Ryan Wilson: Panthers Outclass Penguins, Record Home Winning Streak Over Panthers humble Penguins, end record home winning streak.

Dan Bylsma bobblehead night... His head must still be shaking after that performance.

Duper is not a high skill guy, Duper is a fast workhorse with bad hands. Take away even just a little bit of his speed and he will be absolutely worthless. When you take away his speed, workhorse with bad hands sounds a lot worse. This is a catastrophic injury for his career, call it an over reaction if you want; I am just talking from a realistic standpoint.

I wonder what it is about having Letang in the lineup that makes the rest of the team forget how to play defense? We have seen it before when he has been out with injuries that they play a more sound defensive game. It's like they try to do too much when he is in the lineup, instead of just making the safe plays.

Well I'm sold that Crosby should be a full time penalty killer. He came out of the box in to a short handed situation. He got the puck on his stick and was very creative. The defense recognized it was him right away and gave him space. He took the space available then passed the puck back to our defenseman to kill a few extra seconds. I think that would actually improve our #1 pk.

Double post.

As far as the Letang stat goes, those 6 games also correlate to Malkin's return.

Duper is not a high skill guy, Duper is a fast workhorse with bad hands. Take away even just a little bit of his speed and he will be absolutely worthless. When you take away his speed, workhorse with bad hands sounds a lot worse. This is a catastrophic injury for his career, call it an over reaction if you want; I am just talking from a realistic standpoint.
- nbartley9

They're not taking away his speed during the course of the surgery. He tore an ACL. He'll be back full-strength, no doubt.

And even if Dupuis loses a stride, he'll still be faster than 95% of the forwards in the NHL.

Well I'm sold that Crosby should be a full time penalty killer. He came out of the box in to a short handed situation. He got the puck on his stick and was very creative. The defense recognized it was him right away and gave him space. He took the space available then passed the puck back to our defenseman to kill a few extra seconds. I think that would actually improve our #1 pk.
- dbell646

Pens rely on him too much right now offensively. Perhaps when they get healthier it will make more sense.

Sid will be gassed come postseason if he is run into the ground.

That game was pretty much atrocious. Flat. Lazy. Rusty. Pick something that you don't want to see out of a hockey team and that's what the Pens gave us last night.

But they just had a mini-vacation mid-season. This kinda thing happens sometimes. Especially with the layoff and getting guys back at the same time. Let's cross our fingers that they actually play with any level of intensity on Wednesday night. Because this one is one best forgotten.

Pens rely on him too much right now offensively. Perhaps when they get healthier it will make more sense.

Sid will be gassed come postseason if he is run into the ground.
- Ryan_Wilson

Well they need to get that accomplished. It was a thing of beauty. One of the only moments I got to enjoy from last night.

Suban has become the most hated player for me. I enjoy watching him but I hate his guts.

Dan Bylsma bobblehead night... His head must still be shaking after that performance.
- madmike71

It's amazing that a coach on a team this good gets so much criticism, much of it deserving:
Yes the pens win and all of us are happy they do, but honestly this team could win the cup this year and bylsma will still get slammed... Why?
1) the comments from both nisk and scuds should make it clear their winning on talent alone + fleury on a lot of nights. That has to reflect badly on the coach.
2) puzzling lineups that make little or no sense ( ex inginla last season among many others)
3) total mismanagement of young players.
I'm not saying fire bylsma ... Or eve that it's all his fault, but where theres smoke there's fire ... Feel more and more like we win on pure talent more often then not ... "Harlem globe trotter hockey" to quote scuds ...

Every team has a handful of sh!t efforts in an 82 game season... In the past, the Pens have been able to talent their way to points in a few of these bad games, but they couldn't do anything last night... Oh well... on to the next game.

I read back over the last blog comments, and it was nice to see a couple people blaming Bylsma again lol.. Hide under the rock for the 13 game home win streak, then pop up for the loss

Now that the team is pretty much healthy, they gotta refocus. Josh Yohe hit it on the head last night:

Josh Yohe ‏@JoshYohe_Trib 12h
Hard to deny that the Penguins' goals against skyrockets when they are completely healthy. We've seen it four seasons in a row. Undeniable.

The bad thing is that when this team is clicking on all cylinders, they can win 95% of their games. So, the team will tighten up, go on a 10 game run, and start getting sloppy again because playing hockey the "right way" is hard work, so they will start slipping again and relying on talent.

The trick with this team is all about timing... they need to hit the playoffs just starting to click, and go from there. The first sign of it being easy, they their game goes to crap. Look at last season, everything was roses against Ottawa, and then they got caught with their pants down by Boston. If they had Boston in the second round after just escaping the Islanders, that series might have looked totally different.

