40 odd generated chances when leaning heavily on the top 6 and the fourth line playing less than 5 minutes. We've had good defensive games and we have the personnel to have a strong-ish blue line. Losing Cole hurts but we shouldn't over correct to losing Cole by getting another guy or splitting up the top 4. The real issue last night was how gassed everyone was and that's going to only get worse if we keep leaning on the big guns to do everything
- Victoro311

I get what you are saying, but I'm just saying yesterday she game was winnable - it's wasn't Reaves playing 3 minutes that lost the game. Did it help the team? No. BUt we could/should have won. The Pens put themselves in a position to win & didnt. How about we look at the penalties taken before blaming the 4th line offense. BLame Reaves for taking a penalty for sure, but blame all players equally.

Ryan Wilsons template for all the Penguins 2017-2018 blogs:
-Only write blogs when the team loses
-No matter what happened the sky is falling and this team sucks
-B1tch about Reaves
-Refuse to say anything positive
-B1tch about goaltending
-B1tch about shots against
-B1tch about Reaves
-Say Kuhnhackle is worthless
-Undermine Sullivan for roster choices
-B1tch about Reaves
-Suggest that Ryan Wilson is better than everyone else and is an "adult"
-Snarky closing
-Don't write again until Penguins lose

3.5 mins too much. I was a little embarrassed for him. Clearly he had no business playing in a game where speed and skill are required. I don't think Sullivan was on-board with getting him in the first place so I could easily see him scrapping this experiment before too long.
- madmike71

Reaves doesn't play defense... and last night our D didn't at well... other than Jake and Hags, no one excelled... so blaming a guy who played 3.5 minutes isn't the one I'd put the blame on. To me, Sully had poor D partners, they looked gassed, and they attempted to play a run and gun no defensive style... and got beat.

I get what you are saying, but I'm just saying yesterday she game was winnable - it's wasn't Reaves playing 3 minutes that lost the game. Did it help the team? No. BUt we could/should have won. The Pens put themselves in a position to win & didnt. How about we look at the penalties taken before blaming the 4th line offense. BLame Reaves for taking a penalty for sure, but blame all players equally.
- Aussiepenguin

If you read what I wrote, you would see I am blaming everyone. We generated 40 chances, but we played poorly. We gave up just as many and our team was gassed, which is why the defense was poor. Niemi was fine, probably the best we're gonna get from him. Reaves didn't lose this game for us directly. What I'm doing is identifying a macro level trend and saying we're gonna have a lot more games like this if we can't take the burden off the big guns. If we have a fourth line that can only be played ~5 minutes a game, our horses are gonna die mid race like they did last night and we're gonna see this over and over again.

If you read what I wrote, you would see I am blaming everyone. We generated 40 chances, but we played poorly. We gave up just as many and our team was gassed, which is why the defense was poor. Niemi was fine, probably the best we're gonna get from him. Reaves didn't lose this game for us directly. What I'm doing is identifying a macro level trend and saying we're gonna have a lot more games like this if we can't take the burden off the big guns. If we have a fourth line that can only be played ~5 minutes a game, our horses are gonna die mid race like they did last night and we're gonna see this over and over again.
- Victoro311

No I haven't seen you blame everyone.

I get you want a balanced attack, but a balanced attack isn't the reason we lost yesterday. Scoring 4 & shooting 40 should be enough to win a game.

I think our D will be more a problem in the immediate future & if Niemi doesn't play at his upper limit we will have to score 6 or 7 then you'll be definitely blaming the attack.

Were the top 6 gassed? Should sully have played different personnel on the b2B? Who knows. Where were the breakdown in the goals against? Who took penalties & why? Simple questions should have simple answers easy to fix?

Reaves doesn't play defense... and last night our D didn't at well... other than Jake and Hags, no one excelled... so blaming a guy who played 3.5 minutes isn't the one I'd put the blame on. To me, Sully had poor D partners, they looked gassed, and they attempted to play a run and gun no defensive style... and got beat.
- hipcheck_goalie

Not blaming him at all and I'm absolutely blaming the rest of the team. I just don't see where he "fits" with this team when you can't put him on the ice for more than 3 minutes.

Not blaming him at all and I'm absolutely blaming the rest of the team. I just don't see where he "fits" with this team when you can't put him on the ice for more than 3 minutes.
- madmike71

if Reaves had played 7 or 8 minutes he could have tied the game & possibly won it.

No I haven't seen you blame everyone.

I get you want a balanced attack, but a balanced attack isn't the reason we lost yesterday. Scoring 4 & shooting 40 should be enough to win a game.

I think our D will be more a problem in the immediate future & if Niemi doesn't play at his upper limit we will have to score 6 or 7 then you'll be definitely blaming the attack.

Were the top 6 gassed? Should sully have played different personnel on the b2B? Who knows. Where were the breakdown in the goals against? Who took penalties & why? Simple questions should have simple answers easy to fix?
- Aussiepenguin

How many times do I have to say we played really bad to communicate that everyone played really bad?

Everyone that watched the game knows we were really gassed. That's not up for debate.

How many times do I have to say we played really bad to communicate that everyone played really bad?

Everyone that watched the game knows we were really gassed. That's not up for debate.
- Victoro311

Well what's the fix? How didn't we win scoring 4 & shooting 40 on net?

Well what's the fix? How didn't we win scoring 4 & shooting 40 on net?
- Aussiepenguin

Because for every great shot we generated we gave up two because our boys had no gas and couldn't play any defense. The fix is taking pressure off the top 6 and playing our depth more.

