Series Thread: Pens v BlueJackets Rnd 1

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Welp, nightmare.

Usual caveats, Craig Adams was the worst player on the ice, can't even gain the red line effectively or clear the zone the things he is supposed to be good at.

But at some point, Sid really has to realize there is a fine line between being creative and playing like and ass, I think the latter was on display tonight. The cross ice passes, the constant turnovers and behind the back plays, he needs to keep it simple, especially in a close checking game.

Also, the coaching, I question if this team has another breakout system because right now, they can't break out of the zone. Same goes for the forecheck, it's non-existent. And on Johnson's goal on the pp, the 4 killers were Adams, Sutter, Orpik, and Scuds, you are asking for a goal to be scored on you when you let those 4 out there at the same time.

I don't know if Letang or Scuds could be any worse of a defensive pairing, and that's before the OT goal. Scuds needs to sit, he is just bringing anyone he plays with down.

The whole team is a mess, even Sid & Geno. We need a major overhaul this offseason.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Remember that Sharks game where Marleau kept burning Geno for short handed chances? Ever since then our power play has been exposed. You're now seeing the Blue Jackets taking penalties because they know our power play gives up more chances than it creates.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Complaining about Adams is useless...he's not the one garnering all the ice time with nothing to show for it! Why the fuck are your two best pp forwards not out on the PP? Neal is a sniper and Kunitz is the team leader in goals on the pp? Abylsmal really got too fancy with his combo lines and so did Crosby with his inability to finish, or drive to the net or carry the puck to the net and fucking shoot! He loafs around, won't do any dirty work or hit anybody...I am tired of his BS in the playoffs...Mario needs to sit Crosby's ass in front of a tv and show him how he used to take over games...and how Malkin used to try and take over games...When is the last time Crosby has taken over a freaking game?

Fleury has been very good, thankfully. Nisky gets an A, the rest suck...These BJ's are not talented and yet the Pens make them believe they are...lordy it's sad.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Told you all a week ago that Letang is a shell of himself of anything positive he brought to the ice

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Niskanen, Gibbons, & Fleury were the only Penguins that showed up, the rest of the bunch was useless.

 

[mtm166]

That was one of the most disgusting displays of hockey I've ever seen. Everyone but Nisky, MAF, and Gibbons should be ashamed. Honestly, if that's what we are going to get from them, I hope they lose. I've got better things to do than watch that. I'm both ashamed and disappointed with what I saw last night. That's really all there is to it.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

That was one of the most disgusting displays of hockey I've ever seen. Everyone but Nisky, MAF, and Gibbons should be ashamed. Honestly, if that's what we are going to get from them, I hope they lose. I've got better things to do than watch that. I'm both ashamed and disappointed with what I saw last night. That's really all there is to it.

Ditto, they're a disgrace 5 on 5, they're a disgrace on the penalty kill, and they're a disgrace on the power play.

 

[fear-the-penguin]

Until we get someone in there to get Dubinsky off of Sids ass every shift i dont think were gonna see anything good from Sid. Malkin is just being his lazy self but at least he has not been taking selfish penalties like the 2 year old he normally acts like. I wish they would sit letang and bring back Bortuzzo. At least he will drop the gloves, Seems like no one else on this team has the balls to. DB is again showing he has no control over this team and no ability to make in game adjustments. A good coach would not put up with all the stupid turnovers and lazy play that we have gottin used to watching year after year in the playoffs. That said i still think we will somehow pull through and win this series but beyond that i dont see us getting very far. On a side note im gonna have to change my screen name because not 1 team out there fears the penguins. Very sad with the talent on this team that we dont have a coach that knows how to use it.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Until we get someone in there to get Dubinsky off of Sids ass every shift i dont think were gonna see anything good from Sid. Malkin is just being his lazy self but at least he has not been taking selfish penalties like the 2 year old he normally acts like. I wish they would sit letang and bring back Bortuzzo. At least he will drop the gloves, Seems like no one else on this team has the balls to. DB is again showing he has no control over this team and no ability to make in game adjustments. A good coach would not put up with all the stupid turnovers and lazy play that we have gottin used to watching year after year in the playoffs. That said i still think we will somehow pull through and win this series but beyond that i dont see us getting very far. On a side note im gonna have to change my screen name because not 1 team out there fears the penguins. Very sad with the talent on this team that we dont have a coach that knows how to use it.

Yeah put Glass on the line with Sid & Kunitz. Make Dubinsky pay for messin with Sid.

 

[evolver115]

Until we get someone in there to get Dubinsky off of Sids ass every shift i dont think were gonna see anything good from Sid. Malkin is just being his lazy self but at least he has not been taking selfish penalties like the 2 year old he normally acts like. I wish they would sit letang and bring back Bortuzzo. At least he will drop the gloves, Seems like no one else on this team has the balls to. DB is again showing he has no control over this team and no ability to make in game adjustments. A good coach would not put up with all the stupid turnovers and lazy play that we have gottin used to watching year after year in the playoffs. That said i still think we will somehow pull through and win this series but beyond that i dont see us getting very far. On a side note im gonna have to change my screen name because not 1 team out there fears the penguins. Very sad with the talent on this team that we dont have a coach that knows how to use it.

Well said.

I think your point about Bylsma is the overall root of the problem. He has zero control over this team. They continue to make the same mistakes game after game. This has been going on for year's now with the short-handed goals off of the powerplay because he is so stubborn with playing four forwards and one d-man on the first unit. How can he justify deploying that arrangement with a two goal lead?

If a mistake continues to be made, that points to coaching. He either isn't sharing the message with the players, or they're hearing it and just not respecting him.

