Fans who attended last night’s home opener at PPG Paints Arena were treated (if that’s the right word) to three games in one.
The first dozen minutes or so belonged to the visiting Canadiens, who piled up an early 7-1 shot advantage while snatching the lead at 3:49 of the opening period on a goal by Cole Caufield.
Then our Penguins completely took over the next 30 minutes, knotting the score at 14:07 of the frame on a power-play tally by Evgeni Malkin before overwhelming the Habs on second-period goals by Declan Carlile (0:32), Sam Girard (7:59), Tommy Novak (14:01) and Ben Kindel (15:32).
Happily, it was beginning to feel like Philly all over again. Then Nick Suzuki scored on a backhander at 18:46 of the second to pare our lead to 5-2.
I didn’t feel especially uneasy at the time. I did when Caufield struck for his second goal of the game at 3:31 of the third period. Especially with the Canadiens suddenly pouring over us like milk over a bowl of Cap’n Crunch. I got especially uncomfortable when a would-be Egor Chinakhov tally was overturned on an offside, followed by Chinny’s trip to the penalty box at 16:19.
Although the Habs didn’t cash in on what was essentially an extended 6-on-4 power-play with goalie Jakub Dobeš pulled, it softened us up. Setting the stage for a Chris Kreider marker at 18:52.
Thinking I was the cause of all this bad juju (I’ll explain later), I stopped watching. Surely our boys could hang on for 68 seconds and salt this one away.
WRONG!
Twenty-four ticks later, Ivan Demidov knotted the score at 5-all on a sharp-angle snapper.
When the Canadiens dominated the first minute of overtime, I figured we were toast. Then, to my utter joy and disbelief, Kris Letang circled in the neutral zone and, with Alex Newhook breathing down his neck, slung a spin-o-rama backhand pass to Malkin off the sideboards.
Geno gathered up the puck and burst over the blue line on a 2-on-1. After toying with ex-Pen Mike Matheson, No. 71 fed rush-mate Novak for the OT winner. Mercifully allowing my blood pressure to return to normal, to say nothing of garnering two points for our favorite team.
PUCKPOURRI
Novak (2+1) and Malkin (1+2) paced the Pens’ attack with three points apiece. The former was named first star, the latter third star. From the blue line, Letang and Erik Karlsson each tallied two points.
Between the pipes, Arturs Šilovs was a bit of a mixed bag. He stopped 20 of 25 shots, including three breakaways, but faded down the stretch with the rest of the team. Not sure I trust him at this stage to carry the goaltending load.
With Kindel and Andrei Kuzmenko returning to the lineup, coach Dan Muse juggled his bottom-two lines. Frankly, I was surprised that he broke up the Hendrix Lapierre–Filip Hållander–Ville Koivunen trio that dominated the Flyers.
Lapierre (who picked up an assist) shifted to right wing on the third line. Hållander joined Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte on the fourth line, bumping Elmer Söderblom to the press box. Koivunen likewise was a healthy scratch. Veteran forward David Gustafsson was placed on waivers.
The defensive pairing of Girard and Kaedan Korczak each finished a minus-3.
Mario Lemieux participated in the pregame festivities and drew a rousing ovation from the crowd. It’s always such a special treat to have the big guy in the house!
Does anyone else think we should’ve acquired Kreider as a preventive measure? He’s only scored a gazillion goals against us.
As for that explanation I owe you? When we were up, 5-1, I texted PP colleague Caleb DiNatale and suggested (tongue-in-cheek, of course) that we’re Cup bound. Suzuki struck a short time later to touch off the Habs’ rally.
During overtime, I was just about to text Caleb that we were kaput when Novak potted the OT winner.
Needless to say, the reverse PenguinPoop curse is very much alive.
UP NEXT
The Jets (0-0-1) and old friend Stuart (Stuuu) Skinner visit Monday night. Perhaps we’ll see Sergei Murashov in net for the black-and-gold.
Changes gears a minute Rick or anyone, with the talk about Edvidsson wanting out of Detroit, would you deal for him? I will save my thoughts until some answers
Hey Other Rick,
I would LOVE to get Edvinsson. Huge, mobile, talented. I’ve got to think he’d cost us in more ways than one. Just a wild guess, but we’d probably have to give up a 1st-round pick, a top prospect or two, maybe even a decent roster player as well.
He’s liable to cost a pretty penny to sign as well. But, my goodness, would he be worth it.
Rick
Rick,
He has asked to be traded so his cost may not be as much as it could have been otherwise. Now let me ask you, would you gamble on letting Horcoff walk with no return (since he could stay in college until his rights run out) or would you try and trade him to his hometown to play with for his father in exchange for Edvidsson?
It has been nearly ten years since Fleury patrolled the Penguins pipes. Murray was only good one more year after that. So, it has been a while since Pittsburgh has been treated to real NHL level Goaltending. As a former Goalie, I can tell you that giving up 5 Goals on only 25 Shots. Silovs was completely or partially at fault for all 5 GA.
1st GA, Silovs left skate was a good 2 feet outside of the near post when Caufield tickled the twine. Silovs had no idea where he was on the ice. He simply followed Kreider away from the net when Girard pushed the former Ranger what should have been out of harm’s way. Unfortunately, Silovs never learned the very basics of Goaltending, knowing where you are in relation to your net. He gave Caufield the whole far side to deposit the puck.
2nd GA, the Defense broke up Suzuki’s pass attempt, but the Canadien followed up the play a pushed a weak backhander that could have simply rolled right up the ramp that Silovs generously provided and scouted over our ersatz Goalies shoulder.
3rd GA was a tough play. This is the only GA that I give Silovs any leeway. Caufield was in the slot and just to the edge of Silovs’ glove hand circle when he released the shot. However, Silovs bears some blame on this GA because Caufield shot the puck center mass of where Silovs was positioned but the Pens’ Goalie chose to drift to his stick side with his happy feet and the shot sailed right past where Silovs had just been.
4th GA was a bang – bang play; had the pass originated from the corner where Silovs would not have had a chance to block the pass, I would say Silovs would have been guiltless on the play. However, the pass to Kreider came from behind the net and any average to good Goalie should have simply blocked the pass so that no shot would have occurred. Goalies are allowed to help themselves on plays like that. The Goalie is part of the Defense too.
5th GA was the result of the same passive Goaltending that led to GA 4. Suzuki’s pass to Demidov was straight through the blue paint and angled down to the far post; it wasn’t even a hard laser beam, just a soft drifting pass that should have been smothered or rejected before it reached a Canadien shooter.
I know everyone wishes things were different, so do I. However, if we do not look critically at the limitations of many of these players at best, we will repeat last season at worst we go back to missing the playoffs. (and by we, I mostly mean Dubas and Muse)
Silovs actually played very well imo. In the first period the Habs were all over us, and he stood tall. The 2nd goal was a bit of a fluke, which I didn’t worry about cuz it was 5-2. Then the refs took away goal 6, and I think that took wind out of our sails and Montreal took advantage.
I don’t recall the 3rd goal given up but I don’t blame silovs for the last 2. Our defense shat the bed big time.
Heck in OT silovs made 2-3 great stops before the Letang spin o rama!
I am very excited to watch more of the team, they are really fun to watch.