Sloppy & lazy game. Reminded me of the Florida game. I only put 1 of those goals on Fleury & even that one was a "well, sometimes you just get beat" goal. The rest go on the team in front of him. Sloppy & lazy skating. No situational awareness. Flatfooted play and not much effort put into their skating.

That was definitely Niskanen's worst game of the year. Same with Maatta. And the rest of the team didn't exactly do any favors by not clearing the lanes so Fleury could see the shots coming or keep the Rags sticks tied up to prevent all of the redirections (because there was a lot) on shots from the point.

This was a total team loss. And most of the team looked like it was skating in molasses all night.

And sometimes you get smacked in the mouth. You don't take care of the puck you lose. Big measuring stick game Saturday. Hope duper is ok

They had everybody last year in the Boston series and the games...1 and parts of 2 at least...looked eerily similar.

Clearly Boston was playing great hockey back then but it should be noted that a lot of the Penguins losses have a very familiar look to them.

There's a point in a game where you watch 10 minutes of play and you see a team dominate but they have not scored. The common reaction to this is to keep doing the same things until there is a breakthrough.

I can't speak for what the Penguins did in terms of changing things up before the Rangers scored but it didn't look like much. And then what seems to happen is the Penguins become 'eager' to score...commit a few mistakes and the puck ends up in their net.

So...in my estimation...the players and coaches need to become better at sticking with their system and when the pucks don't go in...bear down and play even more determined...or switch it up...look at what the other team is giving them instead of trying so hard to do it THEIR WAY.

If you were a wrestler (a real greco roman one) ...noted for a certain style and you were good at it...other wrestlers would learn about this and devise ways to combat it...even if it meant just keeping you at bay for a while. If you were so determined to follow thru with your specific style...you might win the match if you wore your opponent down or your opponent might get lucky and steal a few points and a win from you because you stayed with that one style and he kept you from following through long enough that he could take advantage of your stubbornness. Great wrestlers take what the opponent gives them..and have the skills and knowledge to win by taking advantage of it.

Great coaches...I hate to say it...Bill Belichick...are great because they take advantage of what you give them.

Dan Bylsma has some of the smartest (I think) and most talented players in the world on his team. Start now with the idea that these guys should be prepared to win ANY way by taking advantage of what the opposition is giving them.

Sure...start with your system...and if you get results early...stick with it. But I think there are definitely times...like the regular season...to change it up and see what that does. Do it before you need to sometimes.

I don't know how to describe it besides what I just said...but it's the Penguins Achilles heal and has been for the better parts of the last 3-4 seasons.

This team should be able to play a different style and win.
- icedog97

I've been saying the same thing for years. I never understood the coaching style of "play our game always". It just seems stubborn. And not good stubborn. More like "play our game because I don't know how to play anything but that game" than anything.

I've always advocated the "take whatever the other team gives you and exploit every weakness you can find" method of coaching. If they give you the perimeter shot? Take it. If they give you the space behind the net? Take it. If they give you a passive star formation 5-on-5 and basically play a zone defense? Take it and try to cause confusion by moving guys.

I just don't get the stubborn "we do it our way" thing at all.

The Pens love good skaters. They all played poorly and the Rangers looked like world beaters.
- powerhouse

Mildly annoying

12/19/13

I thought they played pretty well first 10-15 minutes. Put one of those in and its a different game. Those are the breaks. No reason to overreact to a regular season loss.

I dont consider the "play our game" as a refusal to change. More of a dictate the way the game is played and make them adjust to us.

And sometimes you get smacked in the mouth. You don't take care of the puck you lose. Big measuring stick game Saturday. Hope duper is ok
- dbell646

Ditto. Sloppy game. Rangers could not score at all before this game. We served it on a silver platter.

Ditto. Sloppy game. Rangers could not score at all before this game. We served it on a silver platter.
- powerhouse[/quote
We were dominating most of the 1st period. It's a little surprising that they'd play like that with a few days of preperation. I think we will see a much better effort Saturday.

I thought they played pretty well first 10-15 minutes. Put one of those in and its a different game. Those are the breaks. No reason to overreact to a regular season loss.

I dont consider the "play our game" as a refusal to change. More of a dictate the way the game is played and make them adjust to us.
- Deadstar

Yeah I agree. When Sid missed that layup on the PP, it seemed like it took the wind out of our sails and was all downhill from there.

