Game Thread: NHL Games - 1-30-15

[Cobiemonster]

Tonight's Games:
Pittsburgh at New Jersey
St. Louis at Carolina
Nashville at Colorado
Buffalo at Vancouver
Chicago at Anaheim

 

[pixburgher66]

I'm getting a bit salty with Johnston. I realize the honeymoon period has ended, and struggles will happen, and I'm being pretty patient really...but scratching Beau Bennett when there are guys like Craig Adams, Zach Sill, Andrew Ebbett, and Max Lapierre on the ice? TO THE CHARTS!

 

[pixburgher66]

(Ebbett and Sill weren't in the DB...but they're bad.)

 

[Cobiemonster]

(Ebbett and Sill weren't in the DB...but they're bad.)

See the thing is, you don't really need charts to realize that those guys are worse than Beau Bennett - that's when decisions like that are awful

 

[pixburgher66]

See the thing is, you don't really need charts to realize that those guys are worse than Beau Bennett - that's when decisions like that are awful

Yep. The charts merely make the point that much more obvious. It'd be one thing if he were the soul player not giving 100% or playing poorly, but the whole team looked like crap (sans probably MAF who was routinely left out to dry) against the Caps...but because a guy like Adams can PK and is a veteran who never misses games, he's given a break. PK specialists should probably be a thing of the past. There are enough defensive minded guys in the league with value outside the PK that it shouldn't exist. Adams is basically a PK specialist now, with horrible possession numbers and zero offensive input. Meanwhile, Bennett is a great possession guy (which in today's NHL IS DEFENSE), but because he's skilled and young he gets the "message"? Unless there's a behavioral thing the public is unaware of, it's a stupid move.

 

[pixburgher66]

Also, if you're going to bench one of the "skill" guys, how about looking at our third line center who has been pretty awful all season:

 

[pixburgher66]

Games against the Devils are just the worst. 0-0, not for lack of a few decent opportunities, through two. The Devils have 7 shots. SEVEN. I just know some fluky goal will trickle in and the Pens lose, despite tripling the shot total.

 

[pixburgher66]

Also, Fischler continues to be raving. In the intermission he discussed MAF, saying he won't be playing for the Pens in the playoffs. You can continue to bring up past postseasons all you'd like, sir...but please stop your Skip Bayless-ian attempts at relevance.

 

[pixburgher66]

Not a trickler, but still...10th shot, and it's 1-0

 

[DevilishWon]

But the refs cant let it be and give the pens a complete BS PP resulting in the tying goal

 

[Cobiemonster]

Penguins/Devils in OT tied at 1-1

Blues/Hurricanes tied at 2-2 going to a shootout

Avs leading the Preds 1-0 in the first period

 

[DevilishWon]

pens take it 2-1 in OT, 41 saves and the pens dominated. cory was great but team bettman puts it in the win column

 

[pixburgher66]

Schneider was a beast tonight. Despres was an animal in OT to win it. The goal was fine and dandy, but the play he made leading up to it was fantastic.

 

[esls79]

I wonder if the Zamboni driver at Ponda Center is three sheets to the wind as he laid about an extra half sheet of ice during the intermission. Only problem is the extra half sheet didn't freeze.

 

[Darkstone42]

Yep. The charts merely make the point that much more obvious. It'd be one thing if he were the soul player not giving 100% or playing poorly, but the whole team looked like crap (sans probably MAF who was routinely left out to dry) against the Caps...but because a guy like Adams can PK and is a veteran who never misses games, he's given a break. PK specialists should probably be a thing of the past. There are enough defensive minded guys in the league with value outside the PK that it shouldn't exist. Adams is basically a PK specialist now, with horrible possession numbers and zero offensive input. Meanwhile, Bennett is a great possession guy (which in today's NHL IS DEFENSE), but because he's skilled and young he gets the "message"? Unless there's a behavioral thing the public is unaware of, it's a stupid move.

I'm sure Bennett will be back in for the next game, but I suspect he was benched not because he was the worst player, but perhaps to give him a mental break. He hasn't played a stretch this long before, and his play was faltering a bit lately. It might have been to benefit him, not to punish him, and give him a chance to see the game from the press box. He's a smart player, so maybe he could learn something up there to make him more effective going forward.

If he's scratched routinely, it's a problem, but one time for a young guy who's struggled a bit lately I don't see as a problem.

 

[Darkstone42]

Schneider was a beast tonight. Despres was an animal in OT to win it. The goal was fine and dandy, but the play he made leading up to it was fantastic.

I missed OT (had tickets to a UA basketball game tonight), but Schneider was doing everything you're supposed to do as a goalie to prevent goals. His positioning was perfect, and his rebound control was largely excellent, and he showed especially impressive anticipation.

 

[pixburgher66]

I'm sure Bennett will be back in for the next game, but I suspect he was benched not because he was the worst player, but perhaps to give him a mental break. He hasn't played a stretch this long before, and his play was faltering a bit lately. It might have been to benefit him, not to punish him, and give him a chance to see the game from the press box. He's a smart player, so maybe he could learn something up there to make him more effective going forward.

If he's scratched routinely, it's a problem, but one time for a young guy who's struggled a bit lately I don't see as a problem.

In that case...I need to write MJ and let him know I think Sill is mentally drained.

 

[Darkstone42]

In that case...I need to write MJ and let him know I think Sill is mentally drained.

Heh, Sill isn't going to learn anything.

 

[puckhead]

-----------------------------^--------- this guy scored

 

[KennyBanyeah]

I'm getting a bit salty with Johnston. I realize the honeymoon period has ended, and struggles will happen, and I'm being pretty patient really...but scratching Beau Bennett when there are guys like Craig Adams, Zach Sill, Andrew Ebbett, and Max Lapierre on the ice? TO THE CHARTS!

Holy shit!!!

I completely missed the Lapierre to Pitt trade.

HAHAHAHA


It's like the Penguins want to be able to say they've had every weaselly, cheap, lowlife player of this generation on their team.

Marchand to the Pens!! E5