The Isles are simply out-hustling the Pens and playing smarter. Their system is terrible for the Pens.
- Rinosaur

The Pens throughout the season have shown periods where they look disinterested and discombobulated...tonight was very much that. Hopefully they find a way to flip that switch and they play the way we know they can.

What a gift the noon start is down 0-2.

The Pens throughout the season have shown periods where they look disinterested and discombobulated...tonight was very much that. Hopefully they find a way to flip that switch and they play the way we know they can.

What a gift the noon start is down 0-2.
- Doogs

I think the disinterested excuse works in the regular season. It’s a grind. But if you’re team is disinterested at any time in a best of 7 series something is wrong.

The Pens throughout the season have shown periods where they look disinterested and discombobulated...tonight was very much that. Hopefully they find a way to flip that switch and they play the way we know they can.

What a gift the noon start is down 0-2.
- Doogs

Good thing we are always great on the early game starts

I think the disinterested excuse works in the regular season. It’s a grind. But if you’re team is disinterested at any time in a best of 7 series something is wrong.
- Thorny87

Completely agree...cannot have that.

Good thing we are always great on the early game starts
- Guile

No kidding. And the Double-whammy is it is an NBC broadcast. Crap.

No kidding. And the Double-whammy is it is an NBC broadcast. Crap.
- Doogs

Oh then we are fine. Double negatives are a positive.

Looks like end of an era. Window is closing.
Why did we accelerate closing the window by doubling down on the bad defense?
Why is it so hard to see how negatively Jack Johnson affects anyone he is on the ice with?
Of course, this is more than just JJ... Trotz has owned Sully for 6 out of the last 7 playoff games and Sully hasnt been able to adjust.

Oh then we are fine. Double negatives are a positive.
- Guile

Is that like two lefts make a right?

Sharks Knights has been crazy!

The Isles are simply out-hustling the Pens and playing smarter. Their system is terrible for the Pens.
- Rinosaur

I agree with that. The Isles system is great at shutting down top heavy teams with a bunch of big stars like Toronto and Pittsburgh. But balanced scoring defense first teams like Boston own us. Also Sid and Geno have not been themselves at all so far. That’s the big reason why it’s 2-0

Is that like two lefts make a right?
- Doogs

Well... no... because 3 rights make a left.

Sharks Knights has been crazy!
- Thorny87

Agreed. Fun to watch. Not stressful. Hahaha

Well... no... because 3 rights make a left.
- Guile

Why can’t there be a list of rules!!!

I think they call that list Gibb’s Rules from NCIS.

Went to a birthday party at second intermission. Judging from the comments this was a disaster? Big enough disaster to merit lineup changes? Something tells me that a two goal regulation loss isn't as bad as an OT loss.

Looks like end of an era. Window is closing.
Why did we accelerate closing the window by doubling down on the bad defense?
Why is it so hard to see how negatively Jack Johnson affects anyone he is on the ice with?
Of course, this is more than just JJ... Trotz has owned Sully for 6 out of the last 7 playoff games and Sully hasnt been able to adjust.
- Amanion

Listen, let's put this in perspective. I think Rutherford has made a lot of bad moves that have prematurely shrunk the window, but at the end of the day our boys, namely Crosby, Malkin, and Letang (and Fleury too although to a lesser extent) have won three Cups. Will I female dog and moan that they could have won more? Will I tell my children that if the right moves were made we could have won five Cups during this era? Yeah, I definitely will, cus I'm a crotchety bastard that has nothing else better to do than overanalyze sports. But those 3 Cup wins still puts our core in the upper echelon of all time NHL cores and we got to witness that. And that's pretty cool. From the young upstarts that lost to the Red Wings when Sid couldn't grow facial hair, to the bounce back kids that beat that same team (with the turncoat Marian Hossa in hand), to the super team that of 2012 that had the most underwhelming post season in recent memory (TB is giving us a run for our money right now), to watching the Wilkes Barre 5 turn the 2015 season around for us and back to back Cups, the first repeat of the salary cap era. We got to watch all of that.

I still think that down 0-2 this team can come back and win the series. I've seen enough warts during the past two games that I don't think they're Cup contenders so I'm not sure how much advancing matters, but I still think they can do it. But regardless, this team has enough of a legacy at this point that I'm ok with entering the twilight of the era. We're not the Sharks.

Listen, let's put this in perspective. I think Rutherford has made a lot of bad moves that have prematurely shrunk the window, but at the end of the day our boys, namely Crosby, Malkin, and Letang (and Fleury too although to a lesser extent) have won three Cups. Will I female dog and moan that they could have won more? Will I tell my children that if the right moves were made we could have won five Cups during this era? Yeah, I definitely will, cus I'm a crotchety bastard that has nothing else better to do than overanalyze sports. But those 3 Cup wins still puts our core in the upper echelon of all time NHL cores and we got to witness that. And that's pretty cool. From the young upstarts that lost to the Red Wings when Sid couldn't grow facial hair, to the bounce back kids that beat that same team (with the turncoat Marian Hossa in hand), to the super team that of 2012 that had the most underwhelming post season in recent memory (TB is giving us a run for our money right now), to watching the Wilkes Barre 5 turn the 2015 season around for us and back to back Cups, the first repeat of the salary cap era. We got to watch all of that.

