Mike Colligan of The Hockey Writers joins the podcast for an in-depth discussion of the Pens' offseason. We touch on everything -- the Boston series, Rob Scuderi, Matt D'Agostini, Dan Bylsma, Letang/Kunitz/Dupuis/Adams signings, Fleury, and what moves are still left to make. Plus so much else. We even debate whether Rob Scuderi got burned by Ovechkin four years ago. It's a can't miss GTOG Podcast.
You can listen below or on our Spreaker page. If you want to take the podcast mobile, either click here to subscribe on iTunes, or download the Spreaker app for iPhone or Android.
Showing posts with label Tomas Vokoun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tomas Vokoun. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Raw Emotion Podcast: The End. Pens lose, 1-0
Pens could have played all weekend. Still wouldn't have scored.
We talk about Game 4, Bylsma's future, the Bruins' defense, late-payment forgiveness, and so much more. It's the GTOG Podcast.
Listen below or click here. And as always, click here to subscribe on iTunes.
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
We talk about Game 4, Bylsma's future, the Bruins' defense, late-payment forgiveness, and so much more. It's the GTOG Podcast.
Listen below or click here. And as always, click here to subscribe on iTunes.
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Some random follow-up thoughts on the Pens' double-OT loss to Boston
By GTOG Staff
Listen to the below or click here. And as always, click here to subscribe on iTunes.
[If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"]
The more we think about Game 3, the more we end up thinking about games 1 and 2. The Pens probably win that game last night 53 out of 100 times. Unfortunately, they don't play best-of-100 series. Which is exactly why you can't give away 2 playoff games in a series -- at home, no less -- and expect to win 4 of 5 against a very good team when you're pretty close to dead-even with that team when you're both playing at your best. The Pens played really well last night, but all it does is shine a light on the stinkers in the first two games. We know the Pens can play as well as they did in game 3. We still have no idea why they can't do it more consistently.
Unable to put together any sort of cohesive reaction to last night, here are a bunch of random things we're thinking about, in no particular order.
- Along with the misfortune of having just faced down the barrel of a 3-0 series deficit last spring, we have the advantage of knowing exactly how this could work. Take advantage of Boston's inevitable if slight psychological shift in Game 4, when they cannot possibly match the Pens sense of desperation. Score 10 goals in the game (Note: will settle for 3. OK, 2.).
Come back to Pittsburgh and score a tight 3-2 victory. Suddenly, everything is in play. Even losing 5-1 in Game 6.
- Malkin was the best player on the ice last night, and it wasn't particularly close. He gets an A+ for generating scoring chances. But you don't win games with scoring chances. It's hard to think about the 21 shot attempts without thinking about the fact that none of them went in. It's a distinct talent to generate the types of chances that Malkin generated last night; it's also a distinct talent to finish the chances. Some of last night was just being snake-bit. The rest is him needing to be better at finishing. If he was a running back, he'd have been taken out at the goal line.
- The Mike Alstott to Geno Malkin should be Jarome Iginla, but you could make a low-light reel of all the juicy rebounds that have bounced over Iggy's stick in the last month.
- Sidney Crosby was terrible early, but got much better as the game went on. A really strong defensive effort. But that's like complimenting your gardener for not tracking mud in the house. It's not what Sid is paid to do.
- The most disappointing part of Sid's game has been the power-play. It's expected that when teams load up to stop a guy at even-strength, they will usually have some success doing that, especially with players as good as Boston has. The power-play is the time to shake loose from those shackles and at least get comfortable having the puck on your stick. Sid hasn't done that at all. Dreadful on the PP.
- The PK was wonderful last night. PP was the real culprit.
- In moment of candor, would Ray Shero admit that he would have traded Brendan Morrow back to Dallas after Iginla fell in Pens' lap? And would he admit that after getting Morrow, he only got Iginla to keep him away from Boston? Because they're largely redundant. The Pens needed one of them. Not both.
- 7:09 on the PK for Craig Adams. What a performance. If he buries that slapper that hit the post in OT, the city probably names a steel mill after him.
- Refs on "let's take 'em both" patrol are the worst.
- Bylsma is deservedly getting a lot of heat. Arguably his worst stat from last night: Joe Vitale played 9:38 and only took 3 face-offs. If that's all you're using him for, why is he playing over Jokinen and TK, when the team's biggest issue against Boston has been an inability to score?
- It's one thing to dress Vitale if you think you need what he brings. It's another thing entirely to dress Vitale and then act like you don't even want him in the lineup. This really confuses us about Bylsma -- he insists on dressing guys in whom he has no confidence giving even a semi-regular shift. It's not like he doesn't have options.
- Speaking of TK, as we discussed on the podcast, he would have been a real asset in OT. The one thing he never lacks is energy. There's potential for a great match-up against a tired team in OT.
- We've reached the point in the season where we're asking for more Tyler Kennedy. In other news, the Pens are about to get swept.
- Lineup changes for Game 4. Niskanen can't play with Letang. Have to keep Cooke with Geno and Neal. Bennett should stay and get PP time. BB is one definite bright spot heading into next season.
- The Pens scored 10 goals in Game 4 against Philly last year. The Pens also scored 12 in games 1-3. The Pens have 2 goals in 11 periods this series.
- The series isn't over so we're not in the mood to make pronouncements about the off-season. Except for one. Marc-Andre Fleury has got to go. This shouldn't be hard decision, and in light of the decisiveness of Shero's handling of Jordan Staal last year, we expect it will happen quickly. It doesn't matter who else is available. Fleury is not a winning option going forward.
- The way he's played this season, the Pens should feel very fortunate that Vokoun is signed through next season. He can't play 65 games. But the games he plays, he usually plays well.
- For as much talent as Letang has, and as high as his ceiling is, the Pens haven't really accomplished anything with him since he's been the team's best defenseman. Yet he's so gifted that you have to start wondering if a different coach could get him to play the right way more often. Whether here or elsewhere.
Listen to the below or click here. And as always, click here to subscribe on iTunes.
[If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"]
The more we think about Game 3, the more we end up thinking about games 1 and 2. The Pens probably win that game last night 53 out of 100 times. Unfortunately, they don't play best-of-100 series. Which is exactly why you can't give away 2 playoff games in a series -- at home, no less -- and expect to win 4 of 5 against a very good team when you're pretty close to dead-even with that team when you're both playing at your best. The Pens played really well last night, but all it does is shine a light on the stinkers in the first two games. We know the Pens can play as well as they did in game 3. We still have no idea why they can't do it more consistently.
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| No shame in losing Game 3. Great shame in being down 3-0. |
- Along with the misfortune of having just faced down the barrel of a 3-0 series deficit last spring, we have the advantage of knowing exactly how this could work. Take advantage of Boston's inevitable if slight psychological shift in Game 4, when they cannot possibly match the Pens sense of desperation. Score 10 goals in the game (Note: will settle for 3. OK, 2.).
Come back to Pittsburgh and score a tight 3-2 victory. Suddenly, everything is in play. Even losing 5-1 in Game 6.
- Malkin was the best player on the ice last night, and it wasn't particularly close. He gets an A+ for generating scoring chances. But you don't win games with scoring chances. It's hard to think about the 21 shot attempts without thinking about the fact that none of them went in. It's a distinct talent to generate the types of chances that Malkin generated last night; it's also a distinct talent to finish the chances. Some of last night was just being snake-bit. The rest is him needing to be better at finishing. If he was a running back, he'd have been taken out at the goal line.
- The Mike Alstott to Geno Malkin should be Jarome Iginla, but you could make a low-light reel of all the juicy rebounds that have bounced over Iggy's stick in the last month.
- Sidney Crosby was terrible early, but got much better as the game went on. A really strong defensive effort. But that's like complimenting your gardener for not tracking mud in the house. It's not what Sid is paid to do.
- The most disappointing part of Sid's game has been the power-play. It's expected that when teams load up to stop a guy at even-strength, they will usually have some success doing that, especially with players as good as Boston has. The power-play is the time to shake loose from those shackles and at least get comfortable having the puck on your stick. Sid hasn't done that at all. Dreadful on the PP.
- The PK was wonderful last night. PP was the real culprit.
- In moment of candor, would Ray Shero admit that he would have traded Brendan Morrow back to Dallas after Iginla fell in Pens' lap? And would he admit that after getting Morrow, he only got Iginla to keep him away from Boston? Because they're largely redundant. The Pens needed one of them. Not both.
- 7:09 on the PK for Craig Adams. What a performance. If he buries that slapper that hit the post in OT, the city probably names a steel mill after him.
- Refs on "let's take 'em both" patrol are the worst.
- Bylsma is deservedly getting a lot of heat. Arguably his worst stat from last night: Joe Vitale played 9:38 and only took 3 face-offs. If that's all you're using him for, why is he playing over Jokinen and TK, when the team's biggest issue against Boston has been an inability to score?
- It's one thing to dress Vitale if you think you need what he brings. It's another thing entirely to dress Vitale and then act like you don't even want him in the lineup. This really confuses us about Bylsma -- he insists on dressing guys in whom he has no confidence giving even a semi-regular shift. It's not like he doesn't have options.
