Post-Game Talk: Pens/Isles Game 1: Home Ice + Good Matchup all for nothing

[Icarium]

I told you home ice means very little in the playoffs.
Mostly an equal game but the first three Isles goals were all very much saveable and came from seemingly not so dangerous situations, especially the first two and we seemed to be getting worse as the game went along.
Most worrying is the Pens having zero swagger in the playoffs for a while now, even if they start well, the nerves set in. It's difficult to beat anyone if you play timidly. If it was just one game you could put it down to the skaters having no confidence in Jarry but it has been years now.
On the bright side, we could have won with a bit of luck even with Jarry giving up all those softies, the PK came through, the PP came agonizingly close to scoring. We had like 10 minutes of amazing forecheck, if we can do it for longer, that would be great.
But we also shouldn't forget that Beauvillier alone could have had a hat-trick with a bit of puck luck, so it's not like we were that good defensively and that Barzal is probably not going to remain that quiet all series.

 

[Andy99]

Forgetting Jarry is young making his first appearance in postseason. He was probably nervous.

so was Sorokin...

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

The entire look of the team changed too after a couple of the goals he gave up. Especially in the 3rd and OT, the Penguins looked like a team scared to do anything up ice or take risks because they knew any chance against could end up in the back of the net.

Zero confidence in Jarry today, and with good reason. When that's the case, it's tough for guys to jump up in the play to create chances because they don't know if their goalie is up to the challenge if it goes the other way.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Jarry was clearly a problem. No doubt... how could you not single him out a bit after some of those goals? But someone already said it better than me... the big sign of danger is that the Isles looked stronger and stronger and more and more confident as the game went on while the Penguins shrank back and waned.

I know these things are game to game but it does carry over. And just as a reminder... Sullivan is Disco, now.

 

[Night Shift]

so was Sorokin...

Ok but some guys either take off or some need some time. Murray took off as a rookie. Not every guy is the same.

 

[Trade]

We lost game one to Washington and Tampa in 2016.

We lost game game one to Ottawa in 2017.

If we looked like trash as a team, I’d be far more concerned. Jarry shit the bed, Jarry knows he shit the bed.

Sully’s predetermined minutes continues hurt us.

ZAR played nearly 6 more minutes than Freddy Hockey...

 

[Pengwins]

Jarry needs to play better but I'm more worried about our forwards play overall

 

[Pancakes]

The Capitals have won 1 cup and haven't made it beyond the second round outside of that in the entire Ovechkin era. I don't think they're really a case that "good enough for the regular season" and "good enough for the playoffs" are the same.

Holtby was a pretty good regular season goalie for most of his Caps' tenure. Prior to his arrival the Caps did have some sketchy goaltending but Holtby was a strong goalie and they should have been able to win more with him. Unfortunately he decided to play his worst hockey when it mattered much like Pens goalies have done the past few years.

 

[Joejosh999]

Who? And what’s the price? Because they’re definitely not cheap.

Lots.
Roy, Brodeur just for starters. But try Rask, Quick, Hasek. I could go on.
And no they’re not cheap. But way to move those goalposts.

 

[Andy99]

1. goaltending hasn’t been good enough
2. Sullivan—player usage, strategy, game management hasn’t been good enough
3. According to very knowledge Keyboard Experts on HF Boards, it’s Evgeni Malkin’s fault...we should have traded him years ago

 

[Gurglesons]

Lots.
Roy, Brodeur just for starters. But try Rask, Quick, Hasek. I could go on.
And no they’re not cheap. But way to move those goalposts.

Roy and Brodeur barely existed in the Sid and Geno era. Our recipe for goaltending n’t has resulted in more or the same cups as every goalie listed but Roy.

 

[TheTang58]

Has this team one a playoff game with rust on sids line?

Honest question. Guy has been Mia since 2017.

