“The Islanders have come ready to play this game.” So said Penguins color announcer Bob Errey while describing the action during last night’s Pens-Islanders game at UBS Arena.
The inference that our Pens didn’t was wholly accurate. With the exception of about a five-minute window of the first period after we tied the score and a mild pushback in the third period when the game had long since been decided, we invested little sweat equity in last night’s embarrassing 5-1 loss.
Numbers don’t always tell the story. They did last night. The Islanders owned us. They held a decisive edge in shot attempts (81-47), shots on goal (42-21), scoring chances (43-18), high danger chances (20-6) and faceoffs (54 percent).
While the Pens appeared to regard the game as a post-holiday reunion of sorts, play-by-play man Steve Mears said the Islanders viewed this game as a springboard for a playoff push and it showed. They opened the game as if shot from a cannon. Following a ghastly turnover in our zone by Evgeni Malkin’s line, big Anders Lee ripped a shot home from the right faceoff circle just 63 seconds in.
In case the Pens weren’t aware they were in for a fight, Oliver Wahlstrom reefed Chad Ruhwedel with a flying check moments later. Drew O’Connor tried to return the favor on another Islander and was knocked on his wallet. Then Lee plastered Pierre-Olivier Joseph into the end boards.
Message sent.
We finally began to display a pulse mid-period following a strong shift by our top line. Then we knotted the score with 4:47 left in the opening frame on a weird knuckling shot by Joseph that nosedived to the ice before bounding past Isles goalie Ilya Sorokin. Moments later Brock McGinn nearly struck for a go-ahead goal on a partial break, but his shot hit the crossbar. Still, the Pens seemed to have a little momentum.
Then the roof caved in.
Matt Barzal deflected a shot by ex-Coyote Hudson Fasching past Tristan Jarry just 50 seconds into the second period. While the Pens flatlined, the Isles proceeded to pound two more second-period markers past our beleaguered netminder while running up a 19-6 edge in shots on goal. The Islanders were so dominant and the Pens so languid, coach Mike Sullivan shoved his forward lines into a blender mid period, but nothing helped.
Lee struck for his second goal of the night at 3:33 of the final frame to make it 5-1. Had it not been for Jarry the final score could’ve been worse. Much worse.
Following the game, a grim Sullivan stated, “It might have been our worst game of the year.”
I concur.
If there’s a bright spot, the Pens should have plenty left in the tank when they play Detroit tonight at PPG Paints Arena.
Puckpourri
The Islanders nearly scored a sixth goal, but an apparent side-of-the-net tally by Casey Cizikas was waved off due to an offside play.
The Pens are missing the energy and physical play of fourth liners Josh Archibald and Ryan Poehling, who sat out again last night.
Not that I’m ever happy to see a player get hurt, but Ruhwedel’s apparent injury (he left the game after skating just eight shifts) could open the door for Mark Friedman to make his black-and-gold debut against the Red Wings. I think the Pens could sorely use what he brings to the table.
The Sky is Falling (and so are we)
Don’t look now, but the red-hot Capitals leapfrogged past us and into third place in the Division of Doom (Metro). We’re presently tied with the Rangers for fourth place with 43 points, one point ahead of the Islanders.
Fortunately, we have three games in hand on the Caps and two apiece on the New York teams.
Hey all,
Just saw the Pens have recalled forward Drake Caggiula and defenseman Ty Smith from the Baby Pens. In corresponding moves, we’ve placed Josh Archibald and Ryan Poehling on IR, the former retroactive to Dec. 18 and the latter Dec. 20.
No update as of yet on the nature or severity of Ruhwedel’s injury.
Rick
Let’s see Ty Smith skating instead of Brian Dumoulin!
Hey Bold Ruler,
I hear ya. It’s really sad to see how far Dumoulin’s game has regressed…and in a relatively short time frame. It’s truly like watching Rob Scuderi 2.0. Painful.
The Catch 22 with Dumo is, as badly as he’s played 5v5 he’s been surprisingly effective on the penalty kill, and he is a big body. Smith can skate and move the puck, but apparently he’s a bit of adventure in his own zone and I’m not thrilled with his size (or lack of).