- Speaking of TK, as we discussed on the podcast, he would have been a real asset in OT. The one thing he never lacks is energy. There's potential for a great match-up against a tired team in OT.
- We've reached the point in the season where we're asking for more Tyler Kennedy. In other news, the Pens are about to get swept.
- Lineup changes for Game 4. Niskanen can't play with Letang. Have to keep Cooke with Geno and Neal. Bennett should stay and get PP time. BB is one definite bright spot heading into next season.
- The Pens scored 10 goals in Game 4 against Philly last year. The Pens also scored 12 in games 1-3. The Pens have 2 goals in 11 periods this series.
- The series isn't over so we're not in the mood to make pronouncements about the off-season. Except for one. Marc-Andre Fleury has got to go. This shouldn't be hard decision, and in light of the decisiveness of Shero's handling of Jordan Staal last year, we expect it will happen quickly. It doesn't matter who else is available. Fleury is not a winning option going forward.
- The way he's played this season, the Pens should feel very fortunate that Vokoun is signed through next season. He can't play 65 games. But the games he plays, he usually plays well.
- For as much talent as Letang has, and as high as his ceiling is, the Pens haven't really accomplished anything with him since he's been the team's best defenseman. Yet he's so gifted that you have to start wondering if a different coach could get him to play the right way more often. Whether here or elsewhere.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Podcast: Pens fall, 2-1, in heartbreaking loss
Pens fall 2-1 in double OT. A heartbreaker. Pushed to the brink of elimination.
[Spreaker is a little slow today for some reason, so it may take a minute to download]
Listen below or click here. And as always, click here to subscribe on iTunes.
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
[Spreaker is a little slow today for some reason, so it may take a minute to download]
Listen below or click here. And as always, click here to subscribe on iTunes.
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
 |
| Story of our lives right now. |
Clicks of the Day: Rossi on the goalies, Pensblog on Letang
By GTOG Staff
A few quick thoughts and links on the morning of Game 3.
- We started the morning asking each other whether we felt confident about the game tonight. We feel neither optimistic nor pessimistic. We have absolutely no idea what Penguins team will show up tonight.
- Rob Rossi has a 5-point plan for turning the series around. The first four points make sense. The fifth point -- that the Pens need to turn to Fleury -- is absurd:
If you think Fleury should start tonight because he gives the Pens the best chance to win the game, that's fine (though incorrect). If you think he should start tonight because the Pens need to find out if he's still capable of being the starter, then why not go skydiving with a parachute that hasn't opened properly since 2009 to see if it still works?
- Hilarious post from The Pensblog pointing out two directly contradictory quotes about the Bruins' forecheck by Kris Letang within a matter of days. In Letang's defense, maybe the Bruins have changed up their tactics. But if Letang is right about their most recent strategy -- "they just wait for us to make mistakes" -- isn't that the biggest indictment against the Pens of all? If the low response rate wouldn't embarrass us so much, we'd ask the poll question this morning: "Does Kris Letang realize he had a bad game in game 2?"
- Here's the One From the Heart video about the Kevin Stevens guarantee (5:18 mark). Does something that happened in 1991 have any relevance on this series? No. But it's still fun to watch.
A few quick thoughts and links on the morning of Game 3.
- We started the morning asking each other whether we felt confident about the game tonight. We feel neither optimistic nor pessimistic. We have absolutely no idea what Penguins team will show up tonight.
- Rob Rossi has a 5-point plan for turning the series around. The first four points make sense. The fifth point -- that the Pens need to turn to Fleury -- is absurd:
Journeyman Tomas Vokoun was pulled from Game 2 after allowing three goals, but only because the Penguins needed a spark. He's 6-3 with a .929 save percentage and has done nothing to deserve a demotion.Funny, because all this time we thought the point was to actually win the game tonight.
Still, this moment calls for Marc-Andre Fleury.
He was the franchise goalie when the playoffs started. The Penguins need to find out if he's still up for that job. They can't if he is inserted into games only when they need a spark.
This series still can be won, and it has shifted to Boston, where Fleury is 5-1-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .946 save percentage over the past five seasons.
Now -- when the Pens are down 2-0 and heading on the road in the Eastern Conference Finals -- is the time to determine whether Fleury should be the Pens' goalie in the future?
If you think Fleury should start tonight because he gives the Pens the best chance to win the game, that's fine (though incorrect). If you think he should start tonight because the Pens need to find out if he's still capable of being the starter, then why not go skydiving with a parachute that hasn't opened properly since 2009 to see if it still works?
- Hilarious post from The Pensblog pointing out two directly contradictory quotes about the Bruins' forecheck by Kris Letang within a matter of days. In Letang's defense, maybe the Bruins have changed up their tactics. But if Letang is right about their most recent strategy -- "they just wait for us to make mistakes" -- isn't that the biggest indictment against the Pens of all? If the low response rate wouldn't embarrass us so much, we'd ask the poll question this morning: "Does Kris Letang realize he had a bad game in game 2?"
- Here's the One From the Heart video about the Kevin Stevens guarantee (5:18 mark). Does something that happened in 1991 have any relevance on this series? No. But it's still fun to watch.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
So, the Pens got destroyed by Boston last night. Now what?
By Finesse (follow me on Twitter)
Listen to the podcast below or click here. And click here to subscribe on iTunes.
Last night the Pens were a nerdy 7th grader who got tied to a fence and de-pantsed by the cool kids at the beginning of recess, then had to stand there for the next 40 minutes while everyone laughed and pointed. There was no facet of the game in which the Pens played well, no redeeming performance by any individual players, and almost nothing to give you confidence the Pens can win a game in this series, let alone the series itself. All credit to the Bruins, whose stars dominated the Pens' stars, whose grinders dominated the Pens' grinders, and whose coaching staff is making Dan Bylsma look completely out of his league.
More after the jump...
The good news is that it was only game 2. At least we hope that's the good news. The Pens have shown a tendency to lose ugly this year (10 of their 12 losses were by 2 goals or more), and though it is surprising to have been so thoroughly dominated through much of two games, it would be completely unsurprising if the Pens won game 3 in Boston, even by a large margin. What the Pens haven't done this series is get a lead on Boston and force the Bruins to adapt. The Bruins have been able to do everything that they're really good at with very little resistance from the Pens; unless the Pens can dictate the terms of the game, even a little bit, the Bruins will win this series and will probably do it easily.
This isn't to say that the Pens need to go all crazy before game 3 and try to change everything. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The Pens need to figure out what will make them successful again -- making simple plays defensively, possessing the puck for long enough to allow creativity to take over -- and then do it. And then keep doing it even if the Bruins are making it hard. And if the Bruins are still making it hard, then you know what the Pens should do? Keep doing it.
This is all much easier said that done, mainly because of how good Boston has been. But an almost equal reason for pessimism has to do with the Penguins' own mentality. Every quote after these losses is the same: "We got away from our game." Well, why? Why does a team that can be so good play so badly sometimes? Why does Kris Letang look like a first ballot hall-of-famer some nights and a total scrub on other nights? Why do Crosby and Malkin, now in their mid to late-twenties, still get so flustered when things aren't coming easily for them? Why do the Pens either look like the best offensive team since the 80s or outclassed brats playing soccer with the puck because they can't connect on a pass?
The most vexing part of this team is that you have no idea what the expect from one night to the next. Game 3 in Boston could be exactly like game 3 in Philly last year where the Pens started running people and acting like babies when things weren't going their way. Or the Pens could have a 4-goals-in-5-minutes spurt and win 6-2. Or they could play a tight-checking and disciplined 2-1 game. (That last one seems highly unlikely, but with this team, who knows).
As hard as it is to predict how the players will play, it can be equally hard to discern what the coaching staff is doing. There's a balance between being reactive and being proactive, and Bylsma (and Shero) have failed miserably at striking that balance. It's been 12 hours since the puck dropped and I still haven't come up with one good reason (other than possible injuries) why Derek Engelland dressed. It's not that Engelland was any worse last night than anyone else, or even worse than Eaton would have been, but what was this move trying to accomplish? Get grittier? Tougher? Why? It's not like the Bruins' won game 1 by physically dominating the Pens -- they won game 1 because they weathered the storm and then smartly and skillfully took advantage when the Pens started chasing the game. This move was reactionary, which on its face is disappointing from a team that went 36-12. Even worse, it was reactionary to a non-existent problem. Bylsma was reacting to a myth about this Bruins team -- that they're the "big, bad Bruins" -- when it's the Bruins skill and positioning that has been the major problem.
Scratching Kennedy was equally, if not more, confusing. Yeah, Boston had won a lot of face-offs in game 1, but that "problem" didn't really tilt game 1 that much in favor of Boston -- the Pens were only outshot by 1 and the so-called "advanced stats" (which involve counting, then adding) were fairly even given this allegedly crippling discrepancy. The problem in game 1 was that the Pens couldn't finish. So Byslma's solution was to sit the best scorer and puck possession guy the Pens have in their bottom 6 for a guy who may be able to win the face-off ... but to what end? Vitale wins the offensive zone draw to Niskanen, who shoots it into the corner ... who is getting it and then doing anything with it? Brenden Morrow? An overreaction to a real, but hardly fatal, problem.
