Pens vs Caps 4-28-16 Game 1 comments

[AZ Stiller Fan]

They're usually rusty after several days off

Any Tom Wilson cheap shots ?

Several. He's such a dirty bastard.

[BethlehemSteel]

They're usually rusty after several days off

Any Tom Wilson cheap shots ?

Several. He's such a dirty bastard.

I'm reading now on the hockey boards that he should be suspended.

Not surprised, he shoukd have been last week for his Philly antics

[drmalba]

Didn't like the knee on knee.
I can live with Wilson if he could become another Chris Simon type player, but Chris Simon could score AND fight. Bush league shit has to stop because this team will eventually put one in on the PP unlike Philly.

[jeemie]

I'm taking solace the fact that the entire team played sloppy, including Murray, and we still dominated large stretches of the game and almost pulled out the win.

The only unsettling thing was how thoroughly we were outplayed in OT.

[Legacy User]

Agreed - we were excellent at times but awful at other times. The Caps played a role in that, but we made plenty of mistakes.

Dejan wrote this about Wilson - to think he was once a #16 overall pick...

Next, the Penguins need to leave Tom Wilson alone. I know that won’t exactly be the populist cry after that sickening knee-on-knee hit on Conor Sheary. But chasing that empty helmet around the rink won’t achieve anything other than even-up penalties and more distractions. If Gary Bettman’s NHL won’t do anything about Wilson — cue riotous laughter, please — after he intentionally injures an opponent in full view, then there’s nothing that can be done other than to put him on the unhappy end of a handshake line.

Empty helmet indeed.

[Donnie Brasco]

Wilson is a 4th liner and he did his job last night- took Malkin off for 2 mins. He was also an ass last night along with his garbage cheap play.

That Cullen penalty sucked away the momentum the Pens had going...thought they were going to run the Caps out of the building. Then the Caps got their powerplay. And this is why I always say: don't tell me about what your PP% is, tell me if you were generating chances. And the Caps did and they took off.

This series will be fun because these teams like to employ a heavy forecheck...almost mirror images of each other.

Onto the goal. Did the puck probably go in? Yeah. Did the ref see the puck? No fuckin way, so I'm irritated that he called it a goal.

[Nick79]

In all honestly it was a really good close game, both teams had good and bad stretches, Pens could have just as easily won 4-3, that was clear enough without deep analysis. Should be a good series.

[Nick79]

Wilson is a 4th liner and he did his job last night- took Malkin off for 2 mins. He was also an ass last night along with his garbage cheap play.

1) that was a stupid penalty against Malkin, the concept of "embellishment" is idiotic, who to say that he didn't legitimately slip and fall on that play? They are playing on ICE for Chrissakes!

2) Nothing more irritating than the "early/inadvertent whistle", it erases reality from the pages of history. talking about when it seemed the Pens scored at one point.

[Legacy User]

Onto the goal. Did the puck probably go in? Yeah. Did the ref see the puck? No fuckin way, so I'm irritated that he called it a goal.

I had the same thought last night. That's the problem with irrefutable evidence and refs perhaps making the safer call hoping that it will be overturned upon review... In front of a Caps crowd, err on the side of a Caps goal and hope for the best when it's reviewed. There's no chance he saw anything from his angle, so he was playing the odds or solely reacting to the Caps' reactions. I'm not claiming conspiracy, just human nature.

But I'm not too upset about it because it was the right call based on that look from the bench area. They may have reviewed it even if they called "no goal" on the ice. If it ended up being "no goal" somehow and the Pens went on to win, we'd be looking at a "Hull foot in the crease" situation with all the bitching and moaning after the fact.

Bottom line is that we shot ourselves in the foot on that play - DK breaks it down well, but it was essentially a lazy Geno dump-in right to Karlsson, a lazy skate by Geno to the bench requiring Sid to wait forever before getting on the ice, and a lazy dump up the boards by Daley when there was infinite room for him to circle back and skate with the puck. That shit won't happen again (or at least it better not if we want to advance).

[fractalsteel]

The good news was that the Pens got to Holtby last night. Guy is not invincible.

I thought the initial goal was in large, due to Malkin not getting back. He made amends later with a goal.

Murray seemed to lose his composure at times.

Maybe Crosby shows up next game we could use him.

Win game 2.

[Legacy User]

The good news was that the Pens got to Holtby last night. Guy is not invincible.

