Phil has to shoot more. If he isn't getting his shots on goal or even getting shots, he is pretty much an empty uniform.
Ot: penguins
- Thread starter SoufOaklin4Life
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Absolutely. He's a sniper, a scorer. If he doesn't shoot, well then...................
Wonder if he can play goal???
Kessel, Malkin, Crosby and Letang to a lesser extent are old in hockey years. Of the 3 offensive guys Crosby will have the longest shelf life because he’s the most intrinsically motivated. This team should look drastically different come next season.
No doubt this is the end of Kessel in Pittsburgh. This is usually the point where he starts to wear out his welcome. He is a notorious coach killer. Thankfully he has more than provided the Pens the benefit they hoped when they acquired him. Time to move on this offseason.
But Sid and Letang are still 3-4 years away from decline I believe. Geno, who knows, you saw the last 2 games (or should I say 4 periods) and he can explode. But then he disappears a lot too, these disappearances are getting longer.
I think the Pens window after this year is another 2-3 years, but in honesty, it is not the Pens decline I am worried about as much as Tampa, Toronto and a few others ascent over the next few seasons.
Just some thoughts ......
- It was only for 1+ periods during the last game but I liked the Aston-Reese-Malkin-Kessel line. If that 2nd line can consistently play really well like the 1st line of Guentzel-Crosby-Rust has it will be very difficult for opponents to defend and it would give us a big boost.
- A 3rd line of McCann-Bjugstad-Hornqvist might be what we need from the 3rd line .... one that can effectively play a 200' hockey game and put some points on the board along the way.
- 4th line of Cullen and some combination of Blueger/Pearson/Wilson/Simon (all but Wilson could fill in at higher lines if needed).
- The last two games Geno has played like Geno ..... skating, scoring, playing a more responsible game ...... hopefully that continues.
- Actually Kessel is a pretty good passer but you guys are absolutely right, he needs to shoot more .... way more ....... his great shot and scoring ability not only on 5x5 but on the power play are much needed.
- I think Bjugstad and McCann bring more to the team then Brassard and Sheehan.
- One big problem the Pens have had is getting the puck out of our end .... the D-men have not retrieved and moved the puck well enough which has led to more time in our zone and more shots on goal by our opponents ...... hopefully Schultz helps with this .... we have 3 very good D-men with Letang/Dumoulin/Scultz, the rest have been pedestrian at best and of course Maatta is out for a good while with the shoulder injury.
- The last couple games we seem to have gone not exclusively but a little more from puck possession to puck pursuit type game (dump and chase).
- Slowing the opponents going through the neutral zone and preventing odd man breaks should be two other goals.
- I would doubt any major trades before the deadline ..... maybe a minor one for depth on defense with the uncertainty regarding Maatta at present ..... any bigger trade would pretty much have to be cap neutral.
- Murray/DeSmith (and Jarry if needed) will be our goalies ...... we really need Murray to play at a high level ..... he didn't play well last season or the 1st half of this year but since his return from injury he overall has been doing much better and his advanced stats have improved significantly which supports his improved play ...... his glove hand has been much better ..... I have written detailed posts on his play and I'm not going to repeat that but if he concentrates on basics, plays aggressively with angles/positioning, and is just a little more consistent, his game should be very good ..... I think it is unlikely that DeSmith (or Jarry ) could play over a prolonged period of time at a Stanley Cup level ..... we'll see what happens.
-Next up, Devils tonight.
- It was only for 1+ periods during the last game but I liked the Aston-Reese-Malkin-Kessel line. If that 2nd line can consistently play really well like the 1st line of Guentzel-Crosby-Rust has it will be very difficult for opponents to defend and it would give us a big boost.
- A 3rd line of McCann-Bjugstad-Hornqvist might be what we need from the 3rd line .... one that can effectively play a 200' hockey game and put some points on the board along the way.
- 4th line of Cullen and some combination of Blueger/Pearson/Wilson/Simon (all but Wilson could fill in at higher lines if needed).
