Can the Penguins Win the Series After All?

I don’t know about you. But I was absolutely stunned (stunned!) by the Penguins’ performance in Game 1 on Monday night. Especially after absorbing a physical beating early on and going down 2-0. They displayed incredible resilience, not to mention a boatload of heart and character.

Honestly, I didn’t think they had it in ‘em. Not after watching us roll over in disquieting losses to the Flyers and Oilers the final week of the regular season. To say nothing of our less-than-inspired in-season performances against the Rangers.

However, as our guys emphatically demonstrated on Monday night, it’s a brand-new season. Everybody starts with a clean slate.

Anyway, it got me to thinking. Could our Pens win this series after all?

Maybe. Here are seven keys:

Louie, Louie

Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now felt all along that Louis Domingue would play an important role. I agree. There’s something about the way he lost an early opportunity to a broken foot, only to re-emerge due to a like injury to Tristan Jarry that has fate stamped all over it.

And Louis is certainly capable. The eight-year NHL vet posted a .924 save percentage with the Baby Pens this season. With the Pens? He’s allowed just four goals on 100 shots over three games, including Monday’s 17-save effort. Good for a .960 save percentage.

Best of all, he seems undaunted by a big stage.

We know all-too-well what it’s like to face a hot goalie. If Louis can get on a run and get inside the Rangers’ collective heads…

SHOOT!

At the opposite end of the rink, the Pens need to keep the blow torch on New York’s all-world goalie Igor Shesterkin. On Monday we attempted a mind boggling 143 shots over 106 minutes of hockey. Eighty-three of ‘em got through. That’s a ton of rubber Shesterkin had to react to, contrasting sharply with the regular season when we averaged around 25 shots on goal a game against him.

Force him to move…force him to react…keep him from getting in a comfort zone. To echo an old refrain from the Civic Arena days…SHOOT!

All Hands on Deck

The Pens played a total team game on Monday. Everyone contributed, from the top line on down. In particular, Evgeni Malkin skated with fire and purpose and his line followed suit. Kasperi Kapanen gave his most dynamic performance since goodness knows when and was downright dangerous at times.

We need an encore effort from Kappy…and everyone else. All hands on deck. No passengers.

Batten Down the Hatches

Sticking with a nautical theme…the Pens yielded a shorthanded goal to the Rangers in Game 1. Not surprising, given that the Blueshirts employ stars like Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad to kill penalties.

Still, shorties are killers. Allow one in a playoff game? Chances are pretty good “you vill lose,” to quote Ivan Drago from Rocky IV.

It isn’t the first time our power-play has sprung a leak. We yielded a bucketful of odd-man breaks during the season finale against Columbus. Better puck management is a must, especially high in the attacking zone.

Sid-Sational

By every conceivable measure, Sidney Crosby’s line was dominant in Game 1. Sid and sidekicks Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust combined for three of our four goals and seven points altogether. From a possession standpoint, the talented trio ate the Rangers alive, to the tune of a 73.33 Corsi.

We’ll need more of the same as the series progresses.

Crime Doesn’t Pay

Led by burly expatriate Ryan Reaves, the Rangers pounded us in Game 1, including some Richter-Scale hits and a handful of others that strayed over the line of good taste and decorum. When the Rangers get caught with their hand in Mike Lange’s proverbial cookie jar, our power play needs to make ‘em pay.

It’s Better to Give Than Receive

Speaking of physical play, while the Pens don’t match up in the muscle department with New York, it’s important we don’t abandon the grittier aspects of the game altogether. Foot soldiers Brian Boyle, Brock McGinn and Teddy Blueger need to stick their noses in and finish their checks whenever possible.

Or as Charlestown Chiefs GM Joe McGrath urged in Slap Shot during a Federal League “big-time grudge match” with Syracuse, “Give some of that back.”