Beaten, battered, and bruised, our Pittsburgh Penguins have found a way to stay relevant in the 2019-2020 rendition of “the chase for Lord Stanley’s Cup”. Beating the Chicago Blackhawks last night may not seem like much of an accomplishment to some, especially considering that it took a Shoot Out (SO) to do it. After all, the once feared franchise is foundering with only 3 regulation time Wins (W) this year. But this story may not be so black and white. Our hometown hockey heroes early season struggles to stay sound may be forging a formidable force.
Bryan Rust started the season off on the IR. While that may seem unimportant, consider this, the speed merchant has 7 Points (Pnts) in the 6 Games Played (GP). Yes, Rust has been a bit streaky through his career with his scoring, but his contribution in the PK and pressure he puts on opposing Defenses with his speed are always there.
Soon after the season started Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bjugtstad went down with new injuries and Alex Galchenyuk finally succumbed to a nagging preseason injury, leaving a major whole in the Penguins roster.
Kids were summoned from Wilkes Barre – Scranton (WBS); Sam Lafferty, Adam Johnson, and Joseph Blanisi, to hold the fort and they did. Not only did they hold the fort, but they helped Captain Sidney Crosby put up a touchdowns worth of goals in 4 separate games.
Six games ago, the injured started filtering back into the line-up. Unfortunately, that prosperity was short lived. In only a couple of games of a full line-up, Patric Hornqvist was injured. The 2 games ago Kris Letang went down. The team stumbled a little and briefly fell out of the Wild Card hunt. Boston quickly staked themselves to a 3 goal lead, but then our tuxedo wearing water fowl reasserted their character. They climbed back into the fray, even gaining a lead for a brief moment before dropping that game.
Then they did unthinkable, sans Hornqvist and Letang, they came back against an Islander 3 goal 3rd period deficit to win in Over Time (OT).
Last night our aquatic avians wrote another chapter in their story of resilience. A desperate Chicago Blackhawk team, fighting for their very survival came into town on a night the black and gold was celebrating real life leaders and heroes and tried to ruin that celebration.
The visitors grabbed themselves a quick 2 goal lead. Dominik Kubalik drew 1st blood when Justin Schultz made a questionable decision to pinch in to hold the puck in nearing the midpoint of the 2nd period. The Hawks broke back on what became, effectively a 4 on 1. A couple of tic-tac-toe passes later Marcus Pettersson and Matt Murray were hung out to dry; our Penguins were down 1 – 0. That was at 7:09 of the second.
Patrick Kane double that lead about 1 and a ½ minutes later. Kane broke out of his own zone on a 2 on 2 with Brendan Saad. Saad slipped in behind Dominik Simon and Kane used him as a decoy to freeze Murray long enough to rip a wrist shot past our backstop.
(Yes, Phil, I do think that Murray still had a chance to stop that shot. He did have to respect the fact that Saad beat Simon, but it wasn’t an impossible save to make, just a difficult one. However, that was 1 out of the 31 other shots. Only 2 beat him with the other goal closing in on an impossible one to stop. Furthermore, considering that he robbed Alex Debrincat on the Penalty Kill (PK) about the 16 minute mark do you really want to complain?)
Then Malkin and Jake Guentzel took over. Malkin Flew up ice, through the Neutral zone and down the left wing. He took a quick peak over his shoulder and saw Guetzel trailing the play. After that peak, the big Russian Bear drove toward the net, commanding all focus on him. Then without looking he slipped the puck back in front to his sniper trailer. The Hawks Goalie, who was playing really well, was left helpless. Guentzel cruising his off wing whipped a wrist shot to the back of the net and the lead was cut in half.
No one could have completely blamed our locals if they folded, at the 1:02 mark of the 2rd frame, when their Captain Crosby skated off of the ice with a lower body injury. However, this team refused to accept what fate was trying to do. Rust, Malkin, and John Marino worked feverishly to tie the score. At about 9:12 of the 3rd, with all attention once again on him, Malkin slipped a sweet little pass a wide open Rust in the slot. Corey Crawford had an answer for that play but couldn’t control the rebound
Rust followed his own play getting the puck free to Malkin once again, who also followed the play. Malkin circled in the Right Wing (RW) corner and slipped the puck up to Marino, about halfway down the boards. Marino drifted backward for a moment then drove back in.
Between watching Marino with the puck, Malkin and Simon, who was standing in the slot, no Hawk noticed Rust swing back up on the back side. Marino displaying a poise and patience above his tender years found Rust and Rust capped off the play he started, tying the game.
I must confess, without Crosby and Letang, I was very fearful that our Pens would only 1 point last night. I really worried that they would not be able to score, nor maintain enough control of the puck, in the extra frame, without their Captain, to prevent Chicago from scoring. They didn’t score, but they kept Chicago at bay and went to the SO.
Once again I worried, Chicago had Kane and Toews, but we only had Malkin. Two of our three biggest guns were in dry-dock. Mike Sullivan opted to shoot 1st and sent Jake the Snake to try and stake the team to a quick lead and the kid didn’t disappoint. He cut in on Crawford, getting him to open up the wickets and slipped the puck 5-hole.
Murray then Stuffed Toews, but Crawford beared down and stopped Malkin.
Kane used some quick hands and great stick-handling to beat Murray and tie the SO up.
