Structure out-executes High-End Talent in Game 1
The Ottawa Senators took Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final on a Bobby Ryan overtime goal to secure a 2-1 OT win at the PPG Paints Arena. The Senators with the Game 1 win, improved to 6-1 in overtime during the 2017 playoffs.
“Our players are really good at not fearing the outcome, and we play the way we play,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said after the win as the Senators slowed down the Penguins offensive attack.
The Senators are playing with house money in reaching the Conference Final and are now three wins away from an improbable trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
Stunning loss for the heavily favored Penguins to drop Game 1?
Coming off an emotional seven game series against the Capitals, if there was going to be a let down game for the Penguins it was going to be tonight.
“We didn’t execute in the first period,” Mike Sullivan of the Penguins.
The Penguins flat out didn’t execute and that’s what their Game 1 loss came down to.
What Game 2 will tell the story of is whether the Senators structured play in all three zones was the biggest hand in the Penguins lack of execution or this was a case of just a one game thing.
Ottawa played with fire in the first period in taking four penalties including a 5-on-3 situation for 45 seconds the Penguins didn’t convert.
Outside of that, the blue print was there for Ottawa in how to be competitive and possibly steal the series.
Keys to Senators Taking Game 1
1. The 1-3-1 didn’t cause the Penguins fits in the neutral zone. What caused the Penguins issues was how sound positionally the Senators were in rotating to the puck carrier in the defensive zone.
“I thought we got through the neutral zone the way we wanted to,” said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan. “I don’t think we got enough pucks to the net. We were looking for that next play instead of putting pucks at the net.”
Another factor for the Penguins that could just be a one game thing or a problem the rest of the way was fatigue. The Penguins just didn’t have their legs to create enough time and space that hindered their execution in certain stretches of the game. Let’s not forget, this club has played a ton of hockey over the last year and a half.
Mike Sullivan’s club was limited to 14 shots in over 52 minutes of 5 vs 5 time. Pittsburgh was also out-attempted 49-34 at 5 vs 5 and we’re limited to 3 high danger chances.
From the 11:28 mark of the second period through the 4:59 played in overtime, Ottawa outshot Pittsburgh 22-9 over the final 33 minutes play.
2. Opportunistic Senators: Both Senator goals came on them burying grade-A scoring chances and off of Penguin miscues.
On Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s first period goal, Ron Hainsey was late in providing short support to Brian Dumoulin and a costly Penguin turnover behind the net saw Bobby Ryan find Jean-Gabriel Pageau all alone in front for an Ottawa 1-0 lead.
Marc Andre Fleury stopped 33 of 35 shots. He was strong again in goal. Fleury and the Penguins defenders continue to excel since Round 1 in limiting those juicy rebounds/second chance opportunities. The Penguins were good defensively again in boxing out in front and there weren’t a lot of second chance opportunities for the Senators.
Where Fleury’s biggest vulnerability in the postseason (and in the regular season) has been is high danger chances. As great as Fleury was in the Penguins four wins last series, he had a 75.0 HDSV% in Round 2.
Ottawa buried 2 of their 9 high danger attempts at even strength on the Pageau and Ryan goals and a few that didn’t go in, Fleury was vulnerable in tracking the puck where it almost caught him a couple times.
In the second period, Bobby Ryan had him beat on long shot from the right circle that clanked the post and early in the third, Derrick Brassard hit a post on a great chance coming down the left wing. These weren’t Phil Kessel booming type shots like the one Kessel had that caught a post in the third on Craig Anderson.
The Senators only got two past Fleury but Ottawa’s top players were opportunistic and they came awfully close to putting three or four on the Penguins.
3. Senators goaltender Craig Anderson is often hit or miss but the guy has a career .929 playoff save percentage and when he’s on, he can be really tough to beat.
There will surely be doubts that Anderson can play like this in Game 2.
In Game 1 he was on from the start. Anderson was seeing the puck extremely well and anticipating the play where the Penguins were only going to beat him with a deflection type goal like the Malkin one in the third period.
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i had a buddy ask me if staggy got fired…anyone hear that?
Reassigned to the marketing department. steve Mears is the new play by play guy.
https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/steve-mears-joins-root-sports/c-289465720
now thats some fast inside info…thanks boys haha
that’s good news.
Bob Errey sucks.
Boxscore. what did you learn from reading today’s stories about last night’s game?
What a play by Captain Geno last night.
Depaoli with a great article talking about how hard the team played in game 2 + how strong Fleury played to keep it tied 0-0 all game.
