I think he's been pretty good minus the first 6 weeks of the season. Def a better center than wing. This is why it was such a bad idea to bring Cullen back. The coach is always going to favor the proud vet from past glories.

Wow...Pens breaking out.
- madmike71

I think anyone who knows anything about how to actually play hockey knows that bringing back Cullen was stupid, just like how signing JJ go that money and term was dumb

I love how Kessel got (earned, he really did earn the opportunity) to tap that one in. Reminded me of HBK where he just got some absolutelg nasty feeds

Malkin looks intensified tonight. I dig it

Back to sheahan.. I’m sure it was a bit of an adjustment moving BACK to the wing again and playing with cullen is obviously going to drag him down

Those PPs actually killed the crowd and their effort level.

Why have they been horrendous on 5 on 3s for so long, like years?
- MattStrat

Because the pens haven't had a bomb from the Blueline that can hit the net for that same period of time. Need a threat back there to shoot to open up the pk unit.

On the pp no way
- taleisyreXIII

When you see a guy barreling around behind the net you should. It not even an instance of trying to hit him back. Just don't assume he's not gonna hit you

When you see a guy barreling around behind the net you should. It not even an instance of trying to hit him back. Just don't assume he's not gonna hit you
- Thorny87

Usually players don't take themselves out of the play running for hits while killing a penalty. Also sorry the blame the victim situation is garbage. Letang got destroyed with an illegal hit...a player shouldnt have to adjust their game to avoid being hit illegally. If he does .he stops making quality plays and avoids the boards(Brassard).

Letang has to be expecting that hit. Both of em actually
- Thorny87

Doesn’t matter if Letang shoulder checked and saw him coming. You cannot finish your check when you’re looking at the guys numbers, hence the penalty. Letang shouldn’t have to expect to get laid out from behind

Because the pens haven't had a bomb from the Blueline that can hit the net for that same period of time. Need a threat back there to shoot to open up the pk unit.
- taleisyreXIII

I disagree. That’s only part of the equation, the other part is where the man inside the box (in a box plus 1 setup) is sitting and he’s almost always sitting right on top of the goalie. Our guys don’t pop out enough and it creates congestion. Washington is soooo good at popping out the guy into the slot. They also walk pucks off the goal line to the net which we NEVER do

Because the pens haven't had a bomb from the Blueline that can hit the net for that same period of time. Need a threat back there to shoot to open up the pk unit.
- taleisyreXIII

This is a lie. Or wrong. However you want to put it.

Doesn’t matter if Letang shoulder checked and saw him coming. You cannot finish your check when you’re looking at the guys numbers, hence the penalty. Letang shouldn’t have to expect to get laid out from behind
- WSCTeton17

He's been ruined by late hits before. I'm saying he needs to expect it. Not that it's legal.

This is a lie. Or wrong. However you want to put it.
- j.boyd919

Who is the bomb from the Blueline that hits the net...not Letang.

He's been ruined by late hits before. I'm saying he needs to expect it. Not that it's legal.
- Thorny87

How?

I think he's been pretty good minus the first 6 weeks of the season. Def a better center than wing. This is why it was such a bad idea to bring Cullen back. The coach is always going to favor the proud vet from past glories.

Wow...Pens breaking out.
- madmike71

Yet Cullen is out producing Sheahan this year in 10 less games.

I think anyone who knows anything about how to actually play hockey knows that bringing back Cullen was stupid, just like how signing JJ go that money and term was dumb

I love how Kessel got (earned, he really did earn the opportunity) to tap that one in. Reminded me of HBK where he just got some absolutelg nasty feeds

Malkin looks intensified tonight. I dig it

Back to sheahan.. I’m sure it was a bit of an adjustment moving BACK to the wing again and playing with cullen is obviously going to drag him down
- WSCTeton17

I honestly believe Rutherford was scarred last year when he struggled to trade for centers. This year he started the season with 5 on the NHL roster and Bleuger in reserve in the AHL.

I disagree. That’s only part of the equation, the other part is where the man inside the box (in a box plus 1 setup) is sitting and he’s almost always sitting right on top of the goalie. Our guys don’t pop out enough and it creates congestion. Washington is soooo good at popping out the guy into the slot. They also walk pucks off the goal line to the net which we NEVER do
- WSCTeton17

Yeah for sure but I also notice a lot of hesitation those situations. It's weird.

I honestly believe Rutherford was scarred last year when he struggled to trade for centers. This year he started the season with 5 on the NHL roster and Bleuger in reserve in the AHL.
- madmike71

Blueger could end up being this year's ELC spark plug yet.... Never know...

Who is the bomb from the Blueline that hits the net...not Letang.
- taleisyreXIII

Letang has 20 shots on the PP, right next to guys like Subban, Doughty, Suter, etc. and he has 4 missed shots on net on the PP per NHL. So he’s hitting the net little over 75% of his unblocked shots from the point.

Well...pretty sure Pens were up 2-0 after the 1st period last time they played... Then surrounded 4 PP goals against for the loss...

They better not try to fn coast through the rest or get undisciplined.

Since I made the comment about Pierre I’ll back it up. I think he’s done a good job of including the chick since the opening.

