Game Thread: Penguins GDT/GNT's week 24 (Mar 16 - Mar 22)

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

This week's schedule…

Tuesday, March 17th @ New Jersey Devils

Thursday, March 19th @ Dallas Stars

Saturday, March 21st @ Phoenix Coyotes

 

[scoutyjones2]

I am not sure they will win any of these...Malkin out 2 weeks and Horny gone for at least a week...

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

I am not sure they will win any of these...Malkin out 2 weeks and Horny gone for at least a week...

DAMN!!!

 

[thedddd]

Really not much to say outside of , losing to the Devils.

 

[scoutyjones2]

And there you have it...another game with no scoring. This why I rail on Skid...he is not a scorer...nobody is but Malkin.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Wow, the Pens really suck. Quit going backwards in the offensive zone...Letang playing like shjt

 

[thedddd]

Yeah they aren't looking good. I am wondering if/when their next goal will be scored.

 

[thedddd]

Walk away for a few and come back to this crap.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Craptastic. Going on 200 minutes without a goal on the road

 

[scoutyjones2]

Oh yeah, bout time Bennett scores...except it was for Dallas

 

[thedddd]

Holy sh*t a goal!

 

[evolver115]

You know, it used to be that when Geno was out of the lineup, Crosby would elevate his game to an even higher level to pick up the slack. With Geno out of the lineup since the beginning of the Boston game last week, Sid has literally gone into hiding. Tocchet better start putting his face on the back of milk carton's, because his highest paid forward has gone missing.

 

[evolver115]

Also this:

 

[evolver115]

 

[scoutyjones2]

You know...the penalty calls are down, offense is down...but Pittsburghs has freaking disappeared! This team is hard to watch but dam it, I am a fan and I keep watching this shitfest!

 

[evolver115]

It's adversity. Something we haven't seen around here in the regular season for about 5 years.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

It's adversity. Something we haven't seen around here in the regular season for about 5 years.

True, but the last time we faced this kind of adversity during the season, we made some big changes to turn that season around. I don't think we've made those kind of changes to turn the season around this year. It might build character going forward, but I don't see much hope for this season. Hopefully they prove me wrong tho.

 

[evolver115]

True, but the last time we faced this kind of adversity during the season, we made some big changes to turn that season around. I don't think we've made those kind of changes to turn the season around this year. It might build character going forward, but I don't see much hope for this season. Hopefully they prove me wrong tho.

It is hard to say what is going to happen, Doobs. The Eastern Conference has a lot of good teams, but there isn't one team that I'd put above all of the rest. Price and Lundqvist could steal a series. The Bolts could outscore you in a run and gun series. Caps and Isles can wear you out with 3 very solid lines, and decent 4th lines. But all of those teams aren't juggernauts. They can be beaten, even by the Penguins provided a healthy roster. Fleury is having one hell of a season, and for the first time in a while, I don't have any concerns about him. MAF will be the least of their problems this post-season.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

It is hard to say what is going to happen, Doobs. The Eastern Conference has a lot of good teams, but there isn't one team that I'd put above all of the rest. Price and Lundqvist could steal a series. The Bolts could outscore you in a run and gun series. Caps and Isles can wear you out with 3 very solid lines, and decent 4th lines. But all of those teams aren't juggernauts. They can be beaten, even by the Penguins provided a healthy roster. Fleury is having one hell of a season, and for the first time in a while, I don't have any concerns about him. MAF will be the least of their problems this post-season.

I agree, I just think we gotta score more. If we can't score, we're not the Penguins. That's been our identity since I've been watching this team, a team that scores goals. Somehow we gotta get back to that.

 

[evolver115]

I agree, I just think we gotta score more. If we can't score, we're not the Penguins. That's been our identity since I've been watching this team, a team that scores goals. Somehow we gotta get back to that.

It think a lot of the lack of scoring for them has been two things. First, Johnston has them playing a much more defensive-minded style. They aren't pushing play as quickly up ice like they did under Bylsma. And because of that, Fleury isn't facing as many odd man breaks like it seemed he always was in previous seasons. The Pens are in the top 10 in goals against/per game, currently at #8 at 2.41. The drawback in that less risky approach is that they're obviously limiting their offensive opportunities.

The other thing limiting their scoring is the lack of success on the power-play. As a team, they've really struggled with the PP since like the end of November. Too much cross-ice passing looking for the perfect shot. Poor zone entries, and a lack of crashing the net looking for rebounds. If they could just get the power-play back on track, it would really lift this team quite a bit.