Penguins Locker Room: Letang Hits at Soft ‘Demeanor’; Jarry Pokes Team
The Pittsburgh Penguins locker room was not a happy place Tuesday after the Colorado Avalanche dispatched them 6-2 at PPG Paints Arena.
After the highs of beating Toronto Saturday to the disappointment and self-conflagration Tuesday, a pair of Penguins players were especially critical of the team’s performance.
Defenseman Kris Letang seemed to indicate the power play failures on Tuesday suppressed the team’s energy as they attempted to dig out of a 3-0 hole they dug for themselves with defensive mistakes and a couple of soft goals against.
“It didn’t help,” Letang said with a head shake. “We rushed the zone entries … They’re a really aggressive penalty kill.”
Read More:Â Penguins Buried By Avalanche of Colorado Goals, 6-2
However, when pressed about the team’s letdown after the power play failures, the defenseman didn’t feel it was a matter of lack of energy but a far more serious matter of lacking mindset and physicality.
“I think it’s more of a question of demeanor and, yeah, a team like that, there’s so much skill, you have to play a physical game,” Letang said, implicating his team’s lack of physicality. “You have to slow them down with the forecheck. Your neutral zone forecheck (must) slow them down. If they come at you with speed, they’re going to hurt you.”
Colorado scored a couple of goals with speed past the Penguins’ defensemen and was left alone to defend oncoming rushers.
The Penguins also had only 10 total hits.
Tristan Jarry
There were a couple of soft goals allowed that deflated the team in the first period.
Coach Mike Sullivan didn’t shy away from that fact.
“I thought (it was a step back). I didn’t think he was as good tonight,” Sullivan said.
However, Jarry didn’t necessarily agree. Instead, he not so subtly slammed his team’s performance, citing the failure of the defensemen who were caught by the Avalanche’s speed and failed to clear sight lines.
“They had some good shots. (The shots) were obviously well-placed,” said Jarry. “I think that’s the hardest part about it when they’re getting behind us and behind me. I think it’s hard to see what’s behind me when I’m looking out front.”
Jarry stopped 21 of 26 shots, getting a piece of a couple of Colorado’s first three goals, including missing Mikko Rantanen’s short-side shot that appeared to be stoppable.
Mike Sullivan
The Penguins coach was caught between anger and resignation following the loss. His initial answers were short without elaboration but expounded on Sidney Crosby’s goal-scoring slump, making life far too easy on Colorado to generate offense and the power play struggles.
“I didn’t think we were stiff on the puck. I thought we could have hung on to pucks more in the offensive zone. I thought we could have controlled territory a little bit more and forced them to have to defend us a little bit more,” Sullivan said. “We tended to be one and done. I think it starts with just getting your nose over the puck and staying close … we lost a fair amount of puck battles. And I also think we weren’t as good on the wall, on breakouts, and coming out of our end zone.”
The Penguins’ power play was specifically bad Tuesday.
While Letang admitted to PHN that Colorado’s PK kept them off balance, Sullivan was more detailed.
“I didn’t think there was good tonight. We didn’t move pucks as quickly. Our entries weren’t as clean,” Sullivan said. “We were trying to make a lot of lateral plays on the entry, and they stacked the line. We’ve got to be willing to play behind them. And so I just didn’t think our decision making, our execution was as crisp.”
Categorized:Penguins Penguins Locker Room
Jarry finally came out and exposed who he really is and that is a “me first – team second” excuse making crybaby who will ALWAYS blame the team and not step up and own his failures. Is the Pens “D” mostly garbage? Of course it is and everyone knows it – especially the Pens themselves. A true leader steps up and owns his failure and literally takes one for the team. What does this clown do? The exact opposite. That is why this team will never truly trust the guy (regardless of what they say publicly) and why Jarry will… Read more »
He said he was ‘too aggressive’ (on the failed poke check) on the one goal he was specifically asked about… but Dan didn’t include that quote in his article as it didn’t fit his narrative. He just answered the questions he was asked. It was not a good game for him, but to pile on him saying he ‘slammed his team’s performance’ is even worse.
Jarry calling out his defense, I have to say good. They suck and the more they hear they suck either wake up and start playing like NHLers or time to see the waiver wire. Petterson was totally responsible for the 3rd and 4th GA. Out muscled against the boards allowing a perfect slot setup and then getting beat so badly to his strong side. He needs to go soon.
Ya and everyone seems to think we should trade Petterson for a good draft pick. It would be like hitting the jackpot if they can get even a third rounder at this point.
My comment and opinion of Jarry is based on far more than just this snippet of an interview response. This is a pattern of behavior from him – just look back to him staring down Petterson last season in Dallas – an action and attitude that put him in the doghouse with Sullivan for the remainder of the year. How many times has this guy let in a soul crushing goal or made a huge mistake and then stood up and said, “This one is on me. The team deserves better and I’ll do whatever it takes to give it… Read more »
The Blame Game in the dressing room is getting more intense and more often. Lousy players blaming each other won’t be good for the team.
