PENS vs Montreal Canadiens Round 1 (Best Of Five)

[Gurglesons]

Jake and Sid are also a lot of fun to watch.

Yohe said on the Athletic that he can guarantee the lines will be:

Guentzel - Crosby - Sheary
Zucker - Malkin - Rust
Marleau - McCann - Hornqvist
ZAR - Teddy - Tanev

 

[Gurglesons]

They just had the elements of a line that I have not seen this team have in a very long time, even with the lines of Kunitz, Crosby, Dupuis or Juice, Geno, Neal...that line had so much chemistry and dominance in games, it was like a cheat code on the ice. All 3 were just toying with the defense.

And that's cool too, but this year, Jake & Geno were a lot more fun to watch and the score reflected it far more often.

I almost guarantee Sullivan is going to go full Sully and go "Guentzel, Crosby, Rust" like he normally tries to, except those wingers flank Geno far more successfully, albeit in a 20 game bubble that was probably producing at the 2nd best rate (possibly 1st?) in the NHL as a line in that span of games (I'm guessing the Pasta-March line probably produced better, likely the only one?).

Nah. Someone did the math on the main board and it wasn’t even top three for lines that played more than 200 minutes.

The best line in hockey this year was Yamamoto - Draisital - RNH

 

[Ogrezilla]

They just had the elements of a line that I have not seen this team have in a very long time, even with the lines of Kunitz, Crosby, Dupuis or Juice, Geno, Neal...that line had so much chemistry and dominance in games, it was like a cheat code on the ice. All 3 were just toying with the defense.

And that's cool too, but this year, Jake & Geno were a lot more fun to watch and the score reflected it far more often.

I almost guarantee Sullivan is going to go full Sully and go "Guentzel, Crosby, Rust" like he normally tries to, except those wingers flank Geno far more successfully, albeit in a 20 game bubble that was probably producing at the 2nd best rate (possibly 1st?) in the NHL as a line in that span of games (I'm guessing the Pasta-March line probably produced better, likely the only one?).

At best, I would hope for the compromise of...

Guentzel, Crosby, Sheary
Zucker, Malkin, Rust

But knowing how "Sully's world" works...

Guentzel, Crosby, Rust
Sheary, Malkin, Zucker

Or some shit like that.

I can't see Sheary being anywhere but Sid's RW to start the playoffs. That is almost certainly why we brought him back, right?

 

[Ogrezilla]

Yohe said on the Athletic that he can guarantee the lines will be:

Guentzel - Crosby - Sheary
Zucker - Malkin - Rust
Marleau - McCann - Hornqvist
ZAR - Teddy - Tanev

cool cool cool

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Yohe said on the Athletic that he can guarantee the lines will be:

Guentzel - Crosby - Sheary
Zucker - Malkin - Rust
Marleau - McCann - Hornqvist
ZAR - Teddy - Tanev

Sheary aside, which we can't really do anything about at this point, I'm good with this.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Sheary aside, which we can't really do anything about at this point, I'm good with this.

hopefully Horny can take a handful of his shifts a game. I love the Hornqvist change-up on Sid's line.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

hopefully Horny can take a handful of his shifts a game. I love the Hornqvist change-up on Sid's line.

If only Sid did...

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Yohe said on the Athletic that he can guarantee the lines will be:

Guentzel - Crosby - Sheary
Zucker - Malkin - Rust
Marleau - McCann - Hornqvist
ZAR - Teddy - Tanev

See, that is more reasonable. If you're going to take Jake away from Geno, you better f***ing give him Zuck.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

One thing I'll say for Malkin's line - it's got a lot of zip.

 

[Ogrezilla]

If only Sid did...

they've been doing it for the last two seasons. Pretty much any time Horny is in the bottom 6 he is also getting occasional shifts with Sid.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

they've been doing it for the last two seasons. Pretty much any time Horny is in the bottom 6 he is also getting occasional shifts with Sid.

For sure. But if Crosby were a little more open to it, we'd get to see it more regularly.

We know how that goes though.

 

[Ogrezilla]

For sure. But if Crosby were a little more open to it, we'd get to see it more regularly.

We know how that goes though.

eh, I don't mind it this way honestly. Horny is a really effective bottom 6 player for us and he gets a lot of PP time.

 

[Gurglesons]

eh, I don't mind it this way honestly. Horny is a really effective bottom 6 player for us and he gets a lot of PP time.

