Round 1, Game 2 'Ning at Pens GNT

[postmaster]

I had to dig out this classic thread: ESPN.com - NHL - NHL General Message Board

It does sadden me that someone had every single one of my posts deleted

 

[pixburgher66]

Well, with 3:27 left...we have another shot to embarrass ourselves on the PP.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

I should rephrase "When your fourth line is the only one cashing in on chances, you have problems." Other lines have shown up...but they haven't finished.

You need the goal tending too.

 

[pixburgher66]

Pitiful performance. Hope you remove your heads from your butts, because it's not gonna be any easier. The sad part is...Tampa didn't really outplay us. They just know how to capitalize on poor defense.

 

[Dacks]

Well, it's one game. I know guys like Fleury and Orpik can put this disaster behind them. Hopefully Letang too. But that powerplay worries me. You can't win a round, let alone go far in the playoffs, with an impotent powerplay.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

It's only two games and it's tied. There's a long way to go folks.

 

[JustAsking]

Well, it's one game. I know guys like Fleury and Orpik can put this disaster behind them. Hopefully Letang too. But that powerplay worries me. You can't win a round, let alone go far in the playoffs, with an impotent powerplay.

An impotent PP is never a good thing.

 

[Dacks]

An impotent PP is never a good thing.

lol, definitely funnier when you say it aloud.

 

[JustAsking]

Roloson leaving to the bench with his stick raised before the game was over... that's kind of cool....

 

[pixburgher66]

On a positive note...Buccos up 6-0 in the bottom of the ninth, Morton pitched 8 full with only 4 hits, 2 walks, 2ks, and all in 99 pitches. Not sure if he's starting the 9th for a CG.

 

[pixburgher66]

Damnit. Jay Bruce you tightwad. And just gonna say, the Reds announcers are jokes. Still 6-1, but wanted Charlie to keep a CG and shutout. 2 outs too.

 

[dare2be]

Sorry I wasn't here last night, I went out to the bar to watch, and was too depressed to log in here after coming back.

I see postmaster participated in the GNT to practice his Pens fandom in preparation for game 3. :p

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Found it. Sorry, was watching caps game last night and wanted to read this to see what happened.

 

[evolver115]

That was one of the worst performances I think I've ever seen from this group of players for Pittsburgh. Aside from about 12 minutes in the second period, they were resigned to bow down to the trap. They have got to put a better net front presence on Roloson, who had easy saves all night that he could watch all the way in. It was no coincidence that the only goal Pit scored all night was 4 feet in front of the net.

Poorly officiated game, as well. It was as if the officials came onto the ice planning on giving a penalty to Pittsburgh to make up for the perceived lack of calls against them from game one... In fact, two penalties completely altered this game in favor of Tampa. The call on Talbot in the games' opening minute was ridiculous. It immediately put Pittsburgh into the special teams competition with Tampa, and they cannot match them.

The other penalty that pretty much ended any chance pittsburgh had of coming back was the call on Orpik at the end of the second, which was a joke. This is the fucking playoffs, it's not November hockey. Thank god there will be different officials on Monday, those four assholes can go suck off Boucher until then.

/rant

 

[pixburgher66]

That was one of the worst performances I think I've ever seen from this group of players for Pittsburgh. Aside from about 12 minutes in the second period, they were resigned to bow down to the trap. They have got to put a better net front presence on Roloson, who had easy saves all night that he could watch all the way in. It was no coincidence that the only goal Pit scored all night was 4 feet in front of the net.

Poorly officiated game, as well. It was as if the officials came onto the ice planning on giving a penalty to Pittsburgh to make up for the perceived lack of calls against them from game one... In fact, two penalties completely altered this game in favor of Tampa. The call on Talbot in the games' opening minute was ridiculous. It immediately put Pittsburgh into the special teams competition with Tampa, and they cannot match them.

The other penalty that pretty much ended any chance pittsburgh had of coming back was the call on Orpik at the end of the second, which was a joke. This is the fucking playoffs, it's not November hockey. Thank god there will be different officials on Monday, those four assholes can go suck off Boucher until then.

/rant

They were just greatly inconsistent. You can make those calls...but you have to make them all night. They were ticky tacky on both sides in the first period, but then they called a light shove at the end of a well played, fast paced second. However, the Pens got their fair share of penalty calls, and did squat with them. 0-12 is disturbingly bad.

 

[evolver115]

They were just greatly inconsistent. You can make those calls...but you have to make them all night. They were ticky tacky on both sides in the first period, but then they called a light shove at the end of a well played, fast paced second. However, the Pens got their fair share of penalty calls, and did squat with them. 0-12 is disturbingly bad.

And that was the call that has me bent this morning... the call on Orpik with twenty seconds to go in the 2nd period. The game had taken on a different feel at that point, aka a playoff hockey game feel. Both teams were taking the body, and both were getting away with plays away from the puck that would be obvious infractions in the regular season.

This ain't the regular season, and those refs from last nite seemed to have the seeds of Tampas coaching staff planted in their brains.

 

[evolver115]

Evidence to support my claim:

The 6-1 edge in power plays the Penguins had in the series opener continued to be a major topic of discussion in the hours leading up to Game 2.

Lightning coach Guy Boucher said before his team's optional skate that "I don't think the last game was a 6-1 game at all" -- and that was a day after Boucher pointed out that the Penguins were the most-penalized team in the regular season -- while Tampa Bay left winger Ryan Malone suggested that his former teammates have a knack for getting attention when there has been an infraction.

Boucher was looking for the even-up. I know it's part of the job, and he did what he needed to do. It just pisses me off when the refs give it to them on a silver platter. The call on Orpik was horrendous.

Not twenty seconds before that call was made, Root Sports showed Letang being hauled down from behind at center ice, and the puck is nowhere to be seen.

I hate blaming the refs... and the Pens powerplay was horrible last night, and just as responsible for this loss, but the refs didn't make it any easier.

 

[pixburgher66]

The whole talking to the refs in between games thing just bothers me. It reeks of foul play. I think there should be a rotation of refs in between every game to avoid just that. If someone has something to complain about, bring it to the series supervisor. It's hard to complain about something that is technically an infraction and the refs have the 'right' to call, but the amount of soft calls that have happened all series is just weird. Honestly, the Pens having 12 in 2 games is a crap ton. The penalty numbers against the Pens make sense. I'd rather the refs simply call an even game in the sense that they don't call as much instead of calling everything for both teams. I just have a gut feeling that the stupid "high stick" on St.Louis is what shifted their focus towards penalizing the Pens.

 

[postmaster]

Every coach does it.
The fix needs to be consistent officiating.
Easier said than done.

 

[pixburgher66]

Every coach does it.
The fix needs to be consistent officiating.
Easier said than done.

Yeah, I know...it's just so fishy sounding. I mean, the ROOT guys were discussing it during the game and basically said it can win or lose series for you...and that just seems so very wrong. But, I understand it's part of the game.