Meow's Morning Meeting - 4-18-15 vs. NYR

Postby **meow** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:12 am

You aren't in trouble in a playoff series until you lose a game at home.

Our 4 centers came to play. Nice of Kunitz to show up after taking a three month sabbatical. The defense continues to bend, but not break. Fleury was big, again.

Postby **count2infinity** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:22 am

one for each goal last night. lol

Postby **Bioshock** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:33 am

I haven't seen the Pens play with that level of intensity and focus in years. Seeing that game, where they finally had the mentality to do whatever is necessary to win, gives a whole new perspective on this series.

Will they win game 3? I have no idea. But if they come to play like they did in game 2 with the same killer instinct and drive they had, this series will be a coin flip from this point moving forward. And i never thought that was possible.

Postby **Tico Rick** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:46 am

This team played like a team, and for 60 minutes.
Kudos to HCMJ for putting Sid on the PK at a couple of key points, and for outmaneuvering Vigneault with line changes a few times. He's clearly the better coach.
Good to see el Sid look like the el Sid of old.
Anyone still doubt that Fleury has banished the ghosts of playoffs past?
Sutter plays big in big games.
Ian Cole continues to impress with his overall game.
How did Chorney become so good? As steady as Chorney and Dumoulin have been, do you sit them in favor of a healthy Ehrhoff/Pouliot if the Pens keep winning?
A+ to GMJR for acquiring playoff players. One playoff Lapierre > ten playoff Neals.
It's nice being the underdog and being able to get under the skin of the team that's supposed to win.

Postby **Solidsnake** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:51 am

The suck is over, they came to play last night.

Postby **Gaucho** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:52 am

As steady as Chorney and Dumoulin have been, do you sit them in favor of a healthy Ehrhoff/Pouliot if the Pens keep winning?

Yes.

Postby **count2infinity** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:56 am

As steady as Chorney and Dumoulin have been, do you sit them in favor of a healthy Ehrhoff/Pouliot if the Pens keep winning?
Yes.

Absolutely. Need some sort of threat from the blueline, and both of those guys give it to you. Right now the only Dmen I've seen taking shots are Cole and Lovejoy. I don't think that's going to cut it.

Postby **Robot B9** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 9:14 am

Gritty and gutty.
I thought NYR generally outplayed the Pens again, but a) by a lot less than game 1, and; b) Pens did something about the opportunities NYR gave them.
I hate complaining about refs, but they deserved it. Just a joke.
Game 3 isn't must-win, but if Pens win, it shows me that NYR is vulnerable in the series.

YouTube · Postby **EdOlczyk** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 9:37 am

I was wasted from puck drop to the final horn, but watching the highlights it seems like the Pens did okay.

They still don't have a snowball's chance in hell sans Letang, but I'd be happy if they took the Rags to 7.

Postby **Craig** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 9:45 am

The last thing this team needs is pouliot in the lineup. Bring on ehrhoff, dont put an albatross on the blue line though. Double shift sutter if you want 13 forwards.

Postby **NailedPenguin** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 9:53 am

I was wasted from puck drop to the final horn, but watching the highlights it seems like the Pens did okay.

POTW

Postby **meow** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 9:59 am

I would absolutely insert Ehrhoff and Poiliot when healthy. The breakout has been the biggest problem so far and adding two good puck movers would help immensely. Pouliot's defensive game is bad, but I think he could create more than he'd allow.

Postby **Tico Rick** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:04 am

I forgot to mention Hornqvist. Since he brings it every game it's come to be expected, but his non-stop driving to the net has been a big addition to the Pens' offense.
Also re. the refs, at one point I thought they had it out for the Pens, but then I realized that they're just incompetent. Is this the best the NHL can do?

Postby **MalkinIsMyHomeboy** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:07 am

Kunitz and Sid came to play

Also, when Pierre was talking about how LaPierre was giving the Rangers bench a play by play during that one PP, I couldnt stop laughing

I haven't been a big fan of that trade but Lapierre knows his role and is playing it to perfection in the playiffs

Postby **RonnieFranchise** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:19 am

You guys <ticked> Sid off. See what happens when you <tick> Sid off?

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:30 am

Every puck wasn't up on the glass to start every sequence, that was big. HCMJ found a way to get less-than-delicate group of d-men to get pucks out in a reasonable play, allowing possession, allow some speed through the NZ and allowing us to attack with numbers. When you put every puck off the glass, you can't generate speed because you're trying to play the bounce without getting killed and as a d-man, you can't join the rush because you don't know how that bounce will be played.