The good news is that there will be hockey in Pittsburgh in May.

We are not so fortunate this year in Chicago. Enjoy the ride...

[swissvale72]

Onto the goal. Did the puck probably go in? Yeah. Did the ref see the puck? No fuckin way, so I'm irritated that he called it a goal.

I had the same thought last night. That's the problem with irrefutable evidence and refs perhaps making the safer call hoping that it will be overturned upon review... In front of a Caps crowd, err on the side of a Caps goal and hope for the best when it's reviewed. There's no chance he saw anything from his angle, so he was playing the odds or solely reacting to the Caps' reactions. I'm not claiming conspiracy, just human nature.

But I'm not too upset about it because it was the right call based on that look from the bench area. They may have reviewed it even if they called "no goal" on the ice. If it ended up being "no goal" somehow and the Pens went on to win, we'd be looking at a "Hull foot in the crease" situation with all the bitching and moaning after the fact.

Bottom line is that we shot ourselves in the foot on that play - DK breaks it down well, but it was essentially a lazy Geno dump-in right to Karlsson, a lazy skate by Geno to the bench requiring Sid to wait forever before getting on the ice, and a lazy dump up the boards by Daley when there was infinite room for him to circle back and skate with the puck. That shit won't happen again (or at least it better not if we want to advance).

It was too fuckin' bad....the NBCee it thing was still fuzzy. I was hopeful when the announcers were originally saying it would be overturned. Would have been fuckin' huge to take this game.....Oh...after all my bellyaching about keeping myself in the dark, managed to catch the CBC broadcast in my hotel room in Quebec City....got back to the room early.

[Louis Lipps Service]

Wilson is a 4th liner and he did his job last night- took Malkin off for 2 mins. He was also an ass last night along with his garbage cheap play.

1) that was a stupid penalty against Malkin, the concept of "embellishment" is idiotic, who to say that he didn't legitimately slip and fall on that play? They are playing on ICE for Chrissakes!

2) Nothing more irritating than the "early/inadvertent whistle", it erases reality from the pages of history. talking about when it seemed the Pens scored at one point.

If you're talking about when Malkin poked the puck from under Holtby's glove, I believe that was the right call to make it a no-goal. When there's a lot of traffic around the net, refs will generally blow the play dead the moment the goalie covers the puck to try and prevent things like exactly what Malkin did. If they let those plays go longer than that, guys will start running goalies to try and knock the puck loose, which leads even more net-front fighting and just gets ugly.

In the play I think you're talking about, the puck squirted lose and Holtby was able to smother it with his glove and the ref came in with the quick whistle. That was the right call, in my opinion.

[Donnie Brasco]

Yea Holtby clearly had it and I heard the whistle- easy no goal call although I thought for sure Malkin would get a penalty for doing that.

[jeemie]

It was too fuckin' bad....the NBCee it thing was still fuzzy. I was hopeful when the announcers were originally saying it would be overturned.

Nah- the camera angle from the Caps' bench made it quite clear the puck went in...there was plenty of white to be seen between the puck and the goal line.

[Legacy User]

Nah- the camera angle from the Caps' bench made it quite clear the puck went in...there was plenty of white to be seen between the puck and the goal line.

That angle isn't actually as trusty as it may seem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSG8mzwwOs8 (sorry can't figure out how to embed the damn thing)

It was called a goal on the ice, so it should have stood as it did. I do not think the official that made the call was in a position to clearly determine a goal, but it is what it is. Upward and onward.

[fractalsteel]

The good news was that the Pens got to Holtby last night. Guy is not invincible.

The good news is that there will be hockey in Pittsburgh in May.

We are not so fortunate this year in Chicago. Enjoy the ride...

Yup, it is good times.

Hawks dug themselves too deep a hole. That was a great series- 3 out of 6 is great work. I just wish my team could come close to that.

[Donnie Brasco]

Also like to say I think Rust and Fehr should switch. Rust needs more minutes (especially after his performance vs NYR) and Fehr needs less.

[COR-TEN]

They didn't play all that great and almost stole a win it in DC. Everybody seemed a bit disjointed and sloppy, but at times played well enough to steal it.

I think the penalty on Malkin was ticky tacky. And the non call against Sheary was bogus. Home game I guess.

I don't expect that many goals in game two.

Don't like making predictions, but Pens in 7? Likely to change to 6 if they dominate tomorrow.

