Pens - - Qualifying Round
- Thread starter COOL MAN
- Start date
Stripes are calling everything on Montreal.....not sure they've let anything go.
Unfortunately I am starting to think that way...where in the flying **** was Geno tonight? The puck all around him. He was totally freakin useless. Pissed with his 'effort'....
To go further.... this 2 time Stanley coach is being tuned out, we all see it. And it's not his fault in all likelihood. What we see is not the sustained effort we were once used to...it's rather sad to be honest. Pride in Black and Gold. There are quite a few that dont have it.
I don't think anyone associated with the team can understand Geno's problem, especially coming off this great camp he supposedly had.
Just read a couple depressing tidbits in this morning's post game coverage.....
-Pens have now lost 7 consecutive playoff games
-Had 91 shot attempts last night, with only 41 on goal
-Pens have now lost 7 consecutive playoff games
-Had 91 shot attempts last night, with only 41 on goal
Which to be frank is nutz. You arent scoring if it's not on the net.
In saying that, I am reading quite a bit about how Price was simply exceptional and the X factor. Um, no not really imo. He was good but not overly challenged. In fact the Pens had quite a few chances where he was dead to rights and slightly out of position. Two from Zuck that I recall.
Anyway, it will be awfully curious to see who is in the cage tomorrow... I thought 30 was fairly good in holding them in late, however the 2nd goal against was one he should have snared. It pissed me off to be honest. He seems to have a glaring habit of being unfocused mid game roughly, putting the guys in a hole , then dials it in later allowing them to fight back. Frustrating to say the least.
I'm not sure what we'll get outta Jars if he gets the call either, as he really seemed to tail off in Feb/ March. I suppose a different look with his quality stickwork might be the correct call....
JMO, but my gut feeling is that HCMS will stick with Murray; that's because I don't get the impression he's "blaming" the Game 1 loss on his goaltending.
I myself don't feel like Murray looked confident in the cage, and his rebound control appeared spotty at best. But while he was outplayed by Price, nobody should be surprised about that. And he did make a couple important saves. Meanwhile, in a more "normal" situation, 2 regulation GA should be good enough to win most games versus Montreal..
Besides, the team clearly needs a fallback position (Jarry) in the event they go down 0-2.....even if a Game 2 loss isn't because of lousy goaltending. As for Jarry's decline later in the season, I myself attributed it to the fact he played (comparatively speaking) so many games; he should be well rested now and prepared to match his early season performance.
So its 30 again which is ok by me I guess... I think if they lose tonight whether or not it's on him it'll be Jars for game 3.
Something tells me they wont be afforded so many PP's tonight, which means the ones they do get, they absolutely have to do something. I find myself struggling to make any sense of what they are doing out there most of this year with the man advantage. Screwing around with the puck, not dumping it low, nobody in front, and low percentage shots that are often blocked or well wide. To my knowledge this is Recchi's department mostly, so either it's his design flaw or they are completely checked out on what he's preaching.
JJ needs to play a simpler game as well...then again they could probably mitigate his shortcomings if he were either benched or they managed to actually score for a change.... ho hum, just get it done. Or you'll all be happily home with family soon I guess....
Let's Go Pens!
Something tells me they wont be afforded so many PP's tonight, which means the ones they do get, they absolutely have to do something. I find myself struggling to make any sense of what they are doing out there most of this year with the man advantage. Screwing around with the puck, not dumping it low, nobody in front, and low percentage shots that are often blocked or well wide. To my knowledge this is Recchi's department mostly, so either it's his design flaw or they are completely checked out on what he's preaching.
JJ needs to play a simpler game as well...then again they could probably mitigate his shortcomings if he were either benched or they managed to actually score for a change.... ho hum, just get it done. Or you'll all be happily home with family soon I guess....
Let's Go Pens!
FWIW going back through the comments from Habs friends on text. 'Not really deserved win' ...'you will get the next 3'. Are these guys trying to rope a dope me or what? They seem unimpressed with their performance. I can only assume it is down to their undisciplined penalties. Other than that I thought they had a decent game...oh well whatever.
Classy shot....Price gave Sid the 5, and he flat took it
McCann is absolutely killing his team; not making anything happen, losing control of the puck......and his linemates aren't picking him up. And Zucker hasn't done much better.....
Seems fairly clear to me Julian, much like Trotz last year, has found something in the Guins PP that they simply can't find a way (or refuse) to overcome. Of course, he's got a goaltender that hasn't made a single mistake that I can see in two games, which helps quite a bit. But I agree it WAS a well earned win against an opponent who (aside penalties) is playing about as well as they can possibly play.
One interesting tidbit; on NHL Network's post mortem last night, analyst Dave Reed called Malkin the second best player on the ice aside Price. Also, the primary assists by Jake and Sheary on either of the first two Guins goals really were about as sweet cross-icers (and Sheary's especially) as you'll see.
Also, I think they DID do a better job getting into Price's face than in Game 1.
Couple brief comments on the Habs......
- They're using their sticks as weapons as much as anyone I've seen (including the Craps and Cryers) in the recent past. That's obviously SOP for anyone playing the Pens; but even I'm surprised how much lumber they're using.....of course, they've got an old timer behind the bench. And they're not getting called for stick fouls, so it's going to continue.
- Habs are much bigger.....both up front and at the blue line.....than I realized, considering they're known pretty much solely as a skating team (whch I think is mostly because pint-size Gallagher and quart-size Drouin are their highest profile forwards).
Very pleased to see the impressive Canes send home the woefully overrated Rangers.......this will be a very tough team to eliminate. Meanwhile, looking forward to the great King Henrik continuing to give the Rangers the finger when they beg him to accept a trade.
Glad the Panthers survived versus the Isles, but I'm honestly not at all confident they can extend this series to a deciding game. When the Isles got the lucky bounce to make it a 1 goal game, I thought for sure the game was eventually headed for overtime.
The Isles are just so tough to beat in a playoff scenario the way they can lock you down; the only way I know to do it is to get a lead over them. You're just NOT beating them coming from behind.
The Isles are just so tough to beat in a playoff scenario the way they can lock you down; the only way I know to do it is to get a lead over them. You're just NOT beating them coming from behind.
