Pens @ Caps WC Preview - GNT

[ritari330]

What took so long for Green to get the call?

I was calling for him to be 4th

 

[Dacks]

You know, I'm not really against the shootout (I'd prefer if they just let ties stand), but other than the nerves, it really is a letdown after a pretty intense game.

Pretty pissed at Gogo tonight. Up by one, less than six minutes to play, and you're on the pp. You know the other team is pressing for the shorty, why would you try to force a lateral pass to your partner there? Sure, without Letang's bumble nothing happens, but it's still a stupid play.

Fleury was first star for the Pens tonight. Other than that I'd say Caps outplayed us. Rest of Pens looked pretty tired on the 2nd night of a back to back. Crosby's deflection was sick.

 

[elocomotive]

You know, I'm not really against the shootout (I'd prefer if they just let ties stand), but other than the nerves, it really is a letdown after a pretty intense game....Fleury was first star for the Pens tonight. Other than that I'd say Caps outplayed us. Rest of Pens looked pretty tired on the 2nd night of a back to back. Crosby's deflection was sick.

Agree on all cards, Dacks. They should waive the shootout in a game like this.

I liked the way we played tonight. We're getting better and better on defense, and without 2 of our top 4 defensemen tonight after Poti left the game. I also thought the Pens did a good job on D with their poke checks - very disruptive. But overall, I thought the 1st and 3rd culminated in roughly a draw, and the Caps dominated the 2nd.

Also, I thought Mike Green was OUTSTANDING in every aspect of the game. He's the most underrated overrated player in the NHL today. Haha. Fleury was very strong.

 

[elocomotive]

One last stat...

Steckel 13-4
Crosby 11-17

Steckel essentially killed off a full 2-minute power play with all his wins to start the PK tonight. Big ups to him.

 

[HonusWagner66]

Sid is more accurate with this deflections from the side of the net than most of his teammates are with their wrist shots...

Seriously.

 

[Dacks]

Agree on all cards, Dacks. They should waive the shootout in a game like this.

I liked the way we played tonight. We're getting better and better on defense, and without 2 of our top 4 defensemen tonight after Poti left the game. I also thought the Pens did a good job on D with their poke checks - very disruptive. But overall, I thought the 1st and 3rd culminated in roughly a draw, and the Caps dominated the 2nd.

Also, I thought Mike Green was OUTSTANDING in every aspect of the game. He's the most underrated overrated player in the NHL today. Haha. Fleury was very strong.

Green probably got a boost in confidence tonight for his offence (although that Fleury glove-on-the-ice save must hurt), but he doesn't respond well to physicality. The Pens forecheck was targeting him, and I think it was getting to him. He shyed away from a few hits late in the game.

 

[elocomotive]

Green probably got a boost in confidence tonight for his offence (although that Fleury glove-on-the-ice save must hurt), but he doesn't respond well to physicality. The Pens forecheck was targeting him, and I think it was getting to him. He shyed away from a few hits late in the game.

Green is undersized, but he likes to hit, so I don't agree on the physicality part at all. I thought he had some great takeaways in the last 10 minutes of the game and he stole one clean from Sid in OT. With Poti out, he played 34 minutes. He sacked up tonight.

 

[pixburgher66]

Sid is more accurate with this deflections from the side of the net than most of his teammates are with their wrist shots...

Seriously.

The weird thing is...how do you become accurate at this?? Seriously. I mean, there's practicing things, but it's still a deflection. There's no way of REALLY controlling that...is there? Great, entertaining, and frustrating game all in one. Sid played like Sid, and the Pens D was great in disruption to throw OV and others off *just* enough. I do hate to see a great game like this end in a shootout, but, it's only 2 points, when it REALLY counts, there's no shootout. This game nearly drove me to the bottle...so much stress. Great game Caps, see ya in a week or so. **Sidenote: Can't wait to see the 24/7 episode after this one**

 

[elocomotive]

The weird thing is...how do you become accurate at this?? Seriously. I mean, there's practicing things, but it's still a deflection. There's no way of REALLY controlling that...is there?

You don't have as much "control" as say a wrist shot, but there's definitely skill and practice involved. You see plays the time where the D-man shoots it slightly wide and the forward is supposed to angle it back into the net.

In my experience, it's somewhere inbetween. And I think you give Sid credit on that one, he did exactly what he wanted to with it.

 

[ELYEAH82]

I like the Pens game tonight, after playing last night at home to go on the road and battle the Caps to a SO win is a great feat.