Yes, Sidney Crosby’s game-winning (WG), over time (OT) goal was a thing of beauty. It is just a shame that the full game it self wasn’t.
Winning is not just a good thing, but a great thing, so I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Yesterday, before the game, during a conversation with a friend, I was heard to quote Han Solo, “I have a bad feeling about this”, referring to this season. After the game, despite the win, my “bad feeling” just got worse.
Watching Leon Draisaitl, get a clean shot from between the top of the circles to tie up the game at 1 – 1 at the 1:06 minute mark of the 2nd, then seeing Alex Chaison wide open just a little over 2 minutes later (3:10 min) between the middle of the circles (although falling down) put the Oilers up 2 – 1 and then Chaison and Tobias Reider get in behind the Penguins’ Defense on an odd man break to tie the game back up after Jamie Oleksiak and Patric Hornqvist fought to get our home town boys back on top, does not fill me with any confidence. Although Connor McDavid’s power play goal (PPG) may appear somewhat excusable, since the Penguins’ were short handed, seeing Milan Lucic standing all alone, with no defenders aware of his presence was extremely problematic. Finishing the scoring out for Edmonton, but hardly the last of the bad omens in this game, Drasaitl converted another odd man break on the power play from a McDavid feed.
The game could have easily been a loss. Once again, the Black and Gold was outshot 46 – 31. Our boys of winter did manage more shot attempts (71 – 68) but they missed the net 17 times and had another 23 attempts blocked; less than 50% of the shots attempted made it on net.
Unfortunately for Penguins, Edmonton was far more efficient with their shots. The 5 shots that found the back of the Penguins’ goal were not the only quality shots; at 15:15 of the 2nd period, Murray had to stuff 6′-4″, 201 lb Jesse Puljujarvi on a rebound attempt following a Kris Russell point shot, because Kris Letang could not move Puljujarvi out from in front of Murray or otherwise negate the Oiler’s Forward.
And let’s not forget the mini break-away by McDavid, blazing past Brian Dumoulin and Bryan Rust at the 6:07 mark of the 3rd period. Fortunately for the Penguin faithful, Murray was equal to the task and stoned him to preserve the tie and give Crosby the opportunity for OT heroics and to work his magic. Without Murray’s save, Crosby never has the chance to wow the Edmonton fans with his stick handling skills.
Perhaps, the poor team Defense and disparate shot totals is not the disease but the symptom. Perhaps the real problem here is Mike Sullivan obstinately over-using his top 3 lines and ignoring the 4th line. Granted, the Penguins’ 4th line, as constructed, is a poor excuse for a 4th line. Sullivan may be setting kids up for failure by asking thoroughbreds to pull a plough on the 4th line. Daniel Sprong only played 3:37 last night and Dominik Simon just a little more at 4:19. With players as old as Matt Cullen logging 14:16 and all their star players in their 30s now, not only is Sullivan’s insubordination out of character with his strategy that won the back-to-back Cups, but it is now a recipe for disaster.
Why do I call this in subordination? Simple, JR said in the off-season that Sprong would be on the team this year. So, it would appear that Sullivan is going to do his level best to show JR who is the boss. He has stripped Sprong of any confidence, so much so that as I noted in my last post, Sprong was having trouble stick-handling with no one around him. And he is putting him in a position to fail rather than succeed by playing him on the 4th line.
After watching the suffering Sprong in person at the Penguins’ last home game, I agree with the Sprong haters, at this point, because of circumstances that could be described as calculated, the kid is struggling and hasn’t really earned much more ice time than Sullivan has begrudged him. However, in hypocritical fashion, Sullivan is punishing Sprong while giving veterans a free pass. At this point in the season (and it is early) only Evegni Malkin, Phil Kessel, and Justin Schultz have better points per 60 minutes (P60) than Sprong. Defensively, this year, his numbers aren’t that good, but then again no one is playing all that well. He is better than most offensively and certainly not much worse than others defensively. Sitting Sprong and Simon sends no message for poor defensive play.
In the end, whether or not Sprong and Simon get the ice time, or they get traded for players the temperamental (insubordinate?) Sullivan will play, the Penguins need to roll 4 lines. If the Penguins do not, elder statesman like Cullen and even stars like Crosby and Malkin will not be able to sustain their level of play over the course of the full season and the war that is play-offs. It is early, but things still need to be changed.
A win is a win is a win. You take them all and say thank you. And the Penguins are 4 – 1 – 2. However, anyone sharing my trepidation can be forgiven for their unease. There is plenty of evidence for us to see the glass as half empty right now.