- The last two games Geno has played like Geno ..... skating, scoring, playing a more responsible game ...... hopefully that continues.
- Actually Kessel is a pretty good passer but you guys are absolutely right, he needs to shoot more .... way more ....... his great shot and scoring ability not only on 5x5 but on the power play are much needed.
- I think Bjugstad and McCann bring more to the team then Brassard and Sheehan.
- One big problem the Pens have had is getting the puck out of our end .... the D-men have not retrieved and moved the puck well enough which has led to more time in our zone and more shots on goal by our opponents ...... hopefully Schultz helps with this .... we have 3 very good D-men with Letang/Dumoulin/Scultz, the rest have been pedestrian at best and of course Maatta is out for a good while with the shoulder injury.
- The last couple games we seem to have gone not exclusively but a little more from puck possession to puck pursuit type game (dump and chase).
- Slowing the opponents going through the neutral zone and preventing odd man breaks should be two other goals.
- I would doubt any major trades before the deadline ..... maybe a minor one for depth on defense with the uncertainty regarding Maatta at present ..... any bigger trade would pretty much have to be cap neutral.
- Murray/DeSmith (and Jarry if needed) will be our goalies ...... we really need Murray to play at a high level ..... he didn't play well last season or the 1st half of this year but since his return from injury he overall has been doing much better and his advanced stats have improved significantly which supports his improved play ...... his glove hand has been much better ..... I have written detailed posts on his play and I'm not going to repeat that but if he concentrates on basics, plays aggressively with angles/positioning, and is just a little more consistent, his game should be very good ..... I think it is unlikely that DeSmith (or Jarry ) could play over a prolonged period of time at a Stanley Cup level ..... we'll see what happens.
-Next up, Devils tonight.
I love how people obsess over his glove hand. I don't remember anyone lauding Marty Brodeur for his glove. To me, Murray is right when he is playing tall, on his angles and his extremities tight to the body, allowing no holes for the puck to get through. That's his game.
His glove hand looked pretty good when he goaded McDavid to shoot at his glove side on that penalty shot last Wednesday
In all seriousness, you are right on with your analysis of his strengths.
The now infamous glove hand first became an issue in 2016 in the playoffs when Washington and Tampa started beating him on that side. Pierre McGuire remarked on it as the only place where those two teams were having consistent success beating him and it kind of took off from there. I agree with you. People only talk about it because it was pointed out as a perceived weakness and some jagoff keeps making a handle to that effect.
If Murray's glove hand weakness is a myth, then it must be a myth believed in by most players in the NHL because given time, that is exactly where they shoot the puck on him to try to score.
It was a weakness long before that series. It became humerous to fans that TJ Oshie called it out to McGuire that they as a team are targeting his below average glove hand.
It's obviously not a myth, it is a weakness, but everyone but god supposedly has a weakness. My point, there have been great goalies with less than great glove hands. If Murray plays to his strengths, well he has won two Cups with absolutely stellar numbers despite those who try to dismiss them.
Edit. By the way, best glove hand....Grant Fuhr. He was also one of the more athletic of goalies, like Marc Andre Fleury. But his career numbers aren't overall stellar. That being said he is great to win 6-5 games.
His career numbers aren't stellar in large part due to the way that hockey was played back then. Drop Marty Brodeur into the middle of that era and his numbers don't look nearly as good.
Yeah. But sometimes you got to give it to the goal scorer. Sometimes they make a great shot. That goal was on JJ and Phil.
It was not a weakness “long before that series.” Murray had just been named the starter a few months earlier.
As I mentioned in another post the problem with Murray is Variability.
Variability is ok if it's one bad game every ten or so games.
With Murray is seems to one bust ever 2 or 3 games or even every other game.
Murray's performance is shown in the To Much Variation chart.
With the playoffs approaching he has to make changes to get to Good and eventually Great by puck drop in the playoffs.
If variability can't be controlled, the process must be analyzed, and changes made.
That would mean Murray!
