Penguins/NHL
Penguins Morning Skate Buzz
Pittsburgh will dress the same lineup tonight vs the Ottawa Senators.
Conor Sheary – Sidney Crosby – Patric Hornqvist
Carl Hagelin – Evgeni Malkin – Phil Kessel
Chris Kunitz – Nick Bonino – Bryan Rust
Scott Wilson – Matt Cullen – Eric Fehr
Brian Dumoulin – Kris Letang
Olli Maatta – Trevor Daley
Ian Cole – Justin Schultz
That means no Jake Guentzel and no Matt Murray.
Fleury getting a third straight start is certainly a key development and will be a talking point today. It will be the first time Fleury has made three consecutive starts since October, prior to Matt Murray coming back from injury.
The rotation has suddenly tilted towards Fleury.
Question remains whether it’s actually because of Fleury’s play or other things at play. Reality it’s a little bit of both as this coaching staff has pressure on them to play Fleury.
Mike Sullivan claimed this morning a third straight start for Fleury is performance related.
Since Murray started three straight games (Nov 12-18), tonight will mark Fleury starting six of nine games and Fleury has appeared in six of the Penguins last eight games as Murray exited after one period vs the Capitals.
Fleury can’t complain this week of the rotation. He’s getting regular time.
— The Guentzel situation is reaching the point where if the coaching staff is still bugged about something from the Islanders game that got him in the doghouse, despite three goals in his first four games, than he needs to go down to Wilkes Barre who have three straight games (Dec 9-11) later this week.
— Carl Hagelin is expected to play again with Evgeni Malkin. Hagelin had 2 assists in Saturday’s win with both helpers coming on shifts when playing with Malkin.
On Penguins & Trailing after Two Periods
A criticism for the Penguins this season — they have trailed after two periods in 50% of their games, 12 of 24. —
When Trailing after two periods:
Winnipeg Jets – 17 times
Vancouver Canucks – 16 times
Tampa Bay Lightning – 13 times
Anaheim Ducks – 13 times
Calgary Flames – 12 times
Chicago Blackhawks – 12 times
Buffalo Sabres – 12 times
Dallas Stars – 12 times
Colorado Avalanche – 12 times
Pittsburgh Penguins – 12 times
The Penguins are tied with the New Jersey Devils with a league-high five wins when trailing after two periods. There’s been no real trend. The Penguins are falling behind against good and bad teams. They have 2 wins – 4 losses against teams currently in playoff positioning, with 3 wins – 3 losses against teams currently outside of the playoffs.
Red Wings – Win
Islanders – Loss
Devils – Win
Wild – Loss
Rangers – Loss
Sabres – Shootout Loss
Capitals – Loss
Oilers – Win
Panthers – Win
Predators – Loss
Sharks – Win
Canadiens – Loss
Is it really that alarming yet? 43% of NHL teams have trailed after two periods at least 11 times.
League Source: Pouliot camp could seek change of scenery if things don’t change soon
Derrick Pouliot’s representatives at Newport Sports To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
GAME WINNER ASSIST UPDATE Kessel on the board! Only GWA last night. *Did you know: Of “Chubby’s” 18 assists this season, THIS was his first Game Winner Assist. Did you also know that “Chubby” is tied for 4th in league wide scoring, yet Sam still hasn’t “noticed him,” and thinks the $6.8M the Penguins are paying him is “too much.” Cole – 3 Hornqvist – 2 Kessel – 1 Hagelin – 1 Letang – 1 Kuhnhackl – 1 Cullen – 1 Wilson – 1 Schultz – 1 Maatta – 1 Sestito – 1 Fehr – 1 Malkin – 1 Rust… Read more »
I’m not into this whole “advanced stats” and “analytics” thing, but Fleury has been pulled in 3 of 17 starts. That’s gotta be the worse Corsi in the history of Corsies.
Of course you’re not. You’re not into advanced anything. You’re a toilet brush and plunger guy. What you know could fit into a small juice glass.
Just think how much stanch learned tonight. Power plays matter, goaltending matters, fat chicks give good head. Man, what a night.
I like when you try to be witty. I admire it. You’re working hard. And that’s what a simple man like you knows how to do. That and how to get menstrual stains out to salvage a pair of panties for you’re struggling lower middle class family.
Maybe I should start hanging out at Pitt International Airport for the free wifi.
Is it better than San Diego’s airport? I mean, whatever. I don’t care what bus terminal you sleep in.
Your boy Fleury looked solid last night, right up to the drop of the puck. Question, Does your Fleury replica jersey come with a plastic “stanchion” name tag?
That’s right. My boy. Is he “really” my boy, or do I just realize that he’s not the only one on the ice? Oh, who am I kidding – you wouldn’t understand. That keen dek hockey eye only focuses in on the crease. Believe me – there are two people on this site that focus on Fleury – you and yogurt. Good company, obviously. But let’s not start pretending that Fleury is anyone’s “boy.” I think most of us just realize that every goal against isn’t leaky, and that the forwards / defensemen (shocking, i know) also factor into the… Read more »
Man that was quite a defense of your boy Fleury. Jay-esq. Must have hit a nerve.
