We got beat by a group of AHLers last night, that had more desire to win than we did.

Although some people here believe that Stone and Hoffman are elite top 6 players in this league.... I wish I was joking.
- nbartley9

as much as I want to agree with you, stone and hoffman have been better than the majority of our players this year, stone was better than geno last night thats for sure

Appreciated the subtle snipe at the fans who want to go nuclear and trade Crosby/Malkin at the end of this blog. That opinion is just so misinformed.

I mean they're at 96 points and have missed their best players for long stretches this season. If they barely miss the playoffs or get beat in the first round, I won't consider it a complete failure. It's the reality of injuries to multiple key players. It happens.
- Stillson14

I'm not going to blame anyone for a postseason failure because they have a ton of injuries at the wrong time of the year. However, if they aren't even able to qualify for the regular season, that is a downgrade from what Shero and Bylsma were able to do with equally injury depleted teams.

15 points ahead of Ottawa last month to this? It's an epic collapse! To say otherwise is foolish.

The effort over the last couple of games has been there, but it's poorly placed. After the first period last night they looked like my dog chasing the ball. The system Johnston is running was fubar'd, now it's nonexistent.

Good thing Buffalo is on the schedule, we always seem to play well against non-playoff....oh.
- Topshelf Mountain

it's a collapse, without question. it's just a bit of a justified collapse and doesn't signal a future downward trend.

was it just me or was malkin not only a ghost, but a complete lazy liability last night?
- JLT168

Kunitz' weak game and Comeau's lost touch will do it to ya

I'm Glad Crosby got two hot players on his lineup. It Was time to give Perron a message.

Why not try Perron with Malkin?

15 points ahead of Ottawa last month to this? It's an epic collapse! To say otherwise is foolish.

The effort over the last couple of games has been there, but it's poorly placed. After the first period last night they looked like my dog chasing the ball. The system Johnston is running was fubar'd, now it's nonexistent.

Good thing Buffalo is on the schedule, we always seem to play well against non-playoff....oh.
- Topshelf Mountain

We've been playing poop hockey since January. Injuries, fatigue, call it what you want to. We've been playing like dog poop and really don't deserve a spot. I hope we do get in of course, maybe we play a full 60 then. If not, even more embarrassment is in store for us.

Appreciated the subtle snipe at the fans who want to go nuclear and trade Crosby/Malkin at the end of this blog. That opinion is just so misinformed.
- Victoro311

the idea of actively trying to move them is stupid. but so is the idea of not trading them under any circumstances.

Kunitz' weak game and Comeau's lost touch will do it to ya

I'm Glad Crosby got two hot players on his lineup. It Was time to give Perron a message.

Why not try Perron with Malkin?
- Barnaby36

Who knows. I've been saying this for at least 6 weeks or so.

Sad part is Fleury has been terrific IMO. Thought that score could have been 11-3 last night.
- dbell646

Its not an opinion, its a fact. MAF has been fantastic including last night.

Trade Kopitar and Doughty. I see what you did there.

We got beat by a group of AHLers last night, that had more desire to win than we did.

Although some people here believe that Stone and Hoffman are elite top 6 players in this league.... I wish I was joking.
- nbartley9

Well that group could teach our team a thing or 2. What's the stats on their last 11 games - 3 losses? Winning when it matters no matter what - this is the NHL & playoffs spots up for grabs. Winnipeg losing their guns = winning! Flames after losing their supposed MVP = winning (against every single analytical experts opinion). Teams can win against adversity, Pens seem to be switching off then panic sets in & boom.

We got beat by a group of AHLers last night, that had more desire to win than we did.

Although some people here believe that Stone and Hoffman are elite top 6 players in this league.... I wish I was joking.
- nbartley9

Are you wanting to make a statement on the compete level of the Pens?

It is so frustrating to watch this team with an early lead. It feels like it is the same sequence of events again & again...Give up a SH goal instead of putting the game away on the PP...Give up a very early 3rd period goal...Go into a shell and let Fleury get bombed from all angles...Give up the tying goal late in the 3rd & lose in OT.

Still, I have to agree this team isn't all that far away.

The D is a mess right now, but losing Maatta, Ehrhoff, & Letang has a lot to do with that. Cole trade is great, Lovejoy trade is going to hurt for years to come. The F group is shallow, but only needs quality 3rd and 4th liners, which can be acquired via UFA at reasonable prices.

The only thing that truly worries me is if the Penguins managment has the will do actually do what needs to be done. Unload Spaling, Sutter, & Scuderi for picks. If necessary, cut Scuderi a check not to play for the Penguins. Spaling & Sutter can be traded & Scuderi bought-out, but can the Penguins management admit their mistakes? I hope so, but it doesn't look likely overall.

as much as I want to disagree with you, stone and hoffman have been better than the majority of our players this year, stone was better than geno last night thats for sure
- JLT168

They have been tremendous for Ottawa, and they are looking like total steals as 6th round and 5th round picks respectively.

