Pens

[jack daniel]

I blame a lot of it on Bylsma's system, you start using the stretch pass against it and I don't care if you have Chris Pronger in his prime back there you're not going to stop it. Ever since Ottawa exposed this in late March teams have been using it with great success against the Penguins. And Bylsma has made zero adjustments, which is what frustrates me the most. Also, while Letang is undoubtedly a world class defenseman, I don't think Orpik is as good as Penguin fans like to think. He’s a ferocious hitter, a great leader, and nice commodity to have on the blue line but he’s not a top tier defenseman. As for Martin and Michalek, well those two have just been a complete disaster. Thank God they have Despres and Morrow in the system.

[KirkHerbstreit]

Did Fleury get hit in 2009 too? If you remember, the Penguins would dominate period after period against the Canadians only to have the take a wrist shot from a bad angle and see it end up in the back of the net.

People need to quit making excuses for this guy. He played well the final 2 games in the 2009 cup run. He has been an up and down playoff performer otherwise. If I had a nickel for everytime someone said, ya but Fleury always plays great after a bad playoff game....bottom line it's said too much



http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck- ... 17137.html

[crfball]

I know in NFL when you release player contract gets dumped but how does that work in NHL if they release Martin? Does the money they pay him get dumped to or is it like MLB and still gotta pay contract?

[abpk2903]

Kirk there are about 24 teams in the league that would love to have Fleury. He had a great year and this happens to all goalies. Thomas, Miller, Brudeur, and even Lundqvist have been sat in the past few years for underperforming. Goalies play in cycles they stand on there head for a few months then they spend a few weeks when they couldn't stop a beach ball. Not sure how long you have been a Pens fan but I remember times when we would have gave our first born for a goalie like Fleury.

I agree on Orpik. People remember hits and he delivers a lot of them but I would much rather have a defenseman with a little more consistency back there.

[KirkHerbstreit]

Ive been a Penguin fan for over 25 years. I've witnessed goalies named Ken Wregget, Ron Tugnutt, and Johan Hedberg play more consitantly in the playoffs and give up less back breaking goals. You could make a 5 minute youtube clip of the softies he has left in the playoffs. Yes, I know he won a cup. Leighton from Philly almost did 2 years ago, too. The guy has let in mentally weak goals all the way back to the world junior hockey championships. He loses focus far too many times.

Last year during the year, I thought he was fantastic. He went on the have a mediocre playoffs in which once again "how the hell did that go in goals" happened again.

If 24 other teams want him, I am listening and taking the best available offer. They are not getting 5.5 million dollar play out of him in the playoffs. I will take the goalie that constantly stops the shots he should over a goalie who makes 3 fantastic saves then lets in a blooper.

[jack daniel]

This is disgusting, the editor of the newspaper should be embarrassed and ashamed to have it printed in his paper. But then again its Philadelphia so I'm sure he'll be seen as a journalistic genius.
http://twitpic.com/9b3puc

[vman]

Well, here's Scottie Hartnell:

[vman]

It's tough to win when your GAA is like 7!!!!!

[abpk2903]

What's everyones thoughts for tonight? Sweep? I got the Pens in a 4-3 win to save the embarassment of a sweep over the rival Flyers.

[KirkHerbstreit]

I think if they win tonight it goes back to Philly for game 6. However, I think the Flyers have too much confidence right now and the Pens too little.