Penguins 9 – Flames 1 (F)
PIT GOAL SCORERS: S Crosby (3), M Cullen (1), J Guentzel (5), P Hornqvist 2 (4), J Johnson (1), P Kessel 2 (6), B Rust (1)
GGY GOAL SCORERS J Neal (2)
GOALTENDING MATCHUP: PIT Matt Murray 38 Saves, .974 SV% | CGY Mike Smith 15 Saves, .714 SV%; David Rittich 12 Saves, .800 SV%
How’s that Canada road trip going for the Penguins?
Pittsburgh is 3-0 so far through the four game trip; are averaging six goals a game despite continued poor possession #’s; Sidney Crosby is starting to light the lamp and doing Sidney Crosby things; Patric Hornqvist after a slow start is finding the back of the net with 4 goals in his last two games; Pittsburgh’s top pairing is playing lights out and most importantly Matt Murray is back to being Matt Murray.
15 Players recorded points Thursday night en route to a 9-1 rout of the Calgary Flames.
Derick Brassard | 3 Assists
Sidney Crosby | Goal, 2 Assists
Matt Cullen | Goal
Jake Guentzel | Goal
Patric Hornqvist | 2 Goals
Phil Kessel | 2 Goals
Evgeni Malkin | 2 Assists
Bryan Rust | Goal, Assist
Riley Sheahan | Assist
Dominik Simon | 2 Assists
Brian Dumoulin | Assist
Jack Johnson | Goal
Kris Letang | 2 Assists
Olli Maatta | Assist
Jamie Oleksiak | Assist
LINEUP SHUFFLE
The plan going into the season as to stick with Daniel Sprong for 8-10 games at the max and see where things stand.
To little surprise, Sprong found himself in the press box vs the Flames as did Juuso Riikola.
It’s much easier to roll out four lines when you lead 4-0 just 22 minutes into a game, but for one night the Penguins were a four line team with all 12 forwards playing over 10 minutes at even strength.
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Grant appearing in his first game of the season, centered Dominik Simon and Bryan Rust. Grant was a +1, had 3 hits, 50% on draws, and drove possession at 55%. The Grant was Pittsburgh’s only line over 50%, clicking at 56% as a unit.
Grant’s inclusion into the lineup saw Derick Brassard move back to the wing with Sidney Crosby. Brassard had 3 assists and 4 shots on goal but Crosby was at 27% possession when on the ice with Brassard.
MORE BUZZ
Despite winning by eight goals, what shouldn’t get overlooked was Matt Murray’s performance. He is locked in right now.
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— Sidney Crosby had another highlight reel goal, this time from his backhand, where Crosby is arguably the best player in the game on playing from his backhand.
“He’s one of the best players playing on his backhand,” said To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
A primary reason for Riikola coming out of the lineup was to get Jack Johnson away from playing the right side and off his backhand.
Johnson scored a power play goal, his first of the season, but mostly telling was how the Penguins deployed Johnson.
Starting with the General Manager, Johnson was brought in here with the Penguins higher-ups strongly believing he could anchor 2nd pairing and even take tough minutes away from Kris Letang.
That was always asinine.
He needs to be used as a third pairing defenseman if this signing has any hope of working out okay.
Against Calgary Johnson saw the least amount of ice time 5-on-5 amongst d-men and there sure looked like an effort to shelter him with the high usage of neutral zone starts.
Johnson was at 37% possession vs the Flames in the 9-1 win.
Mike Sullivan afterwards came to the defense of Johnson last night but Sullivan’s actions of how he deployed Johnson vs Calgary speaks more than his words.
“Jack’s quietly played a sound game for us,”[hide] Sullivan said. “He doesn’t always get the credit he deserves. I know there’s talk he was on the ice for 5 goals against [vs EDM]. He had no responsibility for any of the 5 goals against.
“We try to look at the game a lot closer. I think Jack has quietly adjusted to the style of play in Pittsburgh.”
Biggest takeaway from that:
With how early it is into the season, Sullivan has to talk Johnson up, he has to in any way he can. Pittsburgh has a 5 year investment into him.[/hide]
3rd line is useless too.
Brassard hurt yet? Oh wait.
That 4th line is useless.
I think I know why this board is quiet tonight.
Everyone turned off their tv as soon as penguins were down 2-0
Murray SV% tonight .556
7.52 GAA
Look at scum Sully’s face he must be looking forward to jump from the nearest bridge after the game
Damn DeSmith for not stopping the 5th 2 on 1 this game… amirite you fucken dummy? hopefully this is overturned
Murray pulled yet?
Once again Murray fuckking my hockey pool
Scum sully must pull his lover boy. Fraud Murray
First shot for isles in second period and it’s a goal. Now it’s official pens need minimum 4 for fraud Murray. Hey zerotool make sure you have Murray’s stats after the game
It’s embarrassing… I mean MAF would have stopped all three of those defensive breakdowns leading to incredibly wide open Islander shooters right? God youre stupid lol
Here, the Eberle goal is the closest to Murray’s fault genius lol
Pens down 2-0 I bet half the population. In Pittsburgh turned off their TV. Also I see a lot of empty seats already and it’s only first period
I’ll take, stupid bullshit Sam says that doesn’t age well for 500 Alex…
2 shot 1 goal must say Murray back to his normal. Let’s see now many pens need tonight
https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/pens-to-wear-stronger-than-hate-patches-tonight-against-the-islanders/c-301417608
2 hours and 23 minutes and the sammich has yet to make any inflammatory remarks about this…
RIP. James whitey bulger
He murdered at least 11 you fucken idiot lol
They were not from Pittsburgh
I really like the movie with Johnny depp playing his character
Letang is a game time decision
Why?
