Series Talk: Pens vs Habs Round 1 Best of Five - Episode 5: Camme toé

[PensandCaps]

As logical as that might seem in theory, I think that undersells Jake . . . we've seen a number of cases of guys who would be putting up X numbers with Sid who, in fact, did not.

I'm just saying, Gallagher is pretty good.

Guentzel is great , a very very good player. but lets not act like he would put up the numbers he does here with Phillip Danault as his C. He's no product of Sid, but we'd have to be blind to not think there is a little bit of a boost.

 

[66-30-33]

I can't wait til fanboys say "OMG (insert team here) CHOKED IN THE PLAYOFFS!" Like.. it's been 5 f***ing months. This shit is a toss up.

So Toronto might win the cup?

Glad we don't have Flyers coming into the playoffs red hot.

 

[ColePens]

They did play us hard, but the one they won was because of goaltending (Price made a ton of sick saves and Jarry's insane shut out streak came to an end and, when it did, he let his guard down a little).

End of the day, this one comes down to goaltending, Sid's health, and Sullivan limiting how he uses his third pairing . . . and all three need to work out to the Habs collective favor.

Was there a 2018-19 game where like a backup shut us out? Wasn't it like Niemi or something? Wtf am i thinking. I swear I remember this.

 

[KIRK]

I'm just saying, Gallagher is pretty good.

Guentzel is great , a very very good player. but lets not act like he would put up the numbers he does here with Phillip Danault as his C. He's no product of Sid, but we'd have to be blind to not think there is a little bit of a boost.

Gallagher is a very, very good player. Just don't like using the 'he would score like Jake if he played with Sid' argument, because over the years, that hasn't exactly passed muster.

 

[Ryder71]

So Toronto might win the cup?

Glad we don't have Flyers coming into the playoffs red hot.

A lot of pundits really like the Flyers. Relative to the beasts of the east I'm not seeing it. Tampa and Boston I'd have serious concerns with in the east. The Blues and AV's in the west. Beyond that I'm just not seeing anyone else being overly problematic in defeating. Not saying it'll be easy except the Habs, but this irrational love for Philly seems very premature to me.

 

[Peat]

So, Julien's magnificent duo with Danault, and hoping Weber and whatever he has left can go against Geno's line. Honestly, as I keep saying, Mike Sullivan, through his use of Jack Johnson, can do more to deter L2 than Claude Julien can.

The one game where we got both Sid and Geno against the Habs this season with last change, it looked like Sully just didn't care who Geno had in front of him or behind him.

I'm assuming this is a rhetorical question and that you do realize that I'm an ***hole who's been trained by @Jaded-Fan to enjoy fostering misery in others.

I just get very flustered when I'm on the wrong side of making people miserable for fun and more fun.

As logical as that might seem in theory, I think that undersells Jake . . . we've seen a number of cases of guys who would be putting up X numbers with Sid who, in fact, did not.

This is a valid point.

That said if I could pick any right wing in the league to pair with Sid, Gallagher would be really high on the list.

 

[PensandCaps]

Gallagher is a very, very good player. Just don't like using the 'he would score like Jake if he played with Sid' argument, because over the years, that hasn't exactly passed muster.

Well. Gallagher already pretty much scores like jake, goalscoring wise.

 

[KIRK]

Was there a 2018-19 game where like a backup shut us out? Wasn't it like Niemi or something? Wtf am i thinking. I swear I remember this.

It may have been 2018-2019, because here's the game log for the one they won:

Canadiens vs. Penguins - Box Score - December 10, 2019 - ESPN

I legit remember Price making some absolutely disgusting saves, especially when Jake-Geno-Rust was out there. And, if you look at the box score, they were playing the Letang-Marino duo behind them for a lot of those chances.

 

[66-30-33]

A lot of pundits really like the Flyers. Relative to the beasts of the east I'm not seeing it. Tampa and Boston I'd have serious concerns with in the east. The Blues and AV's in the west. Beyond that I'm just not seeing anyone else being overly problematic in defeating. Not saying it'll be easy except the Habs, but this irrational love for Philly seems very premature to me.

You wanna be hot coming into the playoffs though, does not make you for sure cup winners but it can help. But it also requires a lot of luck.

 

[KIRK]

The one game where we got both Sid and Geno against the Habs this season with last change, it looked like Sully just didn't care who Geno had in front of him or behind him.



I just get very flustered when I'm on the wrong side of making people miserable for fun and more fun.



This is a valid point.

That said if I could pick any right wing in the league to pair with Sid, Gallagher would be really high on the list.

The Pens won that one 4-1. I don't know who was on the LW with Malkin-Rust, but Marino was out and the top two pairings were Johnson-Letang and Pets-Schultz.

