I cant imagine Schultz could play any worse than Oli defensively plus he has more offensive ability. I hope he plays.

Malkin definitely looked slow and out of game shape. I'm even more worried about MAF if/when he comes back. He has even less room for error.

It was close, but I think the play was good. I hated the call in the Blues game, and it would have been wrong to overturn the Brassard goal. It should have to be clear cut if they are going to overturn a goal, so in my mind, the refs made the right call. I really hate reviewing offsides anyways. Too many things have to happen after a zone entry to result in a goal that we should go all the back to the zone entry to invalidate everything that happens after that.
- Emperor Filonius

I'm pretty much in the same boat, while as a Pens fan I would have loved to see them overturn the Brassard goal as a hockey fan it would have been a shame to see the goal overturned on a stupid technicality, in my opinion he had possession of the puck when it crossed so where his skates were didn't really matter. I'm not completely against reviewing offsides because I have seen some really bad missed calls lead to momentum changing goals(the Briere goal immediately comes to mind) but I think they're needs to be more definition to the rule.

First it has to be 110% conclusive that the player was clearly offsides, this crap with a skate being 1/10" off the ice shouldn't constitute offsides. The second is that a review can only go back 7 seconds from the time of the goal, anything more than that and the potential offsides really didn't have a great impact on the goal being scored anyway.

It sure looked offsides to me, but we got out played. Malkin did end up being Rusty after all, can't say any forward had a great game besides Kessel, and our defense was all over the place. I'm starting to get worried about Olli. I'd strongly consider scratching him at this point. He's too slow right now. He obviously needs to train rigorously during the offseason to get past his string of injuries and get back on track to where he was his rookie season, but he's completing his service commitment so that won't happen. Dumoulin and Daley were meh at best too. Cole and Lovejoy should never see ice time together.

I'm hoping that we come out with a mind set to dominate next game in MSG. We've been outplayed the last two games. The first game we won solely off the virtue of having better talent, but our lack of fire bit us in the ass yesterday. If that break away gets called offside the game end differently? Who knows but I doubt it.
- Victoro311

I only brought it up due to the arguments in EKs blog. They micro analysed that 1 & no one even mentioned Brassards??? (Which to me looked offside), so the Blues fans would have even more reason to feel robbed.

Going to be interesting seeing team selections next game.

Malkin has never liked playing wing, and further more his natural wing is the right wing. I'm surprised that a coach as in tune as Mike Sullivan elected to play him at LW. I think that experiment is over. Not only did Malkin say after the game that he wants to play center, Sullivan also said that ideally he wants Malkin at center.

I guess I had to high of expectations for Geno. Too many Yohe articles that said he looked 100%. I was expecting him to fly out of the gate like he hadn't missed a beat, and after his first few shifts i thought that even more. It was unrealistic to expect that he wouldn't be rusty. This makes me want to swap Kunitz and Sheary even more. Put someone that Geno's comfortable with on his wing while he knocks off the rust.
- Victoro311

I'm actually not a big fan of Sheary in the top 6, sure he's had a few good shifts there but that's about all he can offer is a few shifts and the rest of the time(especially in Game 2) he looks completely outmatched in that role, using him on the 3rd/4th lines with spot shifts in the top 6 is where Sheary will be most successful.

I know this won't be a popular opinion but I'm actually a fan of breaking up the bottom 3 lines and mixing & matching, I'd absolutely keep Bonino/Kessel together as the base of the 3rd line and Cullen/Fehr together as the base of the 4th line but everyone else is far game for juggling. I'd really like to see Kuhnhackl with Geno, it would give him someone to do the dirty work in the corners and along the boards and Kuhnhackl is very good at getting his linemates the puck in space, something Geno thrives on. I'd try something like:

Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist
Hagelin-Malkin-Kuhnhackl
Rust/Sheary-Bonino-Kessel
Rust/Sheary-Cullen-Fehr

Even if you're completely against breaking up the HBK line you coud go

Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist
Rust-Malkin-Kuhnhackl
Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel
Sheary-Cullen-Fehr

It's pretty evident the Pens look.a bit slow and are slow in reacting to the play. They are not swarming to the puck and this tentative approach has them losing many puck battles. Also many forced passes are turnovers as well. Maata has to go. The Rangers seem to be more focused and have a sense of urgency.

