Oli Maatta has to be the slowest skater in the NHL. Terrible turnovers, unable to finish a check, he's a liability for the Pens.

Pens big problem is the powerless play. They had plenty of chances & couldn't convert.

Olli was signed to his big contract under the previous front office leadership. Under their style of play Olli was a good fit. When Rutherford and Sullivan took over and instituted a very different system Olli was exposed as a very bad fit. He is too slow to be effective under Sully's style. He is OK as an outlet passer but gets caught out of position, makes slow decisions against a breakout and cannot react quickly enough to counter his slow skating ability. He does OK on the PK because he is already in the defensive zone and not trying to catch up to anyone in an open breakaway. Think of how the Pens miss Letang. I feel sorry for Olli because he is just playing in the wrong system. I would leave him unprotected in the draft and pray Las Vegas picks him up but I doubt they would.

I also am not convinced of Kessel's role on the PP. He is not the puck handler that Crosby, Malkin, or even Bonino or Cullen are. He has one of the best shots in the NHL but passes up too many looks. He makes a few great passes but has far more giveaways. And as far as carrying the puck into the zone, please let someone else do it.

Shoot the puck and get in the "Dirty Area". Obstruct the goalie's vision and shoot it. Some of the Pen's best production this season was when they return to basics. They have to outwork the opponent first. The pretty goals come from creating opportunities from outworking the opponent.

Go Pens!

Last night's game was both exciting and infuriating. Damn I hate the Sens trap play.

Now I'm worried about who the Pens are gonna get to fill in for Schultz if he doesn't come back for game 3. Man, we're looking thin in the defense dept.

quote:

Originally posted by agony:
Last night's game was both exciting and infuriating. Damn I hate the Sens trap play.

Now I'm worried about who the Pens are gonna get to fill in for Schultz if he doesn't come back for game 3. Man, we're looking thin in the defense dept.

Streit, even though he's down on the depth chart, is a decent puck moving defenseman. Hopefully he can hold us over until Daley & Schultz are better.

Dumolin & Cole have been the steadiest on D.

All I want is consistency from the referees. Bullshit call.

quote:

Originally posted by Expat:
All I want is consistency from the referees. Bullshit call.

Good luck. The referees can't even maintain consistency in a period, game, let alone a series.

As to which call was BS, you need to narrow it down.

What the hell inverted universe did the Pens just fall into tonight?
Good lord.....I'm on the verge of turning off the television.

Someone found a way to beat Fleury.

To bad my Caps couldn't.

quote:

Originally posted by agony:
What the hell inverted universe did the Pens just fall into tonight?
Good lord.....I'm on the verge of turning off the television.

I did. That had to be the worst I've seen them play for awhile.

I believe Pierre has a serious crush on Karlsson.

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:
Someone found a way to beat Fleury.

To bad my Caps couldn't.

Not usually as hard Fleury was paying above average in Caps series. Go Predators/Senators.

quote:

Originally posted by mrbill345:

quote:

Originally posted by Expat:
All I want is consistency from the referees. Bullshit call.

Good luck. The referees can't even maintain consistency in a period, game, let alone a series.

As to which call was BS, you need to narrow it down.

I was fired up over the goal tender interference lack of call/call on the Predators waved off goals, last night. I don't want to get started again. In game venting...

Penguins did not look good tonight.

Pens were terrible but if they win on Friday they regain home ice and it becomes best of 3. The Pens have bounced back pretty well so far these playoffs.

The worrisome part is the massive amount of injuries the Pens are fighting through.

quote:

Fleury was paying above average in Caps series. Go Predators/Senators.

I agree. The Pens are not as dominant as everyone seemed to fear. This Nashville team is really fast and can wear you out.
Go Predators/Senators.

Fleury has been the Pens MVP so far in the playoffs.

He out played Vezina trophy winners in the first two rounds. Except for last night he has been stellar in the ECF.

I swear, that 3-point lead curse almost caught the Pens tonight. The last few minutes of this game was a little stressful.

I'm glad they put Murray in the crease.
He's more suitable for the tone of this round. Fleury does best when he's getting tons of shots on him.

LET'S GO PENS!!!

That was a finish that had me standing up. I love playoff hockey!

The officiating sucks. The Pens suck at scoring goals. The score should have been 6-2.
Pens had a horse shoe up their ass last night.
Two lucky junk goals and Maatta got lucky at that angle. The power play is on life support.
They have had plenty of scoring opportunities but too many weak and low shots, they need to get the puck up in the corners.

The officiating was biased in favor of the Senators. Of the multiple penalties that could have been called when Ruhwedel was injured - the only call was on the Pens Cole, who defended his injured teammate. a 4 min high stick on Brassard; elbowing, charging, or boarding on Ryan any or all of which could have been called. In the scrum that resulted in the Page penalty; Guentzel was punched in the face multiple time by Stone. Then in the last half of the third period, the referees ignored Cullen being held, an interference, & a cross-check to eventually call too many men on the Pens. The final tally is twice as many penalties called on the Pens vs the Sens. Only explanation is bias or incompetence on the part of the referees.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

quote:

Fleury was paying above average in Caps series. Go Predators/Senators.

I agree. The Pens are not as dominant as everyone seemed to fear. This Nashville team is really fast and can wear you out.
Go Predators/Senators.

Including last nights game, the Pens had 58 man games lost in 16 playoff games - which just might affect their ability to dominate, just a bit. This includes top players like Letang, Hornqvist, Schultz, Daley(2nd game back), Kuhnhackl, & Murray. No other team has faced such an obstacle in this post season. That the Penguins have done as well as they have is a testament to how good a job Jim Rutherford has done as GM & Mike Sullivan as coach.

The lack of puck moving defensemen is hurting their scoring ability.