Ryan Wilson: Sidney Crosby is the best ever at doing things that amateurs can do too Sidney Crosby is the best ever at doing things that amateurs can do too

FIRST

The Penguins are a team that have always had issues of playing down to their competition and the last few weeks have been no different.

I'm parroting here, but I think the Pens just aren't bringing it because they're trying not to gas themselves. When they turn it on, they are a well-oiled machine and when they mail it in they're a team that relies on their stars striking in the 11th hour.

I don't know what goes on in a pro locker room. We all know the message is you're supposed to bring every night and not rest on your laurels. A coach will never expect less than 100%, but I have to think the Pens turned on the jets in the new year, go where they needed to get and are now playing just good enough to maintain their playoff spot... at least that's what I'm hoping.

I feel like Sid likes to score great goals on my birthday. Makes me feel extra special.

Kessel forced two weak side glove save pop-out rebounds on Price. That's hard to do. It usually means that the goal tender is right on the edge of making the stop and cannot control the puck at all.

I feel like Sid likes to score great goals on my birthday. Makes me feel extra special.
- all-pgh

Happy belated!

Is it just me, but ever since the 2010 playoff series when we got Halaked by the Habs, does it not seem that the Habs, way more than any other team in the league (and maybe it's just been against the Pens), are the #1 team of all time at getting outshot and outplayed and scoring fluky goals/right place right time/weak point shots off 3 shin pads, puck bounces up to the roof and lands in the net/weak wrist shot from the goal line in the corner than squeezes through/etc/etc.

They seem to score tonnes of throw the puck towards the net and get perfect bounces type goals, but very rarely seem to score clean skill type goals?

Not hating because it works for them, just wondering if I'm just blind, or if others notice this?

I don't think all of the Pens are half assing it. Mostly just Sid and then some other guys have been taking shifts off. Losing is frustrating and exhausting so hopefully our effort is good enough to finish strong before a (hopefully) long playoff stretch. Anyone else tired of Sid (and sometimes Geno) just going in full rover mode in the D zone?

Is it just me, but ever since the 2010 playoff series when we got Halaked by the Habs, does it not seem that the Habs, way more than any other team in the league (and maybe it's just been against the Pens), are the #1 team of all time at getting outshot and outplayed and scoring fluky goals/right place right time/weak point shots off 3 shin pads, puck bounces up to the roof and lands in the net/weak wrist shot from the goal line in the corner than squeezes through/etc/etc.

They seem to score tonnes of throw the puck towards the net and get perfect bounces type goals, but very rarely seem to score clean skill type goals?

Not hating because it works for them, just wondering if I'm just blind, or if others notice this?
- bochangs

I do believe that they've been a higher PDO team the last couple years with a lower Corsi, just so happens that this year both have been lower

Is it just me, but ever since the 2010 playoff series when we got Halaked by the Habs, does it not seem that the Habs, way more than any other team in the league (and maybe it's just been against the Pens), are the #1 team of all time at getting outshot and outplayed and scoring fluky goals/right place right time/weak point shots off 3 shin pads, puck bounces up to the roof and lands in the net/weak wrist shot from the goal line in the corner than squeezes through/etc/etc.

They seem to score tonnes of throw the puck towards the net and get perfect bounces type goals, but very rarely seem to score clean skill type goals?

Not hating because it works for them, just wondering if I'm just blind, or if others notice this?
- bochangs

Not sure. However, if they just throw tons (tonnes) of pucks at the net, I double they would be getting outshot nightly.

I feel like Sid likes to score great goals on my birthday. Makes me feel extra special.
- all-pgh

Happy Belated Birthday!

Jumping on the bus to Pitt in a couple hours for these next two games. Beyond excited!

Jumping on the bus to Pitt in a couple hours for these next two games. Beyond excited!
- Victoro311

Awesome.

While reading my first thought was, I know Sid scored against Buffalo around this time last year and voila was the same day. That was a cool stat to include RW!

We all seem to focus in on different things here on the board, so maybe its just me or am I noticing some rather "bantam level" defensive break downs from the Pens, like stuff you may see once a year thing, but seeing a few times a game. The shorty last night, don't think a penguin defender was within 20 feet of the guy. It is stuff to easily fix though....does seem a few guys are checking out mentality on some shifts. Positive it will all come together playoff time, if any team knows how to kick it up when they collectively want, its this team.

Jumping on the bus to Pitt in a couple hours for these next two games. Beyond excited!
- Victoro311

A bus? How quaint.

Jumping on the bus to Pitt in a couple hours for these next two games. Beyond excited!
- Victoro311

Have fun, enjoy the experience.....which I'm pretty sure you will!

A bus? How quaint.
- jmatchett383

I’m a poor grad student. The bus is $11. A flight would have been like $200.

Have fun, enjoy the experience.....which I'm pretty sure you will!
- Darklight11

I will!

I’m a poor grad student. The bus is $11. A flight would have been like $200.
- Victoro311

I would have driven up, personally. But to each their own.

What's your major?

I would have driven up, personally. But to each their own.

What's your major?
- jmatchett383

I couldn’t make a car work in DC, unfortunately other wise that would have been the move. Would of cost a bit more in gas money but would have shaved off a couple hours in travel and could leave whenever.

Strategic Studdies. It’s international relations stuff.

I couldn’t make a car work in DC, unfortunately other wise that would have been the move. Would of cost a bit more in gas money but would have shaved off a couple hours in travel and could leave whenever.

Strategic Studdies. It’s international relations stuff.
- Victoro311

Does Strategic Studies teach you how to handle all of those "loser countries?"

Does Strategic Studies teach you how to handle all of those "loser countries?"
- jmatchett383

Lol I was interning at the DoD last semester for Policy Office of African Affairs when the whole "poophole countries" thing happened. We had a lot of fun with our counterparts in State playing damage control on that. Let me tell you, there's a huge disconnect between our president's rhetoric and the way the agencies conduct day to day business.

Lol I was interning at the DoD last semester for Policy Office of African Affairs when the whole "poophole countries" thing happened. We had a lot of fun with our counterparts in State playing damage control on that. Let me tell you, there's a huge disconnect between our president's rhetoric and the way the agencies conduct day to day business.
- Victoro311

Well first off, I'm shocked that the DoD has interns. That seems like the kind of place where I wouldn't want college kids running around (on offense to you personally).

I'm sure that most federal agencies just love the stuff that Trump says on a daily basis.

Well first off, I'm shocked that the DoD has interns. That seems like the kind of place where I wouldn't want college kids running around (on offense to you personally).

I'm sure that most federal agencies just love the stuff that Trump says on a daily basis.
- jmatchett383

I don't think there's a single undergraduate intern at the DoD. Pretty much everyone I met were all grad students, and you do need to go through the clearance process to set foot in an office, which can take a handful of months. Its not like they have a bunch of poopheads running around in there.

Sidney Mother(frank)ing Crosby