nossagog Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Well this one is almost in the must win category(I don't believe its a must win until the other team has 3 in the bank). Pens need to change a few things in my opinion to be successful. 1) Breakout transition. With our current defense, we cannot break out using the defenseman alone. They don't have the skill of Letang or Maatta to skate out. Send back a forward to begin the rush out. Otherwise the Rangers are going to continue to forecheck hard with our slowbreak. At least dump the puck hard out of the zone, and retrieve, just DON'T get pinned in with the stupid reversal's that they are waiting for. 2) Speed on entry. The Pens are still seem to be using two stationary forwards at the offensive blue line, then trying to jump in when the puck gets dumped in. The Pens need to have more than just one player with a chip and chase entering the zone. We seem to be depending on Lundy playing the puck to us. Have all three forwards heading accross the line at speed to win the puck. The Rangers seem to be playing a version of the left wing lock with three men accross the blue line. The player with the puck has no chance of retrevial, as he is simply taken out of the play, one defender interferes with the nearest forward and the other retrieves the puck. We need a mad dash to the puck. 3) Defensemen who are ready for a one time shot. When was the last time you saw that on the Pens. Can't remember. By the time our defense accepts a pass and moves to where he wants to shoot, the lane is blocked, so we just dump it around and start over. They need to let loose the defense, with sticks at the ready to take a one timer before the lane dissappears. 4) Stay out of the box. Really, you can hook and hold, but DON'T use your stick for crosscheck and slashes. One and two go almost hand in hand, and four is kind of a no brainer. Three is just a willingness for someone to take a shot. These are not big changes. I don't want to see line changing for the sake of line changing, and not adjustments to what the Rangers are doing. That would be madness, just madness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyerrod Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 The biggest problem is the Pens have yet to show that they can even skate with the Rags. The Rags forecheck is relentless and you can see that on the faces of the Pens. Even on the rare occasion that they manage to break it, they still have to face Lundqvist who is not to shabby himself. Although goaltending has not been the reason for the losses thus far, I think it is going to take Fleury stealing a game to give a ray of hope to the current team the Pens are putting on the ice otherwise this series is over in 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nossagog Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 The biggest problem is the Pens have yet to show that they can even skate with the Rags. The Rags forecheck is relentless and you can see that on the faces of the Pens. Even on the rare occasion that they manage to break it, they still have to face Lundqvist who is not to shabby himself. Although goaltending has not been the reason for the losses thus far, I think it is going to take Fleury stealing a game to give a ray of hope to the current team the Pens are putting on the ice otherwise this series is over in 5.Problem is they're still trying with second tier defensemen to skate their way out of it slowly with that relentless forecheck. Johnston has not adjusted to it, or to anything so far in the series, or late in the year for that matter. He has that DFB attitude of, "Well, we're just not doing it well enough, but if keep doing the same thing, eventually it will work". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 It *is* a must win for you. I just don't see you climbing out of 3:1 hole against this Rangers team. Malkin's better show up tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nossagog Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 It *is* a must win for you. I just don't see you climbing out of 3:1 hole against this Rangers team. Malkin's better show up tonight. They can't depend on Malkin, he's still only playing at like 75%. Gotta be an all men on deck game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Lets go Pens!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poulin20 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Well that was underwhelming...I really thought you guys would give the Rags a better fight than this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nossagog Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 Well that was underwhelming...I really thought you guys would give the Rags a better fight than this... Just can't do it with the defense we have at the moment. It really sucks. Because of it, they are constantly playing a conservative game. And the Rangers are just waiting for the mistake to happen. Put Maatta, Letang, Ehrhoff and Pouliot in the lineup, and it may be a different story. Edit: Martin-LovejoyScuderi-ColeChorney-Doumolin Who would be afraid of that Blue line. Soft as a baby's bottom they are. Lovejoy is a third pairing man at best. Martin has reverted to the Martin of the first few years. Chorney and Doumolin are okay but should both be in the AHL getting experience. Scuderi is slow and sucks, he should also be on the third pairing. Cole is the only bright spot. So