I'm pretty much in the same boat, while as a Pens fan I would have loved to see them overturn the Brassard goal as a hockey fan it would have been a shame to see the goal overturned on a stupid technicality, in my opinion he had possession of the puck when it crossed so where his skates were didn't really matter. I'm not completely against reviewing offsides because I have seen some really bad missed calls lead to momentum changing goals(the Briere goal immediately comes to mind) but I think they're needs to be more definition to the rule.

First it has to be 110% conclusive that the player was clearly offsides, this crap with a skate being 1/10" off the ice shouldn't constitute offsides. The second is that a review can only go back 7 seconds from the time of the goal, anything more than that and the potential offsides really didn't have a great impact on the goal being scored anyway.
- jaydogg1974

I said this before, the rules were there before the technology, so they either have to improve the technology so it's 100% (which is impossible) & keep the rules word for word, or change the rules slightly taking into consideration the technology & what that brings, & it's got to go across the board every single game every single instance or not at all.

All this hoo haa about the Blues offside, anyone think Brassard was offside?
- Aussiepenguin

No they got the call right. Even if Brassard did cross the blue line before the puck (which he didn't) he had control of the puck so it wouldn't matter if he or the puck crossed first

I'm actually not a big fan of Sheary in the top 6, sure he's had a few good shifts there but that's about all he can offer is a few shifts and the rest of the time(especially in Game 2) he looks completely outmatched in that role, using him on the 3rd/4th lines with spot shifts in the top 6 is where Sheary will be most successful.

I know this won't be a popular opinion but I'm actually a fan of breaking up the bottom 3 lines and mixing & matching, I'd absolutely keep Bonino/Kessel together as the base of the 3rd line and Cullen/Fehr together as the base of the 4th line but everyone else is far game for juggling. I'd really like to see Kuhnhackl with Geno, it would give him someone to do the dirty work in the corners and along the boards and Kuhnhackl is very good at getting his linemates the puck in space, something Geno thrives on. I'd try something like:

Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist
Hagelin-Malkin-Kuhnhackl
Rust/Sheary-Bonino-Kessel
Rust/Sheary-Cullen-Fehr

Even if you're completely against breaking up the HBK line you coud go

Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist
Rust-Malkin-Kuhnhackl
Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel
Sheary-Cullen-Fehr
- jaydogg1974

I'm not die hard against breaking up HBK, but I am super against breaking up Hagelin and Kessel. They play way too well together.

All this hoo haa about the Blues offside, anyone think Brassard was offside?
- Aussiepenguin

Honestly, I still have no idea. Did he have possession? Judgement call. If he didn't, did he cross the blue line before the puck? Still not sure. Thats one where I guess they just go with the original call. Could have gone either way as far as I'm concerned.

No they got the call right. Even if Brassard did cross the blue line before the puck (which he didn't) he had control of the puck so it wouldn't matter if he or the puck crossed first
- willi

So the big question is - was the Blues disallowed goal a goal???

Edit: I think he was 'taking control' of the puck as he crossed the line, but he didn't 'have' control IMO.

I'm not die hard against breaking up HBK, but I am super against breaking up Hagelin and Kessel. They play way too well together.
- Victoro311

Why not play Kunitz with Malkin? He's basically the only wing that has played an extended period of time with Geno.

Why not play Kunitz with Malkin? He's basically the only wing that has played an extended period of time with Geno.
- madmike71

That's what I would like to see happen.

That's what I would like to see happen.
- Victoro311

Plus I think Sid's line could use an infusion of speed. Every time Sheary get's a chance on that line, good things happen.