"it's five o'clock somewhere"
Signed: Mr Buffett
Go PITT & CSU Rams!
Tremendous work on this. I was laughing pretty hard.
I'll be there on the 26th with my new Penguins pullover on. CBUS will be sky high for that game.
Thank god for that win. I hate the Devils, as bad as they suck, they see the Pens logo and turn into the 1977 Canadians.
Still......36 shots given up to the Devils. And 81 and 72 remain on the milkcarton.
Still......36 shots given up to the Devils. And 81 and 72 remain on the milkcarton.
At what point do you sit 81 and 72 for a week to re-charge their bodies and minds? It seems to have done the trick for Malkin.
I said that last year going into the playoffs with Kessel.
Kessel is done in Pittsburgh. The knives are out for him and deservedly so. He cannot be coached.
But in his defense, he's a lifelong right winger being asked to play on the left side. He doesn't do as well over there.
Hope they figure this out before long for the rest of this season because he is really good when he gets going.
But in his defense, he's a lifelong right winger being asked to play on the left side. He doesn't do as well over there.
Hope they figure this out before long for the rest of this season because he is really good when he gets going.
How crazy is it that the guy with the worst body in the league has played something like 700 straight games? He is durable that’s for sure, kind of like Philip Rivers in the NFL.
Hot dogs are underrated health foods.
Tom Brady: Take note!
But look at the good things ......
- Looks like we are getting some lines together that are showing some chemistry.
- Crosby's line continues to be very good.
- The 2nd line of ZAR-Malkin-Kessel looks like it might be a good fit ..... if Kessel starts shooting the puck and scoring some, that line could be really good ..... I do agree that Kessel could probably use a rest from time to time.
- I like what I see so far from the 3rd line of McCann-Bjugstad-Hornqvist ..... three players who can play a good 200' game and score some also which is what we need from our 3rd line ...... that line has two guys that can take face-offs also which is good when the face-offs are in the defensive end and the 1st guy gets thrown out of the circle ....... Hornqvist hasn't been scoring since back from his latest concussion but his overall game hasn't been terrible ..... the scoring should come soon.
- The 4th line played well enough last night against the Devils and got more then the usual minutes of playing time ...... Cullen with any two of Pearson/Simon/Blueger/Wilson is not looking too bad.
- Schultz is helping the defense and looks like he is getting close to 100% .... he is obviously a big addition ...... and what about Ruhwedel, he has surprised most with his play so far and had the game winner last night ..... he would be a big help if he remains solid.
- We are getting more scoring from different lines and especially more scoring from the defensemen recently .... all good things.
- Big game tomorrow against San Jose !
Yes, the positives.
Sid is still Sid. He is playing awesome. I just wish he shot a bit more.
Geno is coming around and I love ZAR's game. He reminds me of the new Kunitz and that is AOK with me.
I thought McCann was outstanding last night.
The 4th line with Pearson and Simon looked like they were shot from a rocket.
Liked the righty/lefty and Chad Rowhedul has really played well since reinstated. Schultz really adds some balance.
Murray was Murray. 33 out of 36 stops. And a definite head scratcher of a goal on the 3rd goal. Really bad. I don't blame the second goal on him at all. Sometimes when we analyze his play, we forget the other team has paid players too. Sometimes they make plays and make shots.
I think Hornqvist’s struggles are the result of playing with inconsistent line mates. IMO Kessel is definitely the one to be more concerned about. Both ZAR and Bjugstad are more productive than him when playing with Geno.
The thing about Kessel (again) specifically and even Hornquist somewhat, if they aren't scoring goals, they are essentially empty uniforms. I mean if Phil is going to go shotless, over a few games, might as well sit him and put in Blueger and balance your lines with Hornquist on Malkin's like with ZAR or Bjugstad and go with that. As I heard a caller defend Kessel by saying he has 5 points in his last 5 games, they were mostly secondary assists by Geno's explosion, not some dime dropping playmaking like Sid's assists are.
