I wanted JT but he went second overall (Price first). I got crosby 4th and he's killing me.
- Isles_since_6

I think he will be your sleeper...

No rockin' the red last night for sure. Really dig the avatar...
- Brayn

You have my respect. Whatever that means to you, you got it. But, know this schit hard. If ever there comes a time when it gets down to the marrow, and it's you and me. Kid, I will lay you the phuck out.

Why would you have Crosby anyway? You should drop him, the guy is a washed up bum...
- Brayn

Trade him to Montreal if you dont want him

That was obviously a make-up call because they knew they F'd up the non call. Typical NHL reffing trying to put the genie back in the bottle.
- madmike71

Dude, if he dove any harder, he'd be on an Olympic team. You're sounding like a Hab fan who swears PK never embellishes. When fans of other teams not connected to the game call it a dive, it usually is.

Ahhh always Scuderi as the scapegoat. I get it, hes not the best defensemen in the league, however, the second turnover seems to be more of a puck support/system problem buy the penguins.

Dude, if he dove any harder, he'd be on an Olympic team. You're sounding like a Hab fan who swears PK never embellishes. When fans of other teams not connected to the game call it a dive, it usually is.
- Darksyde

I never said he didn't embellish. It was an obvious hook however. The correct call should have been 2 each. That would have eliminated the odd man break the Habs got........and converted.

Our PP is shyt right now. Giving us a makeup call does us no good.

Ahhh always Scuderi as the scapegoat. I get it, hes not the best defensemen in the league, however, the second turnover seems to be more of a puck support/system problem buy the penguins.
- BernieKorch

YOU'RE HIRED!!

The most frustrating thing is to see the defensive problems not addressed. I mean I don't know if Johnston thinks he is bullet proof or made of Teflon but his evaluation of talent is questionable at this point. This is especially true on the back end. And the ship has not sunk yet, it's true. However if you wait till you are 0-10 to make changes you put yourself in a very poor position.
- powerhouse

I know you can't always judge by the way a guy looks, but Johnston exudes frailty/uncertainty. He reminds me a bit of Norv Turner.

I've watched the hook/non-hook replay on the blog a few times, and I honestly can't tell. He has his stick in there, but I can't tell if he ever hooks him or simply pushes the puck away. Either way, if he did hook him, that play alone didn't create the goal. It started the sequence that led to the goal, but the Penguins could have stopped it.

trade everyone!

F Scud's

I don't give a damn about the hook. The reason the team is losing is because Crosby, Malkin, Kunitz, Perron, Hornqvist, and Maatta have done absolutely nothing this season. The defense and goaltending aren't great, but they are giving the team a chance. The aforementioned players aren't controlling play like they need to and it is reflected in their pathetic possession, SOG, scoring chances, and points totals.

Ahhh always Scuderi as the scapegoat. I get it, hes not the best defensemen in the league
- BernieKorch

Understatement of the day.

however, the second turnover seems to be more of a puck support/system problem buy the penguins.
- BernieKorch

Most NHL defenseman are able to pass to a teammate or at least an area where a teammate is skating to. That was a pass to a vacant area which 2 Habs were skating to.

I know you can't always judge by the way a guy looks, but Johnston exudes frailty/uncertainty. He reminds me a bit of Norv Turner.
- MadCap2008

And what a farce that was....

I've watched the hook/non-hook replay on the blog a few times, and I honestly can't tell. He has his stick in there, but I can't tell if he ever hooks him or simply pushes the puck away. Either way, if he did hook him, that play alone didn't create the goal. It started the sequence that led to the goal, but the Penguins could have stopped it.
- jmatchett383

As a forward when you cycle that high and the D moves down the wall......you simply cannot turn it over. Shouldn't matter if Plot was stabbed... he has to get it back down the wall. Majority of the blame should fall on him.

As a forward when you cycle that high and the D moves down the wall......you simply cannot turn it over. Shouldn't matter if Plot was stabbed... he has to get it back down the wall. Majority of the blame should fall on him.
- stowerkraut

Yeah, he definitely was in a bad spot. That puck needs to get in deep and/or to a teammate.

Ahhh always Scuderi as the scapegoat. I get it, hes not the best defensemen in the league, however, the second turnover seems to be more of a puck support/system problem buy the penguins.
- BernieKorch

He's not an NHL player and he is getting quite a few minutes. I could easily argue he is directly responsible for three goals allowed in as many games. It's a major drawback having him in the lineup.