Both of these moves were marginal in the sense that they didn't in any way cost the Pens this game. The Pens are a unique team. No one plays like the Pens, but the Pens don't -- and can't -- play like anyone else. So why try? Why let the Bruins dictate your lineup? At home, no less. Coupled with his inability to extract any consistency from his best players, Dan Bylsma has as much to answer for as anyone.
One thing that Bylsma can and should answer immediately is the goaltending question, although there really shouldn't be a question. Vokoun has to be the starter. Neither goalie was responsible for this loss, but to anyone who has watched Fleury over the course of his career, it's obvious that this guy is gone mentally. We saw the goal from Marchand almost immediately after the Sutter goal. We don't need to see more. He's so horrible right now that you could easily make the case that he shouldn't even dress as the backup. Fleury looked like he wanted to cry ... when the Pens put him IN the game.
The series is not lost, though when the Pens finally get it together it may be too late to salvage given how well the Bruins are playing. It certainly looks bleak heading back to Boston down 2-0. If the Pens were a normal team, you could look at the results from the first two games and figure that Boston is simply a better team and the Pens would be lucky to win a game. That very well might be the case. But the Pens aren't a normal team. So, really, who the fuck knows what's going to happen?
Listen to the podcast below or click here. And click here to subscribe on iTunes.
Last night the Pens were a nerdy 7th grader who got tied to a fence and de-pantsed by the cool kids at the beginning of recess, then had to stand there for the next 40 minutes while everyone laughed and pointed. There was no facet of the game in which the Pens played well, no redeeming performance by any individual players, and almost nothing to give you confidence the Pens can win a game in this series, let alone the series itself. All credit to the Bruins, whose stars dominated the Pens' stars, whose grinders dominated the Pens' grinders, and whose coaching staff is making Dan Bylsma look completely out of his league.
 |
| You're doing it wrong. |
The good news is that it was only game 2. At least we hope that's the good news. The Pens have shown a tendency to lose ugly this year (10 of their 12 losses were by 2 goals or more), and though it is surprising to have been so thoroughly dominated through much of two games, it would be completely unsurprising if the Pens won game 3 in Boston, even by a large margin. What the Pens haven't done this series is get a lead on Boston and force the Bruins to adapt. The Bruins have been able to do everything that they're really good at with very little resistance from the Pens; unless the Pens can dictate the terms of the game, even a little bit, the Bruins will win this series and will probably do it easily.
This isn't to say that the Pens need to go all crazy before game 3 and try to change everything. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The Pens need to figure out what will make them successful again -- making simple plays defensively, possessing the puck for long enough to allow creativity to take over -- and then do it. And then keep doing it even if the Bruins are making it hard. And if the Bruins are still making it hard, then you know what the Pens should do? Keep doing it.
This is all much easier said that done, mainly because of how good Boston has been. But an almost equal reason for pessimism has to do with the Penguins' own mentality. Every quote after these losses is the same: "We got away from our game." Well, why? Why does a team that can be so good play so badly sometimes? Why does Kris Letang look like a first ballot hall-of-famer some nights and a total scrub on other nights? Why do Crosby and Malkin, now in their mid to late-twenties, still get so flustered when things aren't coming easily for them? Why do the Pens either look like the best offensive team since the 80s or outclassed brats playing soccer with the puck because they can't connect on a pass?
The most vexing part of this team is that you have no idea what the expect from one night to the next. Game 3 in Boston could be exactly like game 3 in Philly last year where the Pens started running people and acting like babies when things weren't going their way. Or the Pens could have a 4-goals-in-5-minutes spurt and win 6-2. Or they could play a tight-checking and disciplined 2-1 game. (That last one seems highly unlikely, but with this team, who knows).
As hard as it is to predict how the players will play, it can be equally hard to discern what the coaching staff is doing. There's a balance between being reactive and being proactive, and Bylsma (and Shero) have failed miserably at striking that balance. It's been 12 hours since the puck dropped and I still haven't come up with one good reason (other than possible injuries) why Derek Engelland dressed. It's not that Engelland was any worse last night than anyone else, or even worse than Eaton would have been, but what was this move trying to accomplish? Get grittier? Tougher? Why? It's not like the Bruins' won game 1 by physically dominating the Pens -- they won game 1 because they weathered the storm and then smartly and skillfully took advantage when the Pens started chasing the game. This move was reactionary, which on its face is disappointing from a team that went 36-12. Even worse, it was reactionary to a non-existent problem. Bylsma was reacting to a myth about this Bruins team -- that they're the "big, bad Bruins" -- when it's the Bruins skill and positioning that has been the major problem.
Scratching Kennedy was equally, if not more, confusing. Yeah, Boston had won a lot of face-offs in game 1, but that "problem" didn't really tilt game 1 that much in favor of Boston -- the Pens were only outshot by 1 and the so-called "advanced stats" (which involve counting, then adding) were fairly even given this allegedly crippling discrepancy. The problem in game 1 was that the Pens couldn't finish. So Byslma's solution was to sit the best scorer and puck possession guy the Pens have in their bottom 6 for a guy who may be able to win the face-off ... but to what end? Vitale wins the offensive zone draw to Niskanen, who shoots it into the corner ... who is getting it and then doing anything with it? Brenden Morrow? An overreaction to a real, but hardly fatal, problem.
Both of these moves were marginal in the sense that they didn't in any way cost the Pens this game. The Pens are a unique team. No one plays like the Pens, but the Pens don't -- and can't -- play like anyone else. So why try? Why let the Bruins dictate your lineup? At home, no less. Coupled with his inability to extract any consistency from his best players, Dan Bylsma has as much to answer for as anyone.
One thing that Bylsma can and should answer immediately is the goaltending question, although there really shouldn't be a question. Vokoun has to be the starter. Neither goalie was responsible for this loss, but to anyone who has watched Fleury over the course of his career, it's obvious that this guy is gone mentally. We saw the goal from Marchand almost immediately after the Sutter goal. We don't need to see more. He's so horrible right now that you could easily make the case that he shouldn't even dress as the backup. Fleury looked like he wanted to cry ... when the Pens put him IN the game.
The series is not lost, though when the Pens finally get it together it may be too late to salvage given how well the Bruins are playing. It certainly looks bleak heading back to Boston down 2-0. If the Pens were a normal team, you could look at the results from the first two games and figure that Boston is simply a better team and the Pens would be lucky to win a game. That very well might be the case. But the Pens aren't a normal team. So, really, who the fuck knows what's going to happen?
Monday, June 3, 2013
Podcast: Pens dominated by Bruins in Game 2, 6-1
Well that was terrible. The Pens were completely dominated by a terrific game from Boston and then compounded it with an all-time stink-bomb. We chronicle it all, LIVE on the GTOG Podcast, after the final whistle.
Listen below or click here.
Listen below or click here.
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| The Prime Minister's face. |
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Podcast: Pens lose, 3-0. Stay the course.
We aren't going to tell you that everything is OK, but we will tell you that it's far from the end of the world. We're covering everything about Game 1, including Cooke's 5-minute major, Tukka Rask, Tomas Vokoun, and all the emotions we're feeling. It's the GTOG Podcast.
Listen below or click here. And as always, click here to subscribe on iTunes.
d
Listen below or click here. And as always, click here to subscribe on iTunes.
d
Friday, May 31, 2013
Penguins vs. Bruins: Tale of the Tape
By GTOG Staff
[You can find the preview podcast here]
It's Eastern Conference Finals Eve, Boston vs. Pittsburgh, when thoughts of Mario Lemieux torturing Ray Bourque swirl in our heads, somewhere Andy Moog is waking up in a cold sweat, and the Tale of the Tape between these two titans becomes urgent and required reading. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ulf Samuelsson's right thigh, which is to this day still traumatized by Cam Neely's carelessness. And we wish Vladimir Ruzicka the best in his quest to forget everything that happened after his 5-point performance in Game 2 in 1991. Let's break this down.
Obstacle Overcomability
This is always our most important category, because it defines the NHL playoffs. If you can play, you can play, but if you can't overcome adversity, you can't win. The Bruins had that historic comeback against the Leafs when they were down three goals in the third period of Game 7, and down two goals with 1:22 left in regulation. Amazing, unprecedented stuff from the Bruins. But you know what else is amazing? The fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs took a 4-1 lead in Game 7 against Boston in Boston. You don't give Bill Clinton credit for still being married to Hillary because no one gets obstacle overcomeability points for overcoming themselves.
The Penguins saw Marc-Andre Fleury - arguably their most important piece of the playoff puzzle heading into round 1 - melt down against the Islanders. They're still meshing as team and figuring out who belongs in the lineup. Their captain and best player is only now setting aside a face shield that - believe it or not - limited his effectiveness. They face enormous external pressure to win and win going away. And all the Penguins are doing is getting better.
EDGE: Pens.
Read on for the rest of the categories ...
Emergeability
The bad news for the Pens is that this is one Tale of the Tape category that they can never win, at least as currently constituted. Unless like 8 guys get hurt, we're not seeing anyone play whose ceiling we don't already know, or at least have a pretty good idea.
