“No, I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day,”
Sang rhymin’ Paul Simon back in 1972.
However, due to the strange and serendipitous circumstances, the Metropolitan Division is so weak and the Pittsburgh Penguin Goaltending was so very, very strong, despite giving up over 3 games’ worth of shots on goal (SOG), 92 in only 2 games, our favorite flightless fowl on the frozen pond found a way to steal 4 of 4 points in the back-to-back series this weekend, holding on to the wisp of hope that they would be invited to the big dance this year: the play-offs. The New York Islanders kept pace with our Pesky Penguin Pesters and are only 2 points behind them with a game in hand; that is to say that they can tie our Penguins in the standings should they win one game.
On the other hand, thanks to the heroics of just one more recent Penguin alumus who is now thriving on another team (discarded by the Penguins’ coach because he couldn’t get along with him), Daniel Sprong who the aforementioned coach deemed unworthy of playing in Pittsburgh, scored both goals for the Anaheim Ducks to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets. (Yes, I went there.) The Blue Jackets’ loss, or Ducks’ win, means that our Penguins are only 1 point away from 2nd place.
So that is the “strange” – now for the “mournful,” as I sit here tapping away at my keyboard and the pitter-patter of rain beats softly down on the eaves…
In the two games played this weekend, opponents of the Penguins launched 140 shot attempts (SA) against our beleaguered Goaltenders, 92 of them found their way on goal. Casey DeSmith was assaulted with 81 SA from the Boston Bruins in the front end of the back-to-back weekend while Matt Murray, fresh from a long lay-off was greeted by 59 SA from the current holders of the bottom spot in the league, Los Angeles Kings on the back end. Of the SA against DeSmith, 63% got through to the net, or 51 SOG. Unfortunately for Murray, the team was probably more than a little tired having survived the Bruins, although the Kings got less SA against him, nearly 70% of the shots got through, 41. Going into last nights’ game, the Kings were only managing 28.4 SOG per game.
Shots against are not the only mournful part of this weekend. Although secondary scoring is picking up, Bryan Rust with the hat trick earlier in the week and another goal last night after only scoring 1 through the first 2 months of the season. With Zach Aston Reese netting 2 goals last night and Derek Grant and Matt Cullen each scoring goals this weekend, it all seems to have come at a bit of a price. The Penguins biggest guns, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are relatively silent. Crosby only has 7 points in the 8 games this month and has a +/- of 0 while Malkin has been held to just 5 points in 8 games and is a -8.
Who knows, maybe Paul Simon is right, maybe
“the Penguins (mother) and Playoffs (child) reunion
Is only a motion away.”
Unfortunately, after giving up 140 SA, 92 of them on goal, all I can see is the Boston Bruins dressed up like Bugs Bunny and the Los Angeles Kings in a Daffy Duck suit pulling tabs off of a calendar, yelling back and forth; “Rabbit Season!” “Duck Season!” all while the Anaheim Ducks (and Daniel Sprong in particular), stand off to the side with an evil grin all decked out in their Elmer J. Fudd costumes replete with all of their hunting accoutrement, licking their chops, repeating, “It’s Penguin (Goaltender) season!”
Th, th, th, that’s all folks!
Odds and Sods
Our Wilkes Barre – Scranton (WBS) Penguins beat the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last night 5 – 2. Ryan Haggerty, who earned himself a 2-year waivers exempt contract with his training camp and preseason showing, finally got on track and led the Baby Penguins with a hat trick. Teddy Blueger and Sam Lafferty had a goal apiece to round out WBS’ scoring. Tristan Jarry turned away 29 of 31 shots for the win. Tonight the Baby Penguins take on the New York Islanders’ farm team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Go Baby Pens!
It really is too early to tell, so I won’t say I told you so (just yet), but since I have already brought it up, have you kept an eye on Daniel Sprong? His early returns are looking pretty good as he tries to climb his way out of the mind games he was subjected to here in Pittsburgh that played with his confidence. The kid that Mike Sullivan felt wasn’t good enough for this team has 3 goals in 5 games, including the OT winner last night and a game-deciding goal in a shootout. If you have been watching him, the 3 goals in game action and the Shoot Out goal were all pretty much things of beauty. All were goal scorers’ goals. All were the kind of goals I would love to see Penguins score. Although I do wish him well, and do want to splatter a huge I told you so across the Pittsburgh Skyline for Sullivan to read, I really hope he cools off a bit when the 2 clubs clash tomorrow. Ego is fine but Penguin wins are far, far better – Go Pens!
Hello The Other Rick,
I will take 4 points. Whatever we’ll take it ..I suppose..It good to see little depth scoring it’s no enough..
But-Penguins needs to be better than this.