Just seems like these injuries might be starting to catch up to us. I mean, lets be honest...if you take the caliber of players away from other teams such as a James Neal, Beau Bennett, Rob Scuderi, (also Letang for first 10 games) etc., you gotta imagine that those teams are going to struggle and have a hard time winning games. Crazy how we are still the best team in the division despite our injury problems

It seems like when this team comes out playing great and gets a lot of chances, if they don't bury one or two, they get frustrated very easily. You gotta make those dominant periods of the game count for something, because on most nights, the other team is going to have a good stretch of time controlling the play.

They really need to send Jeffrey down. He's not contributing, and he just looks lost. If they Pens have any thought of him contributing this year, he needs to get his game and his head straight, and burying pucks in the AHL for a month or so could really help that.

It seems like when this team comes out playing great and gets a lot of chances, if they don't bury one or two, they get frustrated very easily. You gotta make those dominant periods of the game count for something, because on most nights, the other team is going to have a good stretch of time controlling the play.

They really need to send Jeffrey down. He's not contributing, and he just looks lost. If they Pens have any thought of him contributing this year, he needs to get his game and his head straight, and burying pucks in the AHL for a month or so could really help that.
- rival22

I just don't think he is in their plans.

I just don't think he is in their plans.
- Ryan_Wilson

Even more of the reason to send him down... let him bolster the WBS lineup. At this point he's un-tradable, you can send him down and hope that someone claims him which is doubtful.

It seems like James Neal and Beau Bennett may be close to returning. Definitely a good thing if Duper is going to miss any lengthy period of time (crossing my fingers that he isn't).

I must say though, it will be nice to see Beau get some looks with Kuni and Sid. I assume that will be the first line if 9 is out of the lineup.

It seems like James Neal and Beau Bennett may be close to returning. Definitely a good thing if Duper is going to miss any lengthy period of time (crossing my fingers that he isn't).

I must say though, it will be nice to see Beau get some looks with Kuni and Sid. I assume that will be the first line if 9 is out of the lineup.
- Killian

It would not be an ideal situation for him to see that time on the first line but you have to take the good with the bad.

They had everybody last year in the Boston series and the games...1 and parts of 2 at least...looked eerily similar.

Clearly Boston was playing great hockey back then but it should be noted that a lot of the Penguins losses have a very familiar look to them.

There's a point in a game where you watch 10 minutes of play and you see a team dominate but they have not scored. The common reaction to this is to keep doing the same things until there is a breakthrough.

I can't speak for what the Penguins did in terms of changing things up before the Rangers scored but it didn't look like much. And then what seems to happen is the Penguins become 'eager' to score...commit a few mistakes and the puck ends up in their net.

So...in my estimation...the players and coaches need to become better at sticking with their system and when the pucks don't go in...bear down and play even more determined...or switch it up...look at what the other team is giving them instead of trying so hard to do it THEIR WAY.

If you were a wrestler (a real greco roman one) ...noted for a certain style and you were good at it...other wrestlers would learn about this and devise ways to combat it...even if it meant just keeping you at bay for a while. If you were so determined to follow thru with your specific style...you might win the match if you wore your opponent down or your opponent might get lucky and steal a few points and a win from you because you stayed with that one style and he kept you from following through long enough that he could take advantage of your stubbornness. Great wrestlers take what the opponent gives them..and have the skills and knowledge to win by taking advantage of it.

Great coaches...I hate to say it...Bill Belichick...are great because they take advantage of what you give them.

Dan Bylsma has some of the smartest (I think) and most talented players in the world on his team. Start now with the idea that these guys should be prepared to win ANY way by taking advantage of what the opposition is giving them.

Sure...start with your system...and if you get results early...stick with it. But I think there are definitely times...like the regular season...to change it up and see what that does. Do it before you need to sometimes.

I don't know how to describe it besides what I just said...but it's the Penguins Achilles heal and has been for the better parts of the last 3-4 seasons.

This team should be able to play a different style and win.
- icedog97

I just want you to know I read it all..

Last year, I didn't think Tanner Glass deserved a spot on our roster.

This season, I feel like he's been one of our better looking players in the bottom 6.

Thoughts on the play of Tanner Glass so far this year?

Last year, I didn't think Tanner Glass deserved a spot on our roster.

This season, I feel like he's been one of our better looking players in the bottom 6.

Thoughts on the play of Tanner Glass so far this year?
- Killian

Much improved, also a contract year.

Just read this and haven't seen any mention of it yet...Martin missed the last 2 practices due to injury and is not a definite to play Saturday. And any word on whether Dupuis will play?