Bruins - Pens ECF

[BF4L]

Hey! Your team won! Let's leave the bitterness to this guy right here and any Sharks fans that stop in.

Not good I am guessing...still beats living in Boston though?

 

[elocomotive]

From what I heard, Iginla refused that deal because he disliked the city...not because of better chance of success. Oh well, bad move by him in the end

That is difficult for me to believe. And when I say difficult, I mean impossible.

 

[JustAsking]

Think Keith Jones is right - probably Bylsma's last game as the Pens' coach.

The only untouchable is #87... coaches included. The Pens had some series talent this postseason... only scoring 2 goals in 4... completely falls on the coach. Again, Bruins played awesome, not taking anything away from them... but 2 goals in 4 games with the talent the coach had to work with... doesn't make sense.

 

[forty_three]

McGuire: "What did coach Julien say before coming out for the third"
Rask: "I don't know. I don't listen"

 

[Dacks]

Think Keith Jones is right - probably Bylsma's last game as the Pens' coach.

I don't know, he's popular with the players (part of the problem IMO) and has some of the best regular season records of anybody. I hope Shero (and Mario/Burkle) sees past that. We don't need regular season wins, we need a coach with cup-winning potential.

A few things the Penguins need, which was pretty apparent after this series:

1) Powerplay QB. We need a reliable D with a slapshot. Letang sucks in this role. The Bruins collapsed the whole series, and I think it's partially because they weren't worried about anything from the point.

2) Net front presence. It wasn't there. I thought Morrow would bring it. Maybe he could have, but Byslma wasn't using him properly. Who knows.

 

[Darkstone42]

That is difficult for me to believe. And when I say difficult, I mean impossible.

I don't know, Boston is pretty unwelcoming...

Then again, Pittsburgh might be worse...

(And yes, I did choose that picture because the word "CHEMISTRY" appears in it.)

 

[forty_three]

The only untouchable is #87... coaches included. The Pens had some series talent this postseason... only scoring 2 goals in 4... completely falls on the coach. Again, Bruins played awesome, not taking anything away from them... but 2 goals in 4 games with the talent the coach had to work with... doesn't make sense.

Because he was the only bright spot.

If they are so casually throwing Malkin's name around as a guy who "has to go" but don't afford the Golden Child the same criticism, the problems there are deep, IMO.

I'd take many of the Pens "touchable" roster in a second. Neal, Kunitz, Orpik, Malkin, Dupuis, Letang, Sutter, Bennett, Adams

And of course Iginla and Morrow. I'd even take Vokoun. He really impressed me.

 

[elocomotive]

In any case, I'm very pleased with the game the Penguins played overall. It was tough, tight, and good hockey. The Bruins were just a little tougher, tighter, and better.

Really? You don't think the defense of the Pens was deficient and what caused the loss in this series? Happy with the goalie situation? I think their defensive core is VERY problematic right now. I think that while the Pens have a ridiculously talented team, they have some serious issues to address. And while everyone in Pittsburgh has a hard on for Shero, he's failed to address the most glaring problems of this team for several seasons, instead trying to load up on more offense.

Yes, the series was closer than 4-0. But I wouldn't be at all pleased with the team if I were a (shudder) Pens' fan.

 

[Darkstone42]

Because he was the only bright spot.

If they are so casually throwing Malkin's name around as a guy who "has to go" but don't afford the Golden Child the same criticism, the problems there are deep, IMO.

I'd take many of the Pens "touchable" roster in a second. Neal, Kunitz, Orpik, Malkin, Dupuis, Letang, Sutter, Bennett, Adams

And of course Iginla and Morrow. I'd even take Vokoun. He really impressed me.

I think the problem is that the styles on the team right now don't mesh (although that may largely be the product of Bylsma's nonsense line combinations). They also simply do not have the cap space to sign everyone.

 

[beantownmaniac]

From what I heard, Iginla refused that deal because he disliked the city...not because of better chance of success. Oh well, bad move by him in the end

What's Iggy know about Boston? Boston is an awesome city.

 

[elocomotive]

I don't know, he's popular with the players (part of the problem IMO) and has some of the best regular season records of anybody. I hope Shero (and Mario/Burkle) sees past that. We don't need regular season wins, we need a coach with cup-winning potential.

I'm not saying I agree with it, but I do think it's what will happen. It's hockey - it's what have you done for me lately in the coach's world. And if Byslma doesn't take the blame, then it's Shero that has to.