Penguins are very one and done. Very sloppy and weak against teams. Bad puck management . Defenseman are to blame for that. Bad breakouts and passing to fowards that create breakdowns where teams stealing the puck from them . Constantly hemmed up in their zone. Bad puck carriers to fowards. Defenseman brutal turnovers . Some fowards not including Sid&Jake are very cute simply unaware on the ice. Bad turnovers and don’t attempt to defend… Blowing leads and forgetting to play hockey..
Giving teams to man opportunities to shoot anywhere. They are not ready to play and they get to their game very late. Teams are dictating the territory and the game on the ice. Teams that sucks and having the worst t season look better than them and have better transition game to get Penguins zone to do whatever they want. Spend to much time in their zone.. getting outplayed with teams solid game planning.. Sullivan is getting out coached at times..
Everything on the ice. Solely goes to Mike Sullivan..Mark Reechi..
Crosby&Guentzel? Doing their job. They come to play hockey every game. It doesn’t go on the scoresheet every game. You see it..
Showing brilliance and doing their best all season. Biggest problem for them . They have some points .Working hard to get more goals . They are constantly defending before they can get any sustainable offensive pressure.They do not have a consistent complementary RW. It isn’t good. Simon and Rust don’t fit that. People raved about it to much . They don’t fit short term or long term. It’s sad . Best player in the world. Do not have great right winger on his line every game. He deserves better . Rust slows them both down. They are often one and done every shift. Constantly defending. Support down low for defenseman.
They happen to take it upon themselves to create their own breakouts and rushes to get to the offensive zone. No offensive pressure at all.
Rust doesn’t know what he’s doing and completely lost . He’s weak on the puck and boards. Doesn’t win puck battles. He doesn’t open up space for them. He to busy wanting to take the puck to the net and doesn’t fit at all. Rust and Crosby never work together . So I don’t understand the constant promotion from Mike Sullivan. He got a hatty one goal in 2 games with Pk work. Doing little better and get rewarded with hard work. He still belongs on bottom lines.
Also Teams are very heavily defending Guentzel and Crosby every game.. So RW needs to be better and open space…
Jack Johnson needs to be away from Crosby and Malkin. They are constantly defending and constantly smother offensively from him . I guess. That’s Mike Sullivan’s way to get him better stats because he still drags down this team. His partner and Penguins offensively. Eye test speaks volumes.
71 w/ 73: 175:34mins, 47.32 CF%
71 w/o 73: 293:49mins, 52.49 CF%
87 w/ 73: 117:57mins, 52.35 CF%
87 w/o 73: 350:07mins, 57.71 CF%
He pull them down..they are constantly defending..he shouldn’t be paired with them at all..
Malkin? He going throw major slump. I expect him to turn around and simplify his game. Biggest thing for him is that he wants to cheat offensively. Turnovers and mental lapses where it goes to his zone for goals.
Penguins needs to better and very prepared attention to details hockey against more better teams that will make the game ugly for them…Stop letting to much shots every and be more disciplined to attention to details to win games..
.
Malkin? He doesn’t let the game come to him. He needs to stay little more defensive mind and simplify more to his game. Keeping shooting and stay disciplined. Stay aware and stop being cute with puck. He gotta be better centering his line.. I would say this. Mike Sullivan is truly the solely reason for this. He come be playing hurt . I hope not. Or he’s tired of Sullivan and Recchi. Regardless how people felt about Hagelin’s point production he was very very great for the Penguins and Malkin’s line. He gave a Malkin needed space with great defensively effort every game. and get puck handling to let Malkin do what he wants..
Reechi? He has been bad with the fowards. Bad powerplay.. Fowards do not like Mark Reechi. He’s a yes man. To much watching not enough coaching with better prepare hockey for fowards to respond on the ice..
He’s has favoritism with certain fowards as well. Simon and other players..They don’t like the love tap and pat on their back from him..etc..
Nice to see very very good goaltending…
Great B2b games for 4 points. Very good positives and very bad positives..
painful things to want on the ice..
Penguins needs to get their crap together. Coaching staff needs to be better than this.. Team identity is all over the place. One minute defending well and better… One minute a hitting team with physical.. One minute very skilled globetrotting team..
I will not blame players to much. Never.
the team we want to become” better learn their defensive responsibilities. I thought we have been better for the ‘last past games defensively’ -Sullivan.
Very much in denial. For two past seasons.
Penguins got lucky wins against a lousy team /injured young team that fired over 92 shots at with Sullivan’s rehab project. I thinking this act is gonna be exposed In an ugly way the next few games if you don’t figure out a way to tighten it up PDQ. If not, Penguins will have a uphill battle to climb ..unfortunately
Sprong? It what it is. He probably be probably reach great potential with 15 goals, 35 points for the Ducks..
Penguins needs some coaching consistency and coaching changes..
Rudwedel is negative plus rating due to Jack Johnson. He was pretty good without him. Play great with Dumoulin.. I would keep Rudwedel as number 7 or 8 Defensemen. He does his job with a better defenseman.. Because mike Sullivan won’t give Ethan Prow no time up here..
