Ryan Wilson: Crosby and Malkin Best Duo Of Cap Era At Even Strength Crosby and Malkin Best Duo Of Cap Era At Even Strength

First

Maatta may be sitting on the pine for tomorrow. https://twitter.com/BWest...status/722088033298870273
I would try Dumo Letang
Pouliot Daley
Cole Schultz
Sprong def headed to WBS https://twitter.com/BWest...status/722088922663268353

This is a great case to prove why advanced stats are somewhat misleading. Do Malkin and Crosby posess the puck while on the ice together? Yes. But that doesnt seem to translate into goals. I dont know how you could watch the game and conclude that they played well together.

Madden thinks Maatta should play. I disagree he looks hurt or slow or something. Whatever it is isn't good for the line up. He was the Pens version of Girardi on Saturday. He needs to sit and heal or get his game together. I'm not to worried I think this team has the right mix of guys in the locker room and they will respond positively. They still may lose I said it in the last thread the Rags are a very good team.

They didn't live up to that last game.

Seriously. I pretty much just wrote this blog in a post at the end of the last thread. I even referenced the excellent article on TIOPS regarding the zone entries of the Malkin/Crosby pairing.

Maatta may be sitting on the pine for tomorrow. https://twitter.com/BWest...status/722088033298870273
I would try Dumo Letang
Pouliot Daley
Cole Schultz
Sprong def headed to WBS https://twitter.com/BWest...status/722088922663268353
- tpcg402

Why would you take out the only defenseman among the 6 who played that wasn't on the ice for a goal against and then put a rookie who has very little experience with the defenseman who was on the ice for all 4 goals against?

Why would you take out the only defenseman among the 6 who played that wasn't on the ice for a goal against and then put a rookie who has very little experience with the defenseman who was on the ice for all 4 goals against?
- jaydogg1974

Daley was terrible Sat. Not gonna lie. But we know they aren't taking him out. I guess I'm a DP fanboy, but I think he can help this team. And Lovejoy drives me crazy. I just can't put Maatta out there right now. He has 0 confidence and can't keep up

This is a great case to prove why advanced stats are somewhat misleading. Do Malkin and Crosby posess the puck while on the ice together? Yes. But that doesnt seem to translate into goals. I dont know how you could watch the game and conclude that they played well together.
- MacPatty

As bixll pointed out, they didn't live up to expectations last game but that can be said about pretty much the entire team. Why ignore a history of solid performance because it didn't pan out in 1 game when the whole team played below their normal level.

As I said in the last post, I'm not a fan of the Crosby/Malkin pairing because Malkin isn't comfortable on the wing but to suggest keeping them apart because they don't don't work together just isn't accurate.

Madden probably also thinks Malkin is the main reason we lost game two. I don't care how much Yohe defends that guy, he's a hack.

Seriously. I pretty much just wrote this blog in a post at the end of the last thread. I even referenced the excellent article on TIOPS regarding the zone entries of the Malkin/Crosby pairing.
- jaydogg1974

Did you use graphs, tables, and/or twitter quotes?

Actually, while the evidence presented does not get directly at goal rates, it does make pretty clear that Malkin/Crosby are at the top in goals for/goals against when together. The difference between MC and TP,DZ are not statistically significant. All three are elite and substantially higher than any other pairing, including Toews/Kane.

The problem is that goals at 5v5 are rare enough that you literally cannot learn a lot just by watching.

Advanced stats can, however, be very misleading. When they are, there is usually a reason that is visible. Tyler Kennedy, for example launches a lot of poor quality shots on net rather than attempt to find a better shooting position. If you are watching and observe a reason that M/C advanced stats are not measuring something useful, I'm all ears.

Why would you take out the only defenseman among the 6 who played that wasn't on the ice for a goal against and then put a rookie who has very little experience with the defenseman who was on the ice for all 4 goals against?
- jaydogg1974

Because #shot_differentials.

Daley was terrible Sat. Not gonna lie. But we know they aren't taking him out. I guess I'm a DP fanboy, but I think he can help this team. And Lovejoy drives me crazy. I just can't put Maatta out there right now. He has 0 confidence and can't keep up
- tpcg402

I agree with you on Maata but I thought Lovejoy played pretty well. If the Pens have the same issues in the D zone in game 3 I would be ok with putting Pouliot in there. The Pens D as a whole is terrible when they cant clear the puck back out of their zone quickly. Maybe you sit Cole (who has played ok) for a game to give Pouliot a chance to prove himself. There is no way he could possibly be worse than Daley was on Saturday.

Madden probably also thinks Malkin is the main reason we lost game two. I don't care how much Yohe defends that guy, he's a hack.
- Victoro311

Must have some respect did you see his line up of interviews last week? Pretty impressive. I don't always agree with him but he knows hockey.

Better get this next one it's not going to get easier when McDonaugh returns

Better get this next one it's not going to get easier when McDonaugh returns
- dbell646

Don't worry, Staal will take his eye out.

I agree with you on Maata but I thought Lovejoy played pretty well. If the Pens have the same issues in the D zone in game 3 I would be ok with putting Pouliot in there. The Pens D as a whole is terrible when they cant clear the puck back out of their zone quickly. Maybe you sit Cole (who has played ok) for a game to give Pouliot a chance to prove himself. There is no way he could possibly be worse than Daley was on Saturday.
- MacPatty

I thought a lot of our issues were forwards losing wall battles and not getting the puck out. Led to many more opportunities for the Rangers

Don't worry, Staal will take his eye out.
- jmatchett383

Maybe not out just swollen shut for a few weeks?

Like I said in the last blog, it's not so much that the two headed monster sucks. Crosby and Malkin are all world hall of famers. Of course they drive possession together. There'd be a serious problem if they didn't. The issue is that Malkin becomes less effective individually as a winger and in turn makes Crosby less effective as an individual player when Malkin starts trying to live in Sid's space. When you put Malkin and Crosby together it's a deminishing returns scenario. I just don't think they're capable of maximizing their skill sets together at even strength and now that's one less shift Malkin's taking with his unit where he can be Geno at his best.

The Two Headed Monster is a good tool to have in your kit to throw out every once in a while. I actually agree that it's been underutilized. It should be used about three times a game to try to overwhelm the opposition with a flash flood of talent. But I think it's not a very good idea to throw it out frequently, and it's especially bad to get Geno 50% of ice time on Sid's wing.

Maybe not out just swollen shut for a few weeks?
- dbell646

It's one of those 240 hour eye taken out injuries. Eyeballs regrow in a couple of weeks. It's science.

It's one of those 240 hour eye taken out injuries. Eyeballs regrow in a couple of weeks. It's science.
- jmatchett383

In that case take it out. I saw the flyers are doing something with bracelets in the pregame for Snider. I want to tune in to see what it is.

Roll four lines. 45 second shifts. One with Crosby/ Horn. one with Kessel/Hag. and one with malkin. then the fourth line. Stop Fing with things.

Roll four lines. 45 second shifts. One with Crosby/ Horn. one with Kessel/Hag. and one with malkin. then the fourth line. Stop Fing with things.
- Grinder47

Haha funny enough it really is simple as that.