"...does it ever occur to anyone that maybe Evgeni Malkin wouldn’t be so irritated by Sean Couturier if they weren’t on the ice together all the time during a home game in which the home coach has the line change?...A lot went wrong in that game, and that includes Dan Bylsma’s blatant refusal to match lines and to let Peter Laviolette essentially do as he pleases." --dejan kovacevic



Exactly
- akane13

Lavi owned him on line changes again.

I'm not concerned about being in the top 8. Just real worried how they play once they get there.
- madmike71

If we feel like we are lacking something in some departments I'd like to see us address our weaknesses. I like the team as a whole but a d-man like Giordano/Regehr/Gorges and a Top 6 hard working guy would be GREAT for this team.

If we feel like we are lacking something in some departments I'd like to see us address our weaknesses. I like the team as a whole but a d-man like Giordano/Regehr/Gorges and a Top 6 hard working guy would be GREAT for this team.
- Orpik44

Regehr could be had. Buffalo is a mess.

As far as the top six hard working guy - someone like Andrew Ladd?

Lavi owned him on line changes again.
- canadianpenfan

I think a little too much stock gets put into line changes. However, Bylsma better learn, because either way Couturier is going to be on Malkin every second he can hop the boards for as long as he is a Flyer.

If we feel like we are lacking something in some departments I'd like to see us address our weaknesses. I like the team as a whole but a d-man like Giordano/Regehr/Gorges and a Top 6 hard working guy would be GREAT for this team.
- Orpik44

honestly, I don't think you guys need to add anything. You have talent on top of talent. The Pens are the odds-on favorites to get to the Final, imo.

It's just the craziness/running-around that ensues when you play the Flyers has to be stopped. Can a trade or two really end that?

honestly, I think you guys don't need to add anything. You have talent on top of talent. The Pens are the odds-on favorites to get to the Final, imo.

It's just the craziness/running-around that ensues when you play the Flyers has to be stopped. Can a trade or two really end that?
- FlyerGuy

There is something missing from this team. Tonight was an example of it. We need a hard working two-way forward that can fit with Sid or Geno.

I don't see us the odds on favorite to get to the Cup Finals if this teams stays with the status quo.

A team that is the odds on favorite to get to the Cup finals doesn't lose this type of game at home tonight.

On a side note, I like this Martin guy. Three assists tonight and pinched in and had some nice scoring opportunities. Nice to see him wake up from his two-year hibernation. He continues to look good this year.

Tarasenko just got rocked.

There is something missing from this team. Tonight was an example of it. We need a hard working two-way forward that can fit with Sid or Geno.

I don't see us the odds on favorite to get to the Cup Finals if this teams stays with the status quo.

A team that is the odds on favorite to get to the Cup finals doesn't lose this type of game at home tonight.
- Oneonta Penguin

yeah, but the Pens didn't lose this game because of talent ... but because, somehow, the Flyers get in their heads, and they start running around.

Would a hard working two-way forward have made a difference tonight? Yeah, maybe. But, so would playing smarter and letting the talent shine through.

Just my opinion of course. You guys obviously know your team better than I do.

maybe to you ... but to most Pens fans and most Flyers fans the games between these 2 clubs are more joyful to win, and more painful to lose.
- FlyerGuy

It's even more painful when you give up a joke of a late goal that's the game winner.

If we feel like we are lacking something in some departments I'd like to see us address our weaknesses. I like the team as a whole but a d-man like Giordano/Regehr/Gorges and a Top 6 hard working guy would be GREAT for this team.
- Orpik44

It's truly hard to judge what type of player they need to add when they're so structurally deficient. There was one point in the game where we had two forwards covering for both defensman. I know Therrien got canned because the team quit responding to him, but his head would have exploded tonight with all the turnovers, penalties and such. I have no idea if they need to add on D because the forwards always sell out for offense.

My vote would be for a bigger forward or two.....preferably with plenty of playoff experience.

There is something missing from this team. Tonight was an example of it. We need a hard working two-way forward that can fit with Sid or Geno.

I don't see us the odds on favorite to get to the Cup Finals if this teams stays with the status quo.

A team that is the odds on favorite to get to the Cup finals doesn't lose this type of game at home tonight.
- Oneonta Penguin

It is pretty obvious we lack toughness, hard hitting guys. That's why I feel a guy like Regehr would help on D. Always liked Ladd but he's a captain and probably wouldn't be traded. Wheeler on the other hand..

yeah, but the Pens didn't lose this game because of talent ... but because, somehow, the Flyers get in their heads, and they start running around.

Would a hard working two-way forward have made a difference tonight? Yeah, maybe. But, so would playing smarter and letting the talent shine through.

Just my opinion of course. You guys obviously know your team better than I do.
- FlyerGuy

Pittsburgh lost this game because of a fluke shot that Vokoun played poorly. If that goes into overtime, who knows what happens. The Flyers get into their heads - sure. But, that wasn't what lost the game. The lack of effort in clearing the puck on your first goal was a joke. Clear it, you don't score ... you don't get the momentum ... you don't get back in the game IMO. However, these are the types of plays Philly thrives off of against Pittsburgh.

