Penguins/NHL
ON PITTSBURGH’S 6-3 LOSS TO TAMPA
The Penguins went into Tampa Bay undermanned without Evgeni Malkin and their center depth depleted. Yet, the narrative going into the game (that the Penguins didn’t have a chance) you would have thought the Penguins should not have showed up and just forfeited.
The Penguins still had the likes of Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang, Marc Andre Fleury and Patric Hornqvist in the lineup.
Pittsburgh entered the game with a .607 winning percentage without Evgeni Malkin during his career and we’ve seen in the past, especially the Bylsma years where the Penguins come together when ravished by injuries play some of their best games of the season.
In the first period this one looked like it might be headed towards that way as the Penguins got out to an excellent start before the Lightning eventually raced past the Penguins for a 6-3 win.
The Penguins won the possession game, shots were near even (30-29, Pittsburgh) with high danger scoring chances 11-11 (even strength), though, Tampa Bay had an edge in the more quality high danger scoring chances.
Positives for the Penguins, the bottom-6 came to play. While Kevin Porter and Oskar Sundqvist will never be known as speed demons down the middle as the third and fourth line centers, the Penguins speed on the wings in the bottom-6 was a factor in providing the Penguins energy throughout.
“I thought they brought us a lot of energy,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “They had some good forechecks. They were on pucks. Think they forced Tampa to have to expend energy defensively. I really like their enthusiasm,” said Sullivan.
That’s where the difference has been with the AHL guys coming up over the last month. Their speed is forcing the opposition to expend energy defensively. When the stars start to cool off along with the power play, which is bound to happen, then the lack of secondary scoring will start to pop back up as a glaring problem but for now that has been on the backburner due to other areas of the team carrying the group, notably the stars and special teams.
The working hard, providing energy narrative that has been looked at as such a positive will eventually turn into “this bottom-6 group doesn’t score enough.”
A key goal from a bottom-6 player would have been nice, especially in the third period when the Penguins were trailing 4-3, but this game came down to a couple factors:
1. Among the big guns in the lineup, Sidney Crosby and Patric Hornqvist continued to stay hot. Crosby netted his 21st goal of the season and has goals in five straight games and was 17 of 29 (58%) in the faceoff circle.
Hornqvist was even better.
He opened the scoring in the first period with a goal scorers goal from the slot for his 11th of the season. Hornqvist then forced a turnover off the forecheck leading to Crosby’s second period goal as the Penguins cut the Lightning’s lead to 3-2.
Hornqvist is right up there with Crosby among the players whose game has transformed the most with the coaching change.
Crosby and Hornqvist had a CF% of 75% (12 CF/5 CA) when out against Victor Hedman.
For the Penguins their other big guns didn’t show up.
2. Phil Kessel had a key setup (primary assist) on Matt Cullen’s third period goal, 55 seconds in to get the Penguins within one goal but his overall game was a disaster and with Malkin out, what the Penguins needed from Kessel was the type of performance the Lightning got from Tyler Johnson. Kessel had one 5 v 5 shot in the game.
3. The Penguins No. 1 pairing of Olli Maatta – Kris Letang were in the negative. They got caught running around allowing several high danger scoring chances and Maatta in particular had a tough night in struggling with the Lightning’s speed from their top-6.
Maatta was on the ice for 1 shot attempt and 8 against head-to-head at even strength vs Tyler Johnson.
4. Marc Andre Fleury after stopping just 18 of 23 shots vs the Senators, was pulled after allowing four goals on 14 shots. The first two goals against had Kris Letang and Ben Lovejoy parked right in front of him and on the third and fourth goals he got beat by great shots/plays. Fleury’s save percentage has plummeted below .920 to now .919 on the season. The bigger issue might not have been Fleury’s performance but the high danger scoring chances the Lightning were getting on limited shots.
5. The biggest factor in the loss was special teams. Pittsburgh was 0-3 on the power play, allowed a power goal against and shorthanded goal against. Not much to dissect there.
With the game 2-1 early in the second, they give up a shorthanded breakaway goal, then failed to score on two other power play opportunities when the score was 3-2 in the second.
Interesting stat is the Penguins had yet to win a game under Mike Sullivan when they don’t score a power play goal (0-6-2).
When the Penguins have scored at least one power play goal To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
i’d like someone to explain to my why st.blurry is 5 million dollars better than murray. you can’t do it. your only argument will be “f off yoda you are and idiot.”
Because he has performed at the NHL level for a long time and has a Stanley Cup. Are you new to the business world? He has a $5 million resume.
If you find fleury not worth his contract do think dubnyk worth hi contract when he played half season in his career. Bernier another one does he deserve his contract? Now Reimer wants 5m you think he deserve with no proven track record other than often injured. And you are there bitching about fleury when the guy won them a cup and Last 2 years he has been the only consistent player for the pens. Specially when the Russian disappeared last 2 months of the season
If we’re going to talk about players disappearing, probably should mention Sid in any playoff series since 2010 and the first half of this year.
