But there's a serious problem when you can't trust your 3rd line out there then. That's what the job SHOULD be. To play a 2 way game and take important draws
- willi

absolutely...but sutter and beau have been terrible. And we lost kuni so I think spaling had moved up to sids line. Just dont think it was that big a deal...didnt cost us...not even a little really

Then he ices the puck and has to stay out longer, it was Adams, Sill, Sutter, Despres and Scuderi, the 3 worst players on the team and most of the time Sutter is the 4th, just unreal. I don't care how tired they are it's Sids line or Genos line in that situation and only Martin and Letang and when Ehrhoff comes back him and hopefully Pouliot
- Dcoms

That's the frustrating part. When he's in his zone instead of chipping it out he sails it down the ice and when he should dump it in at the red line he can't get enough wood on it and sends it 10 feet !!! I thought before he must've had pics of Bylsma or Shero to stay in the lineup but they're gone and he's still here.....Mario maybe ?

That's the frustrating part. When he's in his zone instead of chipping it out he sails it down the ice and when he should dump it in at the red line he can't get enough wood on it and sends it 10 feet !!! I thought before he must've had pics of Bylsma or Shero to stay in the lineup but they're gone and he's still here.....Mario maybe ?
- willi

He probably witnessed some of the debauchery on Burkles plane. Just a guess, but plausible IMO.

That's the frustrating part. When he's in his zone instead of chipping it out he sails it down the ice and when he should dump it in at the red line he can't get enough wood on it and sends it 10 feet !!! I thought before he must've had pics of Bylsma or Shero to stay in the lineup but they're gone and he's still here.....Mario maybe ?
- willi

He has been a big part of a fantastic pk we have had for a while. And a few cup rings never hurt. Behind the scenes we dont know what kinda leadership he brings...likely positove or he'd have been sent packing.....orpik....

You all need to understand your issues. They are not so much that adams sill sutter etc were on the ice..but that they r on the team to begin with. At the end of the day..thats what the coach has on the bench. They r there to play minutes so ur big boys are not gassed goin into the playoffs. I have watched this team for years..u never see sid or geno out there in final minutes. Ull see them a lil if the pens r up a goal or two....but just looking at sids empty netters he has scored...barely any say compared to ovi. This isnt new for us to see them on the bench at the end of a game.
- taleisyreXIII

Wrong, you don't put your 4th line out at the end of a tie game. EVER. Adams couldn't hit the ocean from the beach with a puck, he can't even score by accident, he'd find a way to screw up a breakaway on an empty net. And usually Sid and Geno are out together at the end of a game when they need a goal. The only time they are on the bench at the end of the game is when they are winning. Your logic is silly, why would you put the guys with the lowest chance to score on the ice when you NEED a goal?

absolutely...but sutter and beau have been terrible. And we lost kuni so I think spaling had moved up to sids line. Just dont think it was that big a deal...didnt cost us...not even a little really
- taleisyreXIII

Spaling didn't get moved up with Sid .I saw Sill out there and almost launched a bottle at the TV

Wrong, you don't put your 4th line out at the end of a tie game. EVER. Adams couldn't hit the ocean from the beach with a puck, he can't even score by accident, he'd find a way to screw up a breakaway on an empty net. And usually Sid and Geno are out together at the end of a game when they need a goal. The only time they are on the bench at the end of the game is when they are winning. Your logic is silly, why would you put the guys with the lowest chance to score on the ice when you NEED a goal?
- Dcoms

We were flat out realing from getting burned for two with our "BEST" offensive threat on the ice...u stop the bleeding. ..clearly I am not flat out wrong because I see no issue with this. .and we have a coach on and nhl team and more than just one that also see no issue with this. This is not new for the penguins in the sid geno era.

That's the frustrating part. When he's in his zone instead of chipping it out he sails it down the ice and when he should dump it in at the red line he can't get enough wood on it and sends it 10 feet !!! I thought before he must've had pics of Bylsma or Shero to stay in the lineup but they're gone and he's still here.....Mario maybe ?
- willi

Has to be something. He should have been sent packing when he was fighting with Malkin in practice and he lit Pouliot up to when he wasn't expecting it. That would be real great if some garbage 4th liner injured the teams next star. According to Mark Madden he's a wiener in interviews too, way too cocky for a 4th liner. All the great moves Rutherford has made, which is really Botterill let's be honest, and they don't dump this bum?

Spaling didn't get moved up with Sid .I saw Sill out there and almost launched a bottle at the TV
- willi

Possibly. .line juggles..I did see 13 with 87 at one point too...

