Penguins/NHL
Penguins – Islanders Game 1 Buzz
Deja vu for Jack Johnson
The politics of having management influence lineup decisions like what played out to an extent this season for the Penguins is over as it’s now the postseason.
Game 1 of Penguins – Islanders will give a look of how Mike Sullivan and Co actually view their best group of six defensemen.
And Jack Johnson isn’t one of them, just as he wasn’t last spring in Columbus when the 2018 postseason got underway.
How did the Penguins get to this decision?
Sullivan has leaned heavily on top assistant Jacques Martin on which direction to go and as mentioned here yesterday, Martin has strongly pushed in meetings to keep the third pairing of Marcus Pettersson – Erik Gudbranson together, leaving Jack Johnson as the odd-man out.
A big point of emphasis among the staff in determining which d-man would sit was the Islanders forecheck.
Pittsburgh’s D-Pairs tonight will set up as:
DuMoulin – Letang
Maatta – Schultz
Pettersson – Gudbranson
The decision to scratch Johnson, which was believed to have been made on Monday afternoon (pending DuMoulin would be able to play) wasn’t made lightly as there was some support for him to stay in the lineup from others. The surprising part is who the discussions centered on beyond Johnson.
It was not Marcus Pettersson or Erik Gudbranson. It was [hide] Olli Maatta, two sources close to the situation say.
Another change for the Penguins tonight upfront will be Zach Aston-Reese replacing Teddy Blueger as the coaching staff sticks with Garrett Wilson, preferring Wilson’s physical game for this matchup.
PENGUINS IN SIX
Barry Trotz, the Jack Adams Award front runner, is back to his roots in coaching a team similar to the squads he coached in Nashville for so many years.
Like Nashville, kust an all-in group that played with great structure, worked hard, did all the little things well,and were often overachievers in the regular season.
What often happened in Nashville for Barry Trotz is likely to happen for the Islanders in Round 1 vs Pittsburgh — an early playoff exit –.
Overachieving teams that play the way the Islanders do, often meet their expiration date by Round 1 in the post-season and that’s what should be expected in this series.
The Penguins are certainly vulnerable and have showed that all season, but there’s just going to have to be so many things to right for the Islanders.
And never trust a team in the postseason that doesn’t have a sure-fire No. 1 goaltender.
MORE BUZZ
— Word around the Islanders is a big part of their game plan is going to be making life miserable for Kris Letang in this series. The Isles have studied tape of tactics Barry Trotz’ Capitals did against Letang last year in Round 2, where Letang had a nightmare series.
–Blue Jackets – Lightning
Too much skill, fire power from the Lightning for the Blue Jackets to have a chance in this series. Any chance of this being more than a five game series will come down to Sergei Bobrovsky being very special | Lightning in 5 games
Other Series Getting underway tonight
Stars – Predators
Nashville gets a difficult Round 1 matchup. The Stars have a legit shot from a matchup standpoint to come out and I’d give them the edge in goal with Ben Bishop. | Stars in 7 games
Blues – Jets
Winnipeg is the superior team on the paper but haven’t played well in two months. St. Louis continues to ride momentum into a Round 1 win | Blues in six games
Golden Knights – Sharks
What a pick’em series this will be. San Jose has the high-end talent edge and clear edge on the blueline but there is a ton of pressure on this team with the Erik Karlsson experiment hanging by a thread. Goaltending Edge swings Vegas | Golden Knights in six games [/hide]
Nice article by DK blasting Letang. Not too often you see that clown get called out.
Anyone that thinks Letang is a Norris-caliber Dman might want to turn on the Sharks game.
Sam(e) what is Fleury’s magic number?
Yeah it was fleurys fault not the team in front playing when they only had 9 shots in 2 periods.
Nice try jabroni nice try
Fuckoff lol… look how it’s suddenly not on the goalie. You’re fucken pathetic. It’s literally not the goalies fault when it’s MAF but no one else’s when it’s Murray. So transparent, fucken loser
Vegas will get smoked. Playoff Fleury is already in.
Same old Sam(e)….
That last shift by Letang may have been the worst one I’ve ever seen. Not exaggerating.
Not as bad as Moen vs gonchar.
