Tough game for Fleury tonight. Doing all he can but this smells like another L.

Despres with 7 shots ! Ironman hockey playing both defense and FORWARD !He might as well we don't have many else that can play it.

Points through 36 games:

Last year: 51
This year: 49

I send Dumoulin down after this game. He had a tragic game tonight.

On the bright side, the Penguins are doing a great job of keeping McDavid or Eichel out of the Metro.

5-6-3 vs Metro teams....sad.

Malkin: 0 pts in last 2 games......start the rumors!

Points through 36 games:

Last year: 51
This year: 49
- hardnosed

Both teams had a lot of injuries, but I don't remember as many to the top six. Either way, impressive point totals considering.

Kapanen playing a strong defensive game against Canada. Backchecked on Domi and McDaviv on separate shifts. Big time.

Both teams had a lot of injuries, but I don't remember as many to the top six. Either way, impressive point totals considering.
- usethe1-2-2

6 D that dressed in their 36th game last year were Niskanen/Maatta/Despres/Bortuzzo/Dumoulin/Samuelsson. No Malkin. Connor/Harry Z/Sill all up from WBS.

I send Dumoulin down after this game. He had a tragic game tonight.
- madmike71

I think it's hard to play both Dumoulin and Pouliot. They're both puck moving defensemen that need to improve defensively. Hard to protect them both.

Farnhams requesting a trade to a team with a good powerplay.

Farnhams requesting a trade to a team with a good powerplay.
- Grinder47

He needs to be moved up to Sids wing

PP stat tonight was that they're 30th in the league since November 28th.

6 D that dressed in their 36th game last year were Niskanen/Maatta/Despres/Bortuzzo/Dumoulin/Samuelsson. No Malkin. Connor/Harry Z/Sill all up from WBS.
- hardnosed

It's hard to compare the impact of injuries from year to year.

Nisky, Maatta, Despres and Bortz are all decent enough NHL players. Maatta was tremendous early in the season last year.

Kunitz and Sid had tremendous seasons last year too. Duper didn't go down until the 39th game and JJ and Neal are legit top 6's.

This year, Kunitz looks like he's aged 5 years and Sid has been slumping for a month. Even with Malkin out last year, those 5 remaining players were very capable of winning a lot of games with that inexperienced D.

Jagr watch wow

6 D that dressed in their 36th game last year were Niskanen/Maatta/Despres/Bortuzzo/Dumoulin/Samuelsson. No Malkin. Connor/Harry Z/Sill all up from WBS.
- hardnosed

Still had five top six players healthy at that point. Considering the coaching change and new roster this season I still say it is more impressive what they did this year so far. We have yet to even scratch the surface of this club though. The good news is we aren't even half way through. Hopefully it only goes up from here.

Team just isnt good right now.

no one specifically is at fault, injuries will catch up to any team no matter how many good players they have healthy. it just throws off the guys.

the guy i dont think a lot of people have been talking about is kunitz. he has been awful since he has come back from injury. even before his injury he wasnt playing great. when healthy, our forwards should look like this:

Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist
Bennett-Malkin-Sutter
Spaling-Goc-Comeau
Klink-Rust-Downie

I seem to remember Rust playing center before but I might have made that up in which case you need a new 4th line center not named Zach Sill.

A trade will obviously happen at some point. Ideally you add a top 6 guy and knock Kunitz or Sutter out of the top 6.

defense will be a bit more difficult.

not a big fan of Dumoulin. he hasnt played awful, but i dont think he is NHL ready. Pouliot has played well but i think he could use a little bit more time in the AHL. I have been really impressed with Harrington, I think out of the 3 he is well on top. I wouldnt mind if he stuck around the rest of the year.

What is wrong with our power play?

I understand the even strength play, injuries to over half the team makes teaming up on Crosby and Malkin an easy thing to accomplish. But the PP is driving me nuts! How can it be this bad after being so good to start the season?

What is wrong with our power play?

