going somewhere they manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Sometimes the goalie blow. Sometimes the forwards can't score in a brothel. Sometimes the defense is amateur hour. Sometimes the entire team fails to show up.

And the common team is they are not maximising their chances for success. They love pretty passing plays which are too risky, especially when the team is nervous and in need of a goal right now. They take their foot off the pedal after finally getting the goal they need. They can't play a 60 minute game to save their lives. They don't like playing much neutral zone defense. And so on.

They. Scored. On. The. 5-on-3.

What is your argument here? They should have scored "quicker" and because they didn't they...what? I have no idea what you're actually trying to say.

To your other stuff, yeah it's fine to be upset and not acknowledge excuses. There is fairness in that because at the end of the day, a loss is a loss. But some of us who watch the game and want to discuss it more in-depth will understand that not all losses are equal just like not all wins are equal. Sometimes you REALLY lose or REALLY win and sometimes, the confluence of events throughout the game could have really made it go either and sometimes the win or loss isn't "fair".

Let me give you an example - yes, we lost this game but would suggest that this loss against Buffalo is equal to the loss against we recently had against Toronto? With the firm understanding and acknowledgment that, yes, both are losses and both look the same on the standings.

If think they are equal, fine. Then there's nothing else for you to discuss here and you may exit the thread. Others obviously don't believe that and wish to discuss various aspects of performance. Leave us be.

 

[IcedCapp]

Geniuses whine about their goalie when their team needs a two minute 5 on 3 to score even one goal on the Sabres backup.

Multiple things can be true. I don’t need to do anything but watch the goals Jarry lets in to know he’s one of them.

I’m sorry that reality is such an inconvenience for you.

I’m also sorry that so many people on this board appear to have spent their childhood getting skullf***ed by a jackhammer.

How are so many of you so f***ing useless?

 

[wgknestrick]

Yuck. Felt like they did enough to deserve a W in this one. Bunch of bad breaks

Are we calling our players and coaches breaks now?

 

[Icarium]

I’m also sorry that so many people on this board appear to have spent their childhood getting skullf***ed by a jackhammer.

How are so many of you so f***ing useless?

Really convincing argument, got any more wisdom to share with us plebs?

They. Scored. On. The. 5-on-3.

What is your argument here? They should have scored "quicker" and because they didn't they...what? I have no idea what you're actually trying to say.

That scoring on a 2 minute 5 on 3 means very little. It's not that they scored "slowly", it's that they got a gift wrapped opportunity to do so and this was their only goal. I.e. they couldn't score unless the opponent basically did everything to give them as big an advantage as possible.

 

[SEALBound]

Really convincing argument, got any more wisdom to share with us plebs?


That scoring on a 2 minute 5 on 3 means very little. It's not that they scored "slowly", it's that they got a gift wrapped opportunity to do so and this was their only goal. I.e. they couldn't score unless the opponent basically did everything to give them as big an advantage as possible.

1. People already gave you convincing arguments but you refuse to listen.

2. I still have no idea what you are arguing. They scored on the 5-on-3. Yeah, gift wrapped opportunity...and they scored. What more do you want? They scored 2 others that got called back. This wasn't purely a game where they "couldn't score".

This really makes me think you did not watch one second of the game.

 

[Nakawick]

That was such a frustrating game. Pens deserved better than what they got. The way she goes.

 

[Icarium]

2. I still have no idea what you are arguing. They scored on the 5-on-3. Yeah, gift wrapped opportunity...and they scored. What more do you want?

To score on non-gift wrapped opportunities.

When you have put up 6 on a team like BOS and play against a team with terrible defense and no-name goalie, I don't think it's big ask.

Talking about posts and disallowed goals is like listening to Sullivan's excuses. Good teams find ways to score more than 1 in games like that. I have seen Penguins baffled by these no name goalies on bad teams way too many times in the past few seasons to accept loser excuses like bounces, refs and the phases of the moon.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Mr. 850 still hasn’t let in a bad goal.

The Phil Hellmuth of hockey for sure.

Idiots think it’s the goalies job to stop pucks, big brained chads know that speaking incoherently about why we lost is the real key to victory.

There are games where Jarry has been bad. But they're a lot less than blokes here want to believe. In this game it wasn't his fault they lost yet they want to make it seem that way. If the Pens offense was an inept vs Buffalo as they were against Boston, the excuses would be piling up for Ned. Which is weird.

You look at Jarry's metrics and he's been a top 10 goalie all year. That bothers a lot because they feel he's worse than that. Having 4 shutouts and a f***ing goal with very solid stats and expected save, apparently isn't enough.

f***ing morons want Broduer prime in net and nothing else will suffice.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

That was such a frustrating game. Pens deserved better than what they got. The way she goes.

2 goals disallowed by Toronto is what it is. To cry about that is dumb imo. The Pens had one go their way not so long ago because of a blade being onside. That's the way it goes.

But to chest snipe for almost 50 shots is comical. That goalie on the other end really isn't consistent by any stretch and hasn't been all season. But that game inflated his stats so much lol.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

He’s Tanner Glass with a new name plate.

