Quotes not working, for sditulli:
I see both sides of this. On one hand WBS plays tonite. Not that they would sacrifice the parent club for the minor league team, but Sprong would likely see minimal min if he played for Pittsburgh while being a major factor for WBS. On the other hand if Sprong caught lightning in a bottle with Geno that would obviously would be awesome and he's already burned year one of his ELC, so why not? Personally I'd bring Sprong up if Fehr and Rust are both out. If he sucks, then send him back down. No harm really.
- tpcg402

I do not believe playoff gmes have any effect on elc. Its only regular season games. And of course he already burned a year.

I'm confused. Didn't the Penguins lose that game at bottom 4-1? If so, how can you say they'll be fine without him? -
jmatchett383

They lost that game, but if you look at the shots taken and the position of the shots (right in front of the goal is basically blotted out by the shot markers) it says the Caps were lucky to have walked away with a win, let alone a lopsided one. Likely, Holtby got hot and saved them (happens quite a bit with the caps.)

I do not believe playoff gmes have any effect on elc. Its only regular season games. And of course he already burned a year.
- sditulli

No, I believe they do count. Chris Kredier's first year on his ELC was 2011/2012, when he played 0 regular season games and 18 postseason games. You can sign a player to an ATO if they're a CHL player, but in the case of NCAA/European players, they have to be under contract for the playoffs.

But in the case of Sprong, it has no bearing since they already burned a year.

They lost that game, but if you look at the shots taken and the position of the shots (right in front of the goal is basically blotted out by the shot markers) it says the Caps were lucky to have walked away with a win, let alone a lopsided one. Likely, Holtby got hot and saved them (happens quite a bit with the caps.)
- Jance

Right...and that's my problem with the whole advanced stats thing. Over the long haul, all things equal, more shots generally leads to more goals. However, over a one-game sample, or even a best-of-7 sample, so many other things factor into outcomes that "the process" becomes irrelevant. So yes, the Penguins played much better, but they didn't win. And in the playoffs, winning is all that matters.

Not that I really respected Wash before, but it reeks of desperation. Pens couldn't have played much worse Mon and Wash couldn't have played much better, yet they still lost. With the Johansson charade and the carousel with their third dpair it seems as if Trotz is running out of options. I'm saying this as an obvious Pens homer, but (frank) em.
- tpcg402

Trotz all over thr media whining about the refs and claiming the league has an agenda for the Pens reeks of desperation.

Washington is going to play more physical tonight, if the PP can get going the Caps are done.

Right...and that's my problem with the whole advanced stats thing. Over the long haul, all things equal, more shots generally leads to more goals. However, over a one-game sample, or even a best-of-7 sample, so many other things factor into outcomes that "the process" becomes irrelevant. So yes, the Penguins played much better, but they didn't win. And in the playoffs, winning is all that matters.
- jmatchett383

Right, just like the Caps losing the last game. I think the point of that example is that the Pens can play very good without Letang and he had the proof of with a game vs Washington in a part of the season they were firing on all cylinders. Just because a team plays really good or better than the other, doesn't mean they will win. He's saying the Pens can play good without him.

Bill West from the trib tweeted a little bit ago that basically Rust and Maatta were more of a longshot and Fehr really is a GTD.
- tpcg402

Gracias. Was thinking Maatta was a longshot.

Trotz all over thr media whining about the refs and claiming the league has an agenda for the Pens reeks of desperation.

Washington is going to play more physical tonight, if the PP can get going the Caps are done.
- stackthepads

With Letang our and presumably Maatta out too, I totally expect them to go hard after our Dmen, specifically Dumo and Daley. Get one of them injured, we are screwed - not that we aren't already.

Right, just like the Caps losing the last game. I think the point of that example is that the Pens can play very good without Letang and he had the proof of with a game vs Washington in a part of the season they were firing on all cylinders. Just because a team plays really good or better than the other, doesn't mean they will win. He's saying the Pens can play good without him.
- MattStrat

I do agree with that. But it takes more than playing well to win in the playoffs. So yes, they can play well without him, but he does so many little things well that I believe his loss will be felt heavily in a playoff series with a very good team trailing them 2-1.

I do agree with that. But it takes more than playing well to win in the playoffs. So yes, they can play well without him, but he does so many little things well that I believe his loss will be felt heavily in a playoff series with a very good team trailing them 2-1.
- jmatchett383

It takes more in the regular season too. I can't argue what you say about Letang at all. We're talking about a 30 minute a night, offensively gifted, very solid defensively D-man. Most think he should of least got a Norris nominee. You simply cannot replace a player like that with any other player BUT as a team they can all chip in more to try and compensate. D by committee.

pens need to keep the caps hemmed in their own zone

It takes more in the regular season too. I can't argue what you say about Letang at all. We're talking about a 30 minute a night, offensively gifted, very solid defensively D-man. Most think he should of least got a Norris nominee. You simply cannot replace a player like that with any other player BUT as a team they can all chip in more to try and compensate. D by committee.
- MattStrat

The forwards have to really help out with better puck management. I thought they were really sloppy last game.

I thought the team as a whole was uncharacteristically terrible in that area. One thing they've been very good at under Sully is getting back on track after bad games.