Every team dreams about getting that kind of production from picks made in later rounds like that.

We got beat by a group of AHLers last night, that had more desire to win than we did.

Although some people here believe that Stone and Hoffman are elite top 6 players in this league.... I wish I was joking.
- nbartley9

poor bartley....so bitter.

only you (and maybe prock), would call a team that's gone 25-4 in the last few months an "AHL team"

It is so frustrating to watch this team with an early lead. It feels like it is the same sequence of events again & again...Give up a SH goal instead of putting the game away on the PP...Give up a very early 3rd period goal...Go into a shell and let Fleury get bombed from all angles...Give up the tying goal late in the 3rd & lose in OT.

Still, I have to agree this team isn't all that far away.

The D is a mess right now, but losing Maatta, Ehrhoff, & Letang has a lot to do with that. Cole trade is great, Lovejoy trade is going to hurt for years to come. The F group is shallow, but only needs quality 3rd and 4th liners, which can be acquired via UFA at reasonable prices.

The only thing that truly worries me is if the Penguins managment has the will do actually do what needs to be done. Unload Spaling, Sutter, & Scuderi for picks. If necessary, cut Scuderi a check not to play for the Penguins. Spaling & Sutter can be traded & Scuderi bought-out, but can the Penguins management admit their mistakes? I hope so, but it doesn't look likely overall.
- s0rcerer1984

How can you trust Rutherford? He doesn't know anymore than a monkey throwing its feces at a wall.

the idea of actively trying to move them is stupid. but so is the idea of not trading them under any circumstances.
- DoubleDown

Well obviously if we get an absurd deal, but no team is going to agree to the kind of deal that would make sense for the Pens to pull the trigger on.

have you looked at that roster right now? even when healthy, top to bottom, it's not a supremely talented roster. it's very top heavy with little depth. Shero and Rutherford have not done a good job in that regard. and there's no Carey Price or Pekka Rinne back there either.

that said, the Pens likely punched their ticket with that point last night, considering they close against Buffalo. that point could be the one that crushes Ottawa.
- DoubleDown

Don't count the 2 points playing the Slugs! Kings thought same last night facing the Oil....and....well....OUCH!

"The problem is certainly not a lack of effort. This is not a collapse. This is a lack of talent."

I stopped reading there. Lack of talent my ass.
- vertigo1061

Lack of talent your ass? You expect us to win games with almost all of our top 4 d hurt and max lapierre and adams in the lineup? stupid comment my friend.

have you looked at that roster right now? even when healthy, top to bottom, it's not a supremely talented roster. it's very top heavy with little depth. Shero and Rutherford have not done a good job in that regard. and there's no Carey Price or Pekka Rinne back there either.

that said, the Pens likely punched their ticket with that point last night, considering they close against Buffalo. that point could be the one that crushes Ottawa.
- DoubleDown

I said earlier in the year the Pens don't have the skill or accuracy like a lot of other teams. Missing open nets, nagging easy shots of basically just messing up. Their skill level is shown up when they miss 2 or 3 shots after dominating then the opposing team goes down & slots the first shot they get. Spaling comes to mind immediately, not that I'm bagging him as a player, he just doesn't have the skill set in offence - I actually saw him miss the puck with an open net (he didn't even get a shot he MISSED the puck!). Even Sid with EN's, it was mentioned on the radio that he has missed a poop load of EN???

no one said anything yet but whats up with pouliot? not that he was killing it for us or anything, but he left the game early, he pull an oblique or something when he whiffed on that shot or what?

perron is always the first guy giving cheap shots and talking trash and then does nothing when hes on the ice, he only hits when the guy got rid of the puck, not to actually separate the player from the puck, he can be strong on the puck at times in the corners but rarely does much. disappointing to say the least

I think everyone here mostly is fine with the trades JR has made, but this team was doing much better prior to all of them.

as much as I want to disagree with you, stone and hoffman have been better than the majority of our players this year, stone was better than geno last night thats for sure
- JLT168

Haha why do you want to disagree with me??


Pebble and The Hoff played like they cared last night, played with fire and desire.


We played like scared children

We've been playing poop hockey since January. Injuries, fatigue, call it what you want to. We've been playing like dog poop and really don't deserve a spot. I hope we do get in of course, maybe we play a full 60 then. If not, even more embarrassment is in store for us.
- znagle

I think the same can be said for all the Metro teams - the only team showing form are the Rags - & that was without The King for 2 months! Isles Caps & Pens have all been sub par.

Lack of talent your ass? You expect us to win games with almost all of our top 4 d hurt and max lapierre and adams in the lineup? stupid comment my friend.
- chanceb

What's the word for calling someone's accurate comment stupid while making a stupider comment?

Nobody wants to talk about the obvious. Crosby played head to head against Turris most of the night. Turris ended the evening +2, Crosby was -1. For the first ten minutes of the game Crosby looked strong. He was not a factor over the rest of the night. Keep it real simple, the Crosby line could not contain Turris and Stone. Same for Giroux and Voracek.