NHL Regular Season 2017-18

[MJ5150]

Lame, they may be, but I believe the win was earned. Perhaps they weren't lame because no matter how well they played, they could not have beaten Columbus at home at this particular time.
I guess I'm saying that it's hard not to take it as a knock on Columbus.

Bro, I agree the win was earned. Here, I'll put it this way.
If Pittsburgh loses to Columbus, I'll call the Pens lame and they won the SC two years in a row. Far from a lame team.
To make you feel better, I'll repeat again how I think Columbus is going to take the next step this year.

-Mike

 

[D M C]

Bro, I agree the win was earned. Here, I'll put it this way.
If Pittsburgh loses to Columbus, I'll call the Pens lame and they won the SC two years in a row. Far from a lame team.
To make you feel better, I'll repeat again how I think Columbus is going to take the next step this year.

-Mike

We cool @MJ5150.

 

[Selta]

Yet another complete breakdown defensively yields an OT loss for the Pens tonight. I guess it's good they at least come away with 1 point, but come on... it's like the defense just decided to stay in the locker room for the last period - which is saying a lot, consdering how poorly it is to begin with.

 

[MJ5150]

Leading the lame list tonight would be the mighty Penguins behind the mightier GM Jim Rutherford. The 'we don't need no defense when we can score 51 goals a game' Jim Rutherford.
Special guest appearance on the lame list tonight from my rockin' Seattle bros.



-Mike

 

[dwm74]

Trying not to be negative but how can the defending champs blow a 2-0 lead to a team that looked in complete disarray for much of the game. Pens weren't exactly lighting it up last night but the Rangers looked like a beer league team for most of the game, until waking up early in the third. Their plan must have been to lull the Pens to sleep and it worked. Since when did Mika Zibanejad become Connor McDavid? He put on quite a display last night, that's for sure. But it was mainly stupid penalties and terrible defending that led to another embarrassing division loss.

 

[SteveC]

That's why they play the games...

 

[Selta]

Trying not to be negative but how can the defending champs blow a 2-0 lead to a team that looked in complete disarray for much of the game.

...terrible defending that led to another embarrassing division loss.

That is all it was. The penalties, while dumb, weren't even that bad. THe lack of anything resembling a coherent defense unit and ability are obvious to just about everyone. I still can't wrap my head around what they were thinking with these moves. At least they'll have a long time to think about it after getting eliminated in the first round.

 

[Funky Ghost]

The Flyers need to finish scoring opportunities. Man that loss to Vegas sucked. Blue Jackets next and they are very motivated to win being in the hunt like the Flyers are and then the 'canes on Sat. with very much the same motivation. The Flyers could fall to last place by next Monday if they don't pull their heads out.

I just wish the boys would put a complete game together.

 

[grrg63]

THe lack of anything resembling a coherent defense unit and ability are obvious to just about everyone.

I thought they played pretty good D in the first 2 periods with guys like Kuhnhackl pitching in too. They let up in the 3rd and got burnt.

 

[DerekW]

You Pens fans do realize you're 21-8-2 since New Years.... right?

I've never heard so many fans of a good, two time defending champion, team complain so much.

You're 5th place in the conference, and 8th overall.

You know you're not going to get 120 points and win the cup every year.... right?

You're 6 points up on the last wildcard spot, with 11-12 games to go. You will make the playoffs.

It's not that bad, give your head a shake, lol

 

[Selta]

Sooo people are not allowed to be critical of a team they follow? Just because they won a couple of cups and have had some decent luck recently, we need to just sit down and not point out the obvious failures?

 

[DerekW]

Well sure, but it's always doom and gloom. You're not in bad shape and have playoff experience (clearly). No doubt it'll be a battle, but you guys could easily beat the Caps or Flyers in the first couple rounds.

