Rangers Get Two-Point Conversion, Rout Penguins 8-4

On February 18 of last season the banged-up Penguins dumped Toronto, 5-2, to capture first place in the Metropolitan Division, a glorious achievement considering all the injuries to key personnel.

However, just as we reached our apex, we fell…hard…losing our next two games to Toronto and Buffalo by a combined score of 9-2 to trigger a six-game losing streak. Not to mention a subsequent fall from grace that extended through the qualifying round of the playoffs months down the road.

I remember marveling at how a team that had been playing so well could unravel so quickly.

Well, buckle your seat belts, folks. History seems set to repeat itself. Indeed, after climbing into a first-place tie in the MassMutual North on the heels of an extraordinary March, the Pens have been strafed in the past two contests by a combined score of 15-9.

It’s hard to find positives after yielding eight goals to the Rangers last night. And make no mistake, we were never really in the game. Not after leaking for three goals in the first 10 minutes of play. Although we tried to make a game of it as our four tallies will attest, we had no answers for the talented young Blueshirts, who are incredibly fast and skilled.

Indeed, watching them skate in, around through us pretty much at will brought to mind our 1991-92 champs, who eviscerated San Jose, 10-2, and annihilated Toronto, 12-1, within a nine-day span.

A lone glimmer of hope? With the trade deadline fast approaching, perhaps this gives GM Ron Hextall and president of hockey ops Brian Burke a better handle on what we need to compete for a Stanley Cup. And who to dangle as trade bait in order to make those moves.

I’ve expressed this sentiment in comments, but I’ll make it official. I don’t think Jason Zucker’s a good fit. To my eye he isn’t very noticeable, and when he is it’s usually because he’s zigging when his linemates are zagging. I had the same impression of David Perron a few years back, another good hockey player who never seemed to be in sync here. Kind of an on-ice version of Captain Wrongway Peachfuzz.

Of course, finding a taker for Zucker’s $5.5 cap hit could be problematic, especially given today’s flat-cap economics and the fact that he’s signed through the next two seasons.

With fellow port-side defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph progressing, Marcus Pettersson could be another, perhaps more palatable option, for potential trading partners to swallow ($4.025 million AAV). Although there are holes in his game (weak shot, lack of foot speed and muscle) he’s a fairly solid third-pairing defender who can slot up when the need arises. At age 24, he still possesses some upside potential.

No, he won’t fetch a burgeoning star. But perhaps he could land us a Sam Bennett or a physical defenseman.

Puckpourri

Last night’s game felt a lot like our season-opening losses to Philly. Our goaltending, air-tight over the past couple of months, was a shambles as Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith allowed four goals apiece. They had plenty of help, as we generally played on the wrong side of the puck all night long. Indeed, we hung our goalies out to dry like the bedsheets on wash day.

The Pens outshot the Rangers, 45-25, and won 59 percent of the faceoffs. But the penalty kill, better of late, was shredded for three power-play goals in three tries.

Jared McCann (10th), Mike Matheson (4th), Jake Guentzel (17th) and Brian Dumoulin (1st) were the goal-scorers. Matheson has two goals and four assists in his past four games; McCann five goals and eight points in his past seven. Guentzel, hotter still, 10 goals and 18 points in his last 15 games.

Rookie Radim Zohorna rejoined the lineup and was effective, recording an assist, three hits and a shot on goal in 11:01 of ice time. The Mark Jankowski curse (two assists, plus-two) is alive and well. We’re 2-4 when he scores a point.

John Marino departed midway through the third period with an undisclosed injury.

We’re presently in third place in the MassMutual East with 50 points, four ahead of Boston (three games in hand) and nine in front of Philly and the Rangers. Thank goodness New York got off to a slow start this season. These guys are scary good.

Tell Me Why (or WTF?)

Pardon my bleep. But could someone please explain to me in clear, concise English, why the Penguins chose to send Anthony Angello to the taxi-squad?

All this kid’s done is play really solid hockey, especially of late. Over his last five games he’s tallied a goal and two assists and if anything seemed to be hitting his stride. He’s a big body (6’5” 210) who can skate and brings at least some degree of physicality (51 hits in 19 games).

But, no, Mike Sullivan yanks him from the lineup so we can dress Colton Sceviour, a journeyman forward deemed so valuable he was placed on waivers a month ago.

Hello? Is anybody home? Or more to the point, does anyone in charge have half a brain when it comes to matters of personnel?

Schnikes!