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Coach Therrien After Game 2
by Paul on 05/27/08 at 12:00 AM ET
Comments (10)
Q. You had a conversation with Malkin about him being the leader in this game. How do you explain him having zero shots in this game?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: It’s really tough to generate offense against that team. They’re good on obstruction. It’s going to be tough to generate any type of offense, if the rules remain the same. So it’s the first time we’re facing a team that the obstruction is there, and we’re having a hard time skating to take away ice.
We took two penalties tonight on the goalie. We never take penalty to the goalie in the playoff. I’ll tell you something, I reviewed those plays. He’s a good actor. He goes to players, and he’s diving. Took away our power play. Got to get focused. I know our players are frustrated right now. It’s tough to play the game. But Osgood did the same thing against Dallas under Ribeiro.
Our team never go to goalie. We never did it. And we don’t target the goalie. But this is, want to talk about experience, he goes to players, and he knows what to do, I guess.
Q. Obviously you wanted to come out hard tonight, especially after losing Game 1. How frustrating were the first 12, 13 minutes of the game not getting shots on goal?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: It’s tough to generate any offense.
Q. So I understand, you’re concerned about the fact that refs aren’t calling it tight enough on the obstruction right now?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: They’re good at it. They’re pretty good at it. The first thing that I see that they’re really good at it on the obstruction.
Q. Franzen returns tonight. What was your game plan to kind of slow him down?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: No, we don’t have any game plan regarding one player. We have a game plan regarding a team. I thought tonight we played hard. We got some chances. They played well. They played well with the puck.
But it’s hard tonight. Their intensity level was a lot better than the first game. We’re going back home and a place that we were tough to play against. We’re going to try to keep skating, and hopefully with the work ethic by moving our feet. I’ve always been a true believer, when you’ve got speed, you can usually generate more scoring chances or you’re capable to generate penalties. And we don’t have the calls, and we’re having a hard time to generating scoring chances.
Q. You mentioned experience. Is that showing through in the first two games, experience versus youth?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: I thought tonight we played hard. I thought tonight we played hard.
Q. Does Kronwall leave his feet when he hits?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: Occasionally.
Q. Is there anything you can do to give Malkin more space out there?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: I thought his intention was there tonight. We’ve got to keep supporting him, and eventually, players like this, usually they find ways.
FRANK BROWN: Thank you, Coach.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
No, we don’t have any game plan regarding one player. We have a game plan regarding a team.
Ohh, I get it. It was a team effort to punch Franzen in the head in an attempt to slow him down. I get it!
(What do I win?)
Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 05/27/08 at 02:08 AM ET
Meh. He’s no Brian Burke.
Posted by Django on 05/27/08 at 07:57 AM ET
My God, Baghdad Bob has resurfaced behind the bench of The Chosen Flock.
Posted by RWBill from Richmond, VA on 05/27/08 at 08:14 AM ET
Therrien is right about one thing: Osgood is a diver. The slightest touch and he collapses. It’s a shame such a great player has no honor.
Posted by Peter from Washington, DC on 05/27/08 at 08:43 AM ET
When they lose, the Pens act like a bunch of spoiled brats who have had their toys taken away.
And this, right here, is the difference between a team with experience, and a team without it.
Ask any Red Wing player about a bad call that went against them, or a game they feel was officiated unfair? What’s the response? Almost always one sentence, and if the media keeps asking, they keep giving the same answer:
“I haven’t seen the replay yet.”
“I didn’t think it was the right call.”
And they always follow it up with:
“But it’s a fast game and our refs are the best in the world.”
And lastly:
“We can’t worry about that, we just didn’t play hard enough after.”
If I were a Pens fan, I’d be really nervous. It’s real bad news when your coach and captain are stuck on “diving” and “obstruction”. In Crosby’s presser it felt like he was the one bringing it up, the media was hardly even asking about it!
Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 05/27/08 at 09:02 AM ET
Therrien is right about one thing: Osgood is a diver. The slightest touch and he collapses. It’s a shame such a great player has no honor.
+1
Posted by Mike at MHH on 05/27/08 at 01:09 PM ET
Seems like all that looses in sports have the same story,cant just loose because your team was outplayed l ike a real compeditator,but make the officials the scape goat.Its just cry,cry,cry, obstruction,holding or some otrher thing.Its the playoffs for gods sake.REAL HOCKEY.WHINE or is it WINE.
Posted by Rick Blake from Nashville on 05/27/08 at 09:25 PM ET
Know what? No one, not a soul in the Red Wings organization took the officiating to task when they took the first goal away from Holmstrom in Game 1. Yes, that was total thievery and you guys in Penguinburgh know it unless you are a total hockey retard. Not a peep from Babcock, the players, Ken Holland, Steve Yzerman, noboby. Therrien was acting like goals were being recalled in the press conference, when in fact the Pens power play was inept at best. Just shows that you guys have a long way to go before I would really consider myself a legitimate contender for the Cup.
Posted by motorCitySmitty from Hockey Town on 05/27/08 at 09:30 PM ET
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Therrien needs some cheese. And some of his players have very poor memories, or are outright liars. Sykora claims he didn’t touch Osgood, Roberts says he didn’t punch Franzen.
When they lose, the Pens act like a bunch of spoiled brats who have had their toys taken away. The 12 PIM they took on Saturday seems like an anomaly, they’ve had 38, 35, and 46 in their other losses. Classy.
Posted by shep from california on 05/27/08 at 01:36 AM ET