Penguins/NHL
Post-Game Player Reports
Game 4, Wednesday October 11, 2017
Penguins 3 @ 
Capitals 2
(Grade Scale: 0.00 – 5.0)
Centers
Sidney Crosby| Grade: 3.5
Crosby had a power play assist and posted a 48 CF% in the win. Crosby has points in all four games but was limited to one shot on goal for the second straight game. In the faceoff circle Crosby was 14-14 (50%) and rebounded after a rough first period, though he struggled mightily on offensive and defensive zone draws. Crosby was 3-11 (27%) on offensive zone draws and 3-8 (38%) in d-zone.
Evgeni Malkin | 3.9
Malkin was pointless in the win but he was active again in all threw zones. Had 4 shots on goal, 6 attempts and led all centers with a 53 CF% (17/15) at even strength. In the second period created an offensive turnover and just missed beating Holtby upstairs on a quick breakaway chance off the turnover.
Greg McKegg | Grade: 2.7
With the Penguins holding a 3-1 lead early in the third, McKegg took a slashing penalty at 1:38 of the period and then a high sticking penalty, 4:18 later. The stick penalties, though, didn’t land McKegg in the dog house as he would still see six shifts for the rest of the period. Offensively McKegg didn’t have a strong game in managing the puck.
Carter Rowney| Grade 3.6
After a strong game vs the Predators, Rowney saw his even strength minutes increase vs the Capitals, playing 9:08 during 5 vs 5 play and he led all Penguin forwards on the penalty kill in playing 4:56. Rowney’s ability on the PK is one way to separate from McKegg when Pittsburgh upgrades the third line center spot.
Wingers
Jake Guentzel | Grade: 3.7
Drew an offensive zone penalty in the second period and it was his most active game in getting pucks to the net. Guentzel had 4 shots on goal and 5 attempts.
Conor Sheary | Grade: 4.1
Through four games Sheary has been very up and down. Two high-impact games, two very low impact games. Sheary was strong in the win vs the Capitals. Netted the game winning goal in getting to the tough areas, hit a post in the second period off a rush play but I what liked most from him was the composure he had with the puck in certain situations. Was patient in creating offense, especially when possessing the puck off the wall.
Bryan Rust | 4.1
Rust in line for a new contract is off to an excellent start to the season. He continues to be very active offensively. Assist, 4 Shots on goal vs the Capitals. Rust has 5 assists on the year. Rust has also shined on the penalty kill in staying in passing lanes and pressuring very well with his speed along the wall. He’s emerged as a threat shorthanded as he gets the opposition on their heels.
Phil Kessel | Grade: 3.0
Kessel had no points and a minus-1 rating vs the Capitals. Defensively, it wasn’t a good night for Kessel as he lost his man (Christian Djoos) going to the net on the Ovechkin goal as Kessel got caught puck watching. Held to 2 shots on goal, Kessel’s goal production during 5 vs 5 situations will be something to still monitor. Dating back to last season, Kessel has just 2 even strength goals over his last 27 regular season games.
Carl Hagelin | 3.6
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Hagelin played 18:15 and had a season-high 4 shots on goal and played 3:52 on the PK. His speed game is back to 2016 type levels in how he’s creating chaos when tracking the puck but whether he gets back to that 15-17 goal a year level remains to be seen.
Tom Kuhnhackl Grade: 3.8
Kuhnhackl got his first career power play point on Patric Hornqvist’s power play marker with a strong net-front presence that kept the play alive on the goal. Where Kuhnhackl made his best mark was on the penalty kill. Outstanding game in how he took away passing lanes with his stick and the skating continues to look improved. That performance will keep him in the lineup vs Tampa.
Patric Hornqvist | Grade: 4.1
It’s rarely pretty with Hornqvist and that what he brought to the table in the win. Goal, Assist in 15:23. This clubs just feeds off his energy.
“He brings so much to this team. He plays with so much swagger. He’s just a great competitor. He’s just awesome to have around” — Mike Sullivan on Patric Hornqvist
Ryan Reaves | 2.5
Played just 8 shifts and was less of a presence in the physicality game as Saturday night.
Defensemen
Kris Letang | 4.3
Letang’s best game of the season. Logged 27:09 of ice time, had a goal and strong possession numbers, on the ice for 20 shot attempts, 12 against at 5 v 5.
Brian Dumoulin | Grade: 4.4
Dumoulin was fantastic in the win. Played 5:30 on the penalty kill and his game also stood out away from the defensive zone. In the second period Dumoulin made a slick pass to Patric Hornqvist in the neutral zone as John Carlson stepped up and Hornqvist got the puck to McKegg for a 2-on-0 who fed it over to Sheary who hit the post upstairs.
Then late in the second period, Dumoulin jumped in the play below the goal-line, gained possession and held onto the puck long-enough where he drew a penalty with 4.5 seconds left in the period. Pittsburgh would score on the ensuing power play.
Olli Maatta | Grade 3.7
Justin Schultz | Grade 3.9
Chad Ruhwedel | Grade 2.3
Ruhwedel struggled badly with the Capitals size down low. He was no match for Alex Ovechkin in front for Ovechkin’s goal and was caught running around far too often. Pittsburgh was bleeding shot attempts when Ruhwedel was on the ice.
