Penguins to feature ideal third line vs Rangers
After Conor Sheary’s breakout game vs the Flyers last Wednesday night, it brought into the question of whether the Penguins best lineup is playing Sheary on the top line to strengthen the lines elsewhere as players like Bryan Rust can have an impact anywhere you play them while Sheary’s play drops considerably when not playing with Sidney Crosby.
With Rust set to return tonight vs the New York Rangers, the coaches are at least going to go in that direction in the short-term by still keeping Sheary on the top line.
This should benefit Derick Brassard and Phil Kessel starting tonight.
The two have been okay together and the Penguins new third line has been lacking an ideal left winger to fit their styles and to add a dimension those two need.
Bryan Rust has stood out as a perfect fit to be that player on the line. What Brassard/Kessel have needed is someone to create turnovers with their speed on the forecheck and to go hunt pucks.
It may take a game or two but this should have the potential to be the type of impactful line the Penguins envisioned when pairing Brassard and Kessel together. And Rust’ ability to play the left wing only further shows his value to the coaches of being able to play him anywhere in the lineup or on either wing.
Where Rust is very effective when playing left wing, a move former assistant Rick Tocchet orchestrated last spring, is beating a defender wide into the zone and driving to the net by protecting the puck on his backhand.
The Rust-Brassard-Kessel line is going to be intriguing to watch but whether the coaches keep this line together long-term is probably going to be more about how Conor Sheary plays on the top line than anything else. To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
I dont get to watch a lot of minor league hockey, so looking forward to checking out the Montreal Canadiens tonight.
Susam Sarandon
-5usam -5arandon
Did Sid play tonight?
After that second goal you’d be hard pressed to find a man that showed up. Boys were guilty of thinking they were in a cake walk vs a depleted roster! Sad they are still learning this lesson at this point of the year. Complacency could be setting in. They got hit a little too early and started thinking they were too in this.
Murray needs to come back, DeSmith wasn’t bad but that short side goal cannot happen.
Hopefully someone would give up a mid round pick for Letang in this year’s draft. Dude is a nightmare.
We could only be so lucky.
No one is that stupid. He also has a motified NTC. Sheary and Hunwick need to go too. That Ian Cole trade will kill this team.
Itll probably end up as significant as the Ian Moran trade.
Trading a third pairing dman for a productive 3c isn’t going to kill any team.
Now now, let’s not temper the extreme over reactions from the board
I’m still waiting for the productive part. Otherwise I’m with you 100%.
I think it will come. Had a helper tonight.
Worst French Canadian to ever play the game.
I thought that was held by Alexander Daigle
MVPs don’t miss a penalty shot with 10 seconds left
Right… bet he’s the first MVP candidate to blow a penalty shot like that all time…
Just saying those are the moments that define mvp seasons. Maybe not fair but he’ll be judged by it
Murray>DeSmith/Jarry
Sheahan and no brassard in OT. Awesome trade
You were crying about Sheahan his first 10 games too. Maybe wait a little this time?
Ok. I won’t say another bad word about Brassard and how he’s fuuccked up the 3rd line until you give me the green light.
Perfect. Thanks.
Bad goal. Bad 3rd period. Off to Montreal. Schultz was brutal in the 3rd.
The entire team was brutal in the third period.
Ugh… when’s Murray back?
Pin this lose on the everyone infront of Desmith. This gane never should have made it to OT. They left him out to dry.
Right… I mean him not squeezing the post which is pretty much a no brainer for NHL goalies is clearly on the defence.
The team went to sleep yes but that was almost the worst goal anyone could have given up… short side because he forgot to squeeze the post? He’s a decent goalie but the team needs it’s number one back big time
Sam is the Susan Sarandon of TIOPS
What a fucking joke!!! The Dan Bylsma Penguins are back ladies and gentlemen!!!
I overreacted once before too
Lol there’s at least one every loss
Hahahahahahahahaha
BLOW IT UP
The goalie totally knocked the net off.
