The 'problems' with the Pens are pretty easily fixable. If they even exist at all. End of the year, the Pens players have been having a whale of a time since the all star break. Crosby came back and it became an all star game for these guys.
My avatar guy said it best during the game, referring to the Pens as the Harlem Globetrotters several times. Bylsma is letting the guys have fun. It does not matter anyways, first is out of reach and even home ice means nothing. We win in Philly they win here.
Come playoff time this is not the team that will take the ice. Huge hits, much more defensively responsible, guys not cheating up the ice, and you will not see the constant odd man breaks the other way. This team has a lot of guys who have been here before, know that game well, and can and will play it well. The hystrics and womanly behavior is better suited to those on the other side of our great state, some here should be embarrassed. I think that when we do tighten up, we might even catch Philly overconfident. Maybe Bylsma has that in mind too.
Will always remind me of my favorite Penguins video which is shockingly a few days from being eight years old.
We may not get along very well but this is one thing I'll never be able to disagree with you on. I've always loved this video. The part starting at 2:00 is the best part, for me at least. I'll never forget Morozov grabbing the Penguin symbol and waving it the way he did. Two overtime game winners in two days, both at the Igloo. Great, great times.
It's just too bad that what Hartnell said about the CEC is so sad but so true.
i spent a good ten minutes watching Al Jolson sing in blackface on youtube trying to find the moment when he invent the phrase in 1927. i failed and was so disgusted i didn't even bother going the BTO route.
I'm not really too impressed with the Flyers. Their defense is playing pretty well and they've got talent and scoring depth but I think that their skill players all have issues and it's hard to ignore the shot differential.
I think that Timmonen can probably be limited again by playing physical on him. Giroux is a sissy and I don't think his oscar-worthy acting is going to play for as many penalties in the playoffs. I think they'll be very dependent on guys like Jagr (old), Briere (small) and Read (inexperienced)
If the Pens play defense like they're capable of then the series shouldn't go past five games imo. Maybe six if Fleury gifts one to them.
I'm not really too impressed with the Flyers. Their defense is playing pretty well and they've got talent and scoring depth but I think that their skill players all have issues and it's hard to ignore the shot differential.
I think that Timmonen can probably be limited again by playing physical on him. Giroux is a sissy and I don't think his oscar-worthy acting is going to play for as many penalties in the playoffs. I think they'll be very dependent on guys like Jagr (old), Briere (small) and Read (inexperienced)
If the Pens play defense like they're capable of then the series shouldn't go past five games imo. Maybe six if Fleury gifts one to them.
Pretty much my thoughts. The Pens are having fun like I said, but we all know that this is NOT Bylsma's game. Going into the playoffs he will pull back the reins and the Pens will play his system a lot less loosely. I could see the Pens in five and said as much above.
Pretty much my thoughts. The Pens are having fun like I said, but we all know that this is NOT Bylsma's game. Going into the playoffs he will pull back the reins and the Pens will play his system a lot less loosely. I could see the Pens in five and said as much above.
I hope you are right, but I just think back to 2010. They tried to flip the switch in the playoffs and just couldn't.
I hope you are right, but I just think back to 2010. They tried to flip the switch in the playoffs and just couldn't.
Missing Malkin, Crosby and half their team? And still coming within a game of advancing anyways. I think that played a bigger role than turning anything on or off.
Missing Malkin, Crosby and half their team? And still coming within a game of advancing anyways. I think that played a bigger role than turning anything on or off.
No.... I'm talking 2010.. as in losing to Montreal and playing awfully defensively against Ottawa the series before. Obviously, the situations are a bit different, but the point is that the Pens knew they were playing bad D going into the playoffs and nothing changed. But aside from an early 15 game stretch that team sucked... so I dunno. Haha
No.... I'm talking 2010.. as in losing to Montreal and playing awfully defensively against Ottawa the series before. Obviously, the situations are a bit different, but the point is that the Pens knew they were playing bad D going into the playoffs and nothing changed. But aside from an early 15 game stretch that team sucked... so I dunno. Haha
Ah, thought you meant last year's playoffs, not the year before. I have discussed before how different that team was back then, the one that lost to Montreal, the one that never could beat the Devils. The Pens seem to have the answer to teams like that this year, and are far better at beating the trap.
