Penguins Update: Much to Be Thankful For

As I watched in slack-jawed awe last night while our Penguins rallied in ferocious fashion from a seemingly insurmountable 6-3 third-period deficit to beat Vancouver, it struck me how truly special this bunch is. So in keeping with the season, I thought I’d write a little Turkey Day ramble on how much we, as fans of the black and gold, have to be thankful for.

Could anyone have foreseen the way this team has responded to adversity? I sure didn’t. While I liked the fact that GM Jim Rutherford added speed, skill and depth over the summer, when captain and linchpin Sidney Crosby went down with a sports hernia things looked pretty bleak. After all, there are a lot of teams vying for playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, including the much-improved Flyers.

How would we survive without Sid? Especially since we were already shorn an elite talent due to the Phil Kessel trade.

Swimmingly, as it turns out. Not only have our boys survived, they’ve thrived. In eight games sans Sid we’ve picked up a point in all but one while going 4-1-3. Frankly, had our goaltending been better (more on that later), a couple of those overtime losses could easily have been wins.

I thought for all the world scoring goals would be a problem. Nope. The Pens have lit the lamp 30 times during that stretch…a healthy average of 3.75 goals per game.

The new top line of Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust has been a revelation, hearkening back to the “Steel City Line.” Over the past six contests, the unit has combined for 14 goals…nearly half of the team’s output during that span…and a whopping 33 points. Geno’s racked up four goals and 12 points, Jake the Snake six goals and 11 points and Rusty four and 10. Each is a healthy plus-four.

Guentzel’s been positively on fire while proving he can shoulder the load without No. 87. Rust’s emergence as a scorer is nothing short of eye-popping…thank God we didn’t deal him to open up cap space as some suggested.

I’m particularly impressed with Malkin. Thirty-three and coming off arguably the worst season of his career, I wasn’t sure he’d be able to rescale the mountain. But miraculously, the big Russian’s flashing his MVP form of old while taking charge in Sid’s absence. He’s also bought into coach Mike Sullivan’s north-south style and added a new level of discipline to his game.

But it isn’t just the top guys. Everyone is contributing. How good does Dominik Kahun look? Wow, is this kid fast and skilled! With four goals and eight points in his last six he, too, has caught fire. Jared McCann has a helluva shot (nine goals) and can fill just about any slot in the lineup.

Patric Hornqvist’s been his gritty, abrasive self, wreaking havoc all over the ice. Don’t underestimate his value to the team, even when he’s not scoring. He’s the heart and soul. Speaking of sand, Brandon Tanev (99 hits and counting) has done exactly what Rutherford hoped he would do…make the Pens more difficult to play against. He’s added a dollop of offense, too (five goals, 13 points).

While I’m passing out kudos, how about John Marino? It isn’t a stretch to say his emergence has made UFA-to-be Justin Schultz expendable. Stealing this kid for a conditional six-round pick was nothing short of grand larceny. GMJR should get five-to-10.

Brian Dumoulin’s quietly evolved into one of the premier stay-at-home defensemen in the league. All the more amazing when you consider he has to cover for mercurial partner Kris Letang’s frequent lapses in judgment. On the plus side, “Tanger’s” scoring at close to a point-per-game clip.

Even much-maligned Jack Johnson and the fill-ins have performed admirably. I especially like Zach Trotman’s game…simple, physical and effective.

Best of all, I love this team’s fighting spirit and resilience. Talk about never say die. They’re never out of a game. I haven’t seen a group rally from deficits like this one does maybe ever. And I’ve been watching hockey since the early 1970s.

With a little judicious tweaking? Perhaps dreams of another Stanley Cup aren’t so far-fetched.

Houston We Have a Problem

Unfortunately, all isn’t rosy in the ‘Burgh. Or more to the point…in goal.

To be blunt, Matt Murray’s been terrible in recent weeks. Since being pulled early in the second period against Boston on November 4, he’s posted an atrocious save percentage of .865 over his past eight starts.

Worse yet is his penchant for leaking goals at inopportune times, last night being a prime example. After the Pens piled up an early 2-0 lead and dominated play, he yielded a late-period goal…his specialty…on the third shot he faced.

Murray continued to dissolve late in the second period, yielding a pair of goals 41 seconds apart in the final two minutes. Realizing his goalie was in trouble, Sullivan yanked the Thunder Bay native before he could allow the back-breaker.

Yes, Tristan Jarry also gave up a pair of bang-bang goals at a critical juncture early in the third period…one on an odd deflection. But when his team rallied he made it stand up.

Right now, I think Jarry’s by far our best option in goal (2.01 goals against average and .938 save percentage). Maybe our only option, given Murray’s struggles. At this stage, I’d be tempted to import Casey DeSmith from the Baby Pens to serve as backup while Murray sorts himself out.

Anyway, enough rambling. Enjoy your Turkey Day…and our latest win.