It's a "best of seven" for a reason. Who knows what's going to happen in Philadelphia? I don't have a good feeling about the Pens' chances, but I'm not giving up on them.
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NHL '12 Playoffs |OT| "The Cup is our destiny this year."
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It's a "best of seven" for a reason. Who knows what's going to happen in Philadelphia? I don't have a good feeling about the Pens' chances, but I'm not giving up on them.
Going down 2-0 against the Rangers is a scary thought. Maybe you can admit that the Flyers are also a competent team and whatever the pens fix in their game the Flyers will also. The pens could play their best game of the season on Sunday and still lose.
BELIEVE is your version of DESTINY
The Flyers are a good team, and one that matches up really well against Pittsburgh in particular. I give them credit, but many of Philly's goals could have been avoided if the Pens themselves hadn't shot themselves in the foot with blatant passing to the other team, or passing to no one in particular, or not taking a man when the Flyers drive to the net. Philly's strong and has loads of talent, but the Pens are also serving up chances on a platter. It's infuriating.
I don't believe in "destiny" in any way. I was hopeful that this Pens team could maybe do something special in the playoffs, but so far they've done nothing but disappoint, leaving a trail of questions in their wake.
gutter_trash
Banned
I hate afternoon games so so much
There's nothing wrong with showing some optimism in the face of adversity. You watch a team all season and believe they are better than what they have shown, there's no reason to go straight for the razorblades.
DESTINY implies that you will be handed something on a silver platter. BELIEF is knowing you can do something but it doesn't guarantee anything.
They're pretty great for us 12 dedicated NHL fans over in europe though.. someday I'll lose my job/gf/mind over staying up watching hockey and losing sleep every other night.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
Sure that's possible but pens have to fix a lot. The pens aren't a team that the other team should have as many goals on your PP as you do. There are serious problems on D they have to address.
The Pens have played bad D for the final 9-10 games of the regular season. The offense kicked into a another gear but the D took a hit. It's frustrating because they were clearly a top 10 team defensively the rest of the season. However the series is not over and if they can grab game 3 it's a new series. We could see a game 3 type swing that happend in the series with the Capitals in 09.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
Ya, that's what I've been saying for a while. It's not that surprising when the last 2 or 3 weeks of the season it was them blowing leads with shittacular defense.
CrazedArabMan
Member
Now to catch up on the wonderful drunk mess that I missed last night...
I didn't realize LA was going to be playing Cloutier next game.
There we go, this is how we should all think from now on, no more positive thoughts!
I didn't realize LA was going to be playing Cloutier next game.
There we go, this is how we should all think from now on, no more positive thoughts!
Pssh, the last ten minutes of the second period featured back to back terrible makeup calls for the first period double minor.
Officiating sucked, but at least it sucked consistenly? Low standards, I know.
Pensblog sums up last night's game and this series so far:
http://thepensblog.com/tpb/april-2012/game-two-recap-an-illogical-time-pens-lose.html
"It almost seemed like it wasn't real. It can't be. We've all watched the Penguins all season long. Not even at the lowest point of their season did they look as bad as they did on Friday night. This was a 50-win team. A team that was 32-0-4 with the lead going into the third period.
There are no answers. Only a long summer of questions ahead if something doesn't get fixed. There is no logic to what we are seeing. None.
Talbot and Laviolette are probably rooming together as Laviolette siphons out every detail of Bylsma's system. Laviolette has planted the Flyers in all the right places on the ice. It's actually kind of scary.
The Flyers have used everything to their advantage in this series. The hate of Jagr and Talbot, the underdog role, etc. Passionately yet tactfully, Lavvy has dismantled the Penguins."
http://thepensblog.com/tpb/april-2012/game-two-recap-an-illogical-time-pens-lose.html
"It almost seemed like it wasn't real. It can't be. We've all watched the Penguins all season long. Not even at the lowest point of their season did they look as bad as they did on Friday night. This was a 50-win team. A team that was 32-0-4 with the lead going into the third period.
There are no answers. Only a long summer of questions ahead if something doesn't get fixed. There is no logic to what we are seeing. None.
Talbot and Laviolette are probably rooming together as Laviolette siphons out every detail of Bylsma's system. Laviolette has planted the Flyers in all the right places on the ice. It's actually kind of scary.
The Flyers have used everything to their advantage in this series. The hate of Jagr and Talbot, the underdog role, etc. Passionately yet tactfully, Lavvy has dismantled the Penguins."
ZeroGravity
Member
Norfolk Admirals won their 26th game in a row last night.
