I’ve been watching the Boston-Washington series with great interest. Before the playoffs began, I alluded to the fact that I hoped they’d pound the daylights out of each other in a long, punishing seven-game set.
So far, I’m getting my wish. Each of the three games have gone to overtime. Last night’s contest went to double-overtime. The Bruins won, in part, due to miscommunication on the game-winner between Capitals d-man (and ex-Pen) Justin Schultz and goalie Ilya Samsonov. But I digress.
It’s been an extremely physical series. The bitter rivals have combined for 275 hits over three games. Last night’s affair was downright vicious. The Bruins, in particular, seemed intent on taking a piece of the Caps at every turn, and not in a gentle way. We’re talkin’ seek-and-destroy, hit-to-hurt type checks.
Smash-mouth hockey at its best (or worst).
As rugged as the Caps are, and let’s face it, any team that boasts Tom Wilson, Brenden Dillon, Garnet Hathaway and Zdeno Chara can inflict some pain, my sense is they would for the most part play down to the Penguins’ level of physicality.
Not Boston. Where the Caps rely on a handful of guys to do their dirty work, it seems everyone in the Bruins’ lineup employs a physical style. With fire-starter Brad Marchand leading the way, I don’t think they’d go easy on our Pens. Just the opposite, in fact.
A quick analysis of regular-season hit totals seem to bear that out. Over our last five games against Washington, the Caps averaged 29 hits. Over the last five with Boston, the Bruins averaged 38.
That’s why I’m pulling for Alex Ovechkin and the Caps. (The playoffs make for strange bedfellows.) I want no part of the Bruins.
Why am I making such a big deal about this? Skilled, fast and deep as we are, I’m worried about our ability to physically withstand one round of playoff-style hockey, let alone four. Watching Jake Guentzel take a beating in Game 2 sent chills down my spine. And the Islanders aren’t an especially nasty team. They just finish their checks as a matter of course.
The Bruins on the other hand are chippy, edgy and mean.
I’m not alone in voicing my concern. In a commentary on the Tribune Review, Mark Madden suggests the Pens are ill-equipped for playoff hockey. Shelly Anderson on Pittsburgh Hockey Now also noted the punishment Guentzel’s absorbed and raised the issue with coach Mike Sullivan.
As he’s wont to do, “Sully” downplayed the notion that the Pens might be in over their collective heads, physically, while expressing his admiration for the way Guentzel plays through the abuse. If he’s concerned about Jake getting hurt, he kept it to himself.
Not that we’d expect anything different. Just play.
Back to my original point. Are the Pens built to endure the rigors of postseason play?
I’d like to say yes. But at this stage, the jury’s still out.
Hi Rick,
First of all, there isn’t now or ever has been a team I hate more than the Caps. Even in all those years of rivalry with Philly, my hate never reached the weight I carry in hate for Washington, and Ovechkin, and Wilson, and whomever wears that uniform.
While I suppose the Caps would be the more desirable second round opponent, even as I am loathe to see Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson win anything, I don’t see that it makes much difference, Caps or Bruins. They’re being manhandled by a team of cheap shot artists right now and, for the time being, they’re weathering the storm. And that’s the game plan, weather the storm, “just play.” That’s Sullivan’s answer, in game or on the podium, to every question about his team getting physically abused, and like Other Rick, I’m weary of Sullivan’s nonchalance on the subject.
I, too, wish Marino and Pettersson were each 30 pounds heavier, and maybe that goes for several others in our lineup, too. But they aren’t. At least ten times in every game I say to myself, “I wish Reaves or Sestito were around.” But they aren’t. And that’s the way it is. All our boys have is “just play,” and that’s what they’re going to do. And if they run out of steam, or fall pray to injuries that they can’t overcome, that’s also the way it is, except this time it all will be on Sullivan, and rightly so. JR isn’t here to run interference for him anymore.
— 55
Hey 55,
Sorry to respond so late on this. But excellent thoughts and commentary as always.
Like you, I often find myself wishing we had someone…anyone…capable of standing up for the team. I was so happy when it appeared we were getting Deslauriers out of Anaheim. He’s genuinely tough and doesn’t back up an inch from anyone. Definitely one of the top heavies in the game. Then…pffft…the would-be deal seemed to vanish into thin air.
I’m sure Burke and Hextall have had sit downs with Sullivan over the toughness issue. For now, they appear to have acquiesced to Sully and his “just play” philosophy. As an aside, Hextall actually defanged Philly during his time there, which is totally counterintuitive given the way he played. But he may be more on the fence when it comes to adding a tough guy than we think.
I think Burke would be the real driver when it comes to the toughness issue.
Anyway, my guess is they agreed to do it Sully’s way one last time. But if we fall short of expectations (and even if we don’t) I would expect us to add a little pushback come the offseason.
Re: Capitals or Bruins…I think the Caps would be a little more willing to play it our way, where I think the Bruins will just try to run us over. They have the drive and speed and tenacity to put heat on our defense, which I think is our weak underbelly…our d-zone structure tends to collapse when we’re pressured. Plus they’ve got Tuukka Rask, who pretty much owns us.
I guess it’s a moot point. It’s looking like Boston will be our second-round opponent should we advance.
Rick
Hey Rick,
Quick question, which would you rather get hit by, a Mack track or a Kenworth?
Trick question?
Of course, you’re just as dead no matter which hits you.
So pick your poison, do you want the entire Bruins team destroying you in 5 or 6 consecutive hits or Tom Wilson injuring you out of the playoffs in 1 pathetic cheap shot.
I do agree that I would rather play the Caps, their Goaltending is very weak, but physically, it doesn’t matter both the Caps and the Bruins are going to slaughter Sully’s smurfs, while the Pens coach looks on in admiration (assuming they get that far) of how his team took the coming beating – paraphrasing the Anderson article.
I would have loved to hear Sullivan’s answer if a reporter had the guts to ask, how will your admiration help Guentzel if he gets a career ending injury from the beatings that your “admiration” wrought.
Yes, the Anderson article with Sullivan’s answers isn’t sitting well with me and I need to vent.
The Other Rick & Rick
I think what is missed in the equation is the long-term effect the beatings
take on your team. I do believe theirs a direct correlation between the
beatings we took during the Cup years to the man games we’ve missed
since that time.
People want to compare this team to our most recent Cup-winning teams
but forget to realize Crosby, Malkin, and Letang aren’t in their 20’s anymore
which makes for a huge difference IMO.
I do think we can win a couple of rounds but I’m skeptical of this team being
able to survive a long run of physical beatings – eventually it will take its toll.
GO PENS (Big one tonight) Which team grabs the momentum?
Hey Mike,
I agree 100%. The beatings mount over time as well as possibly ending a season immediately. With every game 5, 6, and 7 per series the chances of the Pens winning that series diminishes as well as the probability of making through the next round.