MOMENTUM SWINGS, FINDING THAT NEXT LEVEL
What has made the Penguins a much more dangerous teams than earlier in the season and even last year, is a lot of factors that have been talked about for weeks now, but the one element that could make them a tough out in a playoff series even without Evgeni Malkin is their ability to take their game to another level when they get a goal to climb back into a game or take control of a game.
Pittsburgh has evolved into a team again that can be getting outplayed and can turn that switch on out of nowhere.
Today’s thumping of the Detroit Red Wings, 7-2, saw Pittsburgh pounce on the Wings with 4 second period goals.
Trailing 1-0, Chris Kunitz scored 20 seconds into the period two with a nice bounce off the boards and the Penguins just found that other gear and took control of the game immediately from there and poured it one.
In the first period, the Red Wings created a number of Grade-A chances, including a breakaway goal but the ice was dramatically tilted in Pittsburgh’s favor over the final forty minutes and it started right away after the Kunitz goal.
The Penguins embarrassed Detroit as Wings coach Jeff Blashill said afterwards. Scoring a season-high seven goals is a feat in itself when Sidney Crosby only came out of the afternoon with one assist.
The day offensively belonged to Phil Kessel (1 goal, 4 assists), Nick Bonino (1 goal, 4 assists), and Carl Hagelin (2 goals, 0 assists).
Carl Hagelin’s goal at 11:58 of the second period to put the Penguins up 3-1 highlighted how the Penguins embarrassed Detroit all over the ice in the period as he out-muscled the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Kyle Quincey leading to the goal.
Pittsburgh’s ability to provide major momentum swings was the story of the 7-2 win and has been a key development since the coaching change in becoming the dangerous offensive team they are again.
DUMOULIN, KUNITZ INJURED IN THE WIN
The win did come costly, namely injuries to Brian Dumoulin and Chris Kunitz.
Dumoulin has been ruled out for Sunday’s game vs the Rangers after getting hit from behind minutes into the game, while Kunitz has been labeled as a game-time decision.
Kunitz went to the locker room after this pic.twitter.com/sjvisAtrH4
— Stephanie (@myregularface) March 26, 2016
Pavel Datsyuk delivered a cheap open ice hit on Kunitz in the second period that saw Kunitz leave the game and not return. Kunitz was not diagnosed with a concussion as of the afternoon but important for the Penguins to be safe and sit him tomorrow with the type of hit he took and how symptoms sometimes don’t show for a couple days.
On Dumoulin, he tried to return from the nasty hit he took but did not play in the final two periods.
With Dumoulin and Maatta now out, Derrick Pouliot who has been in exile with the coaching staff, moves back in the lineup. Pouliot and Lovejoy will be paired together. The two have been paired for just north of 100 minutes 5 v 5 this season.
Did anyone ever put the kessel vs St Louis comparison for 15-16 together?
22-9-1 since French Canadian weirdo Perron stopped sucklng dlck in a Pens jersey
Thoughts on Pouliot’s play tonight? I liked seeing him on the 2nd PP unit. I was encouraged by his play after being benched for a while.
Just like last week they win back Back important games vs good teams and lose vs a shit team. Now watch them lose vs DB and the sabres
Playoffs start in 2.5 weeks. I’d rather see them beat good teams than bad teams down the stretch….only gonna have good teams in the playoffs.
Agreed. You’re going to have off nights sometimes. It’s very encouraging to see them play the way they are against playoff teams. Losing a game to a NJ is going to happen from time to time but they are playing really good hockey against good teams when they need to be.
Yes they have been playing some good hockey lately. Maybe they should keep malkin away from the team more often
8-1 without the Russian
If the season would’ve extended to one more month crosby can easily pass Kane since he is in a slump right now. But not surprised he starts to disappear when teams needs him. Most
Toews with 4 goals in his last 21 games. What a player!
One more month! What you’re really trying to say is, if Crosby even pretended to show up before January, he’d have passed Kane. But he didn’t.
MAF, back to back wins all on his own. Good job MAF
Also isn’t it fucking amazing that yoda has been absent since MAF decided to win the weekend himself again? Lol
This is when team needs a Canadian captain to give the team the big wins when most needed
Chicago and their Canadian captain have looked real good
It’s funny how Kessel has more points than Toews. I wonder if ppl in CHI are complaining about his production. He wouldn’t be anything more than a decent player if he were on a vanilla team and wasn’t surrounded by talent. Same doesn’t like to talk about Kessel outproducing one of Canada’s top players.
Great game by all the stars tonight. We may be in the Queen’s head.
Love seeing it… The rising head shots seem to shut him down too lol
He must be still stuffing his face with his Easter basket.
Chubby is mighty quiet about chubby tonight.
Yeah agree with Pierre, both of these goalies need to stay in the net. Horrible play by the Queen.
Another great play by Hank! Yogurt and Maloni are probably 69’ing each other over his greatness right now
Nice drop pass in the middle of the slot Sid. Brilliance personified
Take that Uncle Stan. HaHaHa!
Bad goal by Fleury. Square up and he makes that save.
Hahaha!
Oh Uncle Stan!
Thank God this team has an American coach leading them.
He’s no Therrien. Or Bob Hartley.
Thank God Simply Dusty is back.
Thank God typical Stan is back
Thank God npl the fat slob is back
How amazing is it that Canada only has to tune in to the first 6/7 picks of the draft this year?
Good rare occasions. American team usually have high picks 6/7 every year
Well they’re over 70% of the league dipshit. I would hope so.
Happy Easter all…..and Go Pens!
So MAF wins the game vs the wings… single handedly… way to go MAF
26-11-5 last 42!
And 7-1 since malkin is down
With a 4 for 49 power play… which will be a significant issue especially as the body count grows.
Would be good if those 3 stars of the game showed up more often but. I don’t remember when was the last time chubby was pens first star.its like when was the last time npl tried Diet
7-2 without Sid showing up yesterday. Trade him. Right Sam?
Yeah trade the hottest player in the league since January and keep your chubby based on one game that he showed up this year .
Real bright Stan
Since January! Half a season. We should play this game that you like to play. “Kessel has played well all season. His line mates finally started scoring.” #samlogic
Kessel. Two more points than Toews. $4 million cheaper.
Well being that he is only supposed to be the 4th or 5th best player on the team how often would you expect him to be the 1st star? How many times has Letang been the #1 star this year?
Kessel and Bonnino with a 5 point game in clutch time. You like it sammycakes?