In 2010, I just didn't think we had the wingers to give Sid and Geno the space they needed and we also ran into a hot goalie in Halak. Montreal were hot and we just weren't good enough.
This time, I think it'll be different against Philly. We certainly have the firepower to win, but we have to be better defensively and Fleury needs to find his form again.
To me, Philly's a good, but not great team. If we're playing the way we should and need to be playing, this is a 6 game series with us on top
Noone can deny this is going on 3 years in a row where we've fallen apart systematically and defensively at the end of the year. Orpik made nearly identical comments the end of last season as he made last week about us trying to outscore instead of out-defend teams. And as I posted in the other thread, a direct quote from an ESPN article after the habs beat us...
"Evgeni Malkin, who looked so good in Game 5, turned in what might have been his worst playoff game as an NHLer, dropping passes to no one and regularly circling in the perimeter or passing into Habs defenders. He finished the series with one goal"
Exactly what's happening now. There's no reason to just assume we'll "tighten up" when the evidence shows otherwise the past two years. We've blown series 2 years in a row we had leads in and have been outscored 6-2 in elimination games.
The team needs a thorough sit down and the stars need to be told to control the puck down low more, stop trying to score off the rush as much, and forecheck teams into pulp the way we did when we won the cup.
Our stars talents can easily be expressed with a dump and chase game. Contrary to what many believe it really isn't that boring or hindering to talented players. They just need to make an effort to execute it.
Noone can deny this is going on 3 years in a row where we've fallen apart systematically and defensively at the end of the year. Orpik made nearly identical comments the end of last season as he made last week about us trying to outscore instead of out-defend teams. And as I posted in the other thread, a direct quote from an ESPN article after the habs beat us...
"Evgeni Malkin, who looked so good in Game 5, turned in what might have been his worst playoff game as an NHLer, dropping passes to no one and regularly circling in the perimeter or passing into Habs defenders. He finished the series with one goal"
Exactly what's happening now. There's no reason to just assume we'll "tighten up" when the evidence shows otherwise the past two years. We've blown series 2 years in a row we had leads in and have been outscored 6-2 in elimination games.
The team needs a thorough sit down and the stars need to be told to control the puck down low more, stop trying to score off the rush as much, and forecheck teams into pulp the way we did when we won the cup.
Our stars talents can easily be expressed with a dump and chase game. Contrary to what many believe it really isn't that boring or hindering to talented players. They just need to make an effort to execute it.
co-sign
we dont play like we did when we won the cup...hell even the fanbase only cares about OMG MOAR GOALZ WINGAR FOR CROSBY MARTIN SUX
I said this a couple games ago and it still rings true. Echoing the offense first mentality this team has had since Sid came back.
The team was just hitting its stride with a Sid'less lineup during the streak and when he came back in a lesser role it was like "Whoa" any line can score to now, where the top 3 lines are thinking offense first and playing a more run and gun style which they know to a man won't win you playoff hockey games. Best to be taught that lesson now than during a playoff series.
They just have to find thier stride with a 100% healthy Sid infused lineup. I'm confident they can and will play better when the games really count.
I dont think anyone is "jumping ship". Penguins are a good team but unless u are blind they are obviously not playing to their full potential. You know how last few games when they are down by 2 or 3 in third and they really turn it on and almost come back every single game? well they should be playing with that kind of desparation the whole game. Thats the problem they are not motivated. Fleury is also having confidence issues since missing that start Vs ottawa he just hasnt looked the same. He was on an awesome roll but DB decided to bench him and broke his roll.
Noone can deny this is going on 3 years in a row where we've fallen apart systematically and defensively at the end of the year. Orpik made nearly identical comments the end of last season as he made last week about us trying to outscore instead of out-defend teams. And as I posted in the other thread, a direct quote from an ESPN article after the habs beat us...
"Evgeni Malkin, who looked so good in Game 5, turned in what might have been his worst playoff game as an NHLer, dropping passes to no one and regularly circling in the perimeter or passing into Habs defenders. He finished the series with one goal"
Exactly what's happening now. There's no reason to just assume we'll "tighten up" when the evidence shows otherwise the past two years. We've blown series 2 years in a row we had leads in and have been outscored 6-2 in elimination games.
