About the Thrashers - 1-6-09

Do I even want to watch tonight?  I feel like it's almost not even worth it, and this coming from someone who had season tickets when the Penguins went 23-47-8-4.

I don't like being negative, except when it comes to that team playing on that nice piece of grass next to Heinz field...their name slips me...but if they lose tonight, management really needs to consider some coaching changes.  Mark Madden as my dek hockey coach when I was 12 was better than Terrien currently is.

This is more than a must-win. They need to dominate all aspects of this game and get some confidence back. Every game I think they've hit rock bottom and every game they get out the shovel and dig a little deeper.

Yeah Bones.  I think a loss tonight against this team could be the hockey equivalent of waking up in the hospital room cuffed to the bed with no memory of what happened last night after that 10th round of shots.  Maybe they can finally hit rock bottom, get into losing rehab and start to turn this thing around.  

The key to ending the slump is the power play.  It is inconceivable that a unit with Crosby and Malkin on it could be 0 for 32.  Had the power play clicked last night, they could have been tied or even leading after one period.  Who knows what would have happened then.  Teams are much more agressive against the Pens when they are not afraid of being short handed.  Its all a matter of confidence and hard work, two things sorely lacking lately.

might help if Therrien kept the proper players in the lineup and/or in the right combinations...........I agree, tonite is a must win......good luck pens

Penalty kill and goaltending must improve as well. Jordan Staal needs a hands transplant so he can hit the net.

They stink 5 on 5 too.  And 4 on 4.  And 5 on 3.  And 6 on 4.

The bright spot is.....um.....well they're not Bankrupt anymore.

The Pens will start winning when they go back to lifting the sticks of opposing player and stripping the puck.  Remember Staal's steal from Datsyuk for Fedotenko's OT game winner in Detroit?  When did the Pens stop making those kinds of plays?  That's what I want to see more of.

Well, I'm stuck in class tonight, so I'll be following along on the live blog unless anyone knows somewhere online I can watch?

I completely agree about the powerplay. Not scoring on that 5 on 3 last night was inexcusable.  They seemed completely sluggish through the majority of the game. One of my favorite things about this team in the last couple years has been how hard they've fought to win. It just seems like no one's fighting anymore. Kennedy at least seems to be playing the way he always had, but what happened to the rest of them? Talbot used to be the same, working hard. Now I barely notice him.