B21 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 There are CLEARLY issues to be fixed. Scoring. PP. Crosby. But they are now 5-1 in their last 6 with wins at Washington and Nashville. Just sayin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo1917 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 i am surprised by the lack of scoring , as i'm sure you are too, I haven't watched any Pens games this year, is it bad luck ? Johnston's got them playing defense first ? chemistry ? Everything i've seen regarding Chris Kunitz is saying he's a problem...but Kessel, Plotinkov, i was thinking the top 6 was going to be very good. I did think there may be some issues defensively but the top 4 seemed legit. what's going on ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandonn Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Well from what I've seen when they beat the Caps, if Lovejoy Scuderi and Cole can have a decent night, they have a chance at winning. Letang Maata and Dumoulin all play pretty well both offensively and defensively. Combine that with Fleury actually playing well, and they keep enough pucks out I guess. As for the offence somehow it gets done, without looking flashy; surprising considering all the talent they have up front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 i am surprised by the lack of scoring , as i'm sure you are too, I haven't watched any Pens games this year, is it bad luck ? Johnston's got them playing defense first ? chemistry ? Everything i've seen regarding Chris Kunitz is saying he's a problem...but Kessel, Plotinkov, i was thinking the top 6 was going to be very good. I did think there may be some issues defensively but the top 4 seemed legit. what's going on ? I think it's a combination of things. Could be chemistry - they have 8 or 9 new faces in the line-up each night. Takes at least some time for things to click. Probably some back luck - they've run into some good goaltending. Guys who are good all the time and guys who happened to be good on that night. My $.02. I think it's Johnston's system. It's puck posession-based to the point where - i/m/h/o - it's become detrimental. Get control and get up ice. Use your skill. They spend too much time in their own zone trying to set up their entry into the offensive zone. While that can be good it also allows the opposition to set up as well. Get the puck and go. I saw more of that last night. One lead pass and they were off. Kessel has been fine. Leads the team in goals. On pace for 36 - not bad considering how bad the PP has been. Malkin is a shade under a PPG. No problem there. Crosby on the other hand.... I think Kunitz has played (aged?) his way into a 3rd line role. He just can't score anymore. And not that Crosby is lighting it up but Kunitz just can't keep up. That said - he and Hornqvist are leading the team in hits. Top 20 in the NHL for both. What they are lacking in scoring they are making up for elsewhere. Still early. Still time for the offense to shake this funk. Just like they weren't going to keep up the 45% rate on the PP to start last season I don't think they will continue at 6.5% this season either (though they went pointless in a 5-3 for almost a full 2:00 last night). I'd still tweak the lines. Last night it was... Dupuis/Crosby/HornqvistPerron/Malkin/KesselKunitz/Bonino/SprongPorter/Cullen/Bennett Not sure if Plotnikov was a healthy scratch. He has looked lost at times. Maybe some time in the A will help. Fehr will be back soon and I think he replaces Porter. I'd put Perron on the 4th line and Bennett with Malkin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 It's entirely on Johnston. You have THREE of the most dynamic high scoring forwards in the NHL and he's running a defense first system like a junior coach who's afraid to lose his job. He's a junior coach running a junior system. Fire him. He's doing the same things Bylsma did to a large extent, except Disco Dan at least let Crosby & Co. Play to their strengths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted October 30, 2015 Author Share Posted October 30, 2015 It's entirely on Johnston. You have THREE of the most dynamic high scoring forwards in the NHL and he's running a defense first system like a junior coach who's afraid to lose his job.He's a junior coach running a junior system. Fire him. He's doing the same things Bylsma did to a large extent, except Disco Dan at least let Crosby & Co. Play to their strengths. That would have been the silver lining had they lost these last two - he would almost certainly have been gone. If they keep winning though it would be a hard move to justify no matter how bad the PP is or how bad a slump Crosby is in. That said, if the plan is to replace him with Tocchet I'd rather keep Johnston. If the plan is/was Jacques Martin, I could live with it. Heck, if Johnston goes I'd like to see Tocchet go with him. He coaches the PP which has been abysmal since what...December of last year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 That would have been the silver lining had they lost these last two - he would almost certainly have been gone. If they keep winning though it would be a hard move to justify no matter how bad the PP is or how bad a slump Crosby is in.That said, if the plan is to replace him with Tocchet I'd rather keep Johnston. If the plan is/was Jacques Martin, I could live with it. Heck, if Johnston goes I'd like to see Tocchet go with him. He coaches the PP which has been abysmal since what...December of last year?Agreed. I think Tocchet brings good things to the team but NOT the power play. His experience and respect he gets from the players has to help the young players, but what the hell is the power play plan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 It's entirely on Johnston. You have THREE of the most dynamic high scoring forwards in the NHL and he's running a defense first system like a junior coach who's afraid to lose his job. He's a junior coach running a junior system. Fire him. He's doing the same things Bylsma did to a large extent, except Disco Dan at least let Crosby & Co. Play to their strengths.I would suggest Ted Nolan to replace Johnston should he be replaced! I thought he received a bad rapp the second time in Buffalo! I personally like a defensive system first ! Yes I would agree that they should add some offense to it. I believe that team's caught on to what the Pens where doing as far as play making was concerned which added to their late season collapse! By changing to a defensive system first may change that! Letting Buffalo have 53 shots is totally unacceptable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 That would have been the silver lining had they lost these last two - he would almost certainly have been gone. If they keep winning though it would be a hard move to justify no matter how bad the PP is or how bad a slump Crosby is in. That said, if the plan is to replace him with Tocchet I'd rather keep Johnston. If the plan is/was Jacques Martin, I could live with it. Heck, if Johnston goes I'd like to see Tocchet go with him. He coaches the PP which has been abysmal since what...December of last year?I would like to see Tocchet stay! But he should not be the P P coach! Maybe it could be that team's on to how the Pens schemes and put a good plan to counter it! Maybe on the other hand it's possible that there were changes to the PP and the players involved are having trouble adjusting to the new changes! ( I'm guessing on this theory!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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