It's amazing that a coach on a team this good gets so much criticism, much of it deserving
- Brianandr1

Biggest weaknesses as a coach in my opinion
1) mismanagement of young players ( ex multiple)
2) puzzling line up changes / line arrangements (ex. Inginla)

- Brianandr1

Did Bylsma mismanage Crosby? Malkin? Letang? Staal? Neal? Niskanen? Because when he got a hold of them, Crosby was 22, Malkin was 23, Letang was 22, Staal was 21, Neal was 23, and Niskanen was 24.

So, we ignore all that and instead focus on what, Despres? Tangradi? Megna? Jeffrey? Letestu? Who exactly? So the complaint is that Bylsma doesn't go with the fans' choices at the bottom of his lineup?

And then as far as lineups, when healthy, there's not a lot of questioning his decisions. I'll give the guy some slack if goes with the veteran on Crosby's wing instead of the rookie coming off a weeks-long injury, especially because he saw 14/87/59 in practice, and I didn't.

The Iginla thing has been beaten to death. Bylsma had no good place to put him. The only person I blame for Iginla not working out is Iginla.

3) blowing leads esp late in games

- Brianandr1

All teams blow leads. Bylsma doesn't do it anymore frequently than Babcock/Boudreau/Julien, etc. It's home-team myopia to suggest differently.

Penguins' Record - Leading After Second Period:

2013-2014 - 21-2-1
2012-2013 - 19-1
2011-2012 - 32-0-3
2010-2011 - 32-3-1
2009-2010 - 28-3-2

Didn't parse Bylsma's inaugural half-season. He won most of those games, so doubt it would skew it.

It's amazing that a coach on a team this good gets so much criticism, much of it deserving:
Yes the pens win and all of us are happy they do, but honestly this team could win the cup this year and bylsma will still get slammed... Why?
1) the comments from both nisk and scuds should make it clear their winning on talent alone + fleury on a lot of nights. That has to reflect badly on the coach.
2) puzzling lineups that make little or no sense ( ex inginla last season among many others)
3) total mismanagement of young players.
I'm not saying fire bylsma ... Or eve that it's all his fault, but where theres smoke there's fire ... Feel more and more like we win on pure talent more often then not ... "Harlem globe trotter hockey" to quote scuds ...
- Brianandr1

I'm still not buying this the "total mismanagement of young players". Like just about every coach, he's hesitant to trust young players. Despres' situation might be a legitimate complaint, but there is obviously more to it than what we are seeing in games. It doesn't seem like anyone in the organization is all that high on him. Do you think Shero would just stand by if Bylsma is ruining one of his best young assets out of spite or whatever?

Bringing young players along slowly isn't always a bad thing.

Did Bylsma mismanage Crosby? Malkin? Letang? Staal? Neal? Niskanen? Because when he got a hold of them, Crosby was 22, Malkin was 23, Letang was 22, Staal was 21, Neal was 23, and Niskanen was 24.

So, we ignore all that and instead focus on what, Despres? Tangradi? Megna? Jeffrey? Letestu? Who exactly? So the complaint is that Bylsma doesn't go with the fans' choices at the bottom of his lineup?

And then as far as lineups, when healthy, there's not a lot of questioning his decisions. I'll give the guy some slack if goes with the veteran on Crosby's wing instead of the rookie coming off a weeks-long injury, especially because he saw 14/87/59 in practice, and I didn't.

The Iginla thing has been beaten to death. Bylsma had no good place to put him. The only person I blame for Iginla not working out is Iginla.



All teams blow leads. Bylsma doesn't do it anymore frequently than Babcock/Boudreau/Julien, etc. It's home-team myopia to suggest differently.

Penguins' Record - Leading After Second Period:

2013-2014 - 21-2-1
2012-2013 - 19-1
2011-2012 - 32-0-3
2010-2011 - 32-3-1
2009-2010 - 28-3-2

Didn't parse Bylsma's inaugural half-season. He won most of those games, so doubt it would skew it.
- hardnosed

All those players were already established in the NHL however. It must be the most difficult thing in the nhl to make the jump from minors to the big time under bylsma.

Every team has a handful of sh!t efforts in an 82 game season... In the past, the Pens have been able to talent their way to points in a few of these bad games, but they couldn't do anything last night... Oh well... on to the next game.

I read back over the last blog comments, and it was nice to see a couple people blaming Bylsma again lol.. Hide under the rock for the 13 game home win streak, then pop up for the loss

Now that the team is pretty much healthy, they gotta refocus. Josh Yohe hit it on the head last night:



The bad thing is that when this team is clicking on all cylinders, they can win 95% of their games. So, the team will tighten up, go on a 10 game run, and start getting sloppy again because playing hockey the "right way" is hard work, so they will start slipping again and relying on talent.