Torey Krug redefined emergeability in the Bruins' series, scoring 4 goals in 5 games. But it may not even be the right kind of emergeability. Claude Giroux showed great emergeability in 2008-09 against the Pens, then blew the doors off emergeability in '09-'10 when the Flyers went to the Cup. That was the right kind of emergeability -- he emerged into a much better player than anyone thought he was. What Krug did was so unexpected that it raises the question: was this emergeability or flashinthepanability? Regardless, the Bruins may use three rookie defensemen at any point in this series. Pretty sure everyone on the Pens has been in the league for a dozen years.
EDGE: Bruins.
Coiffability
Hair is about appearance, but it's also about trust. And if you can't trust your captain's hair, how can you trust your captain?
Here's Bruins' captain Zdeno Chara winning the Stanley Cup.
He looks like any other 6'9" man struggling with hair loss, probably figuring that no one will see the top of his head. But here he is at the parade a few days later.
Are we really supposed to believe that it's natural for a 30+ year-old-man to magically patch-up his male pattern baldness in a few days? Get real.
Zdeno made a deal with the devil to win that Cup. Now the debt has come due.
EDGE: Pens.
Sex Appealability
Time to check in with the Women of GTOG for their thoughts on this always crucial factor.
Mrs. Artistry: Edge, Penguins.
Artistry's Mom: Edge, Penguins.
EDGE: Pens.
Legacyability
This is a forward looking category -- think 10 or 15 years in the future and ask yourself whose legacy is more positively or negatively impacted by winning or losing this series.
In the upside department, the Pens have more to gain, if only because they have two players who will be far more memorable than anyone on the Bruins. If the Pens go on to win the Cup, Crosby and Malkin each get a second Cup and become, without any further question, the two defining players of the salary cap era, which would instantly come to be known as the Sid and Geno Era. And because of their popularity and excellence, the Penguins become the defining post-lockout team. Fair or not, that's how life works. If Boston wins, then they can make a better argument for having the best team post-lockout, though there will still be plenty of other teams making a case in what would be an ongoing debate. From an individual perspective, outside of Chara, the Bruins aren't really defined as individuals -- if they win the Cup, they'll basically have 6 or 7 guys who will be remembered like Patrick Elias is remembered. (I mean that as a compliment).
If the Pens lose, it won't put any sort of choker label on them, but it will be devastating. A total wasted opportunity. And if the Bruins lose, does their 2011 Stanley Cup deserve an asterisk because they didn't have to go through Crosby and Malkin to get there?
All of this is a long way of saying that it will be awesome if the Pens win so that we can make fun of the Bruins' Cup in 2011.
EDGE: Pens.
Spurnability
We've made our thoughts on Jaromir Jagr clear this week, but to summarize: we're basically out of thoughts on Jagr. It is the classic it-is-what-it-is situation. He didn't want to play for the Pens last year. We're over it.
Iginla's spurning of Boston is much fresher, though unlike Jagr and unlike Marian Hossa in 2008, the Bruins never really had Iginla. They wanted him; he wanted someone else. There's a big difference between your rival stealing away a girl you just met at the bar and stealing away your girlfriend.
Nevertheless, this will be made into a story all while being downplayed by the Bruins' players. If Boston loses the series, they will continue to downplay it. But if they win? Boy, did we show him!
EDGE: Bruins.
Annoyability
The Islanders were annoying in the way that it's annoying to play pickup basketball against a guy who hustles and sets a lot of screens. He's not doing anything wrong, but who wants the hassle? The only annoying thing the Senators did was make you feel guilty for beating them so badly.
The Bruins are a whole different animal in this department. Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic are this year's Wayne Simmonds and Scott Hartnell -- you want to laugh at them like you do to a Chris Neil, but they're actually good players. Nathan Horton's face when he scores is Cammalleri-esque. Gregory Campbell's dad works for the NHL -- not his fault, but also not our fault for hating him. Pierre McGuire will verbally fellate Patricie Bergeron the first time he makes a good defensive play on Crosby. Tyler Seguin has 1 goal in 12 games, so he will probably score a hat trick Game 1, and then you'll read stories about him being part of the Phil Kessel trade and then you'll be like, "I'm already disgusted and now I'm being forced to read about Phil Kessel?" David Krejci is going to make some sick pass that embarrasses Matt Niskanen, and then McGuire will scream, "KREJCI'S IN HIS HEAD, DOC! DAVY KREJCI IS IN MATTY NISKANEN'S HEAD, DOC!" Jaromir Jagr will make a diving motion at Crosby while we furiously Google "Paul Pierce wheelchair." And you know at least one of their rookie defensemen is going to goad Evgeni Malkin into a bad penalty.
The Pens have their share of annoying tendencies, but there's a huge difference between the two teams. The Bruins can win by getting under your skin. The Pens can get under your skin by winning.
EDGE: Bruins.
Stalwartability
Dejan Kovacevic wrote about the Letang-Chara "match-up" the other day and figured that whoever outplayed the other one would win the series. But in reality, it's not quite that simple. Letang doesn't need to outperform Chara -- he needs to prove that he can do for the Pens what Chara can do for Boston. As great of a player as Letang is and can be, he hasn't anchored a defense to a Stanley Cup the way Chara did for Boston in 2011. When the Pens won the Cup in 2009, Letang averaged 19:18 of ice time per game in the playoffs, the fifth most among Pens' defensemen, and finished with a +1 rating. When the Bruins won the Cup in 2011, Chara averaged 27:39 per game and was a +16.
This isn't to say that Letang can't do it, just that he hasn't. Yet. So far this post-season, Letang is averaing 27 minutes per game and could realistically end up leading the playoffs in scoring by the time it's over. He's been that good. But it also isn't getting any easier.
Chara isn't a target for Letang to beat. He's a measuring stick.
EDGE: Bruins.
Leadability
I like to look at life as a fraternity. Right now the fraternity is me, Tom, Drew, Aar, Joe, Eli, and Pey. I see a lot of that fraternity within these teams. You got Sid, who I'm close with, I feel comfortable just saying to him, 'hey, you know, Sid, if you ever need to shoot some ideas around or pick my brain, me and Ash will have you over any time.' Geno, too. Now they bring in Brend' and 'Rome. Boston is full of great leaders, too. It started with John. Then you had John Quincy. Bill. Larry. Now Tom. I look at their team and I see Looch and March and Kre and 'Deno and it looks a lot like a brotherhood to me. So I just keep doing what I'm doing, controlling what I'm controlling, whether it's going 8-8 with the dink-n-dunk or winning 2 Super Bowls with me throwing deep to 'Twan, 'Tone, and 'Tonio. You know, whatever the team needs. And I see a lot of myself in Sid. This one's for 'Rome.
EDGE: Pens.
Intangibility
This category is less about the more commonly discussed intangibles like leadership, toughness, want-to, really-want-do, sorta-want-to, and definitely-want-to than it is about the ultimate intangible -- whether the invisible hand of destiny will decide to intervene. The Pens don't really have anything in this department; for Boston, the question is whether the whole Boston Strong movement in the wake of the marathon bombings is going to be an emotional factor in this series. It's hard to imagine that it's still going to be, given the amount of tributes, anthems, Sweet Carolines, and all of the other sports-related ceremonies and memorials that have been done already and, of course, the fact that the Pens have already played there in the immediate aftermath (and won). If anything, the emotional toll and the toll on convenience from the manhunt was a negative for Boston: they closed the regular season by going 2-5 and then nearly (and probably should have) lost to Toronto. Now things have returned to normal and the Bruins are rested. That's a scarier thought than destiny intervening.
EDGE: Bruins
FINAL SCORE: 5-5
Predictions
Boston can and might win this series. They are a really good team without a lot of weaknesses the Pens can exploit. But if the Pens are who we all think they are, the Pens will win this series. An eight day break leaves a lot of time for breaking down specific match-ups, but it all comes back to the most basic match-up: who has better players? Unless something weird starts happening, the Pens don't have any glaring weaknesses that Boston can exploit to overcome the simple fact that the Pens have more better players. Not much better. But better.
Pens in 6.
[You can find the preview podcast here]
It's Eastern Conference Finals Eve, Boston vs. Pittsburgh, when thoughts of Mario Lemieux torturing Ray Bourque swirl in our heads, somewhere Andy Moog is waking up in a cold sweat, and the Tale of the Tape between these two titans becomes urgent and required reading. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ulf Samuelsson's right thigh, which is to this day still traumatized by Cam Neely's carelessness. And we wish Vladimir Ruzicka the best in his quest to forget everything that happened after his 5-point performance in Game 2 in 1991. Let's break this down.
Obstacle Overcomability
This is always our most important category, because it defines the NHL playoffs. If you can play, you can play, but if you can't overcome adversity, you can't win. The Bruins had that historic comeback against the Leafs when they were down three goals in the third period of Game 7, and down two goals with 1:22 left in regulation. Amazing, unprecedented stuff from the Bruins. But you know what else is amazing? The fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs took a 4-1 lead in Game 7 against Boston in Boston. You don't give Bill Clinton credit for still being married to Hillary because no one gets obstacle overcomeability points for overcoming themselves.
