60 Minute Game? Pittsburgh’s struggles below the dots at both ends of the ice
Little was learned from the Penguins 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday that saw the Penguins collapse after leading 3-0 just 3:57 into the game after three goals in a 71 second span.
What the loss did was just further highlight glaring issues with this hockey club that isn’t just going to magically go away.
1. A growing theme is how much of a monumental challenge it is for the Penguins to put together a 60 minute game.
“We just didn’t play the game hard enough or smart enough for the majority of the game. When you get up that early in games, you’ve got to continue to play hard. You’ve got to continue to do the things that brought you success.” — Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan on Thursday’s 4-3 Loss to the Flyers
And is this really just a 2021 season thing?
Including the bubble, the Penguins have 9 regulation wins in their last 37 hockey games. That’s not just a small sample, it’s almost half of a full NHL season.
Pittsburgh’s struggles to put complete games together coincide with two areas of the ice they are so vulnerable to get exposed on a game by game basis.
–The team is one of the NHL’s most perimeter based offensive teams–
–They are a poor defending team below the dots and in the net-front area–
Some is personnel, some isn’t. The Penguins are challenged in being an effective team below the dots and having a strong presence offensively around the net and that can be put on the old regime. They became way too obsessed with just finding players who can skate without caring what other intangibles they brought to the table.
Defensively is a different story. How the group of blueliners are built and play from a style standpoint is more of an issue on the penalty kill than 5 vs 5. The 5 vs 5 issues are more struggles of the team as a whole failing to stay in their proper lanes and since the 2017 Cup, it’s just been a major drop-off no matter the change in personnel.
Does that come back to a stale voice behind the bench?
And that reared its head in a big way Thursday night when a player like John Marino who is supposed to be Pittsburgh’s most responsible defender along with Brian Dumoulin (did not play), is running around in his own end with no defensive awareness like he’s Mike Matheson 2.0.
If your as inconsistent as the Penguins are in those areas, your going to have constant issues to put complete games together as they do. Thursday night was just more of the same.
More Buzz
— The Penguins are playing at a 64 point pace, which would be the equivalent of a 93 point pace over an 82 game season. The Penguins internally believe the team has to accumulate at least 45 of the remaining 68 points to have a chance of reaching the playoffs in this division. A needed bounce back this afternoon sure is pretty big.
— How some evaluate Evgeni Malkin sure has changed. How many were talking him up so much after Tuesday’s win was nauseating. He was okay. Malkin, though, might have been distributing the puck he has all season in Thursday’s loss, but Malkin turning into Joe Thornton isn’t going to get the Penguins anywhere. How many times has the puck been on his stick to change the outcome of the game this season like it was in a 3-2 game in the third period when he couldn’t beat Brian Elliott glove side in a perfect spot that Malkin just has to put by Elliott in that situation. The game was on his stick to ice it.
— There has been strong rumblings around the league for a few weeks now that Jim Rutherford already has a President of Hockey Operations Job lined up with the Buffalo Sabres. Rutherford is very close to GM Kevyn Adams and is a huge fan of Ralph Krueger, but Krueger is going to be out the door before Rutherford can be officially hired and what an undertaking that would be for Rutherford at his age. Speaking of Krueger, some inside the Penguins organization have said Rutherford is so enamored with Krueger To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
— Unless Mike Matheson’s suddenly starts becoming an elite points producer as a defenseman, no coach whether it’s Mike Sullivan or someone else is going to have the patience in the long-run to put up with the lack of defensive awareness/instincts that are among the worst you’ll see out of an NHL defenseman. That’s why taking on Matheson’s contract was so damaging long-term. Matheson has some great flashes and moments where you can get duped into really liking his game and feeling you can live with the defensive woes, but this is a guy that has been sheltered defensively at every chance you can get. Injuries or not, the Penguins can’t continue to play him in a No. 2 pairing role. [hide][/hide]
Hey pens, thank you for expanding my horizons on gender equality. I know I’m a total villain being a white male. I repent for my masculinity and my male reproductive organs. From now on I’m not going to work any more overtime and I’m going to have my wife do it instead so she makes more money than me. She’ll feel more equal when I stay home with the kids and she works the extra hours. Hahahahahaha!
