Game Thread: Pens Last Week of the Regular Season

[scoutyjones2]

One goal and done!

 

[Burghfan]

One goal and done!

And by Scuderi of all people. All they have to do is lose to Buffalo and the melt down is complete.

Only question I had was the penalty call on Downie. Clipping? Really? I thought you had to go lower than the waist to get called for clipping. Or was it good acting and Downie throwing the check that drew the penalty?

 

[scoutyjones2]

Oh, they'll lose to the Sabe's

 

[element1286]

And by Scuderi of all people. All they have to do is lose to Buffalo and the melt down is complete.

Only question I had was the penalty call on Downie. Clipping? Really? I thought you had to go lower than the waist to get called for clipping. Or was it good acting and Downie throwing the check that drew the penalty?

It was Downie getting called because he is Steve Downie.

 

[element1286]

Team looked gassed in the third. Crosby was the only guy with any jump at the end of the game.

Malkin is having a rough time since returning from injury too, no goals in 9 games, and only 3 pts.

 

[element1286]

Also, if this team makes the playoffs, can't see any reason not to bring up Kapanen.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Letang done for the year

 

[scoutyjones2]

Pens v Rags....uggg

 

[thedddd]

^ Yep exactly not going to be pretty.

 

[Darkstone42]

They already can't score, and now they have to deal with that defense and Lundqvist.

 

[3riverbabe]

The Rangers are a really fast team. Hope we don't get swept.

 

[evolver115]

It's great that they finally pulled through and clinched the last spot in the east. Missing the post-season would've been very disappointing. I love the fact that they clinched the 8th seed and eliminated Boston. That's a small measure of revenge against the Broons.

Also, I love the disappointment of all the haters who were busy praying that the Penguins wouldn't make it just to make themselves feel better about their pathetic hockey team not making the tournament.

No matter what happens, at least they are in it. Missing two of their top four d-men in the final ten games looked like it would be the straw that broke the camel's back, but they persevered and here they are. I think they should play loose and with nothing to lose against the Rags. Almost no one gave the Rangers a chance last season against them, so now the tables are turned. You never know what is going to happen.

Here's to the post-season

 

[Burghfan]

Well they may have backed in, but they're in. They looked gassed for most of the game. I was surprised when I turned on the Isles/Jackets game in OT and the Islanders still had a lot of spring in their stride. Are the Pens that bad out of shape?

You know what I love the most about the Pens making the playoffs? The Bruins didn't!

 

[element1286]

Welp, definitely a different way to enter the playoffs. See if they can pull an upset, or at least take the Rangers to the brink.

 

[Darkstone42]

Maybe inserting some AHLers will give them some energy. A lot of the NHL forwards were dragging.

 

[Burghfan]

Maybe inserting some AHLers will give them some energy. A lot of the NHL forwards were dragging.

They definitely need some help on defense. Missing Letang, Pouliout, and Matta (remember him?) is taking its toll. Too bad its going to hurt the Baby Pens as they make their run. I guess its just for 4 games and then they can go back to Wilkes-Barre.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Wait, they were pathetic and losing with Letang. Pouliot, while a lot of upside, was a negative on the defensive end, which I expect to change as he acclimates more to his pairings, and the NHL speed. Maata has been out all year so that's a BS excuse.

They ranked like top 5 defensively even with the supposed "issues" cited. Mainly because of Fleury.

The problem is scoring...actually hitting the twine behind the goalie. They need a sniper

 

[Burghfan]

Wait, they were pathetic and losing with Letang. Pouliot, while a lot of upside, was a negative on the defensive end, which I expect to change as he acclimates more to his pairings, and the NHL speed. Maata has been out all year so that's a BS excuse.

They ranked like top 5 defensively even with the supposed "issues" cited. Mainly because of Fleury.

The problem is scoring...actually hitting the twine behind the goalie. They need a sniper

What I meant about Maata was that with him gone they had to bring in someone with less talent. I thought he was good in his own end and could make the big outlet pass too. Maybe that's been their problem they don't have a D man back there who can make the big pass and spring the forwards. The Pens seem to get most of their goals on a rush, not on a set play in the offensive zone.

I still don't know what to say about the offense. They'll out shoot the other team 2 to 1, but nothing goes in. The other goalie will make some great saves, but more often they're just hitting him.

 

[element1286]

Maybe that's been their problem they don't have a D man back there who can make the big pass and spring the forwards.

I think this has been a huge problem recently.

Of course the forwards can't score either, as Scouty said, some bad puck luck isn't helping that cause recently. Hopefully the puck luck turns around in the playoffs. But I agree with DS the team looks tired. I'd like to see Megna or Kapenen come up and play at least spot duty. Maybe sit Bennett or Downie or Comeau one night and see if either of those two can spark the team. I'd toy with sitting Perron too he has really lost his ability to score, and his situational awareness has been really poor.

 

[thedddd]

^for that matter just sit Spaling all playoffs for one of them two.