He has been a big part of a fantastic pk we have had for a while. And a few cup rings never hurt. Behind the scenes we dont know what kinda leadership he brings...likely positove or he'd have been sent packing.....orpik....
- taleisyreXIII

You could shake a tree and 10 guys would fall out that would be just as good on the pk and Lecavlier has a ring, you want him on your team? We do know what kind of leadership he brings, did you not read a month ago about him picking fights with Malkin. The reason he's on the team still, I think, is he's the teams NHLPA rep and he has some power in the union so just like every place that has a union management kisses the reps ass a lot more than they should. But Adams is not a useful player and he's taking a roster spot from someone who is.

Has to be something. He should have been sent packing when he was fighting with Malkin in practice and he lit Pouliot up to when he wasn't expecting it. That would be real great if some garbage 4th liner injured the teams next star. According to Mark Madden he's a wiener in interviews too, way too cocky for a 4th liner. All the great moves Rutherford has made, which is really Botterill let's be honest, and they don't dump this bum?
- Dcoms

And his comments last week when asked when a player ( Bennett) sits out on if it helps the player or not. His response was a player won't learn anything in the press box. REALLY??? Most players when injured or scratched say you get a different perspective of the game and how much time there is or isn't....that's a great message for the young guys to hear that sitting in the press box is a waste of time

There is strategy to a season and a game...u just dont place more stress on players then u need to during the regular season. We have bottom 6 forwards for a damn reason. If this was nhl15 ud just turn off line changes and roll out ur top 5 guys every shift...but the real world isnt that way. We have players on this team to play a role. The regular season by and large is an 82 game audition for the playoffs. If players prove to fail in situations one would think you make notes and carry that with u for when then games really matter. Facts r you just cant play ur best guys every single shift of the game.
- taleisyreXIII

When you run out that 4th line 10 minutes a game, you put all kinds of pressure on the top two lines to score, because you get zero scoring from your 4th line. They are no threat to score at all...This isn't NHL 20 years ago, you need 4 lines that have the ability to score...right now, its two with the Pens. There is a role for every player, I agree...but at the same time, under a minute and you run a line out there that has no chance at scoring, you just sent a message to the rest of the team....that you gave up trying to win in regular time. Then you put Sill on a line with Crosby You can defend it all you want, but Adams and Sill are useless...and please don't bring up that PK bs...Adams doesn't do anything special.

Wow some people are really upset tonight.

Ottawa wasnt in this game until the refs let them in, 2nd goal was the result of freebie penalty, the interference on Scuderi on the 3rd was blatent and right infront of the ref.
They realised they may have gave the game to Ottawa when they stopped calling anything, for example the interference by Malkin.

We won so no one is upset with the refs, but for some reason we're all ragging on our coach who put the 4th on in a pressure situation. How is this even an issue. Getting the fourth line out there in playoff like situations can be nothing but good for our team.

The fourth line breaks under normal playing conditions. Putting them in a pressure situation was never going to yield anything but a high quality scoring chance.

The kids in green day could all use a wash. Ew.

Adams being the union rep is actually probably why he's still on the roster. It's probably very wienerly to deal with the union rep. I would like to see the roster of league union reps; it may be very telling.

When you run out that 4th line 10 minutes a game, you put all kinds of pressure on the top two lines to score, because you get zero scoring from your 4th line. They are no threat to score at all...This isn't NHL 20 years ago, you need 4 lines that have the ability to score...right now, its two with the Pens. There is a role for every player, I agree...but at the same time, under a minute and you run a line out there that has no chance at scoring, you just sent a message to the rest of the team....that you gave up trying to win in regular time. Then you put Sill on a line with Crosby You can defend it all you want, but Adams and Sill are useless...and please don't bring up that PK bs...Adams doesn't do anything special.
- Thorny

Your issue is the quality of the 4th line...not that they are out there..this is my point..and has been for a while. You want better more complete players available to play on this team...trade a big piece away...get those players and free up cap space. ...lead right to my argument about trading geno. Thx

Ok people serious question.

With just under 5 to go Neil starts crap with Kunitz. Bortz stops in has a look & keeps going - score 4-2 Pens.

Now we all know what happened after that. 2 goals in 13 seconds to tie the game.

If Bortz had of gone all in & starting swinging & got a penalty, would he have got the blame from a certain sector here if the result was the same?

Should he have gone all in & starting swinging hard (Bartley no need to answer here )? Why didn't he stay & make sure Kuni was ok?

Thoughts?

I believe that incident changed the game, pumped the Sens & basically put the Pens to sleep thinking it was over & maybe going to turn into Flyers mark 2.

Scuds was wondering which Sens player was going to jump him?

2 2nds for hannan! Done!

Ok people serious question.

With just under 5 to go Neil starts crap with Kunitz. Bortz stops in has a look & keeps going - score 4-2 Pens.

