No offense dude, but this is ridiculous. Games have ebbs and flows. Certainly the Pens were horrible in the first, but when they started getting their legs, the rules were different.

So basically, the Refs rewarded the Rags hard work in the 1st with 4 PP's, but then refused to reward the Pens for their hard work in the 3rd.....because hey "we want to let the players decide the game". Joke.
- madmike71

Funny, the other guys who replied didn't it was "ridiculous." Fact of the matter is, the Rangers were the better team. The refs didn't steal the game. The Penguins didn't deserve to win last night, and that's just how it is.

If they can play next game the way they played the last 40 minutes of Game 1, and if Sid can get some time/space, they have a shot at the split.

They didn't score the goals they usually do. The shooting % was less than half or a third or something like that. You score 4/5 goals then there's no problem with your game & it's a wipeout.

Must be late I'm entertaining your commentary!
- Aussiepenguin

Forget the shooting %, the Rangers just didn't play as fast as they normally do and were more porous defensively than normal.

But if we are completely honest I would think most of thought it was going to be 4 or 5 goals against to possibly zero. We played bad & still had a chance. We can play a lot better, where as they are probably not going to get much better - they dominated everything if what was said on the radio was right. 2-1 away. Hopefully they get going early next game & not so many penalties - especially the facial massage ones.
- Aussiepenguin

I hate to side with the Rangers fans, but how can you make those statements when you didn't even see the game? The Rangers are capable of better... And us, yes, our 1st period was a disaster, but our 2nd and 3rd, with our current roster (depleted D) is probably about as good as it gets, and we could only muster 1 goal and maybe 3 more quality chances. As much as I hate to say it, this series is over quickly.

They didn't score the goals they usually do. The shooting % was less than half or a third or something like that. You score 4/5 goals then there's no problem with your game & it's a wipeout.

Must be late I'm entertaining your commentary!
- Aussiepenguin

Now now, hold up... can't give Rangers bonus points due to a lower than normal shooting percentage when they've been higher than the average. Seeing as we've been below the average lately and the graphs and charts say we should normalize soon and score more.

Now now, hold up... can't give Rangers bonus points due to a lower than normal shooting percentage when they've been higher than the average. Seeing as we've been below the average lately and the graphs and charts say we should normalize soon and score more.
- Guile

The Pens could try playing one of the fancy graphs on Sid's wing next game.

I do have to say Fleury was really really good. I mean, we outshot you by a large margin the 1st, the Pens didn't get a shot on goal until well into the 2nd. Many shots were good quality shots. Our powerplay still is terrible but we did get a good number of shots through that Fleury stopped as well. Biggest thing, after the first goal, Flower swallowed every shot up with no rebounds. Honestly, take away all of the penalties in the game and we probably should have scored another 3 goals if it was for Fleury.

Funny, the other guys who replied didn't it was "ridiculous." Fact of the matter is, the Rangers were the better team. The refs didn't steal the game. The Penguins didn't deserve to win last night, and that's just how it is.

If they can play next game the way they played the last 40 minutes of Game 1, and if Sid can get some time/space, they have a shot at the split.
- jmatchett383

I guess they should make sure they play the 1st period though. Because the rules will be different in the 3rd.

I didn't say the refs stole the game by the way...

The Pens could try playing one of the fancy graphs on Sid's wing next game.
- jmatchett383

I think the Brooks Orpik Cardboard Cutout is above the Fancy Graph in the depth chart though.

Don't worry, game 3 or 4 we will see Fancy Graph on the ice. Because BOCC will likely get injured, since everyone does for us.

The Pens could try playing one of the fancy graphs on Sid's wing next game.
- jmatchett383

In all honesty, I'd like to see the Pens just overload a 5 man unit... Sid, Geno, horny, Cole and Martin... That group of 5 gives us our best chance to bury one... We don't have scoring depth right now so over load one group and give them a complete green light... Everyone else's job is to not get scored on.

Now now, hold up... can't give Rangers bonus points due to a lower than normal shooting percentage when they've been higher than the average. Seeing as we've been below the average lately and the graphs and charts say we should normalize soon and score more.
- Guile

Spoken like a guy who simply looks at the numbers. High Shooting % isn't always only due to overachieving. If you are a puck moving team with speed, you tend to create higher quality chances. The way the Rangers move the puck around, they are always looking for the pretty goal. We have a team full of play makers that we constantly pull our hair out because they don't shoot nearly as often as they should. They overpass. But that will also create way more opportunites to score goals with less shots.

Spoken like a guy who simply looks at the numbers. High Shooting % isn't always only due to overachieving. If you are a puck moving team with speed, you tend to create higher quality chances. The way the Rangers move the puck around, they are always looking for the pretty goal. We have a team full of play makers that we constantly pull our hair out because they don't shoot nearly as often as they should. They overpass. But that will also create way more opportunites to score goals with less shots.
- xcheckmajor

No, its spoken like someone who isn't an idiot.

If you are going to count it in the Ranger's favor for having a lower than normal shooting %, then you count it for the Penguins for having a below their normal shooting % also.

Thats it bud.

I guess they should make sure they play the 1st period though. Because the rules will be different in the 3rd.

I didn't say the refs stole the game by the way...
- madmike71

Dude, the rules aren't different in the 3rd. The rules are different when 1 team is dominating than when play is even up back and forth. When the game is being played well and its going back and forth, the refs tend to let them play. When a team is dominating, the other team will get called for any small thing they do that looks bad to stop them.