Wow, someone please fire Mike Milbury.
Yikes! Shoot the puck!
This D couldn’t stop a beach ball.
Pens guilty of going to sleep late…
Letang is a train wreck.
Why does Letang kill penalties again? He’s not very good at it.
It’s like watching the Disco Dan third period Pens.
Defense is aleady on it’s way to Montreal. They forgot about the last 20 mins.
Doubt theyd want to be in Montreal any longer than they have to
Yeah, they will probably skip that game too.
Holy Santa Claus shlt
Sheary benched again…. shocking.
#freesprong
Great job Letang on the PK
is milbury complementing the penguins?
Backhandedly, but yes.
Rust, Brassard, and Kessel are known for taking their games to the next level during the playoffs. Makes the line that much more intriguing.
Oleksiak having yet another outlier
Bryan Rust is the real MVP #merica
Sheahan looking terrific on 4C
yes he is, everyone seems to be flying
Rusty gonna ignite Brassard
Let’s hope it will be the RBK Rebook line.
NBC is embarrassing itself with the in game celebrity crap. Susan Serandon. Really
She sounds like stoned teenager who is watching her first hockey game ever.
“Oh… wow…. ugh… I was at a game where a puck went in a beer.”
I ran into her In Ocean city md when she was filming ping pong summer… what a bitch.
Is she drunk?
she’s making Kevin Hart look sober during the super bowl
We don’t agree often but we agree significantly here hahaha. What a joke… she’s out of her element here. Casual fucken fan given a mic?
I thought crosby’s play drops when be doesn’t play with sheary. Right zeroTool?
Oh… did he score already?
Anyone get the charity duffel bag? Mine was delivered yesterday. Rust auto puck. Sweet stuff in there though. Will look great in my place when I move back to the burgh in May.
What was in it?
Auto puck, set of 4 bobble heads, kessel 8×10, color bag, Bluetooth speaker, hat and some other stuff. Deff worth it. The bobble heads are going for like 150 on eBay, so the 250 price wasn’t bad.
GENO IF HE PLAYS LIKE THIS TO THE END OF THE SEASON HE SHOULD WIN THE HART HANDS DOWN.. FOLLOWED BY KUCHEROV AND MC KINNON
Yoda, turn off your caps
If Colorado makes the playoffs and MacKinnon keeps putiing up the points the MVP is his. The Penguins and Lightning are stacked and are where they are supposed to be. No one predicted the Avalanche to be in a playoff battle and he is carring that team plus he played 6 less games then the point leaders. Eric Staal is def a dark horse. I would love to see Geno win it but he is going to have to keep up that torid pace and win the scoring race to get the full attention of the voters.
No french-canadians are a threat to win it, that’s for sure.
Mckinnon playing in a shitierr team then the 2 Russians are
That’s because “the Russians”
Make their teams go…
Uhhhhh also… Geno has already won a Hart trophy… that alone should put him on the radar as the voters tend to like guys that have been there before. It is why A Brodeur took so long to finally win a Vezina and why B he ended up winning ones he probably he shouldnt have after that 1st one
CoachD and Dusty might want to read Ryan Wilson’s hockeybuzz article today 🙂
Oleksiak huh? Heard he was trash…
What a trade that was.
I agree Sheary is under the microscope but so should brassard. If he can’t get it together I’d rather see him on Crosby wing and Rust-Sheahan-Kessel.
Dan Kingesly wrote an article on Brassard today. A lot of his issues are still due to his over conservative game from Ottawa. He discussed how Brassard is bailing on the zone early and not forechecking the way the Penguins succeed with which we’ve noticed. It has caused him to fail miserably with the guys on the line… guess the point here is if they can coach that shit system out of the guys head he could still be a significant asset but he is taking a long time to be “deprogrammed”
Lets hope
good point diego about brassard……i think getting Brian rust back tonight will help Phil Kessel and Brassard.