Hi tOR,
Great recap.
What is there to say? This is who/what they are. I lamented earlier that it felt they were once again searching for their identity, but I recant. This is it. They’re going to try to outgun everyone because they can’t stop anyone. I’m still on the fence as to whether they can’t play defense, or don’t want to. Then there was the Toronto game where they could, and did. Was it a fluke?
Jack Johnson has been horrible. I’ve tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, coming to a new team with his good bud, and all, but it’s been more of, well, Jack Johnson. If it’s still more of the same come mid November… ugh! And, pairing him with Maatta has been as if the captain of the Titanic ordered his crew to go to the lower decks and start cutting holes in the hull to help the ship sink faster. Gonchar is a good coach, but maybe he’s not this good.
Sprong certainly hasn’t made much of a case for himself but I agree he hasn’t been given every opportunity possible. They don’t seem to have a plan for him, or at least Sullivan doesn’t. It will serve no one to have him still playing 4-5 minutes a night come February. Like you, though, I’m concerned, and a tad upset, as to why the kid is being penalized for not playing better defense on a team that doesn’t play much defense anyway. He isn’t going to score many goals on the fourth line. Maybe he won’t score many on the first line either. Maybe it’s time to find out and get it over with.
They’re 4-1-2, seven games in so it’s easy to say, “What’s the problem?” Besides the obvious defensive shortcomings, the lead horses ain’t gonna get younger as the season wears on. You’re absolutely correct, they need to roll four lines and manage TOI wisely.
One more thing. Ol’ number 58 has me at the ready with foot in hand. He’s looking pretty good. He’s even been better defensively. If he’s still doing it come February, I will gladly feast on some hoof ala 55.
Hey 55,
Great thoughts! This is what they are. They are a team that is incapable of playing D and need to outgun opponents. I would however interject this, the Toronto game wasn’t a fluke. The only reason they were able to shut out Toronto was that Murray played like the Murray that won the 2 Cups. He stepped into that other realm and turned away all 38 odd shots Matthews and crew sniped off. Last night he played down to what a normal goalie would look like under the assault opponents subject Penguin goalies.
The thing that really scares me is that playing only 3 lines will wear this team out and even Crosby and Malkin will have nothing left in the tank come April and the Pens will be 1 and done.
I really do think Sullivan destroyed Sprong. He could very well be an amazing asset, especially if Sullivan truly wants to run and gun. But at this point, the only way Sprong may ever reach his potential is somewhere other than Pgh. It may be time to trade him for something this team needs desperately; maybe a RHD?
But unless someone has been forcing Sullivan to yoyo Sprong and I am totally wrong here, if I were the GM, after I traded Sprong, I would have a sit down with Sullivan and tell him in no uncertain terms that with his passive aggressive destruction of the asset Sprong he had better win the Cup this year or look for another job. I would tell him that insubordination only works if you win the Cup and playing Sprong 2 minutes a game with no one to help the kid is insubordination when I as GM said that Sprong would be on the team this year. He has to understand that just as the players must do what the coach tells them, the Coach has to do what the GM tells HIM!
I would rather be 4-1-2 than even 4-3-0 but let’s face it, only playing 3 lines instead of 4 thru February means the probability that the team will be trending downward come March rather than upward. Furthermore, run and gun really doesn’t work in the play-offs unless the referees stop pocketing the whistle in April, even if Crosby and Malkin have anything left to give.
As for Letang, I doubt you will have to eat any words come Feb. He may look like he is playing D better but that may only look that way because everyone else on the team is as bad or worse, now that Schultz is out.
If you have to feast on some Crow, you won’t be the only one, so I really do hope I am right there with you munching down in Market Square waiting for the Cup caravan to arrive.
The Other Rick
All good points – Sprong has zero chance of success playing on
the 4th line “Death sentence”!!
As for our defense – Sullivan’s system is tough on defenseman – While Letang is freelancing all over the ice the other (5) defenseman are left
to defend odd man breaks and out manned situations in there own
zone. As for Jack Johnson – I wasn’t a fan of bringing him in but personally i dont think he’s played that poorly considering he’s adjusting to a new system – he leads the team in blocked shots (15) and hits (28).
One last remark – How good would Revo look on our 4th line now – he scored his 2nd goal of the season last night and is logging just under
11min per game. Side note – this is also one of the problems with Sullivan’s coaching style – he refused to give a the 4th line a regular shift and then these players are crucified for their lack of production. Its a long season and beneficial to consistently run with 4 lines.