The team needs a thorough sit down and the stars need to be told to control the puck down low more, stop trying to score off the rush as much, and forecheck teams into pulp the way we did when we won the cup.
Our stars talents can easily be expressed with a dump and chase game. Contrary to what many believe it really isn't that boring or hindering to talented players. They just need to make an effort to execute it.
Yup. Another parallel from 2010 is that Fleury seems to have rediscovered his old penchant for letting in far too many softies.
Honestly we are going to destroy eachother. Nobody is making it past the second round...
The Pens coasted to the finals in 2008. It was a much tougher road, including the Flyers in round 1, in 2009. Tough matchups aren't always a bad thing.
Yup. Another parallel from 2010 is that Fleury seems to have rediscovered his old penchant for letting in far too many softies.
Ehhhhh, not sure that 3 games of less than stellar play from MAF following over a year of exceptional play can reasonably be expressed as "rediscovering his old penchant". If you're looking for a parallel for Fleury to 2010, you're not gonna find one. Fleury was pretty crap that entire year, through the first round and into the second round, where game 5 was virtually his only solid game. This year, Fleury was been unbelievable. He's had an off week. The two years are incomparable.
Yeah, Fleury and the defense were a ****ing mess in 2010. It was bad...
This last stretch here? Pretty bad.. but it's only a stretch. I have faith that they'll clean things up for the playoffs. If they don't, something is gonna have to change (on defense, obviously). Boston, New York and Philly again should all be pretty great tests.
Noone can deny this is going on 3 years in a row where we've fallen apart systematically and defensively at the end of the year. Orpik made nearly identical comments the end of last season as he made last week about us trying to outscore instead of out-defend teams. And as I posted in the other thread, a direct quote from an ESPN article after the habs beat us...
"Evgeni Malkin, who looked so good in Game 5, turned in what might have been his worst playoff game as an NHLer, dropping passes to no one and regularly circling in the perimeter or passing into Habs defenders. He finished the series with one goal"
Exactly what's happening now. There's no reason to just assume we'll "tighten up" when the evidence shows otherwise the past two years. We've blown series 2 years in a row we had leads in and have been outscored 6-2 in elimination games.
The team needs a thorough sit down and the stars need to be told to control the puck down low more, stop trying to score off the rush as much, and forecheck teams into pulp the way we did when we won the cup.
Our stars talents can easily be expressed with a dump and chase game. Contrary to what many believe it really isn't that boring or hindering to talented players. They just need to make an effort to execute it.
A lot of what you've said here doesn't make sense.
First of all, "3 years in a row where we fell apart systematically and defensively at the end of the year". Ok, so in 2010, we were a bit of a mess THE ENTIRE YEAR systematically and defensively, save for a short span of games following the break. So that year, we absolutely didn't fall apart at the end ... it was a year long problem. In 2011, we were absolutely decimated by injuries to our top players, and still ended up getting over 100 points and winning 3 games in the first round despite our situation simply because we played our system so well at the end of the year. Obviously, the last 3 games we didn't play nearly as well, but the reason we even got to the precipice of winning the first round is due to how well we played our system down the stretch and in the early part of the series. This year, we've played poorly system-wise for a handful of games, which, believe it or not, happens quite a bit after the comedown from a prolonged winning streak. It's never a good thing when it happens, but it does. So looking at the facts more closely, the three years you mentioned don't bear virtually ANY resemblance to each other.
Secondly, you're using a quote about Geno to support your argument, as if the way Geno played during 2010 even remotely resembles the way he's playing this year. It doesn't. Geno was extremely up and down that year, and playing on the perimeter, poor decisions with passes and general boneheaded play was his MO the entire year, it wasn't something that developed magically at the end of the year as you seem to be suggesting.
As to the dump and chase game, it has nothing to do with a correlation of our success ... puck control does. We've had boatloads of success carrying the puck into the zone on the rush in the past three years, and plenty of evidence of times when the dump and chase has been nothing but a way to give the puck back to the other team. The success of both methods depends on the execution, and when the execution fails they both look like ****. Virtually nothing the Flyers did as a team today should have shut down the Pens from playing their game, the players just made terrible decisions. It has nothing to do with the system, everything to do with a handful of players having very bad games. It's just that simple.