The Penguins saw Marc-Andre Fleury - arguably their most important piece of the playoff puzzle heading into round 1 - melt down against the Islanders. They're still meshing as team and figuring out who belongs in the lineup. Their captain and best player is only now setting aside a face shield that - believe it or not - limited his effectiveness. They face enormous external pressure to win and win going away. And all the Penguins are doing is getting better.
EDGE: Pens.
Read on for the rest of the categories ...
Emergeability
The bad news for the Pens is that this is one Tale of the Tape category that they can never win, at least as currently constituted. Unless like 8 guys get hurt, we're not seeing anyone play whose ceiling we don't already know, or at least have a pretty good idea.
 |
| "Brian Dumoulin is not walking through that door!" |
EDGE: Bruins.
Coiffability
Hair is about appearance, but it's also about trust. And if you can't trust your captain's hair, how can you trust your captain?
Here's Bruins' captain Zdeno Chara winning the Stanley Cup.
He looks like any other 6'9" man struggling with hair loss, probably figuring that no one will see the top of his head. But here he is at the parade a few days later.
Are we really supposed to believe that it's natural for a 30+ year-old-man to magically patch-up his male pattern baldness in a few days? Get real.
Zdeno made a deal with the devil to win that Cup. Now the debt has come due.
EDGE: Pens.
Sex Appealability
Time to check in with the Women of GTOG for their thoughts on this always crucial factor.
Mrs. Artistry: Edge, Penguins.
Artistry's Mom: Edge, Penguins.
EDGE: Pens.
Legacyability
This is a forward looking category -- think 10 or 15 years in the future and ask yourself whose legacy is more positively or negatively impacted by winning or losing this series.
In the upside department, the Pens have more to gain, if only because they have two players who will be far more memorable than anyone on the Bruins. If the Pens go on to win the Cup, Crosby and Malkin each get a second Cup and become, without any further question, the two defining players of the salary cap era, which would instantly come to be known as the Sid and Geno Era. And because of their popularity and excellence, the Penguins become the defining post-lockout team. Fair or not, that's how life works. If Boston wins, then they can make a better argument for having the best team post-lockout, though there will still be plenty of other teams making a case in what would be an ongoing debate. From an individual perspective, outside of Chara, the Bruins aren't really defined as individuals -- if they win the Cup, they'll basically have 6 or 7 guys who will be remembered like Patrick Elias is remembered. (I mean that as a compliment).
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| Such a memorable face. |
All of this is a long way of saying that it will be awesome if the Pens win so that we can make fun of the Bruins' Cup in 2011.
EDGE: Pens.
Spurnability
We've made our thoughts on Jaromir Jagr clear this week, but to summarize: we're basically out of thoughts on Jagr. It is the classic it-is-what-it-is situation. He didn't want to play for the Pens last year. We're over it.
 |
| "I ain't over it." |
Nevertheless, this will be made into a story all while being downplayed by the Bruins' players. If Boston loses the series, they will continue to downplay it. But if they win? Boy, did we show him!
EDGE: Bruins.
Annoyability
The Islanders were annoying in the way that it's annoying to play pickup basketball against a guy who hustles and sets a lot of screens. He's not doing anything wrong, but who wants the hassle? The only annoying thing the Senators did was make you feel guilty for beating them so badly.
The Bruins are a whole different animal in this department. Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic are this year's Wayne Simmonds and Scott Hartnell -- you want to laugh at them like you do to a Chris Neil, but they're actually good players. Nathan Horton's face when he scores is Cammalleri-esque. Gregory Campbell's dad works for the NHL -- not his fault, but also not our fault for hating him. Pierre McGuire will verbally fellate Patricie Bergeron the first time he makes a good defensive play on Crosby. Tyler Seguin has 1 goal in 12 games, so he will probably score a hat trick Game 1, and then you'll read stories about him being part of the Phil Kessel trade and then you'll be like, "I'm already disgusted and now I'm being forced to read about Phil Kessel?" David Krejci is going to make some sick pass that embarrasses Matt Niskanen, and then McGuire will scream, "KREJCI'S IN HIS HEAD, DOC! DAVY KREJCI IS IN MATTY NISKANEN'S HEAD, DOC!" Jaromir Jagr will make a diving motion at Crosby while we furiously Google "Paul Pierce wheelchair." And you know at least one of their rookie defensemen is going to goad Evgeni Malkin into a bad penalty.
 |
| You will see this face. Just be ready for it. |
EDGE: Bruins.
Stalwartability
Dejan Kovacevic wrote about the Letang-Chara "match-up" the other day and figured that whoever outplayed the other one would win the series. But in reality, it's not quite that simple. Letang doesn't need to outperform Chara -- he needs to prove that he can do for the Pens what Chara can do for Boston. As great of a player as Letang is and can be, he hasn't anchored a defense to a Stanley Cup the way Chara did for Boston in 2011. When the Pens won the Cup in 2009, Letang averaged 19:18 of ice time per game in the playoffs, the fifth most among Pens' defensemen, and finished with a +1 rating. When the Bruins won the Cup in 2011, Chara averaged 27:39 per game and was a +16.
This isn't to say that Letang can't do it, just that he hasn't. Yet. So far this post-season, Letang is averaing 27 minutes per game and could realistically end up leading the playoffs in scoring by the time it's over. He's been that good. But it also isn't getting any easier.
Chara isn't a target for Letang to beat. He's a measuring stick.
EDGE: Bruins.
Leadability
 |
| "I'll take this one, guys." |
EDGE: Pens.
Intangibility
This category is less about the more commonly discussed intangibles like leadership, toughness, want-to, really-want-do, sorta-want-to, and definitely-want-to than it is about the ultimate intangible -- whether the invisible hand of destiny will decide to intervene. The Pens don't really have anything in this department; for Boston, the question is whether the whole Boston Strong movement in the wake of the marathon bombings is going to be an emotional factor in this series. It's hard to imagine that it's still going to be, given the amount of tributes, anthems, Sweet Carolines, and all of the other sports-related ceremonies and memorials that have been done already and, of course, the fact that the Pens have already played there in the immediate aftermath (and won). If anything, the emotional toll and the toll on convenience from the manhunt was a negative for Boston: they closed the regular season by going 2-5 and then nearly (and probably should have) lost to Toronto. Now things have returned to normal and the Bruins are rested. That's a scarier thought than destiny intervening.
EDGE: Bruins
FINAL SCORE: 5-5
Predictions
Boston can and might win this series. They are a really good team without a lot of weaknesses the Pens can exploit. But if the Pens are who we all think they are, the Pens will win this series. An eight day break leaves a lot of time for breaking down specific match-ups, but it all comes back to the most basic match-up: who has better players? Unless something weird starts happening, the Pens don't have any glaring weaknesses that Boston can exploit to overcome the simple fact that the Pens have more better players. Not much better. But better.
Pens in 6.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Pens-Bruins preview podcast: Oozing with analysis, emotion, and predictions
It's our Pens-Bruins Eastern Conference Finals preview podcast. How does the long delay affect the series? Which Bruin do you fear the most? What's the deal with the Tortorella firing? All that, our predictions, and so much more. It's the GTOG Podcast.
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
TWITTER: Follow Artistry. Follow Finesse. Follow GTOG.
TWITTER: Follow Artistry. Follow Finesse. Follow GTOG.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Remember: Goliath kills David 99 times out of 100. A recap of Pens-Sens
By Finesse (follow me on Twitter)
The widespread hope coming out of the first-round dogfight was that the pressure coming with being a heavy favorite and having three straight bad series losses in the playoffs would be relieved and the Pens would finally play up to their potential. Check that box. This victory over Ottawa was as lopsided as it should have been. The Pens were way better than Ottawa and they played like it.
There are areas that still need tightened up, but no team is without flaws. And while other teams may be better in certain areas than the Pens, no team comes as close to having everything as the Pens. A lot of teams have a really good top 6; the Pens have a top 6 that has the runaway two best players in the league. A lot of teams have a good bottom 6; the Pens have a bottom six consisting of 6 guys who each fit a specific role, and do it well. A lot of teams have a good defense; the Pens have 6 guys who are playing better each game, and look like they have their worst hockey behind them. A lot of teams have defensemen who can generate offense; the Pens have Kris Letang.
It's true that the Pens have achieved only what they have been expected to achieve -- beating a #8 and #7 seed. On paper it seems like no big deal, but consider: The #2 and #3 seeds in the East are out. The #2 and #3 seeds in the West are out, and Chicago is one game away from being out. The best compliment you can give the Pens right now is that they are as dangerous as we all thought they'd be.
Before we get to Boston in the next few days, let's recap this series.
Series MVP: Kris Letang
We give the guy as much shit as anyone, but he was consistently the best player in this series and it wasn't all that close. The guy is a human 3-on-2. In the first period of game 6, Sutter won a defensive zone draw to Letang, who simply took the puck and skated directly up the ice so quickly that the Pens had a 3-on-2 before the Senators even knew what happened them. Who even does that? It wasn't a special play and the Pens didn't get some weird bounce. Letang simply got the puck, went straight, and the Pens had a scoring chance.
If it wasn't for some memorable errors -- and he's made several in the first two rounds -- Letang would be near the top of anyone's Conn Smythe list. If he can just cut down on those mistakes in the next round -- and pairing him with the recently re-steadied Mark Eaton makes that more likely than ever -- it's entirely possible that Letang could win the Conn Smythe. He's that good when he plays that good. If that makes sense.
