Series Thread: Pens vs Rangers round 2

[scoutyjones2]

The Pens have plenty of D minded forwards to play the PK without weakening it with Sid or Kunitz. Vitale, Sutter, Goc...duper when he comes back...The top players can't play ALL the time and are much more needed on the Pens PP. I more worry about Scuds on the PK...he freaking should be removed from playing.


Oh...


Lets Go Pens!
Lets Go Pens!
Lets Go Pens!

 

[element1286]

The Pens have plenty of D minded forwards to play the PK without weakening it with Sid or Kunitz. Vitale, Sutter, Goc...duper when he comes back...The top players can't play ALL the time and are much more needed on the Pens PP. I more worry about Scuds on the PK...he freaking should be removed from playing.


Oh...


Lets Go Pens!
Lets Go Pens!
Lets Go Pens!

Well in that case I agree, I'm hoping Gibbons is coming back because he has been dynamite in both blocking shots, and playing offense on the pk.

Yeah, same on Scuds, he just doesn't have it anymore. Maybe on a 5v3, where his skills of blocking cross creases passes is more important, but 5v4 where he has to clear the front he is useless.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Well in that case I agree, I'm hoping Gibbons is coming back because he has been dynamite in both blocking shots, and playing offense on the pk.

Yeah, same on Scuds, he just doesn't have it anymore. Maybe on a 5v3, where his skills of blocking cross creases passes is more important, but 5v4 where he has to clear the front he is useless.

LOL...you can just say "He's useless" without all the qualifiers!

 

[element1286]

LOL...you can just say "He's useless" without all the qualifiers!

Oh I'm on board, I sure as hell wouldn't play him anymore. I'd have started scratching him in the regular season.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Maybe if it's the Pens 5 on 3...still, a maybe!

 

[Darkstone42]

Crosby doesn't have to be on the kill all the time, but it does put pressure on the D knowing that a mistake could easily turn into a goal the other way. He's not a bad defensive player (actually pretty decent), so it wouldn't be a liability in that respect.

A consistent theme of teams who have been steadily successful in the playoffs in recent years is that they can (and do) use top players on the PK. Some of these guys, like Kopitar, Toews, and Bergeron are elite defensive forwards, but they just have to be capable (which is all most of our PK specialists are anyway) for it to work.

 

[thedddd]

Crosby doesn't have to be on the kill all the time, but it does put pressure on the D knowing that a mistake could easily turn into a goal the other way. He's not a bad defensive player (actually pretty decent), so it wouldn't be a liability in that respect.

A consistent theme of teams who have been steadily successful in the playoffs in recent years is that they can (and do) use top players on the PK. Some of these guys, like Kopitar, Toews, and Bergeron are elite defensive forwards, but they just have to be capable (which is all most of our PK specialists are anyway) for it to work.

Exactly the old Lemieux strategy especially when a team put a forward on the point.

 

[thedddd]

Oh I'm on board, I sure as hell wouldn't play him anymore. I'd have started scratching him in the regular season.

Scuderi should not be out there at all. It is a shame that Orpik is still out if not Bortuzzo should be playing over Scuderi.

 

[scoutyjones2]

There is a reason Sid isn't on the PK...he's not good defensively and the Pens D is already starting at the pathetic line...Sid is not a defensive forward...that is his biggest knock.


And since when is Sid a threat to score a goal in the playoffs?!

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

One mistake we made against the Blue Jackets is that we did nothing to punish Brandon Dubinsky in the series. As a result he was very effective when playing against Sid. Let's not let make the same mistake against Ryan McDonagh. Our friends from Philadelphia did a good job of softening McDonagh up throughout the coarse of that series with an aggressive forecheck. We need to do the same, punish McDinagh with an aggressive forecheck and if he wants to block shots make sure we take hard shots so that he feels it. I don't want to see McDonagh injured but I do want him to be in constant pain throughout the series. Make him black & blue all over. Would make things easier for Sid.

Basically what I'm saying is that we need to bring the pain.

 

[element1286]

One mistake we made against the Blue Jackets is that we did nothing to punish Brandon Dubinsky in the series. As a result he was very effective when playing against Sid. Let's not let make the same mistake against Ryan McDonagh. Our friends from Philadelphia did a good job of softening McDonagh up throughout the coarse of that series with an aggressive forecheck. We need to do the same, punish McDinagh with an aggressive forecheck and if he wants to block shots make sure we take hard shots so that he feels it. I don't want to see McDonagh injured but I do want him to be in constant pain throughout the series. Make him black & blue all over. Would make things easier for Sid.

Yep, that's gotta be Kunitz's job among others.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Yep, that's gotta be Kunitz's job among others.

Yeah Kunitz needs to have a greater presence. I actually wouldn't mind having Tanner Glass play on Sid's line just to give him a few shots at McDonagh as well.

 

[element1286]

Yeah Kunitz needs to have a greater presence. I actually wouldn't mind having Tanner Glass play on Sid's line just to give him a few shots at McDonagh as well.

Yeah, ideally Dan would toss Sid out there, then if Vigneault matches D, toss Glass and Vitale on the wings, and doubleshift Sid as 4th line center. Every once in a while that is.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Yeah, ideally Dan would toss Sid out there, then if Vigneault matches D, toss Glass and Vitale on the wings, and doubleshift Sid as 4th line center. Every once in a while that is.

I wouldn't mind that at all. Often we try to get too pretty and that style isn't always there for us during the playoffs. I would like to see us approach this like the Flyers did and make this about physicality. Ever since they traded Ryan Callahan they lack size on their top 2 lines, with the exception of Rick Nash, and Nash doesn't use his size as well as he could.

 

[element1286]

I wouldn't mind that at all. Often we try to get too pretty and that style isn't always there for us during the playoffs. I would like to see us approach this like the Flyers did and make this about physicality. Ever since they traded Ryan Callahan they lack size on their top 2 lines, with the exception of Rick Nash, and Nash doesn't use his size as well as he could.

Yep, double edged sword, their size makes them vulnerable to the Pens larger players, but also gives problems to the Pens slower defense.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Yep, double edged sword, their size makes them vulnerable to the Pens larger players, but also gives problems to the Pens slower defense.

Yeah that's why I don't have a good feeling about this series. We got away with it against the Blue Jackets because they lack skill with the exception of Ryan Johanson. With the Rangers there's a lot more skill to worry about.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Oli Maata is shit. He had like two good months

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

This game is going exactly as I feared it would, turning the puck over in our own zone, giving up scoring chances galore, really no puck possession on the other end, really surprised we're only down 2-0.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Skid on the ice for both abortions so far...

 

[scoutyjones2]

Smells like another Flyers type meltdown