I like that Murray is keeping pucks alive and keeping the game flowing but he Maatta in a bad spot earlier. Left it for him to play and Maatta had a guy all over his ass

Going back to the type of fan who likes Cullen or thinks JJ is good because he logged a ton of minutes back in the day: it drives me nuts to have actual hockey conversations with people who don’t understand hockey.

My roommate is a girl and she’s trying to teach people about the game. I’m a hockey coach so I also enjoy teaching people about the game. I’m a very X’s And O’s, hands on, verbal coach. I love coaching systems and doing video and all that good stuff. Well, her idea of informing someone who’s never watched hockey before isn’t explaining the rules and why they play the way they do (IE going hard to the net, center lane drive on a 3 on 2, types of forechecks, what faceoffs are, penalty killing, etc) she hand wrote a full page on each team on the history: who the mascot is, how they got their name, when they came into the league, etc

I’m not saying these things don’t have value, but it definitely doesn’t help you understand the game of hockey. Obviously it bothered me a bit when I said “well, it blows my mind that there are a ton of fans who have watched hockey for decades but don’t know a thing about systems” and she said “so? None of those things matter.” To each their own.. but don’t come at me with how well or poorly this guy or that guy is playing when ya don’t know sheeeet. Also, before anyone rains on my parade. I’ve tried talking to her about center lane drives and why guys do things the way they do, she has zero interest in learning about how this beautiful game is played

Yet Cullen is out producing Sheahan this year in 10 less games.
- willi

Sheahan is been primarily playing wing with players who are not very good. Sheahan did not work in Detroit on the wing or with players who were not good. History shows if you give Sheahan good wingers, he can produce, but when you throw him on the wing with a center who gets buried in the defensive zone, (much like playing with Glendenig) he’s not going to get to his game.

He's been ruined by late hits before. I'm saying he needs to expect it. Not that it's legal.
- Thorny87

I get what you’re saying and I disagree. I would put what you’re saying in the same category as “women who dress skimpy should expect to get raped”

Letang has 20 shots on the PP, right next to guys like Subban, Doughty, Suter, etc. and he has 4 missed shots on net on the PP per NHL. So he’s hitting the net little over 75% of his unblocked shots from the point.
- j.boyd919

His shot is a joke...he doesn't have a bomb at all.

Since I made the comment about Pierre I’ll back it up. I think he’s done a good job of including the chick since the opening.

I like that Murray is keeping pucks alive and keeping the game flowing but he Maatta in a bad spot earlier. Left it for him to play and Maatta had a guy all over his ass

Going back to the type of fan who likes Cullen or thinks JJ is good because he logged a ton of minutes back in the day: it drives me nuts to have actual hockey conversations with people who don’t understand hockey.

My roommate is a girl and she’s trying to teach people about the game. I’m a hockey coach so I also enjoy teaching people about the game. I’m a very X’s And O’s, hands on, verbal coach. I love coaching systems and doing video and all that good stuff. Well, her idea of informing someone who’s never watched hockey before isn’t explaining the rules and why they play the way they do (IE going hard to the net, center lane drive on a 3 on 2, types of forechecks, what faceoffs are, penalty killing, etc) she hand wrote a full page on each team on the history: who the mascot is, how they got their name, when they came into the league, etc

I’m not saying these things don’t have value, but it definitely doesn’t help you understand the game of hockey. Obviously it bothered me a bit when I said “well, it blows my mind that there are a ton of fans who have watched hockey for decades but don’t know a thing about systems” and she said “so? None of those things matter.” To each their own.. but don’t come at me with how well or poorly this guy or that guy is playing when ya don’t know sheeeet. Also, before anyone rains on my parade. I’ve tried talking to her about center lane drives and why guys do things the way they do, she has zero interest in learning about how this beautiful game is played
- WSCTeton17

These are the same retards who say they’d rather have a 15-20 point player that looks like he hustles and works hard over a 35-50 point player who looks like he coasts. These are how the majority of dummies I play beer league with. Loving the Ryan Callahan’s, Dan Girardi’s and Cedric Paquette’s of the world but not understanding how good guys like Ondrej Palat and insert “lazy” Euro here guys are.

The moron twins on the intermission are like a live Geico commercial...so they carpet that studio to protect their knuckles?

So all of those hits were good and clean?! And Jones wouldn’t change a thing down 0-3, remind me again of all of his success?

Yet Cullen is out producing Sheahan this year in 10 less games.
- willi

Anyone who looks at numbers on a page to purely assess hockey players is getting a small part of the picture. Cullen has been opportunistic to say the least and when he’s able to get possession on the forecheck he’s been fine but coming up the ice he’s obviously slow, on the backcheck he’s slow, he’s been caught out of position on the PK. He literally only makes his teammates better if they can gift him the puck. He can’t outwork anyone anymore. He’s been taking time away from Blueger and Sheahan and I don’t think it’s any surprise how well we played when we went down

His shot is a joke...he doesn't have a bomb at all.
- taleisyreXIII

Don’t need a bomb on the PP. Its not about the power of the shot. It’s about the willingness to shoot to keep the Pkers honest and the ability to hit the net when your shots do get through.

The problem does not start with Letang IMO. I think the problem is more because they neglect the Malkin one timer. Phil on the half wall has become option 1 (for good reason and probably should be.) but I 100% believe that the Geno Bomb should always be option 2. Letang’s shot should be option 3. I’m not really sure why they don’t force feed Geno more often.