Pens MVP to date: Tomas Vokoun
The Pens score in bunches, and those bunches are usually (and understandably) followed by lulls ranging from brief to extended. After Letang put the Pens up 3-0, the Pens didn't get another shot for almost 7 minutes. The Senators had the puck the whole time, including twice on the power play. Milan Michalek scored, but that's all. Vokoun never gave up the goal that would have given the Senators life, and holding the fort through that lull is the definition of timely goaltending. The Pens' next shot was Malkin's goal, which essentially ended the series.
Pivotal moment of Round 2: The first two minutes of the second period of Game 4
After the Pens blew Game 3, they came out and were as dominant as ever during the first period of game 4. Yet somehow (ok, Letang was prominently involved) they were down 2-1. Against a lesser team, this would have given the Senators life. But the Pens snuffed that out when Kunitz and Iginla scored 40 seconds apart. The Senators may have been hoping for some sort of reprieve. Those 40 seconds pretty much confirmed that Ottawa had no choice in the matter.
Signature moment of playoffs so far: TK's breakaway goal in Game 5 against the Islanders
Winning this series with relative ease may obscure how perilous the situation was after Game 4 against the Islanders. No one knew what to expect from Vokoun, the Isles were swelling with over-confidence, and the Pens were forced into several lineup changes just to keep up. TK's brilliant finish proved that even if the Pens don't technically have a Plan B when "get to our game" isn't working, they have a lot of guys who can execute Plan A.
Unsung hero: Brooks Orpik
Orpik came back before Game 4 against the Islanders, and while that game turned out to be a nightmare, it was not his fault. (See if you can remember who we blamed). Since that game, the Pens are 6-1, Orpik is a +7, and he hasn't been a minus in any game. He's not a superstar by any means, but he always plays like a grownup and has helped the Prime Minister start playing like one of the best defensemen in the league. Orpik's ideal usage is as the third best defenseman on a team -- that's his destiny, and he's living it near-perfectly.
Emergability Winner: No one
Ottawa had unlimited candidates to emerge during this series as a better player than anyone though. It's tempting to pick Colin Greening because he scored three goals, but at no point during this series did anyone go, "oh shit, Colin Greening is on the ice." Kyle Turris also had three goals, but they were of the someone-has-to-score variety. The Pens prevented any Senators from emerging, and instead exposed them as entirely dependent on great goaltending.
Adjustments for Boston: None.
The Pens may have finally found the lineup that works. As long as Eaton isn't getting exposed like he did for a few games in Round 1, the defense isn't getting any better than it is right now. Tyler Kennedy is a must-dress for the remainder of the playoffs, Brenden Morrow seems destined to play a huge role against the Bruins, and having a healthy Jussi Jokinen on the 4th line is a luxury the Pens can afford.
Who needs to do a lot more: Brandon Sutter
We're not going to slam the guy too much while the Pens are essentially on a 7-game winning streak, but he had no points against Ottawa and has only one point in 11 playoff games. The Pens didn't need him against the #7 and #8 seed, but he could make their job against Boston a lot easier if he shows up for Round 3. Because everyone on Boston will show up.
Two random things to watch going forward
1) Is Kunitz fully healthy? He's been sitting for extended stretches at times during the last two games.
2) Guess who played the fewest minutes for the Pens in Game 5: Jarome Iginla.
Final Word on Ottawa
Penguins-Bruins was destined to happen. Ottawa was a small bump in the road and the Pens were riding on 28s.
The widespread hope coming out of the first-round dogfight was that the pressure coming with being a heavy favorite and having three straight bad series losses in the playoffs would be relieved and the Pens would finally play up to their potential. Check that box. This victory over Ottawa was as lopsided as it should have been. The Pens were way better than Ottawa and they played like it.
There are areas that still need tightened up, but no team is without flaws. And while other teams may be better in certain areas than the Pens, no team comes as close to having everything as the Pens. A lot of teams have a really good top 6; the Pens have a top 6 that has the runaway two best players in the league. A lot of teams have a good bottom 6; the Pens have a bottom six consisting of 6 guys who each fit a specific role, and do it well. A lot of teams have a good defense; the Pens have 6 guys who are playing better each game, and look like they have their worst hockey behind them. A lot of teams have defensemen who can generate offense; the Pens have Kris Letang.
It's true that the Pens have achieved only what they have been expected to achieve -- beating a #8 and #7 seed. On paper it seems like no big deal, but consider: The #2 and #3 seeds in the East are out. The #2 and #3 seeds in the West are out, and Chicago is one game away from being out. The best compliment you can give the Pens right now is that they are as dangerous as we all thought they'd be.
Before we get to Boston in the next few days, let's recap this series.
Series MVP: Kris Letang
We give the guy as much shit as anyone, but he was consistently the best player in this series and it wasn't all that close. The guy is a human 3-on-2. In the first period of game 6, Sutter won a defensive zone draw to Letang, who simply took the puck and skated directly up the ice so quickly that the Pens had a 3-on-2 before the Senators even knew what happened them. Who even does that? It wasn't a special play and the Pens didn't get some weird bounce. Letang simply got the puck, went straight, and the Pens had a scoring chance.
If it wasn't for some memorable errors -- and he's made several in the first two rounds -- Letang would be near the top of anyone's Conn Smythe list. If he can just cut down on those mistakes in the next round -- and pairing him with the recently re-steadied Mark Eaton makes that more likely than ever -- it's entirely possible that Letang could win the Conn Smythe. He's that good when he plays that good. If that makes sense.
Pens MVP to date: Tomas Vokoun
The Pens score in bunches, and those bunches are usually (and understandably) followed by lulls ranging from brief to extended. After Letang put the Pens up 3-0, the Pens didn't get another shot for almost 7 minutes. The Senators had the puck the whole time, including twice on the power play. Milan Michalek scored, but that's all. Vokoun never gave up the goal that would have given the Senators life, and holding the fort through that lull is the definition of timely goaltending. The Pens' next shot was Malkin's goal, which essentially ended the series.
Pivotal moment of Round 2: The first two minutes of the second period of Game 4
After the Pens blew Game 3, they came out and were as dominant as ever during the first period of game 4. Yet somehow (ok, Letang was prominently involved) they were down 2-1. Against a lesser team, this would have given the Senators life. But the Pens snuffed that out when Kunitz and Iginla scored 40 seconds apart. The Senators may have been hoping for some sort of reprieve. Those 40 seconds pretty much confirmed that Ottawa had no choice in the matter.
Signature moment of playoffs so far: TK's breakaway goal in Game 5 against the Islanders
Winning this series with relative ease may obscure how perilous the situation was after Game 4 against the Islanders. No one knew what to expect from Vokoun, the Isles were swelling with over-confidence, and the Pens were forced into several lineup changes just to keep up. TK's brilliant finish proved that even if the Pens don't technically have a Plan B when "get to our game" isn't working, they have a lot of guys who can execute Plan A.
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| Again, Iginla's face in this picture. |
Orpik came back before Game 4 against the Islanders, and while that game turned out to be a nightmare, it was not his fault. (See if you can remember who we blamed). Since that game, the Pens are 6-1, Orpik is a +7, and he hasn't been a minus in any game. He's not a superstar by any means, but he always plays like a grownup and has helped the Prime Minister start playing like one of the best defensemen in the league. Orpik's ideal usage is as the third best defenseman on a team -- that's his destiny, and he's living it near-perfectly.
Emergability Winner: No one
Ottawa had unlimited candidates to emerge during this series as a better player than anyone though. It's tempting to pick Colin Greening because he scored three goals, but at no point during this series did anyone go, "oh shit, Colin Greening is on the ice." Kyle Turris also had three goals, but they were of the someone-has-to-score variety. The Pens prevented any Senators from emerging, and instead exposed them as entirely dependent on great goaltending.
 |
| That you probably don't know who this is proves the point. |
The Pens may have finally found the lineup that works. As long as Eaton isn't getting exposed like he did for a few games in Round 1, the defense isn't getting any better than it is right now. Tyler Kennedy is a must-dress for the remainder of the playoffs, Brenden Morrow seems destined to play a huge role against the Bruins, and having a healthy Jussi Jokinen on the 4th line is a luxury the Pens can afford.
Who needs to do a lot more: Brandon Sutter
We're not going to slam the guy too much while the Pens are essentially on a 7-game winning streak, but he had no points against Ottawa and has only one point in 11 playoff games. The Pens didn't need him against the #7 and #8 seed, but he could make their job against Boston a lot easier if he shows up for Round 3. Because everyone on Boston will show up.
Two random things to watch going forward
1) Is Kunitz fully healthy? He's been sitting for extended stretches at times during the last two games.
2) Guess who played the fewest minutes for the Pens in Game 5: Jarome Iginla.