Spoken like a guy who simply looks at the numbers. High Shooting % isn't always only due to overachieving. If you are a puck moving team with speed, you tend to create higher quality chances. The way the Rangers move the puck around, they are always looking for the pretty goal. We have a team full of play makers that we constantly pull our hair out because they don't shoot nearly as often as they should. They overpass. But that will also create way more opportunites to score goals with less shots.
- xcheckmajor

And any Pens fan will tell you that doesn't work out well in the playoffs.

No, its spoken like someone who isn't an idiot.

If you are going to count it in the Ranger's favor for having a lower than normal shooting %, then you count it for the Penguins for having a below their normal shooting % also.

Thats it bud.
- Guile

Gotcha. Well, I don't agree that shooting percentage will normalize in all cases. I think shooting average in some cases can simply be indictive of style of play. Rangers aren't a shoot and crash and get ugly goal type of team. They are a pass pass pass, until perfect opportunity team and that means higher %. It doesn't necessarily mean they are better, just different style. But what I was implying was that Fleury had a hell of game to drive down the Rangers shooting % because most of the Rangers shots are pretty high grade.

Geno-Sid-Horny
Perron-Sutter-Winnik
Kunitz-Spaling-Downie
Bennett/Wilson-Lapierre-Comeau

And any Pens fan will tell you that doesn't work out well in the playoffs.
- jfkst1

You may be right. We shall see. Thats probably also why the USA line and the 4th line were the best lines out there for the Rangers, they are lines that grind and crash more than the Nash line and the Hayes line.

The stretch pass eh, who on the Penguins is going to skate by a Ranger defenseman the way Brassard blew by Ole Reliable Paul Martin?

Gotcha. Well, I don't agree that shooting percentage will normalize in all cases. I think shooting average in some cases can simply be indictive of style of play. Rangers aren't a shoot and crash and get ugly goal type of team. They are a pass pass pass, until perfect opportunity team and that means higher %. It doesn't necessarily mean they are better, just different style. But what I was implying was that Fleury had a hell of game to drive down the Rangers shooting % because most of the Rangers shots are pretty high grade.
- xcheckmajor

You can say it won't normalize, thats fair statement, just don't count it one way and pretend its not a factor the other.

RW wanting it to do so in a very short sample size timeframe is optimistic, but we are beyond overdue. Not sure if everyone and their grandmother is still injured will factor into the overdueness, but gotta believe.

And yes, I think last postseason (even the BJ series) Fleury showed he was over his prior postseason pooptiness. Most would agree aside from the OT loss, that it was the defense causing the goals on him, and he looked good. As of right now in our 1 game example, Fleury looked good, close to great. Give whoever that sports shrink of his a raise, that seemed to be part of the turnaround last year.

Geno-Sid-Horny
Perron-Sutter-Winnik
Kunitz-Spaling-Downie
Bennett/Wilson-Lapierre-Comeau
- Willaged

No

You can say it won't normalize, thats fair statement, just don't count it one way and pretend its not a factor the other.

RW wanting it to do so in a very short sample size timeframe is optimistic, but we are beyond overdue. Not sure if everyone and their grandmother is still injured will factor into the overdueness, but gotta believe.

And yes, I think last postseason (even the BJ series) Fleury showed he was over his prior postseason pooptiness. Most would agree aside from the OT loss, that it was the defense causing the goals on him, and he looked good. As of right now in our 1 game example, Fleury looked good, close to great. Give whoever that sports shrink of his a raise, that seemed to be part of the turnaround last year.
- Guile

Fleury was solid last night; especially in the first period when Pittsburgh was playing beer league hockey.

No
- Guile

I'd rather overload a line than have 1 player per line. But in reality there is no fixing this roster.

You can say it won't normalize, thats fair statement, just don't count it one way and pretend its not a factor the other.

RW wanting it to do so in a very short sample size timeframe is optimistic, but we are beyond overdue. Not sure if everyone and their grandmother is still injured will factor into the overdueness, but gotta believe.

And yes, I think last postseason (even the BJ series) Fleury showed he was over his prior postseason pooptiness. Most would agree aside from the OT loss, that it was the defense causing the goals on him, and he looked good. As of right now in our 1 game example, Fleury looked good, close to great. Give whoever that sports shrink of his a raise, that seemed to be part of the turnaround last year.
- Guile

The new goalie coach has changed a lot of his playing style and while he still can't handle the puck well, he is in better position than he used to be. Of course, that begs the question, why the hell did it take so long to get a different goalie coach?

Dude, the rules aren't different in the 3rd. The rules are different when 1 team is dominating than when play is even up back and forth. When the game is being played well and its going back and forth, the refs tend to let them play. When a team is dominating, the other team will get called for any small thing they do that looks bad to stop them.
- xcheckmajor

Well.... The Pens owned possession in the 3rd. Maybe if we get 3 strait PP's it would have been similar to the Rags 1st.

Geno-Sid-Horny
Perron-Sutter-Winnik
Kunitz-Spaling-Downie
Bennett/Wilson-Lapierre-Comeau
- Willaged

Perron - Crosby - Hornqvist
Bennett - Malkin - Sutter
Comeau - Crosby - Downie
Kunitz - Malkin - Lapierre

The new goalie coach has changed a lot of his playing style and while he still can't handle the puck well, he is in better position than he used to be. Of course, that begs the question, why the hell did it take so long to get a different goalie coach?
- jfkst1

It took us almost 2 years to fire the medical staff and realize Crosby had some sort of muscle issue in his neck/head area, and not post concussion symptoms... I gave up questioning our staffing decisions.