You have my respect. Whatever that means to you, you got it. But, know this schit hard. If ever there comes a time when it gets down to the marrow, and it's you and me. Kid, I will lay you the phuck out.
- chimpira

Fan-phucking-tastic!

I very much hesitate to blame our defense and specifically Scuderi for our forwards' ineffectiveness. Scuderi is horrible. He doesn't pass the puck so much as just chuck it into an empty area and let the team's scramble for the fumble. That's horrendous and kills the way our system is supposed to run. But to me, our break out passes haven't looked that bad. Letang is Letang. Cole has been steady. Dumoulin's passes have looked really good. What I'm seeing is a lot of bad passes by our forwards and specifically Sidney Crosby. I won't be sad to see Kunitz or Perron gone so if one of those two can net us a top 4 d man I'd do it, but I don't think that's gonna fix our problems.

He's not an NHL player and he is getting quite a few minutes. I could easily argue he is directly responsible for three goals allowed in as many games. It's a major drawback having him in the lineup.
- jfkst1

In this respect, shouldn't we all be burning Agnew in effigy?

In this respect, shouldn't we all be burning Agnew in effigy?
- Brayn

I don't know who's responsible for keeping him in the lineup, but they are idiots if they really think Scuderi should be playing. Not only does he suck, the Pens yet again are not letting young dmen get TOI to develop. It's like they've learned absolutely nothing from prospect mismanagement in the recent past.

Ahhh always Scuderi as the scapegoat. I get it, hes not the best defensemen in the league, however, the second turnover seems to be more of a puck support/system problem buy the penguins.
- BernieKorch

I see what you did there?

I don't give a damn about the hook. The reason the team is losing is because Crosby, Malkin, Kunitz, Perron, Hornqvist, and Maatta have done absolutely nothing this season. The defense and goaltending aren't great, but they are giving the team a chance. The aforementioned players aren't controlling play like they need to and it is reflected in their pathetic possession, SOG, scoring chances, and points totals.
- jfkst1

100%. People can wine about analytics all they want but it is irrelevant right now. Pick your stat, fancy or traditional, the top 6 is playing like garbage. Hornqvist and Kessel have been one man lines. Argue that our team has no #gritness or intangibles. Our depth hasn't been the problem. The third line has been our best and Sprong is consistently generating scoring chances from the fourth line, and dangerous ones every now and then too. When was the last time a Pens' fourth line looked dangerous? To me, our depth is doing what it's supposed to, but they can't be effective if our top 6 doesn't produce and command the respect it needs to.

Keep in mind if someone from the top 6 last night scored, that game would have gone into OT. Like I said a few blogs back, sometimes none of Crosby, Malkin, or Kessel will score, but this is getting bad.

100%. People can wine about analytics all they want but it is irrelevant right now. Pick your stat, fancy or traditional, the top 6 is playing like garbage. Hornqvist and Kessel have been one man lines. Argue that our team has no #gritness or intangibles. Our depth hasn't been the problem. The third line has been our best and Sprong is consistently generating scoring chances from the fourth line, and dangerous ones every now and then too. When was the last time a Pens' fourth line looked dangerous? To me, our depth is doing what it's supposed to, but they can't be effective if our top 6 doesn't produce and command the respect it needs to.

Keep in mind if someone from the top 6 last night scored, that game would have gone into OT. Like I said a few blogs back, sometimes none of Crosby, Malkin, or Kessel will score, but this is getting bad.
- Victoro311

The two headed monster just isnt hungry at all yet it seems. Especially Crosby. You gotta think and believe they will start to starve and turn it up...but you never know. Kunitz, while he has made some gaffs and bad plays, has looked a lot more engaged and hungrier than either of them.

I cant help but think if Dupuis was healthy they wouldn't be 0-3. I honestly dont. He would not be coasting around at any point of those three games.

I also believe that if the Pens are 0-5 after the Leafs Saturday night Johnson is done.

The two headed monster just isnt hungry at all yet it seems. Especially Crosby. You gotta think and believe they will start to starve and turn it up...but you never know. Kunitz, while he has made some gaffs and bad plays, has looked a lot more engaged and hungrier than either of them.

I cant help but think if Dupuis was healthy they wouldn't be 0-3. I honestly dont. He would not be coasting around at any point of those three games.

I also believe that if the Pens are 0-5 after the Leafs Saturday night Johnson is done.
- MattStrat

I've tried to be reasonable but if we're winless after 5 games and two of those losses came to the Coyotes and the Mapel Leafs then I think it's reasonable to start asking questions about whether or not Johnston should go.