The Pittsburgh Penguins suffered a disappointing loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night and Hunter and Pat are here to recap it. They start with how bad the second period was and why that’s been a troubling concern even dating back to last year. They look at why the team continues to not show up in that period before analyzing how the Penguins didn’t do enough to get good scoring chances when they were chasing the game. They discuss the perimeter play and how it was very evident at both 5v5 and on the power play. After that, they do get into some positives as Radim Zohorna was excellent against the Blues. They look at how he gave the third line a jolt that it badly needed and how Mike Sullivan needs to leave that line alone for a bit. Finally, they discuss if it’s getting close to panic time for this team even though it’s only been five games thus far.
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20 Comments
Glad I drove 13 hours from Fargo, ND to watch the boys lay a fat ugly egg.🙃 They have to show up. That game was the embodiment of hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.
In Jarry's defense, he had no chance on the first and 3rd goals with Rust crashing into him and the 2-man screen in front, respectively. That said yea big saves are important especially if the guys are struggling score.
The lack of defense played in front of Jarry is very concerning .
I think sully system does not work with pens no more
This 3rd line hopefuly can carry some momentum. I also like DOC game, seemd to look decent on pp2 as well. Get him and big Z more ice time. 4th line needs a shake up as well. Drop ludvig if you're not going to play him and call up white (i'd like poulin if it was mid season as i think he needs some time after missing much of last) year). Nieto -white -acari, to me sounds better. I want to see acari play more on the fore check and disrupt the other teams breakouts. He can't do that from center and i think that hurts his game and value to the team.
I really thought that this would be more of a year where the pens would be in 7-6, or 5-4 games, not where they were struggling to score 2 goals. Dubas was a miracle worker getting rid of garland, petry and desmith. this team is much faster but they must think they are in an episode of Hoosiers as they have to get a minimum amount of passes before they shoot. the biggest complaint i read about was that the bottom 6 were defensively responsible but not big scorers. i thought nieto and acciari were a significant upgrade but its the same results as last year. But thus far, its been disappointing. Still not impressed with DOC. Preseason and AHL performance is not translating to regular season, 3rd year in a row. Would not mind hinestroza–eller-Z. And whats with all the perimeter shots?
On the sullivan topic. I agree with pat its not time to panic and sully is a top 5 coach…but, as hunter said some of his decisions are concerning. If the idea is to give the team the best chance to win then that starts with personel. He can control who he puts out there. Harkins should never have taken Z's spot. We could have lost him to waivers again. Also we brought in 10 guys that can replace Carter, yet we dont, he still dresses every game. We just spent 4 games talking about the bottom six being pretty darn bad so make a change. Z already (in a 1 game sample of course) has positively affected that line. Drop an "ahl" defender from the roster and bring up a 4th line center. Play acari to his strength on the wing. Id love to see him and nieto flying around causing chaos while white plays the responcible center role.
I don't like to panic after 5 games, but I am concerned with the back to back bad second periods in the Detroit and St Louis games and Mike Sullivan absolutely had every right to lash out at his team after what happened in St Louis on Saturday Night. To me, this is on the players now they need to play better, but I do think Kyle Dubas and Mike Sullivan will not hesitate to make changes, as you saw with Harkins going down for Zohorna, if need be.
Speaking of Zohorna, he absolutely gave that third line a jolt, I think the line of Zohorna, Eller, and O'Connor was one of the Penguins best lines on Saturday Night, they need to stick together but the fourth line of Nieto., Acciari, and Carter, they need to pick it up.
Again, I don't want to panic after 5 games, but this team needs a wakeup call and I hate to say it, maybe Kyle Dubas needs to pull a JR and make some trade or major waiver move to wake the team up. I know, this team can play much better than it's record indicates.
This team is so fickle i wouldn't be surprised if we win or even get a point against Dallas, Colorado and Ottawa, and just lose to Anaheim after all that for no reason :]
Ruhwedel is becoming a complete anchor now, always getting beat not covering his man especially when in front of Jarry. Big Z brought us hope for the bottom 6 (we don't talk about the 4th line right now), that long reach and big body of his will only help on the forecheck and tight passing. I feel Sully should start Neddy a bit more at least to push Jarry to feel that slight pressure regardless of the contract he just signed.
Jarry is not the problem. He’d be the best goalie stat wise right now if we had better defensive zone play.
Carter needs to be a permascratch. Can't stand seeing him on the ice.
Blues fan. This game felt and looked like two aged out cores past their championship window trying to stay competitive
They fixed the 3rd line. It's a step forward.
Now it's time to fix the 4th. Waive a defenseman. Waive Nieto. Sit Carter.
Use 2 new 4th liners from Wilkes. Say, Hinostroza and Nylander.
They changed numerous players over the last few seasons and nothing changes. The constant has been the coach. When does Dubas look at him if the Pens are below the playoff line into November?
Team is old. Nuff said.
Sully gets far too much credit for the success of a team that's consistently had four, sometimes five, of the NHL's Top 100 players, and not enough blame when this highly talented team fails to perform. Seriously, what have his team's done since they lost to the Caps? The only year they won their division was the Covid delayed and shortened 20-21 season when they played in the East division. Other than that they have three thirds and a fifth. Limped into the playoffs, playing poorly at the end of each season, and lost in the first round, or the qualifying round, or losing to two of the worst teams in the league and missing the playoffs.
You've already, twice, replaced the entire group of assistant coaches…if the team continues to fail, you have to, eventually, replace Sully.
18-19, 5 and 5 in their last 10 games. 19-20, 3 and 7 in their last 10. 20-21, 8 and 2 in their last 10, winning the division, but losing in the first round. 21-22, 5 and 5 in the last 10. 22-23, 5 and 5 in the last 10, missing the playoffs by one point.
You can't get mad about giving up a 4th goal when your D is getting caved in
Man, I really thought Shea visibly looked better than poj. Ruewedel looked bad. I was hoping for Shea Ludwig at this point.
Why so high on poj?
I disagree with the Jarry discussion. Yes the blues only had 21 shots and he gave up 4 but 7-10 of those shots came off of odd man rushes. No goalie is gonna feel comfortable when he’s feeling that kind of pressure consistently. Plus if you consider last game I’m sure he’s thinking about playing the pass and shot
They have needed a new voice in the room for a couple years now. He needs to build a system around the players he has instead of forcing something that clearly isnt working.