#Pens vs #BlueJackets Official Thread! #StanleyCupPlayoffs

[Aoki11]

In other NHL news I think Bergy deserves the Selke, but both Toews and Kopitar in my eyes are worthy nominees. Especially Toews.

The Calder goes to Mackinnon although Johnson had a crazy good year.

Hart: Crosby by far obviously. But If he wasn't in the league it would be Nyquist. The impirtance he was to his team this year was unquestionable. Getzlaf or Rask would be my third place.

[Manfred]

Stan.....Guy.....Love the show! Paul Martin is this series' MVP. How frickin' sad is that?

[theoneandonly]

The Olympics? How can you even use that as an example? It happens once every 4 years and if you ask me a silver medal is pretty good.

Sure seems like you were implying he won a silver medal with team USA. And do you still think he has 2 finals appearances or should I throw out some sort of bandwagon comment here?

They ran into an unbelievable Canada team this year and for the bronze game it was basically a lack of effort game, they were settling for gold or nothing

I refuse to buy that at all. A lack of effort game? His team quit on him. A team that was expected to medal got blown out of the water when a medal was on the line. Again, a HCDB team not showing up when it matters most.

Bylsma is a wonderful coach, you failed to mention that he led his team to a divisional championship without their top Defenseman, without a top line player who just happens to be one of their best goalscorers as well, and another key contributor in Paul Martin.

I'm sure Mario will gladly look up at that Metro Division banner a few years from now and smile when he thinks of all the talent they've had for 5 years and that is all they have to show for it.

I realize winning the Cup every year is not a realistic possibility but competing for it with this roster sure is. If the Pens lose in 6 or 7 to the Bruins last year I'm okay with it but what Claude Julien did to HCDB was borderline criminal... and ya know what HCDB did? Nothing. Kept the original game plan and never even attempted to make an adjustment. Worked well.

What big game has a team of his won since 2009? In that time his teams have blown 2 3-1 series leads with home ice (absolutely no excuse. Showed a severe lack of discipline (reoccurring theme with this team) in a 6 game loss to the Flyers. And then the aforementioned Bruins series. This year is still TBD but if they first 4 games are any indication nothing has changed with him. Benching Letang in the 3rd period last week was literally the first time I can ever remember him actually holding a player accountable for playing like an idiot.

Therrien got sacked and we all know what he did.

What did he do? Took a very good team to the finals and lost and then admirably lead them to a 10th place standing in the EC when he got canned.

[abpk2903]

You can't use the argument that his team won despite injuries. Find me a coach in the league that doesn't have to deal with injuries. The difference is Bylsma has Malkin when Crosby goes down and vice versa.

[theoneandonly]

I read yesterday that of the 20 games the Pens have lost in the playoffs since 2010 they have had a lead in the third period in 9 of those. That stat alone tells me there is a terrible flaw somewhere in the system.

[bleacherbum]

I couldn't agree more with theoneandonly. The Pens system sucks!!! Bylsma defensive game plan is terrible. Why with that much offensive talent on the ice are the defenseman ALWAYS pinching? They play more like wingers.
The talk keeps going back to what they did during the regular season, who cares? Playoff hockey is a completely different monster. It all comes down to who will do the dirty work, and the so called stars on the pens apparently don't like to get dirty. It's time for a change, players, head coach, because what they have been doing the last three years is not working.

[crfball]

Don' Dan and Boudreau play close the same system? Look at how those guys do in the playoffs...

[Aoki11]

When they win this series and the cup, I hope you still have these thoughts about him. That's all I'm going to say. But I'm a "clueless idiot". My prediction for tonight's game pens by at least 2 goals.

[theoneandonly]

That's the best response you could come up with? At least provide some sort of rebuttal. Why do you think he is a good coach? Do you still think he coached in the 2010 Olympics? Explain the epic collapses the last 4 years. Explain why his teams have blown 9 leads in the third period in the last 4 years in the playoffs.

What have you seen from this team that makes you think they can win the Cup this year? Can they... absolutely. But it sure as hell isn't going to happen with the way they are playing right now. You think the team that showed up in games 1-4 could go toe to toe with Boston in a 7 game series?

I'm hopeful as anyone for the Pens but I'm also realistic. They have issues from the top down. In 2009 I put $100 on the Pens at 12-1 about a month before the playoffs to win the Cup. Right now I wouldn't feel comfortable putting $1 at 500-1.

[Aoki11]

Rebuttal? please dont make this a teenage petty argument with comments like that, im here to discuss with you and everybody here no need to challenge me and be so hostile. I tealize in the context it was put it looked like I said he coached the silver medal winning team, but what I said before that was that it happens every 4 years and that silver is good. I didn't mean that bylsma coached that team. I apologize for not being more clear.

As for the bronze comment, why is that wrong? Do you deny that there were lofty expectations set for this years team? Maybe not as lofty as Ron Wilson's 2010 squad but they were lofty. I would say losing to Canada in the semifinal round completely crushed them and in the game against Finland they just got beat, through and through. Whether they gave up is not fair for us to judge because we weren't on the bench with them.

I agree with you. Bylsma needs to produce and the team needs to produce. But it's knotted at 2-2. They are coming home tonight for the next two games, they are by far the more talented team, and this is exactly where they will thrive. I don't see anything in particular, I just know what they are capable of and I refuse to believe anything less will happen.