Penguins/NHL
STARS CONTINUE TO LEAD THE WAY FOR PENGUINS
Many inside the game look at the Eastern Conference right now as the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning being the only two true Stanley Cup Contenders with a side dish of the Florida Panthers — a dark horse team with the pieces in place, not to mention cap space and assets ahead of the trade deadline, that could emerge as a Stanley Cup team. —
For about the first 54 minutes of their matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday night, the Panthers sure looked the part.
They controlled the play, out-shooting Pittsburgh 34-18 through the first forty minutes and you could see why they’re a team many have been buzzing about.
Florida obviously has the goaltender in place with Roberto Luongo. The blueline is deep and fast, the forward group has a very good mix of two-way players with speed. It’s just a deep team in all three phases. Players like Shawn Thornton might no longer fit in today’s NHL, but the Panthers have a group of fourth liners who are built for the playoffs.
Florida’s 4th line dominated possession against the Penguins. Thornton on the ice for 9 shot attempts for, 3 against at even strength. Derek MacKenzie 10 shot attempts for, 3 against. The line had lots of zone time against the Penguins second best defenseman Brian Dumoulin, 6 SAF, 0 SAA head to head vs Dumoulin.
What stood out most about the Panthers was how they defended the Penguins through the neutral zone. Pittsburgh’s new aggressive approach and playing with more speed and pace has seen teams struggle in defending Pittsburgh through the neutral zone. Florida constantly gave the Penguins little time and space by the standing the Penguins up in the middle of the neutral zone. They took away time and space and limited the Penguin attacking the offensive zone with speed.
The Panthers looked the part as a darkhorse in the Eastern Conference that many see them as and did everything right except put the Penguins away, which is a problem for opposing teams with the level Sidney Crosby is playing at.
Crosby and Kris Letang not only willed the Penguins to a thrilling 3-2 overtime win, the Penguins stars are leading by example and that’s what has to happen and continue from here on out.
“Those two guys I thought put the team on their back,” said Mike Sullivan. “They raised their level at a critical time.”
Letang who had 2 goals and an assist, scoring the overtime winner moments after drawing a penalty seconds into overtime now has 34 points in his last 30 games.
Crosby’s play in the final minutes of regulation and into overtime was something else.
On Letang’s goal with 5:04 left in the third to cut the Panthers lead to one, Crosby was masterful on the wall, protecting the puck in bouncing off a defender and setting Letang up for the one-timer goal.
Crosby won 23 of 38 faceoffs in the win and none were bigger than the Penguins 6-on-5 offensive zone draw win over Derek MacKenzie out of the Penguins timeout with a 1:21 left in the game that led to Crosby’s game tying goal.
When things are going well puck luck is on your side and that is also following Crosby these days. On the faceoff from the right circle, MacKenzie wins the puck back but Chris Kunitz does a great job of getting to the puck first, gets it up to the point and Crosby goes to the net uncovered and the puck bounces off him and into the net to tie the game.
Improbable comeback? According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Penguins won a game in which they trailed 2-0 in the final 6:00 of regulation for the first time in franchise history.
The level Crosby is at right now is the best we’ve seen him since the lockout shortened season, (prior to breaking his jaw) when he was averaging 1.56 points per game.
John Michael-Liles
Byfuglien signed an extension with the Jets – 5 years, $38 million, AAV of $7.6 mio.
no need that bum
Bum? Guys a solid D man and would have added a ton of size. He is just very expensive
Yeah- but he’s black, and sam is a racist a-hole. Thus – bum.
that chubby brings some skills but also takes alot of dumb penalties,and is not amazing caracter to be around off the ice . pens are already mentally fragile no need this guy comes here and distracts them more .+ we already have 1 chubby no need a 2nd one
You mean the guy that took it upon himself to call out Evander Kane for being a douche? The one that stood up to YMCMB and tossed his track suit in the shower lacks leadership? I actually do think you are making this up due to his complexion.
I didnt care to bring him aboard but like Kessel last year its simply because of cost
Mentally fragile? I didn’t know Buff was French Canadian.
How the hell do you know what he’s like off the ice? Is he raping your mom like DB and Kessel are? Moron.
Good, now we can stop talking about him as a Penguin lol
Sam, go on a break. You’re back and forth with those two about where a player was born is getting old and downright annoying anymore. Where a player was born, doesn’t matter, give it up.
