Penguins’ Goaltenders save the Weekend: Turn away 86 of 92 shots

“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!