I understand the even strength play, injuries to over half the team makes teaming up on Crosby and Malkin an easy thing to accomplish. But the PP is driving me nuts! How can it be this bad after being so good to start the season?
- stackthepads

when they started it was a very simple approach and great puck movement.

pass pass shot.

now its a lot of fancy stuff. crosby sending pucks across the ice in the zone, malkin trying to go through guys into the zone. just isnt what it was.

need to get back to that formula.

when they started it was a very simple approach and great puck movement.

pass pass shot.

now its a lot of fancy stuff. crosby sending pucks across the ice in the zone, malkin trying to go through guys into the zone. just isnt what it was.

need to get back to that formula.
- SuperHenderson13

I agree, I just dont get why they think every shot has to be perfect. Its like they refuse to even give it a chance.
Im hoping that it is just the pressure of the injuries weighing on them. The importance of getting the PP goal because goals are so hard to come by right now causing them to squeeze the stick.
They looked like they were having so much fun at the beginning of the year and now it just looks like the opposite.

We need a trade.

I agree, I just dont get why they think every shot has to be perfect. Its like they refuse to even give it a chance.
Im hoping that it is just the pressure of the injuries weighing on them. The importance of getting the PP goal because goals are so hard to come by right now causing them to squeeze the stick.
They looked like they were having so much fun at the beginning of the year and now it just looks like the opposite.

We need a trade.
- stackthepads

meh i wouldnt say we need a trade right now. certainly in the new year we do.

just need to get healthy one guy at a time.

hopefully we get downie and bennett back over the next game or two. hopefully in the next few weeks we get maatta and hornqvist back. hopefully we never get adams and sill back.

meh i wouldnt say we need a trade right now. certainly in the new year we do.

just need to get healthy one guy at a time.

hopefully we get downie and bennett back over the next game or two. hopefully in the next few weeks we get maatta and hornqvist back. hopefully we never get adams and sill back.
- SuperHenderson13

Does anyone have a timeline foe Martin or Ehrhoff?
Getting Downie and Bennett would be good to get the 3rd line back together but the top 2 lines are suffering right now. A trade may provide a spark of excitement, things are looking a little too dreary in Pens land these days.

Team just isnt good right now.

no one specifically is at fault, injuries will catch up to any team no matter how many good players they have healthy. it just throws off the guys.

the guy i dont think a lot of people have been talking about is kunitz. he has been awful since he has come back from injury. even before his injury he wasnt playing great. when healthy, our forwards should look like this:

Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist
Bennett-Malkin-Sutter
Spaling-Goc-Comeau
Klink-Rust-Downie

I seem to remember Rust playing center before but I might have made that up in which case you need a new 4th line center not named Zach Sill.

A trade will obviously happen at some point. Ideally you add a top 6 guy and knock Kunitz or Sutter out of the top 6.

defense will be a bit more difficult.

not a big fan of Dumoulin. he hasnt played awful, but i dont think he is NHL ready. Pouliot has played well but i think he could use a little bit more time in the AHL. I have been really impressed with Harrington, I think out of the 3 he is well on top. I wouldnt mind if he stuck around the rest of the year.
- SuperHenderson13

Unless it was at WBS, this never happened. Rust was always a wing during college.

I feel bad for Rust in these past few games. I think he did phenomenally as a bottom 6 guy when he was in that roll. When he was on the fourth line I felt like he was constantly making things happen compared to his line mates and his competition, but now that he's on the top line with Sid it looks like he's playing himself back down to WBS. I hope we get healthy before Bryan Rust gets pooplisted by MJ.

2 things I need to hear today are - Bennet, Downie, Martin will return Wednesday

and - The Penguins have claimed Paajarvi.

If I hear neither, New Years drinking might start a bit early.

Outside of Kris Letang, is there a defender more confident in pushing play through the neutral zone than Simon Despres? (on this team of course)

Time and time again last night it looks as though he wanted to pass, got mad that there were no options, then just put his head down and broke through on his own. He had 7 shots and just looked so damn impressive.

I know the narrative is getting old, but if you feel the need to trade a top 4 guy it is very clear Despres is ready to succeed in such a role. Hopefully Maatta returns to form and his injury just needed time because these two young defenders mean a lot to this team.