2020-21 The Carter Hart Era PT2(The raising of the cup)

[awaz]

Hopefully at least York, Sandin and Sandstrom all get a few games so there is something to watch. I can't do baseball any more as I find myself channel surfing between pitches.

I'm hoping the sting/depression fades enough that I can watch a little playoff hockey. Typically takes a round or two after the Flyers are done for me to start picking it back up.

 

[purdue81]

I'm hoping the sting/depression fades enough that I can watch a little playoff hockey. Typically takes a round or two after the Flyers are done for me to start picking it back up.

My interest in the playoffs is inversely proportional to how deep the Penguins go.

 

[lasgop8]

Hopefully at least York, Sandin and Sandstrom all get a few games so there is something to watch. I can't do baseball any more as I find myself channel surfing between pitches.

Yeah i hope they all come up as many kids as possible by the rules. Id like to watch some new blood instead of what we have been seeing this season.

One of the few good things about living in NY these days is i can surf back and forth between the Mets and Yanks each pitch when my Dodgers aren't on

 

[lasgop8]

My interest in the playoffs is inversely proportional to how deep the Penguins go.

Playoff hockey is like nothing in sports. Its a must watch

 

[Maverick426h]

I'm hoping the sting/depression fades enough that I can watch a little playoff hockey. Typically takes a round or two after the Flyers are done for me to start picking it back up.

Actually, we should be watching other hockey, if only to remember what it's like to see the game played the right way...Lol Truthfully though, I can't remember a time (in over 25 years of watching) when our defense has performed this poorly for this long (alright, maybe '06-'07). I'm looking at the standings and we've given up 182 goals, the most in the Nhl. It's still absolutely shocking.

All of that said, I don't necessarily think it's broken. Our young defensemen can turn it around with a good offseason of training, a full training camp and preseason. They really can't regress anymore, so this has to be true...Lol

 

[purdue81]

Playoff hockey is like nothing in sports. Its a must watch

Totally agree

but I hate the Pens more

Actually, we should be watching other hockey, if only to remember what it's like to see the game played the right way...Lol Truthfully though, I can't remember a time (in over 25 years of watching) when our defense has performed this poorly for this long (alright, maybe '06-'07). I'm looking at the standings and we've given up 182 goals, the most in the Nhl. It's still absolutely shocking.

All of that said, I don't necessarily think it's broken. Our young defensemen can turn it around with a good offseason of training, a full training camp and preseason. They really can't regress anymore, so this has to be true...Lol

it is true we can’t get worse than 31st in goals against. We are 30th in PK so there’s some room there. I guess we could be worst in the league by a wider margin

 

[awaz]

Actually, we should be watching other hockey, if only to remember what it's like to see the game played the right way...Lol Truthfully though, I can't remember a time (in over 25 years of watching) when our defense has performed this poorly for this long (alright, maybe '06-'07). I'm looking at the standings and we've given up 182 goals, the most in the Nhl. It's still absolutely shocking.

All of that said, I don't necessarily think it's broken. Our young defensemen can turn it around with a good offseason of training, a full training camp and preseason. They really can't regress anymore, so this has to be true...Lol

For me, it's relatively to the expectations. I thought they'd be competing for 1st in the division this year and looking at at least one playoff series win. And that belief was only buoyed by the preseason hype they were getting. Trendy pick for the division. Hart getting Vezina chatter. Provorov getting Norris chatter. And of course Couturier and the Selke.

But just about everyone on the team regressed. And significantly so. Who didn't get worse this year? Ghost was maybe a little better. Hagg was about even. Farabee for the first half. To my viewings, everyone else was worse this year than they were last year. It's so depressing.

 

[Maverick426h]

For me, it's relatively to the expectations. I thought they'd be competing for 1st in the division this year and looking at at least one playoff series win. And that belief was only buoyed by the preseason hype they were getting. Trendy pick for the division. Hart getting Vezina chatter. Provorov getting Norris chatter. And of course Couturier and the Selke.

But just about everyone on the team regressed. And significantly so. Who didn't get worse this year? Ghost was maybe a little better. Hagg was about even. Farabee for the first half. To my viewings, everyone else was worse this year than they were last year. It's so depressing.

None of those were crazy expectations either, I still believe that. I have to blame covid19 for this one. Our younger players especially needed the practice time and it just wasn't there for pretty much the entire season given all of the protocols and how compact everything was. They probably didn't do enough in the offseason either.

Even as covid19 swept through the team, we had both scored and given up a ton of goals through the 8-3-2 start and something just wasn't right. Scoring that often wasn't sustainable, but apparently letting the puck go into our net was. It's painful how often I remember seeing top players go to the prime scoring areas of our zone, receive a pass and get a great shot off so effortlessly with literally nobody defending. Our goalies have zero chance most nights.