Unfortunately, right now there is nothing to suggest that the Pens WILL turn it around. They're running around like chickens with their heads chopped off, and they just look dazed. Crosby's doing all he can, but most of the team looks lost right now. I don't know what Fleury's thinking. I don't know what Lovejoy was thinking when he passed the puck up the middle that led to the 5-5 goal. I don't know why our defense looks like a scattered mess. Everything has just exploded. Bylsma looks and sounds clueless and defeated in interviews right now. Look into his eyes. He looks beaten and like he doesn't know how to adjust. It's scary.
I hope you're right, though. I hope the Pens magically turn it around and remember who the hell they are, and how they're capable of playing. Last night was the worst game of the season by a mile. You can't have your worst game of the year in the playoffs. You just can't. Not at this level. Not at this time.
brucewaynegretzky
Member
So yeah... sober thoughts. I may just turn this into a serialized thing.
1. THIS FUCKING TEAM!- See last "sober thoughts." Why can't anything this team does spare me the ups and downs?
2. COUTURIER!!!!!!!!!!- I said last game he looked alright. Last night he was godly. If our top 3 centers for the next 5-6 year are G, Schenn, Couturier? I'll sleep well at night. Couturier is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Shutdown Malkin? Score a hat trick? Age 19? AMAZING!
3. Jagr- ABOUT FUCKING TIME! He was invisible for pretty much all of the last few games. About time he stepped it up in the clutch.
4. Grossman and Coburn- I feel like I've seen the two of them blow about 6 different coverages for goals over the last two games. They need to step up their defensive game BIG TIME. It's pathetic how many battles these two are losing.
5. Bryz- Despite letting in 5 I think he played a "solid" game. Some AMAZING saves, and some questionable, but not bad, goals. I'm perfectly happy with his play so far. Like I said last time, if he manages to steal a game or two in the playoffs he could actually be worth his contract.
6. Giroux- There is nothing to say. He is a god among men.
7. Stupid stat- People who have lived in Danny Briere's house in the last two years have a combined 8 goals in two games. If french Canadians are this good at hockey why aren't the habs in the playoffs?
1. THIS FUCKING TEAM!- See last "sober thoughts." Why can't anything this team does spare me the ups and downs?
2. COUTURIER!!!!!!!!!!- I said last game he looked alright. Last night he was godly. If our top 3 centers for the next 5-6 year are G, Schenn, Couturier? I'll sleep well at night. Couturier is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Shutdown Malkin? Score a hat trick? Age 19? AMAZING!
3. Jagr- ABOUT FUCKING TIME! He was invisible for pretty much all of the last few games. About time he stepped it up in the clutch.
4. Grossman and Coburn- I feel like I've seen the two of them blow about 6 different coverages for goals over the last two games. They need to step up their defensive game BIG TIME. It's pathetic how many battles these two are losing.
5. Bryz- Despite letting in 5 I think he played a "solid" game. Some AMAZING saves, and some questionable, but not bad, goals. I'm perfectly happy with his play so far. Like I said last time, if he manages to steal a game or two in the playoffs he could actually be worth his contract.
6. Giroux- There is nothing to say. He is a god among men.
7. Stupid stat- People who have lived in Danny Briere's house in the last two years have a combined 8 goals in two games. If french Canadians are this good at hockey why aren't the habs in the playoffs?
Sorry Solo!
Let's pray together. It will happen!
This is something that has been brewing over the last 11 games of the regular season. The Pens gave up 37 goals (3.36 per game) while giving up 2.59 per game before that. The offense was on another level but it seemed the Pens were trying to win on pure offensive dominance rather than maintaining their solid D.
I'm a wizard.
Sounds like the mid-90s.
I refuse to believe this team just forgot how to play defense in the final month of the season.
Lone_Prodigy
Member
I just checked the long range forecast. Wednesday is rain. It'll put out all the burning cars.
Jagr reminds me of Recchi last year, at times he can look out of place but savvy enough to be effective in spurts. Probably a good guy to have in the locker room with all the experience he has.
brucewaynegretzky
Member
Unless the Canucks take both games in LA, I think they're done. As long as the Kings can split, that would leave them three opportunities to close out the series and that seems likely as long as Quick is still in net.
As for the Pens, I'm not sure what to think. Fleury is one of the more overrated goalies in the league (other than a great 07/08 season/playoffs, his numbers have never really put him in elite company) but I really thought they would put up more of a fight than this and take the series in 7. With that being said, Philadelphia is looking unbeatable right now. Every line can score in bunches and their defence/goaltending have been decent so far.
