Last night’s wild 6-4 victory over improving Ottawa represented the good, bad and ugly for our current batch of Penguins.
On the plus side of the ledger, our offense flourished. We ran up a 5-1 lead after two periods and struck for six goals in all. Enjoying a breakout game, No. 1 star Mike Matheson led the way with two goals and an assist. In all, a dozen Pens showed up on the score sheet. At the opposite end of the rink, Tristan Jarry made enough big saves to do a revival meeting proud.
Now for the bad. The Senators dictated the tempo for huge chunks of the game, especially in the first and third periods when they piled up a whopping 36-20 edge in shots on goal.
And the ugly? Our attention to detail and defensive-zone structure was practically non-existent. Or atrocious, whichever you prefer.
Perhaps play-by-play announcer Steve Mears summed it up best. “It’s like a ride on the Thunderbolt,” he gushed while describing the frenetic action.
Maybe it was appropriate that Dominik Simon opened the scoring in the zaniest of games. The light-scoring winger drove to the left circle and, despite being covered like a blanket by Nick Holden, ripped off a shot that went far post and in. No one was more surprised than Simon, who almost forgot to celebrate.
The Sens knotted the score midway through the period when Drake Batherson got behind our defense and beat Jarry with a second-chance backhander. The “got behind our defense” part would prove a harbinger of things to come.
We wasted little time in countering. A mere eighty-eight ticks later, Evgeni Malkin beat goalie Anton Forsberg thanks to a faceoff win by Kasperi Kapanen and a sharp, no-look shot/pass by Matheson from center point. The Pens nearly made it 3-1 moments later on the power play, again with Geno doing the honors. However, the Sens challenged, contending…rightfully so…that Kris Letang was offside on the play.
Unfazed, Matheson made it 3-1 for real at 15:59 on a second-chance poke between the pads of former Pens prospect Filip Gustavsson, who replaced Forsberg between the pipes.
In stark contrast to the opening 20 minutes, when we were outshot 22-12, our boys dominated the second period. Sidney Crosby cashed in on the power play at 11:32. Matheson made it 5-1, good guys, late in the frame with a rocket from the top of the left circle.
The game was in the bag, right? That’s probably what the Pens thought, too. Except it wasn’t. Not by a long shot. Or more accurately, three net-front tallies by the Sens, the first by Tim Stutzle and the next two by wunderkind Josh Norris, in just over eight minutes. Had Jarry not stoned Alex Formenton on a penalty shot at 7:27, the game may well have turned out differently.
Despite the onslaught, and with tons of time left in the game, our stumbling waterfowl managed to right themselves. At least long enough for Jake Guentzel to pot an empty-netter with 47 seconds remaining to finally seal the deal…and the all-important two points.
Fight Night
The Sens outhit us, 56-45, in a surprisingly chippy affair. It was a rare two-fight night for our guys. Brian Boyle answered the bell against Austin Watson after flattening Jacob Bernard-Docker with a booming open-ice hit in the first period. And John Marino showed some spunk by dropping the gloves with Brady Tkachuk…and eating a few hard lefts…late in the contest. The clubs combined for 38 penalty minutes in all.
Plea for E-Rod
Evan Rodrigues appears to be an unfortunate casualty of the team’s return to good health. With Malkin, Danton Heinen, Brock McGinn and Bryan Rust all rejoining to the lineup, E-Rod’s been squeezed off the top power play where he was deadly effective, as well as being shunted to right wing…his least effective position. The result? After piling up 11 points, including seven goals, over a six-game stretch, he’s pointless in his past six games.
While it’s probably akin to working out a human jigsaw puzzle, Mike Sullivan and his staff need to find a better way to utilize E-Rod.
Malkin to Blame?
After playing solid team defense over the first few months of the season, the Pens seem to be reverting to their old, undisciplined ways. Including last night’s contest, we’ve yielded over 40 shots on goal in three of our last five games. Which coincides with Malkin’s return.