We were able to reverse the flow of play and exit more readily last night and we actually generated some offense as a result...big game Brandon was there in spades last night, he got up to 21 or 22 MPH skating on that shorthanded chance where he punctured the iron to the right of Henrik Lundqvist...heady and aware, he sees a lane, he sees a flat-footed McDonagh who was waiting to cross-over and open his hips to get the dump-in and he thought, **** it, I'll just go for it...very Jordan Staal-esque from Game 4 of the 2009 SCF...

The penalty kill was super, diligent and they blocked enough lanes that they might be considered for PennDOT construction jobs after this series, if only they didn't work so hard too...our PK staff really identifies the pressure points well and it does serve notice further that there is a lot of good skill on this Rangers team, but not great skill...Rick Nash as a forward and maybe Keith Yandle as a d-man, are the only two that you could consider to have gamebreaker potential...Derek Stepan is savvy and skilled, but not overwhelming...and the depth is fast and, again, not untalented, just not supernovas...McDonagh has not been good this season and continues that in this series for the most part, which is helpful...

Lundqvist looks like he's a little uncomfortable in the crease, he looks even less comfortable in his own net after Patric Hornqvist escorts him to the back row of it on every other shift...that is very annoying for a goalie, even one that plays pretty deep in his net like he does...every time he gets to the edge of the crease, somebody comes along and snowplows back in deep...

Strong effort from the group overall...Taylor Chorney in a small showing is making me feel better about me liking him quite a bit as a prospect at North Dakota, as I thought he would have become a third pairing d-man way back when, if he was stronger on his edges, he might well be a player next year for someone, still might be...he's been good. Dumoulin has done well for himself too and he's an even worse skater than Chorney...

Real team effort there last night, those guys wanted it...the only thing I want is a little bit more optic excellence from David Perron...it's time for him to step up and make his presence known in the series, provided he's not injured, I think he'll contribute going back to Pittsburgh early next week...

Postby **Craig** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:35 am

I dont really care about the win, but crosby appearing seems to have brought life into some other guys. It gives me hope for the series. Kunitz coming back to relevance with crosby turning it up would be enough to turn game 1's 2-1 loss into a win.

Crosby isnt a leader though.

Postby **Gaucho** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:01 am

Postby **genoscoif** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:08 am

Great effort by every single pen last night. For the first time in a long time every skater seemed to take the ice with focus and determination. HCMJ making the adjustments that Mikey referenced made for some 'head up'plays coming out of our own zone. We look a lot less stone booted when our forwards can accept passes in stride.

Game 3 should be interesting. We'll see if the refs want to double up the PPs for the rangers in front of a pens crowd. I agree with others that this crap officiating may have galvanized the team.

#40 in full troll mode is awesome to watch.

Postby **genoscoif** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:12 am

Man, that guy is ALWAYS in the crease.

Postby **nocera** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:28 am

Empty Netters and a few posters here seem to have the mentality that the Pens squeaked out a win that they didn't deserve. I don't see that at all. They played a solid 60 min and the only negative is allowing 7 pp opportunities. Cut back on those and we win this series.

Postby **Gaucho** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:32 am

Empty Netters and a few posters here seem to have the mentality that the Pens squeaked out a win that they didn't deserve. I don't see that at all. They played a solid 60 min and the only negative is allowing 7 pp opportunities. Cut back on those and we win this series.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:49 am

Empty Netters and a few posters here seem to have the mentality that the Pens squeaked out a win that they didn't deserve. I don't see that at all. They played a solid 60 min and the only negative is allowing 7 pp opportunities. Cut back on those and we win this series.

Postby **count2infinity** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:52 am

of the two games, I'd say the rangers squeaked out game 1 more than the pens squeaked out game 2. If this was a boxing match, I'd score 4 or 5 periods to the Pens and 2 or 1 to the Rangers thus far into the series... the only one that would be a swing for me is period 1 last night, but due to the Ranger's goal, I'd likely give it to them.

Postby **Avyran** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 12:29 pm

Prolonged highlights in case you missed it.

Something something penalties something something refs. More seriously, I'm surprised by how Chorney & Dumoulin have played. Both are playing like they've been in the lineup all year, with simple hockey. Dumoulin's made a few young errors, but I would be more than comfortable with him being the #5/6 defender next year.