“If you build it, he will come.”
That extrasensory nudge was whispered into the ear of Kevin Costner’s character in the all-time baseball classic, Field of Dreams.
It seems the offensively challenged Bruins received a similar cosmic message yesterday afternoon at TD Garden. Something to the effect of, “If you crash the net, you will score.” Boy, did they ever. To the tune of a 7-5 triumph over our streaking Penguins at TD Garden.
In the process, they cracked the previously unbeatable Casey DeSmith and exposed our defensive deficiencies down low…big time.
I had an inkling this wouldn’t be your ordinary hockey game when Mark Jankowski of all people scored on a deflection just 3:24 into the opening frame. The Pens limited the Bruins to just six shots on goal…all stopped by DeSmith…and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Business as usual. Then the lid blew off.
Patrice Bergeron struck for Boston 11 seconds into the second period, followed in rapid succession by David Pastrnak 34 tics later. Both goals came from close range, a recurring theme throughout the afternoon.
Suddenly down 2-1, our boys responded with a little nitro of their own. At 2:45, Sidney Crosby found Jake Guentzel with a slick pass from behind the net. “The Snake” buried it for his 16th goal of the season. Minutes later Jared McCann beat Jaroslav Halak off the rush on a power play to restore the Pens’ lead.
Again, the game settled down…at least on the scoreboard…until Brad Marchand swept the puck past DeSmith, again from point-blank range, to knot the score at 3-3. Moments later the weasely Bruins forward squirted gasoline on an incipient fire by targeting Kris Letang for abuse, sparking a five-on-five scrum near the Pens’ net.
At this stage, I walked away from the TV for a few minutes. When I returned the score was 5-3 in favor of Boston. Replays revealed two tallies in 71 seconds, again from the prime scoring areas, by David Krejci and Marchand. The last marker just 20 seconds before the second-period horn.
Frankly, I was stunned. So were our Pens.
Yet typical of our never-say-die attitude, we continued to battle. Jankowski set up Cody Ceci with a cross-zone pass and the black-and-gold defender did the rest, beating Halak to the glove side with a slick shot to pull us to within a goal. Our guys pressed for the equalizer, but Boston responded again on Pastrnak’s second goal of the game.
Remarkably, the Pens still weren’t finished. With Letang in the box, Crosby scored a shorty at 18:45 to make the score 6-5. Alas, a heroic comeback wasn’t in the cards as Marchand rifled home an empty netter seconds later to conclude a disappointing afternoon.
Perhaps Ceci summed it up best.
“We just weren’t getting to sticks, or guys were getting away from us or we were just losing our man in front of the net,” he said. “That’s where a lot of their goals came from. … Can’t give up that many chances in the slot.”
Puckpourri
The Pens and Bruins had 28 shots on goal apiece. Our hosts won 60 percent of the faceoffs. Each team was 1-for-3 on the power play. A hidden stat…we had a dozen giveaways to the B’s three.
All of Boston’s scoring came from their big guns, including six by the Perfection Line, while the Pens continued to get scoring from up and down the lineup. Crosby and Guentzel paced the locals with three points each, followed by Jankowski’s two-point effort.
It was a rough afternoon for DeSmith. So good in his recent outings, Casey saw his goals against average balloon from 1.84 to 2.13, while his save percentage dropped to .922. Maxime Lagace once again served as backup.
Following a relatively tame opening period, the game morphed into a rugged affair that featured numerous scrums.
The loss snapped our five-game winning streak and nudged us back into third place in the MassMutual East with 50 points, seven ahead of the fourth-place Bruins, who have four games in hand.
Up next, the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
It seems Angello has, indeed, been sent to the taxi squad. I have no idea why. Not that I don’t like Zahorna (less impressed with O’Connor) but I thought he played well and added at least some heft and aggression.
I just don’t get the logic behind their personnel moves sometimes. Or maybe I do. Sullivan + size/aggression = oil and water.
Rick
Thought I’d post an update.
Just read that Tanev’s is out again. He was injured in the Boston game Saturday. He’s been listed as week-to-week with an upper body injury. Zohorna has been recalled to the taxi squad along with Drew O’Connor. Legacy sent back to WBS and it looks as though Jarry may be ready to roll Tuesday against the Rangers.
— 55
Sorry! Forgot to add, beware the Rangers and Devils.
— 55
Hey Rick,
Angelo and Gaudreau sent to taxi squad. Maybe Bluegar is ready to return, and maybe Kapanen too.
