Penguins Rally, Then Collapse in Dismal 6-2 Loss to CBJ

I usually have some idea of how I want to approach my PP posts. Well, I confess the well has pretty much run dry. Except to say that our Penguins are a bad hockey team and seem to be getting worse with each passing game.

Indeed, a quick glance in the rearview mirror tells the story. A 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes. A 7-1 loss to the Stars. And the latest…a 6-2 hiding at the hands of the Blue Jackets. A team that had lost six in a row going in and ain’t exactly on a short list of Cup contenders.

It’s weird, because we do possess some talent. For last night’s Metro tilt we dressed seven former first-round picks, with two more stashed on IR. However, we’re just not jelling into anything remotely resembling a cohesive, functional group. Especially on defense, but up front, too.

Wonder of wonders, we actually played pretty well for the first 35 minutes or so. We shook off a pair of early and iffy CBJ goals, including one by old friend Zach Aston-Reese, to knot the score at 2-all on tallies by Anthony Beauvillier and Michael Bunting. The newly formed third line of Drew O’Connor, Jesse Puljujärvi and rookie Sam Poulin was hounding the Blue Jackets’ defense. Tristan Jarry seemed to be finding his sea legs between the pipes after a rocky start.

We almost came all the way back to take the lead, but Sidney Crosby couldn’t finish on a glorious chance. The Blue Jackets promptly countered on a 3-on-1, with tough guy Mathieu Olivier beating Jarry with a sizzler from the slot.

It was pretty much game, set and match after that. The CBJ proceeded to skate us out of the barn in the third period, in the process piling up an ungodly 19-4 edge in shots on goal. Nobody sporting the skating Penguins logo acquitted themselves well. Least of all the Ryans (the hapless defensive duo of Ryan Graves and Ryan Shea) and the Evgeni Malkin line, Geno and Bryan Rust in particular.

I don’t even know where to begin to unstack this pile of… (I’ll let you fill in the blank). But I took particular umbrage with our power play. More specifically, our first unit.

Midway through the second period our top guys swung into “action,” and I use that term loosely. They basically stood stock still and passed the puck around the perimeter, only occasionally taking a break from the monotony to lose possession and be forced to reset. The CBJ penalty killers could’ve taken a coffee break.

In one particularly onerous instance, Rickard Rakell took a pass in the left circle and, with a clear lane to the net, opted instead to pass the puck back to Erik Karlsson at center point.

“Take the puck and drive to the net!” I screamed at the images on the TV screen.

Moments later our second unit did just that. Bing, bang, bong…we forced the Jackets’ penalty killers to react, the puck took a couple of crazy, fortuitous bounces, and Bunting punched it home. I might add, with O’Connor providing a textbook net-front screen.

Hmmm. Movement…crashing the net…big body in front.

Whoddya thunk it?

Just a hunch, but I’d bet dollars to donuts that David Quinn (and sacrificial lamb Todd Reirden before him) are instructing the big boys to do the proper things.

Then Sid and Geno and EK65 and Co. go out and pretty much disregard that instruction, instead opting to defer and pass the puck around the perimeter. If Phil Kessel were dead he’d be rolling in his grave.

Of course, the situation begs for Mike Sullivan’s attention. Instead of running the same tired bunch, Core Four or not, out there time and again while expecting different results, he needs to try different combinations. Starting with Bunting in the mix and maybe O’Connor as well.

If someone’s feelings get hurt in the weeding out, too bad.

I’m reminded of the movie Miracle. When questioned by Craig Patrick about his roster choices, Herb Brooks responded, “I’m not looking for the best players, Craig, I’m looking for the right ones.”

Sullivan needs to follow suit.

A final note. Olivier now has five goals on the season, or one less than our team-leading troika of Sid, Beauvillier and Rakell. For the unfamiliar, the 217-pound Biloxi, Mississippi, native is tough as nails. Last spring he took celebrated Rangers’ baddie Matt Rempe apart in a fight.

I’d give my eye teeth to have a guy like that on our Pens.

It’ll never happen as long as Sullivan’s our coach.

Okay, I’m done rambling.

A little positive to go with the gloom. There’s a really nice article by Mark Madden about Geno on the Trib titled, “Evgeni Malkin will always be remembered as a Penguins’ all-time great.”