I have a confession to make. My work at Wright’s Gym kept me otherwise detained, so I didn’t watch the Winter Classic at historic Fenway Park yesterday afternoon.
Occasionally I’d glance at the big-screen TV behind the front desk to check the score, which for a good portion of the afternoon was 1-0 in our favor. At one point during the third period, I paused to glimpse the action. Noting a Bruin was about to crank up a slap shot and fearing I’d jinx us, I decided that it was better that I not watch.
It didn’t matter. We lost anyway, 2-1.
Judging by the score and the stat line (a combined 56 shots on goal) a fairly low-event game. At least on paper.
Actually, there were some fairly significant developments. Most of the no bueno variety.
- Tristan Jarry exited at 15:30 of the first period with what appeared to be a lower body injury. Yikes.
- Despite copious amounts of ice time, the Sidney Crosby line has gone stone cold. Over the past five games, Sid and wingers Rickard Rakell and Jake Guentzel have combined for a goal and two assists to go with a collective minus-15. While better, Evgeni Malkin’s unit ain’t exactly on fire either over that span (four goals and six points but a minus-12). No wonder we’re in the midst of a 0-3-2 slide.
- Mike Sullivan’s decisions continue to baffle. Although he scored our lone goal, Kasperi Kapanen saw only 7:21 of ice time. Practically a repeat of the recent Detroit debacle, when he set up our first two goals but played only 7:20.
- Sully elected to go with seven defensemen and 11 forwards yesterday, dressing Chad Ruhwedel while keeping Drew O’Connor manacled to the press box. O’Connor’s sin? Apparently scoring a goal in his last game.
- Don’t know what our coach thinks loading up on Sid and Geno’s ice time mid-season is going to do for us down the stretch. Robbing Peter to pay Paul and then some.
- Former Cup hero Brian Dumoulin continues to struggle…and mightily. He was on the ice for both Bruins goals, and took a pratfall on the sequence leading to the game winner. While I truly feel for him, enough is enough. Dumo needs to be parked in the press box instead of getting prime ice time.
The Goals
The Pens grabbed the lead at 8:40 of the second period thanks to an aggressive forecheck by the fourth line. Ex-Bruin Danton Heinen (5:07 TOI) won a puck battle along the end boards and slipped the rubber to Jeff Carter, who returned the favor. Heinen alertly fed Kapanen below the left circle. Kappy dropped to a knee and buried it for his sixth goal of the campaign.
Jake DeBrusk notched both Bruins goals. At 7:46 of the third period, seconds after a tripping penalty to Dumoulin expired, DeBrusk swept the puck past Casey DeSmith from the doorstep to knot the score. On the game-winner at 17:36, the Pens had four men back but still collapsed like a house of cards, allowing DeBrusk unfettered access to the net. Inept doesn’t begin to describe it.
I did like our uniforms, an ode to our original NHL team, the Pirates.
Puckpourri
The Pens held a slight edge in shot attempts (57-56) and dominated the faceoff circle (56 percent). The Bruins held serve in shots on goal (29-27), scoring chances (27-24) and a whopping 14-6 advantage in high-danger chances.
DeSmith stopped 19 of 21 shots in relief of Jarry.
Still nursing a lower-body injury, Kris Letang traveled to Montreal to be with his family in the wake of his father’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Tanger.
Ryan Poehling missed the game with a recurrence of an upper-body injury.
On Tap
The Pens (19-12-6, 44 points) travel to Vegas to take on the Golden Knights (26-12-2, 54 points) on Thursday evening. We’re presently tied for fifth place in the Metro (and the last Eastern Conference playoff slot) with the Islanders.
A final thought. Our Stanley Cup window arguably opened with a 2-1 win over Buffalo in the 2008 Winter Classic. It’s quite possible…and perhaps altogether fitting…that the window officially closed with yesterday’s 2-1 loss.
Sure feels like it.
Rick, The Other Rick, Jim & Penguin Poop regulars “HAPPY NEW YEAR”
Just wanted to add my two cents on the Penguin woes.
1) Rick mentioned this but with both Crosby and Malkin each having just one point in the
last (5) games is a problem.
2) 2ND if FSG and Lemieux are crossways it’s not regarding a Coaching change – FSG is
very fond of Sullivan. I would guess if there is an issue it would be with the hiring of
Hextall.
3) Until Hextall makes a move or two to acquire some toughness on our 4th line it’s going
to be same old, same old come playoff time. Our know the 4th line when healthy has
performed admirably but this is the regular season and not the playoffs.
4) Rick I also agree with you on the loss of Petry – that was huge and the Pen’s have no one
to fill his shoes.
5) The Other Rick – I understand your frustration with Sullivan playing his vets or should I
say over using them but that’s a hard one for him to dodge since we’re the oldest
team in the league.
6) Pen’s need to do something with their goalie situation. DeSmith isn’t good enough to be a #1
and every time you turn around Jarry’s hurt.
Go Pens
Hey Mike
Happy New Year to you as well. All the best in 2023 !!
You make some very good points Mike and I totally agree our team needs to be tougher,bigger and harder to play against. I also want to add younger and faster.
I have an idea to run by you and the rest of the gang….Regarding a rumored disagreement between the Fenway group and Mario…..What if you were to trade Crosby to Montreal for their First Round Pick in 2023 and another Montreal roster player with serious pedigree.( Nick Suzuki?) Maybe Fenway would be willing to do a trade like that and Mario is objecting….Just speculation on my part.
