Jason Zucker is an option. He worked well with Crosby upon his acquisition from Minnesota. Hes only 5-foot-10, 174 pounds, however plays more careless, more in the middle of the ice and cant be knocked over with a plume duster.
Its only one video game, so the Penguins will not change much for Game 2. They should.
The Penguins lost their very first championship game to the New York Islanders in 2015, likewise in OT. That was only one game. The Penguins got swept.
The power play is a mess, as examined earlier in this space. It was 1 for 7 Saturday and couldnt score five-on-three. Attempt something else. Anything else. Begin with putting a right-handed shot on the left half-wall. Simpleness will follow.
Categories:.
Mark Madden Columns|Penguins/NHL|Sports.
That was, no doubt, the phrase that pays in the Penguins locker room after Saturdays 3-2 overtime loss to Montreal. Its just one game.
Some are above criticism. Maybe they should not be. Not anymore.
Murray should not be pulled based on Saturdays efficiency. Unless you believe Tristan Jarry should have started in the very first place. Perhaps that change would impact a stimulate. The Penguins need a trigger.
Conor Sheary should not play with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. He makes the line too little and it plays too broad. Assaulting off the rush is the only option because grinding down low doesnt work. Guentzel was flat on the ice more than the puck was. Its like he developed into Sheary.
But if I was among the crucial concepts, I would not take a look at Saturday as simply one game and keep the status quo. The status quo isnt excellent enough, and hasnt been for rather some time.
More Mark Madden Columns Stories.
Saturday was, undoubtedly, only one game. Its likewise the seventh in a series of successive playoff losses. Its just one video game.
, if the Penguins go out early in these playoffs– and especially to Montreal– its very likely that their run of competing is over.. Thats nobodys fault. Nothing lasts permanently.
Yeah, I know: “Sid and the Kids.” Memorable name. That was then. This is now.
Patric Hornqvist is an option. Crosby hates his absence of speed through the neutral zone. Hornqvist forces Crosby to work more down low and shares the physical problem. Crosby shouldnt be the most significant, most physical player on his line.
Matt Murray didnt lose Saturdays video game. But he didnt win it, either. Murray made a couple of huge saves. He spilled too many pucks he should have controlled. He was frequently unfathomable in the net.
TribLIVEs Daily and Weekly e-mail newsletters deliver the news you desire and details you need, best to your inbox.
Marleau needs to be scratched in favor of Sam Lafferty or Evan Rodrigues, and should never ever have actually been obtained. What does a group chock-full of Stanley Cup-winners need with a 40-year-old who was on a bunch of competitors and never ever won? Whats he include? Hes here for an inexpensive life time achievement award. Hes not contributing.
In NHL history, teams that win the very first video game of a best-of-five win the series 88% of the time. (Best-of-five got used for the playoffs opening round from 1980-86.
If the Penguins go out early in these playoffs– and specifically to Montreal– its really most likely that their run of competing is over. Listeners to my program may remember me stating that, going into the playoffs, the Penguins were the best team on paper.
The Penguins lost to the 24th seed, the one group that really does not be worthy of to be in the playoffs, that dumped gamers at the trade deadline because it didnt from another location see itself as a competitor, and that would doubtless rather have a 12.5% possibility (through lotto) at the next drafts consensus No. 1 pick than win this series.
Crosby and Evgeni Malkin combined for one point Saturday. Thats inappropriate.
In those seven successive playoff losses, Crosby has two goals and 2 assists. Malkin has one goal and three helps. Thats undesirable.
Listeners to my program might remember me saying that, entering into the playoffs, the Penguins were the very best group on paper. Was I overreacting then, or am I overreacting now? Well learn quickly enough. However this is the organization Ive selected.
The Penguins lost their first playoff game to the New York Islanders last year, likewise in OT. The Penguins didnt play winning playoff hockey. The Penguins need a spark.
The third line of Jared McCann, Patrick Marleau and Hornqvist was worthless, as evidenced by it playing less than the fourth line– which did not precisely have a peach of a video game, either: All 3 players at minus-2.
The Penguins didnt play winning playoff hockey. They played maless no-check, symbolic of hockey in August– like the summer season rec league at Ice Castle. Mind-numbingly easy to play against.
Were frequently informed the Penguins are built on speed. So play the fastest people.
TribLIVEs Daily and Weekly e-mail newsletters provide the news you want and info you need, best to your inbox.
Its only one video game.
It was no fluke. The Canadiens merited winners. They outshot the Penguins 12-7 in OT. Jeff Petrys game-winning goal was no fluke. Montreal goalie Carey Price made 39 conserves but was checked just periodically. The Penguins 18-shot very first period produced no objectives and a great deal of easy stops. Traffic in front of Price was minimal all night.
Mike Sullivan is a fantastic, accomplished coach. Like Dan Bylsma before him, his stubbornness might get him into difficulty. Its more essential to win than it is to be.
Fans have their preordained scapegoats: Jack Johnson took heat on Twitter for Saturdays loss. He was minus-2 and didnt cover himself in splendor.