Final Word on Ottawa
Penguins-Bruins was destined to happen. Ottawa was a small bump in the road and the Pens were riding on 28s.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
A 7-3 victory sounds about right; Pens push Sens to the brink in Game 4
By Finesse (follow me on Twitter)
We opened our podcast last night asking the question: Was Game 4 the game we've been waiting for the Pens to play all postseason? Our answer was a definitive 'no.' Game 3 was the game we had been hoping the Pens were capable of -- a tight, 1-0 win, with scoring from an unexpected place, and an ability to overcome a hot goalie with a hot goalie of our own. But you know, shit happens.
[Listen above or click here to subscribe on iTunes]
Game 4 was the game we knew the Pens had in them, and the Pens teased us with it a few times in the Isles series (Games 1 and 5) and even early in this series (Game 1). But they never got all the way there like they did last night. Game 4 was total domination. The Pens OWNED the first period and probably should have been winning 5-2 after 20 minutes. With all due respect to Dejan Kovacevic, who is having himself a hell of a playoffs, the Pens were not "awful" in the first period. In fact, it was arguably the Pens most dominant period offensively in the whole playoffs; it just took a few minutes more of play in the second period to reap the benefits on the scoreboard. What happened in the third period -- 4 goals in 10 minutes -- was not the product of 10 good minutes of hockey, something which has often been enough for the Pens to win games. It was the well-earned payoff from two excellent overall performances in Ottawa in Games 3 and 4.
The Pens went into Ottawa and scored 8 goals in 2 games -- it's just a matter of bad fortune that they weren't spread out more evenly to come home with two wins. Because one thing is clear this morning and it's that this series should already be over.
Read on for more...
Unfortunately, it's not over. The mental errors that the Pens make way-too-regularly are not going away, so there's no guarantee that the Pens close it out in Game 5. But the Pens would be wise to keep their foot on the gas and try to bury Ottawa right from the start because as clearly as the fans and media can see that the Pens are the better team, the Senators themselves seem to see it most clearly. From Scott Burnside of ESPN.com:
- Somehow Evgeni Malkin ended up with zero points despite the Pens putting up a 7-spot, including two on the power-play. He's now gone two straight games without a point. On paper, this looks bad. But if you have eyes, then it's evident he is returning to his MVP form of last season. If Geno and Sid are both playing at their highest level -- where they each are around 1.5 points per game -- the Pens are a near-impossible match-up for anyone. With no Cups in the prior three season, there have been questions about whether the "2 superstar model" works. The answer is that it does work when the 2 superstars are playing like the 2 best players in the league. Which they are.
- Tomas Vokoun is something to behold. I've never seen a goalie look behind himself so much to make sure the puck isn't dribbling between his legs and in. It doesn't dribble between his legs, though, and that's all that really matters. As long as he keeps winning -- and he's 5-1 with a 1.82 GAA and .942 save percentage -- there is nothing to discuss. He's the goalie. If he falters (and despite the constant looking over his shoulder, there's no indication that a collapse is imminent), Fleury will be ready. The only question at this point is whether if Vokoun has a bad game, would that even be enough for Fleury to supplant him as the #1 goalie again?
- Kris Letang must be bi-polar. One personality is an evolutionary Scott Neidermayer; the other is a de-evolutionary Mike Green. His first period was horrific, from giving up a shorthanded breakaway to falling on top of his goalie. But then he had 4 assists. When he isn't limiting himself, his ceiling is unlimited.
- If healthy, Jussi Jokinen needs to stay in the lineup. Joe Vitale did a very nice job in his few games, but Jokinen brings something that can further separate the Pens from the competition -- an ability to sustain offense. The Pens are so top-heavy that you can't even really say they have a "1st line." With Jokinen, the same is true at the bottom of the lineup. There's really no 4th line. With Cooke, Kennedy, Sutter, Jokinen, Adams, and Bennett/Morrow, it doesn't really matter what you call any combination. Each can play 10-15 effective minutes. Here are Game 4's time on ice numbers:
- Last night was a sad night for Sergei Gonchar. He was a -4 and was in the box for James Neal's killer PP goal early in the third. He's a big time liability at this point.
- 15:32 from Crankshaft, and you barely heard his name. That's a great thing.
Pens need to put this one away on Friday. We suspect they will. Go Pens.
We opened our podcast last night asking the question: Was Game 4 the game we've been waiting for the Pens to play all postseason? Our answer was a definitive 'no.' Game 3 was the game we had been hoping the Pens were capable of -- a tight, 1-0 win, with scoring from an unexpected place, and an ability to overcome a hot goalie with a hot goalie of our own. But you know, shit happens.
[Listen above or click here to subscribe on iTunes]
Game 4 was the game we knew the Pens had in them, and the Pens teased us with it a few times in the Isles series (Games 1 and 5) and even early in this series (Game 1). But they never got all the way there like they did last night. Game 4 was total domination. The Pens OWNED the first period and probably should have been winning 5-2 after 20 minutes. With all due respect to Dejan Kovacevic, who is having himself a hell of a playoffs, the Pens were not "awful" in the first period. In fact, it was arguably the Pens most dominant period offensively in the whole playoffs; it just took a few minutes more of play in the second period to reap the benefits on the scoreboard. What happened in the third period -- 4 goals in 10 minutes -- was not the product of 10 good minutes of hockey, something which has often been enough for the Pens to win games. It was the well-earned payoff from two excellent overall performances in Ottawa in Games 3 and 4.
The Pens went into Ottawa and scored 8 goals in 2 games -- it's just a matter of bad fortune that they weren't spread out more evenly to come home with two wins. Because one thing is clear this morning and it's that this series should already be over.
Read on for more...
Unfortunately, it's not over. The mental errors that the Pens make way-too-regularly are not going away, so there's no guarantee that the Pens close it out in Game 5. But the Pens would be wise to keep their foot on the gas and try to bury Ottawa right from the start because as clearly as the fans and media can see that the Pens are the better team, the Senators themselves seem to see it most clearly. From Scott Burnside of ESPN.com:
Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson, who reached the 100-point plateau in playoff scoring with a power-play goal with the game out of reach in the third, was asked whether it was feasible to win three straight against this Pittsburgh team.The Senators are ready to lose this series. The only way they get back in it is if the Pens let them, and the killer-instinct and refusal to get frustrated last night is the most encouraging sign yet that the Pens won't allow it. The last 4 games for Ottawa have been like nursing a sick relative. There was a brief glimmer of hope, but we all know how it should end. It's time to pull the plug and let go.
"Probably not," he answered with brutal candor. "With their depth and their power play right now, it doesn’t look too good.
"I’m just saying that I don’t think there’s much going for us. Maybe that’s the way we like it."
 |
| It's ok, Paul. Don't be scared. |
- Tomas Vokoun is something to behold. I've never seen a goalie look behind himself so much to make sure the puck isn't dribbling between his legs and in. It doesn't dribble between his legs, though, and that's all that really matters. As long as he keeps winning -- and he's 5-1 with a 1.82 GAA and .942 save percentage -- there is nothing to discuss. He's the goalie. If he falters (and despite the constant looking over his shoulder, there's no indication that a collapse is imminent), Fleury will be ready. The only question at this point is whether if Vokoun has a bad game, would that even be enough for Fleury to supplant him as the #1 goalie again?
- Kris Letang must be bi-polar. One personality is an evolutionary Scott Neidermayer; the other is a de-evolutionary Mike Green. His first period was horrific, from giving up a shorthanded breakaway to falling on top of his goalie. But then he had 4 assists. When he isn't limiting himself, his ceiling is unlimited.
- If healthy, Jussi Jokinen needs to stay in the lineup. Joe Vitale did a very nice job in his few games, but Jokinen brings something that can further separate the Pens from the competition -- an ability to sustain offense. The Pens are so top-heavy that you can't even really say they have a "1st line." With Jokinen, the same is true at the bottom of the lineup. There's really no 4th line. With Cooke, Kennedy, Sutter, Jokinen, Adams, and Bennett/Morrow, it doesn't really matter what you call any combination. Each can play 10-15 effective minutes. Here are Game 4's time on ice numbers:
 |
| Gorgeous. |
- 15:32 from Crankshaft, and you barely heard his name. That's a great thing.
Pens need to put this one away on Friday. We suspect they will. Go Pens.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Podcast: Disgusting loss; Pens fall, 2-1 in double OT
Just a ridiculous game to lose on every level. Experience it all over again with the GTOG Podcast.
Click here to subscribe on iTunes
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
Click here to subscribe on iTunes
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Raw Emotion Podcast: Pens beat Sens, 4-1
Recapping the Pens 4-1 win over Ottawa. How dangerous is the powerplay? What's up with James Neal? Did Ottawa show anything that should scare the Pens? We muster up some emotion about the Pens workmanlike victory. It's the GTOG Podcast.
Click here to subscribe on iTunes
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
Click here to subscribe on iTunes
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
First Period Recap: Pens up 2-1, but don't get comfortable
The bad news is that Craig Anderson has already proven, unlike Evgeni Nabokov, to be a real goalie. The good news is the Pens already have 2 goals on him.
Look for Morrow to be a factor in this series, albeit in limited ice time. He'll get in Anderson's kitchen. He already did on Martin's goal.
Malkin was brilliant in the first period (with the notable exception of his power-play killing penalty). If he plays like this, then not sure who touches the Pens ...
... unless, of course, Vokoun puts a couple more Fleurys in his own net.
