Thursday, May 3, 2018. It was an unseasonably warm spring day in the ‘Burgh, with mid-day temperatures reaching 84 degrees.
It was also the last time the Penguins won a playoff game until last night. Let that sink in for a moment.
It’s safe to say the black-and-gold shed an 800-pound gorilla, or at the very least a monkey from their collective backs, with a scintillating 3-1 Game 2 victory over the pesky but outmanned Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena.
In stark contrast to our series-opening loss, this game was about as close to playoff perfection as you can get. The Pens took the initiative from the outset and never took their foot off the gas pedal. Clearly the superior team in all facets of the game, they outshot the Habs 38-27—including a whopping 29-13 through 40 minutes—and controlled the faceoff circle, winning 54 percent of the draws.
When Montreal hung tough, the Pens didn’t flinch. They kept their composure and stuck with the plan and were duly rewarded with a delicious win. A team-building win.
Eschewing the perimeter game that led to their downfall in Game One, our guys were focused, involved and surprisingly physical if not downright ornery when the situation called for it. Their attention to detail was superb. They were…in a word…crisp.
To my eyes, it was our most complete 60-minute effort in God-knows-how-long, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Go down 2-0 in a five-game set, and you might as well start polishing your golf clubs.
Everyone contributed, from trade deadline acquisitions Jason Zucker and Conor Sheary (two assists, No. 1 star) to the worrisome third defensive pair (a collective plus-2).
I was particularly impressed with Zucker, who played with an edge all night long. At one juncture he stuck his nose in and stood up for teammate Justin Schultz, drawing a penalty in the process. To say nothing of his nifty game-winning redirect off a pretty feed from Sheary at 14:41 of the third period with the outcome still very much in doubt.
To no one’s surprise, Sidney Crosby set the tone. Just past the four-minute mark of the opening frame the Pens’ captain took a beautiful cross-ice feed from Jake Guentzel in stride and beat Carey Price through the five-hole with an ice-hugging bullet. It was a huge goal…arguably the biggest in recent Pens playoff history. Not only did it set the tone for the evening, but it proved to his teammates that Price was mortal after all.
Not to be outdone, Evgeni Malkin unleashed a game-high seven shots on goal and won 58 percent of his draws while providing his customary gristle and fire.
At the opposite end of the ice, Matt Murray rose to the occasion with a vintage performance that hearkened back to the Cup years. Well insulated by his teammates, who kept the speedy Habs in check for most of the evening, the Thunder Bay native seemed to gain confidence and poise as the game progressed. He came within two minutes and change of posting his first playoff shutout since blanking the Flyers some 27 months ago, while snapping a personal seven-game postseason losing streak.
While I’m passing out plaudits, give coach Mike Sullivan some well-deserved credit. Resisting the urge to panic as a certain blog writer who shall go nameless might’ve done, he stayed positive while making key adjustments such as returning Patric Hornqvist to the top power-play unit and sheltering much-maligned Jack Johnson (12:41 of ice time). Whatever message he gave his troops, they bought into it hook, line and sinker. To coin his favorite phrase, they played the right way.
I’ll finish with a tip of the hat to PenguinPoop commenter Mike. I didn’t think the Pens had it in ‘em to put forth this kind of effort, but you did. So Mike, this one’s for you.
Rick
Murray got us again tonight.
Couple of things
1) Letang has absolutely sucked for (3) games but it seems like
everyone is content on letting him slide. He muffs for pucks
at the blue line than anybody I’ve ever seen.
2) Pen’s lack any kind of killer instinct – this is the playoffs and
the only guy checking anyone is Tanev.
3) I said this before and I will say it again ZAR is a non factor. He
won’t hit anyone then takes a pathetic retaliation penalty.
i look forward to your feedback.
Hey Mike,
Hope you don’t mind me jumping in here.
1) I’ll take it farther, Letang has stunk for 3 playoff series. I personally don’t know anyone who is willing to let Letang slide. To me it seems only Sully and JR give him that pass. He may have been voted into the All Star game this past season but it was a last minute thing and may only be a testament to the lack of talent on this team. He does have the most grit of any D – man on this team (but that isn’t saying much) and at one time he really knew what to do in the O zone but he has been a defensive liability.