I still think that down 0-2 this team can come back and win the series. I've seen enough warts during the past two games that I don't think they're Cup contenders so I'm not sure how much advancing matters, but I still think they can do it. But regardless, this team has enough of a legacy at this point that I'm ok with entering the twilight of the era. We're not the Sharks.
- Victoro311

Well said.

I didn’t take the Islanders as lightly as most but honestly didn’t expect this. That sad showing of hockey at the end of the game too was just pitiful, either drop the gloves or go to the room. Watching Hornqvist face wash another guy. Gig is up bud, the whole league knows your a giant wussy. Just pitiful.

I’m just all on board with the Jackets steam Rolling Tampa at the moment. I pretty much hate that whole team.

Listen, let's put this in perspective. I think Rutherford has made a lot of bad moves that have prematurely shrunk the window, but at the end of the day our boys, namely Crosby, Malkin, and Letang (and Fleury too although to a lesser extent) have won three Cups. Will I female dog and moan that they could have won more? Will I tell my children that if the right moves were made we could have won five Cups during this era? Yeah, I definitely will, cus I'm a crotchety bastard that has nothing else better to do than overanalyze sports. But those 3 Cup wins still puts our core in the upper echelon of all time NHL cores and we got to witness that. And that's pretty cool. From the young upstarts that lost to the Red Wings when Sid couldn't grow facial hair, to the bounce back kids that beat that same team (with the turncoat Marian Hossa in hand), to the super team that of 2012 that had the most underwhelming post season in recent memory (TB is giving us a run for our money right now), to watching the Wilkes Barre 5 turn the 2015 season around for us and back to back Cups, the first repeat of the salary cap era. We got to watch all of that.

I still think that down 0-2 this team can come back and win the series. I've seen enough warts during the past two games that I don't think they're Cup contenders so I'm not sure how much advancing matters, but I still think they can do it. But regardless, this team has enough of a legacy at this point that I'm ok with entering the twilight of the era. We're not the Sharks.
- Victoro311

OK sure, I can get behind that rest my hat because of the past 10 years stuff too if this really is the only series we see this year but the thing is we (or at least I know) damn well this team is better than this haha... You think they're suddenly not capable of tape to tape passing and keeping on their edges skating?

Go home where Sully has the last change and regroup. There's a reason these are best of 7s... The Isles have been best of 2...in the first game though not by much, only the first 5 mins or so. Those two games were not MUST win.

Last years cup winners lost the first 2 at home. One of the greatest regular season in history teams have dropped their first 2 at home this year.

Also, it's real hard to get a rhythm going when youre in the box so much. Someone like Malkin who doesn't pk at all is gonna be outta sync sitting on bench so long. Ridiculous amount of penalties last night... No surprise with Wes calling the game...

So much hockey left yet.

I didn’t take the Islanders as lightly as most but honestly didn’t expect this. That sad showing of hockey at the end of the game too was just pitiful, either drop the gloves or go to the room. Watching Hornqvist face wash another guy. Gig is up bud, the whole league knows your a giant wussy. Just pitiful.
- Grinder47

Yeah they gotta be above that garbage. You'd think theyd be more composed...

Yeah they gotta be above that garbage. You'd think theyd be more composed...
- MattStrat

If you’re going to start something fu cking finish it. If not go to the room. I’m not above taking out frustrations, I’m all for it. But for god sakes going halfway in on a donnybrook is just embarrassing

If you’re going to start something fu cking finish it. If not go to the room. I’m not above taking out frustrations, I’m all for it. But for god sakes going halfway in on a donnybrook is just embarrassing
- Grinder47

I agree here... I'd just prefer they not do that crap at all. Just fuels the other team a bit more.

I am starting to think I'm not the only guy who sees this as a bad match up. Felt kind of lonely there for a while.

One thing I am impressed with the Islanders is how their D is always in the right spot. They seem to stop a ton of clearing passes by the Pens. And not just stopping them but waiting on the puck to get to their stick.

These are the Pens of the Bylsma era. Easily irritated and mentally taken out of the game.

These are the Pens of the Bylsma era. Easily irritated and mentally taken out of the game.
- PittsPens

Yeah especially Geno. I just don't get it: 13 years in the league, cabinet filled with all the best hardware, yet so easily thrown off his game. Can't he afford the best local sports shrink / zenmaster? Fawk.