For us Penguins’ fans, there was a lot to like last night as our Pittsburgh Penguins were none to kind to their guests, the Columbus Blue Jackets at the PPG Paints Arena. Our hometown heroes downed the visitors 4 – 1.
Björkqvist – Lafferty – Legare
The line of Kasper Björkkqvist, Sam Lafferty, and Nathan Legare led the way for the Black–n–Gold. Lafferty and Legare had strong initial outings against Buffalo in the first preseason game and built on that success last night. When on the ice, this line seemed to be everywhere at once making plays when they had the puck and harassing the Blue Jackets when they didn’t control the biscuit. As a line they were responsible for 2 of the teams 4 Goals (G), 7 Shots on Goal (SOG), 10 Shot Attempts (SA) in all, 8 Hits, 1 Blocked Shot (Blk), 0 Give Aways (Gv), and 3 Take Aways (Tk).
On this line’s first G, Lafferty (who had a G in the Buffalo loss) won a Face-Off (FO) in the Blue Jackets Right Wing (RW) circle, with the help of Björkqvist, knocked the puck free of the scrum that the draw had become out toward Legare. The puck was in the skates of the Jackets’ defender but Legare found a way to still snap/push a shot off toward the net to pick a his 1st G of the preseason to go with the assist he earned in Game 1.
Just 23 seconds after scoring his 1st G, Legare notched his second. Working feverishly in the corner Björkqvist and Lafferty harassed and harried the Blue Jackets defense until Björkqvist was able to pop the puck off of the Jackets defender and out to a wide open Legare, who drifted through the attacking until he found an open spot high between the circles. The young RW wasted little time driving the puck past Goalie low glove side.
This kid (Legare) could turn out to be the steal of this past year’s draft. The scouts and coaching staff keep saying that he needs to work on his skating, and that may well be true, but even if he really does need to work on his skating, he still finds a way to score goals and fore-check. Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that the team try and rush him into the pros and set him up for failure like another young gun of the recent past. Our favorite flightless fowl appear to have enough offensive assets that they need not risk impeding Legare‘s development and ruining his contract status. However, I am looking forward to maybe next year or the following one. This young gun may be one of the more exciting players of the league in the near future.
Although Legare may be just getting his feet wet against NHL talent and most likely headed back to the juniors, Lafferty and Björkqvist certainly could pressure for a roster spot. It may not happen out of the gate, due to the team’s Cap constraints, but they may be turning some of the veterans into trade bait. These 2 players may provide options for personnel moves later in the season. But then again, they could set up that trade before camp breaks up to get Cap compliant right now.
Björkqvist picked up 2 Assists (A) last night but he was only fractions of an inch from reaching the score board on several other plays. Early in the 1st period, the Swedish wing took a Lafferty pass and swung behind he Jackets net for a wrap around attempt that was just a bounce a way from resulting in a Lafferty goal.
Later, during a Penalty Kill (PK), Björkqvist, just missed scoring his 1st G of the preseason with a wicked backhand attempt off the rush. The shot had the goalie beat but rung off the post.
Guentzel
Jake Guentzel earned 2nd star honors, setting up the team’s 1st goal and then scoring the game winner.
On the 1st goal, Evgeni Malkin won a Power Play (PP) FO back to Justin Schultz. Schultz went point-to-point with a pass to Guentzel. Guentzel continued drifting toward the RW boards, drawing all of the defensive attention to the right, freeing up Alex Galchenyuk. Guentzel then fed the puck to the newly acquired winger. Galchenyuk took his time, looked the net over, and snapped off a wrist shot. The puck deflected upward off a Jacket defender sliding over late and past the goalie.
Columbus tied it up about 8 minutes into the 2nd period, but Guentzel struck about 4 minutes later to give the lead back to our aquatic avians, this time for good. Schultz started a breakout of his own end along the RW boards, passing up to Malkin. Malkin skated the puck up through center ice, crossing with Galchenyuk at Columbus’ blue-line. Guentzel split his 2 teammates as they entered the zone, going down the slot while Malkin entered on his off wing and Galchenyuk stayed high to the left. With the defensive attention on him, Malkin lifted a backhand pass to the open Guentzel. The puck was bouncing and the Penguins’ LW couldn’t settle it, but Guentzel found a way to bat it at the goal and over the net minder’s shoulder, into the net.
Malkin
Malkin ended the game with 1 A, 4 SOG, 6 TSA, was a +1, and won 9 of 12 FOs. Malkin almost notched another A when he fed a beautiful saucer pass to Galchenyuk sneaking down toward the post. Galchenyuk batted the puck toward the net, showing good hands, but this time the visitor’s goalie was up to the challenge. I did find it a bit problematic when one of the Penguins’ announcers, who shall remain nameless, decided to complain about the play. Showing a complete lack of tactical knowledge or worse, trying to justify managements criticisms of the big Russian Center, said announcer was heard to utter something to the effect that Malkin should have taken the shot himself and that one of the coaches more than likely Mike Sullivan would have a conversation with the Penguins’ star and former Conn Smythe winner over the play. The reason Malkin had both the shot and the pass as an option is that the defender had to respect both the pass and the shot and hesitated.
If Malkin simply takes those shots, every time, and never passes, the defender doesn’t hesitate and disrupts the play before it opens up. Malkin becomes predictable and ineffective. Malkin took 6 total shots, 4 of them on goal, stop fussing over the man setting himself up for later success.
Murray
Matt Murray turned away 27 of 28 SOG. More importantly, the Penguins’ back-stop looked calm and cool, like he did while winning 2-Cups; absorbing shots or redirecting them out of harms way. Perhaps Murray’s best save was when he flashed the leather to glove down an Emil Behmstrom shot, late in the 3rd period.
The Defense
Well, there still is some room for improvement here. As a team, they did manage to cut down the shots, keeping the total under 30. They also reduced the number of odd man breaks. However, there were times when they made Murray earn his preseason win, ceding wide open looks. Furthermore, there were several occasions when Columbus got the team running around in its own zone.
Marcus Pettersson and John Marino did play very well, and certainly were an exception to my previous criticism. When they were on the ice, the defense appeared more in control of their game and their stats showed it. Pattersson and Marino both finished the game +3.
Schultz did have 2 As but he was often saddled with David Warsofsky.
Now, I don’t want to totally put down Warsofsky but it was no surprise to me when Columbus scored while he was on the ice. It is not that I think he is horrible, but there is a reason why, at age 29, he is still an AHL player.
All-in-all though, the defense was good enough to put the team in a position to win last night against Columbus, in preseason. Hopefully, when the defensive roster shakes itself out, and Brian Dumoulin and Juuso Riikola get out on the ice on the left side, with last nights Right-Handed Defensemen (RHD) the new defensive schemes will transition more fluidly.
Next up Columbus, again, tomorrow at 2:00 pm
Go Pens!!!
