#Pens vs #Rangers - Round 2 #StanleyCupPlayoffs

[theoneandonly]

There is a 0% chance he will be converted into a winger for many reasons. 1- He has been playing defense for probably 20 years now... tough to just decide to change his position. 2- He is going to be making north of $7mil a year next year... That type of $$ would get the Pens a top 10 NHL winger on the open market. They would never ever see the value of that contract being worth it to try and convert him. Letang has played the same way since Day 1 and if no one within the organization thought it made sense in the past 7 years I highly doubt it's going to now.

Letang is always going to be a lightning rod for criticism and debate. Part of what makes him so dangerous is his ability to be the transition from defensive zone to offensive zone. He is great at carrying the puck through the neutral zone to initiate a rush. As far as a defensive player his speed/skating is obviously his biggest asset.. he is able to cover ice that not a lot of people in the NHL can. He also brings a physical aspect to the game that is rare for someone his size. As good as his puck skills are he isn't a very good shooter typically.... I don't have any stats to back this up but with someone like NisCanon from the point compared to Letang. Letang misses the net and badly it seems much more often than players of similar skill level.

[abpk2903]

Another issue is next year there is a very good chance Orpik and Niskanen are gone. That means to convert Letang would mean 50% of the blueline would need to be replaced. Letang is at the top of his game when playing instinctual. I feel like HCDB and staff need to be careful not to over coach him into a "system." He has the speed to recover from being out of position in the offensive zone. It's the mistakes 15 feet from his net that kill him.

[theoneandonly]

I still think (more like hope) that the Pens are going to be able to do something creative to keep Niskanen... I'm not sure how but my fingers are crossed.

Good point about having 50% of the D left, abpk. I don't know whats going to happen with Scuderi but he is a liability at this point. Their hands are kinda tied with him though.

Letang can and has been lethal when he picks his spots wisely... Down one goal with 5 mins to go in the third... sure jump in that rush and make something happen. Down one with 5 to go in the first.... make sure it's a smart move. That seems to be his biggest hold up. I like playing him with Paul Mart right now.... I can't remember when it was last night but 58 made a rush and NYR came the other way with a slow developing 2 on 1. Martin was exactly where he needed to be and slowed the play down enough until 58 was able to get back and recover and nothing ever materialized. You're going to have some peaks and valleys with his game always.... just need to make sure the the peaks always outweigh the valleys.

[Aoki11]

I saw this too oneandonly, I believe it was in the 3rd period right before the dorsett penalty goal was scored, i think it might have been on a PK? I might be wrong, but i do remember that. Good defensive defenseman play by Paul and great recovery by Letang.

I'm glad some body else saw that call, I did not know what to think. I guess it could have been taken both ways. Yes Kunitz was shoved but on the other hand he should have been aware of where he was in terms of Lundqvist.

[theoneandonly]

I was irritated by that call when it initially happened but after watching a replay I was okay with it. Like abpk said... goaltenders are protected and are always going to get the benefit of the doubt. Kunitz was definitely contacted into Henrik but he also made no effort whatsoever to slow up or avoid it. If roles are reversed I'm wanting that called against MAF. Anytime there is enough contact to knock the goalie over it's going to be very very difficult to avoid a penalty. Without that players, such as Kunitz, would take any little bit of contact and fall into the goalie.... calling the game this way prevents that from being an issue.

[konjo78]

That was fleury from 09 last night. He and Malkin carried the pens. Unlike most people though I don't have sid goggles and believe a pointless night again isn't him being amazing..... If fleury didn't play strong rangers would easily of won that game 3-1

[Aoki11]

Did you watch that game? Did you see what Crosby was doing? He literally embarrassed this "tight locked" Rangers D that everyone I talking about. There's a point in time where you just have to admit who's the best, even if they don't play for your team and even if you don't like them.

[theoneandonly]

Lol did you watch that game at all or just wake up and look at the box score? To say Sid wasn't the one driving the Pens offense last night is ignorant and absurd. Sure points are great but you can't base a players game just on that. He created about 384993 scoring chances and had 6 shots on goal (tied for team lead).

I really don't think you watched the game.... The NYR had 22 shots on goal with 4 PP's. They were dominated in every facet of the game for 60 minutes. Sure MAF had a great game and got the shutout but that was a collective effort from every skater on the ice.

[konjo78]

It must not of been embarrassing if he had 0 points.... All I'm saying if fleury didn't play amazing all that would be talked about is sids 0 points in a loss again.... Just because fleury stopped everything doesn't let go of fact Crosby had no points again! It has nothing to do with him being on the pens just his lack of producing in the playoffs, again.

[theoneandonly]

You really don't get it do you.... you base everything off of numbers and your hard on for Towes/Kane. The Pens are tied up in the second round of the playoffs and Sid hasn't scored a goal... that speaks volumes for the team that he is captain of. Points will come and go... he may score 5 points tonight he may not score any. If Pens win what the hell does it matter?

You didn't see him spin McDonagh around in circles and just miss high left over Henriks shoulder? You didn't see him tic tac toe onto Kunitz stick and get stoned by a Grade A save? Read any non Pittsburgh write up of the game last night and you will read the same thing... Crosby took it to another level. You're the only dolt that can't see that. Maybe we don't have "Sid goggles" on and you just refuse to see what is really there.