Game #49 - at St. Louis Blues

2011-12 Game 49

Pittsburgh Penguins (27-17-4, 58 points) at St. Louis Blues (29-12-6, 64 points)

Nice two color patch.  Backes is a terrific hockey player who is hot right now.

Why does it matter?

Rangers?  Flyers?  Capitals?  They have nothing on the Blues.  The Blues have been absolutely dominant since the beginning of January (heck, since Hitchcock took over).  This is the toughest game so far this year for the Pens, hands down.

This post, by the way, was written before the Blues / Red Wings contest on Monday night.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Six wins in a row!  That's the high water mark for the season.
• Blues - Other than beating Detroit, they've done everything right since Ken Hitchcock took over.

Questions to be answered

• Will the Pens avoid the let down after the emotional OT win against the Caps?  The Blues certainly are capable of shutting down a team that isn't motivated.
• Will we see Halak or Elliot?  I know Elliot beat the Pens earlier, but I'd still rather see him.
• Can the Pens score?  Halak has FOUR shutouts in the month of January alone!

Keys to the game

• Keep it tight.  The Blues have lost by more than one goal just twice since the start of November.  Stay focused on not allowing the odd-man chances against.
• Get ready to work.  The Pens have been good at that recently, but the Blues are maybe the best team in the league at it (even better than the Rangers, in my opinion).
• Use the legs.  The Pens were resting in St. Louis while the Blues were playing the Red Wings on Monday night.  Keep the tempo high and try to tire them out.

Penguins 4, Capitals 3 (OT)

So what happened?

This was a great win for the Pens.  It had a bit of everything - a quick start, allowing three straight goals against, a key goal in the third to tie it up and then the OT winner.

It was like a roller coaster that had a great finish to it.  Without that finish, it would have felt vastly different at the end.

As for the Caps, their system is painful to watch.  When the Pens were bringing the puck up the ice and there isn't a Capital in sight until the red line (or thereabouts), you're playing a pretty conservative trap.  They aren't going to be able to keep scoring three or four goals per night while only generating 20 shots.  To their credit, they were able to hold the Pens to just 27, which is their lowest total in almost a month.

Who scored?

Letang (5), Neal (25, 26), Malkin (26)

The Good?

• The power play got things started on the right foot, and they looked dangerous all day.
• The PK was huge (and it was helped by a dumb penalty taken by Troy Brouwer - see The Bad below).
• Another 13 shots and three goals for the top line.  Even with the defensive system played by the Caps, Malkin, Neal and Kunitz were able to dominate.  I'd be interested to see how things guys do against a team like Detroit or Boston.
• Perfect faceoff win by Malkin on the first goal by James Neal.  He won it straight back to where Neal was and allowed him to one-time the puck.

The Bad?

• The rest of Geno's faceoffs weren't as good.  He won just six of eighteen overall.
• Troy Brouwer took a dumb penalty when the Caps had an extended five-on-three.  He cross-checked Paul Martin in the back, right in front of the net.  There's no need to do that, and it cost the Caps a good chance (though they did score at even strength while all the penalties were playing out).

The Ugly?

• Ovechkin's hit on Michalek, clearly leaving his feet.  When someone asks why the players don't have more respect for each other, Ovechkin should be the poster boy.  He routinely makes dangerous, borderline hits.  If Matt Cooke can change, anyone can.

Any Surprises?

• I was surprised to see Neuvirth, considering how well Vokoun played last time against the Pens.

What's their record now?

The Pens are 27-17-4.

Who's next?

One more game before the All-Star break, and it's a tough one.  The Pens visit St. Louis on Tuesday.

Game #48 - vs Washington Capitals

2011-12 Game 48

Washington Capitals (25-19-2, 52 points) at Pittsburgh Penguins (26-17-4, 56 points)

This guy just can't stay healthy.  He's out 4-6 weeks for abdominal surgery.

Why does it matter?

This tilt doesn't have the luster that it used to have, but it's still a great rivalry, and it's on national television this afternoon.  That's pretty big.  The Caps have won about a million games in a row in Pittsburgh, and have been generally dominant over the Pens in the regular season the last few years.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Five wins in a row, which matches their longest of the season (the prior five game streak was October 18 - 27).
• Capitals - They've been inconsistent, and they seem to struggle more on the road.  Overall, they've won four of their past six, but lost two of their past three.

Questions to be answered

• Is it possible for the Pens to beat the Caps in the regular season?  The rare win over the Rangers gives me hope.
• Can the Pens get to the power play?  The Caps PK has been vulnerable recently, but the last time the Pens and Caps played, there weren't any penalties called on the Caps.
• What is wrong with the Washington offense?  In the past month, they've registered 30 shots just once, and it isn't like they're limiting the chances of the other team.  Something isn't right here... even in their losses, they don't seem to be able to open it up when they need to.

