Ryan Wilson: Injuries Not The Reason For Penguins Soulless Effort Against Flyers Penguins drop a 4-0 decision to Flyers in one of worst efforts of the year.

Waiting for the post-season are we?

The one that got me was the first penalty, Rinaldo skated into a crowd of Penguin players and Despres cross checked him in the face.

If you are going to take a stupid penalty like that do it to Giroux, Voracek, Hartnell, Lecavalier or Simmonds. Not the 4th line plug whose impact on the game is almost nil.

Waiting for the post-season are we?
- LeftCoaster

I really hope you come out with the same effort today, we need these points desperately and have an absolutely brutal schedule ahead of us.

Jagr's f'n awesome.

I only watched about 15 total minutes of yesterday's game... I'm glad that I didn't miss much, I erased it from my DVR when I got home.

Missing a lot of pieces is tough, but a star, 4th liner plug or a AHL callup, can work hard and play good defense.

Maybe they won't be able to put 4 goals on the board, but they can bog down the game and limit the Flyers' chances and give themselves a chance to win.

Jags

Fleury is back between the pipes as well as Mason which is understandable.

The one that got me was the first penalty, Rinaldo skated into a crowd of Penguin players and Despres cross checked him in the face.

If you are going to take a stupid penalty like that do it to Giroux, Voracek, Hartnell, Lecavalier or Simmonds. Not the 4th line plug whose impact on the game is almost nil.
- Ben37

Ive got to give despre the benifit of the doubt in that one. He tried to give him a bumb in the chest, but his stick rode up rinaldos stick and caught him in the chin.

We looked terrible

I only watched about 15 total minutes of yesterday's game... I'm glad that I didn't miss much, I erased it from my DVR when I got home.

Missing a lot of pieces is tough, but a star, 4th liner plug or a AHL callup, can work hard and play good defense.

Maybe they won't be able to put 4 goals on the board, but they can bog down the game and limit the Flyers' chances and give themselves a chance to win.
- rival22

Yeah, hoping for a different game plan. It seemed like they made no effort to change their strategy yesterday. Stretch passes, no look passes, tip passes. Makes no sense to do that when you're passing the puck to Taylor Pyatt.

How 'bout having two D on the PP too? Their was virtually no continuity on the PP so why keep going with 4 forwards?

Clog the neutral zone, dump and chase and get as many pucks on net as possible.

No Kunitz again today....

The one that got me was the first penalty, Rinaldo skated into a crowd of Penguin players and Despres cross checked him in the face.

If you are going to take a stupid penalty like that do it to Giroux, Voracek, Hartnell, Lecavalier or Simmonds. Not the 4th line plug whose impact on the game is almost nil.
- Ben37

A plug whose impac ton the game is almost nil? Zac is very good at drawing penalities and the physical game he brings is second to none. Yes he does take stupid penalties at times but who doesn't (Crosby does when frustrated) Just because he isn't lighting the lamp doesn't mean is impact is nil. Anyone with any hockey sense would love to have a player like Rinaldo on his team.

Ive got to give despre the benifit of the doubt in that one. He tried to give him a bumb in the chest, but his stick rode up rinaldos stick and caught him in the chin.

We looked terrible
- pensfan024

It was just another example of the Penguins falling for the Flyer antics less than two minutes into the game.

Fantastic. Dude made an entire fanbase pull a 180 in just a few short months.

Also, I expect the Penguins to come out with A LOT more fight today. They may have injuries to key players, but they just had no fight in their game yesterday. Flyers will not be able to let up if they want to take these 2 points. I am (sadly) expecting a big day from Crosby.

Id like to see some callups from players who will actually play with intensity like Harry z or something. Pyatt is so big but I've never seen someone so weak on the puck. I am still in shock that he's been on the roster for this long

Id like to see some callups from players who will actually play with intensity like Harry z or something. Pyatt is so big but I've never seen someone so weak on the puck. I am still in shock that he's been on the roster for this long
- drummer829

We were watching warmups yesterday, and I didn't know who he was, but noticed he looked huge. Biggest softie in the league.

It was just another example of the Penguins falling for the Flyer antics less than two minutes into the game.
- Ben37

I keep reading people comment about falling for the Flyers antics..
This isn't the Broadstreet Bullies.

They are not as top heavy as the Pens with talent(hard pressed to find another team with the best player in the world and the 2 best player in the world) but , even when healthy, they are deeper than the Pens.

1. One of two teams, the other being the Bruins, that have 7 players with 15 goals or more.
2. Lead by Giroux who has more points in the league than anyone else since Mid December.
3. Top 5 in defensive scoring.

Please note I am not in anyway saying I wouldn't trade anyone straight up on the Flyers or combos of those players for either Crosby or Malkin. None of the goals they scored yesterday were mucking and grinding goals. They Flyers are a deep team offensively and that has been the key to their turn around so far this season. That and the new coach.

Yeah, hoping for a different game plan. It seemed like they made no effort to change their strategy yesterday. Stretch passes, no look passes, tip passes. Makes no sense to do that when you're passing the puck to Taylor Pyatt.

