Official GDT: Game 49 - Pens vs Devils 01/28/19

[dodint]

Letang couldn't have been more useless on the Boyle goal.

[Gaucho]

The Pens are now 1-7-1 against last place teams. Make of that what you will. Putting a positive spin on this, they may be considerably better then their record suggests (25-9-5 against everybody else). Unfortunately, it also means watching them play against bad teams is sure to ruin your day.

[mikey]

Teams currently in last or teams in last at the time...?

[Gaucho]

Huh, good one. In games against CHI, LA, NJ, and OTT, I believe.

[Gaucho]

https://twitter.com/jmarshfof/status/10 ... 3715284993

Sullivan last night post-game on PP1: "They’re all very good players, but we have to take more responsibility for having a defensive conscience when guys are in trouble. It doesn’t seem like we’re recognizing the danger and we don’t take care of the puck. We’re careless with some of the decisions we make with the puck, and it costs us. We’re trying to get our group to heed the lessons. But if we don’t heed the lessons, I think something needs to change.”

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

I think we're past that point, but okay

[shafnutz05]

I think we're past that point, but okay

Yes, this has been a problem the entire season. Wake up Shero!

[meow]

I know what I’d do

Start the second unit for a game or two

[nocera]

https://twitter.com/jmarshfof/status/10 ... 3715284993

Sullivan last night post-game on PP1: "They’re all very good players, but we have to take more responsibility for having a defensive conscience when guys are in trouble. It doesn’t seem like we’re recognizing the danger and we don’t take care of the puck. We’re careless with some of the decisions we make with the puck, and it costs us. We’re trying to get our group to heed the lessons. But if we don’t heed the lessons, I think something needs to change.”

This is as close to Therrien's rant that we'll ever get with Sullivan.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

that's been our fatal flaw for 8 years now

Letang can't be the only defender out there on the PP because he's not conservative enough

[meow]

That’s not quite what Sullivan is saying. He’s saying that we have 5 really talented players, but they put each other in difficult spots because they know the guys around them are also uber skilled. It’s not about being conservative. It’s about setting your teammates up to succeed

[Gaucho]

I think we know who those statements are directed at.

[meow]

Yes, but it isn’t necessarily directed at the player. It’s more directed toward the spot on the ice or the situation. The fact that it is the same two or three knuckleheads is a byproduct of their positions on the pp

[mikey]

Yeah, if you're using two defenders on the PP - you either have a wagon defense like Nashville or you're punting on 4th & 1 at the 50 all the live long day...

I've run power plays for years now...league best power plays. Do we give up some shorthanded goals? Yeah, we do. More than most teams? Yeah, we do. Do we make up for it with power play conversion? Yeah, we do.

Now, is the power play the same in a 3-2 game with 3:07 left as it is in a 1-1 game late 1st? No, it's not. But if your power play is "conservative", it's the worst power play in the league. You need to push the pace of play...you need to make your lanes, you can't just sit around and "take what the PK gives you" like you did back in 1995...PKs are too good now...goalies are too efficient now.

You have to make good, smart plays in the framework that you have. Simple as that. If there's one player that's mucking up the water, then you replace that player with someone who won't muck it up so badly for a while...but given how it operates, I'm not sure who can actually fill the skates of the player that mucks it up...

Adding Juuso Rikola to the power play to babysit it is poor idea, unless you plan on yanking Murray for every power play and making them all 6 on 4...

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

But then they can just get free shots at the net from their zone. Some coach you are...

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

Completely missed Brassard with that 5 minute major last night, yikes.

[meow]

Have the fans tried yelling “shoooooot”?

[dodint]

Is this an emergent issue? Seems so. What's changed this year from what worked the last 2-3? Are other teams simply scheming better?

[mikey]

PP runs at ~25% as it has for the last few years. Gave up a bunch of shorties in 2017, didn't in 2018, are in 2019.

This year...11 SHG on 49 shots --> on pace for ~69 shots
3 on 86 shots last year. 7 on 83 the year before.

I don't really know the variance on shorthanded chances against...I imagine that a good chunk of shorthanded chances against are of the odd-man rush variety and, thus, good chances...are we really doing anything so, so different? Or are we just not getting the stops...?

[offsides]

Evgeni Malkin, with his -2 today, is now a -21 on the season

A MINUS 21!!!

There are only TWO players in the whole league with a worse minus. There must be some sort of issue with him. Sure hope him or someone gets it figured out, and soon.

[Gaucho]

The issue is his confidence, he admitted as much.

[dodint]

Or are we just not getting the stops...?

Ah!

A drum I can bang!

[dodint]

The issue is his confidence, he admitted as much.

Didn't his hometown burn down recently? Maybe he's just mentally not here right now.

[offsides]

The issue is his confidence, he admitted as much.

So, how or can this this fixed? More playing time, less playing time, sports psychologist, better coaching? Maybe some time off in Mother Russia? The way he is now, I'd rather see Cullen on the ice.

[mikey]

He's just gotta have something go in for him...

I'd probably shorten up his play time a little, but still use him with skill players...get him to make the most of every shift...he'll get something to go...

Maybe set him up for some 1T's on the power play a little more...getting one of them to go in basically makes it tough to walk around for a little while without tucking it into your waist band...