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Pens March 2020

Sometimes, Geno shows the approximate awareness of a minor league rookie free agent...... U
 
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Aside Jake, the Guins are largely full strength up front.......Jerks are playing with their top D-pairing out.....with a rookie in goal.....and the Guins have had 6PPs (versus 2 for the Jerks)......and they're still getting outshot halfway through the game.
 
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Trying to get a consistent effort out of these guys for at least an entire period seems impossible, nevermind a full game. Dumb penalties, lazy all around. Several of em need a swift kick in the ass, which will never happen of course...
 
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Aside Horndog and Geno.....who's done at least as much bad as good......what have they really gotten from the top of the lineup (and I'm NOT including Marleau in that group) the entire game ?? I mean, their best player, for crying out loud, has been friggin Rodrigues.
 
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OK, Caufield is fawning all over the one shift where Sid was strong.....and he WAS (but which did NOT result in a score). Waiting for him to tell me if Sid has done anything else in the first 2 periods.
 
Tricky Nicky a team low thus far with 3:30 TOI......and Sheary is second low at 7:10 TOI. Doesn't look like either of these guys is adding much to this lineup....
 
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I am not sure any team in the league screens their goalies more....than the Pens.

Agreed......nor am I sure if any team in the League has more cross-ice passes broken up/intercepted then the Pens. Obviously, the formula to beat this team is simply to clog the defensive zone between the dots and let the Pens throw it around the perimeter until they turn it over trying to make a pretty (or blind) pass.
 
Agreed......nor am I sure if any team in the League has more cross-ice passes broken up/intercepted then the Pens. Obviously, the formula to beat this team is simply to clog the defensive zone between the dots and let the Pens throw it around the perimeter until they turn it over trying to make a pretty (or blind) pass.
Yep, daring them to dump/ forecheck as well from the neutral zone and they simply wont do it.

Simply put, two garbage efforts much like we saw out west. Sully's message is obviously not getting through, cause their is no way he's teaching them this crap.
 
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Yep, daring them to dump/ forecheck as well from the neutral zone and they simply wont do it.

Simply put, two garbage efforts much like we saw out west. Sully's message is obviously not getting through, cause their is no way he's teaching them this crap.

He's talking to the Press everyday about getting back to what they did back in January while his team sets world records for bad passes/turnovers.
 
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And as for the goaltending of late...P Roy could be in net and lose these games badly. It'd be nice if there were a goal or 2 less over each of the last few weeks games, however they are both being totally hung out to dry. I am not sure I've seen so many odd man rushes, simple D breakdowns and careless treatment of the puck by the O and D in years. And really if they both did headstands in the crease they would still be losing these games. Maybe that's what it's gonna take to drive home any kind of message since the coach is obviously falling on deaf ears...some kind of otherworldly efforts in the cage. I'm not holding my breath. A few more of these type games and I'd wager much of the fanbase will completely check out on the season like many of the players have....sad.
 
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PensBurgh reporting this afternoon that, per a Frank Servalli tweet, the Pens will be signing free agent Dartmouth F Drew O'Conner; a 6-3 200 kid who has reportedly scored 38 goals in 68 games over the past 2 seasons (said to be 3rd in the country).

The sophomore supposedly was 5-8 as a freshman (presumably why he wasn;t drafted previously), so he's had his growth spurt....and has been conference Rookie of the Week 3 times this season (including the last two consecutive weeks). TSN has rated him as the #4 available FA, and is calling him the Co-POY in the ECAC (but I don't think that's accurate.....I don't believe this award is typically is given until later in March). FYI, other players coming from the ECAC the last ten years include Shayne Gostisbehere, Jimmy Vesey, and Teddy Donato.

FWIW, as of 430EDT this afternoon, this development is not being reported by either PHN or DK (who at least mentioned the kid last night).
 
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PensBurgh reporting this afternoon that, per a Frank Servalli tweet, the Pens will be signing free agent Dartmouth F Drew O'Conner; a 6-3 200 kid who has reportedly scored 38 goals in 68 games over the past 2 seasons (said to be 3rd in the country).

