Penguins

Pens have more jump this game, winning races, battling hard in the corners now if they cut down on stupid mistakes.

 

I only got to watch the live look-in...saw them trying to make a push a missed holding in the corner the missed too many men and the missed tripping..

 

Well I think that may be all she wrote for Kessel and Letang. The Pens don't have the cap space or draft picks to reload for next year. If not Letang it will be Maata but I definitely think that was Kessel's last game in Pittsburgh

 

Letang is directly responsible for many of those odd man rushes.

He's also, not doing enough on offense to make up for those mistakes.

They made the Islanders look like the Lightning.

 

Umm, The Lightning losing their series was far worse.

Pens worst choke job in the playoffs in their history though.

Maatta should have been in for Johnson. Terribly out coached and out played all the way around.

 

I meant in terms of the offense they were allowing...
Way too many breakdowns. Bad coaching or worse.

Why were they still trying cross ice passes when they were picking everyone of them off?!

 

Malkin doesn't know how to pass anymore and Crosby won't shoot. This team is a mess chemistry wise. Time for lot's of changes.

 

I laughed at that empty net goal at the end. Was so fitting for the sweep lol

 

Blue Jackets are this year's Golden Knights! As Pittsburgh's closest NHL neighbor, I wish then well. Not sure what was more shocking this week: Tiger getting another Green Jacket or Columbus sweeping the mighty Lightning! Both were very sweet to watch IMO.

 

Anyone sorry to see Maatta leave town? Me neither. Remarkably, while he was pretty good at first, this guy has gotten worse every year he's played - can't defend, can't pass and can't clear the puck. While the D was poor this past year, it was even worse when he returned from IR. Hoping Rutherford can pull a few more D rabbits out of his.....hat....while the O still has this group of "superstars".

 

Honestly I don't know if it was his injuries or the fact that he never realized his potential but he never played using his size, don't know if he was too use to the free wheeling European style game or what but he wasn't big on contact or using his body to force guys to work for the puck. I had him as third on the list of guys that JR would try to move this offseason. My list was Kessel, Letang and then possibly Maatta. I can't believe they are talking about Geno but could be stuck with Kessel who doesn't play D. Letang's game dropped off after his injuries, really think he needs to focus on being good in the D zone and stop joining the rush.

 

I think it was game 2 against the Isles where Jack Johnson (Maata's replacement) had a clean shot to legally clean the clock of the player that had the puck and he completely put on the breaks. Knew from that second the Pens didn't stand a chance in the playoffs this year.

How embarrassing that they got swept by a team (Isles) that got swept by (Carolina) that got Swept by (Bruins). Should be a definite wake up call for Lemieux and company.

 

The playoffs this year was all about teams finding their game and sticking to it. You look at the games the Bruins won vs ones the Blues won and when the Bruins were bottling up guys and slowing down the rush and putting bodies in front of Rask they were hard to beat. When the Blues could dump the puck in and go and get it aggressively they carried the play and the score reflected it. Without having four solid lines to roll Sully didn't have the guys playing his game. Malkin and Kessel are literally a nightmare when defending your own zone, Geno makes drop passes to air and turns the puck over and Kessel just phones in his back check. They need that 3rd and 4th line to generate consistently. It was a shame they had to dump Sheary in order to get Johnson and were trying all kinds of stuff to get a linemate for Sid and Guetzel.

 

What’s the purpose of switching lines? Is it to generate mis matches or they do it because the guys get tired

 

Partially to generate mismatches but you are looking for lightening in a bottle. Line Chemistry is something every team tries for but it can be a mixed bag of results. During the 16 cup run the HBK line was on fire. Didn't matter if Kessel was sloppy on defense, Hagelin's speed and Bonino's 2 way game covered for it and they were a force on the third line. Sid and the kids was another good line combo which was great to start with then Sheary hit a bit of a slump and just wasn't getting good shots so the tried moving him up and down the lineup to jump start him.

 

yeah i remember that HBK line and even shawn michaels going to that game 5 and we lost vs the lightning lol then we won the next 2 games and made the stanley cup.