I won’t repeat myself, everyone knows where I am re: size and grit. Like Other Rick, I’d like to see it added on defense, but I’ll take it anywhere.
I only wish that if they decide to make a move, they throw in Jankowski just for grins. I can’t, for the life of me, understand what he’s still doing in the lineup, recent two point game nothwithstanding. Gaudreau should be centering the fourth line.
— 55
Hey 55,
Just saw the demotions.
Quick note on that;
(Stats are 5on5)
Angello +4, 0.44 G/60, 1.33 Pts/60, 2.22 TGF/60, 0.44 TGA/60
Gaudreau +2, 0.64G/60, 1.91 Pts/60, 1.91 TGF/60, 1.27 TGA/60
Jankowski -1, 0.4 G/60, 1.2Pts/60, 1.58 TGF/60, 1.99TGA/60
Rodrigues +/-0, 0.83 G/60, 1.67Pts/60, 2.08TGF/60, 2.29TGA/60
Both the Personal and Team stats for Angello and Gaudreau totally crush Jankowski’s – I can’t see any reason why Angello and Gaudreau are sent to the Taxi Squad while Jankowski acts like a Millstone around the team. I will go one better than you 55, I wouldn’t throw Jankowski into any trade, unless the move was made from the minor. I would waive him and send him down. He is an oxygen thief on this team, stealing ice time from players more deserving.
I am no Rodrigues fan, particularly after seeing the Sabres’ game live and watching Sabres toss him around and bully him all over the ice, behind the play but I can at least understand why some people may try to justify him. His personal stats rival both Angello’s and Gaudreau’s. He directly scores more goals while falling in between Angello and Gaudreau in Pnts. Rodrigues’ team stats are roughly equal for offense, but significantly worse defensively.
When all are healthy that 4th line should still contain the kids it should be
Zahorna – Gaudreau/Lafferty – Angello
This is exactly what I fear. This is exactly what Sullivan did last season. The team was winning through the injuries, but as the wounded got better, he (Sully) sat the wrong players and the team fell into a funk.
Not for Sully’s sake, but for the team’s sake, I hope for a different result. I hope that this year, Crosby, Guentzel, Rust, (and Malkin when he gets back) can carry the team if Sully’s under-performing veterans fail him again.
Hi tOR,
As I’ve learned subsequent to my previous post, players are sent to the taxi squad on days off for purposes of savings on the cap hit. It doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be in the next game. Angelo has been demoted to the taxi squad 11 times since he came up a month ago. Sceviour also was sent to the taxi squad a lot since he cleared waivers but now I understand he’d have to clear waivers again to be sent down because he’s played in enough games.
I agree with you about Sullivan’s reluctance to play the kids as the regulars return. I guess we’ll see, but I think we know how it’s going to shake out. Jankowski is evidence of that. He’s this season’s Simon. I also would love to see Gaudreau center Angelo and Zohorna on a regular basis.
For now, my biggest fears are the pounding they take, and are going to take going forward, and teams like the Rangers and the Devils — those teams that have nothing to lose and everything to prove.
— 55
Hey 55,
Thanks for the update, I must confess, with all the pans on my fires I haven’t been able to keep up with all of the Taxi Squad admin stuff. It will be interesting to see who will get demoted when the Blueger gets activated and subsequently Kapanen, and eventually Malkin (although they may not be until playoff time when rosters expand anyway.
Another telling time will be who, if anyone gets traded and for which player. PHN had an article that I haven’t read yet but whose title that suggested Gaudreau as trade bait. To me, that is funny; who could you get for Gaudreau? There doesn’t seem to be a lot of trade value there. That is nothing more than shuffling the deck as an excuse for keeping the Spectator Jankowski (of the 34 games he has been given ice time in – he has shown up for 3 of them now. Let’s keep paying him to steal ice time from players that show up every time they are on the ice.)
Also, speaking of the Devils, did you see Palmeri was held of last game and according to NHL.com the reason is a pending trade. They doesn’t bode well on either front. Palmeri has been link to being traded within the MassMutual (read somewhere suggesting the Bruins go after him). Away from NJD and with a fresh start he could breath life into a struggling offense like Boston. And two, if the Devils are in sell mode, their kids will be hitting a lot harder to try and impress. They may not win games but they could take down opponents stars.
You mention the Rangers, I am not afraid of them as spoilers, I am afraid they could make the playoffs. They may be getting that swagger that kids can eventually get and make them dangerous.
Buffalo is another team that may not beat us on the scoreboard but could wear our soft team down physically.