Not necessarily true. French Canadians, for example, are not very good at professional hockey because of their fragile minds.
And because they’re weird / creepy.
Apparently the Canadiens are taking calls for forwards Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise, and Tom Gilbert..I would add Fleishmann to play with Fehr come playoffs
On IR?
Fehr will be back by playoff
If pens really want hamhuis they might as well get at the same time Vrbata
Wouldn’t “Sully” be better served getting “Nathan?”
Mike Munchak has to be one of the best position coaches ever. Kaboly just tweeted, “Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware combined for 4 tackles and 1 sack in 2 games (184 snaps) against the Steelers this year”
The OLine for that game included two undrafted FAs, one of which an Army ranger with very little NFL experience, a journeyman center, and a slightly above average RT. And although DeCastro had the first round pedigree, its hard to discount Munchak’s influence in turning the RG into an All-Pro..Pay that man, keep him here forever.
agreed. the line has been solid.
I commented the same to my brother last night – I couldn’t agree more. Crazy impressive after you saw what that front 7 did to New England and Carolina.
A little weird to talk about “being healthy” given Pouncey and Beachum, but I think that group was really helped by getting a lot of reps together without guys going in and out of the lineup on a weekly basis. Gilbert, DeCastro, Wallace and Foster started all 16 games. Villanueva and Beachum split 10 and 6.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the offseason on the left side of the OL. Beachum and Foster are both UFAs. Was Villanueva just a stopgap or the long term answer at LT?
Given his performance, contract, and the fact that Beachum will probably still demand a sizeable deal (even for one year), you’d have to think Villanueva is being looked at as the answer for 2016 and beyond at this point. Id also bet Foster resigns. He loves it here, the Steelers like him. They’ll find similar ground.
P Manning sucks.
Didn’t you have him in the top 5 quarterbacks ahead of Ben like 3 weeks ago?
LMAO. If I recall, that was the “best quarterback RIGHT NOW, from a historical perspective” list.
Yep – that would be the one I’m thinking of.
“which is a problem for opposing teams with the level Sidney Crosby is playing at.” http://www.calu.edu
I love these book reports we get summarizing every other article written about this game.
Haha. Welcome to TIOPS.
If the Steelers stay healthy and address the secondary, they’d have to be on the shortlist for Superbawl contenders
I see people are really taking to the the thumbs down being the new thumbs up. Gracias.
Hard not to agree with that. Already hopefully have an upgrade in Golson. Would be nice if they could find a way to get an above average cover corner in here.
The Steelers do not have that many weaknesses to address. QB, RB, WR, DE, ILB, are all set from a starters perspective. I’d expect Ramon Foster to resign so OL should be included here. This leaves TE (would be nice, not necessary), DT (see TE), OLB (Jarvis Jones was noticeable in playoffs, can he capitalize?) and the big one – secondary. I’d sell out the entire draft to get Hargreaves if it didn’t mean adding next year’s #1 as well. Adding a legit #1 CB and above average SS, with Gay on the other side and Golson as your nickel… Read more »
The best player in the NHL is an American. The best defenseman is A Swede. The best goalie when it matters is American. There’s one French Canadian in the top 30 is scoring. The Penguins turned their season around when an American took over.
Thank God for the stats that exist to only fool clowns like you
You forgot to mention Best players that disappears when game matters are Russian and Americans. Also the best thieves and frauds are Americans and Russians also
One French Canadian in the top 30! Hahahahaha
Lol I liked that one too. Those people literally have no hockey skill. Pretty much on par with the Germans now.
Not to mention, they’re generally creepy and weird.
You also forgot to mention most fat and lazy fans are Americans and Russians ,led by you. You are both lazy and fat
When did wins become a fooling stat? Team winning more with an American coach than a Canadian coach is a pretty easy stat to understand. Even worse is that it took and American coach to teach the Canadian stars how to play right.
Sammy, I gave all of your posts a thumbs up because thumbs up are the new thumbs down.
Why don’t you give a thumbs up at Micheal sam’s while you are at it. You fat pig
That literally makes no sense tubby.
