That's true, Rivals. We are getting the best of both worlds right now - depth scoring AND our top guys are scoring too. That's a tough combination to beat. Personally, I think the depth frees up Crosby and Kessel more than vice versa but when both are going, look out. We are clearly wearing down teams with our speed and I see no reason why that won't continue starting next week.
Yep. And imagine a 3rd line with the addition of Malkin. Makes it tough for opposition to load up against Crosby or a Kessel. It will be a nightmare.
This past weekend it was shocking how much trouble two previously red hot and desperate teams - NYI and PHI - had trying to exit their own zone and play the puck into our end. In fact, that has been the case for about a month now. Teams just don't have any room at all - especially in the neutral zone. Everyone is backchecking like a demon - even Kessel! That's what most excites me. That type of thing travels very well and it's not suddenly going to disappear no matter how much teams clutch and grab or how many cheap shots teams dole out post-whistle.
One of the most impressive things that I saw was the Pens skating away from a lot of the crap that they traditionally would get dragged into and take stupid penalties and get their better players off their game. I think that, and the backchecking that you mention tells you how much they have bought into and respect Mike Sullivan. It is also the one thing that worries me about Geno, can he show the same discipline. Because he has yet to meet a scrum or after whistle crap that he didn't like.
Also, I really am adamant about them keeping Bonino between Hagelin and Kessel. That line has clearly found something and I can't imagine any reason to break it up. I am not the world's biggest Nick Bonino fan (he's too slow, IMHO) but he is playing better right now than he has all year because those two speedsters are creating all kinds of room for him out there. Bonino is a heady player and it you give him an extra beat or two to make a play he is talented enough to take advantage of it.
Agree. If it is not broke, don't fix it. Kessel is like a winger version of Malkin. Get him the puck, get out of the way. Bonino has done that. Plus, we have seen how Malkin doesn't necessarily click with wingers who carry the puck, as we have seen Ovy/Malkin lines fail horrifically at the Olympics.
I still maintain that it was a HUGE mistake by Dan Bylsma to not put Iginla on the third line a few years back whenever it became obvious that he needed to play on the right side to be effective. Instead we kept insisting on jamming a square peg in a round hole and it simply did not work. People were dead set against that reasoning "You can't put a hall of famer on the third line." They were not thinking things through. He still would have seen similar minutes, he just wouldn't have had the top six label - which is meaningless anyway.
Yep. People forget that in hockey, "3rd liner" doesn't necessarily mean "3rd string". Being handed Jerome Iginla and misusing him was one of Disco's biggest crimes.
I hope we learn from that experience and don't make that same mistake again this year.
I would also not pair Crosby with Malkin - at least to start. I like both guys in the middle and I think splitting them up causes a lot of match up problems for opposing teams. It looks like we are going to play the Rangers in the first round and they match up better against us than any other team in the East. They can do a lot of the same things we can do but they have a hell of an insurance policy back there in the King whenever things break down. By splitting up Sid and Kessel and Geno (assuming he is back for that series) that would really force Vigneault's hand, IMHO and it would likely necessitate that he split up McDonagh and Girardi. It would also force McDonagh to play 30-35 minutes per game and I think that our speed could then wear him/them down.
Again, agree completely. And these two guys, the "two headed" monster, hasn't necessarily yielded the best results. Two guys who need and dominate the puck. Also, when both are on the ice, they seem apt to try and make plays based on degree of difficulty, thinking you get extra credit. Plus the very fact that having the Bonino line to deal with between a Crosby line and Geno line, like you have said, how are you going to match up your defense pair.
This kind of depth and diversity also mitigates somewhat road disadvantages of the last change!
I am still not hog wild about our power play. That is the last puzzle piece needed to really take a run at this thing. We are good 5-on-5, very good. However, if you want to stop people from doing dirty things to our stars, we MUST make them pay for it with the man advantage.
This is where Geno and his shot will help IMO.
I am still nervous about our overall health. We are winning right now but we are definitely not going to last long without our No. 2 D, our No. 2 C and our No. 1 G in the lineup. If we can get those guys back and reasonably healthy, we are going to be a tough out.
True dat. I am worried about MAF, but really like Murray. A bright side to this, you can get some really high quality players back with a nice rest at the right time, ala the Hawks last year with Patrick Kane.
