Penguins
Penguins Report Card: No Surrender, Comeback Launches Optimism
SALT LAKE CITY — Sidney Crosby scored an emotional overtime winner with a backhand shot that amazingly sliced between the almost nonexistent space between Utah HC goalie Connor Ingram’s pad and glove.
The Penguins were a tale of two teams Wednesday. Even when they were energetic, it was a dichotomy of players driving the play and others riding the bus. When Crosby raised his hands and yelled along with several thousand Penguins fans as he hoisted his team to a 3-2 win at the Delta Center, he unleashed a wave of optimism that was immediately palpable in the Penguins locker room.
Even coach Mike Sullivan was downright ebullient following the game. The scowls and frustration (and terse moments with reporters, ahem) of the failing seven-game road trip were replaced with players already talking about the next four games before the Four Nations season break.
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The Penguins are five points out of a playoff spot despite flirting with disaster for most of the game. Now, here’s the ice bucket for the Penguins’ renewed enthusiasm: They trail Tampa Bay and five other teams. Tampa Bay has four games in hand, and four teams ahead of the Penguins have three games in hand.
The odds improved from none to slim, but they’ll take it.
When they get home after a game against Nashville, the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Rangers await. Yeah, that usual one-game-at-a-time cliche was out the window with the Penguins on Wednesday. They were feeling it after Crosby’s goal.
“Huge. Huge. We needed the two points tonight. One wasn’t going to be good enough. and we know it–we know where we are. So, we need two points every night going forward,” goalie Alex Nedeljkovic said. “Tonight was the first step. It makes tomorrow’s flight home a lot easier to sit through.
But we go right back to work Friday and then a big one Saturday. We’re playing some teams now before the break that we’re chasing. So, we’ve got a tall task, but I think we’re capable of coming through on the positive side.”
Even the coach is looking at the next four games.
“The mindset is that we’ve got an opportunity to make some headway. If we can put a stretch together before the break, we could climb back into this thing. We’re not out of it,” Sullivan said. “And that’s the message. The way it’s going to happen is we’ve got to stay in the moment. But to look at it holistically is valuable. Hopefully, it should inspire the group.”
Make no mistake, the Penguins weren’t very good for long stretches of the game. After a strong start, they had one shot in the final 10 minutes of the first period (Kris Letang), 14 shots in the first 10 minutes of the second period, then just one shot in the final 10 (Drew O’Connor), and only one shot in the first 10 minutes of the third period.
The Penguins weren’t lifeless. The Crosby line remained engaged, but more than a few players were passengers, too. The defensive mistakes were just short of crippling.
‘The team can also thank Nedelkovic for absorbing plenty of good scoring chances. He was rock solid.
Penguins Report Card
We’ll do an extended report card as the Xs and Os weren’t very appetizing.
Utah Fans: A+. The Building–needs work. Even from our press perch, we couldn’t see the near wall or about 15 feet into the playing surface. Salt Lake City: A+. Definitely coming back when I have more time (and money).
Penguins Team Grade: C+
Sullivan and the players thought it was an even hockey game in the third period—that is true. The Penguins, facing extinction, rose to the challenge. However, the majority of their regulation shots came in the first 10 minutes of the second period. They had three shots in the other 30-minute segments. Their energy levels clearly spiked and cratered throughout the game.
“No one said anything–it’s the last game of the road trip. We’ve got off tomorrow,” said Kevin Hayes to PHN. “We played some good hockey on this road trip but didn’t get the results. The guys dug deep. After their power play, they kind of had a surge there, but I thought we played well the rest of the game.”
PHN talked with Hayes after the game, and he made a passing reference to seven road games and the grind wearing down the team.
If you’re feeling generous, you can deliver a B- for the win.
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust: A-
This line had 12 shots on goal, while the other lines had a combined 10. The line had eight scoring chances compared to seven for everyone else.
In addition to Nedeljkovic, the Crosby line kept the Penguins in the game.
Michael Bunting-Kevin Hayes-Anthony Beauvillier: B
They were solid. Hayes had some giddyup, and Bunting raced around the ice. Beauvillier brought a straight-ahead element to the line. I liked it. They got around the net, had a couple of dangerous chances, and–especially in the third period–added pressure.