They have 2 of the best 5 players in the world and a talented cast. They've underachieved with several first round exits and a sweep now. Axe has to fall somewhere.

And trust me - I am an expert on underachieving!!

 

[forty_three]

I think the problem is that the styles on the team right now don't mesh (although that may largely be the product of Bylsma's nonsense line combinations). They also simply do not have the cap space to sign everyone.

Yeah, there's not much of a team identity right now. I think Vokoun handled himself well despite the defense totally not going to the right places for him.

 

[Darkstone42]

Really? You don't think the defense of the Pens was deficient and what caused the loss in this series? Happy with the goalie situation? I think their defensive core is VERY problematic right now. I think that while the Pens have a ridiculously talented team, they have some serious issues to address. And while everyone in Pittsburgh has a hard on for Shero, he's failed to address the most glaring problems of this team for several seasons, instead trying to load up on more offense.

Yes, the series was closer than 4-0. But I wouldn't be at all pleased with the team if I were a (shudder) Pens' fan.

In every game but game two, they played a very sound defensive game. They simply couldn't score. It's odd, really. The team was stacked up front but couldn't score goals and deficient on the back end but were very strong defensively. We got outscored 12-2, and half of those goals game in one game, so over the course of three games, we allowed an average of two goals per game. With our offense, that should have been enough to win.

I think roster changes are necessary so that we can build a team with a defined identity, and also because we're in cap trouble. But I also think the guys on the ice played their hearts out and to the best of their abilities in their own end.

 

[BlueWolfZero]

That is difficult for me to believe. And when I say difficult, I mean impossible.

I did hear it on Edmonton sports radio....I really should know better shouldn't I

 

[elocomotive]

I don't know, Boston is pretty unwelcoming...

I refuse to believe that Iginla considered anything beyond where he thought he had the best chance to win a Cup.

Boston is a nice town. So is Pittsburgh. It's not like he had to go "uhhh, do I really want to live in Kansas City for a year?"

 

[elocomotive]

I did hear it on Edmonton sports radio....I really should know better shouldn't I

I don't care if Iginla said it himself. I don't believe him if he did.

 

[Darkstone42]

I refuse to believe that Iginla considered anything beyond where he thought he had the best chance to win a Cup.

Boston is a nice town. So is Pittsburgh. It's not like he had to go "uhhh, do I really want to live in Kansas City for a year?"

I think Iggy went to Pittsburgh to play on Sid's wing.

Then Disco Dan decided to not play him on Sid's wing.

 

[Dacks]

Really? You don't think the defense of the Pens was deficient and what caused the loss in this series? Happy with the goalie situation? I think their defensive core is VERY problematic right now. I think that while the Pens have a ridiculously talented team, they have some serious issues to address. And while everyone in Pittsburgh has a hard on for Shero, he's failed to address the most glaring problems of this team for several seasons, instead trying to load up on more offense.

Yes, the series was closer than 4-0. But I wouldn't be at all pleased with the team if I were a (shudder) Pens' fan.

Huh? That wasn't the problem at all. Game 2 was bad, but Game 1 was a one-goal game until late, and the Pens only allowed 3 goals in the last 8 periods of hockey. Since Vokoun came in, the Pens have been pretty stellar defensively in these playoffs.

That's not to say it's perfect. Vokoun will suffice next year but a long term solution is needed in net. And I think the Pens have the personnel either on D or in the system, for the most part, but don't play a proper system, which I put on Disco Dan.

Shero picked up Vokoun in the off-season and Murray at the deadline. He kept Martin, who's been our best defensive D, and dropped Michalek. All his moves at the back end have been the right ones. You could argue he could have done more, but he still did more that most GMs.

All that said, I disagree with Darkstone. I'm not pleased with how the played. But at least it wasn't for lack of effort or complete mental breakdowns this time.

 

[Dacks]

I'm not saying I agree with it, but I do think it's what will happen. It's hockey - it's what have you done for me lately in the coach's world. And if Byslma doesn't take the blame, then it's Shero that has to.

They have 2 of the best 5 players in the world and a talented cast. They've underachieved with several first round exits and a sweep now. Axe has to fall somewhere.

And trust me - I am an expert on underachieving!!

Oh, I want him gone, for sure. And I definitely put the Pens in underachiever status now. The previous three years, looked at in isolation, you could find excuses (especially 2011). But now it's too much.

 

[Slimpikins]

I don't think so, I'll go so far as to say...

Haha, that gets me every time.