 

[KIRK]

Well. Gallagher already pretty much scores like jake, goalscoring wise.

I love Gallagher and have been among those dreaming for him for Sid's RW, but he doesn't score like Jake.

Tell me Gallagher's style would be a perfect mesh. Tell me there's every reason to think he'd produce more playing with Sid.

But, again, in the abstract, I'm not going to short change Jake like that, because the 'well he plays with Sid' angle is the one the out of town hockey media uses to short change him already.

 

[Jdodd]

My 2 biggest fears throughout the playoffs.
1. The goalies
2. Letang playing responsible or giving away bad breakaway...

Letang is so great and so scary all in one package.

 

[PensandCaps]

I love Gallagher and have been among those dreaming for him for Sid's RW, but he doesn't score like Jake.

Tell me Gallagher's style would be a perfect mesh. Tell me there's every reason to think he'd produce more playing with Sid.

But, again, in the abstract, I'm not going to short change Jake like that, because the 'well he plays with Sid' angle is the one the out of town hockey media uses to short change him already.

I'm not short changing Jake but rather giving Gallagher props for being a 30 goal scorer on a pretty bad offensive team.

Gallagher scored 29 EV goals, Guentzel scored 33 EV goals last year. I don't think its absurd to say that they are pretty equal players.

 

[dogthateats]

I think the Habs are better than what a lot of people are giving them credit for and than their record. Also, Weber will probably break at least one player's foot with his slap shot.

 

[PensandCaps]

My 2 biggest fears throughout the playoffs.
1. The goalies
2. Letang playing responsible or giving away bad breakaway...

Letang is so great and so scary all in one package.

I'd worry about JJ/Schultz well before Letang.

Letang when paired with Dumo and playing behind 87/71 is one of the best combos in the league.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I expect nothing but domination against these smurf colored wankers.

 

[KIRK]

I expect nothing but domination against these smurf colored wankers.

Why not tell us what you really think?

 

[PensandCaps]

Malkin was the best 5v5 player in the league this year, really hope they don't tank him with JJ. I hope the coaching staff doesn't Give Sid the 1st pairing for 80% of the game.

Zucker-Malkin-Rust is gonna suffocate MTL aslong as JJ isn't the D behind them.

Dumo-Letang playing behind that would be deadly.

 

[Peat]

The Pens won that one 4-1. I don't know who was on the LW with Malkin-Rust, but Marino was out and the top two pairings were Johnson-Letang and Pets-Schultz.

McCann. Couple of shifts with McCann-Hornqvist.

I love Gallagher and have been among those dreaming for him for Sid's RW, but he doesn't score like Jake.

Tell me Gallagher's style would be a perfect mesh. Tell me there's every reason to think he'd produce more playing with Sid.

But, again, in the abstract, I'm not going to short change Jake like that, because the 'well he plays with Sid' angle is the one the out of town hockey media uses to short change him already.

This season, Gallagher produced (5v5 at least) like Jake.

 

[KIRK]

McCann. Couple of shifts with McCann-Hornqvist.



This season, Gallagher produced (5v5 at least) like Jake.

It did take 20 more games to do it, so on a PER GAME basis, Jake was 50% more productive at ES.

 

[ColePens]

Why not tell us what you really think?

Please don't encourage him...

 

[ColePens]

Where the f*** is @Clare2904 ? She's Montreal all day. She loves those guys.

 

[PensandCaps]

It did take 20 more games to do it, so on a PER GAME basis, Jake was 50% more productive at ES.

Last year was pretty even.

This year, no. Guentzel-Malkin-Rust was mowing teams down 5v5.

 

[KIRK]

Malkin was the best 5v5 player in the league this year, really hope they don't tank him with JJ. I hope the coaching staff doesn't Give Sid the 1st pairing for 80% of the game.

Zucker-Malkin-Rust is gonna suffocate MTL aslong as JJ isn't the D behind them.

Dumo-Letang playing behind that would be deadly.

My educated guess/best hope is that Sullivan will significantly limit Johnson-Schultz's minutes, such that L2's ES minutes will be split something like 15% with Dumo-Letang, 55% with Pets-Marino, and 30% with Johnson-Schultz.

That's still 30% too much, but it's better than earlier in the year and much better than last year for Malkin. So, it may end up being simultaneously true that Johnson plays 50% of HIS minutes with L2, but L2 only plays like 30% of their minutes with Johnson. Anything at that level or better is a big win in terms of what some FEAR Sully might do.

BTW, I think L1's minutes will be split like 70%/20%/10% with pairings 1/2/3.

 

[KIRK]

Where the f*** is @Clare2904 ? She's Montreal all day. She loves those guys.

Haven't heard from her since @Scandale du Jour declared his undying love for Poulin.

(she posted a few days ago but yes has been quiet)