If you had the chance to draft Center Connor Bedard,given last nite he broke 2 records at the World Junior Championships, at what point would you consider such a move ?
Great to be arm chair GM’s Mike..
Cheers
JIM
Happy New Year Mike,
Spot on, the Goalie situation is very concerning. However, I do wonder how much of his injury issue is related to purse swinging Defensemen not knocking down opposing forwards, leaning on him and or forcing him to making miraculous Gumby like stretching saves. Long term, I do think Blomqvist is the man for the team, but sending him back to Europe will serve to slow down his development, like it slowed down Gustavsson’s development.
I like Lindberg and think he was the best goalie we had in camp, but he too is injured, and that is why I wonder if it isn’t our defensive system, a system that encourages open season on Penguin Goalies, is causing the injuries.
If there is good news, this month should be a little more forgiving, after Vegas, we have the Yotes, and Canucks and later on we have the Ducks, the Sens twice, the Panthers (who are struggling this year) and even the Sharks. There may be some time to circle the wagons.
Hi Rick,
Very spot-on article as always!
I didn’t watch the entire game but when the 3rd period started, I had, again, this very nagging feeling that victory would continue to elude our beloved Pens. Maybe I should stop watching them; they are jinxed or something!
I agree with you, Rick, when you say that we should worry about the first line’s performance. I watched Sidney’s body language a few times (especially on the bench) and he was not happy! His faced showed some irritation and frustration. Is it a temporary slump or does it hide something else? Last year, when asked how many seasons were left for him, he mentioned 3-4 years (until the end of his contract) and added that the window of opportunity for the Pens was becoming narrower. I think that Sid knows deep down inside that the Pens are toasted but won’t let it show publicly.
When I saw Dumo falling down, my words were: “Enough is enough!”. Can someone tell this coaching staff to health scratch Dumo in order to give him a break? He is exhausted and I totally agree with you, Other Rick, the coaching staff must stop squeezing the lemon. Letang has an average TOI of 24:00. He played 27:01 against the Red Wings! May I remind you that it was a regular season game against a non contender team! What happened when Tanger is overused in the regular season? He got burned in the last 4 playoffs (he is not the only one though). By the way, my deepest condolences to Tanger and his family for the passing of his father.
To conclude my comment, rumour has been lurking lately that there is a philosophical divergence between FSG (new majority Pens’ owners) and Mario Lemieux. What I heard is that FSG would like to undergo some changes but is held back by Lemieux. If this rumour is true, it may explain why the coaching staff has made head scratching decisions lately. I’m sure FSG is putting pressure on Burke and Hextall as well. FSG hasn’t hired this current staff. Maybe they would like to explore other options. That’s my two cents…
I’m afraid the Pens are in for a few bumpy rides this year…
Hey Rick,
Good analysis my friend. I honestly thought the best team won the game yesterday.The score was a lot closer than the reality on the ice. You had to expect that the league leading Bruins in their own Barn would not go quietly. They owned us in the third period and there are many variables to consider. Age being just one of them. Injuries are another.( Jarry and Letang both gone.). The fact that the Bruins have a long standing reputation as being a tough and physical team to play against when necessary.THE coaching ??? Nothing more to say.
As you noted above Rick, the Bruins held a 14 to 6 advantage in high threat scoring chances.That is not a 2-1 game in my books. This could easily been a 4-1 game and that is what you expect from the best team in the league half way through the schedule.
My final point Rick and I am glad you also mentioned it was the play of Sidney Crosby. As a Maritimer when ever Crosby plays his good friend and fellow line mate in ALL International Hockey Tournaments,Brad Marchand it sparks deep local interest. Regardless of what team you cheer for,both players are highly respected here as this is where they started their Hockey careers in Halifax. In that vain Marchand also out played his friend and he lead his team to victory with the game tying assist..As we noted so goes Crosby so goes the Penguins.
Cheers
JIM
Hey Rick,
How you view any team or game, it really is based on expectations. If I labored under the same delusions of many fans, that our Penguins were true contenders and that we had a genius for a Coach, then I would be distraught right about now. The league mean Pts% right now is 0.556%. Our Penguins’ Pts% is 0.595, hovering around the average mark and that is all I expect out of this team.
As for this game specifically, I expected the team to get up and be competitive. They always seem to play well against better teams and on a bigger stage. However, between the age of the team, with players who will run out of gas as the game and season get longer, and a coach whose ego renders him incapable of adjusting to the other team, the result was inevitable – Our Pens just couldn’t go the distance.
I read seriously blinded blog site dissecting the GWG trying to blame Zucker’s gap control, Malkin going over to the puck carrier and Ruhwedel failing to cover Hall but effectively elide Dumoulin tripping over his own skates. The team didn’t really go from having numbers back to being out-manned due to defensive lapses but due to Dumoulin falling down.
Furthermore, even if you want to blame Zucker, Malkin, and Ruhwedel, you can’t blame them without blaming the coaches. It is the coaches’ responsibility to ensure the players know where to be in the D-zone. If it were 1 player you blame for being out of position, it could be that 1-player’s fault. However, to demonstrate a team wide break down, that is squarely on the coaching staff.
Again, I am not irate. My expectation’s of Dumoulin are rather low, seeing him fall down at a critical juncture doesn’t surprise me. The coaching staff’s over use of aging veterans, limited use of productive players, and overall lack of ensuring players coverage in the D-zone also doesn’t surprise me. I expect that.
I am just happy we didn’t get blown out.