OT: Caps making Pens fans a bit nervous
- Thread starter Safety Blitz
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Pens look totally gassed. Like they finally hit the wall. Their forwards have been covering for their defense for the whole post-season, and it looks to me like it caught up to them.
Pens are 100% out of gas. It was a good run, but they are done. Long post season last year coupled with World Cup and missing Letang is just too much to overcome.
Totally agree-the power play is really missing Letang. Not much left in the tank for the Penguins. It is going to take a couple of freak goals for them to win the series. Not winning the puck battles along with getting manhandled for any position on the ice.
Nah. Caps aren't that great either. I'll put my money on Nashville.
Worse game the Pens have played by far. Defense is horrible tonight. Bad pinches, can't clear the puck, bad passes, and giveaways. Washington not providing much space, but come on, the puck possession is horrible. Only 8 shots through two periods.
Caps aren't making the Pens nervous, the Pens playing like pure garbage is the reason for this. 8 shots through 2 periods is a joke. I've never witnessed a total that low.
If the capitals defense was good I could maybe understand, but that's not the case.
If the capitals defense was good I could maybe understand, but that's not the case.
I'll be stunned if the Pens can pull out the win tomorrow. I don't think the Caps will win the cup, although they'll probably make the finals (barring a complete turnaround by Pittsburgh). Nashville is getting their stuff together at the right time, just as the Pens did last year. If fairgambit was still in Vegas, I'd advise him to put a chunk of change on the Preds to go all the way.
Fleury has held down fort as well as could have been expected but the loss of Letang has proven to be a pretty gaping hole as playoffs have progressed. That the rest of the D may only have 2 healthy bodies isn't exactly helping. They're just spending way too much time in their own end and don't have the ability to stretch the ice with their D in this condition.
For game 7, anything can certainly happen and would probably have taken this opportunity going into a series I thought would be shorter in favor of the Caps when it started.
Win or lose, not really any need to overanalyze what's transpired. You need some luck and health to win a Cup. Pens have had the former to some extent, but the later is obviously an issue...and will be as long as they stay in it. Perhaps they've been on borrowed time.
For game 7, anything can certainly happen and would probably have taken this opportunity going into a series I thought would be shorter in favor of the Caps when it started.
Win or lose, not really any need to overanalyze what's transpired. You need some luck and health to win a Cup. Pens have had the former to some extent, but the later is obviously an issue...and will be as long as they stay in it. Perhaps they've been on borrowed time.
I wonder if Daley will be a go for game 7? Ron Hainsey looks completely done to me. I would play Streit in favor of Hainsey since he can at least move the puck. Assuming we have Daley:
Schultz - Cole
Streit - Dumo
Maata - Daley
Also may be time to bring Scotty Wilson back into the lineup. Bigger body guy who can skate. Sheary is just a complete disaster right now. Guy can't get the puck out of the Penguins zone to save his life. I would go:
Guentzel - Crosby - Kessel
Rust - Malkin - Hornqvist
Wilson - Bonino - Hagelin
Kunhackl - Cullen - Kunitz
Schultz - Cole
Streit - Dumo
Maata - Daley
Also may be time to bring Scotty Wilson back into the lineup. Bigger body guy who can skate. Sheary is just a complete disaster right now. Guy can't get the puck out of the Penguins zone to save his life. I would go:
Guentzel - Crosby - Kessel
Rust - Malkin - Hornqvist
Wilson - Bonino - Hagelin
Kunhackl - Cullen - Kunitz
On D....there really aren't any good options. Just gonna' have to hope couple guys step up their games.
I like those options for the lines.....I think (although its not really Sullivan's style) he maybe should bite the bullet for Game 7 and do some double shifting w 71 and 87 to get them together on the ice for several shifts - - - - - - and then hope they both have big games.
Its an uphill fight, for sure.....but one goal can turn the whole thing around.
Is it me, or are the Caps essentially running a Neutral Zone trap and basically obstructing on every single Pens push forward. I am not using that as an excuse of the loss last night, but, it is pretty clear to me that the Caps are using illegal tactics because they know the refs won't call anything.
Again, Pens played horribly, but, the caps system looks an awful lot like something I have seen before.
Again, Pens played horribly, but, the caps system looks an awful lot like something I have seen before.
Think this is more a response of Washington playing with a lead the past 4 periods. They weren't doing much trapping - in the '95 Devils sense of the word - to this point. Their D have been extremely aggressive, which you typically don't see in a trapping team but they also know (and not to beat a dead horse here) that the Pens are essentially a car driving with a flat tire in the condition of their D. It's hampering their biggest asset of speed, tremendously.