Yes. Defense. All things considered, you read that about as well as I could have expected a glorified housewife to do so. Bravo!
Anyone think that Sam noticed kessel tonight?
CHILI!
Yoda invasion is near
Our prophet will be here soon
Update
Frauds= 6 points and +6
Crosby=1 point and +1
All this while being tied with Sestito for gw assists
Same clueless pens goal malkin third period fraud penalties
Chubby sabotaging
If it wasn’t for Kessel this team would be losing dipshit
Now that’s a power play. 3 power play goal tonight pens been worst in Pk that they have ever been maybe last 7-8 years
Malkin sabotaging the pens again, making it 6-4
Get fuckedd you Fraud. must have pea brain so not enough can remember when your comrade Russian taking all those penalties last I checked he leads the team with penalties too
Yet the team has one of the best records in the east… go figure
Between Malkins penalties, Kessel and Schultzs invisibility and MAFs singlehanded attempt to end the year by January it’s Fucking amazing the pens are where they are in the standings
Let me guess amazing goal by malkin and not fluke. If sens did same you clowns would say that is a soft goal let by fleury or Murray
Listen all ya’ll it’s a sabotage!
What a ping pong game npl must like this circus game
Soooo… Kessel ties it and Schultz scores his 3rd in 4 games. This must burn you up… if not lets add Malkins two helpers so far, which one may be the all important GWA
When more then 3 goals are scored, same starts to get really confused.
Geno with a gorgeous goal… wow
Are you not enjoying this by the way? Lots of action, back and forth hockey. Lots of chances both ways. What do you look for in a game?
Hey shitt stain you do notice when sid has the puck there is always 4 people on him while when Russian has the puck no one covers him because they know he will turn over the puck that turnover machine. Just like he had a shift with 3 turn overs. Now go make some donuts chubby
I guess that’s why the entire D just backed up with the puck on Malkin’s stick with Schultz coming down the slot wide open. Another great call fatty!
Malkin and Kessel have 2 points each… Crosby has one
Yeah Sam. Malkin has been invisible tonight. Or he’s been everywhere. You wouldnt notice though being this new to the game. Same way you barely noticed Kessel and he’s in the top five in scoring. Youre a goon. So quit trying to wax intelligent.
Murray shouldn’t be on the bench 3 games in a row. Once again, with st bleury in, pens need 4 to win. The prophet has spoken. It seems like the pens are falling in love with the st all over again. They’d rather lose with him than win with somebody else. It’s silly.
That gaydogg Is a jinx.
you literally have no idea whats going on with that scenario. Not surprising. It was a shit outing and ya Murray probably should have started but considering how bad MAF has been on the road it was likely going to him because Murray will get the lionshare away from Pittsburgh. So fucking dumb
MAF is shit on the road…. bec he sucks. A real goalie wouldn’t be so mentally unstable they have to cook up ways to get their buddy a win
LOL, Pouliot hasn’t done much to prove he should stay in the line up and now he is pouting? Maybe that is part of the problem. If there is value move him… I would like to add someone more established on the back end anyway. Maybe he can be added to the eventual MAF deal to help close that one when it finally happens
Good thing MAF let Turris make the 1st move lol
There ya go yoda… you know how you need to find a way to place all goals on MAF? This is one you absolutely can. He needs to make that save.
Powerless play is powerless
Fleury’s team. Hope Murray doesn’t get too many splinters in his ass riding the pine.
Pens love the Saint. Murray will ride the pine and the pens are going to ride Marc fraudre to a 1st round elimination.
If sestito could get a few shifts with Sid the entire complexion of this season could change.
St bleury in need 4 or 5 to win.
“i told Dejan the Fleury stuff triggers me.” you don’t say!
You do realize the Pens needed 4 for Murrays last win… and that he looked like shit in the follow up loss.
Welcome to Penguins regular season hockey for the past 30 years moron.
GAME WINNER ASSIST UPDATE
Hey! Look who finally chimed in with a GWA with his $7.25M salary! Smelly Kris Letang! Embarrassing. The guy has looked like a weak 2nd pairing D-man for about 3 weeks. Shameful. Hagelin also gets his first.
Cole – 3
Hornqvist – 2
Hagelin – 1
Letang – 1
Kuhnhackl – 1
Cullen – 1
Wilson – 1
Schultz – 1
Maatta – 1
Sestito – 1
Fehr – 1
Malkin – 1
Rust – 1
Crosby – 1
Sheary – 1
So it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
Look at all this effort, Sam has truly won.
Oh yeah – keeping a word file and taking 14 seconds to update it is a real arduous task. Fucking millennials.
Way to show him!!!
It must have taken everything in you to muster up the strength to post that.
Sestito!!!
Tied with Sid! You believe that shitt???
I guess Maloni was right. Sestito is the straw that stirs the drink for the pens.