What's wrong with the Pens? I say it's Michelle Therrien!
Baun-ded said 06/01, 11:56 AM
Many would have the Goat Horns placed firmly on the helmet of Malkin in this Stanley Cup Final.
I disagree.
Michelle Therrien is the real culprit in this Cup Final.
After their inevitable elimination, the Pens should consider handing Therrien his over-due walking papers.
Sure, Detroit is a great team but their greatest advantage in this series comes from behind the bench with Mike Babcock.
Babcock & the Wings lead this series 3 games to 1 heading back to Detroit.
Therrien has shown he cannot manage his bench or his player personnel very effectively. The signs were evident at the beginning of the regular season when the Pens were considering letting him go.
In this series, Therrien has failed to mix his young guns up with some of the available playoff veterans he had at his disposal until it was too late!
The Pens are a much better Team than what they have displayed in these Finals. A better coach would have brought that out and made this a much closer contest.
Disagree?
Detroit Steel said 06/01, 12:15 PM
Whats wrong with the Penguins? Not much - I just think that Detroit is the better team . . .
Therrien doesn't play defense or try to score so you can't really blame the deficiet on him . . .
Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Marian Hossa have had tough times scoring because of a tough Detroit defense lead by Nicklas Lidstrom, Niklas Kronwall and Chris Osgood so you can't blame the players . . .
It's the Red Wing's fault why the Penguins are losing the series - because Detroit is doing so good. Detroit has much better chemistry from playing together for years while players like Hossa, Malkin and Crosby have only been playing with each other for a little while.
Henrik Zetterberg and Mikael Samuelsson have been shooting the puck very well - and with Thomas Holmstrom screening the goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury doesn't even have a shot to save some of these shots.
Chris Osgood has been absolutley dominating. In Game 4 last night, Osgood wasn't going to let anything in (well, one slipped in).
So, why the Penguins are losing the series? Because the Red Wings are playing plain ol' better.
Baun-ded said 06/01, 01:09 PM
Therrien doesn't play defense or score, etc., you say.
Right!
But Crosby does!
How much he plays is a Coaches decision.
Who plays is another.
Example:
Crosby is the best Pen. He played 6 minutes in the 1st period last night!
Series: TOI- 80:91
Zetterberg is the best Wing.
Series: TOI- 92:79
Difference=11:88 minutes which is huge in terms of hockey minutes!
Roberts & Sydor. The most experienced 2 guys on the Pens roster for playoffs and Cup experience. Both sat out game 1 & 2 in Sydor's case.
The last 2 games with these 2 in the line-up the Pens won a game and limited the Wings to 3 goals vs 7 in the first 2 loses!
Crosby is arguably the biggest GAME BREAKER of both teams!
Yet, Therrien refuses to play him on the PK late in a game even when trailing.
The Wings play their BEST players on the PK and are rewarded with short-handed goals!
Therrien didn't even realize how good Malkin was until Sid got injured!
Are the Wings a better Team?
Perhaps, but they are not a 3-1 deficit better team with a goal advantage of 9-4.
Clearly the Pens have the talent, perhaps more so than the Wings over-all.
He should be riding Crosby like a horse!
The problem is the Coach!
Detroit Steel said 06/01, 08:16 PM
Sidney Crosby is still mildly injured and by playing too many minutes, he would possibly injure himself even more. In the Stanley Cup Finals, you don't want that to happen.
Plus, Crosby hasn't been doing too well anyways so you don't want to waste minutes on him.
Roberts and Syder both are not great players, I can see why Therrian isn't playing them too much.
Not noticing Malkin wasn't Therrien's fault. Without Crosby, Malkin got the puck an awful lot.
The Red Wings have much more talent, only a team like Detroit can have Chris Chelios just barely holding on to his spot in the third line during the regular season, only a team like Detroit can have Kirk Maltby, Kris Draper and Darren McCarty on their third line, only a team like Detroit can have Dominak Hasek (The HOF is probably already carving his bust) on the bench. There is just no team like Detroit.
Detroit has more talent, expirience and pretty much everything else in this series that matters. The Pengs can't help being overmatched.
Baun-ded said 06/01, 09:16 PM
Crosby is NOT injured!
Crosby is leading all players in points in the playoff with the least amount of games. What do you mean he is, "Not doing well". "Waste minutes"? He has been their BEST PLAYER!
To play Crosby more puts more pressure on the Wings Defense.
He also draws penalties as we all know. The more he is on the ice the more opportunities he will create at both ends of the rink.
Face offs.
Key for puck control.
Malkin should not be taking KEY faceoffs. His best % is 40.
Crosby & Staal have both turned up their ability due to VERY RECENT coaching 2 games ago. Sid lead last game.
Therrien again, waited too long to adjust, coach & prepare!
Roberts & Sydor have experience. Soon as they got in the line-up the game swung more the Pens way.
The coach should be able to assess his talent!
It's his job!
The Pens have 4 of the top 10 in points, the Wings have 3. Pens have played 2 less games & shut out twice by Wings.
The Pens have a coach that had a losing record coming from Montreal.
77W-90L
Clearly with proper coaching these guys can adjust & raise their level.
These are elite players!
All they needed was better coaching to make this a closer series!
Detroit Steel said 06/02, 06:53 PM
Crosby IS still mildly injured and that is why he isn't playing enough. Why play an injured player for 100 minutes in four games? Because he might get even more injured.