At this stage, I’d like to see Friedman in Dumo’s spot. But Sullivan seems to be allergic to him. He just doesn’t trust guys who play with an edge. A little bit of a dichotomy there…Sully will live with hooking and tripping calls from skill players but won’t tolerate…say…a roughing minor from a guy like Friedman.
Rick
Hey Bold Ruler and Rick,
You both may get your wish, Smith and Friedman both may play, remember Ruhwedel went out with an injury. Perhaps he may not play either.
I also find it very telling that Caggiula got the call up rather than Hallander. Caggiula has been pretty much a zero donw in WBS while Hallander has been consistent from the beginning. I will revisit that Sullivanism a little later when I do my monthly update on the Pens Prospects.
I am really sick of watching these reruns. I have seen this show 7 years running. I know all the lines.
Hey Rick,
The Penguins’ players all should give back a portion of their paychecks + the price of admission for last night’s game. They didn’t play. They were spectators. To a man, they stunk!!!!!
I do find it interesting that you chose to write Malkin’s line had a ghastly turnover on the first goal though, rather than point out the exact culprit. I didn’t realize you were such a Zucker fan as to give the man a pass on 1 horrible drop – pass, back into his own zone. And then elide Dumoulin’s pathetic stick waving at the puck. And Finally, Jarry’s failure to bail out his pathetic teammates; it would have been a tough save but not an impossible one.
As for Sullivan’s Quote about the worst game – hey there still are 48 more games, they can always top it. Furthermore, whose job was it to make sure his team showed up? Whose the clown that wants Defensemen that stand around watching the play rather than putting body on body?!?! Let’s get a couple of more Ruth Buzzi look-a-likes for Sully to deploy on Defense.
Finally, I do agree, if Sullivan and his boys lose tonight, they really can’t say they were exhausted from playing the night before – they should be well rested after that no-show. If that had been a home game, I would have demanded my money back.
Hey Other Rick,
I guess if I wanted to be a curmudgeon and squirt gasoline on smoldering embers, I could point out that Malkin was…uh…’covering’ Anders Lee in front of our net on the last Islanders goal, although that’s not really his job (where the heck was our defense?). Plus, the whole sordid sequence started on Bryan Rust’s blind backhand drop pass out of the offensive zone to the Isles Anthony Beauvillier in the neutral zone?!?! Geno actually hustled to get back into the play.
Anyway…save for perhaps Brock McGinn, Pierre-Olivier Joseph and (maybe) Tristan Jarry, none of our guys bathed themselves in glory. A game best forgotten…and quickly.
Rick
Hey Rick,
Not going to argue with you that Malkin was standing around watching the scramble in front of the net on Goal 5, but as you note, where was the D?
1) First to answer your question as to “where was the D?” Letang had drove down the slot as if he was a forward when Rust broke down his off Wing, also on his [Letang’s] off-side. Zucker was driving the net to give Rust room to work. Pettersson did rotate high, when he saw Letang trying to be a forward but it didn’t look like Malkin read Letang’s offensive Impulse so he also got in a bit and was caught flat footed when Rusty dropped the puck back to the Point.
Had Letang not jumped, Pettersson may have still been home when Rust dropped that blind pass to the point.
Malkin did get on his horse and got back to the defensive zone to cover for the AWOL Letang, who when he did get back was about 5’0″ off to the right side of the net. Although back in good position, Malkin acted like a typical Penguin defenseman – he stood by and watched the play as a spectator, rather than taking a body.
Since no defenseman on the roster takes the body, I don’t blame Malkin. I blame the Coaches. If the defense doesn’t take the body, why should our forwards. Spectating defense would seem to be the Sullivan/Reirden way.
Also, if Letang would have come back into the box to help the outmanned Malkin, who didn’t seem to know who to cover.
However, we are at odds in another category, in a game that our Pens lose 5 – 1, get out shot 42 – 21, I don’t anyone a pass. McGinn finished the game a -1. POJs goal really belongs to the -1 McGinn, who did make a great play to deflect the shot. And as for Jarry, he gave up 5 goals on 42 shots, gave up rebounds that turned into 11 of those 42 shots and 3 of the 5 Goals Against game on Medium and Low danger shots, not exactly ringing endorsements for the Pens Goalie.
Maybe this was their plan all along, save themselves for the juggernaut that the Red Wings represent (sarcasm intended)