The trick with this team is all about timing... they need to hit the playoffs just starting to click, and go from there. The first sign of it being easy, they their game goes to crap. Look at last season, everything was roses against Ottawa, and then they got caught with their pants down by Boston. If they had Boston in the second round after just escaping the Islanders, that series might have looked totally different.
- rival22

Unreal isn't it?

The bad thing is that when this team is clicking on all cylinders, they can win 95% of their games. So, the team will tighten up, go on a 10 game run, and start getting sloppy again because playing hockey the "right way" is hard work, so they will start slipping again and relying on talent.

The trick with this team is all about timing... they need to hit the playoffs just starting to click, and go from there. The first sign of it being easy, they their game goes to crap. Look at last season, everything was roses against Ottawa, and then they got caught with their pants down by Boston. If they had Boston in the second round after just escaping the Islanders, that series might have looked totally different.
- rival22

It also matters who comes back. Martin's game is to be the center of everything - offensively, defensively, special teams. It's hard to re-acclimate a minute-eater. Letang plays a high octane game. He's been really good since those first couple of games back, he needs to build trust and confidence with Scuderi, who despite his comments has probably had the worst return of any of the injured defensemen. Malkin almost always comes back rusty, and when he plays rusty, he plays emotionally and ends up doing stupid stuff. Then again, one could also say that he did stupid stuff in the 2009 SCF, but it worked. He plays a high-risk game, and he's mercurial.

It's not like getting a 6th defenseman or a third liner back. It's integral guys, and it's more difficult than it would seem.

Niskanen's quote was right on. I'm really starting to think i want to sign him. 2 months ago i felt he would be gone 100%, now I'm not so sure I want that to happen.
Interesting to know what kind of hometown discount he might offer. I don't want him north of 4 even though he probably deserves it and could command it in the summer. If he took under 4 for 4 years I think Despres needs to start calling real estate agents.

Unreal isn't it?
- canadianpenfan

Like it's that big of shocker. Just think what type of reactions may happen if we lose two straight...

It also matters who comes back. Martin's game is to be the center of everything - offensively, defensively, special teams. It's hard to re-acclimate a minute-eater. Letang plays a high octane game. He's been really good since those first couple of games back, he needs to build trust and confidence with Scuderi, who despite his comments has probably had the worst return of any of the injured defensemen. Malkin almost always comes back rusty, and when he plays rusty, he plays emotionally and ends up doing stupid stuff. Then again, one could also say that he did stupid stuff in the 2009 SCF, but it worked. He plays a high-risk game, and he's mercurial.

It's not like getting a 6th defenseman or a third liner back. It's integral guys, and it's more difficult than it would seem.
- hardnosed

I think the rust in PaulMart's game was pretty evident last night. It's going to take a few games for the injured to get into game shape and for the chemiatry to develop. I predict this team is back to playing dominating hockey this time next week. A few losses to weak teams might be a nice January wake up call.

All those players were already established in the NHL however.
- Genev21

Bylsma could have played Neal on the third line when he got here. He could have sat Niskanen. He could have toyed with Letang's minutes. He could have demanded a rental 2nd line center when Crosby and Malkin were hurt and kept Staal on the third line.

Every team has a handful of sh!t efforts in an 82 game season... In the past, the Pens have been able to talent their way to points in a few of these bad games, but they couldn't do anything last night... Oh well... on to the next game.

I read back over the last blog comments, and it was nice to see a couple people blaming Bylsma again lol.. Hide under the rock for the 13 game home win streak, then pop up for the loss

Now that the team is pretty much healthy, they gotta refocus. Josh Yohe hit it on the head last night:

.
- rival22

I absolutely can not stand Bylsma, but last night had nothing to do with him. It was all around a steaming turd of an effort.

One bad loss does not undo the ridiculous (good) run the team has been on. A letdown by a first-place team, literally running away with the division, was inevitable. Your bottom-six needs work but I'm sure Ray will address that. I'd be pretty happy if the Flyers were where the Pens are right now.

Niskanen's quote was right on. I'm really starting to think i want to sign him. 2 months ago i felt he would be gone 100%, now I'm not so sure I want that to happen.
Interesting to know what kind of hometown discount he might offer. I don't want him north of 4 even though he probably deserves it and could command it in the summer. If he took under 4 for 4 years I think Despres needs to start calling real estate agents.
- canadianpenfan

Love Nisk but I'm sure he will go get paid. And honestly why wouldn't you. There is no guarantee he will play at this level all the time. Last night was just lack of effort from everyone on the ice. In an 82 game season I expect that at times.
Just sucks they waited for me to have tickets.