When I was in third grade, my dad took me to Bethel Park Senior High School for swimming lessons. I did okay while the lessons took place in the shallow end of the pool. However, after accidentally/on purpose missing several Saturdays I was chagrined to learn the class had moved to the deep end.
To say I was tense would be an understatement of the highest magnitude. Terrified was more like it. Into the water I plunged, clutching my Styrofoam paddle board in a veritable death grip. Feeling the water wash over me, I panicked. Thrashing about, I let go of the paddle board (never said I was smart). In an instant, I began to sink. An instructor had to dive in and save me.
So much for swimming lessons.
Our Penguins face a sink-or-swim test of a different kind…a push for a Stanley Cup playoff berth.
Unlike yours truly, our guys have stayed afloat through the treacherous deep end of their schedule…even when they endured a rough three-game patch last week that saw them blow a pair of late leads.
On Thursday night, the black and gold pulled themselves together in the wake of another blown lead and clipped Nashville in a shootout. Last night they managed to protect a lead, staving off a late charge by Dallas to prevail, 3-2, and secure a much-needed two points.
“I feel like the mentality was just, ‘Bear down,’ ” said Jared McCann, the game’s No. 1 star. “Obviously, it was in the back of our heads, what’s happened in the past here, but we just tried to take one shift at a time, and we got the job done.”
There was no shortage of heroes. McCann struck for two big goals, including a spectacular spinning short-handed tally off the rush early in the third period that served as the game-winner. It was the speedy newcomer’s third short-handed goal with the locals and his third two-goal game.
McCann (11) and sidekick Nick Bjugstad (six) have tallied 17 goals between them since arriving in a trade with Florida on February 1. The guys we dealt…Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan…have five goals combined since leaving the ‘Burgh.
I said it before and I’ll say it again. What a trade.
Jake Guentzel continued his run to 40 goals (he’s got 38) with a beautiful marker from a sharp angle to open the scoring. Matt Murray, who very quietly is giving his team a chance to win every night, turned in another laudable performance with 29 saves…15 in the third period. He made several huge stops, including a pad save on an absolutely filthy move by Alexander Radulov that faked poor Kris Letang out of certain unmentionable parts of his equipment, if not his entire uniform.
Heck, even Phil Kessel, who hasn’t scored a 5-on-5 goal in 26 games and counting, got into the act with a pair of beautiful setups. The kids…McCann and Teddy Blueger…seem to be rubbing off on old No. 81. Kessel appears to be more energized of late, giving hope that we might be witnessing a rebirth of the HBK (MBK?) Line.
For the record, Blueger enjoyed another strong game. He was plus-two with an assist while blocking two shots and winning six of 11 faceoffs. Amazing what a little faith and ice time can do for a youngster.
Speaking of kids, rookie Adam Johnson had four hits and a blocked shot while skating a paltry eight shifts. I’d love to see what he could do with a little more playing time. A whole other issue.
Back to my original thrust. The Pens are doing what they need to do to garner a playoff spot. Over the past 15 games, they’ve endured only two regulation losses. Which means they’ve picked up at least one point in each of the other 13 contests while going 9-2-4 over that span.
Yeah, at times we’ve looked like a dart thrower who keeps missing the bulls-eye. But we’re at least hitting the board…enough to earn 93 points and climb into a second-place tie in the Metro with the Islanders, a lone point behind division-leading Washington. Just as important, we’ve opened up a nine-point bulge over Columbus, the team we need to keep in our rear-view mirror, although the floundering Blue Jackets have two games in hand.
With six games remaining on their regular-season slate, the Pens are passing their sink-or-swim test. Okay, maybe not with flying colors. But enough, I think, to secure a playoff spot.
Hi Rick!
I enjoyed reading your article! You guys on Penguinpoop have a particular of drawing your analogies! It makes me smile!
I’ve just learned that Letang is injured…again! If I can use a musical analogy, Led Zeppelin would probably say that the song remains the same with Letang! I would bet a toonie (a Canadian two-dollar coin) that Letang reinjured his neck. During his absence, the Pens swam pretty well with a 7-2-2 record. Offensively, he can still be a factor but his D-coverage are painful to watch. He also has trouble dealing with his temper. That could be costly if he loses it during the playoffs. Opponents are very aware of that flaw.
For the time being, the Pens can swim but I don’t feel the same smoothness as they had in their Stanley Cup runs. They keep their heads above water. I always wonder, before each game, if the D, the goalies are going to make it. It has been nerve racking to watch the Pens this year.
If they clinch their playoff spot, I don’t think they will swim a long distance run. There are too many unknown factors to be wholly confident. I have this sinking feeling but I hope, deep down inside, that I could be wrong…
Hey Jorenz,
I like the way you stayed with the waterlogged spirit of things … 🙂
The Pens ain’t always pretty, that’s for sure. And they need to learn how to play with a lead if they’re going to have any success come the playoffs. But there are things I like about this team. The kids for one…McCann and Teddy Blueger (two goals tonight against the Rangers) have provided a spark, as have fellow newcomers Bjugstad and Gudbranson. Although he hasn’t gotten a ton of ice, I like what I see in Adam Johnson. And Murray’s in a groove.
My fear? When some of the injured players come back, Sully will play favorites (Simon) and put guys like Blueger and Gudbranson in mothballs. A huge mistake.
I like our current chemistry and would hate to see it get screwed up. Along those lines, I know what you mean about Letang. Overall, I think he’s had a really good season. But he does tend to giveth at one end of the ice and taketh away at the other. And yes, he has a temper…and difficulty controlling it.
Bottom line? Like you, I don’t get a Stanley Cup vibe from this team. But I don’t dislike our chances, either. There are signs that they’re jelling…at least with the current mix. And they could sneak up on some teams come postseason…especially if they’re matched against a foe that stokes their competitive fires.
Rick
PS–Never heard of a toonie…thanks for educating me … 🙂
Hi Rick,
The trade McCann/Bjugstad has been very profitable so far. I think McCann should be on the first line with Crosby and Guentzel. Rust is not bad but I see him more on the 2nd / 3rd line. Gudbranson is not bad either as a 3rd D-pair.
As for Simon, I still don’t understand why Sullivan likes him so much. I see him more as an AHLer or a 4th NHL liner at most. His hockey IQ is not the highest and his on-ice peripheral vision can be problematic at times. When he played with Crosby and Guentzel, he was really struggling.
As you mentioned in the last paragraph of your comment, the Pens are capable of the best if they remain consistent. The playoffs are an entirely different game. So, surprises can be expected.
PS- To complete your education 😉, a Canadian one-dollar coin is called a loonie (you can see the loon on one side of the coin).
Hey Rick,
Love the analogy. It is sink or swim time.
I must confess that I am not as pessimistic about our Skating, Sphenisciform Seabirds. They still aren’t playing well enough for me to keep my June schedule clear, but they (at least certain players) have picked it up enough, combined with at least one – one time – contender now struggling (after going all in at the trade dead line) to make me keep April wide open.
More importantly, the development of McCann, as you point out, would seem to give hope for next year as well. He is just a kid. For a team that hasn’t had a good draft day in an eternity, Guentzel and McCann are very important.
Interestingly enough, the team really seem to get a boost from using kids like Blueger, McCann, and A. Johnson and getting rid of veterans like Brassard. I sort of remember several frequenters of our blog here, proselytizing this very idea.
You mentioned Murray. Did you see the article on the PG about Murray and the insane number of grade A scoring chances he had to endure last night?
Rangers next. What is the magic number * to clinch? 4 wins?