Pens vs Isles, Game 5

[Ice]

Hoping the return home, last change and better ice turn things around a little bit. Not saying must win, but it's a pretty darn big game.

LGP!!!!

[MWS71]

Islanders were definitely the better team on Saturday, but I think the score line flatters them a bit. Not saying they didn't deserve to win or they got lucky or anything like that, I'm just not looking for spot on the Brooklyn bridge to jump off of yet. These are two evenly matched teams, the Islanders played a little better and got the bounces that generally accompany better zone time, shot volume, shot quality etc. That can happen!

I'm seriously considering watching this game on mute, though. The NBC broadcast has never been good, but its unwatchable for me now. If I have hear another comment about Jarry's glove (especially from a former NHL goalie who ought to know better) I'm gonna self harm.

Even worse is the constant talk about "getting under the skin" of our star players. Where on earth do Eddie O, Keith Jones, or Anson Carter get off waxing lyrical about the Cal Clutterbucks of the world pushing and shoving after the whistle? The constant implication that our guys are soft or immature makes me absolutely insane. Didn't they just win two cups back to back? Did Brandon Dubinsky never think "I oughta cross check 71 after the whistle"? Did Tom Wilson never think "I should face wash Kris Letang"? If only for the past 15 years someone was as smart as Keith fucking Jones is in the studio and thought "maybe I should try to fuck with Crosby", then the Pens wouldn't have won 3 cups and never missed the playoffs for a decade and a half.

You know what actually pisses those guys off? When they can't get through the neutral zone for 60 straight minutes. When they can't play offense at all because the Islanders have such good defensive structure. That's when the post whistle stuff can make an impact. It's way easier to skate away from the Isles nonsense when you're playing the game you want to play.

If the Pens get through the neutral zone with speed, either with stretch passes, puck support in between the blue lines, or an agressive chip and chase they'll have a good chance to win. I really think Malkin is hurt bad, his skating looks like shit and he won't go near contact. Hopefully this is the game Jake gets it going.

LGP!

[fractalsteel]

Islanders were definitely the better team on Saturday, but I think the score line flatters them a bit. Not saying they didn't deserve to win or they got lucky or anything like that, I'm just not looking for spot on the Brooklyn bridge to jump off of yet. These are two evenly matched teams, the Islanders played a little better and got the bounces that generally accompany better zone time, shot volume, shot quality etc. That can happen!

I'm seriously considering watching this game on mute, though. The NBC broadcast has never been good, but its unwatchable for me now. If I have hear another comment about Jarry's glove (especially from a former NHL goalie who ought to know better) I'm gonna self harm.

Even worse is the constant talk about "getting under the skin" of our star players. Where on earth do Eddie O, Keith Jones, or Anson Carter get off waxing lyrical about the Cal Clutterbucks of the world pushing and shoving after the whistle? The constant implication that our guys are soft or immature makes me absolutely insane. Didn't they just win two cups back to back? Did Brandon Dubinsky never think "I oughta cross check 71 after the whistle"? Did Tom Wilson never think "I should face wash Kris Letang"? If only for the past 15 years someone was as smart as Keith fucking Jones is in the studio and thought "maybe I should try to fuck with Crosby", then the Pens wouldn't have won 3 cups and never missed the playoffs for a decade and a half.

You know what actually pisses those guys off? When they can't get through the neutral zone for 60 straight minutes. When they can't play offense at all because the Islanders have such good defensive structure. That's when the post whistle stuff can make an impact. It's way easier to skate away from the Isles nonsense when you're playing the game you want to play.

If the Pens get through the neutral zone with speed, either with stretch passes, puck support in between the blue lines, or an agressive chip and chase they'll have a good chance to win. I really think Malkin is hurt bad, his skating looks like shit and he won't go near contact. Hopefully this is the game Jake gets it going.

LGP!

A lot of good points here.

The Pens came out strong but they couldn't sustain it and IMO that is because too many of them allowed themselves to become frustrated too early.
Malkin for sure.
Letang as well.
Both took bad penalties.

Rust and Guentzel have to spend more time trying to break the clutching and holding and less time turning their heads looking to complain.
Orangesteel said last game that both of them need 'to put their big boy pants on' and he was correct.

Guentzel needs to go to the front of the net. Plain and simple. Let Crosby operate behind the net because there isn't a better player in the world from that working area. Rust, please shoot, use your speed. If they clutch you fight through it.

Who knows with the second line?

The third line struggled as well and Carter might have had his most disappointing game as a Penguin. I'll wager he comes out better tonight.
Not worried about the fourth line.


Something struck me as odd.
No center played more than 16:30 minutes.

The Pens had to kill a lot of penalties and in the last five minutes of the game Malkin didn't play(2 minutes were on the PK).

[Orangesteel]

If Sorokin plays like this we are trouble.

Holy shit Bryan Rust bury the fucking puck

Put it right in his shoulder pads

[Orangesteel]

geeeeeeenoooo!

Let’s go!

[Orangesteel]

Great PP entrance there

[El Kabong]

Off to a good start I see.

[fractalsteel]

The only negative on that PP was that the Pens lost the draw. Everything else was very good.

Oh, Malkin ties Mario(17th or something) for all time playoff points. Of course Geno has about 70 more playoff games to his credit.

[El Kabong]

Damn

[Orangesteel]

What a fucking joke

[Orangesteel]

Jake Guentzel looks like a little boy out there. Fucking numbskull.

[fractalsteel]

Someone didn't cover for a pinching D man. Guentzel has to give a better effort there. Fucking hook the guy if you have to.

[Orangesteel]

That was an incredible period by the Pens and we come out 1-1. Maddening. I don’t even care about how it would screw up the lines, Jake needs to be demoted pronto.

[Orangesteel]

Bleuger tried to go high blocker on his golden chance. Looks like it hit the knob of Sorokin’s stick. It was a good shot.

[fractalsteel]

Bleuger tried to go high blocker on his golden chance. Looks like it hit the knob of Sorokin’s stick. It was a good shot.

Yes, inch here,inch there and it is in the net.

[fractalsteel]

71, no fucking need for that hook.

[El Kabong]

Wow, Rust

[Orangesteel]

nnnnnicee!!!

[El Kabong]

Let's bury them with this PP.

[fractalsteel]

What a shift after the PK!
2-1

[fractalsteel]

Wow, the ice is terrible. Guys falling all over the place.

[El Kabong]

I'm digging all these shots on goal we're getting.

[El Kabong]

Good period.

[Orangesteel]

So many shots. So few goals. Making me nervous.

Nick Leddy missed by a hair there at the end. That’s why you have to play the whole period.

[fractalsteel]

Jarry drifted too far to his left and thankfully that shot missed. That was as close as being grazed by a bullet to end the period.


OK, back to the Islanders goal.
After watching it a few times I still think Jake fucked up and should have pushed Beauvillier more to the outside. The thing is that Jake was in a position to see which Pens were coming back and he had to know that Crosby was a second away. Push Beauvillier outside with some physicality and Sid is there to clean up.
But, the culprit to all that was Dumo.
Letang had pinched and Guentzel was the guy back covering. Dumo was at mid ice when the Isles took control. Dumo tried a lame attempt to poke check the puck and missed badly and the whole thing was a mess from that point on.
It wasn't all on Guentzel.

[fractalsteel]

59 has 5 SOG this game and 24 for the series.
He is due.

[El Kabong]

Come on, guys.

[Orangesteel]

This team is maddening.

[El Kabong]

This we don't need.

[El Kabong]

Good kill. Now SCORE.