And the Russian hasn’t disappoint you since 09 cup. How about last year I can blame malkin for pens 1st round exit just like you are blaming crosby for not playing good first 35 games of the season
Sure. I’ll give you malkins one year. How about Sid melting down against the Flyers. Inability to score vs the Bruins. How about gibbons scoring more goals than him through two rounds. How about Sid showing up for one game in the playoffs last year. Other than all of that, he’s been good. Best player in the world!
Easy… he isnt quite ready and there is not point throwing him to the wolves… so you are a fucking idiot
The price is too high on Buff, I’d pass. I’d kick the tires on…..Roman Polak, Dan Hamhuis, John Michael-Liles, Cody Franson for D. Andrew Ladd, Teddy Purcell, Jamie McGinn, Chris Higgins, Kris Versteeg, PA Parenteau to help the bottom 6.
Would’ve loved pens ge rid of kessel bennett lovejoy and 2nd round for Nathan and barrie form avalanche. Automatically your team gets better when you unload those fraud American players for Canadians. Just like scuderi for Dailey was an upgrade. Gayjoy for despres was a downgrade
Nathan! Your boy toy!
Mrchady posts here so rarely that I forget there’s a triplet to go along with sam and yogurt. It’s like we have a moron exchange program going on here.
I think mrchady is worse. the other two are idiots as well but mrchady seems to be unstable.
11-4-4 last 19!
That’s what I’m talkin about!
Can’t you guys ever just be happy with an awesome win? I didn’t expect a new artivle, but at least some happiness amongst the posters would be nice.
When you have clowns like npl that brings nothing to this board and then you have dumbass clowns like Stan and Yoda that wants sid, letang,kunitz and fleury to be traded when they have no clue what they are watching and when pens really suck they will probably be first two to jump from penguins bandwagon
Tell us more about how good Therrien is.
I don’t know how this team could win with Fleury.
I could fill a an Olympic sized swimming pool with a list of the shit that you “don’t know.”
You guys would rather lose in round 1 with st blurry than win with someone else.
Looks like yogurt is stumping for Zatkoff
Yogurt and samethefatman being on at the same time is like Sill being on a line with Farnham. Unbearable to watch or be around.
You are another guy who would rather lose with st blurry than win with someone else.
Fleury has two bad games. Yogurt is all over him. Sid plays 35 bad games to start the season. He’s using Sid’s semen as moisturizer. That is so yogurt.
So what if Sid had 35 bad games? You are the biggest idiot on this board Stanch.
Yeah. So what. No big deal. And I’m the idiot.
Exactly. I am glad you agree! I had to give you a thumbs up on your admittance to stupidity.
Let’s say sid took 35 games off still manage to pass the Russian with the points
But little that Stan knows sid had few bad games but was playing Throughout the 30 games. Not his fault when chubby horny, and Perron couldn’t score when he was passing the puck. And Letang was playing with geno mostly
That’s saying a lot considering Jaydog posts here too…Good stuff champ!
I wonder if this is an account yogurt and Sam set up jointly to make it look like they had a fan. Retards unite!
Hey now. You be careful. Yogurt thinks Farnham is the missing piece.
Zatkoff has better numbers and 5.5 million dollars less. Stanch is stumping for st blurry! Hahaha
I want Murray in there.
Tiny sample size vs inferior teams. Brilliant analysis yogurt. Your God! Zatkoff!!
I am sure jerkoff numbers will be the same if he played same amount of games of fleury. Real bright yoda
Holy shit. Sam spelled bright right (that rhymes)
You’re fucking retarded… MAF ha been great all year… has played two bad ones and all of a sudden Zatkoff, who hasnt been too hot is your guy? Or the lkid who isnt quite ready yet? Get laid or something you fucken loser
Fleury been good last 2 season to be more specific for Mr Yoda. Pens lost close games to rags because of fleury keeping it close and Last I checked fleury also had league leading 10 shutouts
They should trade st blurry at the deadline for a D man and then get another forward. Murray will put up a .919 and that is a fact. There would be no difference at the absolute worst.
Firing Johnston certainly made the pens much more entertaining. Also, when will you guys start believing me that you don’t need to spend 6 mil on a goalie. Once again st blurry has a lower % than both his backups.
USA USA. Where is the American chubby. Is he even on the roster that Fraud. only thing he is consistent is collecting his paycheck
You’re the biggest waste of life ever born into this planet. All you do is cry and bitch because your fat face is upset that your whore mom gets dped every single day.
Dude, kessel sucks. Give Sam a thumbs up.
Trade letang and crosby Stan. Suckk dickk you clown
Gotta give letang credit for playing this many games in a row. But let’s not kid ourselves porkchop. This team is fighting for a playoff spot because your girl Sid took half a season off.
