Pens fans... where's that been for the last month?
- Thread starter ericstratton-rushchairman
- Start date
Maybe for 2015.....
Pens got off to a great start but when the injuries started they never recovered to play well for any length of time. Were'nt they leading the NHL at Christmas? Then barely made the playoffs, on the last day. With all the injuries,and they key players won't be back to help this year, they don't have the players to make a run. But if Malkin and Crosby get hot they could at least have a chance to knock the Rangers out. That would be quite an accomplishment with the roster they are playing with now
This post was edited on 4/18 11:39 PM by GregInPitt
Pens got off to a great start but when the injuries started they never recovered to play well for any length of time. Were'nt they leading the NHL at Christmas? Then barely made the playoffs, on the last day. With all the injuries,and they key players won't be back to help this year, they don't have the players to make a run. But if Malkin and Crosby get hot they could at least have a chance to knock the Rangers out. That would be quite an accomplishment with the roster they are playing with now
This post was edited on 4/18 11:39 PM by GregInPitt
D are playing more appropriate minutes....
Still miss Letang terribly but being able to dress 6 is the difference b/w them being the 8th seed and possibly the 3rd or 4th given how tight the East was at the end of the year
D has been really good for 90 of the 120 minted in this series and really the pens have had the better of the overall play, particularly 5 on 5 in both games.
Also have to give Johnston credit for adjusting after game 1 first period. Talent isn't the Pens problem. Some of these guys are still slumping a bit but they have been getting chances even going back to last couple of weeks.
This post was edited on 4/18 11:51 PM by VaNtyLion
Still miss Letang terribly but being able to dress 6 is the difference b/w them being the 8th seed and possibly the 3rd or 4th given how tight the East was at the end of the year
D has been really good for 90 of the 120 minted in this series and really the pens have had the better of the overall play, particularly 5 on 5 in both games.
Also have to give Johnston credit for adjusting after game 1 first period. Talent isn't the Pens problem. Some of these guys are still slumping a bit but they have been getting chances even going back to last couple of weeks.
This post was edited on 4/18 11:51 PM by VaNtyLion
Re: D are playing more appropriate minutes....
Like most playoff games it comes down to individual match-ups. With last change back home I like the Pens ability to take NYR speed out of play a bit more. MAF strings a few more games like tonight together and this could be a 6-7 game series.
Like most playoff games it comes down to individual match-ups. With last change back home I like the Pens ability to take NYR speed out of play a bit more. MAF strings a few more games like tonight together and this could be a 6-7 game series.
They were playing 5 D the past month and didn't have 71
They have 2 call ups playing at D now which is better than running 5. Running 5 can work at lower levels but not in the NHL.
They have 2 call ups playing at D now which is better than running 5. Running 5 can work at lower levels but not in the NHL.
Johnston has done a very underrated job this year...
he's a low profile guy that walked into a nearly impossible situation and has been dealt a lot of curveballs from injuries to cap mismanagement by the GM.
I think the first half of the season showed what he could do with a healthy roster. For as much as Bylsma got credit for seeing the team through more injuries, he never dealt with a blueline as decimated as what the Pens became in March, and the D are much more important to Johnston's style. In any case, I also think Johnston has made more adjustments in this Rangers series to help the team than I saw Bylsma do in 6 years.
he's a low profile guy that walked into a nearly impossible situation and has been dealt a lot of curveballs from injuries to cap mismanagement by the GM.
I think the first half of the season showed what he could do with a healthy roster. For as much as Bylsma got credit for seeing the team through more injuries, he never dealt with a blueline as decimated as what the Pens became in March, and the D are much more important to Johnston's style. In any case, I also think Johnston has made more adjustments in this Rangers series to help the team than I saw Bylsma do in 6 years.
He looks completely lost
behind the bench in tight, late game situations and it seemed like his leadership, or lack there of, trickled down many times when i watched them this season.
behind the bench in tight, late game situations and it seemed like his leadership, or lack there of, trickled down many times when i watched them this season.
I understand the perception....
Yeah, he looks like someone put your company's database admin in a suit and asked him to coach hockey.
But think most of that perception of him being clueless comes from the belief that him jumping from
juniors to the NHL means he's in over his head where the reality is the
guy has coached at every level. He's a VERY good x's and o's coach unlike Disco but lacks any real personality for sure.
Yeah, he looks like someone put your company's database admin in a suit and asked him to coach hockey.
But think most of that perception of him being clueless comes from the belief that him jumping from
juniors to the NHL means he's in over his head where the reality is the
guy has coached at every level. He's a VERY good x's and o's coach unlike Disco but lacks any real personality for sure.
I honestly think the team we've seen the last 5 periods is a Cup contender. So hopefully these schizo's stay on the good version of themselves. The penalty killing has been unreal.
