Most Impressive Win of the Season?
The Penguins’ man-games lost are right on par with the 2013-2014 season when they had over 500 man-games lost. One thing that always stood out with that season in how it started and ended was the Penguins being harder to play against when they had a depleted lineup.
The same thing is playing out this season. Time will tell if come spring time a lot are saying ‘hey the Pittsburgh Penguins were a lot harder to play against when the minor league guys were out there playing like it was going to be the last NHL game of their career’.
With the back-to-back losses over the weekend to Columbus and St. Louis, you had to wonder if an extended losing streak was coming and the lack of talent in the lineup was finally going to catch up.
Over the Penguins’ last 17 games, they have 9 wins and 8 losses.
During that stretch, the Penguins have had four sets of consecutive losses.
What they have avoided during this span is losing three straight and that’s been quite impressive with the hand that the coaching staff has been given over the last three to four weeks.
It all starts with coaching and a buy-in. In the NHL you can get away with keeping your head above water when your devastated with injuries if you simplify your game and have a group excited to come to the rink every day. That’s playing out right now. There’s a commitment to playing all three zones.
“Everybody is buying in to the team concept. When we do that, we can win on any given night,” said Mike Sullivan after Wednesday’s 3-0 win.
The 20-second sequence leading up to the Noesen goal late in the second period was a great illustration of just the little things this group is doing to stay competitive. Pittsburgh had over 20 seconds of zone time along the wall without clear possession. It was all puck pressure and positional play as the Blues were thwarted at every opportunity to clear the zone.
The positioning of Kahun, McCann and Noesen was textbook situational play. Here Kahun takes a great angle, McCann is in perfect position with back pressure and Noesen has great support in intercepting the puck as he dumps the puck around the boards.
Then as Kahun wins a foot race and the puck comes back to the right side, Jared McCann pick-pockets Justin Faulk leading to possession, a quick cycle and a Stefan Noesen goal goal.
MORE BUZZ
Devils ownership all in on Ray Shero
Ray Shero has been a General Manager for 12 seasons and the firing of John Hynes on Tuesday was just the second coaching change Shero has made in his career as General Manager. This is a General Manager who will be very loyal, no matter the situation, Stanley Cup contender in Pittsburgh, rebuilding situation in New Jersey. Shero is a General Manager who becomes personally invested into his head coach so the firing of Hynes had to be a difficult one for him.
Just as a willingness to go down with Dan Bylsma after the Bruins swept Pittsburgh in the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals, Shero is sometimes too loyal to a coach by fault. With David Morehouse gaining more and more clout with ownership at the time, Shero was well aware that the following season (13-14) was going to be reach the Stanley Cup Final or bust (fired). Instead he went all-in with Bylsma by extending him. Shero would never have the opportunity to make another coaching change in Pittsburgh.
Diving down memory lane, close associates to Shero indicated in the past that had Shero not have become so disgusted by Michel Therrien as the person, Therrien likely would have actually been given the whole 2008-2009 season to right the ship. That was the ultimate plan, get healthy, add at the deadline, but the tipping point that really sunk Therrien was in early February 2009 when Miroslav Satan had flown family and friends in for his 1,000th game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb 4th 2009. Therrien just minutes before the morning skate informed Satan he would be a healthy scratch vs the Lightning just because to he was in the mood to show up a veteran. Shero eventually stepped in once word got down to him and overruled the decision but those in the know say Shero never looked at Therrien the same and some still believe to this day it played a huge factor in Therrien not getting the opportunity to have a healthy Sergei Gonchar in the lineup, ect. He would be fired a week later.
— One thing the Devils organization tried to do over the last year was show stability at the top.
They extended John Hynes last season, followed by Shero.
All of this was done to appease Taylor Hall who loved playing for John Hynes and to show Hall this was an organization that was going to be stable moving forward.
Now Hynes is out and Taylor Hall has one foot out the door.
That said, this will be an attractive job to coaches, executives say. Ray Shero is good to work for, he’s very loyal……. he lets coaches have significant input in personnel decisions, probably too much….. It’s a team with young talent, a solid prospect base and the No. 1 pick in Jack Hughes to build around. Ownership also won’t be afraid to throw big bucks at a coach.
And Devils ownership is already sending messages they’re all-in on Ray Shero moving forward despite this being year five and the Devils will only have one playoff win to show.
