Thursday's Pens Analysis & Notes
-- Although the Vancouver Canucks didn't agree, the buzz in Penguins circles is that Wednesday night's win was the Penguins most complete game of the season.
Two members of the coaching staff I'd like to give some praise out to is head coach Dan Bylsma and goaltender coach Gilles Meloche.
Bylsma who has taken a lot of heat this year, coached a very solid game. Bylsma sometimes goes away from this too much but he prioritized matchups against Vancouver Wednesday night, which paid off for the Penguins in the end.
Matching up against the Sedin twins, Bylsma went with Brooks Orpik and Kris Letang, instead of the Zbynek Michalek - Paul Martin pairing.
Orpik and Letang did an excellent job against the Sedin's, giving them little time and space and the physicality that Orpik-Letang provide compared to Martin and Michalek was also a factor in limiting the Sedin's.
Orpik and Letang combined for 10 block shots (5 each) and Orpik had a team-high 6 hits in the game.
Speaking of Michalek, he's taking baby steps to performing at the level the Penguins are expecting from him. He logged a team-high 25:38 against Vancouver and was sound defensively.
-- Max Talbot who netted the game winner Wednesday night, said in his post-game comments that he was tipped off by goaltender coach Gilles Meloche that Roberto Luongo was vulnerable to wraparounds.
As I mentioned in the past, Meloche's role with the team is very under-rated. He puts a lot of hard work into film study, most notably the oppositions goaltender.
-- After a strong start to the season, one player who has regressed in the eyes of evaluators I've spoken with is.....
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