Yeah, your married. What woman would put up with you?
Big 5 -1 win over the Rangers..Crosby Malkin Letang..were well Crosby Malkin and Letang.
Casey desmith solid in goal and getting Dumoulin back makes a difference..
14-9-1. 4th place Flyees lost
A good move at the deadline we can compete..
Penguins looked fast and scrappy…
US based NHL players are starting to get covid shots… wow.. I did not know athletes were considered elderly or essential workers. What a joke.
It’d be nice if the sabres could’ve helped a bit. Pens are going to need to rack up points against the sabres and devils the way every other team seems to.
Biden conducts air strike in Syria
If this was trump media would’ve been all over labeling him a Bully,dictator, racist.
When democRATS do it it’s okay
Too bad they did not bomb Montreal.
Maybe they should bomb your donut stores.
Less fat people less diabetic people
Less covid 19 death
Didn’t see that one coming…
Since I do not actually own or work in one go right ahead.
Three days after spearing a player in the nuts Ovie thinks the Wilson suspension is BS… How ironic. If if was the other way around they would all be crying foul. Maybe is Wilson was not such a cheap shot artist he would have just been fined $5000.
Tom Wilson strikes again!
Gone for 7 games..perfect
Ovechkin gets 0 for spearing that guy in the balls intentionally and viciously
Go figure
I don’t care who is coaching this team, JR created a shitt show and then bailed. He also created a shitt show in Carolina after winning a cup and they never recovered when he was there. I never understood how he was allowed to stay in one place for so long. He creates these great teams and then as soon as the win he betrays his own designs with terrible knee jerk trades and horrible contracts. Some how he manages to get rid if those terrible contracts and then brings in more terrible contracts. It has to be a gift.… Read more »
i think rutherford was fired. they didn’t want to embarass him so they played if off like he quit.
If they fired him they would look bad letter him make trades / deals up until he was gone. He brought in Weber.
Carramrod 148… I disagree friend the Penguins with a smart move or two by Burke and Hextall we can compete.. Look we havent played our best we still have beaten Washington and the islanders 4 of 6… we finally get our best defenseman back after missing 15 games. With a good third line center and maybe a depth winger Penguins sure as hell have a chance. We also have 16 games versus Buffalo and New Jersey left. That’s no guarantee but other teams are feeding off them. Penguins need to be tougher and be more consistent with their play. A… Read more »
I would love to eat crow on this but I would like to know with what they will make these smart trades with. The players they need to get ride of no one but JR wanted and they have nothing left in the pipeline to give away. One win verse the Flyers means nothing, especially after the other night. They should have been pissed off. These wins are mostly illusions right now and bottom feeding to make the playoffs does not make you a playoff team. When they can start winning consecutive games and actual learn to hold on to… Read more »
Agreed consistency is a huge thing and that they need to address and start stringing games together…You are right !!! they also need balls.. Great time to start tomorrow on national t.v vs the Rangers. I agree with you on trade assets. We do have Marcus Pettersson/ we have our number two pick next year, we have Jankowski, Rikola, Rudwhedel. The following year is when we have all our picks and we should indeed protect those. Next year we have a a 2nd, 2-4ths and 3-7ths..move any of those Malkin had a terrific goal today but watching him and he… Read more »
They stepped up today and responded.
Schultz sucked the last two years..that’s on him.
Hornqvist is having a resurgence for sure and his leadership is missed..but he is fragile and makes a lot with term left.
We havent hit stride yet and we are in a playoff position.
The trade deadline will be huge..the right moves we have a shor.
Burke HEXTALL are solid in that area.