Post-Game Report: Power Play struggles should not come as a surprise

With top flight talent such as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar, it is expected that the Penguins would have a top five power play.

Despite the top flight talent, the Penguins struggles on the power play continue. The Penguins have been inconsistent all season on the power play and it should not as any surprise that the Penguins are 4-for-38 on the power play in the playoffs.

When Sergei Gonchar returned to the lineup in February, it was expected that the Penguins power play would turn around. Gonchar has been a great addition but the Penguins biggest issue all season has been the lack of a physical presence in front of the net and players who can win battles in the corners.

Ryan Malone is desperately missed on the power play and while the Penguins have a player in Bill Guerin who is a strong presence in front of the net, Guerin gets limited playing time

with the first unit.

Malkin a no-show

Evgeni Malkin struggled for the most part. The hype surrounding this series has been about Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin while the league’s scoring champion has been by-passed. In game 1, Malkin played better as the game went on but he wasn’t a difference maker like Crosby was. Expect Malkin to be a difference maker Monday night.

Sykora returns to the lineup

While I’ve been told Miroslav Satan suffered a groin injury in pregame warm-ups, head coach Dan Bylsma is claiming that he had a “feeling” when deciding to put Petr Sykora in the lineup. Satan practiced with the Penguins second line and second power play all week, and also skated the pregame warm-ups with Evgeni Malkin and Ruslan Fedotenko.

Penguins confident following loss

The Penguins were confident following this afternoon’s 3-2 loss. The players controlled the play for the first period but the power play has to come up with a big goal. 0-for-6 against the Capitals will not get it done and there’s no reason to believe that all of a sudden the Penguins are going to get hot on the power play as they have been inconsistent all season.