Post-Game Talk: Sullivan Party

[Randy Butternubs]

I acquired Kobasew in NHL 04 or something like that. He had a 99/99 potential and ended up being a superstar for me.

 

[BillyOcean]

What a fence sitting position to be in

 

[IcedCapp]

I acquired Kobasew in NHL 04 or something like that. He had a 99/99 potential and ended up being a superstar for me.

That’s f***in amazing, bro

 

[HandshakeLine]

Kobasew, Kobasewn.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Kobasew did have okay stats leading up to the draft

But for sure was a bad pick by Calgary (to no one's surprise, what a joke franchise)

 

[DesertedPenguin]

I completely disagree on the third line. First of all, Sullivan is playing O'Connor with Malkin and Tomasino a lot now, so it's often Bunting-Lizotte-Beauvillier. Secondly, the third line looks way better with Puljujarvi on it. No. 18 provides an actual offensive threat. Beauvillier can finish but is otherwise brain dead so he needs someone to provide the offense for him. Lizotte is a decent player and I think he can help this team, but he should be the fourth-line center as you said. Our fourth line is pathetic right now. No reason for it when we have other players ready to step in.

But after three wins in a row, Sullivan will definitely not break up the forwards. He has no problem switching up the D or changing goaltenders, but those PKers are sacred.

The issue isn't Beauvillier vs. Puljujarvi. Beauvillier is producing and is only a year older.

It's Puljujarvi vs. Nieto/Acciari/Hayes.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

The issue isn't Beauvillier vs. Puljujarvi. Beauvillier is producing and is only a year older.

It's Puljujarvi vs. Nieto/Acciari/Hayes.

Yes, I agree. It's the trickle-down effect. If Lizotte is centering the fourth line, then O'Connor could center both Beauvillier and Puljujarvi on the third. OR, O'Connor-Lizotte-Puljujarvi could be a decent third line, or even Bunting in place of O'Connor if they keep O'Connor on line 2. Beauvillier would give the fourth line a threat in that scenario.

Bottom line: Matt Nieto is useless and he was redundant on this roster even before his major injury. And, if he was not a Mass. native, he would probably have been waived and sent down a long, long time ago.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

lol…didnt Watch…didn’t expect this either…hope he keeps it up

Shirey becoming a shitposter now. This is the darkest timeline.

 

[Pancakes]

Lol just saw we play Panthers, Rangers, Leafs this week. Should be interesting to see how this team looks in those games after a modest winning streak.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Shirey becoming a shitposter now. This is the darkest timeline.

Shitty poster != shitposter.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

They still need to win like 5 in a row from here to repair the damage and get into a playoff spot.
With the next 4 games being the Cats, Rags, Leafs and Avs...I expect the hole to get bigger, not smaller.

The price you pay for slacking defensively early in the year.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Can they make up their f***ing minds about whether to tank or not?? Christ…

Enough with this “missing the playoffs and still managing to good enough to miss out on top picks bullshit.”

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

So if we were up:
- 2-0 in the 3rd, we would have been going into OT (again).
- 3-0, we would have been deflated 3-2, and probably ended up in OT.
- 4-0, we would have squeeked in at 4-3.
- 5 goal lead is the magic number we need!!

The reality realizing that this 3 goal win streak easily buys Sully the season. If we don't win, it won't be deemed because of the coach.

I'm not so full of spite and hate that I want the team to lose. Let's hope this builds some confidence and we get some momentum.

Also hoping Dubas keeps pulling more moves. Trading away Eller actually gave us some cap space to work with.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The issue isn't Beauvillier vs. Puljujarvi. Beauvillier is producing and is only a year older.

It's Puljujarvi vs. Nieto/Acciari/Hayes.

Yeah and it's frustrating because this team could actually make a halfway decent bottom-6 if they actually played the best guys, they just won't do that.

If/when Glass gets healthy, they could run with Beauvillier-Lizotte-Puljujarvi and O'Connor-Glass-Hayes and I think that 4th line is substantially improved.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Am I being harsh when I say that there was still a lot to dislike in this game? Ned stood on his head in the first. Calgary easily could have had 2 or more. Malkin was a turnover machine, easily could have led to many goals against, including one while the Pens were on the PP.

I like to reference the "Deserve-to-win-o-meter" website, and the Pens were actually only a 55/45 favorite to win based on how the game unfolded. I wouldn't let an unexpected flurry of goals and some good play by Ned fool me into thinking that this was a dominant win. It also helped that Calgary looked disinterested after the first period.

I try not to be a debbie downer, and obviously watching them peel off 3 consecutive Ws is nice to see. But I fear this is a mirage.

This absolutely IS a mirage. But you want to see some effort.

Let's go back to the 1st period/goal. This is why I say repeatedly: "All saves are not equal".

Pens were trying to find their sea legs when Ned saved that goal off the back boards. While it would have NOT been a poor goal to allow, it would have been met with the "here we go again" and the team would have packed it in.
Within 20 seconds the Pens break through themselves and have themselves a lead.

That is a goal Jarry likely lets in.

 

[IcedCapp]

i don't know if it's a mirage or not, but I do know that the Penguins have out-shot their opponents in 3-straight games, something that hasn't happened since approximately 2019

 

[Pancakes]

i don't know if it's a mirage or not, but I do know that the Penguins have out-shot their opponents in 3-straight games, something that hasn't happened since approximately 2019

Their chances of keeping that up don't seem high given their schedule this week.

 

[IcedCapp]

Their chances of keeping that up don't seem high given their schedule this week.

i agree, but they weren't even out-shooting crap teams earlier this year. If they're going to win games, I hope this is an actual positive trend that will continue. If it is a mirage, I hope they start losing again, and quick. We're climbing too high.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

i don't know if it's a mirage or not, but I do know that the Penguins have out-shot their opponents in 3-straight games, something that hasn't happened since approximately 2019

That's normal. They were 6th and 5th in the league in Shots/GP the last 2 years. This year they're 5th again.
That's not the problem. The Pens have sucked the last few years because they have a horrible rate of finishing their high danger chances. Right at the very bottom of the league for 3 years.
They just have to work too hard for their goals.

And this year the defense has fallen apart, so things really get ugly then.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Yeah and it's frustrating because this team could actually make a halfway decent bottom-6 if they actually played the best guys, they just won't do that.

If/when Glass gets healthy, they could run with Beauvillier-Lizotte-Puljujarvi and O'Connor-Glass-Hayes and I think that 4th line is substantially improved.

Yeah, which is why I was so annoyed they didn't commit one way or the other in the offseason. They have these moments where you see what we could be, but we don't capitalize or build on them. And then they have games where they get curb stomped because we still keep icing the worst looking lines and won't change them.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

That's normal. They were 6th and 5th in the league in Shots/GP the last 2 years. This year they're 5th again.
That's not the problem. The Pens have sucked the last few years because they have a horrible rate of finishing their high danger chances. Right at the very bottom of the league for 3 years.
They just have to work too hard for their goals.

And this year the defense has fallen apart, so things really get ugly then.

Yup- Pens over the past 5 years or so have always been a high shot volume team.
The issue is those shots never go in.

They happened to be playing some stanky ass goalies these past few games. Ergo we get a bunch of goals.

Can't wait until next week where they put up a total 4 goals in 3 games. Regression to the mean and all that.