Pittsburgh Penguins
For The Penguins Signature Loss Means More Than Signature Win
Many Penguin fans were hoping that it could be looked upon as a turning point. Some in the Pittsburgh media labeled it a “signature win.” The players and coaches seemed enthused as well.
Last Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins had just secured a 4-3 shootout victory in a game that was…by way of departure this season… both an entertaining and challenging game against the first place Montreal Canadiens in front of a wired Consol Energy Center crowd.
Optimists tried to will momentum onto the perpetually feckless Penguins as a result of that game. The inference being that this talent-laden but emotionally flat and inconsistent group would find traction as a result of that conquest. And some warm spring day in 2016, in the midst of a deep playoff run, we’d all point back to the Veterans Day result that was the moment when this year’s edition of the Pittsburgh Penguins turned it around and got on track.
The Montreal game was quickly followed up by a 2-1 home loss to the Eastern Conference cellar dwelling Blue Jackets on Friday and a dreadful 4-0 defeat in New Jersey the following evening. The game vs NJ was so bad that, in a moment of honesty, Evgeni Malkin stated that the players on the team were “mad at each other.”
Predictably, the Penguin media machine tried to control that message. “Well, you know, Geno with English as his second language and all. He really meant ‘frustrated’ more than ‘mad’, so it wasn’t that big of a thing.”
Yeah. Yeah, it was. And it’s a good thing Malkin said something. And I don’t know why everyone associated with the team (including Malkin himself) tried to soften his words in the 48 hours after Malkin spat them out. Because he meant them.
And the team responded on Tuesday in their first game after that debacle in Newark with a 4-3 win over Minnesota. Furthermore, it was a game in which Malkin owned. The center contributed to all four scores with two goals and two assists.
“Tonight we showed how we can play. It’s still not perfect. But it’s a little bit better. And now I hope we understand what’s going on in the team. And that we support each other, and we start winning,” said Malkin after the win.
Okay? We all good with that? Anyone need to re-translate that one for us again? Or are we good on this one. Because broken English or not I’m thinking Geno is making a helluva lot of sense here. And I think he did Saturday too. And apparently so did his coach.
“I was impressed with Geno after the (NJ) game. To make comments like that. His emotion. And then he moved forward tonight,” said Johnston at his post game press conference Tuesday.
Actually, coach, he moved forward…sideways…backwards…diagonally through the Minnesota defense. Malkin had five points against Winnipeg back on 3/20/2012. This might have been his best game since then. It looked like a highlight reel of the Carolina playoff series he dominated en route to the Stanley Cup in 2009.
“Everybody really wanted to bounce back and make sure that what happened in Jersey doesn’t happen anymore,” said Penguin captain Sidney Crosby. “The way that he (Malkin) played showed that.”
So let’s forget that “signature win” thing after the Montreal game. Could that Devils game have the same effect as a “signature loss”?
“Yeah. Yeah I think so,” said winning goaltender Marc Andre Fleury when asked that question. “Sometimes when you win you don’t see the big picture as you should. In here, we knew we were winning but we weren’t playing as well as we could. And that last game (in NJ) was really an eye opener. And we had a great response tonight. And I think that’s the way we want to play, we can play. And we look a lot better as a team.”
The true test of this theory comes on Thursday night against Colorado at home. Because “signature” wins or losses are only written in indelible ink if they carry over for more than one night.To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
#Pens D pairs were Scuderi-Letang, Dumoulin-Lovejoy and Cole, Clendening and Warsofsky all rotated. -MC. No thanks to the Letang Scuds pairing.
now pens scratch Sprong after burning his 10th Game How Bright
plzz scratch scuderi
finally a good move warsofsky to play over pouliot,
I wonder if Sid can get 6 points tonight and make it interesting, to see if King is going to owe me $200 or not. I doubt it. I’m sure Sam thinks 11 points in two games is doable.
Stanchion have a laugh at this. Darren Dreger said it wouldn’t surprise him if #Pens made a run at a wing that could help Crosby. Because we all know Sidney needs help.
Ugh – find some puck moving defensemen – maybe THAT will help. A winger for sid! give me a break.
Here is your puck moving defenseman. #Pens have recalled David Warsofsky from WBS.
Clearly weren’t going to play Pouliot, and called him up to be the de-facto guy that sits in the press box. I’d have re-called Erixon.