Matt Hunwick | Grade 3.7
The smart decisions Hunwick makes with the puck and without the puck have started to show the last two games than they did the first two. He made a great read on Hornqvist’s power play goal and in driving to the left post and Crosby tried to hit him for a back-door goal.
Goaltenders
Matt Murray | Grade 4.0
Murray stopped 20 of 22 shots to improve to 2-0-1 on the season. Until Murray gave up a bad goal late in the second period, he looked unbeatable for much of the game. Played big again and tracked the puck extremely well on side-to-side plays.
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If you guys had to use D’s made up Dewey decimal rating system to give a grade to a guy who played less than the amount of time it took him to tie his skates, what made up decimal number would it be? Go!
I’ve taken a pisss that’s lasted longer than Ryan Reaves’s combined ice time tonight.
Still whining I see lol so this will be your drumbeat this year ……
It’s not whining when he’s right. They’ve won two Cups without a guy like Reaves. Him and his 6 minutes a night steals a spot from a more useful player like Wilson.
Disagree Reaves serves a purpose that until the NHL does away with the cheap shot crap has to be addressed this way. And stanchion always finds his one drum beat.
Is his purpose to keep the water bottles on the bench filled? Because he played 3 minutes tonight. THREE!! For those like Bauer that aren’t good at math, they play 60 minutes during a regulation game. It’s the fuckingg regular season and this jamoke can’t manage to garner more than THREE MINUTES!!
What purpose does he serve? Sid almost got his teeth knocked out by Hartnell’s high stick while Reaves was on his wing! The only purpose he serves is to turn a hockey game into a circus. That worked out well for the Pens in 2012.
Zero, why are you showing up as a guest?
lol I wonder what happened
D’s wife must have saw his BJ avatar and removed it.
Brutal.. should have played Reaves
PP Pens… hopefully Rothey… sorry Reaves… gets his shot to make up for his overall lack of ability on the PP
Sullivan’s yapping to Reaves… Rotheys hardon intensifies
Reaves… 6-8 mins a night with no PP or PK time, what a find…
Zero going for the record tonight for amount of posts on one thread
You’re just upset your well has dried up with Reaves ice time lol
I mean I’m pulling for him… you have to when the team makes that commitment but one iof 5 games he’s mattered And almost no shoulder taps when the ice matters is concerning
Geno commands a PP… get Reaves out there…
Too bad… an incredible Russian gives TB the lead
Shearryyyyyy
Beauty by Sheary… sammich.., how much is he stealing again?
Sam thinks TK can score a goal like that.
Team leading third of the season… TK 2.0 sucks… almost has as many as the Habs!
Look at that fuckk awful play by Crosby on the PP. wonder if sammich has the balls to comment on such a monumental fuckk Up?
Bad period. Nice job by Niemi but a rough break at the end there. Two more periods like that, we get smoked.
He was sharp considering what was thrown at him. Hopefully there is a better D effort in period 2
We need more pressure this period. It was in our zone way too much. 16 shots and before that PP started, they had TB at 9+ scoring chances. Can’t win very often like that.
Either way Sam will fuck up this analysis
I only hope the Pens can have their best game of the season and lose 3-1 tonight
do you just sit on here and post all game?
Sure… in hopes you’ll show up and do the same
You’ve always been one of my favourites… hey did Reaves get in on that?
Fleury gone to Vegas yet?
He is… luckily we have Murray as a starter whose won two cups and has one goal in his last two games. Niemi has been solid despite the pens going to sleep on him at the end there… although according to you only MAF was let down by the team!
On that note… how’d MAF get to Vegas sammich?
Well Reaves with a solid penalty… after the Pens tie. Good thing he was good two games ago… after two games of nothingness lol… Stralman… half his size. I can see why he needed the penalty
Nice save Niemi… bails the guys out
Hey retard… Sheary back on line one… reconcile please
Wow, lucky for retard there was enough passes to erase the Sheary play… that said Guentzel got the goals and both got it done without the only good player on the team on the ice… amirite sammich?
Montreal Canadiens – 5 Goals
Alexander Ovechkin – 8 Goals
“Ya well at least the Habs lost better to the Hawks” – Our local sammich
You are a stupid box score 5 goals score by Habs yet their best game of the season was vs the Hawks. But you clowns are bunch of box score fans.
BAHAHAHAHAHAHA…. best game of the year was a 3-1 loss. You typed that reply and thought “this will show them” lol. It’s gonna be a really long year if that’s the best they got sammich. I don’t care how much they carried play the fact is they lost 3-1… you better hope the percentages change you fucken moron or else your favourite club is fuckedd harder than your mother on church Sunday!
Hahahaha hahahaha.
Hey sammich… 4.1 vs 3.5! I mean despite the arbitrary application of fractional numbers here the fact remains that we notice one of these guys has a better game and guess what? I will tell you because we know how bad you are for “closing” your TV… they didnt play together!!!
It’s funny how sam goes ghost when some of the guys he bitches about make him look like the fucken idiot he is again
Don’t forget, he’s usually passed out from overeating at this point of the day.
Pasted* out
Mark Streit on waivers – another steller move by Bergevin – my god, the Habs are a f’ing joke.
Is there any “key” to what these numbers mean? What makes one guy a 3.4 vs. a 3.7 – is that a wide range? This reminds me when they were discussing the exchange rate between Schrute bucks and Stanley nickels on The Office.
Great episode. Yes D, please elaborate. Or do you copy and paste these grades from somewhere else?