Game 24 vs Flyers - Thoughts from the Morning After

[IntangibleBeer]

• First, the small glimmer of positivity: Ned had an outstanding game. He certainly prevented an outright loss, short-circuiting 2 glorious SHG opportunities given to the Flyers by our pathetic PP units.
• Other than that, I feel like I'm repeating myself, repeating myself, repeating myself... No clear d-zone exits, sloppy passes, passing clinic rather than shooting during the PP, playing most of the game in our end - this game was like watching a train wreck unfold. You know it's going to end badly, but you can't turn away.
• This game and team continue to remind me of the 1980s pre-Cup years. Trust me, that was God-awful hockey (but at least I wasn't paying $50+ for a seat). Man, I have seen this movie before. In fact, let's see that movie again. I wish someone in the current Pens organization had the moral courage of Michel Terrien.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7aDhhamxm0
• PP is now 0 for 29? (I lost count). The only remaining question is: What comes first? PP scores or Sully is fired.

[Skatingpen]

Lasts nights PP was the worst it has looked all year. That is saying something. The 2nd line is horrific and the 4th line is worthless. I thought the 3rd played ok and the 1st was good, except in OT when they had a major brain fart…….

Hire Eddie Johnson for the PP!!!!

[DelPen]

Sullivan and Rierden need to go.

[KG]

What to say...

+ Ned was amazing. Masked and covered up a ton of defensive deficiencies and blown coverages. He was the only reason we got a point.
- I've never seen a power play consistently give up more chances than they generate. This more than a rut. Something needs to change and moving Karlsson off the point, basically making him a forward, was not the answer! If Sullivan would ever bench his stars for a power play or two and send a message to these guys and stop trying to be their best friend, maybe they would rally.
- It's obvious this team has tuned out the coach. Sullivan always talks a great game and how the coaching staff tells the players this and that, yet they don't consistently do it. That's coaching! the message isn't getting through. Time for a change. Sorry, Sid, Geno and Letang, you might have to play for another coach. Such a travesty.
- My biggest takeaway from last night was that this was the Pens/Flyers rivalry game. I know this is a newer, faster, softer NHL, but it is still a contact sport. I mean come on. Get a little fired up. They played last night like it was an exhibition game. That to me was the most telling and should be to Dubas. A rivalry game, and they play with that little intensity. Unacceptable. They need a new, different voice.
- Notice how Ludvig started out as a physical d man. All of a sudden he gets more minutes when he stops being so physical. Sully coaching him up!
- All new additions have struggled. There is a pattern. Players leave here and perform better elsewhere.
- Pens have zero cap space, so when it comes to player movement and trades it has to be dollar in dollar out, or retention. Who on the team has any value, that is tradeable? I count 2. Jake and MP, maybe Reilly Smith. Not sure what Dubas can do. That's why teams have already fired coaches since it's so hard to make a trade in a flat cap world.

[largegarlic]

The other thing that struck me last night was how consistently dumb this team is. When you have an older team and know that they will likely be at a disadvantage in terms of speed and energy, you hope that they can partially make that up with "veteran savvy."

Those Detroit teams in 08 and 09 weren't the fastest, but as much as I hated them, they were very smart--very few bad turnovers, very few bad defensive breakdowns, lots of "subtle interference" that negated the opponent's potential speed advantage while not crossing the line into something NHL refs would call in the playoffs, etc.

These Pens are slower, lower energy, AND dumber than many of their opponents. It's a really bad combo. The points they do get lately seem to result from pulling themselves together for part of a game and riding that (e.g., the Tampa game) or having a few guys put in outstanding individual performances to bail them out (e.g., Crosby's goals lately, or Nedjelkovic last night). They've only had a few games all season where they looked good up and down the lineup and for most of the 60 minutes.

[IntangibleBeer]

The other thing that struck me last night was how consistently dumb this team is. When you have an older team and know that they will likely be at a disadvantage in terms of speed and energy, you hope that they can partially make that up with "veteran savvy."

Those Detroit teams in 08 and 09 weren't the fastest, but as much as I hated them, they were very smart--very few bad turnovers, very few bad defensive breakdowns, lots of "subtle interference" that negated the opponent's potential speed advantage while not crossing the line into something NHL refs would call in the playoffs, etc.

These Pens are slower, lower energy, AND dumber than many of their opponents. It's a really bad combo. The points they do get lately seem to result from pulling themselves together for part of a game and riding that (e.g., the Tampa game) or having a few guys put in outstanding individual performances to bail them out (e.g., Crosby's goals lately, or Nedjelkovic last night). They've only had a few games all season where they looked good up and down the lineup and for most of the 60 minutes.

Boy, ain't that the truth!

[Pruezy11881]

Pittsburgh PP is 30th in the league @ 10.4%
Odd man rushes against per game: 30th in the league @ 5.54

[Penspal]

- Save the powerplay, save the season.

[Antonio]

Tried but couldn't find the record for most straight power play without a goal. Wonder if anyone knows.

[KG]

Tried but couldn't find the record for most straight power play without a goal. Wonder if anyone knows.

The NHL record for longest power-play drought is reportedly held by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who went 51 straight chances without converting.

We're more than halfway there!

[the riddler]

- They don't do anything right on the PP but the most obvious issue they're having is getting the puck into the zone cleanly. Every player turns it over. When they do get it in, the passing/movement is too slow and predictable. They're allowing PKers to get in the lanes and easily block shots.
- It's great that the top line has been the best line in the league 5 on 5 but that comes at the expense at depth throughout the lineup. Instead of taking a balanced approach to the lines, Sully continuously puts his eggs in one basket.
- This organization has no depth at forward. Any of the guys they bring up barely add anything to the lineup. That's not an easy fix but they badly need to rebuild the pipeline.
- Ned was very good. Flyers easily win in regulation without him. The goaltending as a whole hasn't been a huge issue this season, minus a couple bad games from Jarry.

[Antonio]

Well, I don't think it is so much an "all the eggs in one basket" scenario because guys like Malkin, Smith, Rakell before he got hurt, need to be producing consistently. If only 3 guys can put up a point, then you just don't have any eggs regardless of the basket size. Malkin and Smith have put up some points for sure, but outside of Crosby and the top line, we don't seem to see consistent reliable scoring. No power play success of course is also holding back point totals for non Crosby players. However, Malkin certainly needs to do better than 4 points in 11 games, despite a dedicated section of the fan base that thinks any criticism of him is always wrong and unjustified and is tantamount to calling for his execution.

Man, 51 straight pp without a goal...honestly I would have thought we were closer at this point but still quite a ways to go. I....can't imagine...they will hit that?

[Maestro]

They look stale, play stale, and the results are stale. They're playing a 2017 system in 2023.

[Southern Fan]

The crazy thing is, even though they fail the eye test, they have had a chance to win or tie 15 of the last 16 games in the last minute of the game.

[pcmforless]

The powerplay is COMICALLY HORRIBLE. Honestly I can't imagine it could be worse if they tried to make it worse. HOW can this happen with all that talent? Need a net front presence that is willing to take a beating.

[Sigwolf]

The first line is working. Why can't he just put the first line out there intact with Karlsson and Pettersson as PP!, and the second line with Letang and Graves as PP2.

How could it possibly be worse than what they are doing now?

[Antonio]

The powerplay is COMICALLY HORRIBLE. Honestly I can't imagine it could be worse if they tried to make it worse. HOW can this happen with all that talent? Need a net front presence that is willing to take a beating.

Funny isn't it? I've honestly thought the exact same... they couldn't be this bad unless they were trying to. I genuinely can't imagine a scenario in which these players could produce a power play this pathetic without intending to.