Is Geno the culprit? After all, he’s never been a bastion of backchecking, and his free-wheeling style contributes to breakdowns on occasion.
Yes and no. On Norris’s first goal, he and his linemates were late to provide support down low. Nor was his line a paragon of possession. They yielded 10 5v5 shot attempts to only six for.
But the real culprit against the Sens appeared to be the Crosby line. Sid’s trio was on the ice for 20 5v5 shot attempts against and only nine for. On Norris’s second tally, Guentzel was late to provide net-front help while Crosby chased the point.
It should be noted that all four Sens goals came up close and personal from point-blank range. It’s a worrisome thread that will need to be addressed. Especially as we head into a busy part of our schedule.
Welcome Home
Although sidelined with a non-Covid related illness, two-time Cup winning goalie Matt Murray was treated to a video tribute and a warm ovation from the Pens partisans. He tapped his heart in appreciation.
Where We’re At
The Pens (24-10-5, 53 points) are presently tied for third place in the Metro with Washington, two points behind the Capitals and three points off the division lead. Next up…a short jaunt to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets tonight.
Hey Rick,
There are no style points in Hockey, a Win is a Win is a Win. However, barely beating the 4th worst team in the league in terms of Pnts% does show serious problems.
First, did you see how fast Watson came to defend Bernard – Docker? You’re not going to see a single of Sullivan’s Smurfs do that.
Second: “Tristan Jarry made enough big saves to do a revival meeting proud.” Jarry finished with a Sv% 0.907. It was only a couple of short years ago you complained about another Goalie whose Sv% was only in the low 0.900 at the end of the game when I said did you see the number of HD saves he made – that is the definition of double standard. I can defend Jarry for the number of high quality Saves he made, since I defended Murray but precious few others can.
Plea for E-rod? He should have been traded at the peak of his stock. He is a top 6 Center on a middling, not elite team and we could have gotten a draft pick for him, or for the Kool-Aid crew a puzzle piece that the team needed for their next 1st round disappointment. That is not a condemnation of E-Rod, it is an objective was of treating the situation for a win-win – Give E-Rod the chance to flourish elsewhere while addressing more pressing needs in house.
Malkin to blame? You do realize that Matheson was on the ice for 3 of the 4 (only Penguin with that high of a total last night) Sen’s Goals, right? Malkin was only on the ice for 1 of them. More bias? More attempted bear poking? Did you also see that Heinen – Malkin – Kapanen did not give up a single Goal as a unit. When Malkin and Kapanen got dinged for a GA, Rust was patrolling the other Wing, he hadn’t left the ice yet. Furthermore, the player you just extolled the virtues of, having his best season (Letang), decided to leave his partner (Marino) alone to try and defend 2 – Sens by himself and was really effectively with his back to a third Sen – but you choose to call out Malkin?
in terms of CORSI in order from best to worst
McGinn – Blueger – Boyle 50%
Heinen – Malkin – Kapanen 37.5%
Rodrigues – Carter – Simon 36.6%
Guentzel – Crosby – Rust (who was on the ice with Geno and Kappy for their only GA) 31.03%
But Malkin is to blame?
In terms of Shot differential
Heinen – Malkin – Kapanen 41.67%
McGinn – Blueger – Boyle 40.00%
Rodrigues – Carter – Simon 33.33%
Guentzel – Crosby – Rust 33.33%
But Malkin is to blame?
In terms of Goal differential, only the Rodrigues – Carter – Simon line gave up Goals (2)
But Malkin is to blame?
Logic says otherwise.
And speak of Letang as I did earlier, I would have expected a player in the league as long as Letang to have not gone off side on a play that was in front of him. He almost cost the team big time.
Oh please don’t mistake me for complaining about Jarry, all his GA were HDGA. If I did, I would be just as guilty of a double standard.