[Louis Lipps Service]

I think Maatta might be one of my bigger concerns. He was not good in the Rangers series, and was an absolute turnstile last night.

I don't know if something's still wrong with him, or what, but he is not the same player from last year. Skating and puck handling used to be strong points for him, and he has not looked good doing either during the playoffs. His positioning seems off, and he doesn't look fast enough to keep up with skilled players.

[jeemie]

Nah- the camera angle from the Caps' bench made it quite clear the puck went in...there was plenty of white to be seen between the puck and the goal line.

That angle isn't actually as trusty as it may seem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSG8mzwwOs8 (sorry can't figure out how to embed the damn thing)

It was called a goal on the ice, so it should have stood as it did. I do not think the official that made the call was in a position to clearly determine a goal, but it is what it is. Upward and onward.

Parallax doesn't come into play here...the puck was not in the air...it was flat on the ice.

[BethlehemSteel]

Didn't like the knee on knee.
I can live with Wilson if he could become another Chris Simon type player, but Chris Simon could score AND fight. Bush league shit has to stop because this team will eventually put one in on the PP unlike Philly.

Here's the problem with Wilson. He doesn't have a history of getting suspended yet. But, he keeps doing the same thing over and over, without recourse. Once he gets his first one, and i think it's coming. He will be the next poster boy.

[BethlehemSteel]

wow

this guy is simply predatory......how many times is he going to get away....they only fined him???

https://t.co/sW9Us9Ww4j

[Legacy User]

From Department of Player Safety:

Washington’s Tom Wilson has been fined $2,403.67, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for kneeing Pittsburgh’s Conor Sheary.

I understand it's a CBA limit, but when the fine is such a pittance compared to player salaries, something more drastic has to be done. I think it's worth two grand to knock out a top line player, so why not continue the shenanigans? Let's have Fehr "legally" take out Ovi or Holtby - we could crowd fund the fine!

[Louis Lipps Service]

Nah- the camera angle from the Caps' bench made it quite clear the puck went in...there was plenty of white to be seen between the puck and the goal line.

That angle isn't actually as trusty as it may seem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSG8mzwwOs8 (sorry can't figure out how to embed the damn thing)

It was called a goal on the ice, so it should have stood as it did. I do not think the official that made the call was in a position to clearly determine a goal, but it is what it is. Upward and onward.

Parallax doesn't come into play here...the puck was not in the air...it was flat on the ice.

I think the point of that video wasn't for pucks in the air, but rather for compensating for the fact that there's a layer of clear ice between the painted line and the puck, which, visually, has the same effect as if it was in the air.

That said, I don't think accounting for that changes a single thing in our case. I still think it was a goal, and absolutely think there's no way they could have possibly overturned it with what they had.

[jeemie]

I think the point of that video wasn't for pucks in the air, but rather for compensating for the fact that there's a layer of clear ice between the painted line and the puck, which, visually, has the same effect as if it was in the air.

That said, I don't think accounting for that changes a single thing in our case. I still think it was a goal, and absolutely think there's no way they could have possibly overturned it with what they had.

I do not believe the clear ice is thick enough to do that- I could be wrong, though, I guess, because in the YouTube video, all it took was 1.5" above the ice surface to make that happen.

I do agree, however, that there's no way they could have overturned it with any of the evidence they had.

[Suwanee88]

I think Maatta might be one of my bigger concerns. He was not good in the Rangers series, and was an absolute turnstile last night.

I don't know if something's still wrong with him, or what, but he is not the same player from last year. Skating and puck handling used to be strong points for him, and he has not looked good doing either during the playoffs. His positioning seems off, and he doesn't look fast enough to keep up with skilled players.

I have a feeling they are going to stick with him due to the contract/commitment. Maddening.

[Legacy User]

I'll be pissed if they do. I don't give a flying fuck about the commitment or the contract. The opportunity is NOW to compete for another Stanley Cup with this core. Fuck Oli Maata and his contract. If Schultz can play better he should be out there. If Oli costs us a chance at the Cup i'll see his ass stuffed into the luggage compartment on the first Greyhound out of town.

[Suwanee88]

I heard Milbury talking tonight about Murray....saying the Caps knew that Murray was really slow moving side to side (compared to Fleury) and they played him that way......... really sucks to hear that.

[fractalsteel]

It figures that Milbury is only seeing that now. Dude is a joke of an analyst.

Murray is average side to side but his length compensates for that.