I also agree with you that they should still win this series. Beyond round one though, unless Dan shows he's willing to hold these guys accountable and make better in-game decisions, they very well could be eliminated by the Jackets. And if that happens, he can kiss his career with the Pens goodbye.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

If the Pens lose to the BJ's then not only does Disco need to go but so does at least half the team.

 

[element1286]

Until we get someone in there to get Dubinsky off of Sids ass every shift i dont think were gonna see anything good from Sid. Malkin is just being his lazy self but at least he has not been taking selfish penalties like the 2 year old he normally acts like. I wish they would sit letang and bring back Bortuzzo. At least he will drop the gloves, Seems like no one else on this team has the balls to. DB is again showing he has no control over this team and no ability to make in game adjustments. A good coach would not put up with all the stupid turnovers and lazy play that we have gottin used to watching year after year in the playoffs. That said i still think we will somehow pull through and win this series but beyond that i dont see us getting very far. On a side note im gonna have to change my screen name because not 1 team out there fears the penguins. Very sad with the talent on this team that we dont have a coach that knows how to use it.

Agreed, the arrogance they display even while losing and looking like fools is just too much for me. And that goes up to GM's office too.

 

[element1286]

Although at some point though, this team needs to be better on the ice. It would be nice if Sid and Malkin took it upon themselves to actually beat a matchup. And the complimentary players, Kunitz and Neal actually look like they can contribute positively. How about Kunitz takes it upon himself to pound Dubinsky and get in his face. How about James Neal starts backchecking again, he is at his best when he is backchecking, the offense will flow from there.

I know this is a philosophy thing, but are the Penguins the only team in the playoffs who refuses to put their best players on the pk? It's infuriating watching no talents like Adams and Glass continue to fumble with the puck essentially with no ability to make a play to clear the zone. This is why Gibbons was so good on the pk, we were not used to watching anyone with any talent out there being disruptive, but it's really the norm around the league.

I'm guessing the Pens will win on talent this series, and then lose somewhere after that to a talented team that is actually willing to sacrifice to win, something the Pens haven't done for years.

 

[evolver115]

Although at some point though, this team needs to be better on the ice. It would be nice if Sid and Malkin took it upon themselves to actually beat a matchup. And the complimentary players, Kunitz and Neal actually look like they can contribute positively. How about Kunitz takes it upon himself to pound Dubinsky and get in his face. How about James Neal starts backchecking again, he is at his best when he is backchecking, the offense will flow from there.

I know this is a philosophy thing, but are the Penguins the only team in the playoffs who refuses to put their best players on the pk? It's infuriating watching no talents like Adams and Glass continue to fumble with the puck essentially with no ability to make a play to clear the zone. This is why Gibbons was so good on the pk, we were not used to watching anyone with any talent out there being disruptive, but it's really the norm around the league.

I'm guessing the Pens will win on talent this series, and then lose somewhere after that to a talented team that is actually willing to sacrifice to win, something the Pens haven't done for years.

That is just one more thing to add to the list of complaints I have about Bylsma. He talks a great game in the press conferences, but how can he justify starting Adams in this series, or for an entire 82 game schedule? What asset is Adams bringing to the table that he managed to start for an entire season and now the first two postseason games? If it's his PK abilities, it should be apparent to the HC that his skill in this department has diminished considerably.

I would rather see Megna on that fourth line, and if not Megna, then even a guy like Harry Zolnierczyk or Chuck Kobasew. At least those guys can be put out there for situations other than killing a penalty and be effective.

 

[element1286]

Yep, it's not like the pk has been going well for months really, but nothing has changed. Hell I'd take guys like Stempniak and Kunitz out there on occasion, it doesn't even have to be Sid or Malkin, at least to give CLB something to think about.

Yeah, the forecheck just doesn't exist, on any line really, but that 4th line with Vitale and two anchors is just embarrassingly bad. That's not an NHL caliber line, let alone one that should be on a supposed contender.

 

[evolver115]

Courtesy of the Pensblog:

First, the shorthanded goals against. Two already in this playoff, but it’s not just a problem this year. There have now a been a total of seven goals scored while the Penguins have the man advantage in the last three playoff series combined (23 games). Of those seven goals, five came while the Pens were deploying 4 forwards and only 1 defenseman.

That is on the coach. We have all said that Bylsma is stubborn. He lives and dies by his decisions, and I can at least respect that. At some point though, you have to realize something isn't working quite the way you have it drawn up, and you have to make an adjustment, right?

 

[element1286]

Courtesy of the Pensblog:





That is on the coach. We have all said that Bylsma is stubborn. He lives and dies by his decisions, and I can at least respect that. At some point though, you have to realize something isn't working quite the way you have it drawn up, and you have to make an adjustment, right?

That's interesting, I think step one was removing Letang from the point. Geno and Sid are both gamblers out there on the pp, when you have the only defensemen being Letang someone who is willing to take huge risks, things aren't going to work out well when you play a team night after night. I don't even have a problem with 4 forwards, but that 1 defensemen can never be Kris Letang. Although at this point giving up two short handed goals, you need to go two defensemen at the point.

 

[thedddd]

Honestly Letang right now should barely be out there. The bottom 3 minute d-men minutes wise should be Orpik, Scuderi and Letang.

 

[evolver115]

Honestly Letang right now should barely be out there. The bottom 3 minute d-men minutes wise should be Orpik, Scuderi and Letang.

Sad but true. Letang - signed through 2022 @ cap hit of 7.25 and Scuderi signed through 2016 @ hit of 3.375

 

[element1286]

I just don't think Scuds should play anymore, he's not even effective on the pk anymore. I don't know how you hide a guy playing as terrible as him, with no upside, and isn't even effective doing the dirty stuff anymore.