Now we all know what happened after that. 2 goals in 13 seconds to tie the game.

If Bortz had of gone all in & starting swinging & got a penalty, would he have got the blame from a certain sector here if the result was the same?

Should he have gone all in & starting swinging hard (Bartley no need to answer here )? Why didn't he stay & make sure Kuni was ok?

Thoughts?

I believe that incident changed the game, pumped the Sens & basically put the Pens to sleep thinking it was over & maybe going to turn into Flyers mark 2.

Scuds was wondering which Sens player was going to jump him?
- Aussiepenguin

Possibly didn't think Kunitz was going to respond and it'd be not a huge issue... might have just blinked and not realize (not exactly blinked but should know what I am meaning), or he just didn't want to start swinging with a 2 goal lead and 4 minutes left.

I don't think this should become a huge factor, the top 6 obviously was gassed in the last 10 minutes and then the Sens got some nice puck luck. Greiss played well the first 45-50 minutes in my mind, and was great in 4 penalty shots. poop happened, still got 2 points... lets go back to trading Sutter for Winnik ^_^

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...el-winnik-mike-santorelli

Ya?

Possibly didn't think Kunitz was going to respond and it'd be not a huge issue... might have just blinked and not realize (not exactly blinked but should know what I am meaning), or he just didn't want to start swinging with a 2 goal lead and 4 minutes left.

I don't think this should become a huge factor, the top 6 obviously was gassed in the last 10 minutes and then the Sens got some nice puck luck. Greiss played well the first 45-50 minutes in my mind, and was great in 4 penalty shots. poop happened, still got 2 points... lets go back to trading Sutter for Winnik ^_^
- Guile

Ahhh trades - said with a Homer Simpson impersonation.

So the Florida B's are gone now that they might reach the playoffs & are actually playing?

They should rotate Sill with Rust & Farnham if they aren't going to scratch him. See how Farnham would go with Lapeirre.

Does anyone knows why Downie didn't play?

Was he really a healthy scratch? I thought the fourth line looked semi decent with him and lapi together. They actually made some plays against Detroit.

Yesterday it was the dumpster fire it always is.

Ok people serious question.

With just under 5 to go Neil starts crap with Kunitz. Bortz stops in has a look & keeps going - score 4-2 Pens.

Now we all know what happened after that. 2 goals in 13 seconds to tie the game.

If Bortz had of gone all in & starting swinging & got a penalty, would he have got the blame from a certain sector here if the result was the same?

Should he have gone all in & starting swinging hard (Bartley no need to answer here )? Why didn't he stay & make sure Kuni was ok?

Thoughts?

I believe that incident changed the game, pumped the Sens & basically put the Pens to sleep thinking it was over & maybe going to turn into Flyers mark 2.

Scuds was wondering which Sens player was going to jump him?
- Aussiepenguin

Borts jumping in at that point would've been a terrrible idea. He didn't know the Sens would score 2 quick 1s. So let's say Borts does jump in then gets a 3rd man in penalty to put the Sens on the PP with less than 5 to go.....not smart

Wow some people are really upset tonight.

Ottawa wasnt in this game until the refs let them in, 2nd goal was the result of freebie penalty, the interference on Scuderi on the 3rd was blatent and right infront of the ref.
They realised they may have gave the game to Ottawa when they stopped calling anything, for example the interference by Malkin.

We won so no one is upset with the refs, but for some reason we're all ragging on our coach who put the 4th on in a pressure situation. How is this even an issue. Getting the fourth line out there in playoff like situations can be nothing but good for our team.
- stackthepads

Yes, the goal by Stone should not have counted due to an interference call not made. That said, the optics of this game did not look good. Just out to a 3-0 lead against a team not even close to being in play-off contention and then they went on coast. I know they won over Detroit 4-1, but after getting that lead, Detroit controlled the game for the last half really.

This team gets leads and instead of continuing to build on them, they let teams get back in. Last night's game reminded me of the last second loss to Dallas earlier in the year or even that choke job versus Detroit earlier as well. Game was in control; Pittsburgh chokes and it ends up in a loss. The only difference last night, Pittsburgh won in a skills competition.

Does anyone knows why Downie didn't play?

Was he really a healthy scratch? I thought the fourth line looked semi decent with him and lapi together. They actually made some plays against Detroit.

Yesterday it was the dumpster fire it always is.
- Conse

Johnston said it wasn't because of anything negative he did. Speculation is that he was sick. You're right in that the 4th line last night was trash. 3rd was too but it always will be with Sutter on it.

Johnston said it wasn't because of anything negative he did. Speculation is that he was sick. You're right in that the 4th line last night was trash. 3rd was too but it always will be with Sutter on it.
- jfkst1

Funny ... Bennett looked like the second coming too.