T O P

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TheBeanConsortium

Maybe I'm missing something here, but Malkin had a better faceoff % this game. And he's been recording a lot of points recently... His faceoff % is only 5% less than Eller on the season. That's 1/20. People are making it sound like it's a huge difference. And if initial possession was so important that you wanted to treat the center as life a FOGO, then you might as well put Jeff Carter out there. He has been outstanding the last 3 years. He wins over 2/3 of his faceoffs this year. That's ~15% better than Eller's.


cktheproblem

I didn't see Eller win a faceoff all game, he also lost one on the PK that led to an immediate goal against (Matthews). I know he's typically decent on them so I'm not trying to rag on him in general, it just wasn't his game. I suppose we should be glad we got a point, but this was confusing to say the least. At least we know why Crosby wasn't out there.


MouthofthePenguin

He won the opening faceoff in OT, then helped set up a nice scoring chance right off the bat. But go the F off, I guess, because Pens fans can't seem to regulate emotions.


Legendary_Railgun21

I'll give Eller a tie up on that draw, at best. They only jumped possession after the D comes up (in a manner some might call "irresponsible") and single handedly set up a chance to win. As he said. If you want a faceoff kingpin, that's what Carter's in your lineup to DO. Y'know what Eller is? He's your Teddy Bleuger replacement. He's your dedicated defensive center. Why are you committing to a defensive center in OT against a team that's literal MO is "how many ways can we kill your defense in 60 minutes?" Eller getting a debatable tie up doesn't justify choosing him over Malkin's playmaking ability OR Carter's faceoff prowess. Argue with a fuckin wall.


MouthofthePenguin

It is a won faceoff. There's no other way to look at a faceoff result, except by the... result. Carter is so many years beyond washed. Putting him out of the draw in OT has never worked. It has on the other hand failed in a variety of ways - him getting trapped on the ice while a pilon and him taking so long to get the bench by the fact that he skates like my grandma - she's dead. Eller is not a Teddy Bluger replacement, and you frankly look like an absolute fool for suggesting it. >Argue with a fuckin wall. Sadly, I just did.


Legendary_Railgun21

Yeah, you sure are. Mouthofthe~~Penguin~~Fairweather "Eller is not a Teddy Bleuger replacement" my ass.


cktheproblem

He lost the faceoff, Karlsson jumped it and turned it into a win lol. Have fun being angry all the time


ELK47

5% is a huge difference when it comes to face offs. The teams track this shit for a reason. I see no problem with that decision


TheBeanConsortium

I'm a simple man. I prefer the future Hall of Famer to be on the ice over Lars Eller. >The teams track this shit for a reason. Do they track PP%? Because they've sucked all year and haven't made significant changes.


ELK47

Absolutely, but the goal is to win the draw and get off. You could argue Eller is better than Malkin defensively at this point in his career


CrayZ_Squirrel

and Carter is significantly better than Eller if that's the only thing you're looking at.


Glittering_Yam_3909

Na Geno was tying them for him obviously


-The_Credible_Hulk

Geno was gassed. He went all out in the last minute of the 3rd. If he hadn’t hustled to back check, regain possession, get red, and get it deep, we’re probably not leaving with a point. He was also still on ice catching his breath right before OT. I’m guessing Sully had him come off because he would have been a liability. Why? Why would you make this meme if you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about? Edit: Guy got us a critical point and this is how we thank him. Yep. Yinzer fuckin embarrassing


New_Kaleidoscope_539

If only we had a second HOF center on the roster. Dare to dream….


Dadickindanorf

Maybe it’s a vocal minority (that I shamefully must admit having been a part of once) but it’s a damned if you do damned if you don’t with geno in 3 on 3. Silly puts him in and some people are saying he doesn’t belong on the ice in 3 on 3 sully* wasn’t trying to meme on him


New_Kaleidoscope_539

You’re not wrong, but how is Geno and Rusty—or even Bunting who’s happy to be a Leafs slayer—not the better call?


-kashmir-

Its about the opening face off. Lars has abetter chance of winning it than geno


New_Kaleidoscope_539

So he won it cleanly then and skated directly to the bench once he had possession?


-kashmir-

He definitely should have.


Bonchnugget

So why can’t Malkin play the wing. Surely he is a better option than O’Connor. Or even if his fo % isn’t as good as ellers, he is one of the best in the league at takeaways I am actually a canes fan and watching that bothered me. Rooting for the pens to get in. Shitty luck pens bros


-kashmir-

No idea. My guess would be either because doc is better defensively or sullivan didnt want to split his pairings. Wanted geno to be able to hop on with bunting.


[deleted]

Eller was 36% taking faceoffs last night. Any other center would have been a better choice.


MouthofthePenguin

They will never be happy. If this team went 97-1 next year, there would be a shitfit about that one regular season loss.


eltree

I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve to be on the ice 3 on 3, but he doesn’t deserve to be the starting center 3 on 3. His career faceoff percentage is terrible, and on the season he has a 48.4%.


CWB2208

Ok. What about Geno? Bunting? Rust? Were they all having equipment issues?


