Pens vs Flyers 3-26-17

fractalsteel · Post by **fractalsteel** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 7:56 pm

Flyers have to be perfect to the end to have any chance. They couldn't score last night so lets hope that continues tonight.

No Malkin again and nothing about Letang either. Both have skated recently but anything further is being handled like a congressional investigation sans the leaks. Would be nice if the organization would come clean about what is wrong with both of them.

On a side note: PSU plays Denver tonight in the second round of the NCAA's men's hockey tournament.I believe the game is on ESPNU. Penguins projected lineup

Conor Sheary -- Sidney Crosby -- Bryan Rust

Matt Cullen -- Carter Rowney -- Phil Kessel

Chris Kunitz -- Nick Bonino -- Patric Hornqvist

Tom Kuhnhackl -- Oskar Sundqvist -- Scott Wilson

Brian Dumoulin -- Justin Schultz

Ian Cole -- Cameroun Gaunce

Mark Streit -- Chad Ruhwedel

Matt Murray

Marc-Andre Fleury

Scratched: David Warsofsky, Josh Archibald

Injured: Evgeni Malkin (upper body), Olli Maatta (hand), Trevor Daley (knee), Kris Letang (upper body), Carl Hagelin (lower body), Ron Hainsey (upper body), Tom Sestito (upper body), Jake Guentzel (concussion)

Louis Lipps Service · Post by **Louis Lipps Service** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 8:20 pm

Flyers sit to pee.

That is all.

JackLambert58 · Post by **JackLambert58** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:49 pm

Soft goal let in by Murray there.

Louis Lipps Service · Re: Pens vs Flyers 3-26-17

JackLambert58 wrote:Soft goal let in by Murray there.

I'm not going to call it an easy save...but also not going to disagree with ya.

And again, glove side.

BethlehemSteel · Post by **BethlehemSteel** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:55 pm

Could be picnic time at the glass cube

fractalsteel · Post by **fractalsteel** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:14 am

Sherry didn't return for the second-running out of guys to step up. How about it Kessel.

fractalsteel · Post by **fractalsteel** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:07 am

Murray has struggled most of the game. He just hasn't settled in seems to be out of focus.

Where is the Schultz shot from the point? Kessel, where are you? Hey Kunitz how about a clutch goal? The lines are troubled because of the Sheary absence and forward shortage. Someone has to step up.

No energy, crowd is sitting on their hands.

3-1

BethlehemSteel · Post by **BethlehemSteel** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:18 am

Shit

I would love to see flyers / pens 82 times a year

It would def favor Philly because they can't seem to get up for any other team

JackLambert58 · Post by **JackLambert58** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:41 am

This game is the perfect example of what we all fear about Murray. Maybe this is a wake up call for him for the playoffs. Here's hoping.

fractalsteel · Post by **fractalsteel** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:47 am

It starts with defense. Even with the depletion that doesn't mean you can't play well in your own end and be responsible. I wager that is what Sullivan is going to talk about tonight post game.

Whatever speech Sullivan gave Bonino 3-4 weeks ago he should repeat to Kessel.

Congrats to the Flyers. Too bad they couldn't spread tonight's bounty over last nights game against Columbus-DUMB FUCKS!

Donnie Brasco · Post by **Donnie Brasco** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:24 pm

Once Sheary went out it was all downhill

Can't be happy about giving up 6 goals. But there's a fine line between competing and being decimated on defense

Louis Lipps Service · Post by **Louis Lipps Service** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 2:22 pm

Sully hinted during his postgame presser that there might be some competition for the starting goalie job going into the playoffs, after all.

Not a good time for Murray to start sliding.

Post by **bradshaw2ben** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 3:50 pm

Well... I don't know how you can judge a team this decimated of scoring talent AND defensive talent. 50% of the guys who dressed are going to be afterthoughts if the roster is replenished for the playoffs.

Letang
Geno
Sheary
Hagelin

Damn, that's a lot of offense on the shelf, especially on the PP.

Ice · Post by **Ice** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 4:08 pm

Louis Lipps Service wrote:Sully hinted during his postgame presser that there might be some competition for the starting goalie job going into the playoffs, after all.

Not a good time for Murray to start sliding.

Better now than if we had shipped off Flower at the deadline (which I was advocating pretty loudly :oops:

)

fractalsteel · Post by **fractalsteel** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 5:28 pm

bradshaw2ben wrote:Well... I don't know how you can judge a team this decimated of scoring talent AND defensive talent. 50% of the guys who dressed are going to be afterthoughts if the roster is replenished for the playoffs.

Letang
Geno
Sheary
Hagelin

Damn, that's a lot of offense on the shelf, especially on the PP.

Continuity has been lacking in the lineup for months now. The pieces are scrambled. Every night the staff has to figure up whom to call up and where to play them, minutes assigned and then make it work. Then like last night a top winger goes out and Sullivan is left to scramble.
Of course his first move is to move Kunitz up next to Sid. I get that is Sully's comfort zone and I won't fully fault him because he is hamstrung with availability right now.
Starting to think that getting rid of Fehr was a mistake. Not that the guy is a superstar but his versatility is missing right now.
For example-if Sheary goes down last night Sully can shift either Fehr or Cullen(my choice) to the top line next to Sid. You have a proven commodity right there who has flashed next to 87. You also can shift the remaining Forward/Center(Fehr/Cullen) to the middle without really disrupting the lines.

The way it is now when the healthy guys show up for a contest they have to wondering who they are going to play with next? You can not sustain a healthy playoff run at seasons end when the roster is going through constant turnover on a game to game basis.

One thing most of you are not talking about(the consensus seems to be that Murray is now suddenly ordinary) is the lack of defensive quality in the Pens own end. TOO MANY SHOTS are being surrendered nearly every game. Guys aren't back checking. The offensive zone time is lame and that leads to TO's and too much time chasing.
Last night the Pens were guilty of leaving Vortexchek alone in front of the net half a dozen times. Even though he is vastly over rated Vortexchek can finish-ditto for Gurioux. Surprisingly Simmonds didn't destroy us last night but that wasn't for a lack of trying on his part.
The Pens have to find that fine line where they dictate for long periods of time. And you can't do that with guys that should be helping WBS and not the big club.
Too much is missing from the lineup right now. If they get healthy and can round into a semblance of where they were before the injury plague then this team should be alright.