It's pretty evident the Pens look.a bit slow and are slow in reacting to the play. They are not swarming to the puck and this tentative approach has them losing many puck battles. Also many forced passes are turnovers as well. Maata has to go. The Rangers seem to be more focused and have a sense of urgency.
- powerhouse

100% agree with the tentative analysis. I thought it might have been playoff jitters for the rookies but the whole team looks unsure of themselves.

Plus I think Sid's line could use an infusion of speed. Every time Sheary get's a chance on that line, good things happen.
- madmike71

I'm not saying that Sheary is the long term answer or anything like that, but swapping Sheary and Kunitz would add diffrent dynamics to both lines and help even out the talent across the three lines. I think it's at least worth a shot.

Was Malkins injury confirmed as a wrist injury? Having him on the wing may have been protecting him from injuring it during face offs. He's pretty bad at them even without injury, what would he be like if it is his wrist/elbow?

That's a part of his game he needs to improve, RW thinks FO% is overrated. Not sure how he came to that conclusion.

100% agree with the tentative analysis. I thought it might have been playoff jitters for the rookies but the whole team looks unsure of themselves.
- Thorny87

I think they despite the fact they'll never admit it were tentative and trying to insulate zatkoff. I think once fleury is back the D will be more confident and play more up tempo. Also the pens are going to have to get back to grinding it out. Those home run plays like sid's break away are not going to be there

Was Malkins injury confirmed as a wrist injury? Having him on the wing may have been protecting him from injuring it during face offs. He's pretty bad at them even without injury, what would he be like if it is his wrist/elbow?

That's a part of his game he needs to improve, RW thinks FO% is overrated. Not sure how he came to that conclusion.
- Thorny87

He had ligament damage in his arm. Pretty sure it was the elbow. And yes I think he didn't play much at center to protect against reinjury. He didn't take a single draw yesterday. I don't think we can be that cautious with Malkin moving forward. If he's ready he needs to be unleashed. If he's not then he shouldn't be playing. Simple as that.

He had ligament damage in his arm. Pretty sure it was the elbow. And yes I think he didn't play much at center to protect against reinjury. He didn't take a single draw yesterday. I don't think we can be that cautious with Malkin moving forward. If he's ready he needs to be unleashed. If he's not then he shouldn't be playing. Simple as that.
- Victoro311

I'll take Malkin that can't take faceoffs over Sundqvist who can take them

I'll take Malkin that can't take faceoffs over Sundqvist who can take them

- willi

My point more so was that they shouldn't be this tentative with him. If he's ready then he's ready.

Malkin should have stayed off the ice. Messed up the whole chemistry.

I'm not die hard against breaking up HBK, but I am super against breaking up Hagelin and Kessel. They play way too well together.
- Victoro311

See I actually think Bonino/Kessel are the 2 that really have the chemistry that makes that line go, Hagelin and Kessel were together on a line with Malkin and while they weren't bad, you didn't really see Kessel take off until he was paired with Bonino, if it was Hagelin making him go then they should have still been on fire while they were paired with Malkin. I think as long as you keep Bonino/Kessel together it isn't going to matter who the LW is.

I'm really not liking hearing about long meetings between the coaching staff regarding lines. The lines were great up until yesterday. Have some more faith in them before messing them up. Keep Malkin in the middle of the 3rd or 4th line for now. The playoffs are not a time to shake things all up when they've been so good for so long.

I can see a D man or two being interchanged or swapped but the forward lines shouldn't be f'd with yet IMO.

This team doesn't need to shake things up, they need to grab their sacks and man up. We've only seen glimpses or short periods of 100% efforts across the board. It's perplexing to me after they've battled so hard for so long.

The Rags have wanted it more so far but I think we see a much more desperate and tenacious Pens team Tuesday night. The team we've become acustom to seeing lately...

...we better see it Tuesday night for its my bday and it's all I want for it.