Whoa Nellie! Or in this case, Other Rick. I really didn’t intend to poke the bear with my comments (although I never mind when I do… 🙂
But seriously, my question about whether Malkin’s to blame for our sudden sloppy play was…in a way…intended to head such thinking off at the pass. I thought I made it clear that Sid’s group was more the culprit. Actually, all of our lines bore responsibility for our fast and loose (or just plain loose) defensive play. The Carter line was on the ice for the first two Ottawa goals, Geno’s unit the third and Sid’s the fourth.
I’m sure some if not a lot of our defensive downturn is due to the fact that Sullivan’s trying out some new line combinations to best discern how to deploy the troops. Familiarity may breed contempt as the old saying goes. But it sure helps to have a feel for where your linemates are going to be on the ice and who’s doing what. Definitely a work in progress.
Oh…and I defend my comments about E-Rod. He wasn’t doing what he did with smoke and mirrors. But it did require Sully to use him in a way that gave him the best chance to succeed. That ain’t happening right now.
Still concerned about our ‘d’ down low. Not sure what the answer is except to carry the play to our opponents and away from our net.
Rick
Hey Rick,
I am agreeing that E-Rod has played well, when Smellivan uses him in the top 6, particularly Center or as you mention LW. If you go back to my preseason predictions you will see that I wrote that E-Rod would open eyes if he played top 6 minutes but disappear when our Coach tried to be stupid and plug him in in a bottom 6 role. And that is why he and Zucker lead my list of trade wishes. Trading both players would benefit both the players and the team.
If Hextall doesn’t trade E-Rod, the only way to maximize E-Rod considering Malkin and Crosby in the line up would be as 3rd line Center.
I am not so sure that the defensive turn down is due to juggling players in and out of the line-up. As you, yourself have noted many times, this team does not do well when teams hit them. Ottawa started hitting early and often and wore the Pens down. If the Sens had any level of Goaltending , they could easily have won last night. Outside of the Boyle – Watson Waltz the Pens when they hit “fly like a butterfly and sting like a flea.” With a few exceptions, as I have written before, Penguins hit like Ruth Buzzi’s old lady with a purse character from Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. Their recent problems defensively may be more of a factor that as we near the half point of the season, teams with start getting more defensive minded.
Hey Coach,
Mind if I add my 3 cents worth. My older sister, the long time Sen’s fan who lives in Otttawa called me yesterday and said ” Did you see the game ? ” i told her We WON, not much to see here . She replied,” Whats wrong with the Pens.. They are pushing the game and making to many mistakes instead of playing the game that their opponent gives them.” She said ” I really like the Pens”, because of the Crosby connection and she knows her hockey.
i thought that was a very interesting comment coming from a life long Sen’s fan who loves hockey and raised 5 boys to play the game and has a grand son who will go first round in the OHL draft.
I was not going to mention it until i read your and Rick’s comments above.The more I think about her comments the more I am convinced that maybe she is on to something. FYI.
Have a great day guys
JIM
Hey Jim,
Great observations by your sister. Taking what your opponent gives you is how the Isles and Habs embarrassed our Pens for 3 straight postseasons and what will happen this year too barring Divine intervention.
Thanks for the kind remarks Coach.
I blame Coach Sullivan and his staff for always trying to play the same style no matter who the opponent is. It does not always work ….especially come play off time. Interesting that most of us always look at the Win column when we discuss our Pen’s and what my sister noticed was the mistakes during the game that should never have happened. So not all wins are equal.
She too agrees with you that the defense is the Achilles heel of our team.and Tristan jarry if he ever gets injured long term..
Cheers
Hey Jim,
I blame Sully and all his cohorts too. A team reflects its coach, at least if the coach has been here as long as Sully. If a team doesn’t stand up for one another, the coach wants it that way. If a team doesn’t know how to lay defense, they coach wants them that way. If the team is impatient and arrogant and tries to force square pegs (Simon, Zucker etc) into round holes rather than taking what is given, that is the way the coach is. If a Coach has a team with 2 generational talents on it, has been with that team for 6 seasons and the last 3 seasons, the team gets dumped, unceremoniously from the playoffs in the first round, the Coach should have already been fired.