Series Thread: Pens v BlueJackets Rnd 1

[element1286]

Kovacevic: Still waiting on Crosby, Malkin | TribLIVE

Decent Article from the insufferable Dejan.

I don't care, honestly, that Rob Scuderi has been reduced to a rusty turnstile. Or that Kris Letang is a botched assignment or bad penalty waiting to happen. Or that Craig Adams no longer can cover his quadrant on a penalty kill. Or that third- and fourth-liners keep taking stupid offensive-zone penalties. Or that Chris Kunitz and James Neal are looking up at a lot of third- and fourth-liners on the scoring list. Or even that Dan Bylsma braincramped after a strong start to his playoffs by getting greedy with a four-forward power play.

Todd Richards, the Blue Jackets' coach, was asked why he stopped shadowing Crosby with uber-pest Brandon Dubinsky early in Game 2. His response was as damning as it gets: “Once we got going, I saw the success of other guys against Crosby, and I didn't feel the need to chase the matchup.”

Todd Richards pretty much sums it up. The Sid of old would take that as a challenge.

 

[element1286]

NHL playoffs: Rob Scuderi weighing down Penguins' Stanley Cup hopes - SBNation.com

Pretty damning of Scuds play, but maybe the solution is to pair him with Maata, as I haven't been too impressed with Maata so far this postseason. They both play similar games.

 

[thedddd]

NHL playoffs: Rob Scuderi weighing down Penguins' Stanley Cup hopes - SBNation.com

Pretty damning of Scuds play, but maybe the solution is to pair him with Maata, as I haven't been too impressed with Maata so far this postseason. They both play similar games.

Maatta looks like he is skating through quicksand out there. I think if they were paired together they would be exposed way too much.

 

[element1286]

Maatta looks like he is skating through quicksand out there. I think if they were paired together they would be exposed way too much.

Yea, looking at the numbers though, they've only played like 50 minutes together, so SSS. Yeah, Maata isn't a great skater, certainly nothing like Letang, not even as quick as Orpik, but he's a smart skater like Paul Martin.

 

[thedddd]

Sad but true. Letang - signed through 2022 @ cap hit of 7.25 and Scuderi signed through 2016 @ hit of 3.375

It is very sad to think 11 million tied up to what is basically their 6th/7th d-men at the rate they are playing right now.

 

[thedddd]

Yea, looking at the numbers though, they've only played like 50 minutes together, so SSS. Yeah, Maata isn't a great skater, certainly nothing like Letang, not even as quick as Orpik, but he's a smart skater like Paul Martin.

Great point. I was thinking more this series he seems slower than normal.

 

[Darkstone42]

I think number one we need more speed on the ice. Despres and Engelland can replace Scuderi and Orpik to that end on the blue line, and Megna in over Adams on the fourth line.

The next step is to try a different strategy in the offensive zone. I think one of the big reasons Sid and Geno get shut down in the playoffs the last few years is because the defenses know what to look for when they're on the ice. Half of that is on the players, but half is also on the coaching. You don't have to shuffle lines, but you do have to mix up strategies. Have them set up dumps and chases, for example. Get Kunitz flying in to throw a big hit on a defenseman to start the possession. Get them reeling right off the bat. Right now, they're trying to carry it in and score on the rush every time. It gets predictable.

And we need to get some skill guys out on the powerplay. Jokinen, Crosby, and Kunitz are all decently defensively responsible. Use them on the kill, and the opposing powerplay can't be as aggressive. If you make a mistake against Adams and Glass, they're probably not going to burn you for a shorty. Make that same mistake against Sid, and you might have a problem.

The adjustments are simple enough, and it doesn't even disrupt Dan's core philosophy, but he just doesn't seem to want to use them.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

How sad, in spite of us all lowering our expectations for the Pens, they still manage to disappoint in the playoffs.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

HOLY SH*T nice job Pens!

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

WOW WHAT A COMEBACK!

 

[Darkstone42]

They really turned it around late in the second period, in my opinion, and started to play like the team they should be playing like. They need to carry that into the next game.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

They really turned it around late in the second period, in my opinion, and started to play like the team they should be playing like. They need to carry that into the next game.

It's like they just flipped a switched and brought their A game. Was like watching 2 different teams from the beginning to the end.

 

[mtm166]

Nice win, but I'm not sold. This would've been long over against Boston. Letang is a total train wreck. Flower was our best player and Martin was a close second

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Nice win, but I'm not sold. This would've been long over against Boston. Letang is a total train wreck. Flower was our best player and Martin was a close second

I'm not even thinking about Boston. I just don't want to go down in the 1st round to the Blue Jackets. That would just be the most pathetic thing imaginable.

 

[Todd1a]

what a melt down by the blue jackets wow just wow

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

what a melt down by the blue jackets wow just wow

This whole series has been about meltdowns. Unreal!

 

[Darkstone42]

Do not, under any circumstances, get a 3-1 lead.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Thank goodness that the Blue Jackets defense & goaltending is struggling as well.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Do I dare say that Olli Maatta & Jussi Jokinen know how to Finnish?

 

[mtm166]

Do I dare say that Olli Maatta & Jussi Jokinen know how to Finnish?

Nice.