2) Agreed, there is a lack of killer instinct – but that may be because Sully keeps insisting on playing Marleau and Sheary. Sheary is an anchor on that line, holding it down. Crosby and Guentzel could be flying if they had a legit top 6 line mate – but Sheary could barely make 4th line in Buffalo. And even though I thought it was worth rolling the dice on Marleau since we didn’t give up much, but he is the problem on that 3rd line.
McCann may be struggling but that may be because he is more of a wing and only an emergency Center. Put him on Crosby’s RW again, bench Sheary and Marleau. Make the 4th line the 3rd line, dropping ZAR and putting Hornqvist on the RW, then salvage a 4th line with Lafferty Centering it and filling it with some combination of Johnson, Angello, ZAR, or Miletic.
3) As I have said before, I am not a ZAR hater, but as you say he is a non factor. He should have scored that 3rd Goal. Blueger should not have had the opportunity, ZAR should have finished the play himself. I don’t have a problem with dropping him, or given the state of mediocrity of the rest of the team, playing him.
What should be worrying everyone is that Montreal is not a good team and we are losing to them. Montreal really was only mathematically, not really still in it when the shutdown occurred. In days of yore, when Crosby and Malkin were young, the Pens would have swept this team, but both of these players need help now and the cupboard is thin.
I am not going to argue with you if you say Murray was a big reason for the loss last night, I have no idea what he was thinking on that 3rd Goal – the wraparound, He started going to the top of the crease on the wrong side before realizing that the play was sweeping around behind him and was only barely able to make the initial save, so that he had no chance on the rebound. And I fault him on the 4th Goal, even though Bales teaches both goalies to drop their shoulders the way Murray left that short side corner open (at least that was the excuse propagated during the regular season when both goalies were getting victimized by that shot), however, the got us again? Murray was the biggest reason the team won game 2. Furthermore, with our top scorers checking in with 3 points and being outscored by cast off Olli Maatta who has 4 points right now and tied with fellow cast off Kessel.
The real problem here is the GM and Coaching staff which has systemic implications; there are holes everywhere. Blame can be passed around. If the team really is built to win now, then there is/was no time to coddle Poulin, the players ahead of him are/were failing long before the team went into the bubble. Poulin should never have been left off the roster. In fact he probably should have been allowed to play top 6.
Hey Mike. See my latest game summary.
Rick
Hey Rick,
I always love Ws. As much as I would love to get an overall #1 pick, I would love to see another Cup in the ‘burgh more.
As you say Murray look like Murray of yore. if not for a deflection Murray may have added to his PO SO totals. The lone Habs goal came with only a hair over 2 minutes to play when the team failed to clear the puck and then Dumoulin failed to take Kotkaniemi’s stick away. He redirected a Lehkonen shot that Murray was tracking to his glove side, but Kotkaniemi redirected to his stick side. Murray did manage to change his direction too and get a leg pad on it, but because the play was redirected against the grain, he couldn’t control the rebound and Kotkaniemi cleaned up the garbage he, himself had created.
Murray’s play was probably the best news of the night.
And though I have been a frequent critic of the “D”, like I said after the first game, they are not that big of concern of mine right now. They put in another decent performance, limiting Montreal to 27 shots, mainly from a solid first 2 periods ceding only 13 shots over those frames. However, the 3rd was a bit of a concern when the Canadiens over doubled their shot totals. (not sure the exact shot totals for Mon since Murray’s line scores didn’t match the box score totals on the NHL website).
However Rick, I wouldn’t say the “D” insulated Murray per se, that is to say the D Corps really wasn’t that insulative, they only blocked 6 shots – Schult’s leading the way with 3. I would possibly say a team defensive effort – but even still as a team they only manage to block 11 shots. In fact, 5 on 5 they were roughly even with the opening game shots against per 60min 5 on 5 (28.4 to 27).
Not to take anything away from the team “D” as a whole, but the difference tonight was Murray and no pinball puck luck for Montreal. Murray has to play like this every night to give the team a chance. The “D” that some have maligned (including me, but not me right now) has put in 2 pretty good night’s work.
Unfortunately, unlike you, the “O” still worries me (I can’t believe I am saying this). The Team did get a lot of chances and shots, but their efficiency is still really really low [GF/(Shots+Blocked Attempts+Missed Shots)], it stands as 18 out of the 24 teams. Furthermore, with their PP going 0 for 5 (now 1 for 12 in the series) is still very alarming.
