On Saturday afternoon, it was a 1-0 win for the Pittsburgh Penguins over the New York Rangers, thanks to an Evgeni Malkin power play goal.
HE WILL BE FIRE
Evgeni Malkin extends his point streak to five games with this power-play tally (3G-3A). Of Geno’s eight goals this season, five of them have come on the man advantage. pic.twitter.com/egX9R78idA
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 26, 2022
On Sunday evening, it was a 3-2 third-period comeback win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, thanks to a Sidney Crosby goal as the game winner.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN.
With this goal, Sidney Crosby takes sole possession of 25th place on the NHL’s all-time points list. pic.twitter.com/YMyOQ2aWQy
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 28, 2022
Despite a successful weekend for the Penguins against Metropolitan Division rivals, Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLIVE was left wanting more.
“I don’t think the Penguins are playing great. Even in these last two games,” Madden said in this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “I thought New York mostly outplayed them on Saturday at PPG Paints Arena. I thought the Rangers looked faster, which is kind of scary. And I thought the Penguins did a smash and grab job at Columbus. I don’t know if they were worthy winners. They just snuck in and counted on Columbus to blow it, as they so often do against the Penguins.”
Madden said the Penguins need significant roster movement before the NHL deadline of March 21.
“The Penguins are stale,” Madden said. “They are stale. They need a big trade at the deadline to shake things up and change the makeup of the team. Otherwise, they are going to go into (the playoffs) too comfortable and, at the most, win one playoff series and maybe not even that.”
However, Madden doubts that the Penguins front office will pull the trigger on such a move.
Related:
• Mark Madden: Penguins, Rangers could look different after trade deadline
• First Call: Steelers GM candidate has deep local roots; mixed bag of a day for Penguins in Metro
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“They are far too worried about the comfortability of that locker room,” Madden continued. “I hesitate to say it about a bunch of guys who have won so much, but that is a soft locker room.
“The way they nearly broke down and cried when (Carl) Hagelin got traded. Especially Hornqvist. Just some wing. A guy who comes and goes and plays for a bunch of teams and they are nearly crying because they lost one of their family? But it’s a business and they don’t approach it like it is a business, and this family needs shaken up. And it’s not going to happen.”
Also in the podcast, Madden and I talk about Marc-Andre Fleury trade rumors. We discuss the Steelers general manager search, their quarterback situation and the status of Stephon Tuitt. Plus, we look at how the Russian invasion of Ukraine is impacting sports.
Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden talk Penguins hockey — from a winning weekend to a trade suggestion
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