This team is fighting a playoff spot because took them too long to get rid of scuderi. Haven’t you notice since they replaced him with Canadian defense team plays a bit better
So scuderi had a larger impact on the game than Crosby? That’s what you’re telling me.
You clown crosby was playing good all season just a lot of puck wasn’t going in and his line couldn’t score. Chubby, horny Perron how many nice passes they couldn’t handle obviously you are a dumb bandwagon fan that follows the media and think crosby suckss. I wonder what ducks an Hawks fans think for getzy and toews
Playing good all season!! You make the French look dumb. And that’s saying something you fat tub of goo
He had a VERY HUGE impact on the game because he played almost 20 mins a game and when ever he was on the ice the Penguins had zero transition game and could not generate any offence. See?! You are a complete fool Stanch…
By the way. I looked up Scuderi’s TOI stats. He hit 20 minutes here a whopping three times. theres no need to lie to make your idiotic point. Nobody assumed you know what you’re talking about to begin with.
Mrchady talking to Stan or npl is like talking to a wall
No they are fighting for a playoff spot because they hired a junior coach after Bylsma. Try to keep up you fool….
Funny. That junior coach didn’t seem to stifle the team’s other superstar. He didn’t look like asshole. But then again, you’re not exactly a properly sharpened knife.
Hey zero pens are really missing malkin.
It’s amazing how bad this power play is without Malkin.
Thinking the same thing
Kessel is proving to be a huge mistake too… It’s hard to deny at this point. Guys had ample opportunity to shine but he’s a lazy useless fuck
Don’t say that zero he is not lazy. He is just American
Kessel needs to be unloaded (for anything). He is the softest player in the league. There is zero compete and you can literally see the guy flinches every time he comes close to being hit. I imagine Stanch looks the same way. Fat and full of hot dogs…
Yup this shows malkin is nothing but a power play specialist because he ain’t the same 5v5 anymore even neal days
Once again Florida arena sold out thanks to Canadian boy crosby this shows sid still sells tickets outside of Pittsburgh and dumb asss Stan wants him traded can you imagine if sid is traded how empty Consol will be
How is Rust still on our roster after you said he was traded?
It’s not half empty like Le Mausoleum Bell. Fair weather Montreal fans.
I heard npl10 wanted to go to the Panthers game and got denied by the ticket salesman and was told selfish fat fuckk. After wanting the 4 ticket 4 hot dogs and 4 soda package deal all for himself
Was that an attempt to be funny? It failed miserably. You’re an idiot.
Kessel = offside specialist
Whoever thumbs down on kessel offside must be a blind prick watching pens game. Kessel line has the most offsides of the team probably of the NHL as well
Perron is so happy to be with ducks and play with someone that doesn’t kill momentum every second play with offsides
Perron is a French pussy. He sucks.
Good thing MAF isnt here to blow this one. Hey you little green cunt fuck, where is youre insufferable drivel on that one. You fucking piece of human filth
Stands in Sunrise look a lot more full than le Mausoleum Bell looked the other night.
And louder than Consol Retirement Center
Kingpuck, you hearing anything?
He’s on the phone with Savard, but he has King on hold right now.
He heard you are a slime ball and npl is fat
Stay classy
Stan hasn’t been here today hmmm. Maybe he is busy watching Habs game and seeing how full and loud is bell center. Let me know Stan if you see any empty seats
Bell. Center. Mausoleum. How’s Therrien doing you French twat?
Pajama party
Nice buzz about the Pitt hoops game. D, you’re a real piece of trash.
Kessel Is a fucking train wreck.
Glad you realize that now convince npl and Stan that
I’d love to see all of these pro kessel posts of mine. I must be sleep posting. Unless you want to count the ones where I claim he’s more useful than a retired Martin St. Louis. Which I stand behind.
IOnce again same is right this team heavily depends on their power play to win games despite all the fire power they have pretty sad .now watch and see gaydogg comes on with his dumbass stats to try to prove me wrong.
Every team relies on their special teams. Also, the reason our PP wasn’t as good is because our Russian wasnt there to score. Shit sucks when you only have pu$$y Canadians out there. If you’re wondering what they look like, just look in the mirror.
Its incredible he doesnt get this… whats more incredible is how he thinks we dont miss Malkin when he is such a huge part of that PP
Wtf happened to maata
lol pens lose, get a very detailed buzz and a new article. Who would have though.
That 4th goal by Fleury was terrible. He can’t get beat short side there. The break looks like it hurt him.
Chris Kunitz sucks even more live.
Nipples, you went to the game? I didnt see and fat, gay, black Democrats in the crowd. Please explain.
– Cameras face the team benches, I was on the penalty box side.
– Your TV is a 19 inch Zenith making it hard to differentiate the crowd
Npl10 is fat even more Live
How would you know?