— The Penguins wacky 2014 GM/Coach Search has some connections to coaches in the news right now.
Why is that?
To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! And people don’t realize how close the Penguins were to hiring Randy Carlyle instead of Sullivan in December 2015 when organizational discussions began about firing Johnston.
The 2014 summer will always be a summer to remember in covering the Penguins with all twists and turns, juicy rumors that were going around. It was a GM and coaching search all over the map and wild that in little time somehow the Penguins came out of it unscathed in the big picture.
From Sidney Crosby’s agent Pat Brisson being pursued to replace Ray Shero the minute Shero was fired (the job was his if he wanted it), to NBC analyst Pierre McGuire eventually being offered a three year contract and countering to then COO Travis Williams in demanding a FTo read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! which left the organization shocked and stunned, [hide] to the crazy coaching search that saw Jim Rutherford first offer the job to Bill Peters, (Peters turned down Pittsburgh’s offer to join the Hurricanes), then two days later Willie Desjardins (what a disaster he would have been) flew into town and with a contract in his hand, bolted Pittsburgh the next morning without telling anyone he was leaving town to take the Vancouver Canucks job.
Peters is a control freak in the mold of Mike Babcock. Even he was smart enough to know his abrasive style was never going to work in Pittsburgh, which saw he turn down a chance to coach Sidney Crosby.
Then there’s another coach in the news who was near the top of the Penguins 14′ coaching search.
Pittsburgh was very interested in Marc Crawford at the time who is currently on leave by the Chicago Blackhawks for an investigation into physically abusing players over 10 years ago. And stuff coming out on Crawford has been known around the NHL for years. Crawford interviewed for the job in 14 but there were complications in Crawford getting out of his Swiss deal. However, sources say Crawford was someone Rutherford leaned on in the search [/hide] as Crawford recommended to the Penguins to consider hiring Mike Johnston and as one source notes Crawford told RTo read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Odo passed today for those who enjoyed DS9. Sad day for SciFi 🙁
Sams favourite team host Tuesday… no Sid? He’s easily cheering for the Habs
Wow if the avs got Hall power switches in the west depending on what they have to give up..
Was hearing Rutherford botterlli had a galchenyuk jimmy vesey swap..we don’t need a forward we need a defenseman confusing…colin Miller pens had interest when be was with Vegas but we have too many right handed defenders..miler 3.85 galchenyuk 4.9 so…
No idea why they would want Vesey.
I know found that odd
.vesey..although at this point better than galchenyuk who does have 17pts..29 games
Avs are front runners for hall
He will be traded really soon before 2020
Oh one more thing Npl suckss
So does the democRATS
Like I said a few weeks ago.
Rutherford will be up to something…This team is a feel good story right now but make no mistake this team now isn’t beating Boston or Washington OR NY Islanders in a 7 game series…
we need a bit more help so when Crosby and DuMoulin comeback we are strong and ready for the push…
On hockey night in Canada last night Elliot Friedman and the boys were talking about plyers who will be on the move. Taylor hall etc… he said Rutherford has said when everyone’s healthy Galchenyuk will be on the block…. Makes sense wait for it..wait for it…LOL Buffalo must shed a defenseman (THEY HAVE LIKE 500 d) and they need a bottom six winger. Pittsburgh needs another strong defensive defenseman preferably a left handed one. wait for it… To Pittsburgh: LHD 29 UFA $4.0 million Marco Scandella TO Buffalo: W / C 25 UFA $4.9 million Alex Galchenyuk makes a ton… Read more »
Didn’t I say galchenyuk for a D 2 weeks ago
Now watch Npl uses It and gets the glory just like tanev when I was talking to winnippeg dude here before
Just like the way he mentions scsndella by making fun of you and if it happens then he claims himself genius
Lmao wow
Agreed.sam With kahun tanev McCann malkin guentzel rust blueger all playing well and Crosby hornqvist on the mend we have enough scoring..defense so we can release Johnson
Murray looked ok two goals weren’t his fault…..it .gives Jarry a break Johnson looked lost god why is he in the line-up…
Party at zerotool’s. He got to see DB. And Murray with a fraudulent victory
Magic number for fraud Murray
What a game by Murray boys
He literally stole this game on his own
Start drooling clowns
Zero tool must be happy with his fraudulent stats
Scum sully even made sure to give a loss to jarry this season when he replace Murray this season
Only fan on the planet to complain during a win….
