Game Thread: Pittsburgh Penguins(1) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets(WC 1)| ECQF

[pixburgher66]

I'm not sure what I feel about that game. Not quite sure. For as high scoring as it was, both goalies were actually not that bad. The third Pens goal probably shouldn't have happened, and I think the third CBJ goal could've had a better effort from MAF. Still, both made a lot of great saves down the stretch. I actually think DB made good adjustments in the game. First off he went conservative on the PP, which I know I've been calling for. Niskanen and Martin are both still valuable enough offensively that it's okay to put them on the points, and they act as a safety net for SH opportunities. Overall, I think a few small adjustments will do the team a lot of good. I expected a close game, although not this high scoring. I really don't understand why everyone and their brother thought the Jackets would look so out of place. Sure it's the playoffs, but it's still hockey. I'll eat crow on Johnson, he had a great freaking game. Reffing tonight was pretty mediocre. The no-call on the Sutter break was pretty astonishing, but man they were loving the interference call. No funny business in this one though. Hard hitting, physical, but everyone stayed on the good side of the line.

 

[Dacks]

I liked the third period the Pens played. That's what they need going forward.

But Danny B needs to ride the kids on D. They are inexperienced and make mistakes, but Scuderi and Orpik are brutal and getting worse by the day. Won't win with them getting big minutes.

 

[pixburgher66]

I liked the third period the Pens played. That's what they need going forward.

But Danny B needs to ride the kids on D. They are inexperienced and make mistakes, but Scuderi and Orpik are brutal and getting worse by the day. Won't win with them getting big minutes.

Scuds penalty in the first was pretty bad, but I didn't think he was awful tonight. Orpik and Martin had a rough first 20. I can't wait for Orpik to no longer be a Penguin...he has Maple Leaf written all over him.

 

[Dacks]

Scuds penalty in the first was pretty bad, but I didn't think he was awful tonight. Orpik and Martin had a rough first 20. I can't wait for Orpik to no longer be a Penguin...he has Maple Leaf written all over him.

Yeah Martin was worse than Scuds tonight but in general I don't think Scuderi can cut it anymore...

 

[Cobiemonster]

Yeah Martin was worse than Scuds tonight but in general I don't think Scuderi can cut it anymore...

You think the style of play that the Penguins have doesn't fit Scuds there anymore? Last time he was there, he was five years younger, so that is a while between the time he was there before and now - he's probably slowed down a step, which doesn't help

I still think he would be really needed for the Kings in a series against the Sharks

 

[thedddd]

Yeah Martin was worse than Scuds tonight but in general I don't think Scuderi can cut it anymore...

Letang was shaky at times also.

Yeah not sure with Scuderi, like Murray last year his lack of any speed what so ever doesn't fit with the Penguinis anymore.

On another note when Goc comes back I REALLY hope Gibbons isn't the scratch and they finally sit Glass or Adams. Gibbons played his way into an everyday player this game due to his speed.

 

[pixburgher66]

Letang was shaky at times also.

Yeah not sure with Scuderi, like Murray last year his lack of any speed what so ever doesn't fit with the Penguinis anymore.

On another note when Goc comes back I REALLY hope Gibbons isn't the scratch and they finally sit Glass or Adams. Gibbons played his way into an everyday player this game due to his speed.

Adams PLEASE ADAMS. Gibbons is way too valuable on the PK. Gibbons is the new more versatile Adams. Glass still has value as a fourth liner/gritty/annoying/physical guy. Adams is just...nope. I look forward to getting Goc back though. He kills it on the possession numbers.

 

[pixburgher66]

Kovacevic: Bylsma's moves ? yes, moves ? pay off | TribLIVE

Limited snark (not absent) and I mostly agree. Shocking. Dude's a prick, but a good writer generally. He's right on about Blysma. It's only one game, but he actually coached tonight.

 

[evolver115]

Kovacevic: Bylsma's moves ? yes, moves ? pay off | TribLIVE

Limited snark (not absent) and I mostly agree. Shocking. Dude's a prick, but a good writer generally. He's right on about Blysma. It's only one game, but he actually coached tonight.

Yeah, you are right about Dejan. He is in love with himself, and it is pretty obvious in his articles. His last article was poking fun about how the regular season doesn't matter to the fans and all we're concerned with is the post-season. At the end of that article though, he essentially agrees with them.

 

[dare2be]

I would have had Gibbons as one of the Pens 3 stars this game...he just made so many smart hockey plays throughout the game.

 

[pixburgher66]

Perhaps the thing I was most proud of from last night was that the Pens were composed for the most part. Letang had a retaliatory penalty with a slash, but that was about it. They need to cut back on the number of penalties, but man for such a clean game, I'm still amazed how many they called. Dubinsky did his best to try to get Sid off his game, and while Sid wasn't necessarily a force last night, he skated away from skirmishes. Dare we say the Pens have learned to ignore such things?!

 

[pixburgher66]

I don't know if it's an indictment of Johnson per se. Because when he isn't on the ice Ryan Murray is. They are not better strictly because JJ is off the ice. They are better because Murray is on.

Johnson is no #1 guy and certainly not in the discussion of guys qualified to carry Norris candidates backpacks, but he is not a useless scrub. As long as someone is looking out for him, he can be effective. He is not safe as the leader of the 5 man unit on the ice. Not at all.