Game 7 vs. Caps 2017 Rust scored GWG

 

[Empoleon8771]

Holtby was a pretty good regular season goalie for most of his Caps' tenure. Prior to his arrival the Caps did have some sketchy goaltending but Holtby was a strong goalie and they should have been able to win more with him. Unfortunately he decided to play his worst hockey when it mattered much like Pens goalies have done the past few years.

What's funny about the Caps is that I actually don't think Holtby falls in that category. Outside of his 2017 Penguins series, he was consistently elite in the playoffs. It's just the rest of the team around him completely imploded.

I don't know that the 2018-2020 Penguins would have accomplished much more in the playoffs with someone like 2016 Holtby, but I do know that the Penguins are 3-14 in their last 3 series in the playoffs with the goaltending they have had.

 

[Night Shift]

Ok but some guys either take off or some need some time. Murray took off as a rookie. Not every guy is the same.

3. Or They don't work out. But i think Jarry is young enough to give more chances to, hes not close to where we can say he won't work out. We will see

 

[canadianguy77]

Lots.
Roy, Brodeur just for starters. But try Rask, Quick, Hasek. I could go on.
And no they’re not cheap. But way to move those goalposts.

Maybe read what I was replying to before accusing me of moving goalposts huh?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

lol... spending significant money on goaltenders is dumb

 

[Empoleon8771]

lol... spending significant money on goaltenders is dumb

And the Penguins are like 3-14 in their last 3 playoff series with going cheap in net.

Maybe neither is the right option and there's a healthy middle ground there?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Even with Jarry sabotaging things, if any one (or more *gasp*) of Jake, Rust or McCann show up in any positive fashion, we probably still eek out a win.

Those three are quickly becoming serious playoff problems.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

1. goaltending hasn’t been good enough
2. Sullivan—player usage, strategy, game management hasn’t been good enough
3. According to very knowledge Keyboard Experts on HF Boards, it’s Evgeni Malkin’s fault...we should have traded him years ago

I'm one of Sully's biggest critics, but to be honest in Game 1 the only big issue was #1. No clue going forward, but for today Jarry's performance was the single biggest reason we got a loss.

 

[Headshot77]

I don't think the goals Jarry gave up were bad per se. However, all four goals looked the same: high glove. I'm worried because he's probably been "found out" and you see what happens when young goalies get found out (Murray, Binnington, etc)

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

And the Penguins are like 3-14 in their last 3 playoff series with going cheap in net.

Maybe neither is the right option and there's a healthy middle ground there?

Sure I can dig that.

But spending much more than they already are on goaltenders IS dumb. And doesn't work. And hasn't worked. But I'm game for saying perhaps Jarry is the WRONG goaltender.

Hey anyone noticed how many STRETCH PASSES there are this year?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

And the Penguins are like 3-14 in their last 3 playoff series with going cheap in net.

Maybe neither is the right option and there's a healthy middle ground there?

lol... spending significant money on goaltenders is dumb

You're both right, imo. This team can't ever pay someone in net huge dollars, but they gotta do a hell of a lot better than what Murray and now Jarry have been in recent years.

We're gonna be the next Flyers aren't we? Constantly chasing that goalie to round out the team in order to make a run.

 

[ncm7772]

Pens are 0-4 in playoff OT games since the b2b Cups.

And before the Cup seasons, they were on an 0-7 run.

Just weird to see.

 

[Andy99]

Even with Jarry sabotaging things, if any one (or more *gasp*) of Jake, Rust or McCann show up in any positive fashion, we probably still eek out a win.

Those three are quickly becoming serious playoff problems.

yeah but not everyone is going to show or play well on a team...Barzal was MIA for example whereas Palmieri showed...we had some players show and others not, just like the Isles...the aggressiveness of our system means mistakes are going to be made...we’re more reliant on good goaltending than the Isles

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

The only goal I don't really have issue with was JGP's goal. That was a perfectly placed shot. Jarry could've been a couple inches more to his left, I guess, but that shot was unreal.