Dan’s Daily: Capitals Grab Playoff Spot?! New Penguins Line Jelling

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a new target on their dartboard. The Washington Capitals smoked the Calgary Flames to claim the second wild-card spot and deepen the Penguins’ deficit just a little bit. The Penguins have won two of three, and their newly configured third line has been a spark, allowing them to get the best from Reilly Smith. Elsewhere in the Daily, Pierre LeBrun had a sitdown with Kyle Dubas and the TSN reporter said Dubas wants Sidney Crosby to be a Penguin for life. The NHL GMs are discussing expanding the coach’s challenge rules, and our old buddy Jesse Granger looked ahead to the NHL trade market for goalies this summer.

I almost took a day off. We only wrote two new Penguins pieces yesterday. But I’ll tell you about a wild documentary that I finished on Netflix. American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders.

I usually like to recommend a binge-worthy show or doc film, but today is a warning. Never have I seen a documentary film get so close and then quit. The filmmaker chased the shady “suicide” of an investigative reporter in a Martinsburg, WV, hotel in the early 1980s. The reporters seemingly could prove the beginning of what became the Iran-Contra scandal and much darker corruption in the intelligence community going to the highest levels. The film also explored the associated figures and extraordinary crimes committed by intelligence operatives to protect the company. Even as the filmmaker was finally given access to the evidence folder and eyewitnesses to the crime that started the film, he walked away. The never-before-released composite sketch in the file looked startlingly like someone who should have been the prime suspect, an intelligence officer, but the filmmaker let it go with a shrug. It’s worth a watch if you love proving conspiracies, but the end leaves you with the same disappointment as a friend chugging a beer and leaving the bar in the middle of the joke without paying the bill.

So much speed on the rush and so little finish. Heck, maybe one of you will pick up the ball and run with it.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Lars Eller is on his game, but the Penguins are finally getting the best out of Reilly Smith. Here’s a look at the amazing changes in the Penguins’ lines.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun sat down with Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas, and the small takeaway was Dubas wants Sidney Crosby to remain with the Penguins.

NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now

NHL.com: Game on. The Washington Capitals are winning. They claimed the second wild-card spot with a win over the Calgary Flames. The Capitals lead the Penguins by six points.

Detroit Hockey Now: Colleagues took a hard swing at the underbelly of the Eastern Conference trying to make the playoffs. Handicapping the teams chasing that final Stanley Cup playoff berth, including the Penguin and Detroit Red Wings.

The Athletic ($): Last week, the Athletic took a hard look at the goalie trade market that will exist this summer.

Philly Hockey Now: Wayne Simmonds was a power forward who always had a big goal in waiting. He signed a one-day contract Monday and retired as a Philadelphia Flyer.

Sportsnet: Oh no. The NHL GMs are discussing expanding replay rules to include the puck-over-the-glass penalty. It’s gaining steam, apparently.

How about this compromise? Off-ice replay officials can watch the game in real time. Review calls and make calls, but we don’t have officials watching an iPad in front of 20,000 people. And if the replay isn’t clear within 30 seconds, game on. No more 1000x zoom to see a skate blade that is a millimeter offside.

NYIHockeyNow.com: Patrick Roy is out of answers and out of words to explain the New York Islanders’ crash.