Penguins/NHL
The way the Penguins have lost their first two games has been the frustrating part for some. It’s been kind of the same story as last season from mid-November on, failing to play 60 minutes, low percentage shots from the outside, playing with structure in the d-zone but getting caught puck watching in the defensive zone.
If the Penguins had lost the first two games by scores of 4-3 and 5-4, there would surely be a different vibe after two games. This year is supposed to be different in the Penguins getting back to being a fast attacking offensive team.
There’s been no evidence of it so far.
Against two quick teams, Dallas and Arizona, Pittsburgh looked like the slower team on each night that has raised some red flags.
As explained before, the Penguins offensive system under Mike Johnston is a system that generates shots but low quality scoring chances. It is too fixated on hitting the trailing defenseman off the rush as the No. 1 or No. 2 shooting option. Teams are willing to give that shot up almost every time and that’s a problem the Penguins are running into as the NHL has never been more coached up as it is now.
Since a 5-4 shootout loss to the Islanders on November 21, 2014, over the Penguins last 72 games (regular season/playoffs) under Johnston, Pittsburgh has a.431 winning percentage, winning just 31 times during than span.
A more staggering number is the team averaging 2.2To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
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Sid sucks. Couldn’t even win a big face off. Game on the line and price won. Jokesville.
Another game of Sid forcing passes into Phil at awful times… A horrible goal given by MAF after a horrible non-call. Letang and Bennett were solid… This teams in trouble
MJ is feeling the heat. He knows his days are numbered
Hate to agree but 0 for starts tend to end in decisions like that. Especially with all the preseason hype. Seats gotta be getting hotter but I say you’re still early
Watching rds what they said malkin being frustrated and pissed off this early season something is wrong it’s obvious the team is not playing good for the coach players are being soft in the D zone and hope to get their energy from the counter attack of the offense
They clearly miss Bylsma.
I’m sure they are fatso. It’s more like they are missing MT
How about Sid win an important offensive zone faceoff? FFS just one time, I’m not asking for a shot on net, just an impactful offensive zone faceoff!
Need to keep the third line together. So we have 1 of 4 lines solidified.
Another solid start. What were Sid and Kunitz doing on that play?
only matter of time Plotnikov will be on 4th line
Yeah – he’s played 2 games. I’ve seen all I need to see. Or, you’re an idiot, and you’re too busy shoving twinkies in your mouth to see that he’s been a solid player. You’re an idiot.
When do they put Secondary Assist Sid on the 4th line? Oh wait he hasn’t even had one of those yet.
LOL, the guy looked really good on the 3rd line. It was easy to see he couldnt keep up to what they were trying to do on L2 but L3… could be a nice fit there. A lot of people felt it would be his best spot anyway
“He is not taking pucks inside with a shoot mentality because he is looking to feed Phil Kessel.”
an unnamed opponent, via Elliotte Friedman’s 30 Thoughts
When your opponents can figure out what you’re doing wrong…
Through two games, Sid still has no shots on net. Last season, he led the Penguins with 237. Sure, he’s got an elite goal scorer on his wing now, and he should try to take advantage of that – but not without stopping what makes him so great.
agree on that but people should relax its only 2 games
I love that a post later, you’ve already got Plotnikov on the 4th line. But here, it’s only been two games. Have to say, maybe Sid’s doing the right, thing, deferring to an American.
Only 2 games? If it wasn’t for their hot start last season they would have missed the playoffs. They completely picked up where they left off last season. If they showed even the slightest bit of interest yeah maybe I wouldn’t be so critical, but that’s not the case.
But Plotnikov is a 4th liner and sorted out that in 2 games… dick riding twaat… maybe the hotdogs sold outside are not the ones making you fat hey you pole smoker?
i have a feeling pens first home game wiil be a museum game
Sam come on learn a new word be more creative the museum analogy is getting boring
does library work ?
Anyone know if Sid got a shot on goal yet?
Josh Yohe “zero goals, zero assists, zero shots on goal, one shot attempted, two hits, one takeaway, one giveaway, 26 faceoffs won, 27 faceoffs lost”. Its much worse than just shots, those stats clearly shows he flat out sucks. Geno also has ZERO points in his last 12 games, another superstar center that has fallen from grace.
Don’t panic Balthazzar 🙂 wait till we are out of the playoffs then panic 🙂
geno has 0 goals maybe last 2 months of last year season including the playoffs and this year so far so before you clowns judge crosby check malkins stats first he is in a vacation mode way before sid is
He has a shot though, right?
Anybody wanna try Rex Grossman at QB instead of Mike Vick?
Dustin, you’re an idiot.
its only 2 games in……but if we hit the 10 game mark at .500 and the team has not looked consistently better, I would not be shocked to see the coach fired
hawks did with denis savard
MJ is a genius. Who else would you want shooting the puck? Crosby? Kessel? Kunitz? No. Scuderi. Said no one ever
Bye Johnson…..hire marc crawford!
Sam will push for Mike Keenan.
when i read the title “two bad trends” i thought it was going to be an article on crosby and malkin sucking. in all fairness, they will be the two bad trends who do get johnston fired.
sid to vancouver for stojanov.
malkin to the caps for lupaschuk, beech and sivik
crosby and malkin are dying alive. trade them both. who cares. what have they done lately?
Tank for Auston Matthews?
We dont’ have a first round pick….
Wait what? Maloni told me he players loved and supported the 2 pp unit idea so this whole story has to be BS because we all know Maloni knows the game.
Damn right. (Nice short post. You’re getting the hang of it)
Maloni knows the game in the same way Sam knows organic chicken breast.
I for one am excited to see perron skate with malkin and perron (TIOPS INSTANT BUZZ
Perron is going to get to skate with…… Perron?
he is going to try to skate twice as fast 🙂
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