Plus he has the worst head fake in the game.


But that's because he has no neck.

Really delayed response: I agree that it's not necessarily an indictment, and the Murray point is a great one. Advanced stats are fun to look at, but you have to make sure all the qualifiers are listed (like Murray being on the ice). Johnson sure made his teammates better last night.

 

[element1286]

Good article by Dejan, and I agree I didn't like all the adjustments Dan made last night, but at least he was actively engaged, and showed he was actively engaged by making those moves which were all logical.

 

[forty_three]

I'm not sure what I feel about that game. Not quite sure. For as high scoring as it was, both goalies were actually not that bad. The third Pens goal probably shouldn't have happened, and I think the third CBJ goal could've had a better effort from MAF. Still, both made a lot of great saves down the stretch. I actually think DB made good adjustments in the game. First off he went conservative on the PP, which I know I've been calling for. Niskanen and Martin are both still valuable enough offensively that it's okay to put them on the points, and they act as a safety net for SH opportunities. Overall, I think a few small adjustments will do the team a lot of good. I expected a close game, although not this high scoring. I really don't understand why everyone and their brother thought the Jackets would look so out of place. Sure it's the playoffs, but it's still hockey. I'll eat crow on Johnson, he had a great freaking game. Reffing tonight was pretty mediocre. The no-call on the Sutter break was pretty astonishing, but man they were loving the interference call. No funny business in this one though. Hard hitting, physical, but everyone stayed on the good side of the line.

Because no one watches them. They think Blue Jackets of a few years ago and leave it at that. They don't have any stars so everyone assumes they are just a team of humps. But last night is what they do. They attack the puck, they support each other, they create turnovers and they piss opponents off.

I've been half laughing / half griping about it all year. Beat the Jackets - welll, you *should* beat the jackets. Lose to the Jackets - your guys must not have shown up. If anything, last night the Jackets got away from their game a bit. Trying to make big hits and losing position.

JMFJ plays pretty much like that every game, with quite a bit more emphasis on hitting last night. He was fired up.

The refs suddenly deciding interference was was the new black was weird, but both teams figured it out pretty quick. And, now this may shock you, I thought a non call on Sutter's breakaway was correct. At game speed I thought "Oh no". But the replay showed contact with the stick first. Sutter went down because he tried to stabilize with his right leg and caught an edge.

 

[element1286]

I'm on the fence about that Sutter call 1) That call gets made all the time, even when it's questionable just because the optics at full speed. 2) Yeah it probably wasn't a penalty technically, but if that play happens again in the exact way in this series I'd lay heavy odds its called a penalty

So I have a hard time just forgiving the refs on that one, because I know that was a one off, and not some new competency about calling the actual rules. Same with the interference on Letang/Scuds, I'd love to think that would be a penalty if Detroit did it, but I have a hard time buying it would.

 

[forty_three]

Beauty by Boom Jenner

 

[dash]

^

That wasn't a Rule 48 hit, that was a 38 special hit

 

[pixburgher66]

Because no one watches them. They think Blue Jackets of a few years ago and leave it at that. They don't have any stars so everyone assumes they are just a team of humps. But last night is what they do. They attack the puck, they support each other, they create turnovers and they piss opponents off.

I've been half laughing / half griping about it all year. Beat the Jackets - welll, you *should* beat the jackets. Lose to the Jackets - your guys must not have shown up. If anything, last night the Jackets got away from their game a bit. Trying to make big hits and losing position.

JMFJ plays pretty much like that every game, with quite a bit more emphasis on hitting last night. He was fired up.

The refs suddenly deciding interference was was the new black was weird, but both teams figured it out pretty quick. And, now this may shock you, I thought a non call on Sutter's breakaway was correct. At game speed I thought "Oh no". But the replay showed contact with the stick first. Sutter went down because he tried to stabilize with his right leg and caught an edge.

The interference thing was astonishing. There were borderline hits/trips/hooks/hacks...but for a long time I was convinced they were only calling interference. And I understand if you didn't think the Sutter thing was a penalty, but the stick got to the hands, took away a scoring chance. Him going down wasn't what bugged me...definitely hit a rut in the ice. Regardless, the reffing needs to be a bit tighter going forward. It was like they couldn't decide if they were going to call everything or not. Sure didn't seem like a playoff game from the penalty perspective.

 

[pixburgher66]

Also, I don't think the Jackets really got under anyone's skin. They did a good job limiting time and space for Geno and Sid, played Geno very physically, but I was never worried about their composure last night. Letang was the only guy who took a retaliatory penalty (slash), ironically after being interfered with. I really think something clicked with the team on the Flyers game on Saturday. It's like they suddenly realized that when they have the puck and possession they don't have to chase down guys and act like idiots. Shocking revelation. There were actually multiple scrums that guys pushed Sid around (and Maatta), and they just skated away. I'm sure plenty of people called Sid a pussy for that, but that's EXACTLY WHAT I WANT HIM TO DO.

 

[dare2be]

Even though the stick got to the hands, the initial contact was to the stick, lifting it enough to take away the scoring chance. I have no issue with it being a non-call.