Daniel Alfredsson's hair looks atrocious. Sorry we talk so much about hair. But come on.
Sutter-Iginla was a really bizarre choice to start the late 4-on-4. Sutter couldn't find chemistry with a Bunsen Burner and a barrel of Ammonium nitrate.
Look for Morrow to be a factor in this series, albeit in limited ice time. He'll get in Anderson's kitchen. He already did on Martin's goal.
Malkin was brilliant in the first period (with the notable exception of his power-play killing penalty). If he plays like this, then not sure who touches the Pens ...
... unless, of course, Vokoun puts a couple more Fleurys in his own net.
Daniel Alfredsson's hair looks atrocious. Sorry we talk so much about hair. But come on.
Sutter-Iginla was a really bizarre choice to start the late 4-on-4. Sutter couldn't find chemistry with a Bunsen Burner and a barrel of Ammonium nitrate.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Pens Win 4-0; Tyler Kennedy serves as a perfect Booty Call
By GTOG Staff
Check out our Raw Emotion recap podcast.
We originally gave the nickname Booty Call to Steelers' safety Ryan Mundy, but Tyler Kennedy seized the honors for the Pens earlier this season when he was inexplicably slotted to play center in place of an injured Sidney Crosby on the Pens' first line in a 4-1 loss to Buffalo. You can actually blame his horrendous play in that game for him being scratched in games 1-4 of this series. As we wrote then, the nickname Booty Call is used for a player when "he's never your first choice and you're constantly auditioning other people for the role, but he's always there when you call on him yet it's never as satisfying as you hope. Tyler Kennedy is the Pens' Booty Call. He's useful when you're in a pinch, but if you find yourself inviting him to your parents' house for Thanksgiving, it means something has gone horribly wrong."
Last night, though, TK really hit the spot.
What a performance by a guy who has been a strong playoff performer for the Pens throughout his career. You've probably read this morning that he's sixth all-time in game-winning goals in Pens' playoff history. This is a remarkable stat, but it's not all that surprising.
Tyler Kennedy is a "100 percenter." If he's giving anything less than 100%, he's borderline useless. But when he's at 100%, a level that is impossible for any player to sustain throughout a full season (even a shortened one), he does everything that you want from an energetic fourth line player, and then some. And that extra is the finish he showed on the breakaway. Almost any fourth-liner not named Tanner Glass can bring energy to a team and forecheck like he's on an acid trip. But not a lot of fourth-liners can put a laser beam under the crossbar like that.
More on Vokoun, "Danny" Bylsma, and some observations from the box score after the jump...
- In the wake of Game 4, there was one thing you heard from most media types, even those who agreed it was time for Tomas Vokoun to get the nod in Game 5: "The Pens can't win the Stanley Cup without Marc-Andre Fleury." There is generally no explanation for this statement, other than Phil Bourque uttering platitudes like "He's our guy" or "Fleury has a Stanley Cup." But it's worth digging a little deeper and asking why, exactly, the Penguins can't win a Stanley Cup with Tomas Vokoun shouldering a healthy portion - if not all - of the load in net. Here are some of the goalies who started for Stanley Cup winners over the past 10 years: Anti Niemi, Chris Osgood, Jean Sebastian-Giguere, and Nikolai Khabibulin. See any Hall-of-Famers on that list? This isn't the NFL, where you almost always need an elite quarterback to win a Super Bowl (though don't tell that to Trent Dilfer or Brad Johnson). The Penguins need a guy who will give up 3 goals or less and play well at the right times so that the Pens have time to "get to their game." You know, like last night.
- Dan Bylsma and the coaches deserve credit for every single adjustment they made last night, including the decisions to play Kennedy, Vitale, Vokoun, and Despres, and tweaking the breakout to ensure less turnovers in the neutral zone. But we'll stop short of saying they deserve enormous credit, because most of these changes could have and should have happened before Game 4.
- Here's something Bylsma does deserve enormous credit for: dropping Brenden Morrow to the 4th line, where he was the most effective he's been since Game 1. TK changed everything with his presence alongside Sutter and Cooke. Add another guy who looks like he's all hopped up on Mountain Dew - Joe Vitale - to Morrow and Adams, and we've completed the Bottom 6 makeover and have what looks to be a legitimately fearsome forecheck.
- It's hard to pick a favorite goal last night between the Kennedy and Crosby goals, but don't sleep on Crankshaft's floater. (Taken literally, that's very good advice). It felt so good to watch another team's goalie score on himself. The Islanders' were like a high school bully who was laughing at the dorky kid for slipping on ice. But when they turned to their friends to say, "get a load of this guy," they got run over by a bus.
- Watch Iginla and Crosby in Game 6. The chemistry is there. The explosion is imminent.
- The box score for this game paints a vivid picture. Letang and Martin were both on ice for about 24 minutes, where they should be when they're not carrying 4 other deficient defensemen on their backs. Not one guy in single digits in terms of ice time, which, without checking, we can guarantee you is a first for this series. Cup teams don't have passengers.
There's a lot of work still to be done in this series. The Coliseum will be smoldering on Saturday night. Gotta weather the storm. Then grind bitches down.
Check out our Raw Emotion recap podcast.
We originally gave the nickname Booty Call to Steelers' safety Ryan Mundy, but Tyler Kennedy seized the honors for the Pens earlier this season when he was inexplicably slotted to play center in place of an injured Sidney Crosby on the Pens' first line in a 4-1 loss to Buffalo. You can actually blame his horrendous play in that game for him being scratched in games 1-4 of this series. As we wrote then, the nickname Booty Call is used for a player when "he's never your first choice and you're constantly auditioning other people for the role, but he's always there when you call on him yet it's never as satisfying as you hope. Tyler Kennedy is the Pens' Booty Call. He's useful when you're in a pinch, but if you find yourself inviting him to your parents' house for Thanksgiving, it means something has gone horribly wrong."
Last night, though, TK really hit the spot.
 |
| Every time we need confidence we're going to look at Iginla's face in this picture. |
Tyler Kennedy is a "100 percenter." If he's giving anything less than 100%, he's borderline useless. But when he's at 100%, a level that is impossible for any player to sustain throughout a full season (even a shortened one), he does everything that you want from an energetic fourth line player, and then some. And that extra is the finish he showed on the breakaway. Almost any fourth-liner not named Tanner Glass can bring energy to a team and forecheck like he's on an acid trip. But not a lot of fourth-liners can put a laser beam under the crossbar like that.
More on Vokoun, "Danny" Bylsma, and some observations from the box score after the jump...
- In the wake of Game 4, there was one thing you heard from most media types, even those who agreed it was time for Tomas Vokoun to get the nod in Game 5: "The Pens can't win the Stanley Cup without Marc-Andre Fleury." There is generally no explanation for this statement, other than Phil Bourque uttering platitudes like "He's our guy" or "Fleury has a Stanley Cup." But it's worth digging a little deeper and asking why, exactly, the Penguins can't win a Stanley Cup with Tomas Vokoun shouldering a healthy portion - if not all - of the load in net. Here are some of the goalies who started for Stanley Cup winners over the past 10 years: Anti Niemi, Chris Osgood, Jean Sebastian-Giguere, and Nikolai Khabibulin. See any Hall-of-Famers on that list? This isn't the NFL, where you almost always need an elite quarterback to win a Super Bowl (though don't tell that to Trent Dilfer or Brad Johnson). The Penguins need a guy who will give up 3 goals or less and play well at the right times so that the Pens have time to "get to their game." You know, like last night.
 |
| The Settler. |
- Here's something Bylsma does deserve enormous credit for: dropping Brenden Morrow to the 4th line, where he was the most effective he's been since Game 1. TK changed everything with his presence alongside Sutter and Cooke. Add another guy who looks like he's all hopped up on Mountain Dew - Joe Vitale - to Morrow and Adams, and we've completed the Bottom 6 makeover and have what looks to be a legitimately fearsome forecheck.
- It's hard to pick a favorite goal last night between the Kennedy and Crosby goals, but don't sleep on Crankshaft's floater. (Taken literally, that's very good advice). It felt so good to watch another team's goalie score on himself. The Islanders' were like a high school bully who was laughing at the dorky kid for slipping on ice. But when they turned to their friends to say, "get a load of this guy," they got run over by a bus.
 |
| We don't feel bad. |
- The box score for this game paints a vivid picture. Letang and Martin were both on ice for about 24 minutes, where they should be when they're not carrying 4 other deficient defensemen on their backs. Not one guy in single digits in terms of ice time, which, without checking, we can guarantee you is a first for this series. Cup teams don't have passengers.
 |
| Maybe the only column that matters. |
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Podcast: Tylomas Vokennedy leads Pens past Islanders, 4-0
Huge win. Vokoun settled everything down. Tyler Kennedy ramped everyone up. And Sid put the icing on the cake. It's the GTOG Podcast.
Click here to subscribe on iTunes
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
Click here to subscribe on iTunes
**If you're listening on your smartphone, the best ways to make sure that you have an uninterrupted experience are: 1) download the podcast from iTunes OR 2) download the Spreaker app by going to the App store and searching for "Spreaker" then "Get To Our Game"**
 |
| We can't quit you. |
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