Crosby’s goal was a thing of beauty with that laser pass from Guentzel cross ice before sliding it between Price’s Pad and stick.
But let’s give an assist to Dumoulin on Zucker’s goal. If he doesn’t drive down the slot, drawing defenders to him and away from Sheary, Sheary may not have had the time and space to find Zucker. Sheary can find his man when given time and space, but he may not always be so fortunate.
And Guentzel’s Goal was an ENG, so this was really a 2 – 1 affair that could have gone either way. I’ll take the Win, as I said I’ll take all Wins, but I won’t crow, not yet.
Hey Other Rick,
The fact that this was, in essence, a 2-1 victory as you pointed out is exactly why I consider it a thing of beauty. If the Pens are to go all the way, they’re going to need to get used to and even comfortable with playing in this type of game.
I thought they did a good job of keeping their composure and staying on their toes, while not trying to force the issue when the goals didn’t come. They were rewarded as a result.
And, yes, I thought Murray looked like the Murray of old. I haven’t seen him look that calm, composed and sure of himself in a long while. But I do disagree to a degree…I do think they insulated him fairly well. Not a whole lot of second chance opportunities…although Murray certainly had something to do with that.
I think this is a blueprint for how they need to play if they’re going to ride Murray. If you’re expecting him to make 35-40 saves a night, you’re probably not going to be too successful. But if you can shield him to the extent that he can play within himself (he tends to unravel when he has to scramble) and stay on his angles, then I think our chances greatly improve.
Anyway, I was encouraged by what I saw last night. Now we just have to lather, rinse, repeat … 🙂
Rick
Hey Rick,
Agreed, expecting any goalie to make 35-40 saves, night after night is a recipe for disaster, especially this playoff year which could last 33 games. Even if your name is Georges Vézina you are eventually going to wilt.
I am certainly in a better mood than would have been had they lost 2 – 1 but let’s remember the Pens won the 1st game against the Caps 2 years ago and then lost the next 2. They won game 4 and lost the next 2 again. Those wins were 3-2 and 3-1 with the 3 – 1 win being a 2 – 1 win with an ENG like last night.
To quote Fox Mulder, I want to believe, I want Murray to win a 3rd Cup before he could be run out of town but this team has a loooong way to go.
Hey Other Rick,
I won’t argue with that. We have to put together consistent, 60-minute efforts on a nightly basis, not just here and there. And we’ve got to get the power play sorted out. You know other teams are going to play physically against us, and we’ve got to make them pay.
We’ve got to get the third line sorted out, too. It’s basically been a black hole since HBK. Although I’m sure some would argue, I didn’t think Marleau played all that badly last night…he flashed some of his old skill and speed on a couple of occasions and nearly scored on a wraparound. But I sure wouldn’t be heartbroken if he sat for Lafferty.
And we’ve got to get McCann going. He hasn’t scored a goal in something like 24 games. Ditto guys like Tanev and Blueger. Sooner or later the depth guys have to pitch in.
Rick
Interesting that you brought up HBK, do you remember what Hagelin’s role was. He was a puck hound, sent out with flat out speed to chase pucks down. Who is the one player on this roster who has Hagelin like speed? A player, a black ace, that doesn’t even dress? You know who I mean.
Hornqvist and McCann would have to sort of flip flop where the Center McCann is more of the sniper that Kessel is and Hornqvist is more of the gritty Bonino.
But let’s face it, Kessel was the real driving force of that line. Spreading Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel out over 3 lines draining opposing checkers.
I don’t dislike ZAR, like some of our friends here do, but the 4th line is where I think Lafferty may really AMP this team up. I wouldn’t complain if Sully kept Tanev-Blueger-ZAR, but I would like to see Tanev-Blueger-Lafferty.
Sorry, but for me it is time to let some players sink or swim. It is time to remember one of the other facets of that back-to-back Cup team. It is time time to let some kids play, it is time to get some young legs on the ice, fresh legs that weren’t part of the last 2 years of frustration, players less likely to say “oh no here we go again”, when the going gets tough.
Amen to spreading Crosby, Malkin and Kessel across three lines. No way opponents could match up.
Plus, you had “Phil the Thrill” running the power play.