Right or Wrong Direction? On Penguins and the Big Picture
PENGUINS AND THE BIG PICTURE The Pittsburgh Penguins are a fortunate team to be 6-4 at the 10 game mark and the best way to describe the first 10 game stretch of the season is ‘survival mode’. The data, the eye-test, little adds up for them being 6-4 right now but to their credit they’ve found ways to win. The Penguins had some positives vs the lowly Sabres and backup goaltender Chris Johnston Thursday night. They scored some playoff style goals in around the net. Pascal Dupuis 56 seconds in scores in around the net (10ft) and all of the Penguins goals came from prime scoring areas. Patric Hornqvist (26 ft), Ben Lovejoy (10 ft) and a power play goal
Low Event Hockey – Great Goaltending
Low Event Hockey – Great Goaltending. That is the Penguins winning recipe right now after winning for the fifth time in six games following a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals tonight. The Penguins have found a way under Mike Johnston to play such a low quality brand of offensive hockey it somehow leads to the opposition playing a lower quality brand of hockey, at least in the offensive end. Look at the New York Rangers in their first round series vs the Penguins. They were one of the highest scoring teams in hockey last season, yet, that series arguably had the most boring brand of offensive hockey of any other playoff series, despite great talents like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni
Roethlisberger forcing Bengals to game plan for both QB’s
Mike Tomlin on Tuesday didn’t try to play coy on who he expects his starting quarterback to be on Sunday vs the Bengals. Tomlin indicated there will be no limitations for Ben Roethlisberger this week and he expects Roethlisberger to start. Big Ben is taking a difference stance regarding his availability for Sunday. Last week in practice Roethlisberger feared [hide] he reinjured his left knee but was later reassured by team doctors it was nothing more than overworking the knee. “Once I got the reassurance from the doctors that I didn’t do anything to hurt the MCL, the bone bruise and that it was simply overuse, I got over the initial shock of worrying that something more happened, I was
Mike Johnston’s lack of power on personnel decisions continues to mount
Mike Johnston’s power in the organization or to put it better, lack of power in the organization, will be evident when the Penguins make a final determination rookie winger Daniel Sprong. Penguins GM Jim Rutherford has a case of saying one thing and doing the complete opposite weeks later so anything that comes out of his mouth publicly should be met with some pause. That said, Rutherford told the Tribune-Review today Sprong has done enough to stay in the NHL. From the Trib: [“It looks that way,” Rutherford said when asked whether Sprong has done enough to stay past the nine-game threshold. “If you’re asking me today, it looks that way.”] What’s best for Sprong and what’s best for team
Seeds are being planted from up top to make sure Rick Tocchet comes out looking good
MONDAY’S PENGUINS BUZZ Bobby Farnham was claimed this afternoon by the New Jersey Devils. Many saw this coming with how much of an admiration John Hynes has for Farnham. New Jersey also feels Farnham can help their penalty kill, per a club source. The Penguins are not surprised he got claimed. As for how this impacts the Penguins roster, it does little. Farnham was only going to play a handful of games this season and when he did, it would only be for five minutes a game. Fans want to be frustrated, a bigger fuss should have been made when Marc Arcobello was waived last season, a productive player, than Farnham who got a lot of hype from the local
Steelers more likely a 9-7 team than 11-5 team
The Pittsburgh Steelers went 2-2 without Ben Roethlisberger. Almost anyone would have taken that from the start. What has changed the narrative a bit and some frustration is how the Steelers played down to their competition in the two losses and saw a coaching staff overthink things vs the Ravens and Chiefs. Le’Veon Bell not used in key situations vs the Ravens, Le’Veon Bell not used enough vs the Chiefs. It was typical Todd Haley. Goes from calling a great second half vs the Cardinals to trying to become the story a week later in having Landry Jones wing the ball around vs the Chiefs. The Steelers were too conservative with Mike Vick under center and a bit too aggressive
Fleury Spectacular in OT Win & Post-Game Observations
PENGUINS – PREDATORS POST GAME BUZZ “Without him we didn’t have a chance” — Chris Kunitz on Marc Andre Fleury’s performance vs the Nashville . Out-shot 39-23 in regulation, -28 in shot attempts (NSH 70-42) and -24 in even strength shot attempts (NSH 60-36), Marc Andre Fleury was sensational in the Penguins 2-1 overtime victory vs the Nashville Predators. “Thought early in the game, third period he was outstanding,” said Mike Johnston about Fleury. “He looks big in the net. He was really good tonight when we needed him.” Fleury was peppered in the third but the second period he made four to five great saves to keep the Predators off the board. Fleury’s positioning continues to be the area
On Penguins: Low energy Forwards, Trade Chatter, selling low on James Neal
SATURDAY’S PENGUINS BUZZ “I don’t think he [Antti Niemi] really had to battle to see pucks. We didn’t have much of a net-front presence. They block shots when they need to and when we get some through, he saw most of them. We’ve got to make it tougher on goalies.” Those were Sidney Crosby’s comments following Thursday’s 4-1 loss. Basically those are Sidney Crosby’s comments after a lot of games…… Until the Penguins start becoming a team that consistently provides a net presence, changing lines isn’t going to do much. — Pascal Dupuis is already playing on the first line by default and it’s going to be the same story with Eric Fehr. The Penguins plan to use Fehr at
Penguins struggles against teams like Dallas likely to be the norm
STARS 4 – PENGUINS 1 The Pittsburgh Penguins are a middle of the pack team. Their top end skill will get by teams like the Senators, Panthers, but if Marc Andre Fleury isn’t standing on his head, night’s are going to go like this one went when the Penguins get matched up against a contending team with the type of speed and skill the Stars have. The Penguins were buzzing in the first 5-6 minutes of the game, it might have been their best five minute stretch of the season, minus the important thing of failing to put the puck in the net. As the first period progressed we got a glimpse of an important difference between these two teams:
On Dupuis Return, Creating quality 5 v 5 chances, Sprong sits
PRE-GAME BUZZ “He’s a guy with so much energy,” Mike Johnston said today about Pascal Dupuis. In training camp the Penguins plan was to play Dupuis on the third line with Nick Bonino, manage his minutes a bit, and that’s where he’s likely to start tonight vs the Dallas Stars, though, he did practice with Matt Cullen yesterday. “I’m going to manage his minutes, even if he’s having a great game. I’m still going to try to and manage his minutes,” Johnston said. How much Dupuis has left in the tank offensively remains to be seen but it’s only going to be a matter of time before Dupuis forces his way onto one of the top-2 line left wing spots,