This Penguins / Flyers Series Is Exactly Why It Hurts

[CallawaySabres]

Seeing these two teams run through each other is exactly why I wanted the Sabres (with this group) to make it. Buffalo would have had about 3 guys who were not on IR by the end of it. I wanted Buffalo to run into a Boston, Philly or Pitt so there could have been a gauge with the current roster.

 

Did not think I would be posting again until July but just could not resist after watching this series. Back to vaca and hopefully catching another Tarpon in Boca Grande!

[waldo]

no goaltending...yikes

[TrueBlueGED]

Seeing these two teams run through each other is exactly why I wanted the Sabres (with this group) to make it. Buffalo would have had about 3 guys who were not on IR by the end of it. I wanted Buffalo to run into a Boston, Philly or Pitt so there could have been a gauge with the current roster.

 

With Ted Black openly stating on WGR that the team needs to get tougher, I think the weakness is recognized and the playoffs weren't required to demonstrate anything to the management.

 

 

no goaltending...yikes

 

Yes. Games like this should give pause to anybody in a hurry to chase MIller out of town just because he makes more money than would be ideal.

[deluca67]

With Ted Black openly stating on WGR that the team needs to get tougher, I think the weakness is recognized and the playoffs weren't required to demonstrate anything to the management.

 

 

 

 

Yes. Games like this should give pause to anybody in a hurry to chase MIller out of town just because he makes more money than would be ideal.

"Playoffs not required", they have the right guys for that job. :doh:

[bunomatic]

This series isn't about a lack of goaltending. Its about a total disregard for team defence.

[wjag]

My guess is it will tighten up. This one doesn't look like it now, but has the feel of a long, seven-game series...

[CallawaySabres]

 

 

With Ted Black openly stating on WGR that the team needs to get tougher, I think the weakness

is recognized and the playoffs weren't required

to demonstrate anything to the management

 

Yes. Games like this should give pause to anybody in a hurry to chase MIller out of townjust because he makes more money thanwould be ideal

 

I did not hear Black say that so that's somewhat comforting...

[carpandean]

they have the right guys

 

I'm surprised by your positivity.

 

(See, cherry-picking quotes doesn't work.)

[Huckleberry]

My guess is it will tighten up. This one doesn't look like it now, but has the feel of a long, seven-game series...

 

I think philly will win in 5 games now and they have so much hate for each other it won't tighten up

[waldo]

Yes. Games like this should give pause to anybody in a hurry to chase MIller out of town just because he makes more money than would be ideal.

 

Yep.. Miller wins that game for either team if he is in net, even on a bad day. Never seen so many softies in a playoff... Not to mention the fact there was no defense in front of them either. There were 3-4 no chance goals because the d left their goalies out to dry. That game could have been 14-12

[SwampD]

My guess is it will tighten up. This one doesn't look like it now, but has the feel of a long, seven-game series...

It's not a series until someone wins at home.

[X. Benedict]

It's not a series until someone wins at home.

:lol: Well played.

 

By the way, how often do you get a chance to score two playoff goal and still be a -5? Chris Kunitz.

 

That's gotta be one of the strangest postseason boxscore lines in a while.

[Guest Sloth]

If the Penguins don't win game 3, the series is pretty much over. Philly and most of hockey know that. I think Philly will be playing w/ more engergy to win the next game. Can't believe Pitt managed to blow two great 1st periods... Man, I hate the Flyers.

[SwampD]

:lol: Well played.

 

By the way, how often do you get a chance to score two playoff goal and still be a -5? Chris Kunitz.

 

That's gotta be one of the strangest postseason boxscore lines in a while.

That's a good day gone South in a hurry.

 

I actually think the Flyers are going to take this one in 4 or 5. Watching them before the game, they were so relaxed and light. It actually looked like they were having a good time. As hard as it is for me to not choke on my tongue when I say this, it's hard for me to not like them.

[...]

 

I actually think the Flyers are going to take this one in 4 or 5. Watching them before the game, they were so relaxed and light. It actually looked like they were having a good time. As hard as it is for me to not choke on my tongue when I say this, it's hard for me to not like them.

 

+100

 

Philly looked so composed last night, while Pittsburgh was tied up in knots. I really like the way Philly is built and coached right now.

 

Goaltending, I think, fell victim to the loosey-goosey, quick offensive game Pittsburgh is forcing both teams to play (surely as a strategy to negate Philly's physical game).

 

I think the Sabres would be wise to look at what the Flyers are doing, which, if you add solid goal-tending like the Sabres already have, would be deadly.

 

 

[Punch]

Goaltending, I think, fell victim to the loosey-goosey, quick offensive game Pittsburgh is forcing both teams to play (surely as a strategy to negate Philly's physical game).

 

Philly doesn't have a physical game. The Pens have played right into the Flyers hands from all the pre-series bloodbattle goon hype. They're chasing the Flyers all over the ice looking for hits and subsequently playing sloppy defense. Letang was awful in Game 1 and is at almost as much fault as Fleury for where this series is right now--- and Fleury has truly been awful whereas Bryzgalov has been good enough for the most part and even terrific at times.