Or in the Sullivan Era...

He's Jankowski, Porter, etc. The thing about Harkins is he was taken petty high, 2nd round 47th overall, right after Daniel Sprong. LOL...Sprong is on pace for back to back 45+ point seasons, actually a 50+ pace this year and Roope Hintz was taken 2 picks below him.

He wasn't rushed to the NHL. He played parts of 4 seasons in the AHL and the end product is a marginal 4th liner you don't even bother getting because he's not a specialist in anything. He isn't some pk beast. He isn't a bad ass forechecker or disrupter. He just exists.

Imagine seeing him get this opportunity that we should have seen given to Hallander maybe or hell, literally any prospect in WBS or even Pitlick over Acciari, Carter or Harkins.

Cap issues? I don't know, maybe dump the 33yr old 8th defenseman that Sullivan sees as a #5? Keeping Shea up? Etc.

 

[Pancakes]

It's just great that the Pens have at least somewhat figured out how to beat divisional opponents this season but it doesn't even matter that much because they've decided to lose twice to Ottawa and twice to Buffalo.

 

[Andy99]

It's just great that the Pens have at least somewhat figured out how to beat divisional opponents this season but it doesn't even matter that much because they've decided to lose twice to Ottawa and twice to Buffalo.

We’re not even that great against divisional opponents, it just looks amazing compared to last year lol

 

[Pancakes]

We’re not even that great against divisional opponents, it just looks amazing compared to last year lol

Also still have a number of games left against the Rangers and Devils who always give us a hard time.

Still think we've got a good chance at a playoff spot but this team can't be losing too many games that it "should" win.

 

[Andy99]

Also still have a number of games left against the Rangers and Devils who always give us a hard time.

Still think we've got a good chance at a playoff spot but this team can't be losing too many games that it "should" win.

I don’t think we have a good chance at the playoffs…we need 3 out of 5 teams to fall off: Caps, Flyers, Isles, NJD, and Tampa..that’s asking a lot

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Guentzel bumped into a goalie who was in his crease. Textbook interference.

For me the goalie's head was outside the crease, and Jake's outside as well. So that's contact being initiated by the goalie in that case, since he's exceeding his area.
Also, the puck was going in regardless of the contact there.

 

[MeinerEiner]

For me the goalie's head was outside the crease, and Jake's outside as well. So that's contact being initiated by the goalie in that case, since he's exceeding his area.
Also, the puck was going in regardless of the contact there.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t matter.

 

[PensandCaps]

I feel like playing Puustinen with Malkin and spreading out the depth would be a wise idea. Smith needs demoted.

 

[Darren McCord]

Harkins has been very low on the list of problems IMO. I think he brings a lot to that 4th line.

I'm not really a fan of his, but it seems weird people are crucifying him.

Harkins is a problem because he is Sully's new pet but he is even worse than the last one ZAR.

Harkins is whatever but the fact that in a game when you are down he is playing 4 min more than Puustinen is idiotic.

He is a -3 on the fourth line and doesn't even PK. They are losing more often or not when he is on the ice.

 

[Gurglesons]

Harkins is a problem because he is Sully's new pet but he is even worse than the last one ZAR.

Harkins is whatever but the fact that in a game when you are down he is playing 4 min more than Puustinen is idiotic.

He is a -3 on the fourth line and doesn't even PK. They are losing more often or not when he is on the ice.

Much like Carter last season I’m not going to judge the player for asinine usage by the coach.

Harkins are some speed and grit to the fourth line. I’ve actually thought the fourth line has found their wind since he was moved down there.

Ideally we improve on him, but he’s not really been a problem IMO.

I feel like playing Puustinen with Malkin and spreading out the depth would be a wise idea. Smith needs demoted.

I like the idea of Smith - Eller - Puusy as our 3rd line.

 

[Darren McCord]

Much like Carter last season I’m not going to judge the player for asinine usage by the coach.

Harkins are some speed and grit to the fourth line. I’ve actually thought the fourth line has found their wind since he was moved down there.

Ideally we improve on him, but he’s not really been a problem IMO.

But you can't separate the two. If a coach is using a player wrong you have to remove the coach or the player.

I want Sullivan gone but if they wont remove him then Harkins is a problem. Harkins is a tweener and 13th forward who had one decent season. He was better in WPG last year and they still wanted him gone.

 

[McGroarty2]

Is Zohorna hurt or does he suck or did he take a penalty and Sully is punishing him?

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I feel like playing Puustinen with Malkin and spreading out the depth would be a wise idea. Smith needs demoted.

Agreed. That would also increase Puustinen's minutes, instead of making him close to a non-factor with the deployment the last 4 games.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Is Zohorna hurt or does he suck or did he take a penalty and Sully is punishing him?

He was ill. He's not hurt.
Puustinen essentially replaced him, since he stayed in the lineup after Rust's return.

That in itself I have no problem with. Z should be playing over Harkins though for sure.

 

[Fordy]

Did you expect any different from Yohe? Sullivan is his God and he won't say anything that might sound like it's questioning the coach.

obviously i don't expect different but the tone just bugged me