 

[Maverick426h]

We're the first team ever of the four major professional sports leagues (Nhl, Nba, Nfl and Mlb) to rotate playoff and non-playoff seasons for a decade straight. That is absolutely unconscionable. This is by definition perhaps the most up and down franchise in the history of sports.

We've given up the first goal in 19 of the last 21 games. This so tragic that it makes me want to double check the accuracy of the statement, but I'll take their word for it.

I saw these stats during the broadcast tonight and I just cannot believe it. There is no explanation for any of this. It's so bizarre and inept that it's comical.

So, expect Pittsburgh to score first on Monday and Tuesday and the good news is that we're going to make the playoffs next season....LOL

 

[wbon22]

I think the biggest improvement taht Ghost made was being healthy. That and he started to carry the puck. THEN...it bacame more obvious that other teams were on to his moves.

It is just so hard. I love this team but this team....well, they are frankly hard to love.

 

[purdue81]

Win 1 of 2 vs Pens and we win the season series. WooHoo. !!!!

 

[Chris p Bacon]

Win 1 of 2 vs Pens and we win the season series. WooHoo. !!!!

Anything positive right now has got to go a long way with this team.

 

[wbon22]

I think seeing the youngsters play well, the debuts of one or two more prospects over the week, and who knows...beating the Penguins. That would be nice. But really, seeing the youngsters play and how they play and...is AV letting them do anything other than be on the ice for defensive zone face offs and not playing them at all in the last 10 minutes of the game...that is what I am looking forward to this week.

 

[lasgop8]

Malkin to return tonight vs Flyers

 

[purdue81]

Malkin to return tonight vs Flyers

Of course he is.

 

[lasgop8]

Of course he is.

Its always good to see Couts get under his skin. I hope Couts outplays him tonight and makes him look foolish

 

[chy1127]

Win 1 of 2 vs Pens and we win the season series. WooHoo. !!!!

Anything positive right now has got to go a long way with this team.

The only positive I think is getting a better chance at a higher draft pick. I was hoping we could see York, but he is injured.

 

[awaz]

The only positive I think is getting a better chance at a higher draft pick. I was hoping we could see York, but he is injured.

York played yesterday for the Phantoms, so there's still hope!

 

[Maverick426h]

Laying a beatdown on the Pens never gets old, but where the fuck has this effort been for the vast majority of the season!?!?

As great as it is to get this convincing win against arguably our biggest rival, clinch the season series and deal a nice blow to their division title hopes, this leaves us to wonder what could have been if we had woken up a month or two ago.

Criesby can have his fucking goal line goal in a losing effort. Our all-time record vs. them moves to 162-96-30-11 in 299 games. So, let's go win game number 300 tomorrow.

Again though, how can we go 3 and a half months without a multiple goal, home ice win and suddenly pull this 7-2 stomping out of our asses against a perennial contender that is surging!?

We looked like a completely different team for most of the game compared to....I can't even remember when.

 

[wbon22]

Laying a beatdown on the Pens never gets old, but where the fuck has this effort been for the vast majority of the season!?!?

As great as it is to get this convincing win against arguably our biggest rival, clinch the season series and deal a nice blow to their division title hopes, this leaves us to wonder what could have been if we had woken up a month or two ago.

Criesby can have his fucking goal line goal in a losing effort. Our all-time record vs. them moves to 162-96-30-11 in 299 games. So, let's go win game number 300 tomorrow.

Again though, how can we go 3 and a half months without a multiple goal, home ice win and suddenly pull this 7-2 stomping out of our asses against a perennial contender that is surging!?

We looked like a completely different team for most of the game compared to....I can't even remember when.

What Maverick said!!

I joked to my wife that once the Flyers were eliminated they would start to show up. She was sure I was wrong. HA!
Yes, getting that Hayes goal, instead of giving it up. Getting that miracle save by Lyon, instead of giving it up.

And did anyone notice how the Flyers seemed to skate last night? There was a lot less static passing. It was not until the 3rd period that the defense looked lost on a clear and even then only once or twice (and they cleared it). And when they needed it...Lyon made the save. Not just that psycho save, but the momentum save that keeps your team up on its skates and playing a confident forecheck game. This was a lot like the first two games of the season against the Pens. And, when you think about it, that says a lot. All the holes that are in this team can be covered up by a couple timely goals and saves. All of the scrambling in the d zone can be made up for by being up on their skates.

It was a nice reminder...but it is not this simple. But it was nice.