Oh so the chances only count if the top line is getting them?
- Feds91Stammer

If I had to pick a guy shooting from in close danger area it would be matthews and not Ennis.

So yes I think it helps.

Who would you rather give up chances to....John Tavares and Auston Matthews or Connor Brown and Josh Leivo?
- Garnie

Tavares and Kadri lines had plenty of chances.

Those take into account missed shots too correct? We missed the net on a few great chances
- Thorny87

Yeah these are shot attempts. Not shots on goal.

I agree the Matthews line got shut down. But the Tavares line had plenty of chances. I believe the Matthews/Crosby lines basically neutralized each other where’s the Malkin/Tavares lines were trading chances. And neither of them scored. And the Kadri line thoroughly outplayed the Pens they were matched up against. That line had plenty of opportunities. And Kadri is a damn skilled hockey player.
- j.boyd919

I agree....he had a couple good chances for sure...but I'd let him shoot before JT and AM anyday. I think if Auston or even JT has Kadri's chances last night....we score 1 or more.

AM's line got crushed
JT's line was outshot...
Kadri's line was good...he had a couple chances..I still think the Pens had some hot opp's that they missed the net on...different types of chances when you wing a cross ice pass as soon as you get it compared to the Pens on a 3 on1 or the D walking right up to the top of the circle and letting bombs go....that's what I noticed anyways...either way I think the Pens deserved the 2 points and it helped with the missed high stick. ( had to throw a jab at the refs )

Who would you rather give up chances to....John Tavares and Auston Matthews or Connor Brown and Josh Leivo?
- Garnie

Well considering Tavares, Brown, and Leivo all have similar career shooting percentages any of them over Matthews would be best I suppose.

If I had to pick a guy shooting from in close danger area it would be matthews and not Ennis.

So yes I think it helps.
- bryant

Ennis for Letang

Well considering Tavares, Brown, and Leivo all have similar career shooting percentages any of them over Matthews would be best I suppose.
- Feds91Stammer

ok

Rusty missed an what I though was a sure goal last night.

Rusty missed an what I though was a sure goal last night.
- Thorny87

The Pens need to get more scoring from around the lineup in general.

The Pens need to get more scoring from around the lineup in general.
- Rinosaur

Definitely. Horny looks lost out there. Seems like every time he has the puck it's a turnover 2 seconds later

Solid way to start the road trip.

Always funny how "Wilson the downer" never mentions once in there if Anderson wasnt great as well and didnt make about 4 or 5 big saves himself this game also could have been 4 or 5 nothing for the pens. Read it like you didnt watch the game and he makes it sound as if the pens got stomped and only won because of Murrays game. Works both ways there champ the pens also got something like 38 shots on goal. hahahahaha

Not saying the game was one sided either way because I think to everybody besides "Wilson the downer" it was pretty evenly played. Id be happier with the pens game then the leafs if I was a neutral fan IMO. Id say the pens from my point of view were the hungrier team by a lot but game flow and opportunities were pretty close. I could care less that "Wilson the downer" says Murray will need to be exceptional all year and play at that level to win lots. Playing with that effort the pens will win a lot more often then not. Like I said earlier the pens also could have scored 5 or 6 goals.

So sick of "Wilson the downer" 's blogs lately. Glad to see most people and even other teams fans coming and reading are mostly noticing this as well. (About 7 or 8 comments on this already) Always has his couple players he hates and no matter if they play well or not he always needs to repeat and repeat he thinks they are terrible. If your a blogger and write a game blog tell us how the actual game went.

Definitely. Horny looks lost out there. Seems like every time he has the puck it's a turnover 2 seconds later
- Thorny87

iHDCF/60 is 2.32

It has been at least a 5.93 each of the last 3 seasons.

Not a good sign considering his iCF/60 is in line with his career numbers.

That contract might start looking real bad.

MatthEnnis for Letang
- Garnie

Maybe, if you pass the sugar also.

iHDCF/60 is 2.32

It has been at least a 5.93 each of the last 3 seasons.

Not a good sign considering his iCF/60 is in line with his career numbers.

