Penguins/NHL
PENGUINS – RANGERS X’s & O’s
The Gap has closed.
The Penguins earned their third straight victory of the season over the Rangers Sunday night with a 3-2 overtime win. Pittsburgh has not only removed the mental block that they can’t beat the Rangers, the Penguins have proven over the last month that they’ve closed the gap, with or without Evgeni Malkin, and that a Rangers – Penguins likely first round series is setting up what should be a 50/50 series.
New York’s ability to keep the Penguins to the outside was Pittsburgh’s biggest problem in matching up against the Rangers in the past. That has started to change.
What the Penguins have shown in the last three meetings is their approach of pushing the puck up quickly and maybe the most important element, making the Rangers try to play a game of foot races. It has changed the complexion of how these two teams now matchup with each other.
Sunday night’s game was about as even of a game as your’re going to see.
Big picture when looking at another playoff series between the two clubs, the game also showed things the Penguins do very well that the Rangers struggle with and vice versa.
For New York, they continue to put a strong focus on attacking the Penguins with cross-ice and hard dump-in’s on the forecheck.
It’s an area some of the Rangers bigger and stronger forwards like Rick Nash and Chris Krieder give Pittsburgh problems in their ability to win battles, leading to established zone time and high danger scoring chances off the cycle.
What also stood out was Eric Staal as the third line center could be a handful to contain over a seven game series with his size and strength down low and the net-front area.
However, when the Penguins can beat the Rangers initial wave on the forecheck, Pittsburgh springing two forwards full speed out of the d-zone got the Rangers on their heels and they were vulnerable with the Penguins being able to attack through the neutral zone and offensive zone with speed.
The top two lines were extremely effective, especially Phil Kessel and Carl Hagelin, both in different ways.
Kessel from the standpoint of pushing the Rangers D back and creating individual scoring chances with speed. He was coming with such power and speed, the Rangers had to give him time and space that had Kessel getting to the inside much easier than he’s done all season.
Hagelin caused the Rangers fits with his ability to create foot races for the puck. Some of it is obviously the individual speed these two players possess but the systematic change of how much higher and earlier the Penguins forwards now leave the zone, plays a big part.
Aside from Ryan McDonagh and Keith Yandle, the Rangers group of defenseman have a slow first couple steps.
The Penguins on their top-3 lines have at least one player on each line that has great speed to push the opposition back, (Crosby, Hagelin and Rust.) and that’s a big key to putting New York’s group of d-men on their heels. It’s also beneficial that the system in place no longer handcuffs all five players on leaving the defensive zone at the same time.
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great video quality on this article.
My question is When and iff the Russian decides to come back where does he play?
because 2nd line has been better without him but obviously stan is too stupid to notice that
3rd line has been good too
only option Malkin will fit is 1st line with crosby and then youll have to send kunitz or horny on the 4th line
if sullly is smart he would not break the 2nd and the 3rd line
I would personally go with three scoring lines… I have wanted that all year. Kessel seems to go more with Bonino and its hard to imagine breaking Kessel and Hagelin up. I would centre Malkin between Rust and Sheary or Kuhnhackl to see if we can get a good mix of grit to support Malkins puck carrying. That noted if Bennett hasnt died before then it’s likely he would get a look on that line… really sucks Wilson is out because Rust and Wilson would be ideal
I would agree but it would look bad someone like malkin with his salary playing 3rd line thats why i said 2nd and 3rd line should stay they way it is and malkin use malkin with crosby and put kunitz or horny on 4th line the problem pens have is a good problem this shows they have enough offense to play in the playoffs .But real question is the Defense .If teams go after Letang all series long pens would be in trouble.Like it or no Letang is important key to this team. yes he doesnt get credit by the… Read more »
He gets plenty of credit for how he plays – the problem is, he misses important games like it’s his job and, by proxy, buttfucks the team, like he has the past two years. But understanding that would require sam to be able to read in between taking bites, and well, that’s just too high of a hurdle. Yeah yeah, he played two years ago, but coming off of an injury, looking like shit. Lot of money to have locked up into someone that unreliable.
i rather him miss games due to injuries rather then take space in the roster like kessel and malkin does for the money that they are getting
Well, that makes sense, considering you’re a high octane retard.
Malkin is a centre… Period. He is at his best when he is a pivot, period. With how special teams are structured on this team the defacto “third line” is irrelevant. You have the option to roll three strong scoring lines and put the best parts together for a PP. moving Malkin to the wing has never paid the dividends we argue it does.
Look at sam, wanting to adjust the roster around Kessel now. That a boy, sammy. Now that he’s eclipsed Toews, right?
Sweet, Pens have interest in another European that is probably in over his head and will ultimately be mistreated because the European scouts have no fucking idea what they are looking at lol
Former HAB tho… we know how bad they are so I would definitely stay away 😉
Who wants to play in that shithole though – nobody even goes to the games anymore:
http://i.cbc.ca/1.3432953.1454550052!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/bell-centre.jpg
HAHAHA! It doesnt get old
Queen Henry sucks!
Phaneuf out for the rest of the season. What a trade.
6 games left for sens season.
and you say the trade is bad Ha!
Worry about chubby’s Trade where has he been this season. now last 2 games he is scoring .no worries he will disappear soon enough
Last two games is all he’s scoring. Yet he’s ahead of Toews. Impressive. Ps – Phaneuf’s sucks.
Remember when the Phaneuf’s trade was supposed to help them make the playoffs?
MAF beats Lundqvist for the 3rd straight game… Its amazing how the complexion of these games change when the skaters actually get to the opposition goalie. According to a couple out here MAF was simply shitty while Hank had the biggest dink they love to suck on. Well now whose dink they gonna suck? The Pens provide offence and protect their net…
Amazing how quiet yogurt and Maloni have been.
noticed most pens vs rags games go into overtime and shootout
5 of the last 19…. “MOST”
Hahahahahahahaha