OK I'll take the bait about Murray (LOL !) ..... actually I wanted to post about Murray in light of all the posts back and forth last night about Murray's glove hand (some of those posts I see were deleted .... HAHA) .....
As you said, Murray had 33 saves on 36 shots, a save% of 0.917 ..... he made some really good saves and made two GREAT saves with ~5:50 to go in the 3rd period where the Devils had a great shot (high danger, high scoring chance) from the hash marks which Murray made a terrific save, left a rebound which came right to the stick of the shooter to Murray's right and he one timed it but Murray made a great right pad save on the rebound shot .....terrific sequence.
What about the 3 goals that he gave up ..... two were to the glove side but were they problems with the glove hand ? ......
Goal#1- A NJ player got the puck near the left boards and carried it over to just outside the top of the left circle ...... Murray was in good position when the puck carrier had the puck near the boards but Murray was screened by several players .... and when the puck carrier went to the top of the circle, Murray did not change positions and was then somewhat off angle (too far to his own right) ..... the puck carrier passed across to a teammate in the right lower, inner circle who was wide open (should have been Letang's man) and Murray could not get across quick enough and was way behind on the play .... the net was wide open and Murray dove across and tried to make a desperation save with his glove hand as the shooter scored into a wide open net ...... the problem on that goal was not Murray's glove hand but the D-man not covering an open shooter in prime scoring position resulting in Murray having to try and make a desperation save.
Goal#2- Kessel was back covering for Jack Johnson who had pinched in the offensive zone and when the Devils cleared the puck down ice, Kessel turned it over in his own end (right circle) with the Devil taking the puck into the right lower inner circle going to the forehand then quickly to the backhand firing a bad angle shot ( a foot or so from the goal line) that beat Murray to the short side ..... it was a really good shot, no doubt about it ..... Murray was in good position when the puck carrier was in the lower, inner right circle but when the puck carrier went to the forehand, it froze Murray somewhat and he didn't get over to seal the post fast enough when the shooter went to a quick backhand shot (and again it was an excellent shot)..... if he seals the post faster, he likely makes the save despite a great shot ...... when the goalie is trying to seal the post on his glove side in the r-VH position, the glove hand fills the hole over the pad between the post and goalie pants not the upper part of the net where this shot went ..... so again that goal was due to not sealing the post fast enough and a great shot not a glove hand problem ..... of course, the shot doesn't take place if Kessel doesn't turn the puck over.
Goal#3- We all know this was a very bad goal ...... what happened ? ..... the Devil with the puck came down the left wing into the left circle, Dumoulin tried to ride him off the puck but he got a weak shot off, on goal, along the ice from about 2 feet past the face-off dot ...... Murray was in good position and it should have been his easiest save of the game .... Murray went paddle down but didn't get the paddle down flat enough on the ice and the puck went under it which still would have been OK as initially he had both pads flat on the ice with the 5 hole closed so he still could have easily made the save but for some inexplicable reason, when the puck went under his stick, he raised his left pad off the ice and the puck went under it and into the net ..... in any event, no problem with the glove hand on that one .... ugh !
- Bottom line, Murray played well enough to win and there was no significant issue with the glove hand and although it happens, that 3rd goal was somewhat bothersome.
Same lineup for the Pens tonight against San Jose except DeSmith is in goal.
Caps obtained Carl Hagelin from the Kings for a 3rd round draft pick in 2019 and a conditional 6th round pick in 2020 (also, LA is picking up 50% of Hagelin's salary) ...... may be a decent pick up for the Caps.
Caps obtained Carl Hagelin from the Kings for a 3rd round draft pick in 2019 and a conditional 6th round pick in 2020 (also, LA is picking up 50% of Hagelin's salary) ...... may be a decent pick up for the Caps.
Uh oh....but not surprising considering...
https://www.philly.com/flyers/flyer...weather-lincoln-financial-field-20190221.html
https://www.philly.com/flyers/flyer...weather-lincoln-financial-field-20190221.html