I’m actually surprised it was Warsofsky over Erixon as well but anything other than Pouliot was fine by me, the guy watching from the press box has no impact anyway.
Completely agree, jay.
It would have to be 6 assists stanch.
Now that mattaa is out for the month the pens defensive squad will be more garbage
But still not as bad as Crosby.
Looks like Chicago found another steal with Panarin. Another goal tonight
3 point night while pens gets the buts with pesonen, plotnikov
Plotnikov has already played longer and contributed more than Pesonen… jus saying
I don’t think he’s been given a fair enough shake. I certainly don’t look at him and bitch every time he touches the puck.
Plotnikov was suppose to be pens boost on the second line with malkin yet he is 4th line or healthy scratched most night …Just Saying
Plotnikov was a hopeful to round out that top 6 wing… it was his relationship with Malkin that had him penned in on that wing to begin with. most people had him pegged as a depth guy that should be able to add some offence… the O has yet to develop but he hasnt horrible. The fact that we havent seen the same line combos for longer than 2 periods makes it more difficult to find chemistry too
Lazy russian.
it’s funny how is get a -5 for saying the pens have no toughness…..and you guys call me an idiot. you are all dillusional if you think the pens have muscle and are tough to play against.
Maybe they just don’t think it matters. you know, because Detroit butt fucked us up and down the ice and had negative toughness.
Chicago has a team full of pussies that never respond to big hits on their teammates but who would want to model your franchise after the one that has won 3 cups.
You got a minus 5 because you’re an insufferable colostomy bag
Remember when Peron sucked.
Who’s Peron?
New NHL allstar game format will be announced tonight. Possible 3v3
This game is the biggest joke and waste of time. NHL should drop it immediately.
3on3? what?
intead of getting kessel pens shouldve traded malkin and got nylander ,rielly and kept kapanen
The last thing this team should or should HAVE done, is trade their best player.
yes their best player early season when time is more crucial he disapears
No. Their best player. Period.
Season is never more crucial than the playoffs, and what, Sid was in the midst of a 16 game goal scoring drought there? Impressive.
How is it you fail to apply this same critique to the guys you like? They have all been guilty of it. I would say take of the gold and black sunglasses but its clear yours have Hab colours all over them
Conn Smyth
You cant really be this fucking stupid
Tip of the hat to Benz for showing up to work, I wish everyone here was so motivated… So apparently there was a second meeting that took place. They had a short closed door meeting after the Devils loss and a 45 minute Monday before practice. I guess everyone was allowed to stand up and say what was on their minds from the coaches to the players. Maybe that is why they looked like they had some fire yesterday. Got some of the passive-aggressive pouting out and focused on hockey. Hopefully it is a sign of things to come. Not… Read more »
I think great for the banter is an overstatement, but I otherwise agree with your statements.
I mainly come here to talk to the posters myself. The content is often lacking and there are a handful of complete morons that spin their records and create a belligerence in the atmosphere but other than them I dont mind speaking to most
Stupidest post ever zero. Stop being a tard and admit you come to this site to stare at NPL’s nipples.
No its actually the cup that once housed another mans ball sac that you keep in your profile that brings me out here…
How could nipples be X-rated?
Well that is one thing we can agree on ZC. Kind of miss seeing like King, Da,J2626 and other commenters that can carrying on a discussion even if you don’t agree
Same reason I used to come much more often but now with many of the intelligent posters gone most times I read through the comments my only thought is stupid is as stupid posts.
if i was a player in that meeting i would say “sid, you play like a chick.”
– There are 14 players with more goals than Crosby has points (Kane, Benn, Tarasenko, Seguin, Pavelski, Toffoli, Zuccarello, Little, Pacioretty, Tavares, JAMES NEAL, Stamkos, Saad, and Boone fucking Jenner). Yes, two of them are on John Tortorella’s Columbus Blue Jackets. – Of those 14 players, 10 have the same number of assists or more. – Crosby is currently tied for 218th in goals (2) and 95th in assists (7) after 18 games. – There are currently 62 defensemen with an equal or greater number of goals than Crosby. – Crosby is currently tied with the lowest shooting percentage (4.2%)… Read more »
you clown before malkin had his 4 points night he wasnt even top 80 list so stop drooling over malkin and always bash crosby and want letang to be traded .Maybe you should trade your donuts with npl’s hot dogs for a change
Letang has been awful. Canadian quitters. Both of them.