Have not been able to see why, I know he missed a skate yesterday too… TRIB noted a nagging injury from the Vancouver game, lower body
Ah, there was a knee to knee in the Vancouver game… I was at a sports bar/pool hall for my birthday on Saturday so… I had them put the game on in the background but it was hard to stay involved in the game whilst mingling and drinking heavy lol
He and Brass… Lower body injury.
the two French guys….
Maybe they are hanging out with Shea Webber.
While Americans are conning in the league. Quick out again 2 times this season came back didn’t like result went back on vacation. Pacioretty same thing he noticed he suckss he went vacation. Mathews been shitt goes on vacation as well.
Oh… do they play for Pittsburgh?
The beauty of the mind of a Sammich
Sam: Malkin and Kessel suck
Also Sam: Those guys, specifically Malkin, are only doing well because they play together
Also Sam: Any of Crosby’s failings are a result of the poor caliber of wingers he plays with
Also Sam: Malkin and Kessel are only good because of the talent on the PP as they are “specialists”
*Disclaimer – These thoughts are far to clear to be sams but, it was easier this way.
Here ya go you lazy fuckk
https://www.nhl.com/news/pittsburgh-penguins-vancouver-canucks-game-recap/c-301334916
With all that money his getting he only plays good if chubby decides to play. Bunch of lazy pp specialists
Yeah, it’s not like he won scoring titles or MVPs without him or anything. Dumba$$.
Who has more PPP the last 5 years? Crosby or Malkin?
This year? Crosby and Geno both have 4 PP points, Geno has 6 more total points lol
For good measure, Kessel has 3 PPP with 2 more total than Sid.
Just so we’re clear… this is the exact reason people take shots at Crosby out here? Because you’re a dumb fucken cuntt
#.897
Crosby named NHL first star of the week
Mathews out for 1 month.
I know leafs had circled November 3 for revenge vs pens but that won’t be happening
Mind you when game matters #34 often disappears so wouldn’t make difference with him in or out of line up vs pens
With this hot take the Pens are destined to be beat the fuck up Saturday!
So Mathews will not be unblocking Nov 3rd?
reaves scores
Team playing much better without that cancer pacioretty in the lineup
It was a PP goal, it does not count.
Since pacioretty joined team their pp became bad
Coincidence since max gone from habs. Team has out played every single team they faced this year so far except vs sabres.
And LA and Ottawa….
Dude, how in the world did you spell except right in that sentence.
What’s great is he just bad mouthed the Pens for “tainted victories” but is out here pumping the fucken gas of Vegas vs Ottawa…. the worst of all the aforementioned teams at least on paper and likely by years end.
Despite this MAF another .864 performance which will bring him below .900 on the year. Now it’s your turn to shit on the Penguins and make excuses for everyone else sammich
.897 on the year….
It was his 509th game yet first ever power play point. Unlike chubby half his points on pp
Do you remember me pulling the stats on the top PP scorers the last 5 seasons? Where Crosby was on that list? Besides, Kessel will put up nearly Reaves entire career totals this year so your stat is pointless lol
755 – 247 = 508. How is that half?
The Penguins are 6-1-2 this year when scoring more goals then their opponents while playing indoors on ice.
Boxscore -5am is killing it with irrelevant facts that no one cares about.
Pens are first in there division doing good with 6-1-2 record. The 1-2 record happens to be vs habs twice and Vancouver . They are unbeaten vs American teams so far
What a weird thing to point out after a 4-0 sweep on their Canadian road trip. So, theyre 4-1-2 against Canada.
In talking about their losses assholee.
Yes fatso 4-0 when 3/4 of the teams they beat won’t make the playoffs . Now keep drooling with the rest of the morons here
It’s cute how you consistently find ways to discredit a team you supposedly like…
They didn’t just win they fucken dominated the trip
Yes thanks to that new horny line the way they make easier for malkins and Crosby’s line having easier match ups
It is called depth. What a terrible thing to have on your team. #25Years.
HA, yes Hornqvist is attracting all the checkers which has lead to Malkins 18 points in 9 games… what a fucken buffoon lol
Fun fact. Thanks Boxscore.
Pens are doing a great job developing backup goaltenders behind Murray. First Fleury, now DeSmith.
Murray looked good again last night.
Killin it.
The Lazy Russian Unblocks!
And unblocks again!
How long is Brassard out?
Kessel and Malkin piling on the 5v5 points.
And Crosby isn’t
Sam read the box score.
Damn, 5 years invested
8 death so far
Do blue lives still matter if theyre shot by an AR-15?
No only fat lives matter
3 on 23… poor MAFs SV%… gonna slip more
Like the Pens, everyone likes to visit Canada, no one wants to stay.
The only shitiest places in Canada are Ottawa and Edmonton
The only “shitiest” or the “shitiest”?
Man I hope we stop paying your bills…
I don’t care how the Penguins PR tries to spin this, signing JJ was a huge mistake. Sprongs days are numbered. Get him out of the Burgh, let him get a fresh start somewhere else.
Possession stats all around may be skewed a bit, things were tight in game until after the 6th goal then the Pens took the foot off the gas a bit and you can see Calgary separate themselves from the Pens.
Yeah and fans booing them something you don’t see with Pittsburgh fans when they play bad. The just turn off their TV as soon as they are down 2-0
We all remember you shutting your tv when they were down 2-1 vs Edmonton, but then again, you’re not a fan. I’m also not sure about Pens fans turning off their tv while at the game…
You didn’t even start watching the game until after Montreal lost to Buffalo.
Wait so you’re saying you should boo your team when they down two? What an asshole lol
That’s the Montreal attitude that leads to the rifts with the legends