 

[MJ5150]

I hopped on the bus and rode along gleefully during the winning streak. It's not all doom and gloom over here.
The bar is set really high in Pittsburgh, and the roster has a few of the best players in the world, so I'm not expecting anything I shouldn't.
The lack of defense being played and the moves at the deadline to dismantle the defense are inexcusable, no matter how many other times in the past the Pens won the SC.
The past is neat and all, but ain't no one going to give a care when these playoffs start.
To the contrary, if I sat here talking all the time about what the Pens did in years prior, youn'z would be giving me a hard time about living in the past, rightfully so.

-Mike

 

[D M C]

Sooo people are not allowed to be critical of a team they follow? Just because they won a couple of cups and have had some decent luck recently, we need to just sit down and not point out the obvious failures?

Yes. Good God, yes! Just shut yer collective yappers!!! And, while you're at it, shut up about the Stillers too!!!


Go Jackets!

 

[MJ5150]

Thank you Pens for finding the will and the way to rub out Montreal tonight.
As for CBJ/PHI, that's one of those games I wish no one won. Just a perpetual shootout.

-Mike

 

[96tbird]

You Pens fans do realize you're 21-8-2 since New Years.... right?

I've never heard so many fans of a good, two time defending champion, team complain so much.

You're 5th place in the conference, and 8th overall.

You know you're not going to get 120 points and win the cup every year.... right?

You're 6 points up on the last wildcard spot, with 11-12 games to go. You will make the playoffs.

It's not that bad, give your head a shake, lol

Well at least it keeps them from the bravado of cutting every other team down. Wait, no it doesn't.

 

[dwm74]

I thought they played pretty good D in the first 2 periods with guys like Kuhnhackl pitching in too. They let up in the 3rd and got burnt.

You brought up a good point that I overlooked...Kuhnackl has been looking much better lately (at both ends) with getting some decent ice time. Even Sheahen is making some things happen with his increased minutes, too.

 

[dwm74]

You Pens fans do realize you're 21-8-2 since New Years.... right?

I've never heard so many fans of a good, two time defending champion, team complain so much.

You're 5th place in the conference, and 8th overall.

You know you're not going to get 120 points and win the cup every year.... right?

You're 6 points up on the last wildcard spot, with 11-12 games to go. You will make the playoffs.

It's not that bad, give your head a shake, lol

Can't disagree with your take, but the thing is exactly what @MJ5150 said...the bar is set really in the 'burgh. And when the two-time defending champs regularly cough up leads or fall behind to teams they should beat handily, it's frustrating. Frustrating because the reasons the Pens are NOT plowing through the league are obvious to anyone to watches the games...lack of good defense. And that is what kills more teams in the playoffs than anything else.

I sincerely hope I'm proven wrong by my trepidation and that the Pens do three-peat. I will gladly eat that huge bowl of crow, especially when the Stanley Cup remains in Pittsburgh. But I'm also a realist about certain things, too, and don't have the same confidence going into the post-season that I had the past two Aprils.

 

[Selta]

Going into the playoffs, defense players are by far the ones that get hurt and have extended time off the ice. Sending the better D-men down the line, with that in mind, was likely a pretty dumb line of thinking. If the Pens make it to say the 2nd round and lose a couple of the mediocre D players they have left, well, it won't be great. Heck, if just Letang goes down it'll be a pretty dire situation as there's just no decent back fill for that kind of loss.
It may very well work out for the Pens in the end. But I strongly feel that the moves were short sighted and poor choices. Brassard is a good forward, yet-another good Center that they didn't really need, whereas Pens really need some depth and stronger players on defense.

Call me a complainer all you want. I really don't mind. Try to throw whatever record in my face that you want as well. Again, I don't mind. As others have said - the bar is pretty high in Pittsburgh. I won't apologize for enjoying the game and having an opinion on what my favorite team is doing.

 

[GoLeafsGo]

Hmmm...so, best player injured, best D-man out with flu, number 1 goalie out, and how do they respond....roll off 4 wins in a row. Okay, 2 were against Barfalo and the Hab-nots, but still... I am starting to think this team could do some damage this spring. Not real happy about the playoff format but it is what it is. Same last year for the Pens and Sens, but this year 3 of the top 6 teams in the league have to play each other in the first 2 rounds. Has to be a better way....