Yeah, I think it’s almost more useful to use Hornqvist in spot duty in the top six given his game.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Yeah, I think it’s almost more useful to use Hornqvist in spot duty in the top six given his game.

agreed. I really do think it is like a change-up coming in and messing with the defense/goalie. In general, his game is pretty damn predictable. But when you've been dealing with Sheary for the last 10 shifts, Horny coming in really has to mess with you.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

One thing I'll say for Malkin's line - it's got a lot of zip.

Geno did like Sheary's hustle before he was first traded, I don't think he cared much for his lack of hands though. Zucker sort of has the zip of Shears but with proper skill.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I can't see Sheary being anywhere but Sid's RW to start the playoffs. That is almost certainly why we brought him back, right?

Yeah pretty much, I thought the same. I am ok with it as well but others definitely aren't. He's produced at a .5ppg clip since he's been back, that's fine.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Yeah pretty much, I thought the same. I am ok with it as well but others definitely aren't. He's produced at a .5ppg clip since he's been back, that's fine.

I'm okay with it too. For one, it should keep Rust with Geno. And two, I think having our worst top 6 forward at Sid's RW sort of works out because it should mean we give Horny a few shifts there. I mean it's obviously ideal to just have better players. But if we are going to have something like a hole, ideally it's in the spot Horny can step in to help.

 

[Al Smith]

Jake and Sid are also a lot of fun to watch.

Agree completely. But I thought Geno and Jake just took the fun/wow factor to 11.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Geno did like Sheary's hustle before he was first traded, I don't think he cared much for his lack of hands though. Zucker sort of has the zip of Shears but with proper skill.

Plus he's vertical most of the time.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Yohe said on the Athletic that he can guarantee the lines will be:

Guentzel - Crosby - Sheary
Zucker - Malkin - Rust
Marleau - McCann - Hornqvist
ZAR - Teddy - Tanev

Ah f***, I forgot all about the ZAR shit...

Maybe never mind, cancel the season.

 

[Gurglesons]

Ah f***, I forgot all about the ZAR shit...

Maybe never mind, cancel the season.

I’m not a huge fan of ZAR, but Bleuger and more ao Tanev’s games completely fell off when he was pulled off that line.

Now, I don’t know if that is because of ZAR or the fact they were mostly playing with AHL talent, but when Rodrigues showed up it still didn’t improve despite Rodrigues being really good there.

 

[Ryder71]

cool cool cool

As long as Jake and Zucker are on different lines it's good. I'm not keen on either playing RW.

I'd play Jake with Geno because the opposition is gonna give Sid the toughest match up. Which in turn means Geno's line will have a much better chance at scoring.

 

[Ryder71]

What we cannot have is a guy like McCann go months without scoring. He has got to find his groove and fast. When he's on a goal binge we'd be a tough out. But the bottom six cannot go cold for long. That'd be one of my more pressing concerns. I'll be curious as to where Bjugstad plays.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

What we cannot have is a guy like McCann go months without scoring. He has got to find his groove and fast. When he's on a goal binge we'd be a tough out. But the bottom six cannot go cold for long. That'd be one of my more pressing concerns. I'll be curious as to where Bjugstad plays.

McCann has been great as the 3c, there hasn't been much of an issue there, the 4th line has been fine with ZAR-Blueger-Tanev as the trio literally the entire time they are together, only time they weren't is when ZAR was hurt and it hurts me deeply to say that out loud. McCann & Horny are fine as a duo, Marleau is a solid veteran presence. The literal only issue is the team trying to find a reason to dress Bjugstad which will f*** things up. McCann is a better C than Bjugstad is and Horny should never be a LW, so Bjugstad sits until someone is hurt.

 

[Ryder71]

McCann has been great as the 3c, there hasn't been much of an issue there, the 4th line has been fine with ZAR-Blueger-Tanev as the trio literally the entire time they are together, only time they weren't is when ZAR was hurt and it hurts me deeply to say that out loud. McCann & Horny are fine as a duo, Marleau is a solid veteran presence. The literal only issue is the team trying to find a reason to dress Bjugstad which will f*** things up. McCann is a better C than Bjugstad is and Horny should never be a LW, so Bjugstad sits until someone is hurt.

McCann goes cold for long stretches. I have no idea how you can say ''he's been great as the 3C''. We need more consistency out of him offensively.

As far as Bjugstad sitting, I seriously doubt that happens. Whether it should or not might be a different matter. But I doubt Sully doesn't have him in the line up.

No question Horny should play RW.