I don’t like frauds in my team
Like Carey Price?
He is a $10 million fraud.
Yeah price is overpaid I never said he is the best
There were droolers here saying price should leave habs asap and win Cup elsewhere
The Malkin of old just dominating hockey games… D? Your call bruh…
Ahahaha vs a ahl team
Well that point was made with respect to the prior 5 or 6 before he hit 3 tonight retard but let’s get back the the Habs losing 4-2 vs Detroit this year….
I am on malkin a lot because he is inconsistent, moody and lazy…He has been the malkin that he should be the last couple weeks! He has played extremely well…great to see…he is on fire He needs to play like this when Sid is back.
What a train wreck is this red wings team for get Penguins playing with ahl team red wings playing below ahl standard lol led by #72. With his League leading -32
Let the record show this team won vs the Habs in October hahahahaha
who is -32 larkin or Bertuzzi…???
Anthanssiou is -33
ZeroTool will be glued to the TV. Watching DB doing nothing
And fraud Murray putting fraudulent stats so he can compare with MAF.
No comparison… Murray was the goalie of record for 2 cups
MAF is the only tender to blow 3-1 leads not just twice, thrice… and he’s lost twice in the finals lol… what a fucken bum
PENS NEED SCANDELLA
Yes they do bitch..if they get him their defense becomes a super defense Letang Dumolin (injury return) Marino Pettersson Scandella Schultz then rikola trottman Johnson rudwhedel who has played well limited role we are good
You forgot trotman
Npls favorite player
Guy don’t have the mobility for the team; you didn’t like Maatta, fuck Scandella…
JJ at 3.25 playing the way he has this year on the bench? JFc what an idiot
Scandella is more mobile than Matta by far (hell your probably i’m not sure what your looking at….. Scandella did have a bad game tonight in Vancouver he pulled a couple letang’s an got burned….although one hopped over his stick.
check his stats bro good defensively has a cannon of a shot scored against us opening night a rocket
Good stats? Until this year people thought he was virtually done…
Jarry is looking so good, so calm, and so poised..he needs to play more…maybe Murray in Detroit but right back to jarry Tuesday at home vs Montreal on t
TV SORRY
Same spending his Friday night talking to himself on here.
https://media1.tenor.com/images/ffd79f6da2efac235be24014bee04cec/tenor.gif
Good old memories watching police academy on Netflix. Sad some of these actors passed away
Got to love lieutenant Harris.
Kinda reminds me of babcock
Move it move it move it lol
You people are D squad
D for dirt bags lol
When I day dirt bag that means you lol
And then there is that miserable fat guy Npls hero
“Drugs are bad, mmmk.”
Only this dumb fuckk would watch police academy for the guy that was developed to actually hate significantly… then compare him to the coach he claimed he didn’t care for favourably lol… what a fucken loser
Kessel noted how classy the city was for the treatment… of Sam was in charge they would have tried to arrest him
Let me guess fraud Murray will play vs Detroit?
And if the team loses it’s because they were tired with kessel all night long at a hot dog event
Only your mom attends “all night hot dog events”
Another game penguins playing vs a hot team and once again scum sully hides his boy toy behind the bench
Murray suckss
So does npl
The only thing chubby is consistent since last year is his minus
Well done chubby you just got another one tonight
Kessel was a good good player in Pittsburgh..fans showed him love tonight..god to see.. hot dogs or not he waa huge in our back to back cups..period..
That kick save of jarry looked liked Tommy B
Murray traded yet?
Yes. To the Avs for Nathan.
You think they put a dozen of donuts with the deal
Love that shitt… I mean it was clearly time to move on but Phil was a fucken beauty! Hope he continues to build on his last week here!
Sakic is interested in trading Nathan for Price. He just needs Sam(e)’s approval.