Fucken amazing isnt it… large article on the loss… little side note on the win.
I wonder who the Maloni / Yoda is for the Sens, bitchingg like crazy that Andersen didn’t react to the block quickly enough, costing them the win…outplayed by Fleury…never makes the big save, blah blah blah.
Maloni is yelling at his wife because she lost his Mylec hockey gloves last night and he now needs to use her gardening gloves in order to play in his dek hockey game tonight.
Spoken like a guy who has no idea what he’s watching.
That was kinda the point, dipshit – to comment on how your normal responses show you have no idea what you’re watching. Then again, as we’ve established, you’re a simple man, and do the best with what you have.
You keep forgetting I deposit more hockey knowledge in the toilet every morning than you ever acquired running around in your sneakers hitting a round ball.
Sure you do. You, yoda and sam. The Holy Trinity.
Hold on, dont leave your cubicle, heading to the toilet now to deposit more hockey knowledge for you.
Tell us again about your experience as a competitve athlete playing ball hockey in suburban pittsburgh
Oh here we go again – Maloni’s years of asking his wife for dek hockey money uniquely qualifies him to blame Fleury every time they lose. We’ve heard it 100 times. The problem is…it’s kinda bullshitt. You’re not grouped in with Yoda and Sam because you know what you’re talking about, my man. I hate to be the one to break it to you. But someone has to. You’re welcome. Now get yourself some help.
Boxscore. You and I both know you’re not up for this. It always ends badly for you, like a Ron Hainsey shift. Better stick to cyber bulling foreign-lanaguage speakers.
K, mini sam. Tell you what – if my toilet gets clogged, I’ll come to you for your expertise. Shy of that, I’m not sure what knowledge you think you possess for anyone here. And nobody else does either. Despite your limited skillset, I’m sure that’s not lost on you.
Isnt this the point in the exchange where you tell a board full of strangers how much money you make?
Better yet, how about blessing us your predictable observation that Crosby sucked last night. Afterall he’s the highest paid player on the ice and he didnt score. #boxscoreretard
I don’t think anyone really believes Sid was no good last night… that shit is said to get a rise out of the sammich when he is shitting on others for glorified reasons.
Yep. Not like it isn’t over the top obvious. But when one tends to think a feather duster is “high tech,” one struggles sometimes.
Don’t sell BoxScore short.
Nah. They know. Thy also know a glorified plumber that always blames the goaltender for a loss is about as knowledgeable as a French weirdo that thinks most losses come down to is Russians and Americans while giving sid a solid ball washing.
Last I checked, Mr. Clutch Phil Kessel scored the game winning goal.
Last I checked you wanna drool.over his fat belly
coming from the guy that has all but said he wants to be the meat in a Crosby, Letang sammich thats rich lol. That would be a valid reason for you to close your TV early, wouldnt wanna offend your guests
Sam is right…Sid is bringing it these playoffs. Sid with 3 game winner assists, Malkin 2, Schultz, Hainsey, Wilson and Guentzel all have 1.
To be fair, you have to count Hainsey’s assists for the other team too…
Suck the Saint’s c0ck, Yoda.
Someone do a quick count for me. How many Canadians had goals tonight?
Maatta’s best game in years.
Anyone seen Yoda?
Did you see Phil the Thrill?
Yeah he was talking to himself all night he is just weird like you. Or its just a fat American thing
A big, fat American game-winning goal.
http://talkhockey.ca/wp-content/uploads/Kessel-Hoisting3485.gif
Thats why Phil Kessel is a Stanley Cup Champion
If Sid comes back from vacation, we might score a little more.
If you stop watching just the Box Score and watch some hockey ,we might have some decent conversations here
Lol Sam, you cant even put a sentence together.
It’s also funny that’s he’s still talking about others not watching the game after he turned his tv off
I wish Sid was as lucky as Kessel, maybe the Pens would be up 2…
If only pens had Horny, letang daily tonight
What? They would have won more?
MAF ties legend and 1st ballot HoFer with 10 goose eggs alltime in the post season
Schultz and rust down yet team showed some character good job team every member showed up tonight with no exception. No one had a vacation night .
Even Phil? Geno?
I said no one right?
I’m not bias when I see team plays good I say it but obviously you little fans get hypnotized by the Box Score
Funny because you’ve been arguing otherwise all night you little sammich making hypocrite… #lucky
Fucken love the passion from Phil… and the game winner… 5v5
Another bittersweet win for FroYo and Maloni
Hoping the injuries are not major… go Pens
Very solid game by the pens it’s day and night compare to game 1 Vs sens. And once again fleury with a shutout. You Iike that Yoda.
