Game 6 Analysis
Nine Straight Playoff Series Wins, three more to go for a Penguins Three-Peat to be complete.
Jake Guentzel scored 4 goals and added an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins downed the Philadelphia Flyers 8-5 on Sunday afternoon to advance to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
The Penguins in ousting the Flyers in six games, scored six unanswered goals to close out the game after being on the ropes and trailing 4-2 in the second period.
How special was Guentzel’s big-time performance?
To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
— While Jake Guentzel produced a five point game in a winning effort, Sean Couturier became just the second player in NHL history to record five points in a playoff game and have his team lose.
Couturier playing with a torn MCL had a hat trick and two assists.
Couturier was sensational in the series, especially considering the circumstances of his injury, finishing with 5 goals and 4 assists in 9 games.
— Sidney Crosby in the series: 6 Goals, 7 Assists, +7 > Claude Giroux in the Series: 1 Goal, 2 Assists, -10 Rating
Although the Penguins were still head and shoulders above the Flyers entering this series when it came to multiple matchups, it still felt like it was going to be a six game series because of the Penguins inconsistent play throughout the regular season.
The series indeed ended in six games but the Penguins were always in control of the series, even when Pittsburgh trailed 4-2 and were on the ropes a bit in Game 6.
This was a successful season for the Flyers punctuated by taking the Penguins to six games but they just weren’t going to beat Pittsburgh four out of seven times with that goaltending and defense. That was clear from the start.
With how poorly Giroux played, though, going to six games even seems like a bigger success for the Flyers.
— Kris Letang’s game continues to be quite maddening. His play all season has been at a No. 2-No.3 level defenseman and that continued in this series where the mental mistakes continue to plague him.
The Penguins bigger problem, though, moving forward in Round 2 is the third pairing.
Chad Ruhwedel is just being overmatched, especially in road games where the Flyers were effective in Game 6 of getting their top lines up against the Oleksiak-Ruhwedel pairing. Ruhwedel looked everything of a No. 7 type defenseman this series.
Olli Maatta had to give the coaching staff confidence this series where if needed next round, you start playing the hell out of the top-2 pairings and limit the third pairing as much as you can.
— Riley Sheahan had a very underrated series in doing the little things extremely well, especially in Game 6 on the penalty kill. That 4-on-3 kill in the second period was a major turning point.
Enough can’t be said of Patric Hornqvist. Minus the egregious turnover on the Sean Couturier breakaway goal, he had a significant impact in the comeback. A goal, 2 assists, just his ability to win puck battles along the wall was something else. Hornqvist finished with 2 goals and 4 assists in four playoff games.
— Pittsburgh closed out the series without Evgeni Malkin who has a To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
I have a riddle. Two Penguins score 13 points in a first round playoff series. One makes $925k and the other $8.7 million. Which one is Canadian?
i think I’ve heard this riddle before? the surgeon is the boys mother, she is canadian, and that’s why she can’t operate on him
And that boys mothers name…. Albert Einstein
Confucius say, “team with better goalie win series”
Quarter final match ups in both conferences are going to be epic.
Ovi commented I can’t wait to meet the penguins in the playoffs again. This will be interesting both sid and ovi had a good first round
First time they met was amazing 2nd time media hoopla it was a bust
This time both are carrying momentum for their own teams part 3 ovi vs Sid should be good
P.S. npl still suckss
Really? The same series that had the double hattrick showdown and the big game 7 opening breakaway that MAF stopped?
Caps in 3
Four straight wins for Caps. They are feeling it.
Tortorella must go nuts now. He would’ve love to go vs his old friend sully
Crazy a team with Ian Cole on their roster could lose 4 straight playoff games.
What a match game 7 bruins ,leafs. Go leafs go
I’d love to see Kessell earn a trip to the finals winning game 6 in Toronto.
Npl thinks eichel better player than McDavid
He also thinks selling hotdogs out of a hotdog cart is a good job.
Caps vs pens
The way it’s supposed to be. I was hoping crappy CBJ would take them 7.
Caps winning 3-1 let’s see if they will collapse again
Flames hire bill Peters. A good underrated coach. Just like when I said it for gallant when Vegas signed him
Sam, I will need to see the post to believe you said that about Gallant. That kind of smart post doesn’t sound like you.
I swear to god he was amazing assistant coach with: habs then panthers being stupid to fire him and when Vegas got him I said it fleury will be good under his system
Good job Sam! That was one of your better posts then,
You also said Jacque Martin is a grear defensive coach. He’s really turned the Pens defenders into a real brick wall eh?
You said Mike Johnston would be great.
You said Therien would win a cup in Montreal.
You said Tocchett would have Arizona in the playoffs this year.
Ya, you have a great track record on coaches.
I never liked tocchett I’ve always said he is a bum and as for Jacques Martin thank him winning last 2 cups with bunch of bum defence. Now get lost go back to you pj party at npls tree house
Was that before or after you said Mike Johnston would be a successful NHL coach?
Wilds fire Chuck Fletcher. Any chance they can do the Pens a favor and come take Bill Guerin?
That wouldn’t be doing the Wild a favor. Guerin has played a key role in recruiting good college free agents (i.e. Aston-Reese) over the last 3 years.
And shitting on the development of offensive stars. Sometimes you need to let a kid ride his offensive skills to the NHL instead of force everybody to be a 2 way player. Everybody has their own role, Guerin wants everybody to play like him. No thanks.
Boudreau next.
While tragic happened in Toronto your Trudeau is no where to be found. You must be proud of him zerotool
LMMFAO… You mean the guy that was born and raised in Richmond Hill that lost his mind after a rejection from a girl? Not sure how you pin that on Trudeau you fucken idiot lol
In fact you have more in common with him than what you assume this was about. He idolized Rodger Elliot FFS. Never met a bullshit narrative you didnt like hey?
He Immigrated in 2011…. who let him in again?
I thought Rowney was solid during the minutes he got. Also ZAR’s best game yet, which was a low bar.
I’m so tired of “taking the bad to get the good” with our $7mil D man.
Can’t he just play solid D and not be a complete idiot?
Nobody that understands the sport is underrating Sheahan’s Series.
Nothing short of solid since about a month and change after the trade, I hope the acquisition of Brassard doesnt lead to Sheahan moving on this offseason
Is he a FA?
RFA
I had thought he was UFA but ya, he is too young. I mean that dont mean hes a lock but more likely to stay.
Watching Brassard he has been decent on his own but doesnt look like he fits comfortably with the team… granted a full camp would change that. There is gonna be cap casualties this off season though so it will be interesting to see how the team sees the Brassard fit going forward
I still support the trade but haven’t seen him create enough offense to live up to the hype. Rust and Sheary have been driving that line IMO.
I’m shocked you didn’t know this about your man crush.
The Sheahan love from Diego Douchebag is hilarious. He’s said he was worthless since day one. He basically switched his hate for Sheahan to Brassard. Such a dummy.
That’s rich coming from you. Do you understand hockey?
3rd pairing will be fine. The bigger problem is in goal where Murray is making MAF look like a picture of consistency.
Bit of a stretch but definitely concerning things seen by Murray in the series. If he cannot find that consistency or the Pens struggle to commit to D vs Washington or TB… or Boston or Nashville or Winnipeg (You get the point) they dream of three could die fast and Murray will become solidified as the scapegoat
He doesnt need to steal games, just stop the pucks he should stop.
I tough he stole the series like fleury did for the Vegas. Npl told us Murray stole the series. Still waiting Sundays gif.
https://i.makeagif.com/media/12-13-2015/7GKccN.gif