Game 5 Fallout: Momentum trending towards Capitals?
The Pittsburgh Penguins closing out the series in five games that would have included winning all three games on the road never would have seemed to be in the cards prior to the series starting.
Yet, here were the Penguins Saturday night holding a 2-1 lead after two periods and Pittsburgh’s stifling play defensively had the Capitals lifeless.
Barry Trotz playing Alex Ovechkin on the third line looked like a disaster as Ovechkin was invisible through two periods and Pittsburgh’s opening goal came against the Ovechkin-Eller-Wilson line when an Eller’s turnover in the neutral zone led to the Penguins striking first.
Things, though, would change seconds into the third period.
A big Braden Holtby save on Tom Kuhnhackl early in the third prevented the Penguins going up 3-1 and the Penguins uncharacteristically quit skating on the backcheck and Washington exposed their poor gap control to climb back into the game.
The Nicklas Backstrom game-tying goal, Pittsburgh had the numbers, five players back against three.
Justin Schultz who struggled mightily defensively in the Game 5 loss, takes a poor angle when defending Burakovsky in taking away the outside but giving up the inside. Even with Schultz, though, having poor gap control with the Capitals entering the zone, a scoring chance should have never happened.
The Penguins just played lazy hockey.
With a wall of three players back, Carl Hagelin a faster player than Backstrom, has perfect position on the backcheck but just stops moving his feet.
“We obviously gave them life when they got the first goal [of the third period],” said Mike Sullivan. “We thought we had pretty good control of the game at that point. We talked about being strong at the lines, that’s an important part of winning at this time of year. I thought that goal was avoidable. So we gave [the Caps] life. Give them credit. They’re good players, they scored a couple of key goals to get them back in the game.”
The Malkin line then got hit for another goal against on the Evgeny Kuznetsov goal that opened the flood gates with Ovechkin scoring 27 seconds later.
There’s likely going a fuss that when you play Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel together, this is what can happen if both are not fully committed to their own end but the Backstrom and Kuznetsov goals were more on Carl Hagelin than anybody.
On a play up the wall with John Carlson coming hard, Hagelin failed to get the puck out. He has to read that situation better with Carlson pinching to make the high percentage play and go off the boards than the middle of the ice.
The Ovechkin goal that put the Penguins away was one of the rare times this series where Ovechkin got loose through the neutral zone and attacked the offensive zone from his signature left side at full speed.
Hainsey blocks the initial shot but the Penguins backpressure from the forwards, notably Nick Bonino and Conor Sheary was so bad, Ovechkin’s going to score there from that spot with that the time and space nine out of 10 times on Fleury.
Pittsburgh was puck watching in the third.
Game 5 should be a good wakeup call for the Penguins that when they relax one bit defensively, this is what can happen.
The Capitals have been on the brink of breaking out all series and they finally did.
We now find out whether it’s still too late for Washington or if it’s the start of momentum heading in Washington’s direction?
A good sign for the Penguins was the chances they were still creating in the third period.
“I think a lot of the third period, we had some pushback, we had some opportunities, we had some real high quality chances. We didn’t convert,” said Mike Sullivan.
Although he had just a .909 save percentage as the Penguins fired just 20 shots and scored on two, Braden Holtby showed some signs in Game 5 that he might finally be finding his game.
Most importantly for him, his positioning was finally there.
A lot of the Penguins grade-A chances were pucks hitting Holtby right in the chest, the type of saves when he’s at his best.
Game 6 will tell the story whether there’s starting to be a swing with the goaltenders or not, in that Holtby starts playing up to his ability and we start seeing a decline from Marc Andre Fleury which at somepoint was going to be inevitable.
Fleury’s put the Penguins in great position to be up 3-2 but there’s now pressure on him coming off what he felt his worst performance of the playoffs (I disagree) to close this out Monday night and not let Game 5 be the start of his play snowballing.
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guentzel is off of crosby’s line. once again the rule is the best wingers aren’t allowed to play with sid. seems dumb to me.
Probably a smart move then – because you’re a bona fide moron.
Vernon here’s got a job. Vernon’s got prospects. He’s bona fide. What are you?
Sam the virginal bandwagon man
The best line the pens put out this year was 43-87-59, not sure why they arnt given another shot here.
I can answer that. Because that line was getting dominated in its own zone religiously in the first round, and Sullivan (Sully, as Sam calls him) lost faith in their ability to get the puck out, which is paramount against a team like Washington. I suspect against a team with a weaker forecheck such as NYR or Ottawa in the next round, you might see that return, but right now, the risk associated with them giving up a goal just isn’t measuring up to what they bring on the offensive side of the game.
Fair enough, but i’d argue that most lines have had similar issues.
I don’t completely disagree with you. It’s been a problem to be sure – I think it’s simple risk management. That line was perceived to be worse than the others, coupled with Sheary’s slump, and they had a quick hook with them. I’m kinda glad they’re getting Sheary back with Sid. Guy was on pace for 30 goals. You need that in your lineup. Need to get him going.
Put any donkey and will end up with 25-30 goal pace
Again, I’d value your opinion if you had watched hockey before 2005 or if you had ever touched a woman’s lady parts. But right now, you have zero street cred.