Drive the net and shoot the puck. Quit all of the ridiculous over passing.....that's usually how the puck ends up going the other way.

Sid response to Orpik hit: "it is what it is"

Ovi response to Letang hit: "he should get 3 games"

So, if Fehr and Rust are both out maybe entertain these forward lines:
Sheary-Sid-Hornqvist
Cullen-Malkin-Kuhnhackl
HBK
Kunitz-Sundqvist-Sestito.
Double shift any of the other top C's on 4th line and move Sundqvist to RW. For me Kunitz is a shell of himself right now is why I'd entertain idea of him on 4th line.

So it looks like with these pairings instead of trying to make up for the Letang absence by putting Dumoulin and Daley together in an attempt to make a make shift top pairing that can goble minutes, Sullivan has elected to put together three decent pairings that have succeed in various sample sizes and roles. This is what I'd do. You simply can't make up for Letang with one guy or one pairing. Your best bet is to just trust everyone on your bench and hope they shoulder the burden.

So, if Fehr and Rust are both out maybe entertain these forward lines:
Sheary-Sid-Hornqvist
Cullen-Malkin-Kuhnhackl
HBK
Kunitz-Sundqvist-Sestito.
Double shift any of the other top C's on 4th line and move Sundqvist to RW. For me Kunitz is a shell of himself right now is why I'd entertain idea of him on 4th line.
- tpcg402

Ummm... why move Cullen up to the Malkin line? Hes been up in the top 6 earlier on in the season when there were injuries, didn't do that well.

So it looks like with these pairings instead of trying to make up for the Letang absence by putting Dumoulin and Daley together in an attempt to make a make shift top pairing that can goble minutes, Sullivan has elected to put together three decent pairings that have succeed in various sample sizes and roles. This is what I'd do. You simply can't make up for Letang with one guy or one pairing. Your best bet is to just trust everyone on your bench and hope they shoulder the burden.
- Victoro311

So, do you think either Rust or Fehr play tonite? From what I've read it sounds as if Rust is less likely. Hope at least one of them can go.

Sid response to Orpik hit: "it is what it is"

Ovi response to Letang hit: "he should get 3 games"
- martox

Funny, the Caps have done nothing but whine and complain the whole series yet the Pens still have the "whiners" moniker.... My favourite is when teams/coaches whine about the Pens whining... LOL.... In the past, the Pens somewhat earned their "whining" identity, but this year that couldn't be further from the truth. When things don't go their way they just put their collective heads down and work even harder the next shift. Game 2 is a prime example of that, after Washingtons tying goal on the joke PP, past Pens teams would have completely collapsed after that.

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this for me because it's driving me nuts. I have been vacillating back in forth between thinking the one game suspension for Letang was justified and thinking its ridiculous. The icing on the cake is that Boyle's hit last night on Hickey which led to the game winning goal seems like almost the exact same hit as the Letang hit. Both were borderline late as the player tried to finish his check. Both changed the direction of their body to initiate contact right after the puck left the puck carriers stick. Both were body to body with some head contact. Yet Boyle's hit does not even get a hearing.

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this for me because it's driving me nuts. I have been vacillating back in forth between thinking the one game suspension for Letang was justified and thinking its ridiculous. The icing on the cake is that Boyle's hit last night on Hickey which led to the game winning goal seems like almost the exact same hit as the Letang hit. Both were borderline late as the player tried to finish his check. Both changed the direction of their body to initiate contact right after the puck left the puck carriers stick. Both were body to body with some head contact. Yet Boyle's hit does not even get a hearing.
- jrmjames67

Letang getting even a hearing, was a joke... but the timing after the Orpik hit, and the NHL botching the slash in the last series is what caused it.

But now their reasoning given for the Letang suspension makes almost every hit in any game suspendable if its after .6 seconds and has some head contact.

Ummm... why move Cullen up to the Malkin line? Hes been up in the top 6 earlier on in the season when there were injuries, didn't do that well.
- Guile

Just spitballing. Not an advocate of it, but every play that touches Kunitz stick just dies, and Cullen can at least handle the puck. Really slim pickings if Rust and Fehr are both out. Pens would basically be down to three effective forward lines anyways.

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this for me because it's driving me nuts. I have been vacillating back in forth between thinking the one game suspension for Letang was justified and thinking its ridiculous. The icing on the cake is that Boyle's hit last night on Hickey which led to the game winning goal seems like almost the exact same hit as the Letang hit. Both were borderline late as the player tried to finish his check. Both changed the direction of their body to initiate contact right after the puck left the puck carriers stick. Both were body to body with some head contact. Yet Boyle's hit does not even get a hearing.
- jrmjames67

the reason why letang gets a suspension is cuz it was the game after orpik got 3 games and trotz has been crying more than a Pseudobulbar affect victim (not to be meant as offensive against such victims)

Sid response to Orpik hit: "it is what it is"

Ovi response to Letang hit: "he should get 3 games"
- martox

I guess Ovi is an idiot. 99.9% of hockey people knew it was a one-game hit.

So, do you think either Rust or Fehr play tonite? From what I've read it sounds as if Rust is less likely. Hope at least one of them can go.
- tpcg402

I think if Fehr was in serious trouble of not playing we would have called up someone else.

Keep up the great work guys.