Pens need to look to the first 2 periods of game 5 as a mold of what they must do. They were rock solid for 55 of those 60 minutes and that type of game would benefit them in a situation where suddenly the pressure is all back on Washington going home and trying to exercise their demons.
Probably as poorly officiated a series as I can remember.
The amount of Interference and "grab and hold" is as bad as it has ever been ....... and it is simply being ignored (just look at the play that preceded the slashing call against Cullen last night).
It has been a free-for-all series.....and the NHL again wastes an opportunity to spotlight what COULD HAVE BEEN a signature event for the league.
Alas.
Now, none of that has anything to do with the fact that the Pens are running on fumes, held together by bailing twine and duct tape, and burning oil to the finish line due to all of the guys they have out.
It is just a shame that the league has allowed a "showcase" opportunity to devolve into a rugby scrum on ice.
I agree, although the play that preceded the Cullen slashing penalty was a blatant interference/cross check from behind (not "grab and hold"). Cullen's got to be smarter there, but I would have been pissed too.
The Caps have been playing dirty (especially that Wilson &%$!) all series.
The Pens just didn't show up last night...and Washington did. Credit to them...they took advantage of the situation. Really that simple. MAF wasn't terrible, but wasn't great either....didn't help that everyone in front of him took the night off.
Question is, was it an aberration or are they done? Sullivan seemed to have had all of the answers last year and up until 2 games ago. Can he figure out one more game? If both teams show up, and it comes down to coaching, Pens should win since Trotz can't match wits with Sullivan. If the Pens are less than 100%, they're done.
Question is, was it an aberration or are they done? Sullivan seemed to have had all of the answers last year and up until 2 games ago. Can he figure out one more game? If both teams show up, and it comes down to coaching, Pens should win since Trotz can't match wits with Sullivan. If the Pens are less than 100%, they're done.
I went to game 5 in DC on Saturday night. It looked to me that the Pens hit the wall with about 12-15 minutes to go in that game and haven't recovered since. There's a reason a team hasn't gone back-to-back in 20+ years. These guys are dog tired (and injured).
People think losing Letang is hurting them? Of course it is, but losing Daley has been a killer. No coincidence that the Pens were up 3-1 and leading 2-1 in game 5 when he got hurt, now has been outscored 8-2 since he left and their D can't move the puck as well.
Caps have been the better team for most of the series. Holtby was not playing bad but not great. That third period save in Game 5 really turned the tide. If the Pens go up 4-2 at that point Washington might have folded the tents.
Washington is just putting too much pressure on the Pens D and goaltending at this point. Pittsburgh needs to modify their game and see if they can stem the tide.
Washington is just putting too much pressure on the Pens D and goaltending at this point. Pittsburgh needs to modify their game and see if they can stem the tide.
It's the Stanley Cup
Every 60 minutes is awhole new deal
BTW - if there was ANY justice in the World, theGlov would never again be capable of typing the letters MAF in any post - - - ever.
Way to go Pens. Wow. That's was tremendous win, another game 7 win. I don't know what the "it" is, maybe just the "it" factor, but whatever, Captain Sid's Team has "it", and did "it"again to Ovech. I almost feel like the Caps are the Houston Oilers of 70s with Bum Phillips and Earl Campell. I really respect Washington and Ovech, they are a great team, Presidents Trophy Winner and all, this year and great last couple, but just wrong time, happened to run into the Steelers of Hockey. As Bum said back then, "the Road to the Super Bowl goes through Pittsburgh". Perhaps, now Stanley goes through Pitt.
We shall see, but I really like our chances to win it all again.
We shall see, but I really like our chances to win it all again.
Glov?
Seriously?
After what has transpired here throughout these playoffs - - - - You - YOU - are going to tap about ANYONE else's commentaries.
Really?
Mr "Four Goal" Glov?
Hey I was dead wrong! And happy to be so
The Pens played absolutely terrible for 4-5 straight periods. It really did look like they were gassed. They dug deep and found another gear for game 7. Big ole tip of the cap to Sully! He knows what buttons to push when the stakes are at their highest.
Not to overstate it but in the history of the Pens, last night may have been the most improbable win given the way that series was being played and the limitations that the injuries have put on the Pens.
Can't give enough credit to Sullivan and the leadership of the team.
Can't give enough credit to Sullivan and the leadership of the team.
Easy, bjf. I just wanted to get a rise out of you.
UNC #1.
And the team that played the worst did not lose in the playoffs sir.