What about Kessel from Malkin for the win? Imagine how good they would be if Crosby played
How many plays sid did and his wingers couldn’t finish but obviously you don’t see that
#BoxScore
1? Maybe 2?
Dude Kessel shot and block shot came right back in his tape to shot another shot he was lucky and he just said it on cbc now he got lucky with it
#BoxScore
And yet Sid had no such luck….
So he’s got lucky at least one more time than you ever have. Noted.
Malkin still managed to get on the score sheet, two straight games playing with a guy you claim is no better than a 3rd liner. So which is it moron
Wow MAF… only 1-0 but the pens have really outplayed the Sens. Close game, wow
Stupid icing lol
True to form, sam calls out “chubby,”
Then “chubby” scores. Sam!!
Who netted the GWA? Kunitz, may not be a reliable scorer but his heart is massive. Still love me some Kunitz!
Cole Rules
Chubbyyyy
From Malkin haha
Kessel, his character is something… hiding behind a one goal lead…
Boy this Kessel character is something.
And possibly Npl’s soul mate.
Both are Americans
both likes hotdogs
both are Weird
And
Both are FAT
But only one has more Stanley cups than Thornton, Marleau, Therrien, Price…
Hey npl the game is 0-0 and yet is very entertaining. Not kind of game you like to watch.
Chubby hiding behind dumo
Sammich would much rather fill the team full of Canadians that can’t win than work with Americans that have. Oh and this isn’t “wannabe American” it’s “Canadian that knows the game black out drunk better than you on your best day”!
It’s hilarious watching chubby and malkin. They are due to a divorce just like npl and stain
“Divorce” after 500+ games of playing together? Moron lol
And people married after 20 years get divorced
Reason chubby and Russian are both not happy because both are not enjoying getting the physical game by the sens. Watch and see hbk line will be on soon
I love how much you missed the point, more proof that your IQ is rivalled only by your tiny feet
Malkin and Kessel at each others throats… sammich will be absent all night trying to figure out whose side to take
life is complete Matta on top PP
I’ve seen enough of 3 and 2 back on D. Those guys just kiss the Sens players into the boards. I can’t believe Streit can’t be any worse. At least he can get the puck up to the forwards quicker.
Booooooo, good hard forecheck by Sheary. I hope Wideman needs to take a break too.
best part is they missed the elbow
They missed out the Schultz one yet the one with Wideman was a call
Yup, but fuckk you moron
Not worried “no matter how many times we get cheap shot we don’t fight back because we play clean.” May have been the dumbest non Sam/Yoda statement ever seen on here. Wonder how many guys we will be able to dress soon? For heavens sake we are dressing Sheary he has hit the wall since about game 3 of the BJ’s series. And how bad is Streit he cant beat out Matta or Hainsey. I think I know why he never played a playoff game before. HE STINKS. Now done bitching Lets go Pens.
Who said that?
The dressing of a dummy for the sole purpose of retaliation is stupid… unless you think Hoffman and Phaneuf are five minute a game goons?
So the ventriloquist dummy Sheary is sitting Crosbys lap why? Not say a good but for heavens sake count the number of cheap shots they take the liberty because there is very few people on this team. And pick up a dummy pick up a hockey player with an intense streak. Besides could do it and give Geno and Sid if hes healthy from the cheap shot extra ice time.
Until they do it makes zero sense to dress the idiot. As bad as Sheary has played we know he is infinitely more talented than a Sestito!
J2266 one time recently we were going back and forth about self preservation and maybe being more aggressive.
Ah, I wanna see the Kunitz, Rowney and even Hornqvist types engage, finish heavy checks and not let off anyone. You don’t need to get dirty but guys like that can play in the trenches…. and Cole… love me some Cole
Pens won’t fight back because they are here to play hockey this isn’t DB Era anymore. As we seen how that clown coached with pens and sabres always games ugly because players deep down are frustrated by his circus system so they take out on other teams players then they lose
Daily can be available for game 3
I hope Schultz is not done for the night .or else pens can be in deep trouble
Thanks echo
If Schultz is anything major this team is in a fuck ton of trouble man… Christ
That wasn’t an elbow?
No Hornqvist? Damn.
Thanks insider D for breaking this information.
Sam sucks. Go Pens.
