Ryan Wilson: Hockey! Hockey!

Here watching Hockey Night in Canada coverage with Leafs and Habs about to play.. On July 28th...its all surreal. I can't wait to watch as much of this as possible, no matter the teams.

Gotta say.... Hopefully he was just taking it easy, but I'm sightly worried about Sid. I know it's only a meaningless preseason game, but he didn't really have a ton of jump. I wouldn't even think twice about it if he hadn't missed some camp time with a mysterious injury.

I think Marino is damn near our best defender already. Obviously not as offensively gifted as Letang, but everything else is sublime. Wonderful first pass to Guentz on the first goal.

Anyway... Good hockey game! Very enjoyable. Glad they didn't just throw in the towel on the season.

Fun game.

Malkin had a really nice set up.

Looks like someone wants another conn smythe!!!

Fun game.

Malkin had a really nice set up.

Looks like someone wants another conn smythe!!!
- bruceflyers

You're trolling awfully hard for an exhibition game won in 3 on 3 OT...

You're trolling awfully hard for an exhibition game won in 3 on 3 OT...
- MattStrat

Fun right?

Laughts beating jarry like a rented muuuuuulllleeee!!!

Fun right?

Laughts beating jarry like a rented muuuuuulllleeee!!!
- bruceflyers

At least our captain doesn't love Nickelback and grabbing male cops asses lol. It's also hard to hear you over the sound of back to back cups. Oh and one more day until 16,500!

Toronto seems like they've controlled most of the O zone time here in the second. I missed the first.

At least our captain doesn't love Nickelback and grabbing male cops asses lol. It's also hard to hear you over the sound of back to back cups. Oh and one more day until 16,500!
- 668710

Are you implying that there are Nickleback fans that DON'T enjoy grabbing male cops' asses?

I think Marino is damn near our best defender already. Obviously not as offensively gifted as Letang, but everything else is sublime. Wonderful first pass to Guentz on the first goal.
- madmike71

He was your best, and most noticeable, player tonight. Player, not just defender. Seems like you may have struck gold with him.

Are you implying that there are Nickleback fans that DON'T enjoy grabbing male cops' asses?
- jmatchett383

It's called Bum Rock for a reason.

Governor wolf has mandated that people from Pennsylvania have to wear masks until the Philadelphia flyers won the Stanley cup. Basically forever.

Flames Oil feels more normal. The games have gotten better as the day went on. Pens looked the least sharp of all the teams.

Sheary scored the first goal but was pretty invisible the rest of what I saw.

Sid looked like he hasn’t played in a long time. Gonna be some rust but he ain’t getting any younger. It gets harder and harder to get back to 100%.

I hate to be that guy, but pens will be playing a game in August, not July. And it’s technically not considered a playoff game.

I’m glad to see Marino pick up where he left off. Would like to see him used a little more and give Letang a little more of a breather

Flames Oil feels more normal. The games have gotten better as the day went on. Pens looked the least sharp of all the teams.

Sheary scored the first goal but was pretty invisible the rest of what I saw.

Sid looked like he hasn’t played in a long time. Gonna be some rust but he ain’t getting any younger. It gets harder and harder to get back to 100%.
- Thorny87

Aside from Malkin's centering pass, I thought the Pens (as a whole) looked pretty good. The timing was still a bit off, but their skating was fine and the goaltending was just fine.

I know they're just exhibition games, but if the games from yesterday/last night are any indication of what's to come, I'm picking the Pens in 2. Montreal looked like they haven't skated in 4 months, Penguins looked like a good team just a tiny bit out of sync.

Aside from Malkin's centering pass, I thought the Pens (as a whole) looked pretty good. The timing was still a bit off, but their skating was fine and the goaltending was just fine.

I know they're just exhibition games, but if the games from yesterday/last night are any indication of what's to come, I'm picking the Pens in 2. Montreal looked like they haven't skated in 4 months, Penguins looked like a good team just a tiny bit out of sync.
- jmatchett383

I pretty much only caught the 3rd period of the Pens game and really liked what I saw in it from the Pens but there was definitely still slop. I saw most of the Leafs and Habs game and there was a lot of slop on both sides. I fell asleep right at the start of Oilers and Flames so cant comment on that one. Im 6 foot tall and fell asleep on a 4 foot couch. Can barely turn my head here this morning.