If it were Patrick Roy or Gerry Cheevers, they would have beat the snot out of the defenseman. It is on the D – they suck. Good for him for calling them out. Does every goalie suck. Pettersson can’t stay on 2 feet, he’s either diving or getting knocked over by the wind of the guy who went by him. Graves is not working out – he plays physical and it doesn’t fit this wimpy group. Gryz = Ghost Power Play useful, otherwise not so much. And please, for the love of the hockey gods, send Malkin to get some… Read more »
I have no problem with Jarry or any player calling out any parts of the team at this point in the season
Wow really. When had he blamed the team before? I never recall! The team is soft overall. No one takes the body to separate the puck. TJ is just a component. 1 bad goal allowed.
My issue is not nearly so much with him blaming the team in as much as it is with him failing to ever just simply say, “I wasn’t good enough tonight.” without any other deflection, excuses, innuendo, etc. He never just flat out owns it. That and the fact that I simply do not trust him to make the big save when it matters most.
Yep, complete opposite of Ned…that’s why I respect the hell out of Ned…competes his ass off, owns his shit, and has a great feel of what went on in the game…a guarantee Jarry let’s up a goal in the first 10 mins of the game…how deflating that must be for the team
Agree 100%
You are spot on Aaron! On the first GA, as usual, that ersatz Goalie was lined up on MacKinnon’s body not his stick – so he was giving up about 1/3 of the net. It wasn’t like Mac had to be a good shot; he had a lot of net to work with on the far side. On the second GA, Jarry was passively sitting back waiting for the play to come to him rather than aggressively trying to poke check. If he had been aggressive and at the top of the crease, he would have been in the perfect… Read more »
Excellent Aaron we need to bite the bullet and trade Jarry for some used pucks.
Avs were just better. Sid seemed to be skating and passing in mud. Bunting was our only hope. Sully said the obvious and he seems to know where the team has problems but unfortunately he doesn’t have the right players……Good luck Mike
Where’s Puljujarvi? Played well in their win vs Leafs!! He sits in favor of Acciari. Nonsense!
Sure he can skate faster but he takes bad penalties at bad times in bad areas of the ice
Because Sully has no clue.
Top line vs top line Ours seemed like a second line for sure
Leturd has the balls to talk about lack of physicality. He’s the softest dman I’ve ever seen. And him 24 and 13 have no business on pp let alone pp1 at the same time. Sullivan kept running them out there and never switched things up at all.
Exactly!! The way he’s playing defense, he should just shut his mouth! Did you see how “well” he played on the second goal?? He should be shy to speak like that after the kind of game he played!
Acciari is starting to annoy me. When he was signed he was advertised as this “physical presence who will stick up for teammates.” Okay, well, still waiting to see any shred of that. He never shows any emotion at all, always just skating around with a blank expression on his face.
Is it me or Acciari slower than molasses
We can certainly find the mistakes in their game, but you can do that for both teams. The Avs are just far more talented. The Pens are primarily a team of third and fourth liners with aging HOF who, while still being better than average, can no longer carry the play. The pens need 2 to 3 true first line type players to be anything more than mediocre. As fans and enthusiasts we are just expecting too much from this group. Rooting for individual players and for the team to get to 500 and stay just above is more reasonable.… Read more »
AVs are fast, quick and organized, anticipating each others moves and the oppositions, fun to watch. Penguins coaching staff STILL cannot see the problemS within. “Such a pity” as my auntie would say
Sid looked like he didnt want to even play the game. Perhaps worst game Ive ever seen him play. Literally coasting around the ice like he was at a kids camp.
Concerning.
No Sid= No Win
Tristan Jarry unloads on the team and does NOT accept his 3 goal screw ups that put the team on their heels. He has done it before and is paid to stop NHL pucks that are stoppable. This is a business so bring Blomquist back up and send Jarry down. Far better to reward those who perform regularily as opposed to “What will Jarry give us tonight.” Did it last year and now this year. Dubas has to step up here, The team is playing veery well now but this set back is not their fault but lands squarely at… Read more »
I love SId…..but him like the rest of this team should Watch the game all over and see how SHHHHHHHITTTTTTY they look on the PP I understand the AVs were pressuring them in Zone entry but for God sake Adjust your game guys!!! It might be time for Sid to look in the mirror too. He’s struggling, body language is AWFUL. He’s probably fed up too. We see how much the Guentzel trade affects him still this year. RAKell is playing good hockey. Rust …meh….the guy seem Used….slow… Sid doesnt seem to see the same game we see. Maybe its… Read more »
In case you were wondering, Jarry ranks 67th league-wide in Expected Goals Saved/60 Minutes.
And his Sv% ranks 54th among Goalies that have played at least 300 minutes (5 Games) 54th in the league in terms of High Danger Shots Sv% – 0.775% 47th in the league in terms of Medium Danger Shots Sv% – 0.855% 43rd in the league in terms of Low Danger Shots Sv% – 0.952% Therefore he has earned his pathetic W – L record, not his defense. Regardless of the quality of shot against him, he is not making the save. At best he is ranking as back-up Goalie for a moderate team. At worst (HD) he is almost… Read more »
If I am right Dubas is acquiring draft picks for the next 3 years. He is keeping new contracts to 1 or 2 years and he plans to bring in a few good players this summer. Fans should not expect much of this team. Most have no heart. Not to mention they are slow and are not physical at all. I am basically hoping for better things next season.