That contract might start looking real bad.
- Feds91Stammer

He does go through mini slumps every year but right now he's treating the puck like a grenade. He can't wait to get rid of it regardless of where he or his line mates are.

He does go through mini slumps every year but right now he's treating the puck like a grenade. He can't wait to get rid of it regardless of where he or his line mates are.
- Thorny87

I felt like he’s always done that when controlling the puck. The Pens need to figure out a way to sustain an offensive cycle to let him get to the net and do his thing. That’s the biggest problem when he’s on the ice is that they can’t get a cycle going. They get in the zone and try the low to high pass and their D (outside of Letang and Dumo) kind of fumble the puck or make questionable decisions like odd D to D passes when they’re not needed. And they don’t get the puck towards the net.

He does go through mini slumps every year but right now he's treating the puck like a grenade. He can't wait to get rid of it regardless of where he or his line mates are.
- Thorny87

You are correct. Looking at the 5 game rolling average of his 5v5 iHDCF he had a similar rough patch last December.

I felt like he’s always done that when controlling the puck. The Pens need to figure out a way to sustain an offensive cycle to let him get to the net and do his thing. That’s the biggest problem when he’s on the ice is that they can’t get a cycle going. They get in the zone and try the low to high pass and their D (outside of Letang and Dumo) kind of fumble the puck or make questionable decisions like odd D to D passes when they’re not needed. And they don’t get the puck towards the net.
- j.boyd919

Your right, it just seems way worse thorugh these first few games. Like a horse with blinders.

It seemed as though Dumo had the puck with time to shoot a lot last night. He's the last player on the team I want taking prime chances. His shot is awful.

Ryan Wilson is the sole reason I will probably never look at or have and interest in fancy stats. He uses them as a crutch to sound smart about hockey. It’s like reading the wiki about something then claiming to be an expert.

Ryan Wilson is the sole reason I will probably never look at or have and interest in fancy stats. He uses them as a crutch to sound smart about hockey. It’s like reading the wiki about something then claiming to be an expert.
- Grinder47

The fact that you call them fancy stats shows your confirmation bias against them...

Your right, it just seems way worse thorugh these first few games. Like a horse with blinders.

It seemed as though Dumo had the puck with time to shoot a lot last night. He's the last player on the team I want taking prime chances. His shot is awful.
- Thorny87

I feel like I saw a stat last year that the pens were tops in the league at the low to high passes. Given they have Letang and Schultz it’s understandable but I’m not a fan of them doing that with the bottom 4 now. I’d rather them keep the puck low and use the cycle behind the net. I also think that could be where the bad pinches come from, pens forwards trying to push the puck back to the point, it gets deflected on the way, dman pinches to try and keep the play alive and the pens forwards are too deep or on the other side of the play and can’t get back to cover for the D pinching.

So what I’m gathering from this is that the guy who’s played hockey is entire life can’t recognize when one team has more scoring opportunities than the other. Because the pens had like 5-6 opportunities at best that were prime chances and that’s if you even count the PP goal that was a terrible angle shot. The leafs on that highlight reel alone had like 8-9.
- j.boyd919

Would you call the Tavares shot where he beat Tanger a 'high danger' shot?

Would you call the Tavares shot where he beat Tanger a 'high danger' shot?
- Aussiepenguin

Definitely. It was at or inside the circles. It wasn’t blocked.

Definitely.
- j.boyd919

So Tanger was all over him & Murray basically sat in front of him when he flubbed his shot - or got the only shot possible, was a high danger shot?

I strongly disagree with your interpretation of 'high danger'.

That means Horny slapping the puck into the pads of a goalie with zero chance of scoring is also 'high danger'?

I feel like I saw a stat last year that the pens were tops in the league at the low to high passes. Given they have Letang and Schultz it’s understandable but I’m not a fan of them doing that with the bottom 4 now. I’d rather them keep the puck low and use the cycle behind the net. I also think that could be where the bad pinches come from, pens forwards trying to push the puck back to the point, it gets deflected on the way, dman pinches to try and keep the play alive and the pens forwards are too deep or on the other side of the play and can’t get back to cover for the D pinching.
- j.boyd919

Makes sense.