After all the rest they've had, if the Pens dont bring that kinda energy that they did in the 3rd, a lot more periods than not in this tourney, it'll be unforgivable. No excuses.

Aside from Malkin's centering pass, I thought the Pens (as a whole) looked pretty good. The timing was still a bit off, but their skating was fine and the goaltending was just fine.

I know they're just exhibition games, but if the games from yesterday/last night are any indication of what's to come, I'm picking the Pens in 2. Montreal looked like they haven't skated in 4 months, Penguins looked like a good team just a tiny bit out of sync.
- jmatchett383

We're a lot better than Montreal and there was nothing from last night that merits too much concern. We knew the PP was off going in because that's been a trend all season, which could turn into a problem if we make a deep run but won't be the reason we lose to a team like Montreal.

My only real concern I have right now is that Kris Letang has been a bit uninspired, but he's a competitor, so I won't be truly worried about him until the games start to actually matter this Saturday.

Are you implying that there are Nickleback fans that DON'T enjoy grabbing male cops' asses?
- jmatchett383

Lol

Flames Oil feels more normal. The games have gotten better as the day went on. Pens looked the least sharp of all the teams.

Sheary scored the first goal but was pretty invisible the rest of what I saw.

Sid looked like he hasn’t played in a long time. Gonna be some rust but he ain’t getting any younger. It gets harder and harder to get back to 100%.
- Thorny87

Yea I'm expecting that with Sheary for the most part, but let's hope he puts pucks in the net. Sid and Guentz are gonna command the attention so hopefully Sheary can get open and score just like he did.

Yea I'm expecting that with Sheary for the most part, but let's hope he puts pucks in the net. Sid and Guentz are gonna command the attention so hopefully Sheary can get open and score just like he did.
- 668710

I wonder how long a leash he gets?

If he's scoring then the other issues are easily overlooked but the main one that bothers me is He can't wait to get rid of the puck when in traffic.

A couple of times he forced the puck to Sid or Jake at the line, instead of gaining then dishing. Those turnovers kill when half of the team is going full tilt into the offensive zone.

I wonder how long a leash he gets?

If he's scoring then the other issues are easily overlooked but the main one that bothers me is He can't wait to get rid of the puck when in traffic.

A couple of times he forced the puck to Sid or Jake at the line, instead of gaining then dishing. Those turnovers kill when half of the team is going full tilt into the offensive zone.
- Thorny87

If we know anything about Sully is that he likes to toggle lines. I don't think it will be based so much on Sheary's performance as much as it will be the game in general. If Sid's line is just looking flat you'll see him toss Horny or even Rust up there for a bit. They know what they have in Sheary. There are no surprises here.

If we know anything about Sully is that he likes to toggle lines. I don't think it will be based so much on Sheary's performance as much as it will be the game in general. If Sid's line is just looking flat you'll see him toss Horny or even Rust up there for a bit. They know what they have in Sheary. There are no surprises here.
- Rinosaur

Nobody, absolutely nobody, should be looking flat in any of the games going forward after such a long layoff and with every game meaning something.

Bolts are trouncing the Cats hahah

If Malkin has a giveaway like that in the playoffs, I think it is time that Sully starts holding him accountable. Maybe sit him a shift or two, or take him off the top power play for a period. Malkin's frequent turnovers, over stickhandling and ill advised penalties in the offensive zone have gone unpunished for too long. Why are he, along with Letang and Crosby never held to the same standards that Sullivan holds the rest of the team to? Granted, they are the most talented, but the "you got to take the good with the bad" argument is starting to wear thin!

If Malkin has a giveaway like that in the playoffs, I think it is time that Sully starts holding him accountable. Maybe sit him a shift or two, or take him off the top power play for a period. Malkin's frequent turnovers, over stickhandling and ill advised penalties in the offensive zone have gone unpunished for too long. Why are he, along with Letang and Crosby never held to the same standards that Sullivan holds the rest of the team to? Granted, they are the most talented, but the "you got to take the good with the bad" argument is starting to wear thin!