 

Once (if) the Penguins calm down and start playing their game they should be able to put Philly down. If they don't start tomorrow then the Flyers move on. Philly did the same thing to the Sabres last year, goading them into engaging with the Flyers mythical Broad Street Bully image.

[nucci]

If the Penguins don't win game 3, the series is pretty much over. Philly and most of hockey know that. I think Philly will be playing w/ more engergy to win the next game. Can't believe Pitt managed to blow two great 1st periods... Man, I hate the Flyers.

Going out on a limb here?

[...]

 

 

Philly doesn't have a physical game. The Pens have played right into the Flyers hands from all the pre-series bloodbattle goon hype. They're chasing the Flyers all over the ice looking for hits and subsequently playing sloppy defense.

 

Well, Philly's game may not be purely physical like Boston, but they can bring it if they have to. That's the beauty of the way that team is built: they can match any style (in broad terms, of course ).

 

To me, that's where good coaching comes in. Philly seems ready to respond and counter whatever the Penguins want to bring and they have, so far, frustrated them.

[CallawaySabres]

 

 

Well, Philly's game may not be purely physical like Boston, but they can bring it if they have to. That's the beauty of the way that team is built:

they can match any style (in broad terms, of

course ).

 

To me, that's where good coaching comes in.

Philly seems ready to respond and counter

whatever the Penguins want to bring and they

have, so far, frustrated them.

 

 

That's the thing. The Sabres don't HAVE to be over the top physical to win but if the other team brings the lumber (especially in a 7 game series), bye bye. Get rid of Roy and one other top 6 member and bring back 2 playoff types ( even if you subtract goal scoring from new blood). Those two new more physical types (that can still score from time to time) will create space and scoring for the other top 4.

[Punch]

 

 

Well, Philly's game may not be purely physical like Boston, but they can bring it if they have to. That's the beauty of the way that team is built: they can match any style (in broad terms, of course ).

 

To me, that's where good coaching comes in. Philly seems ready to respond and counter whatever the Penguins want to bring and they have, so far, frustrated them.

 

Laviolette's superior gamesmanship is on full display right now, and the speed and skill of Philly's forwards in transition is as deadly as any team in the league at pouncing on the type of defensive mistakes Pittsburgh is repeatedly making.

 

It's a sad reminder of how the organization squandered the group we had in Buffalo after the lockout. It is undeniable that Philly constructed their current team on that model, starting with the hiring of Don Luce.

[TrueBlueGED]

The single most impressive thing on display in the PItt/Philly series is how Couturier is handling Malkin. It's absolutely mind-boggling that an 18 year old rookie has practically negated one of the top 5 players in the world. One battle in particular made my jaw drop....Couturier and Malkin were 1-on-1 behind the Flyers net, and Couturier was able to out-muscle him, knock him to the ground, and get the puck around to the defenseman. Just great stuff right there.

[Punch]

There was so much talk about Coutourier going to the Sabres until Philly jumped past our reach with the Carter trade. I wonder if we make the Kassian-Hosgson trade had he become Sabre. Strange to think what might have been.

[Guest Sloth]

If the Penguins don't win game 3, the series is pretty much over. Philly and most of hockey know that. I think Philly will be playing w/ more engergy to win the next game. Can't believe Pitt managed to blow two great 1st periods... Man, I hate the Flyers.

Going out on a limb here?

 

I hope that's sarcasm. Only a hand full of teams have come back from being 3 down in a best of 7 series. An almost do or die game for the Penguins in game 3.

[Robviously]

There was so much talk about Coutourier going to the Sabres until Philly jumped past our reach with the Carter trade. I wonder if we make the Kassian-Hosgson trade had he become Sabre. Strange to think what might have been.

Maybe Coutourier can end up being the Sabres' version of how the Bills really wanted to trade up to draft Ben Rothlisberger but balked when they decided the price was too high. Pittsburgh got him and the Bills decided that JP Losman would be just about as good.

 

Something we'll never know is if Regier's need to "win" every trade has prevented him from completing deals that would have helped the team. Maybe overpaying a little to get the right player is the right move sometimes. That's obviously how unrestricted free agency works; why wouldn't trades work that way occasionally?

[TrueBlueGED]

Maybe Coutourier can end up being the Sabres' version of how the Bills really wanted to trade up to draft Ben Rothlisberger but balked when they decided the price was too high. Pittsburgh got him and the Bills decided that JP Losman would be just about as good.

 

Something we'll never know is if Regier's need to "win" every trade has prevented him from completing deals that would have helped the team. Maybe overpaying a little to get the right player is the right move sometimes. That's obviously how unrestricted free agency works; why wouldn't trades work that way occasionally?

 

Well I suspect this offseason will contribute at least a little to figuring that out. If he has to "win" every trade, then I think a lot of us are going to be disappointed with a lack of movement, since I think the trade market is the only way this team is getting appreciably better.