Gonchar messed up once. Letang messed up equally as bad twicein one shift.
Sam(e)’s argument is always to deflect blame to another player. Bring up Murray he brings up Phil, you bring up Crosby he brings up Malkin, you bring up Letang he brings up Gonchar… See a pattern forming?
Yes I always bring up because of you cockk riders have agenda on players when others do worst. Crosby suckss where was Jake today ah it’s true forgot he only shines when sid shines. Just like sheary
Season ain’t over hope he can still get the penguins that 3rd round pick by playing on the golf course
Lol, you don’t get that it’s your own dick riding and hate for players that is why we talk the way we do yet?
I mean most of us get criticism is available to anyone who deserves it yet you’re out here defending both Letang who was fuck awful tonight and Fleury… fucken loser lol
Are you kidding me shows you just started to watch penguins recently. Gonchar once ? Dude almost every time team was on a PK mode when he was on ice in the D zone he was horrible defensively I was always cringing how careless he was in the defensive zone he never bothered checking his own man. Thank God he was good offensively to make up his laziness kinda like our current Russian. I think it’s a Russian thing they don’t like to play defence
Don’t tell that to the pgh media. According to them he should be a lock for the Norris. Hahaha! I agree with you. Who the F rushes the puck 1 on 3 in OT when you are a defenseman? Letang is a joke. The most overrated player in pens history.
How did Norris calibre hedman looked tonight it was awful to watch
Then you’re just forgetting last year’s game 6 against the Caps
Crosby put up 3 points in 10 games skating with rust. Last 3 games of the year, McCann goes back with sid and he puts up 6 points. Playoff formula, go back to rust on the top line so they can score zero goals. Way to go Sullivan!
Always my favourite argument, while I don’t disagree I think Rust is a better fit elsewhere in the lineup the excuses for SIDS bad nights is always “he needs x player to produce” yet half the guys he’s had success with a few dumb shits hate irrationally lol.
I think they should just stick with 59-87-19 and grow their chemistry together once in a while have 72 to get him going but I want to see majority of time the other 3 together
And because we are in playoffs and islanders are physical I would even do 72-87-19 time to time
You’d split Jake and Sid? Typical
Gotta love letang trying to pull a toe drag move going into the offensive zone one on three and then coughing it up at the blue line and then getting caught out of the play that resulted in an OT loss. Our Norris trophy guy. Hahaha! What an A hole
Scum sully should use all his 3 goalies in a game each plays a period looooolll
Or dress Crosby
More Crosby, Less Letang would be a good recipe.
Less Letang as was the original plan this year. Watching Letang play is like watching Sam(e) try to spell.
Pavelski beats Fleury with his face.
I could not believe Gudbranson returned. He didn’t look right. Betting he’s out next game at least.
I hope brutus the barber beefcake beats Letang over the head with a coconut giving him a concussion so he gets knocked out for the rest of the playoffs.
DePaoli, exactly why would you or anyone to be shocked That Olli Maatta was the other Dman under consideration to sit. He’s slow, not hard to play against and has little offensive skill. At least Johnson will try to hit someone.
Because DePaoli doesn’t understand what he is watching.
Because DePaoli is Sam.
Npl must be depressed his Tampax team lost in the most disastrous way you can ever imagine I wonder which defence played better then letang over there since he has and agenda on him
I hope Sid plays next game….wait.
Well, he can’t be worse.
He was terrible. Losing face offs clean and not shooting the puck.
Don’t forgot 4 unforced turnovers.
Shhhhh… no talking bad about the French Canadians!!!!! They will mail maple syrup laced with anthrax to your house.
Olli Maatta is a bag of shit. Give me Jack Johnson. Sullivan needs to apologize for very poor line up decisions. ZAR is not better than Blueger.
Blueger should never sit. Rust stunk tonight as well. I mean Maatta got walked by Kuhnhackl. He was embarrassing.
Huge middle finger to Johnson who played his ass off all 82 games.
Crosby was killing it tonight doing all the little things.
Once again a bandwagon throwing Crosby under the bus based on this game if it wasn’t for sid carrying this team to the playoffs your Russian would’ve been long gone to his vacation before season ends
It’s the playoffs now Sam. I’ll judge him by his game tonight.