Johnson stats and eye test bring down this team..
Read It:
58 w/ 73: 104:37, 53.23 CF%; w/o 73: 475:49, 57.03 CF%
6 w/ 73: 95:19, 47.09 CF%; w/o 73: 377:13, 49.18 CF%
28 w/ 73: 86:04, 46.78 CF%; w/o 73: 11:52, 57.69 CF%
2 w/ 73: 74:43, 44.44 CF%; w/o 73: 80:52, 60.53 CF%
3 w/ 73: 55:36, 41.30 CF%, w/o 73: 432:27, 46.92 CF%
Wow Dee,
Eye opening stats to say the least. Is there a site that keeps those stats or did you go thru the NHLs web site to calculate them from the Full Play-by-Play page? I have been looking to look at those types of stats; not just for CF% but for +/- as well.
Also are those numbers CF% at Even Strength or Total TOI?
I am just wondering if there is a phase of the game that the friends of JJ can point to in justification of him. As much as I am not afraid to have the hard conversation or write the negative piece about a player, I still want to try and be fair (unlike some coach I know of) and notice what a player does right and try and balance out my criticisms with a pat on the back once in a while. just like you and the others. I know it may seem hard to believe after some of my more scathing comments, they tend to stick in peoples memories longer.
Hey The Other Rick,
Mostly, I use http://www.naturalstattrick.com after every game. ( sometimes doing the game intermissions ) I prefer to use my eye test better. I love analyze players on this team on the ice. Then rewatch it on DVR..
Yes. You get Cf % with TOI
Jack Johnson
32 GP
499:42 TOI
CF 445 CA 514
CF% 46.40
http://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerreport.php?
fromseason=20182019&thruseason=20182019&
playerid=8471677&sit=5v5&stype=2
His CF% is bad every game . But Mike Sullivan still deploying with top lines…
Boston game with plus 3 .. that was misleading.. he was brutal..
Sometimes ( really) can Stats can be misleading on certain players Like Määttä his Corsi is low. But he’s has been getting different partner every game or his partner is draining him. Not on the same level. His puckk can put him in a vulnerable spot win he win a battle to win the puck out the zone or bad pinching from partner. Oleksiak has been doing that. I see the small things he does and try hard to defend..
Jack Johnson case . Eye test fits the stats pretty well. He’s bad and brutal. He put his partner in bad position. He cover his partner while they are defending and mostly defending a small mistake that causes more big blunder on the ice.
Coughs the puck to much. Slow. Turn the puck over a lot. Take body to much with cross checks and to eager to take hits out of position. and leave the puck for opponents to get it. Constantly in his zone keep this team hemmed up in their zone. Defends bad into goalie. Bad clear attempts. Low hockey iq . Passing doesn’t connect for offensive pressure and off the rush. He can’t play offensively to defensively and defensively to offensively..
No contextual awareness. His passing Isn’t all that good. Etc..
Penguins get dangerous outshot with him on the ice.
Jack Johnson is a bad luxury that they do not need on this team.
They were better off getting a right handed young defenseman.
Nhl website and hockey reference website with texts from other people’s discussions about players that game.
Last night sequence on Kings second goal. He a gave bad unnecessary hit to Kings player going to Penguins zone. He didn’t use aggressively thinking to use a great gap to take the puck. Then he bad pinch near the blue line near Kings bench and Penguins zone that cause a turnover from Malkin stick . He didn’t have his head on the swivel and awareness. Kings Player stole the puck/anticipated the pinch)He was slow to get back defensively. Pettersson tryna help him out in that brutal sequence. Put Pettersson in a vulnerable. Everyone was puck watching.
Hello The Other Rick,
Every Penguins player is literally better away from him. He brings them down.
Rudwedel deserve to be playing and many times he has be very good when play in he line up..He’s better defenseman than Jack Johnson..
I stated many times that Mike Sullivan is taking his time to shelter and deploy Jack Johnson in a favorable position to look better on the ice. He isn’t. Mike Sullivan start sheltering him about two months after Edmonton game..
That Johnson isn’t it ..He maybe adequate with favorable minutes with stars. It doesn’t give Penguins strength on defense..
Johnson ranks in the 28th percentile in shot share and 21st percentile in xGF% at 5v5 adjusted ice time among NHL defenseman this season.
He make everything bad on the ice. He only impactful for Pk at times.
Other defenseman are getting end of stick and not playing with strengths to succeed. Jack Johnson is getting to much accommodation.
I got a text from a friend about this..
Copy the link to twitter and read it..
https://mobile.twitter.com/sheldons465/status/1074695957118210048
Jack Johnson might be scratched tonight. We’ll see.
Maybe Penguins organization finally realized it was a very poor signing..