I am sure your american players are any better scuderi gayjoy,Bennett,
I think Bennett has been a nice addition, quite honestly. he’s been an asset this year. As has Nick Bonino (also american).
yeah like lovejoy bennett scuderi are any better last time pens won the cup there was more french canadians in the team. since the team has been filled with american frauds
Those three combined, don’t make the $7.25M cap hit that Lejunk has. He sucks. And he’s an impediment to improving the roster. He should have been traded rather than signed. That was the time to reload. They missed it.
Heads up.. I borrowed this and replied to a Crosby apologist on DKs page. I gave the disclaimer it wasnt mine but its exactly the reply this guy needed to see.
I read it elsewhere too. No worries.
is DK worth investing time to look at ?
I like DK, I am sure the data he presented was available to the public, I am just taking shot at the lack of content out here. New page, new fee, same old BS. I look forward to summer again when its 8 to 10 days between articles lol
why would you mention iginla in your post? he’s sucks and he’s too slow to play in the NHL. they should move him to LW.
everytime i Feel MJ will be fired some game saves him Now last night Game saved him . Guy Boucher is officially available i am sure Ducks will land on him if pens dont
Guy Boucher sucks.
Yoda who is your favorite penguin player seems to me you hate them all
right now i kind of dislike all of them. i’m sick of crosby sucking, i’m sick of malkin being lazy, i’m sick of watching letang suck, i’m sick of st.blurry, i’m sick of the organization playing old timers, and i’m sick of how they will never give youth a legit shot and i’m sick of the propaganda moreheist puts out there. it is a garbage organization. i’ve been watching them my whole life so i won’t quit now but i am an extremely disgruntled fan.
Malkin being lazy! Oh man, that is brilliant shit.
been a circus since DB joined behind the bench. and organization is quite a joke if you compare to Hawks,habs,kings team. but it will shape up eventually.am i disapointed about this team yeah i am this team should be doing what hawks been doing last 6 years .but clown DB ruined most of players.and the D core we have now pens have no choice to play conservative scuderi and gayjoy are dragging it down .
Yoda, I’m the biggest Midget hater the but how can you be sick of Fleury. He’s on the best run of his career. You and I know he’ll fall apart in the playoffs when the games count but for now he’s saving the season.
st.blurry is having the best season of his life. however i hold him 90% responsible for the failures in 2010 and 2012. the pens would have at least 1 more cup if it wasn’t for his meltdown. that is something that i won’t get over.
here is another reason why this team is in big trouble. why wasn’t there a fight after maatta got crushed? can you say women’s hockey? if the pens squeek into the playoffs they are going to get the living snot kicked out of them. they have zero toughness.
we dont like to have tough Guys in the lineup thats why pens gave away Bortz and Despres the only 2 that dropped gloves.Now pens have Gayjoy
Did you watch the game? Cole tried to go with Nino multiple times.
do or do not, there is no try
he did Cory, poorly but there needs to have been a few forwards do it. You are already down on DMan and Cole needed to stay in as he is at least close to a Dman.after Letang.
Maybe because instigating a fight up one goal makes little to no sense whatsoever.
What are you talking about Zero? Shane Doan thought that hit was A-OK!
The hit doesn’t have to be “ok” to not be suspendable. It’ was a penatly. Not a suspension.
1 convincing victory and we get a article like this This article is a good as pens victory when a moron from this site throws a Stanley Cup parade
Sid sucks.
I will buy in if we see that same effort level next game. This may have just been a reaction to a bad game… still a ton of questions and I am not convinced they have turned any corners yet.
Oh and the NHL can go fuck itself… no suspension on the Maatta hit. Fuck the safety of the players hey, let alone guys with ceilings as high as Maattas should have been
F##k off Yogurt! Stop posting your BS.
if you think the pens are going on a deep playoff run with that defense and crosby on pace for 8 goals you are insane. malkin took over one game but that doesn’t mean that all is well. the epic collapse is still inevitable.
Then why even watch the games?
please tell me you didn’t say a deep playoff run in the spring of 2016
Its been a long time since you posted anything positive about the pens. Quit watching them if they are that bad!
This wasn’t positive?!