GDT #78: Pens @ Leafs

[willeyeam]

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

damn you.

[mikey]

All right, fair enough...

[crusherstasiak]

Nylander didn't get a shot when he came in alone?

there's a good chance that seeing the pens making like they were 3 drunks waiting for a bus was so shocking it broke his concentration

[crusherstasiak]

doesn't explain not going with bunting and malkin

[Morkle]

Puust only got 9 minutes. Has he been bad?

[mikey]

Puust only got 9 minutes. Has he been bad?

"Bad" is too strong. But he has not been consistently impressive. He had a nice stretch of games with his second call up...but he struggles to keep that pace of play up game to game. When he's going, he's useful...but he's sort of in Dominik Simon territory...

[meow]

who gets the start against Detroit?

maybe the biggest decision of Sullivan’s career

[meow]

Nylander didn't get a shot when he came in alone?

there's a good chance that seeing the pens making like they were 3 drunks waiting for a bus was so shocking it broke his concentration

calm your tits

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

who gets the start against Detroit?

maybe the biggest decision of Sullivan’s career

Needle. No reason not too. He’s still getting us points

[mikey]

Ned

[Trip McNeely]

Yea Ned. Jarry against the Bruins maybe

[dodint]

maybe the biggest decision of Sullivan’s career

Okay.

You're talking about the multiple cup winning coach, right?

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

Yea Ned. Jarry against the Bruins maybe

Yeah wouldn’t mind this. We’d have a better shot winning against the Preds so it might benefit Needle to rest

[King Colby]

The preds have been the best team in hockey since like February 1st right?

[mikey]

Second best...but if you slide it up to the last month, they're tied for 7th. Average offense. They should have clinched by the time they get to us, we're they're 82nd game...

[Gaucho]

they'll probably rest some guys; Boston too, maybe

[meow]

maybe the biggest decision of Sullivan’s career

Okay.

You're talking about the multiple cup winning coach, right?

correct

[dodint]

Oh.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

I think Fleury vs Murray way back when was a bigger decision

[meow]

was that a decision? I don’t really recall ever thinking “maf should go”

[nocera]

Yeah for sure. Sometimes I forget just how much of the playoffs MAF played in 2017. Murray didn't start until game 4 of the ECF after relieving Fleury in game 3. There was definitely a discussion of letting Fleury continue his run after a rough game 4 vs the Sens.

[mikey]

Also, Fleury got thrown into like game 5 of the ECF vs Tampa. That was a tough spot and decision...

[mikey]

Re-watching that overtime sequence again...what a weird...what a weird. That's all I can say.

It's a really good lesson in how communication on the ice matters so much.

I'm right at the spot when TOR16 enters the zone. One second later, at 45 seconds of the video, TOR16 starts a cross.

Karlsson - the lone d-man - is probably the lead dog out here.

He appears to point to Eller to take TOR78 and his actions dictate that he's going to slide across and front the more dangerous TOR16 (Marner). TOR78 is T.J. Brodie, not a threat to score, he hasn't scored this year (OMG, but he's out in overtime111!!!). But Eller gets knocked off stride by the pick/drive. So he's late to TOR78, that's ok, nothing happens because Karlsson holds off Marner and Brodie is just leaping into the air indiscriminately.

I'm late in the 47th second of the video. TOR16 has turned against Karlsson pressure.

Eller is under the impression that TOR78 is still his in a true man situation and the likely lead dog has yet to call for a switch. Everyone has their man as the camera pans out. Karlsson is still on Marner/puck. Eller has caught up to Brodie. And on the backside, DOC is with TOR88 (Nylander). DOC makes a play on the puck at 0:50, it's an interesting situation where the puck carrier is setting the pick himself. He's afforded this opportunity because DOC is standing still.

Now, who knows what Pittsburgh is ever trying to do in overtime...but there's no indication to me that they need to break true man coverage here (they might have something that indicates something about crossers...I don't know, it certainly wasn't exhibited earlier in the sequence). So DOC should be fighting through Marner/puck to get to TOR88 (Nylander). But instead, he just calls his own number and his own switch and attacks puck and Marner. Karlsson - as we tick towards 0:51 - is under the impression that he's still with Marner and continues to shade that way. DOC realizes his error and tries to get back to Nylander/puck, but it's way too late for that.

Now, I think EK could have called the switch there and adapted...but that's not his game. He's not all that dialed in defensively, even though he has the hockey sense to do it...

Then, of course, later in the sequence...out of the mess, Eller goes out high for no reason at all and leaves a 20-point d-man alone on basically a breakaway to lose it.

So...it looks bad for Eller early, but I actually think that's on DOC and Karlsson more. The winner is more on Eller. Very messy all around.