Faceoff Factor

Comments

1. Mike Wilson

   Nov 5, 11:39 AM

   Scuds and Jack Johnson is going to be a hard combination to score against. Also, I don’t like the fact that they’re splitting up the third line again. They combined to score the third goal on Tuesday with Goligoski in a way that only that line could.

   ...but Bylsma’s got the suit.

2. bag o' pucks

   Nov 5, 12:11 PM

   I’m thinking of writing that Staal is awful. I wrote that Dupuis was awful about a week or so ago and he’s been lights out since. And I’m just superstitious enough…

   Staal is just awful!!

3. DaBich

   Nov 5, 12:14 PM

   Yeah I’m with Mike. I HATE messing with that third line. I’d much rather see Adams with Feds and Dupuis. I think he’s competent.
   It sure will be bittersweet with Scuds playing against us…

   Bags…PLEASE WRITE IT IN CAPS LOL! I’ve been a supporter of Dupuis since he came…the guy plays hard every game, every shift. Staal does the same. I don’t care if he doesn’t score 20 goals, everything else he brings more than makes up for it.

4. Shlim

   Nov 5, 04:50 PM

   I think Disco Dan will double shift Sid & Staal enough that the third line will be getting some ice time with one of those two centering it…

5. REJECTS

   Nov 5, 06:04 PM

   I THINK DUPUIS SHOULD WORK THE POINT ON THE POWERPLAY WITH A SLAPSHOT LIKE HIS.

6. bag o' pucks

   Nov 6, 11:13 AM

   Dang, I passed out after the second period, Pens had a nice 2-1 lead in a pretty hard-fought game. Wake up to find out they were, apparently, as alert as I was through the final 20 minutes. WTF?

   I confess, however, as soon as Staal scored 70 seconds in, my first though was, “Maybe this calling players out on FF thing really works!” =)

7. DaBich

   Nov 6, 12:17 PM

   Pucks, it seems it does, even if we lost…heck, even Kunitz got another goal.

   Can’t win them all, and better to lose to a west coast team I say! Better luck for us on Saturday, that one I can stay up and watch!

8. bag o' pucks

   Nov 6, 12:31 PM

   Dabs, I had a feeling the last couple days that LA would beat the Pens. No reason other than it seemed like the kind of game the dinged-up Pens could drop to an energized team of up and comers. I was optomisitc after the second. Glad I missed the third.

   The only plus player for Pittsburgh? Gogo, who else. He managed to finish the night +1. Eaton and Adams finished -3. Ouch. Orpik, Skoula, and the previously super Duper were all -2. They’ll rebound in San Jose.

9. Moq

   Nov 6, 03:53 PM

   There was far too much sloppy play in our own zone, and the defencemen in general had trouble with the LA forecheck all game. Offensively, there wasn’t much to talk about. Few quality chances even though Quick robbed Guerin a couple of times. Very little zone pressure and far too few pucks on the net. This time the opponent wore down the defences for the third period.

   It has to be a lot better against San Jose. Otherwise it’s a question of denting the statistics of our selected goalie.

10. bag o' pucks

    Nov 6, 04:43 PM

    Re: defense. Letang made a couple really bad plays last night. The first being complete failure to recognize the cross that seemed obvious, and led to the opening goal. Then, another play in the second period where he was lost on a reverse. Fortunately, Fleury was able to hold the puck and get the change. Letang has all the tools, but I’m not sure he has the toolbox.

    Re: goalie. I thought last night was a good spot to play Johnson, and then play Fleury against SJ & Boston. No reason to sit Fleury now. He’ll just have to play through this period where’s he’s not as sharp as he was last month.

11. bag o' pucks

    Nov 6, 05:00 PM

    This will be an interesting stretch for the Pens as their play has dipped substantially, aided by some key injuries, of course.

    First ten games: 9-1; goals scored: 36; goals against: 21; diff: +15

    Last six games: 3-3; goals scored: 18; goals against: 18; diff: even

    Over the last six games their goals-for has decreased by about a half-goal per game while their goals-against has risen by almost a full goal per game. Bad trends…

12. Moq

    Nov 6, 07:48 PM

    It may sound a tad defeatist, but San Jose looks like a zero point game. Therefore I would play Johnson in goal and spare anyone with minor injuries that could use additional rest, eg. Kennedy. The trend isn’t terribly important given the circumstances.

    And I agree about Letang. There’s still a lot of curious mistakes in his game. On the other hand, there was a lot of defensive confusion yesterday.

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