Every year when I watch the superbawl I win the team I pick damn easy sport to pick and win wish nhl was as easy
Samslation: Sam hates football, but he watches the “superbawl” every year, and admits he’s not very knowledgeable when it comes to the NHL
I liked the halftime show.
Newton suckks
Most overrated sport. What a shitt superbawl. What a way to remember the 50th. Even halftime show sucked. Just like npl does to his hot dogs
Would like to respond but have a few questions to clarify first:
1: what’s a superbawl?
2: What about the superbawl halftime show is like my hot dogs?
3: Why are French Canadians creepy and weird?
If Big Ben doesn’t throw too many Ints I think they can beat the Panthers today.
Did it really take me the first seven paragraphs of how awesome Florida is to finally read about the “Pens stars leading by example” in the article titled “Pens stars leading by example” ??
Actually, was there even a point made about the stars leading by example? Playing to your potential with the help of “puck luck” doesn’t really constitute leading, does it?
Only luck who has here is you fatso for not getting a hearth attack after eating so many hot dogs.
Huh. Good one.
without enough air to bread, my hearth could be in trouble
Click bait lol
Last I checked crosby has as many as points as malkin I guess this shows when games are important sid shows up. Only department malkin has done better than crosby is the penalty department he has more penalty minutes than crosby this shows how dumb and selfish the Russian is putting team in trouble. Specially dumb penalties he takes in the offensive zone. Then again. Trade crosby and Letang and keep malkin and chubby
The first 35 games weren’t important. I love French logic.
Crosby has just 31 points in 40 games, and is -15 against the Metro since the beginning of last season. Divisional games aren’t important.
33 points in 36 divisional games for Geno. Still a -5, but compared to -15 it looks phenomenal
Crosby has 13 points in 18 playoff games in 2014 and 2015. And a -3. Playoff games aren’t important.
Geno was 14 in 18, +5.
Malkin has a Conn Smythe on his mantle. Crosby took a rest for most of Game 7 against the Red Wings.
Took a rest because team had enough Canadians to win the cup. Talbot, fleury for instance
Cause Franzen hurt sids vagina and he couldnt return
Yeah. But how many of those came on the POWER PLAY because he’s a power play specialist. Go have another hot dog from your hot dog cart!
Interesting question, glad you asked. Of Geno’s 14 playoff points since 2014, 2 were scored on the PP. Meaning 14% of his points were with the man advantage.
Crosby, on the other hand, had 4 PP points out of 13 total. That’s a staggering 30%.
That can’t be right. I don’t think you heard me. He’s a POWER PLAY SPECIALIST
Yeah and the dumb penalties that geno takes
Crosby is still not averaging a ppg at this point for the season fella.
Did coach Sully say letang and crosby carried the team on their back and showed up on critical time ? Stan do you agree or pens should still trade them because you are happy with Mr chubby and the Russian. When team needs them one disappears and the other takes dumb penalties in the offensive zone. Because both can’t handle pressure
Coach Sully!
I wonder what “Coach Sully” was thinking for the first 35 games when Sid was snowballing you instead of showing up for games, Sam.
Crosby wasn’t wow the first 35 but wasn’t brutal either how many times I have to tell you clown reason crosby wasn’t putting up points was because his line mates couldn’t handle the passes he was dishing out. How many quality goals did horny, Perron and chubby missed when crosby was passing them?
You clearly didn’t watch the first 35 games. Line mates couldn’t handle the passes! Seriously. Shut the fuck up.
Fuck off… I am a Crosby fan who can be openly critical of him when he deserves it. He was garbage at the beginning of the year. He was losing 50/50 battles too often and he wasnt laying out all the great opportunities that were being blown by his linemates he was throwing passes away and acting like a child when they would be picked up by the opposition. I am of the opinion that MJs one unit “attack” played a significant role in his poor start but he cannot be absolved for his poor start altogether because of that
He was busy coaching WBS
He must not own a television or smart phone. Or I bet he does. Not everyone lives in McKeesport, rothey
Maybe he lives in Homewood where npls mom used to get raped before moving to Florida
That was dark. Also curious how you know what Homewood is.
Fuck Samtheman’s whore mom in the ass with no lube. 76ers
Trade crosby and Letang. Stan
Trade them for “Nathan!”
Who ? chubby bb and gayjoy any day
Nobody. I just wanted to use the pet name you use for him because you have a crush.