Because for every great shot we generated we gave up two because our boys had no gas and couldn't play any defense. The fix is taking pressure off the top 6 and playing our depth more.
- Victoro311

Sid - 23 minutes
Geno - 18 minutes
Kessel - 17:45
Guentzy - 19:46
Horny - 19:34
Shags - 15:30
Your boy - 17:07

Of those I would say Sid is the only player that may have played too many minutes, but compared to previous seasons, it's pretty close to an average I would guess.

2 PP goals against. 3 5v5.

PK & PP players are pretty set so you could change those around after getting 5 of each if you want to manage game time differently.

Game V Caps game times similar except Sid had 20:30. Again we were on the PP 6 times so there's a lot of PP time over 2 games.

What are the recommended game times for the top 6 in your opinion?

I don't see the idea of them being gassed as reason for losing unless they are unfit.

Reaves is amazing.

Sid - 23 minutes
Geno - 18 minutes
Kessel - 17:45
Guentzy - 19:46
Horny - 19:34
Shags - 15:30
Your boy - 17:07

Of those I would say Sid is the only player that may have played too many minutes, but compared to previous seasons, it's pretty close to an average I would guess.

2 PP goals against. 3 5v5.

PK & PP players are pretty set so you could change those around after getting 5 of each if you want to manage game time differently.

Game V Caps game times similar except Sid had 20:30. Again we were on the PP 6 times so there's a lot of PP time over 2 games.

What are the recommended game times for the top 6 in your opinion?

I don't see the idea of them being gassed as reason for losing unless they are unfit.
- Aussiepenguin

Lololololol

I feel like that is an effect of not having as much depth as they have the past few years.
- Feds91Stammer

This is true. Really want to move for Sheahan. I'm sure that he could have a decent season between either Guentzel and Rust or Sheary and Hornquist.

If someone would just offer sheet AA the Wings would have to clear space. I don't think the Pens can wait too long before picking up their 3rd line center.

Or, for poope's sake....just build a 3rd line around Guentzel. Sprong could probobly do some damage on his right wing.

Filet or strip steak?

Filet or strip steak?
- powerhouse

Vegemite on toast for breakfast.

Filet or strip steak?
- powerhouse

Strip today.

Sid - 23 minutes
Geno - 18 minutes
Kessel - 17:45
Guentzy - 19:46
Horny - 19:34
Shags - 15:30
Your boy - 17:07

Of those I would say Sid is the only player that may have played too many minutes, but compared to previous seasons, it's pretty close to an average I would guess.

2 PP goals against. 3 5v5.

PK & PP players are pretty set so you could change those around after getting 5 of each if you want to manage game time differently.

Game V Caps game times similar except Sid had 20:30. Again we were on the PP 6 times so there's a lot of PP time over 2 games.

What are the recommended game times for the top 6 in your opinion?

I don't see the idea of them being gassed as reason for losing unless they are unfit.
- Aussiepenguin

This was the fifth game for Pittsburgh (third on the road) of the season while it was the fourth for Tampa. Pittsburgh played the night before and traveled. Tampa hadn't played since a Monday home game, plus it has had only one road game and it was against Florida.

This is nothing more than a quirk in the schedule that benefited Tampa. There will be times where it will benefit Pittsburgh.

Things are overblown, naturally, the effort was there. It was just a situation that Tampa had much fresher legs compared to the Pens.

Reaves dominated the game.

Filet or strip steak?
- powerhouse

Dry aged Ribeye.

This is true. Really want to move for Sheahan. I'm sure that he could have a decent season between either Guentzel and Rust or Sheary and Hornquist.

If someone would just offer sheet AA the Wings would have to clear space. I don't think the Pens can wait too long before picking up their 3rd line center.

Or, for poope's sake....just build a 3rd line around Guentzel. Sprong could probobly do some damage on his right wing.
- cranktheradio

If they can hold off on getting a 3C for say half the year, they can fit a 4M player in that cap space. Supposedly, that is something they are weighing since they aren't too worried about making the playoffs or where they are seeded.

Might be worth trying Guentzel at 3C. They do have a few other guys who can play with Sid. Bump McKegg down and slot Wilson in the top 9.

Fourth line would still stink because as much as everyone hates Reaves, the 7 goals he scored last year are more then McKegg, Rowney, Kuhnhackl, and Archibald have ever gotten and maybe ever will. (This doesn't make Reaves good, just saying other guys aren't either).

Vegemite on toast for breakfast.
- Aussiepenguin

I'm a little alarmed by how "gassed" the stars looked. I know it's back to back, but it's way early in the season and they have 17 more of those to come. Sullivan has to come to his senses sooner than later with the 4th line.
- madmike71

Don't blame them. Pens are a 2 line team. Those 2 lines are insane, but weak D and a weaker bottom 6 forwards make them vulnerable. They are still the 2-pete champs and nobody can take that succuss away from them, but Maatta and Letang were turning the puck over way too much. My devs can't help you with D, but are chalked full of quality young talent on entry level contracts that could address the bottom 6 forwards. Maybe a trade for picks would be mutually beneficial. This cap really sucks, victims of success.

I'm normally a rib eye guy, but Trader Joe's had these sexy filet's yesterday. I tried for the first time the reverse sear method and holy santa clause sh*t! Maybe top-five greatest steaks I ever had.

Dude... Geno looks in MODE right now. That look on his face.