?? Philly's defense has given up 8 goals in two games. Bryz has given up a couple of softies. If the Flyers play a team that has any concept of team defense, they're going to be bounced. The Pens have simply forgotten who they are in this series. There is no concrete identity, and that has allowed the Flyers to walk all over them thus far.
The Pens need something major. They need a miracle.
yankeehater
Member
I dont think the Pens are going half speed. They just seem so determined to be physical that guys are going for kill shots all the time and when they miss they are leaving flyers wide open in the offensive zone. I think their strategy of trying to beatup the Flyers has failed big time. Hopefully they keep trying to do it.
Well, they've been decent in comparison to the Pens. That's what I meant.
The Pens players don't have a clue right now. From the interviews I've read, no one is acknowledging the defensive breakdowns. They're just saying that they've "made a few mistakes" and that the Flyers have capitalized on them. Come on. Staal after practice this morning:
Really?
On the upside, Niskanen practiced with the team this morning and is listed as "day-to-day." Will see how he feels tomorrow and maybe be inserted. I'm hopeful. He was one of our better calming influences at the back, if you can believe that.
brucewaynegretzky
Member
Classless Rev. Just classless.
SafeinSound
Member
Seriously, the Flyers have a very bright future ahead of them. Regardless of what happens here. I haven't been this excited as a Flyers fan in a long time. Even when they made a run at the Cup two years ago.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
I don't know, maybe not as bad in game two but in game one they were getting beat to pucks a lot for the second half. I think martin was one of the ones who kept losing races to the pucks. Not all of the goals were from missing hits, a lot were from people not getting back/skating towards the player. There were at least two that became pretty much breakaways because the pens were a step behind and were too far outside to have a play on the puck at all.
Edit: Our inability to clear it out of the zone all those times too showed how much our guys were going half speed, that on the PP for the flyers and other times you guys had ridiculous pressure that we couldn't even clear once.
The Pens players don't have a clue right now. From the interviews I've read, no one is acknowledging the defensive breakdowns. They're just saying that they've "made a few mistakes" and that the Flyers have capitalized on them. Come on. Staal after practice this morning:
Really?
On the upside, Niskanen practiced with the team this morning and is listed as "day-to-day." Will see how he feels tomorrow and maybe be inserted. I'm hopeful. He was one of our better calming influences at the back, if you can believe that.
I don't think he'll do much. No Dman has looked good, even Letang who looked absolutely amazing earlier doesn't have the same spark. Letang had so many good defensive plays (The one where he chased down the guy on a breakaway, leapt and poke checked it away without taking a penalty is stuck in my head) and he just isn't playing like he has. They just don't want to play D. It's extremely apparent on the PP when they try so hard to pinch and score and then kept allowing SHGs because of it on the PP, that's ridiculous.
Sigh, it's hearing stuff like this that makes me wish for more severe punishments. Basically you're out of the game for as long as the guy you hurt is.
In all honesty that sucks about Sedin if true. Is it just twitter talk right now or what? I mean you had Henrik talking like he was ready any day now, vigneault being pretty neutral about the whole thing and then the Sedin's father saying nowhere near ready? this is like Toews where everyone was saying something different.
That's not gonna happen.
That's not gonna happen.
Reported by Kristin Reid on twitter, who's a reporter for the Canucks. Who knows though, could be like the Toews situations.
that's the thing, we had a reporter of ours say toews suffered a setback, then another said he was skating great the next day. Concussions are a confusing thing to follow.
UberTag
Member
You're making me feel better about the Bruins playing a team from Pennsylvania later in these playoffs. Stop that.
Haha. It's not over yet. The Pens may yet get some luck. Bryz might give up a bunch of softies, the Flyers might become overconfident, or the Pens might actually learn how to play defense again.
The likelihood of these things happening? Not high, but gotta keep the faith.
Choke on the Magic
Banned
Unless of course your Detroit in 02/08. pfft.
I TOLD YOU, A TRAVESTY...
Choke on the Magic
Banned
It's probably better that the Canucks go out in the first round. No riots. Just tears and beers.
brucewaynegretzky
Member
I think it would be interesting to see where Nucks-Gaf's sympathies went if their team got knocked out in the first round.
So far Solo's scorched earth plan has been the most entertaining. I hope don't end up on the other end of his wrath anytime soon.
So far Solo's scorched earth plan has been the most entertaining. I hope don't end up on the other end of his wrath anytime soon.