How 'bout having two D on the PP too? Their was virtually no continuity on the PP so why keep going with 4 forwards?

Clog the neutral zone, dump and chase and get as many pucks on net as possible.

No Kunitz again today....
- madmike71

Why not put Maatta and Niskanen on the points, with Malkin & Crosby, and someone like Stempniak or even a Glass in front? Hell, put Engelland there.

A plug whose impac ton the game is almost nil? Zac is very good at drawing penalities and the physical game he brings is second to none. Yes he does take stupid penalties at times but who doesn't (Crosby does when frustrated) Just because he isn't lighting the lamp doesn't mean is impact is nil. Anyone with any hockey sense would love to have a player like Rinaldo on his team.
- Daveflyers36

Rinaldo is nothing more than a spare part that has little impact on a game, if any. Please don't think he is a good hockey player.

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins 1h
Today’s #Pens lines: Glass-Crosby-Stempniak, Jokinen-Malkin-Vitale, Goc-Sutter-Adams, Pyatt-Gibbons-Megna.

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins 1h
Today’s #Pens D: Orpik-Niskanen, Maatta-Bortuzzo, Scuderi-Engelland. Fleury in net.


Oh boy... Glass and Vitale in the top 6.

Crosby has some book smarts on his line though lol...

The one that got me was the first penalty, Rinaldo skated into a crowd of Penguin players and Despres cross checked him in the face.

If you are going to take a stupid penalty like that do it to Giroux, Voracek, Hartnell, Lecavalier or Simmonds. Not the 4th line plug whose impact on the game is almost nil.
- Ben37

Totally agree with this.

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins 1h View translation
Today’s #Pens lines: Glass-Crosby-Stempniak, Jokinen-Malkin-Vitale, Goc-Sutter-Adams, Pyatt-Gibbons-Megna.

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins 1h View translation
Today’s #Pens D: Orpik-Niskanen, Maatta-Bortuzzo, Scuderi-Engelland. Fleury in net.


Oh boy... Glass and Vitale in the top 6.

Crosby has some book smarts on his line though lol...
- rival22

This lineup is another loss coming. There is little means of offense here. Yes, we have two of the best four players in the world, but they need good wingers. Glass and Vitale aren't top six material.

People can say the lack of effort thing and I can buy it only to a certain extent. I think people can just as easily say, the loss of Neal and Kunitz were more of a blame for yesterday. Why? Because the lines were screwed up and there wasn't really a threat offensively. Let's face it, those lines yesterday would struggle with a lousy
Vancouver team right now, or lose to Edmonton.

I keep reading people comment about falling for the Flyers antics..
This isn't the Broadstreet Bullies.

They are not as top heavy as the Pens with talent(hard pressed to find another team with the best player in the world and the 2 best player in the world) but , even when healthy, they are deeper than the Pens.

1. One of two teams, the other being the Bruins, that have 7 players with 15 goals or more.
2. Lead by Giroux who has more points in the league than anyone else since Mid December.
3. Top 5 in defensive scoring.

Please note I am not in anyway saying I wouldn't trade anyone straight up on the Flyers or combos of those players for either Crosby or Malkin. None of the goals they scored yesterday were mucking and grinding goals. They Flyers are a deep team offensively and that has been the key to their turn around so far this season. That and the new coach.
- opeth_pa

Sure the Flyers are playing well, but that wasn't the point. Remember the last playoff series. The Penguins spent the whole series trying to prove that they were as tough and chippy as the Flyers and we all know how that turned out.

There have been a couple of regular season games since then too, where the Flyers start playing Flyer hockey and the Penguins get sucked right into that game.

And then yesterday. Rinaldo skates into a group of four Penguin players and Despres cross checks him in the face. There was no reason for it other than he got suckered into a stupid penalty. And what was it, 40 seconds later the Flyers were up.

It's not an indictment of the Flyers, they play their style and it works for them. As a Penguins fan, I get pretty sick of watching them take stupid retaliation penalties because they are trying to "Out Flyer the Flyers."

I suppose that is my major criticism of Bylsma too. Reign in the idiots when they stop thinking.

This lineup is another loss coming. There is little means of offense here. Yes, we have two of the best four players in the world, but they need good wingers. Glass and Vitale aren't top six material.

People can say the lack of effort thing and I can buy it only to a certain extent. I think people can just as easily say, the loss of Neal and Kunitz were more of a blame for yesterday. Why? Because the lines were screwed up and there wasn't really a threat offensively. Let's face it, those lines yesterday would struggle with a lousy
Vancouver team right now, or lose to Edmonton.
- Oneonta Penguin

I'm more confident today though... Yesterday, it seems liked Kunitz being out was a bit of a surprise. Not only did it throw Sid's line out of whack, but it make the PP a mess.

At least now, they've had a little time to adjust their approach.

Fantastic. Dude made an entire fanbase pull a 180 in just a few short months.
- jmatchett383

#JagrBomb level 1000