There’s an old saying…close but no cigar. Well, that pretty much sums up another mistake-riddled Penguins’ effort last night during a 4-3 loss to the Islanders in Uniondale. Ditto during our recent 1-3-1 slide. We’re playing just well enough to lose. And shooting ourselves in the foot, but plenty, in the process.
Even the return of defensemen Kris Letang and Mike Matheson failed to stem the tide. If anything, they may have contributed to our misery. More on that in a bit.
The Islanders grabbed the lead midway through the first period on a goal by Penguin-killer Jordan Eberle, courtesy of a turnover in the neutral zone by rookie Drew O’Connor…a no-no against the opportunistic Isles. Eberle walked around defenseman Cody Ceci and beat Tristan Jarry, deep in his net, with a top-shelf backhander.
The Pens responded at 13:43 courtesy of a great bit of work by Pierre-Olivier Joseph. The rookie rearguard started and ended the play, head-manning the puck to Jake Guentzel before gathering in a return pass and ripping a shot past Semyon Varlamov from the left faceoff dot for his first NHL goal.
However, our guys continued to turn the puck over and the Islanders continued to pounce. This time Jason Zucker coughed up the rubber, again in the neutral zone. Again Eberle did the honors, this time from the doorstep as neither Matheson nor John Marino deigned to cover him.
Jarry had no chance.
Both goalies stiffened through an entertaining second period that saw the Pens outshoot their hosts, 14-10. With time ticking down Evgeni Malkin, playing like the “Geno” of old, forced a turnover at the Islanders’ line and worked a give-and-go with Kasperi Kapanen. Malkin rifled the puck past his countryman Varlamov from the left faceoff dot to draw the Pens even at 2-2. It was his first 5v5 goal of the season.
The Pens took their first and only lead of the night at 3:19 of the third period. With the top line cycling down low, Guentzel finished off a nifty backhand pass from Sidney Crosby.
Alas, our advantage was short-lived. Five minutes later Casey Cizikas skated behind the Pens’ net with Joseph defending. Letang inexplicably left his man, Cal Clutterbuck, to join in the pursuit, a bonehead decision even for a pee-wee. Left unattended in the slot, Clutterbuck took a pass from Cizikas and rammed it home to knot the score at 3-all.
Another back-and-gold blunder handed the Islanders the game on a silver platter. Teddy Blueger did the honors, shooting the puck into the seats at 16:15 to give the New Yorkers the only power play of the contest.
Once again, our watery penalty kill (72.2 percent) failed to hold up. Ryan Pulock fired a hard shot from the top of the left circle that trickled through Jarry’s pads. Anders Lee, uncovered by Letang and Chad Ruhwedel, knocked the puck home and our Pens out.
Puckpourri
The Pens outshot the Islanders, 31-26, and outhit them, 29-20. But New York won 54 percent of the faceoffs, including a critical draw that lead to the game-winning goal.
Our top line was a collective plus-five, with five points and 14 shots on goal. Bryan Rust led the way with eight shots on goal. Crosby is still without a 5v5 goal 11 games into the season. The “Two-Headed Monster” (Sid and Geno) have only one 5v5 goal between them.
Jarry stopped 22 of 26 shots. His overall save percentage of .857 is tied for second-worst in the league among qualifying goalies.
Jared McCann departed in the first period with a lower-body injury.
Opinyinz
Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks Joseph is already the Pens’ best defenseman. The “Old Two-Niner,” radio color man Phil Bourque, echoed those sentiments last night following P-O’s tally.
Joseph’s stats are glowing…a goal, five points, a plus-five, 11 hits, 13 shots, three blocks in seven games.
Let’s hope playing alongside Letang doesn’t ruin the kid. Despite his lofty status as one of the league’s elite defensemen, No. 58 continues to make decisions after 15 seasons that defy logic and fry the imagination.
The Bruins, Flyers and Capitals are gaining separation from the rest of the MassMutual East Division, leaving the Pens to slug it out with the Islanders, Rangers, Sabres and Devils for the final playoff spot.
Just my humble opinion. But if our future GM doesn’t step in and make some meaningful changes, we don’t make the playoffs. Our core is slipping and there isn’t enough production among the support players to make up the deficit.
And the defense… Don’t get me started.
Hi Rick,
Very interesting article!
Positive points: I really like the way Joseph is playing. He has offensive skills, a good first pass, can play physical (hope that Sully won’t change that), can defend well. One of my thoughts this weekend was: here is the successor of Kris Letang. He has been pretty good so far and Joseph’s contract is less expensive. My other positive point was Kapanen. His speed is a good asset. He only needs to finish his plays. Geno played well but needs to be more consistent.