The sophomore supposedly was 5-8 as a freshman (presumably why he wasn;t drafted previously), so he's had his growth spurt....and has been conference Rookie of the Week 3 times this season (including the last two consecutive weeks). TSN has rated him as the #4 available FA, and is calling him the Co-POY in the ECAC (but I don't think that's accurate.....I don't believe this award is typically is given until later in March). FYI, other players coming from the ECAC the last ten years include Shayne Gostisbehere, Jimmy Vesey, and Teddy Donato.

FWIW, as of 430EDT this afternoon, this development is not being reported by either PHN or DK (who at least mentioned the kid last night).
Third in which Country? Sid is from Dartmouth ya know (well ya Cole Harbour if ya wanna get fussy)....:wink:....next question, when can 6'3 200 suit up? Need him NOW, ugh....
 
Looks like no updates from Pens media this morning on the rumored O'Conner signing; which means the report, at best, is/was premature....and at worst, is/was wrong. FWIW, I know the Broons (and presumably others, like the Borough teams) were previously considered to be in on the kid
 
You know, I saw my first Pens game ever back in something like 1971; and I've been rooting for them every since.

In all those years......and after having followed all those shitty teams (with equally shitty ownership, fromt offices, and coaches) in the 70's and early 80's before Mario came to town......I truthfully can't remember a single time where the entire organization seems to be this lost.

From the top of their current food chain.....though I don't think Mario is giving too many interviews these days......on down to the local media; nobody seems to have much clue how they break out of this funk beyond the hockey-standard "simplify things" rant.

Obviously, a bad streak can come to an end in one game; unfortunately, a fair number of folks (not sure I was one of them) thought that happened last week versus the Sabres and Sens. But they hardly outplayed the Sabres, and the Sens game (to me) was little more than a shoulder-shrugger.

Meanwhile, I have no clue what unit.....or player(s).....can/will take the lead in getting the team out of these doldrums. I mean, when in the past has Sid or Geno or Letang or anyone else gone through anything this smelly as members of this organization ??

Anyway, this past weekend truthfully has me worried this streak may not be close to ending; somebody please convince me I'm over-reacting (and that this is not the case).
 
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You know, I saw my first Pens game ever back in something like 1971; and I've been rooting for them every since.

In all those years......and after having followed all those shitty teams (with equally shitty ownership, fromt offices, and coaches) in the 70's and early 80's before Mario came to town......I truthfully can't remember a single time where the entire organization seems to be this lost.

From the top of their current food chain.....though I don't think Mario is giving too many interviews these days......on down to the local media; nobody seems to have much clue how they break out of this funk beyond the hockey-standard "simplify things" rant.

Obviously, a bad streak can come to an end in one game; unfortunately, a fair number of folks (not sure I was one of them) thought that happened last week versus the Sabres and Sens. But they hardly outplayed the Sabres, and the Sens game (to me) was little more than a shoulder-shrugger.

Meanwhile, I have no clue what unit.....or player(s).....can/will take the lead in getting the team out of these doldrums. I mean, when in the past has Sid or Geno or Letang or anyone else gone through anything this smelly as members of this organization ??

Anyway, this past weekend truthfully has me worried this streak may not be close to ending; somebody please convince me I'm over-reacting (and that this is not the case).
Can't convince you... the wins we have seen as you mention were not convincing imo. The Sabres would've won if not for some very good goaltending. Ottawa ya meh...what can you take from that? In saying that, you're not overreacting the way I have seen many on some boards doing ie: 'I am done with this team, this team is garbage and will be lucky to win another game...blah blah'

To me it's one of or perhaps a combo of two things.... teams have now started to figure out, simply wait for the Pens to skate around and then make the dumb/panic play because they will force it. Also, play a 4-1 (which I expect to see tonight), cause they won't consistently forecheck...
In saying that, The Pens have been exceptionally lazy both in the passing (this is supposed to be our game) and forecheck department. It's entirely fixable. If the cross ice isn't there? Rather than double back or force it, flip it deep and go get it. Many of our forwards are fully capable of getting it back...will they finally realize this? Well they're pro hockey players, they damnwell should. Further to that thought Sully has to be telling them this, he's not stupid....
 
Up and down in the first. Great effort from some, others taking risks and totally MIA namely the top 6. It's a shame the tying marker went in as well...let's hope he settles and one of the big guns decides to play?
 
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