After hitting a 3 game skid at the trade dead line, our favorite flightless fowl may be ready to take it on the wing a gain. They are now on a 3 game win streak. This streak started out modestly, eking out victories over the Islanders and Flames, but last night they flattened the Flyers. The win may have proved costly however, as the Flyers Robert Hagg drilled Bryan Rust into the boards. Rust immediately left the game, under his own power, but did not return.
Before I go any further, since I have been lambasting Conor Sheary, I should give him a shout out. Conor Sheary slammed home a rebound on a Sidney Crosby initiated 2-on-1 rebound shot (It turned out to be the game winner). The diminutive winger also converted a Jake Guentzel center-point shot that kicked off of a Flyer skate and onto his stick. With Petr Mrazek up challenging Guentzel’s shot, he was once again helpless to stop Sheary’s shot.
Although, the bulk of the work on both goals was performed by others, the shots Sheary converted were in no way easy. On the first goal, Sheary had to show great skating ability to stop his momentum that would have taken him out of the play and then reach back across his body, on the back hand to tap the rebound into the open net. On the second goal, Sheary had an open net, but was on a bad angle and falling down when he released the puck.
My wife laughed at me, suggesting that I would have to eat crow today. I couldn’t help but remember a discussion I had on these boards yesterday with one of our frequent readers, involving Grace Slick. I suggested that Ms. Slick could find the one pill that would make Sheary 10’ tall. Hmm
Mind you, I am not going to retract any statements I have made, but for now, I am extremely willing to celebrate Sheary breaking his slump.
Crosby, Guentzel, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel kept on rolling last night. Crosby had 3 assists, one on the opening goal of the game and one on the game winner. Guentzel notched 2 assists, including his 20th assist of the season. Malkin notched a goal and an assist and Kessel picked up another assist.
Tristan Jarry also had a big game turning away 26 of 28 shots in the victory. Many people (not me) were ready to write the rookie goalie off after a bad game, easily forgetting some of the big games he had earlier this year. Maybe I would rather have more veteran goalie to back up Matt Murray, since the team defense is at best Jekyll and Hyde, but the kid is a good goalie.
Jamie Oleksiak also stood tall with a goal, an assist, and a scrum with Brandon Manning. I sort of wished they would have handed out fighting majors so the “Big Rig” could have converted his Gordie Howe Hat Trick.
Unfortunately, the injury to Rust could prove Pyrrhic, if the spark plug is out for any length of time. The kid’s speed and tenacity will be hard to replace. Sheary doesn’t bring any physical edge to his game. Although Rust isn’t all that big, he plays big and Fearless. Sheary really can’t replace Rust. As for Rowney, his lack of scoring touch really could harm the offense.
One thing about these Penguins though is that they have tons of character and injuries really bring out the best in this team.
speaking of injuries…. on my Bantam team ( 14 year old) if a player hits my goalie in the head with a slap or wrist shot…they get yelled at plus it’s 25 push-ups!!
during practice!!
Hey Pen’s4ever,
Last I read on Murray was that although he was skating, he really wasn’t taking any shots at all, since getting dinged in practice. The Blurp I read suggested that a coach may have been lobbing a puck at his leg pads but that is about all.
If 14 year old players do 25, NHLers should be doing at least 50!
I did know a college wrestler that could do over 120 in a minute.
I am trying not to come out and say anything negative at the moment (hence no full article), but Rust and Simon appear to be out long term and that concerns me. Hopefully, a fresh start, new team for Jooris will spark something.
The good news is that the last I read, Matthews is not expected back tomorrow night either. I sure would hate to get caught in a track meet with the Leafs if he does play.
Hi.
It’sGood. Sheary came out his slump but I still think he shouldn’t be on Crosby’s line permanently (it doesn’t work in my eyes for long term consistency that Crosby needs for right wing) and I love Guentzel and Crosby together. It’s beautiful. Some people seems to want to reward him(Sheary) back on Crosby’s line after two goals where he was still falling down with bad Passing. I don’t think so.
Every time that happens he continues to be streaky, very bad, careless and mess up how Crosby likes to play.Etc. It will happen again it with Sheary weighing Crosby and Guentzel down. Defensively bad line with Sheary is with them. Maybe for now because Simon and Rust is injury.
I hope they call Sprong to be Guentzel and Crosby. I prefer them together. I wish Sprong can be up here long term with Guentzel and Crosby. I don’t understand the long leash with Sheary than Sprong. He wasn’t that bad to me . He was great and some say he disappeared in 2 games when Sheary was way worse. Some have this bad narratives about him that I don’t see at all. I think some players from AHl transitions different in NHL than some players.