Fuckoff, he wasn’t good tonight you fucken clown, it’s not a crime to say this. It’s why no one takes you serious, you literally shit on players that had a decent game and now you’re doing your “LEAVE SIDNEY ALONE” routine? Fucken donkey… he shows up the Pens are up 1 game to 0… go fuckk yourself
I Had blues, jackets ,isles to win tonight also preds and Vegas. Night still young
I am sure you did.
Here is Sam betting against the Pens again… fucken loser
It seems so laughable that in 2017 the Pens biggest question was can they win without Letang? 2 years later its can they win with Letang? I dont think they can.
I think trotman should play the most minutes
Over Letang, any fuckking day of the week. I’d rather have blind Brian Berard out there.
Or Eric Bedard
At this point I would take Jim Paek.
Can we send Sully back to wilkes-bairre?
To penguins still get 1 point ?
Letang does, he gets the assist.
So what… JJ in Letang sits?
Sit Maata, put JJ in and cut Letang’s mins!!!
Realistic option, won’t piss Sam off tho
Based on maturity? My guess is Pettersson will sit unfortunately
Petterson played the better game. I would sit Maatta.
I would too… Maatta mobility is an issue but you know they are gonna look at experience… almost assuredly
Letang can go to hell. He and Maatta look like garbage.
Game winner assist by Letang
And give the assist to Letang! Nice fucken turnover!
Kessel makes a play, Malkin then the best decision Letang made all night! Deferred to a guy that can hit the net with some accuracy and heat!
Schultz!!!
He’s been our best defenceman tonight
Every night
Beauty!
Wake me up when crosby makes an appearance.
Can we fire Sully after game 1?
Once again that’s the magic number for Murray
That magic number dropped drastically when Letang was on vacation. No coincidence.
Nop that magic number dropped once our Russian took his vacation less dumb penalties and killing teams momentum. Now you cam enjoy him pretending playing 200ft hockey when he skates around behind his own net like a tourist
Malkin played tonight fuckhead!
See, you’re just here to see penguins fail even if it’s simply you failing. Puck goes in with 5 guys providing a screen… Murray’s to blame.
Crosby is a minus 2 tonight fuckface lol
Pens look exhausted.
Must be the museum atmosphere
Are even watching the game?
In New York? You dumbfuck
Dumo cleaning up Letang’s mess
What a come back jackets.
Late again.
CBJ 4 unanswered goals.
Malkin too… you called it so far sammich lol. Fucken loser
Yup power play specialist
Yup, those points do not a actually count.
The more dangerous they are on the PP the more they can get freedom 5v5 you fucken donkey! God you’re so stupid dude… PP goals count you fucken retard
2008-2009 SC Playoffs
Osgood 2.01gaa / .926sv%
Fleury 2.61gaa / .908 sv%
Who carried who?
How bad is Johnson that he is benched for Matta …just saying.
I do not get that either.
Safe to say this game would be tied, at worst, if Trotman was in over Letang
Or a traffic cone.
Letang fucken up all over the ice and dumbfuck is blaming Murray. You’re trash sam
Apparently somewhere npl is watching Florida panthers game
What is the score in the Montreal Golf Outting?
Letang’s suck has rubbed off on Dumoulin.
Turn off your TV like you always do
Sam so hateful. Want a hug?
Why is he in the PK… ugh…
Letang…He makes your PP even better!
Super fraud Murray
Just bailed out your boy Letang.
Fraud Murray
For a minute I thought it was MAF in net… this is exactly how he looked from 10 thru 13… except Murray may be settling in
No MAF has a glove hand 🙂
And less cups as a starter 😉
Just cross your fingers so the team can bail him out and make him look like a start like 2016 -17
What does a Start look like?
He was a fucken .937 that playoff you motherfucken donkey… no matter how you try to sell it you end up looking like a fool here lol.
Btw that’s better than any season MAF has had in the playoffs… moron
Playoff Phil.
Hotdog!!!
They do know the game started?
The War Room plays better defense then Letang.
Letang is awful. Good thing it was offsides
Well that took long.