we have an aging first pair guy, a decent second pair guy, and four third pairing guys that are playing. And none of them willing to hit or clear the crease. Its a wonder that we won one game, and that they have all been one goal losses. I feel bad for Fleury. He's playing great, and he has little help in front of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Just can't do it with the defense we have at the moment. It really sucks. Because of it, they are constantly playing a conservative game. And the Rangers are just waiting for the mistake to happen. Put Maatta, Letang, Ehrhoff and Pouliot in the lineup, and it may be a different story. Edit: Martin-LovejoyScuderi-ColeChorney-Doumolin Who would be afraid of that Blue line. Soft as a baby's bottom they are. Lovejoy is a third pairing man at best. Martin has reverted to the Martin of the first few years. Chorney and Doumolin are okay but should both be in the AHL getting experience. Scuderi is slow and sucks, he should also be on the third pairing. Cole is the only bright spot. So we have an aging first pair guy, a decent second pair guy, and four third pairing guys that are playing. And none of them willing to hit or clear the crease. Its a wonder that we won one game, and that they have all been one goal losses. I feel bad for Fleury. He's playing great, and he has little help in front of him.pay back is a mother F'er! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 We're down 3-1... When we were UP 3-1 at this point last year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 We're down 3-1... When we were UP 3-1 at this point last year...I like to see the same thing happen as last year! Pens instead of the Rangers down 3 games to 1, then roar back to win the last three and the series! Then I woke up from my dream!IMO,the Pens should forfeit and save them selves the embarrassment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I like to see the same thing happen as last year! Pens instead of the Rangers down 3 games to 1, then roar back to win the last three and the series! Then I woke up from my dream!IMO,the Pens should forfeit and save them selves the embarrassment! I think we have reached the point of "the Rangers are just a better team". At the end of the day it's a 1/8 match-up and it's playing out that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 @B21The system Johnston is using makes no sense to me. I'd rather open the game up and trade chances. Let the chips fall where they may. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I tend to agree with Polaris. It seems to me that lunquist is winning this for them when he has to come up big. Pens aren't quite getting to the rebounds enough.maybe it's the speed of the Rangers or the pens are out of position. I'm hoping for some changes in the off season. Hopefully the changes will be for the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 @B21The system Johnston is using makes no sense to me. I'd rather open the game up and trade chances. Let the chips fall where they may. At this point, I agree. Nothing to lose. I can see why he has had them chipping and chasing with no Letang, Erhoff, Maatta or Pouliot. Nut now? Balls to the wall. I would still move Sutter up to the 2nd line and move Malkin over to wing. Take away the defensive responsibilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 At this point, I agree. Nothing to lose. I can see why he has had them chipping and chasing with no Letang, Erhoff, Maatta or Pouliot. Nut now? Balls to the wall. I would still move Sutter up to the 2nd line and move Malkin over to wing. Take away the defensive responsibilities.don't think it would matter Rangers want it more than the Pens! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 don't think it would matter Rangers want it more than the Pens! Sorry - not buying that. The effort has been there. Losing does not always equate to poor effort. At the end of the day, this is a #8 seed against the Presidents Trophy winner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Sorry - not buying that. The effort has been there. Losing does not always equate to poor effort. At the end of the day, this is a #8 seed against the Presidents Trophy winner.I don't think the Pens want to be in the playoffs. Many President trophy winning teams have won and lost in the playoffs. Why play hockey when you could be on the golf course? I would love to see the Pens advance in the playoffs! I just don't see it happening? The core players have their name on the cup! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nossagog Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 I don't think the Pens want to be in the playoffs. Many President trophy winning teams have won and lost in the playoffs. Why play hockey when you could be on the golf course? I would love to see the Pens advance in the playoffs! I just don't see it happening? The core players have their name on the cup!Its not from lack of effort. Heck, I'd say that based on the system, they're working even harder because they have to dig in the corners more. We're having to work extra hard to break out of our own zone. We just don't have the back end to bring the puck out that this team was built upon. I'd like to see them giving up the body more defensively, but that's not the team that was built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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