It is not the coach's fault. You can't play an injured player too much. You can't play veterans that are bad too much. You can't play a player without a point in the series too much.
Offense isn't everything. The Detroit Red Wings have fantastic defense allowing none of the players to score. The Red Wings have also been beating the goalie in every way possible.
In the Stanley Cup Fianls, it's hard t find a bad coach. How do you think the coach lead them so far if he is terrible?
He bombed in Montreal but they weren't exactly a great team.
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Comments (29)
Their pressure on the Red Wings on offense is WEAK. They cannot even shoot well with 5 on 5's, they barely score on the power play, they have given up short-handed goals. They were unable to score on a 5 on 3 last night for almost 2 FULL minutes. They are not doing well at all offensively. Their defense hasn't been much help either.
DetroitFan* BS: Haha Harris! | 06/01/08, 12:38 PM
Report Offensive CommentMalkin
Dawgee - U-M owns all | 06/01/08, 01:16 PM
Report Offensive CommentI wouldn't blame Therrien. The Red Wings are playing a better system in which they can trap/obstruct their opponents which kills the games Crosby and Malkin are used to playing. You saw game 4 as a better called refereed game and because of that it was closer. However, you can still watch Rafalski get beat every other play holding up the player who beat him. What can Therrien do about that? He spoke to the NHL about it, but he's not making the calls. Crosby still isn't healthy yet however he is still putting in some big minutes to help the Pens all that he can.
rmustud19 | 06/01/08, 02:22 PM
Report Offensive CommentCan't blame one player when everyone is over matched.
buckybadger | 06/01/08, 02:31 PM
Report Offensive CommentAh bucky...Therrien is the coach...not a player. Much of these over matches you speak of revert back to the coach, his stratagy, player selection, special teams, counter moves and preparing his charges & minutes of playing time.
The Pens are a very talented team. Therrien is not & never has been.
Baun-ded | 06/01/08, 02:39 PM
Report Offensive CommentWhat if i agree with both of you guys?
bostongm | 06/01/08, 02:49 PM
Report Offensive Commentexperience is the problem...as of now the wings are more experienced making them look better. experience can't be taught
htownhockey#1 | 06/01/08, 02:50 PM
Report Offensive CommentTherrein doesnt play Crosby enough. Its a fact. HE feels Crosby isnt ready yet to play the PK. Has he even tried him yet in that role? IDK. This clown even put Malkin on the wing to play with crosby. Thats not his natural position. Notice how malkin shredded the league when he reverted back to center? Coaches fault.
bostongm | 06/01/08, 02:53 PM
Report Offensive CommentI will wait.
bostongm | 06/01/08, 02:54 PM
Report Offensive CommentAlot of voters when theres only half the arguements.
bostongm | 06/01/08, 03:10 PM
Report Offensive CommentIf anything, you should blame all Pens Fans for even thinking they had a chance in this series.
Swayze Bandwagon Fan *BBF | 06/01/08, 03:17 PM
Report Offensive CommentOkay, since it is 0-7 in votes, from one argument from my opponent, perhaps some have mis-understood what I am saying here.
I am NOT saying that the Pens should be winning this series. It is not a Detroit vs Pens fans TD.
I am saying that this series SHOULD BE CLOSER THAN IT IS and have provided some arguments as to why that might be and so far have not seen them refuted.
The facts and statistics I've provided so far support my assertations.
Simply saying the Wings are a better Team says nothing. The Pens should be playing better, why aren't they?
That is the argument. The Pens are talent wise better than both Nashville and the Stars. Yet both these teams took 2 games each from Detroit.
Why might that be?
Baun-ded | 06/01/08, 03:29 PM
Report Offensive CommentThe Penguins have met their match. Seriously.
Roy 4 Cassidy | 06/01/08, 04:25 PM
Report Offensive CommentHey there is a lot wrong with the Pens went they cant even score but 1 goal combined in their three losses. Vote left.
Roy 4 Cassidy | 06/01/08, 04:27 PM
Report Offensive CommentAndre-Fleury hasn't played his best. He's letting in some shots that he could usually stop. I think I'm waiting until this is over to vote.
Cheezhead | 06/01/08, 07:34 PM
Report Offensive CommentVote left, Michel is the problem herer.
Bigdleech: 27=better than 36! | 06/01/08, 08:33 PM
Report Offensive Commenti believe the point of the TD has been missed....i understand what you are saying Baunded...Detroit steel missed it...
Steveo16220 is a GGTK | 06/01/08, 09:07 PM
Report Offensive CommentI definitely see where Baun-ded is going in this throwdown as well. Sure, Therrein can't get out on the ice to directly affect the game... but a coach's job is to strategize and divvy up ice time, so he is as much to fault as any one player. I never liked Michel when he was the coach of the Habs, and honestly I think a lot of Pittsburgh's success has come DESPITE moves that Therrein has made throughout the season. My vote is going left...
Bigalke | 06/01/08, 10:14 PM
Report Offensive CommentWasting minutes on Crosby? Thats the most RIDICULOUS thing i've read so far on these TD's. Voting<------------------------
bostongm | 06/01/08, 10:43 PM
Report Offensive CommentThey are being outplayed but clearly the coach has been several bad decisions and is being outcoached..
drj0514*dawgs ranked 1 | 06/02/08, 09:43 AM
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