The Other Rick
While also not a fan of Rodrigues or Jankowski its tough to compare
numbers – plus like I always reference the numbers lie.
Angello has been solid for sure and Gaudreau has definitely outperformed the expectations but with Freddy, it’s a very, very small
sample (9) games. It’s usually harder to sustain your numbers
as you increase the number of games played.
For instance, if you take Jankowski’s last (11) games he has (2) goals
and 2 assists and a +3 and if you take Jankowski’s first 9 games of
the season he had 1 goal 2 assists and a -1.
You’re really splitting hairs and it’s all on how you want to spin the
numbers. My point here is its way too early to put our eggs in
Gaudreau basket – Do I like his game “yes” would I be comfortable
having him as our 4th center entering the playoffs “no”. It’s to risky
and if we want another shot at the cup Hextall needs to look outside
the organization for the right fit.
Hey Mike,
Not going to argue that Gaudreau’s game sample is small, so if you pick and choose the right nine Jankowski, he can almost look good. Nor am I a long term Gaudreau fan, I would rather see Lafferty Center that line. I am pretty sure that if the coach wouldn’t keep trying to rein in their physical play, Lafferty and Angello would be playing even better.
The problem with Jankowski is that he does have a large sample size that says he is not the answer. He went from January 15 until March 13 or 2 games without a point.
I would rather gamble on an unknown than try and get a leopard to change his spots.
Hey 55 (and OTR),
Sorry to be getting to the dance late…I was out-of-pocket yesterday due to the holiday.
I’m hoping as you suggest that this is simply one of those daily cap-clearing transactions and not a permanent move. Sullivan has gone out of his way to praise both Angello and Gaudreau of late. The fact that both are on two-way contracts and give the team some $$$ flexibility tells me it’s the former and not the latter.
I hope.
Like you, 55, I wish they’d take Jankowski out of the mix altogether and put him on waivers. I hate to knock guys or sound harsh, but I think this would be addition by subtraction. He simply hasn’t worked out.
Rick
Hey Rick,
There in lies my fears; when as you write “the morphed into a rugged affair that featured numerous scrums.” and what Ceci was quoted “We can’t give up that many chances from the slot.” Both of these quotes speak to the reality of playoff hockey and serve as a portent to Penguins’ management and coaching. Stick waving defense and small players can easily become roadkill when Mack Truck hockey steam rolls them.
I am not saying Burke and Hextall need to give away the house to placate your desire for Sam Bennett, but must utilize big players and not simply rely on Anthony Angello to be the only big guy on Offense.
More importantly, it is the Penguins defense that needs to get bigger and stop waving sticks. More than Sam Bennett the Penguins need to trade for a defensemen that can knock opponents on their wallets rather than stand around and watch the game poking and hoping with their stick.
With players like Angello, Lafferty, Zahorna, O’Conner, and Bellerive, there are Forwards that may not be Pugilists like Reaves was or even the Bennett of your dreams Rick but those players can lean on opponents and give some account of themselves, not getting tossed around like ragdolls. Furthermore, if the team makes it to the playoffs and lasts long enough players like Legare and Poulin could come in from the Juniors and Bjorkqvist from Europe to provide jam.
Unfortunately, there are no Defensemen anywhere within the organization that can provide muscle. There are no Ulfies, Kasparaitises, Gudbransons, Oleksiaks, or Orpiks. The only defensemen to which the Penguins have the rights (Andrey Pedan) ran away from them and plays in the KHL.
It is the Pens “D” that is soft. It is there that the team needs to make it”s biggest change. No team needs 6 forwards skating on their blue line.
The Other Rick / Rick
Not disagreeing with you on our younger players and I would love to see
a few of them make their way into our lineup. As I said in a previous post
I believe to get the pieces we need to make another run at the cup need
to come from outside the organization.
i do believe Angello has earned a spot on the 4th line but I have been a
little disappointed at his unwillingness to drop the gloves. IMO right now
players like O’Conner, Bellerive, Zahorna & Lafferty are depth players that
can step in when an injury occurs.
We need to find a couple of legit 4th line players and a rugged defenseman
that will make people pay for parking in the crease. People tend to get blinded
by the light and the Pen’s recent success, “This is not how the playoffs will be
played” Teams understand the best chance of knocking us out is to physically
beat us down. The Pen’s are structured to have success in the regular season and fail in the playoffs.
That’s the way they were under Bylsma, built for a strong regular season and a quick exit from the playoffs.