Back in the 1970s, the theme song to the movie Love Story (ironically about a hockey player) began with the lyric, “Where Do I Begin?”
Well that’s where I am now. Where do I begin to tell the story of the Penguins’ 5-4 come-from-in-front crumble of an overtime loss to the Avalanche yesterday afternoon?
Perhaps how do I begin is more appropriate.
For 30 minutes or so the Pens skated circles around the Central Division leading Avs while piling up a seemingly insurmountable 4-0 lead. Then they proceeded to give it right back, in a collapse so thorough and stunning that it almost defies description.
How complete was our meltdown?
In the first period, the Pens piled up huge advantages in shot attempts (30-13), shots on goal (15-4), scoring chances (15-7) and high-danger chances (7-0). Talk about total domination!
Then the script flipped. Completely.
Over the last two periods and overtime, the Avs controlled the shot attempts (52-35), shots on goal (26-19), scoring chances (28-11) and high-danger chances (13-2). It was as if the Pens literally melted into the ice. In the process, ruining a vintage four-point game by Sidney Crosby. Lest you think Sid was an innocent victim, he was on the ice for four of the Avs goals as well.
In the words of the immortal Mike Lange, I don’t know whether to cry or wind my watch.
Part of me is incensed by our shabby showing and part of me feels sorry for the team. I know only too well from my own modest athletic career what it feels like when things go bad and you can’t find the brake pedal to stop your downward momentum. Emotions take over, your gut starts to twist, and you think…oh no…not again.
I feel for Sid, and Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang especially. Try as they might, they’re simply no longer able to pick the team up and carry it on their backs.
I feel for our goaltenders, too. Our team defense is a shambles. If any sort of structure is being preached by the coaching staff, it isn’t being put into practice.
Perhaps the mark of a fragile team.
As I write, real life intervenes. That’s about all I have to say anyway.
The Goals
After taking an early penalty, Jesse Puljujärvi stormed out of the penalty box, barged into the slot and banged the puck past Alexandar Georgiev at 7:53 of the first period. Moments after being denied by the Avs’ goalie, Bryan Rust blew past Josh Manson and beat Georgiev with a power move at 15:11.
Two-zip Pens, after one.
Crosby made it 3-0 at 13:47 of the second on a phenomenal tip-in of a beautiful, hard pass by Valtteri Puustinen. Two minutes later, Pierre-Olivier Joseph struck on a wrister from center point for his first goal of the season.
Then…the dark times. Or cave-in at the Can (Ball Center).
Ex-Flyer Scott Walker scored for the Avs 25 seconds later. Yakov Trenin struck with 30 seconds left in the period.
Jonathan Drouin (3:32) and Nathan MacKinnon (15:22) followed suit in the third period to force overtime. Setting up Drouin’s game-winning walk in the park (and around Letang).
On Deck
The Pens (30-30-10, 70 points) host Jake Guentzel and the high-flying ‘Canes (45-20-7, 97 points) on Tuesday night and the CBJ (23-36-12, 58 points) on Thursday night.
No rest for the weary or the downtrodden.
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At this point it's probably better to lose in order to end up in the Celebrini lottery. I don't see this team winning a playoff game, much less taking a series right now. The tough questions begin after the season. How to retool the defense? Will there be coaching changes? How does Dubas move forward (and what changes does FSG allow?)
That said, yesterday was painful.
Hey Nick,
I believe the magic number for elimination is 15 points for our Penguins, any combination of our Penguins losing 15 or the Caps gaining 15 points gives our Pens the early tee times they deserve.
At the moment our Pens have the 9th worst record in the league, which does give them a chance at Celebrini. It would be a good time to bring him in, while Crosby and Malkin are still on the squad, so that he doesn't get hit with the pressures like Mario and Sid were hit with, he could ease into his role more like Jagr. However, I can only imagine the uproar across the league if the Penguins do get a chance to to draft him and he does fulfill his expectations, with the number of superstars we have gotten here in Pgh.
Hanafin, Zadorov, and Pesce are all UFA this summer, there is a serious opportunity to retool the Defense if Dubas can clear the Cap space and move out the dead wood.
I sincerely doubt Sullivan will get the pink slip he richly deserves. He is been the Teflon coach. He blames the players, the Assistant Coaches and the GMs and sneaks through the firestorm and fallout from the debacles he created, everybody except Sullivan gets sacrificed. Reirden will probably get sacrificed, like Recchi and Martin before him, but Sully will breeze on through,
If Dubas is truly committed a youth movement, he will have to wake up and remove Sullivan. Sullivan has already gone on record a couple of seasons back saying he doesn't have time to teach kids (in effect saying he doesn't have time to do his job.