Whether another hard-working 20-goal winger changes the game or not, its what this team needs.

Pittsburgh lost this game because of a fluke shot that Vokoun played poorly. If that goes into overtime, who knows what happens. The Flyers get into their heads - sure. But, that wasn't what lost the game. The lack of effort in clearing the puck on your first goal was a joke. Clear it, you don't score ... you don't get the momentum ... you don't get back in the game IMO. However, these are the types of plays Philly thrives off of against Pittsburgh.

Whether another hard-working 20-goal winger changes the game or not, its what this team needs.
- Oneonta Penguin

I don't know. I've seen plenty of other Pens games, and the team sure looks more fundamentally sound than they do vs the Flyers. Too much running around to make the big hit, or retaliating for a big hit. Just too much emotion at the wrong time. But, yeah, a bad goal didn't help matters.

Of course, hard working 20 goal wingers are always a nice addition as well.

Tarasenko just got rocked.
- canadianpenfan

Clean or what?

Btw. Even though I sport his name as my nick, I don't remember seeing Orpik look so slow as tonight out there..really. He's a gamer and a keeper anyway.

analyze it all you want. fluke this or that. still a disgrace

Wow, the end of this blues/avs game is great.

It is pretty obvious we lack toughness, hard hitting guys. That's why I feel a guy like Regehr would help on D. Always liked Ladd but he's a captain and probably wouldn't be traded. Wheeler on the other hand..
- Orpik44

Don't get me wrong, I don't think Ladd would be available. Winnipeg fans would burn down the joint if he were traded. I have always liked his game. The other guy I like plays for the Flyers - Simmonds and no way in hell he gets dealt, especially to the Pens.

Wheeler would drive me up the wall to be honest.

This team needs to be smart. They have a ridiculous PP right now. No team should be willing to try the poop the Flyers do because they are so dangerous right now on the advantage.

If anything they should be taking advantage of the way the Flyer play so they can draw penalties. Eventually, if they skate away from the scrums the Flyers are going to be called for things. The PP being lethal is the only thing that will keep them from playing this way against us.

Couturier cross checking Malkin 7 times has to be called. Goalie interference on the first goal for them has to be called. The officiating in the league right now is garbage.

I really do like a guy like Chris Stewart for this team. He has played well though for St. Louis and they may be very hesitant to let him go. Before the season he was a guy that had some question marks by his name. He has a 1 year deal. He wasn't fitting in like the Blues wanted. Now he is. I still think Shero should make a call on him. He's a big, physical forward that would do well in these types of games. He's a very Simmonds like player. Big, quick, he scores and he can fight very well.

This team needs to be smart. They have a ridiculous PP right now. No team should be willing to try the poop the Flyers do because they are so dangerous right now on the advantage.

If anything they should be taking advantage of the way the Flyer play so they can draw penalties. Eventually, if they skate away from the scrums the Flyers are going to be called for things. The PP being lethal is the only thing that will keep them from playing this way against us.

Couturier cross checking Malkin 7 times has to be called. Goalie interference on the first goal for them has to be called. The officiating in the league right now is garbage.
- HopintheCordoba

Please it goes both ways.
Both teams got away with things they should not have in that game.
The only thing you should be complaining about on that first goal is the poor job done by the defense.

I find it funny that their are quotes out there implying that the Flyers are doing something wrong and bating the Pens into responding. Both teams seem to forget the rules when playing each other.

Disappoint loss last night, mostly due to the lack of discipline and poor goaltending. That said, the Pens are 11-6. Over an 82 game schedule, that translates to 106 points, about the same as last year. While they they need to be better, and have some structural warts, this is just a suggestion that when you go on the talk shows today and hear all the folks ready to panic....don't!!!

analyze it all you want. fluke this or that. still a disgrace
- stayinthefnnet

Anyone that watched the game yesterday will agree that we didn't hit enough and we didn't match the Flyers phisicality. We need that on our game. Not talking about an implosion of the team but bringing in at least 2 capable guys to do this job. Probably it will help the rest of the team by leading by example. We gotta be smarter than that....frustrating.

Well, that was a boring game.

This team needs to be smart. They have a ridiculous PP right now. No team should be willing to try the poop the Flyers do because they are so dangerous right now on the advantage.

If anything they should be taking advantage of the way the Flyer play so they can draw penalties. Eventually, if they skate away from the scrums the Flyers are going to be called for things. The PP being lethal is the only thing that will keep them from playing this way against us.

Couturier cross checking Malkin 7 times has to be called. Goalie interference on the first goal for them has to be called. The officiating in the league right now is garbage.
- HopintheCordoba

I don't know if the Flyer fans are complaining about the pentalies late in the 3rd, but everyone of them were warranted. There even was a blantant high stick on Sutter that didn't get called, even though we all know it wasn't going to.