Alex Nedeljkovic: A
He was very, very good. He was on top of the crease, seeing shots. I’ve asked Sullivan a couple of times this season (and asked Nedelkovic) about a personality transfer from goalie to the team. I guess Sullivan has to be in a good mood to admit it.
“I think he has (looked like a No. 1 goalie). I think he’s played extremely well. He’s made timely saves at key times that give us a chance to win,” Sullivan said. “You can look at some of the games that were played here most recently, and when you evaluate it, you can say (he was good) coming out of most of the games. And so, that’s what we’re asking of our goaltenders. He just battles. He competes. I think, to a certain extent, sometimes, his personality is contagious with our guys.”
Players Who Didn’t Play Well
His passes were off-target, and his shots were into skates (and yet he still had six shots on goal). It was his mistake that launched Michael Carcone’s breakaway. He was fighting his game.
Kris Letang
Had a rough first period. He vacated the front of the net on Utah’s first-period power-play goal, which led to the PK breakdown. Letang stabilized later in the game.
Cody Glass
He did many good things, but he didn’t puncture the middle of the ice. There were chances and opportunities, but he didn’t get to the middle of the ice. He had two shots on goal, but Drew O’Connor was creating turnovers and pressure that the line didn’t take advantage of.
Jesse Puljujarvi
For all of the public clamor that Sullivan put Puljujarvi in the lineup, he was floating Wednesday. There would be no reason to do so again with a performance like that. If you only get one shot, do not miss your chance… It’s hard to circle moments or stretches in which he was engaged. Sullivan typically keeps the same lineup after a win, but he’d be forgiven for moving out Puljujarvi.
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I don’t think it’s coincidental that Glass’s best hockey came when he dropped to the fourth line. That’s where he should be. Defensively responsible, drive possession to keep the puck in the other team’s end, and fill in the top 9 as necessary. But he doesn’t score enough to be a top 9 player regularly.
You were already generous with the plus on the C
Karlsson should get an A for scoring with Ned getting an A for the pens winning.
Puljujarvi is a mirror of the team. When he’s engaged, he is noticeable on the forecheck and playing physically along the boards, but when he’s not engaged, he becomes invisible. It’s hard to evaluate a player watching the game on TV since they follow the puck, but the number of times I heard his name called speaks volumes about his involvement, or should I say lack of involvement. I’m still rooting for him but he needs to make the most of these chances to stay in the lineup. Especially with the upcoming trades that will be made.
And the impact he had was similar to Acciari, Nieto, and DOC. I’d rather have JP in there than those 3 at this point.
Huh? I’m guessing you did not watch game last night. Accairi was laying hits all over the place, had several chances, drove possession. Nieto didn’t play last night. And DOC did fine. Puljujarvi and Imama where ineffective. Second line with Hayes ok. Need to get Tomassino straightened out and back on third line, just get Nieto back in there for Imama.
This is fair and reasonable to me. I would say that, like others, I have started watching WBS games and I saw Jesse’s latest WBS stint. He floats there. It’s a bad habit but makes sense at the AHL level where he is bigger and more skilled than most. But it’s not what he needs to do in the NHL; he can’t have success in the NHL playing that way.
Wondering why Tomasino was not in the lineup. Is he hurt?
He was off in game against SJ…I’m guessing he got an opportunity to observe game from above last night. Hopefully be back in Saturday
Except for the penalty (leading to an Utah goal), Lizotte had one of his more disruptive games. He looked a lot like Tanev; flying around the ice and creating havoc.
Lizotte’s been consistently doing that all year. I think he’s like +5, and Pens are like 16-10-4 or something with him in lineup.
The TNT broadcast kept touching on how the Pens D needed to get more involved in goal scoring. In the 19 games prior, the Pens D only had 2 goals and both were from EK65. Both MP and EK scored to tie the game at 1-1 and 2-2 before Sid won it. Getting contributions from the back end cannot be understated.
Anson Carter said it best on the post game, I paraphrase: Crosby is THE face of hockey, the Utah Fans, many of whom never have seen him in person before, came to see Sid and they were not disappointed.