I hope Sprong can come up for awhile then once Simon is back he plays with Crosby and Guentzel.
Do you think Sheary should be reward on Crosby’s line? Long term?
I understand Brassard happens to make a transition from Ottawa ‘s system to Penguins ‘ system but Hornqvist can probably driving him more with Sheary . Kessel and Malkin are Better together with Hagelin . Hornqvist should be the third line grinder with Brassard. In the playoffs and full time Malkin and Kessell should be together. Imo
Do you think? Kessell should go back with Malkin ?
Defense slightly better in the three period to frustrate the Flyers. Pens still needs to work harder being better defensively. Team unit. Better Puck Management. Better urgency. Keep passing but stop to much passing like on the power play and bad passing in the neutral zone.
They look like were months ago with Cole being scratched. Ok Win. They have work to do before playoffs and hopefully can keep line together consistently for better rhythm and stability. JO and Shultzy are not to bad together . I like Määttä-Schultz together than JO -Shultz. I know just Ruh came back but Määttä needs better D partner . Not Rudweddel or Hunwick. Same thing goes O I wanna see Pedan can do
Good to hear from you Dee,
Not going to argue with you at all, it is good to see Sheary snap that slump and in a big way against the cross-State rivals. We can take up other discussions about him at a later date. For today, I am going to let the Kid revel in his 2-goals. They were good hard working goals.
Malkin + Kessel? That is a tough one. I like the Hydra that the Penguins can throw at their opponents, particularly once the playoffs start. Putting Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel on 3 separate lines causes so much pressure on opposing teams D and Coaches and cannot be over-estimating. However, we are still in the regular season and a Malkin + Kessel combo is explosive to say the least. Although Stanley Cups are what matters at the end of the day, I can’t deny that a couple of individual awards at the hardware convention at the end of the season would be nice to see for a change as well.
I may have questioned some things Sullivan has done this season, but let’s face it, the guy was absolutely deserving of the coach of the year the last 2 years running. Not giving him the Coach of the year only served to diminish the meaning of the trophy. Worse than the previous years snubs with the Pens challenging for a 3-peat, something no coach has done since the very early 80s, there still is little to no mention of Sullivan in that coach of the year discussion this year either. Yes Vegas and NJ are nice Cinderella stories, but come on, how can you not talk about a coach poised on entering the history books.
Like you, I would love to see what Pedan could do. He has missed several games in WBS, I am not sure if he is injured or not. For now, however, I will bide my time, as long as Hunwick stays off of the ice
I understand crow becomes palatable if you slather it with hot sauce.
😉
If that hot sauce keeps the fires burning then indeed it does become very palatable
Hi tOR,
There ya go. Talk about Sheary and he puts on the dog to prove us wrong. Did he go ask Alice? Did he get a pill via FedEx? (I’d guess it was the one that makes you larger.) Kudos to #43 on a good game! It was good to see. It has to be a much-needed boost to his confidence. Some of the media are already crowing his reemergence. I hope they’re right. If he’s still doing it five, or six, games from now… That’ll be a big lift going into the playoffs, having a steady, functioning first line.
It’s always satisfying to fell the Flyers. It wasn’t exactly sixty minutes of pretty hockey, but it worked. At times it felt like the puck was a hot potato. They played much better after the bench was shortened. There’s that resilience again.
I think Jarry will be fine. He has to be. If it’s Jarry and DeSmith going into the playoffs, then that’s what it is. Both have proven they can hold their own. Worse things could happen in the fourteen remaining games. And, the Jekyll and Hyde defense will present some problems no matter who’s between the pipes.
And, finally, we now may see if the dog house has a two-way, open door policy. If Rust and Simon have to be down for a time, will Sprong get the call? Tune in tomorrow.
– 55
Hey 55,
I wish all superstitions would work that way and well. I would rant and rave about them all just so they would prove me wrong. To bad Sheary didn’t get 3 goals last night then we could have added some Madhatter quips.
I don’t mind at all having a player come out and put on the Ritz like that, possibly making me look wrong. I would rather be wrong and celebrating a 3-peat, than right and sulking in May and the rest of the summer.
When Hagg hit Rust, I must admit I wished Reaves was still here. Hagg may not have let up any, but then again maybe he would have thought a nano second on it, giving Rust a little more time to escape most of that hit.
I guess we will have to wait and see what the results of further examinations on Rust and Simon show. Rust is a RW and Simon a LW. DO they really try and replace Rust with Rowney? if Rust is out that is.
I just hope that egos do not play a part in the decision making process and cool evaluation is used, evaluation aimed at maximizing results, not just simply, surviving or getting by.