Game Thread: NHL Games - 12-8-14

[Cobiemonster]

Tonight's Games:
Pittsburgh at NY Rangers
New Jersey at Carolina
Florida at St. Louis

 

[Cobiemonster]

Penguins lead 1-0 on a Nick Spaling goal

 

[dash]

Go Pans Go!

 

[Cobiemonster]

I love how fans chant as if it was a goal when they show the replay and it's clearly not a goal

 

[Cobiemonster]

The refs from the Eagles game yesterday have traveled to St. Louis for the Panthers/Blues game tonight - horrible calls already

 

[forty_three]

Good God. I just turned it on and saw Fleury's pads. In Hi Def.

MY EYES!

 

[Cobiemonster]

Blues take a 1-0 goal from Max Lapierre, who should have gotten a four minute minor for hi-sticking earlier

 

[forty_three]

Watching the Pens broadcast, and have been for five to seven minutes. Highlights of the commentary:

- Fleury is having a career year which is saying a lot because he's had so many great years.
- (2x) Sidney is working relentlessly
- There are several times the Rangers should have been penalized, and the Penguins have not had a lot of Power Plays in the last 15 games. That just isn't right
- (St Louis got yanked down) Marty is a great player, but he really drew a cheap on there.
- Lundquist makes lucky saves.
- Fleury makes everything look so easy.
- Penguins did a great job killing most of the Rangers power play.
- Rick Nash, of all people, scored a goal

I would stab myself in the ears if I had to listen to these guys. At least they aren't hunting grandma on a Harley like a butcher's dog or whatever.

 

[forty_three]

Even so, I am not switching to the Rangers broadcast.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Ian Cole makes it 2-0 Blues

 

[Cobiemonster]

Holy shit the Penguins with two quick ones have tied it

 

[RangersReds03]

Hey Rangers if you could stop blowing 2 goal leads

 

[Cobiemonster]

Bjugs Bunny is on fire! Scores again for the Panthers

 

[DevilishWon]

Cory stole one tonight for the Devils

 

[dash]

Did you know Jaromir Jagr passed Marcel Dionne tonight and now sits 5th in career points?

 

[pixburgher66]

I'm so annoyed with NHL reffing that I've made a chart. Also: I have no life.

PP opportunity differential is that one. I made a pointer because I thought that was the turning point. I can't really say why, but that was the Winnipeg game where Downie was cheapshot after he scored and it resulted in a 4 on 4. Since that point, they're just not getting the breaks. And man is it killing the powerplay. League average is 3.3, Pens average on the year is 3.2. First half of the year (with WPG game as last game of "first half") Pens averaged 4.4, second half 2.1. That's with 13 games in "first half" data and 14 in "second half" data. That's not pretty. Reasoning behind it isn't quantifiable, so I can pick any number of theories (less skill on the ice with injuries, conspiracies, simply not drawing them, whining, etc.), but it's gotta change for this team.

 

[pixburgher66]

Watching the Pens broadcast, and have been for five to seven minutes. Highlights of the commentary:

- Fleury is having a career year which is saying a lot because he's had so many great years.
- (2x) Sidney is working relentlessly
- There are several times the Rangers should have been penalized, and the Penguins have not had a lot of Power Plays in the last 15 games. That just isn't right
- (St Louis got yanked down) Marty is a great player, but he really drew a cheap on there.
- Lundquist makes lucky saves.
- Fleury makes everything look so easy.
- Penguins did a great job killing most of the Rangers power play.
- Rick Nash, of all people, scored a goal

I would stab myself in the ears if I had to listen to these guys. At least they aren't hunting grandma on a Harley like a butcher's dog or whatever.

Don't even get me started on them. Tonight Steiggy was especially awful. Instead of calling the effing game he complains about one single missed call. Sure, I didn't appreciate that missed call Steigs, but do your freaking job.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I'm so annoyed with NHL reffing that I've made a chart. Also: I have no life.

PP opportunity differential is that one. I made a pointer because I thought that was the turning point. I can't really say why, but that was the Winnipeg game where Downie was cheapshot after he scored and it resulted in a 4 on 4. Since that point, they're just not getting the breaks. And man is it killing the powerplay. League average is 3.3, Pens average on the year is 3.2. First half of the year (with WPG game as last game of "first half") Pens averaged 4.4, second half 2.1. That's with 13 games in "first half" data and 14 in "second half" data. That's not pretty. Reasoning behind it isn't quantifiable, so I can pick any number of theories (less skill on the ice with injuries, conspiracies, simply not drawing them, whining, etc.), but it's gotta change for this team.

I'm sure the refs have been making some bad calls lately like they always do but I was wondering a few weeks back about the Penguins if the power plays started to decrease for them - they were so reliant on the power play and as great as it was, eventually other teams would get the message and quit taking penalties against them

 

[Cobiemonster]

Did you guys know that Aaron Ekblad just scored the game tying goal for the Panthers?

 

[pixburgher66]

I'm sure the refs have been making some bad calls lately like they always do but I was wondering a few weeks back about the Penguins if the power plays started to decrease for them - they were so reliant on the power play and as great as it was, eventually other teams would get the message and quit taking penalties against them

That's also a possibility, however it's more than a simple mindset when you have guys like Crosby and Malkin who are adept at drawing penalties, not because of their name, but because of their abilities. You can tell yourself over and over "Don't hook Sid!", but when the guy pulls around you, you have to make a play. There haven't been hugely obvious missed calls (the calls they seem to be getting are of the "duh" variety, such as delay of game, too many men), but there has been a remarkable decline in interference/holding type calls. I suppose I'm used to a league that doesn't allow clutch and grab, but I feel like I've seen a whole lot more. From a team standpoint: yes, it has affected them. Combination of injuries and the lack of opportunities simply leads to fewer scoring chances. I don't think they were necessarily reliant, but maybe I should be okay with it...because they're getting "game 7 of the playoffs" PP opportunities.