Connect with us

Penguins

End the Ugliness? Gm40: Penguins Lines, Notes & What to Watch vs. NYR

Published

on

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers

The Pittsburgh Penguins (24-13-2) team defense quickly went from team strength to a forgotten relic over the past two games. The Penguins were blitzed for 15 goals in a two-game losing streak as they yielded seven to the Boston Bruins, then a whopping eight spot to the New York Rangers in an 8-4 loss on Tuesday.

The Penguins get a rematch with New York (18-15-1) on Thursday at Madison Square Garden. The puck drop is just after 7 p.m.

The Penguins season was reaching crescendo until the defensive game collapsed over the past five periods.

“I think it requires a lot more intensity. I think it requires a lot more detail,” said Jared McCann. “Our line’s been giving up a lot of chances, and it’s unacceptable. We need to be better. We’re hanging our goalies out to dry right now. And we just need to be better at playing simple.”

The Penguins also gave up three power-playdddddd goals and a shorthanded goal.

The Penguins lineup remains beset by injury. Evgeni Malkin began skating on Wednesday, but his return is not imminent. Kasperi Kapanen is not yet skating, and Brandon Tanev is out week-to-week.

Defenseman John Marino, who left the game in the third period on Tuesday and didn’t practice on Wednesday in what head coach Mike Sullivan termed a “maintenance day,” will play on Thursday.

Center Teddy Blueger has been a full participant at practices for nearly a week but has not yet played. On Wednesday, Sullivan said Blueger has not yet been cleared. Blueger will remain out Thursday, too.

Also, Sullivan explained why Anthony Angello was demoted to the taxi squad. Angello is dealing with an upper-body injury and did not make the trip.

Tristan Jarry will start in goal. He was pulled after the first period and allowing three goals on Wednesday. His GAA slipped to 2.91, and his save percentage to .906.

Igor Shesterkin will start for the Rangers. This season, Shesterkin is 10-8-2 with a .924 save percentage and 2.36 GAA.

Expected Pittsburgh Penguins Lines
LWCRW
Jake GuentzelSidney CrosbyBryan Rust
Jason ZuckerEvgeni MalkinRickard Rakell
Danton HeinenRyan PoehlingKasperi Kapanen
Brock McGinnSam PoulinDrew O'Connor
LDRD
Brian DumoulinKris Letang
Marcus PetterssonJeff Petry
P.O JosephJan Rutta
LWCRW
Chris KreiderMika ZibanejadPavel Buchnevich
Artemi PanarinRyan StromeColin Blackwell
Alexis Lafreniere Filip ChytilKappo Kaako
Philip Di GiuseppiKevin RooneyVitali Kravstov
LWCRW
Chris KreiderMika ZibanejadPavel Buchnevich
Artemi PanarinRyan StromeColin Blackwell
Alexis Lafreniere Filip ChytilKappo Kaako
Philip Di GiuseppiKevin RooneyVitali Kravstov
TEAMPower PlayPenalty Kill
Pittsburgh Penguins24.1% (7-29, 11th)72% (7-25, 28th)
Vancouver Canucks22.2% (6-27, 17th)60% (10-25, 32nd)

What to Watch:

The Penguins earned plenty of scoring chances on Wednesday and fired 45 shots against New York goalie Igor Shesterkin. However, how they got there was not with good hockey, and the Penguins gave up glorious chances in return.

New York is more suited to play the open, rush game than the Penguins. The young and talented Rangers roster can finish chances.

The Penguins’ response must be hard play in the low zone–emulate Sidney Crosby. The Penguins earned plenty of chances coming off the wall and overpowering the New York defensemen. They didn’t do enough of it on Wednesday.

The hard, low play goes hand-in-hand with simplicity and the tight-checking style, propelling the Penguins to a five-game winning streak. The Penguins were loose defensively and sloppy in all areas. Even Sidney Crosby had a few passes to nowhere.

Watch if the Penguins pressure the puck and play the buttoned-up, gritty style or if they get sucked into the run-and-gun style again.

Pittsburgh Penguins Game Notes:

INJURIES
Position, Player (Consecutive Games Missed, Total Games Missed) D Mark Friedman (17 consecutive, 17 total)
Teddy Blueger (11 consecutive, 11 total)
Evgeni Malkin (10 consecutive, 10 total)
Kasperi Kapanen (6 consecutive, 6 total)
Brandon Tanev (1 consecutive, 7 total)
2020-21 Total Regular-Season Man-Games Lost: 208

*The Rangers should be comfortable. This is the second Rangers game of 17 consecutive in the New York Metropolitan Area between Apr. 6 and May 5 (11 home games at MSG, four road games against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, and two road games against the Devils at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ).

*The average age of a player on the Rangers’ active roster is 25.2 years old. The Blueshirts have the youngest team in the NHL, and their average age is nearly a full year younger than the second-youngest team in the NHL. Ten of the 22 players on the Rangers’ active roster are 23 years old or younger.

*New York defenseman has an 11-game point streak (3g, 8a).

*The Penguins have points in 12 of its last 14 games versus New York (9-2-3)

*Cody Ceci is one assist shy of 100 in his career.

*Mike Matheson has a four-game point streak (2g, 3a).

*Jared McCann’s power-play goal on Tuesday upped his total to five goals in his last six games.

Penguins Taxi-Squad:

F – Anthony Angello
F – Josh Currie
D – Yannick Weber
G – Emil Larmi

How to Watch, 7 p.m.:

TV: AT&T SportsNet

Radio: 105.9 The X