If Fleury is traded (lets say to Phoenix or some team), can he be bought out and then resigned by the Penguins? Or is it like in the NBA where you can’t?
Why would it matter… that isnt gonna happen
Wondering how the rule is written. NBA has buyouts after trades all the time just to make the money work. This is where Jay would come in handy.
simply dusty
I don’t think so. It’s going to be interesting what happens and if Yoda’s head explodes.
Its crazy to think that John Gibson was just a lack of talent and commitment away from being on Maloni’s dek hockey team.
The posts from the other night are glorious. Watching Maloni and Yoda try to analyze a game where they can’t blame the goaltender might be the best free entertainment you can find on the internet that’s not porn-related.
“….might be the best free entertainment you can find on the internet that’s not porn-related.”
that’s funny.
Dude, in the 7 years I’ve been posting here you’ve never been absent for two straight days. That must have been one hell of an Uber fare. Congrats.
Well, I went to the game, and I was in the box, so I was concentrating on the free alcohol. Yesterday was Mother’s Day…so again, preoccupied. Hopefully you did something nice for your wife, especially since she supports you.
Mother’s day? everyone knows you were hatched from an egg.
That was sam-level bad. One notch about the uber jokes. You’re struggling.
I wonder how that overpaid getzlaf did tonight. Zerotool
Didnt watch. Id assume better than anyone on the Canadiens.
I wasn’t asking you we all know you never watch a game and come get his hockey info on this site
Coming from the guy that turns his TV off in the third period…that’s funny.
Again, I never called him overpaid you dumb fuck, I used him as a comparison to Kessel because their numbers and salary are similar lol.
I’m glad we got Instant Buzz that it’s Mother’s Day.
Interesting quote from Boucher on DKs site: “We didnt mention Crosby once.”
It really wasnt that interesting if you read the whole story. Kinda like watching the whole game.
Is this the year that Malkin goes back to Russia? Or was that the past 6 years?
He’s been going back since 2011. #samknows
It’s not complicated. Shoot the damn puck. Don’t get fancy on the PP. just shoot an win rebounds and shoot again.
Cant believe Sam has turned on Maatta after calling him a potential Hall of Famer for so long.
#FakeNews
is that why you turn your TV off?
Don’t over analyze it DePaoli. That loss had nothing to do with the Senators. Malkin, Crosby and Kessel all sucked. Malkin was the worst, 2 minutes into the game he’s bitttch slapping sticks with Dion Phaneuf and acting like an undisciplined moron. All three cant suck at the same time. Pretty simple. Dont suck.
Don’t use suckk word a lot you might excite npl
You suck
Also to note… that game winner… what a weak ass play by Sid that helped lead to the breakaway! There are 3 Penguins I’m looking at but seeing as we generally shit on the other two anyway it’s fair to point out when Sid was in on the fuckup.
Yeah blame it on sid when half the goals that are scored on malkins line you always see malkin or Kessel at the Blue line far from the play. This goal was on Mattaa he has no speed instead of cutting on the player he should’ve go straight too have better angle on Ryan and leave left side to fleury yet he went on right side and Ryan opened fleury and scored.
Ryan used his veteran experience and made Mattaa look like a rookie. Yes speed of Matta was a factor but he should use better hockey positioning since his speed is the issue
If Maatta had a brain, he would have 2 hand chopped Ryan’s stick in half after he knew he was smoked.
Also, I like how Same has turned on Maatta now since his speed has come into question the past year.
Dude I wanted mattaa traded since his good.rookie year when I said game is getting faster and faster he had good season pens can trade him with value. Then he got. Injured and tumor. And pens gave him a contract and made gaydogg jizzzed in his pants
Now same goes about Murray he had good year with pens last year he has value and young it can be a good trade with flames. Keep fleury until contract expires. Prepare Jarry and once fleury contract up he can take pay cut and share the number 1 job with Jarry. Murray has the size and position that’s about it he is slow and can’t play year after year 80÷ games and gets injured already and his only what 22-23 imagine by time he is 32 he won’t even be in the league
Malkin scored… Sid mailed it in on the winning play. Why do you give Sid a pass on everything but blame Malkin even when he wasn’t on the fucken ice moron
Crosby took the play off. He was already cherry picking way up ice.
After reading all that…
Sammich: Malkin sucks
Yoda: Fleurys cursed because the Pens gave up a breakaway play to a very good goal scorer within 5 minutes of OT, start Murray
There, now you two can stay off the net