There has literally been articles discussing how hard it is to find wingers for the guy in multiple publications over the years. I know you struggle to read but I am sure you’ve at least seen other discussing this.
I thought the last game was shearys best of the playoffs. Not sure about the underlying numbers but he looked fast and was getting on pucks.
I actually really liked him in Game 3 before he got brained. He made that one nice little move to walk around Orpik and put a decent shot on. I think he might surprise everyone tonight.
Because sheary is a 2.0 version of TK
I’d rather hear an unbiased evaluation of Sheary from someone that has touched a vaginaa before, truth be told.
Sheary looked like crap the last game. He’s probably not 100% back from his concussion
Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist
Guentzel-Malkin-Rust
Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel
Kunitz-Cullen-Kuhnhackl
Lines at practice. “Daly” didn’t skate. Nor did Dumoulin.
“Funny how” after sam call HBK a one-hit wonder, they reunite HBK. Another Sammich special! #SamKnew
You do know why they are reunite so 2nd line jump starts the Russian with their energy unlike chubby was dying on that line. Oh wait I’m wrong malkin and chubby had points last game. So no they are amazing
#BoxScoreMatters
Of course you’re wrong – you’re eternally wrong. What they’re trying to do is exactly what they did last year – create matchup problems by having their three stars on 3 separate lines. You wouldn’t understrand that though, as you’ve only been watching the sport since after the Crosby lottery. You’ll get there some day, bandwagon man.
Coming from someone that wants best player in the work traded
I don’t think Vancouver is going to move McDavid, if that’s what you’re suggesting.
Getzlaf had zero but was a beast because of games he was good in…
#boxscorematters
Hey Sammich… while I am very sure my comments around Getzlaf were actually in relation to a comparison with Phil Kessels production (as it is quite similar) and not a shot at Getzlaf, where the fuckk was he last night?
So let’s judge him based on one game while last 20 games of the season and playoffs he has been a beast
Wow… so when Kessel or Malkin play most of the year at a high level you can shit on him for the smaller sample size but when Getzlaf does it you make excuses and just talk up the highlights? You are every bit a biased hypocrite as yoda!
I’d take sheary out for either Wilson or Archinuts. Need to fresh, hungry legs.
Archinuts. Classic.
GAMEDAY!!!!!!
Is Daly hurt? (Can he be?)
John?
Looks like Daly is healthy:
http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/19332915/john-daly-holds-1st-pga-tour-champions-victory
Pens series vs NYR or Sens would start Sunday. Chance the rapper has the arena booked Saturday.
Ducks… been sensational 5v5 but have been meh in special teams… sammich care to weigh in on how that’s meaningless?
Give Archibald a chance, Sheary still isn’t ready to go. If he can’t win battles he hurts his line.
I’m down with that.
Me too; at least when Archibald hits opponents, they fall down.
Gibson benched already.
3 goals on 6 shots
If pens get sid back tomorrow, we win.
Hopefully your Russian doesn’t become a turnover machine again and stays away from the penalty then yeah maybe pens will have the chance to win. Oh sorry forgot malkin has 17 points and leads the league in playoffs so I don’t know what I’m talking
#BoxScore
The last six words are the most true and honest thing you’ve ever said despite the fact you’re missing the seventh!
Both of your Canadians stunk last night.
Fleury gave up another late period back breaking goal.
He had one turnover. What a machine! Hey – is Sid gonna be back this game, sam?
I hope we get you back in time. When are you getting back from the Uber driver convention?
This is pretty bad. Even for you.
Funny how npl and company were drool over hbk line last year when I said it’s just a one hit wonder momentum line. Look at them now all playing on different line 2nd,3rd and 4th line
Pens fans were happy because the line was a huge reason they won the cup. You’re not a Pens fan though, so you wouldn’t understand.
Leave it to sammich to continually cheer against the Penguins even while they still have the Presidents trophy team on the ropes!
Despite William “5 games” Depolis claim it’s likely the Pens play a far better game 6 than we saw yesterday and close out.
It’s amazing how you three in fuckfacefraud, sammich the virginal bandwagon, and Mr 5 Games have been rooting for failure all post season
That was a hell of a one hit – a hit Montreal hasn’t experienced since 1993.
I won’t worry until we lose game 6. We are still in control. We all would have took a game 6 with the Pens up 3-2. Believe!
I would have “took” nothing of the sort.
Good call. Taken. A very Sam like sentence by me.
Put Kunitz back with Malkin.
malkin was a turnover machine last night. he played with zero desperation.
Malkin had 1 turnover.
Lol
Only 1 you must’ve turn off your TV sooner then you should’ve
Sam. Maybe kevo has had far too much pusssy to see what your virginal eye picks up.
Hahahahaha! That’s so good. Yogurt!
the NHL turnover stat is dumb. malkin may have only directly passed it to one cap last night, but every time he touched the puck last night, he made a bad choice and the caps were immediately coming the other way.
So you believe the NHL statistitions only screw up with Malkin? So that everyone else’s turn over stats are bang on but Genos is understated?
Would have been nice to get a call on the Wilson hit on Daley. Charging, Interference, take your pick.
the whistles were in the pockets last night.
Agreed malkin should’ve had another 2 more penalties