Still waiting on this one fuckface
Sam, can you explain to the class why the Penguins “dropped the ball” on Gallant in the summer of 2015?
they had the chance to fire DB and go after Gallant when yet they extended DB contract dont ask me why ask your hero shero
HAHAHAHAHA OHHHHH so they had a chance to get the guy in 2014… a little over 2 years before he was fucken FIRED by Florida…. we got stuck with Sullivan and had to take a consolation prize of back to back cups…
Sully is a good coach but not a great coach like gallant
Sully is surrounded by good hockey guys like JM. He even said in an interview he relies heavily on JM also this year behind the bench he has mark recchi, gonchar, it’s like the all star team
Always someone else…. when you need it to be
MAF good, it’s him… bad team
Kessel good, it’s the line or the competition, bad… it’s him
Crosby quiet, it’s his lines fault, has good chemistry, it’s all him
Sam lives on here but often vacations to YouTube
https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/phil-kessel-hot-dogs-1040×572.jpg
You will be missed by Fat Npl
and the Box Score Experts
*by those who appreciate the work he did in being a major factor in 2 Stanley Cups…. a much larger piece than MAF anyway. I mean if “Fraud Murray” excelled on that team to the point of being better than MAF than really any goalie would have done.
2016/17 Cups… Kessel >>>> Fleury
So thanks again Thrill
Kessel racked up 110 goals and 303 points over four seasons with Pittsburgh, including his first career 90-point campaign in 2017-18. He scored 45 points in 49 postseason games during the back-to-back Stanley Cup runs.
What a terrible trade…. lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=11&v=M1A-MsXRCEs&feature=emb_logo
D, keep the injury updates coming
yeah apparently NPLs favorite player Trotman was sent back to AHL
Chubby will be in town tonight
Hot Dog Prices went up
And finally DemocRats Sucks
So Does NPL and his multiple Accounts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IofCOXGm-0
I think penguins should just put this as montage for him tonight
Jake is out tonight, the jumbo tron fell on him. He is week to week.
This team is fuck***g cursed..jake out really? what happen his dog bite him, slipped on a banana peel, garbage truck run over his toes??? god
npl sat on him
Sam, can you explain to the class why the Penguins “dropped the ball” on Gallant in the summer of 2015?
I loved Noesens goal goal
MT scratching Satan! What a Dickk. Another French Weirdo. Right Sam?
Satan sucked he was even playing on AHL. But you wouldn’t know that because your tv was probably turned off
Satan was solid as fuckk changing his game from being relied on for O to contributing a 200 foot game… fucken boxscore idiot lol.
Satan was brought in with the hopes he still had big game scoring… when it wasn’t apparent he literally changed to play solid hard minutes. This fucken retard talks all this shit on this subject all the fucken time but then says this shit… guy was making 3.5 million and fucken idiot expected 30 goals hahaha
Got 17 goals and 36 points in 65 games… Paul Byron has never come close to the same pace lol.
Assholee 3.5m back then was huge specialty playing 4th line but you like slow players like Satan fedotenko Ponikarowsky those are the type of players you drooled on. Meanwhile those are the type of players handicaped Penguins lines
All Russian. Of course they would be. If they were Canadian, you’d be telling everyone how good they are. Loser lol
It never ceases to amaze how much he hates guys and bitches about guy that contributed to cups
Ha, I couldnt stand pony… The other two? Cup winners you fucken bitchh and both contributed to winning!
Primeau will play his first NHL game tonight I guess they will test him and see if he is ready before they trade price
For Nathan?
No for a bunch of donuts made by you
I would rather have the donuts.
Buckeye Donuts
I finally looked them up, am I missing something? They are based out of Columbus.
Ahahaha I was actually watching a movie and it was shot at buckeye donut
Creep van?
No creep van was in Detroit I think
Rhetorical question, no one but you gives a fuckk
Oh LoOk At ThE bAnDwAgOn… SwUnG fRoM pRiCeS nUtS fOrEvEr BuT wAnTs HiM gOnE fOr A gUy WhOsE nEvEr PlAyEd
look at all this crazy news
Cant wait when malkin Retires and we hear about how many times he close and was going to be traded or leave to russia
Man, you live on this board.
sully is a mold from Tortorella
Surprised players havent come out yet to complain about Tortz
Maybe he isnt as big of an assholle as we think? Maybe what we see is what we get…
Awesome, hopefully someone will get behind the paywall but there was an article on exactly this subject… ” but plenty of players from his various stops discuss his methods, with the overriding message being that he doesn’t cross the line”
Looks like we are in good hands with “scum” sully
can you also tell us why the penguins Drop the ball for Gallant ?
Because he was coaching Florida at the time you fucken moron…
Yet they call him scum…