It was Jared McCann’s turn next and he swung in with speed, ripping a wrist shot past Crawford before he could get set. While Murray finished off the comeback with an almost nonchalant blocker pad save on DeBrincat.
With all the true heroes in attendance, our Penguins saluted them. They stood up to be counted
This morning, the morning after, there are things to which we all could point and say needs improvement, but I think most of us will admit, despite the warts, there does seem to be something here. Due to superstition, I won’t go any farther down this path. I think most of you get that to which I am alluding, there is an odd feeling a good feeling here.
Despite injuries, bad luck and a couple of let downs, our boys of winter are back in the top 3 of their division with a bit of breathing room for the Spring.
Next Up the New York Rangers, 7:30 on Tuesday the 12th, up in New York, on the eve of my Birthday; just saying 2 points would be a good lead in.
Go Pens!!!
Hi TOR!
A little update on Sidney Crosby’s injury. According to a report from The Athletic’s Rob Rossi, it’s looking like Crosby could be out significantly longer (4-6 weeks) due to a sports hernia.
Yikes! Hope Geno can take matters into his own hands and stay healthy!
Hey Jorenz,
I did see that, and that will hurt.
With Sully trying to push Simon back onto the top line I am worried.
So, by moving McCann to Center the Top Line and replacing him with Simon on the Malkin’s line Sully has effective eliminated both lines.
Fortunately the next game is the Devils, so even though we have struggled against them in recent years, they still are bottom feeders and this year, so far, has been a little different against bottom feeders.
An even bigger fear for me is that JR will panic and trade Poulin or Legare for a spare part. There really isn’t much out there. Granted it appears that with the McCann – Bjugstad trade and the Marino trade JR has been as bad but in general since Botrell left he has been getting taken on trades. When the pressure is on he still throws away players (Galchenyuk for Kessell isn’t looking too good)
We can only hope Geno finds a way to over-come the Simon millstone.
Hi TOR,
As I told you on a previous post, Sully is not very fond of players like Galchenyuk. He is not a two-way player and tends to play east-west, while Sully tends to prefer high tempo north-south. Will Galchenyuk be able to adapt to Sully’s system? So far, it has been tough for him.
I really hope that GMJR won’t push the panic button and trade our two youngsters! I will go banana if he does! But our prospect pool is not that appealing because there is not much to offer. Sometimes, TOR, I wonder if GMJR has a clear direction in mind. I can be wrong but he is not thinking long-term right now.
Hey Jorenz,
You aren’t the only person I know who questions if JR actually has a plan, a direction in mind, I know many people think he is just trying to slap a patchwork quilt together, hoping for the best, since Bottrel left.
Hockey, specifically and sports in general is pretty much a what have you doen for me lately business so, even with all the injuries the team has sustained this season, some people could be looking at JRs recent work, particualrly his media blitz to make life so unbearable for Kessel that he would wave his LNTC and allow himself to be traded. So, it wouldn’t surprise me that JR may be feeling some level of pressure that would cause him to screw the future up even more.
Hey tOR,
I thought Murray had a solid game, made a great save sliding across the crease to stop a perfectly placed cross ice pass.
I watched Johnson come up and have a great first few games, but after the adrenaline wore off he didn’t look so good. I can’t say the same about Lafferty. Lafferty was solid every game. I can see him being first call up and possibly earning a full time roll.
Hey Phil,
Solid is a good adjective here. Even though Chi took 31 shots, the game went OT, so 21 Shots isn’t all that bad. Murray did face 8 shots that were deemed High Danger attempts but it seemed to me that the “D” was in good position most of the time and Murray looked “in control”. It is hard to remember the whole game, but the statisticians said Murray only faced 1 rebound shot.
But for me, I think solid beats spectacular, as we talk earlier about goalies having to be out of position to have to make spectacular saves, I would rather they be fundamentally solid with a solid “D” effort.
It also seemed to me that Schultz was the only “D” over-reaching giving Opponents opportunites. Maybe he feels he has to do more with Letang out?
Johnson? With that kid really only getting 46 minutes of 5 on 5 ice time, I am not really ready to say much more than I would like a better look at him before saying anything more.
But I do agree Lafferty looks good and could possibly earn a real role on the team. With Crosby not going on the road trip, Lafferty will probably get some quality TOI.
Hi TOR!
Hope it is not too serious for Crosby! When he fell akwardly into the boards, it looked like he injured his right harmstring (or could be the left knee as well).
The Pens played catch up hockey and they won once again. My fear is that when the team plays this kind of hockey for a long period of time, it takes a lot of wind out of their sails. But let’s hope for the best.
Hi Jorenz,
Amen to that, I may want to see Sid catch a game off here and there to keep him fresh for the post-season but nothing protracted nor from an injury. Granted, our Pens have put up a 7 spot 4 times this year against weaker goaltending but let;s face it, even NYR is not a gimmie any more. The stretch our Pens are on may not be its toughest, but it certainly no time for a long Crosby absence.
Agreed, I would not want to be the cardiac kids of hockey, coming from even 1 goal deficits all the time is taxing. There have been teams that survive to the post-season like that. And they become fan favorite underdogs, but they fail in the end.
However, as I wrote above, despite some misgivings about our Coach and GM, there is a rumbling here. It still is too early to say, but I feel a slight tremor starting, if it is cultivated.
If can be a very big little word though