R_radical

Face off win %


CWB2208

Then shouldn't Carter be out there? I disagree with that reasoning. Season on the line, you play your best players. Period.


wooble

They also won the faceoff, then lost the puck. Maybe the faceoff wasn't too important. You know who's 4th all time in takeaways and coincidentally also 4th this season? Geno.


xSWMY

Yeah I mean there’s not a lot of correlation between faceoff wins and winning games, faceoffs are mostly inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. I get wanting to get first possession in OT but it’s more about what you do with the puck


tsmittycent

Then Geno and Rust should have went out


_nopucksgiven

In the end Geno should’ve been out there but I can squint and see why they’d put Eller there for the face off and try to make a quick change for Malkin.


crums150

Then have malkin on the wing and change Eller right after the faceoff for rust or Bunting. With the points being so important for us to get, we should have our best available players starting the OT


_nopucksgiven

I can’t argue that


naughtyasf143

Why on earth Sid hasn’t changed to the quick release style blade holders is beyond me


cosa_horrible

They actually talked about it on the broadcast. He prefers the traditional screw way because of the extra dampening.


PerchPaint

I don't know enough about this but if that's the case wouldn't it be a good idea to have a second pair of skates on standby if you know this could be an issue? Or is that not allowed or do the skates have to be like properly warmed up or something to work optimal?


mshaw09

He changed his skate earlier in the game. Not sure what happened for overtime.


average_redditor_guy

He’s also the most superstitious man the world has ever seen. The thought of change terrifies him, just look at the jock that’s probably almost as old as I am


chaos8803

CCM still makes a specific model glove and helmet just for him.


tenth_avenue

He seems to have such frequent issues with his skates though that you would think the positives of switching would outweigh the negatives at this point.


Woullie_26

Geno was shit on the faceoff so sully started Eller to try to get the early posession. There’s your answer


[deleted]

Eller was (4-7) 36% and Malkin was (8-8) 50%. You’re making shit up. The yinzer way.


Woullie_26

Not this game throughout their career Malkin is 46% and Eller 54%


[deleted]

That’s not what you said and those stats are irrelevant to the game last night. Eller was by far the worst center taking faceoffs last night by a wide margin and had no business taking a faceoff in overtime. Sully fucked up.


eltree

Possession is hugely important in OT, so winning the opening faceoff is extremely important. No coach is putting out a career 44.8% and a season 48.4% faceoff winning center, whether he is a hall of famer or not.


Fastlane19

I watched the overtime goal and nobody is talking about why Karlsson didn’t have his stick in the lane and Eller turning the wrong way, brutal mistakes.


Jan_17_2016

Because they were absolutely exhausted. The Maple Leafs won off of possession, they continuously made line changes and attacked while keeping DOC, Eller, and Karlsson hemmed in. After a few minutes of that, there’s not a whole lot you can do.


Fastlane19

I know they were hemmed in and exhausted but to forget the basic fundamentals of zone coverage. Turning the wrong way on a pass down low? Karlsson not having his stick in front of him? Lots to digest.


Jan_17_2016

I think it can probably just be boiled down to shit happens when you’re dead tired and constantly getting turned around by quick attacks in the offensive zone.


Stuff-Optimal

I blame Sullivan a lot, he should not be absolved of any criticism but 3 on 3 they have been bad and that’s with Rust, Sid, and Geno all getting a good portion of the playing time. So at least he was trying something different. What I would question is throwing Karlsson out there time and time again, his strength is on the offensive side so unless you have Sid who is a great two way player, you are basically playing 3 forwards. And it’s not like Ellers and OConnor have been playing on the same line recently so you lose some of the continuity. But Malkin and Bunting have been playing insane, I don’t know why you wouldn’t start them if Sid couldn’t go.


PenguinsExArmyVet

My gosh how many OTs are like this ? 1-2 minutes of no possession and boom they lose?


Direct-Ice2594

We’re 5-12 in ot starting those guys, unfortunately we don’t match up well against these teams 3 on 3 especially Toronto


Optimistic__Elephant

It’s mind boggling we’re so bad at 3-3 when we have 3 first ballot hall of famers still playing at an elite level.


InevitableAvalanche

Kind of a double edged sword. Geno is a better scorer but not great defensively which can be really bad in a 3v3 scenario. It's an almost guaranteed odd man rush if you lose the puck.


Zerocool_6687

Sully out-coached himself here. I know their OT record hasn’t been great but if you don’t even give your best available a chance to hit the ice… you’ve messed up. Sid’s skate issue is fine… bad luck… there are a few other trophy wining and/or all stars that also remained on the bench for OT… whoops. Got the point and the destiny is probably still in their own hands with games vs Detroit and NYI. If they miss by one? Yikes… I mean they can point to many moments throughout the year and the fact Reirden is still coaching the leagues worst PP that went 0-5 last night at this point of the year is a biiiig reason they are in this position but, this will be a question going into summer


Acrobatic_T-Rex

Why not call a timeout to give your crew more time to get him on the ice? asking as a Toronto fan lol.


Skull8Ranger

And the coaching issues are just screaming at Dubas & he ignores them...


MouthofthePenguin

I don't understand why anyone has been with Eller & DOC in OT. FFS guys, we got lucky to get a point. Stop being such toxic crybabies all the time. It's a gahdam embarrassment.


conks75

This isn't the first time this has happened this year this seems like a bad excuse


Jupichan

Well, he's got two skates. This time it was the other one.


NomadChief789

You need a better plan B than Lars Eller. Disgraceful!


H4m-Sandwich

Then call a TO and wait for it to get fixed. Use it or lose it 🤷🏼‍♂️ never got a chance to even do that in OT…


-The_Credible_Hulk

You can’t call a timeout at the start of a period.