Elements that made me screamed: Tanger, Tanger, Tanger. As you previously said, he is still very stubborn and his decisions defy logic. The goalies are struggling but the D-men are struggling too. The bottom six is not very visible. They can be interchangeable and it doesn’t help the team in its competitiveness.
As you said, the future GM is facing a mammoth task just to balance this team and make significant changes.
Is it me, Rick, but the Pens are getting slower?
Hello Jorenz. Always good to hear from you and read what you have to say.
I really, really like Joseph. I agree…all the elements are there. Good, strong skater, excellent vision and passing skills, decent shot and good hockey sense. As you noted, a physical element, too.
Regarding Letang…couldn’t agree more. I have no idea what he was thinking on the Clutterbuck goal. Joseph had Cizikas covered well enough and besides…the Islander forward was behind the net. But Letang leaves his man and goes charging in…interfering with Joseph in the process. To say nothing of leaving Clutterbuck all alone in the crease.
This isn’t an isolated incident. He’s been making decisions like this for years. It really defies logic.
I don’t know if the Pens are getting slower. But with their predictability (forwards stay in their lanes on the rush) and difficulty winning puck battles and controlling the puck in the prime scoring areas, it may appear that way.
I do think Sid and Geno…maybe Letang, too…have lost a step. Inevitable as they age.
Of course, none of this bodes well.
Rick
Hi Rick
Great article as usual.
I want to talk about three of your powerful comments above if I may.
1. “Crosby is still without a 5v5 goal 11 games into the season.”
That statement speaks volumes about the truth of the 2021 Penguins. What can I add to that Rick? Nothing.. It says it all.
2.”Our core is slipping and there isn’t enough production among the SUPPORT players to make up the deficit.”. Bingo !
You are dead on again buddy.
I saved the best one for last…it makes me want to scream.
3.”But if our future GM doesn’t step in and make some meaningful changes, we DON’T make the playoffs.”
That statement also speaks volumes about the truth of the 2021 Penguins !!
However on this point I would like to add the following….
1. The Pens have only $150,000 apx in cap space to work with. How is any GM going to do anything with that mess ?. You could not hire 2 good Zamboni drivers for that little money. Whoever the new GM is they will not have cap space until Letang and Geno’s salary and others are gone in 2 more seasons.
Unless they tear the team apart now future does not look to bright.
2. We have NO First round pick in 2021.One of the best drafts in the past 5 years scouts say and we have nothing. What does a NEW GM do about that ?
3. Covid is destroying the league and it’s financial model. Playing 50+ games with no fans in the stands is a recipe for disaster. I read that the Tampa Bay Lighting,last seasons NHL champs LOST 14 million dollars !!! You don’t think that the Bankers who finance NHL teams did not see that. Forbes reported that League Operating income was down 68% and the NHL decreased for the first time since 2001. What this means is the salary caps will be going DOWN in the future and can you operate the Penguins with a 70 million dollar Salary Cap? Not possible with out a major rebuild…
4. The Pens have very little trade bait that other teams want. The product of having traded away the future for the WIN IT NOW attitude.
So this new GM will have a most difficult time trying to get this lot to the play offs and if they did manage to squeak in, other teams will make lite of us.
Without a major trade we are done !!!
Thanks Rick
This new GM who ever he is
Hello my friend. Always good to hear from you.
It just isn’t looking real promising. Even when we play reasonably well, we can’t protect a lead. We’ve only scored as many as three goals in a game in regulation play three times. And we can’t win a game in regulation to save our lives.
None of this bodes well.
I HATE the way we play defense (or don’t). The stick-on-puck thing drives me nuts. We don’t touch a soul…especially around the net. Opposing forwards get free passes. We just stand around and wave our sticks at the puck. Grrrrrr.
Everybody’s down on our goalies. But on each of the four goals we allowed against the Islanders, our defense was culpable.
I think I’m actually going to turn this into an article, so I’ll stop here.
Whoever becomes our new GM, he’s going to need to be multi-faceted. First and foremost, he’s going to need to be able to draft and develop young talent (although as you pointed out we have precious few picks to use). But he’s also going to need to be adept at making trades.
Right now, it sounds like Ron Hextall is the front-runner. I’m not familiar with his trade history, but he’s very good at drafting and developing talent.
John Ferguson, Jr. (Boston) and Chris MacFarland (Colorado) are other intriguing candidates.
Anyway…I’m rambling. Hope you are well!
Rick