“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of goal scorers, it was the age of goons. It was the epoch of highlight reel goals, it was the epoch of cheap shots. It was a season of champions, it was a season also-rans. It was Spring of hopes, it was the Winter of frustrations.”
Over the last 10 years, 3 Stanley Cups have gone to our Pittsburgh Penguins, here in the Steel City, and 3 Stanley Cups have gone to the Chicago Blackhawks, up in the City of the Big Shoulders; 60% of the Championships have been won by 2 teams. These two Cities’ teams have won 825 regular season games, scored 4,949 goals or 623 more goals than their opponents. These 2 teams have dominated the landscape of the NHL for a decade.
Tonight, these 2 teams will clash. At one time, in the recent past, this game would have been one of the most anticipated games on the NHL calendar. At one time, in the recent past, this game would be a Clash of Titans. Tonight, this game is little more than a shadow below the limelight of the NHL big stage. Tonight, rather than 2 teams fighting for control of their respective divisions and conferences, it is nothing more than the 19th ranked team vs the 31st ranked team. The game is a contest between the bottom end of the middle of the pack vs the worst team in the league. This is not March 1, 2014
Granted, because of the weakness of the Metropolitan Division this year, our Penguins could still steal a play-off spot but tonight’s game could really be more a question of draft pick positioning.
Our Penguins are 6 – 2 – 2 over the last 10 games and have picked up points in the last 4 games. Perhaps our team, the Steel City team is trending upward. The first 2 wins of this current point streak were convincing wins; 1 against a top 10 team. But the final 3 points have come in an Over Time (OT) loss to the 24th ranked team and a Shoot Out (SO) win against the 18th ranked team. That which makes these last 2 games even less convincing of a true turn around is the lack of scoring in those games. The once high flying flightless fowl were grounded to just 2 goals in 126 minutes and 20 seconds.
Let’s hope that the current down swing in the Penguins scoring is just temporary and not a decline in ability. Let’s hope that the dearth of recent goals reflects the team finally trying to learn how to play in their own zone (the team has held its opponents to less than 30 shots on goal against in 3 of the 4 games during this streak) and they are not able to do both while they learn the basics of NHL defense.
Do I believe the above? Or do I believe the Penguins are still just a “Jekyll and Hyde” team? I really wish I could believe. I really want to have to “eat crow” for my pessimistic opinions over the first 2 1/2 months of this season. However, I am sorry, it still just doesn’t feel right. I am still waiting to see who will become Mike Sullivan’s next “ugly step child”. I am still fearful that another Penguin will whither in the coach’s dog house. I still fear that once other teams adjust to the Penguins long over due changes, that we fans will be subjected to 2 or more months of Sullivan refusing to acknowledge that the league has adjusted.
On the bright side, Jake Guentzel has been running hot so far this month leading the team with 6 points (1 goal and 5 assists) in the 5 games played so far in December. Phil Kessel also continues to be an offensive force, falling in behind Guentzel a close second with 5 points (2 goals and 3 assists). Brian Dumoulin has been the defensive anchor so far during this holiday season with a +5.
Penguin’s big guns; Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have struggled so far this month with only 4 and 3 points respectively, this month (Struggled – well, struggled for players of their stratosphere)
Chicago currently has the worst record in the league; 9 – 18 – 5. They score 2.72 goals per game, good (maybe bad enough) for 26th place among all teams. And the Blackhawks cede 3.75 goals per game, 2nd highest average in the NHL. Chicago is also coming in on the back end of back-to-back games. We Penguin’s fans can only hope that this will be the game that gives our favorite team its confidence and swagger to turn it on. We can dream that our aquatic fowl will act more like sharks at a feeding frenzy on the ice tonight. We can wish for the best of times, but what is the old saying about wishing in one hand?
Let’s temper our enthusiasm though. Ottawa is the only team that has a worse goals against average than Chicago and our hapless birds of the pond could only manage 1 goal. If the Penguins don’t get at least 3 goals, this may actually be the worst of times.
Let’s keep a good thought. Maybe our Sidney (Crosby not Carton) will do a far, far better thing tonight. I will stop the allusion there.
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