Keys to the game

• Get a lead.  The Caps are offensively challenged right now.  They will have trouble playing from behind.
• Avoid the slow start.  It's an early afternoon game, so get the legs going early and often.
• Get to the power play and convert your chances.  Vokoun was really good against the Pens last time.  The power play will help soften him up.

Penguins 5, Canadiens 4 (SO)

So what happened?

Dustin Jeffrey, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin happened.

Two of those happenings would not have been possible just a week or two ago, so it's nice the see the Pens getting important contributions from some of the guys recently returned from injury.  Richard Park is another player who has provided a few important goals.

Jeffrey had the best night of his young career with two goals and an assist.  He had several cracks at the hat trick, but wasn't able to pull it off.

Letang continued his strong play with a goal and an assist.

The Pens got themselves into trouble over the first two periods.  They looked a bit on the lackadaisical side, and they were down 3-1 during the second, and 4-2 at the end of the second period.

The third period, however, belonged to the Pens. They out shot the Habs 14-7 and tied the score to send the game to OT.

Geno scored in the shoot out and Flower made it stand up, allowing no goals in the shoot out.

Who scored?

Letang (4), Jeffrey (1, 2), Malkin (25)

What's their record now?

The Pens are 26-17-4.

Who's next?

Caps - Sunday afternoon.

Game #47 - vs Montreal Canadiens

2011-12 Game 47

Montreal Canadiens (17-21-8, 42 points) at Pittsburgh Penguins (25-17-4, 54 points)

Cool card.  These are similar to the Upper Deck Masterpieces that were out a few years back.

Why does it matter?

This is the last game against a crappy opponent for about a month.  The upcoming scheduled is much tougher, so the Pens need to make hay while the sun is shining on them.  The Habs are struggling with their offense.  The way the Pens have controlled the flow of the game lately, I don't see that getting much better for them.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Malkin (and his line mates) have been carrying the team during this four game winning streak.
• Canadiens - They're just 4-10-1 since December 13th.  They've lost four of the past five games overall.

Questions to be answered

• Can we get some offense from one of the other lines?  Richard Park has two big goals recently, but no one else does.  I'm looking at... well, anyone, really.  Cooke?  Dupuis?  Tangradi?  Kennedy?
• Will Brent Johnson get another chance to right the ship tonight?  I'd say it's likely, given that the Pens played last night, and will also play at 12:30 on Sunday.
• Will anyone go after Pacioretty?  This is the first meeting since he concussed Letang with is blindside hit.

Keys to the game

• Stay out of the box.  The Habs power play has been really bad, but they're like a wounded animal.  You stay away from that.
• No let down.  The Rangers game was big, and the Caps are looming on Sunday.  Don't look past Montreal.
• Get Johnson going.  Assuming he's in net, the Pens are going to need him at some point this year.  He's had a rough time so far - get him on the right track with solid defensive play.

Dumb - Penguins 4, Rangers 1

So what happened?

Why are teams messing with Evgeni Malkin right now?  He is torching everyone in sight.  The Rangers tried to get into his kitchen tonight, and the result was two third period goals that put the game out of reach for the Blue Shirts.  Nothing could be more gratifying for Geno.

The game itself was excellent.  The Pens played their way for the first and third periods, and during the second, they held their own enough to escape with the score tied.

The third period is when the Pens seized control and did not let go.

Flower was solid, making several excellent saves.  Lundqvist was pretty good too, for that matter.  This could have been a much bigger victory for the Pens if not for him.

To put it curtly, the Pens beat the Rangers at their own game.

Who scored?

Kunitz (14), Park (4), Malkin (23, 24)

The Good?

• Kris Letang played inspired hockey in his first game back.  He was fearless (some may say dumb) in throwing his body around.  He was a +2 with one assist.
• The top line was good tonight.  They only fired 9 shots, but they accounted for three goals.
• Steve Sullivan played gritty hockey and was tied for the team lead with four hits.  He's the smallest guy on the team.  That takes heart.

The Bad?

• Faceoffs again.  Still.  Really bad.  Dustin Jeffrey - try other technique... ANYTHING.

The Ugly?

• Tangradi is not a great fighter right now.  He's big enough, and he isn't quite Ryan Malone-bad, but he's not good.  Give him credit for making the effort to stay in the NHL.

Any Surprises?

• The young forwards are really filling in nicely.  Jeffrey, Tangradi and Vitale are all trying to keep their NHL jobs (which are in jeopardy if / when Staal, Crosby and Asham return), and they're all playing their part very well. 

What's their record now?

The Pens are 25-17-4.

Who's next?

A quick trip back home to play the Canadiens tomorrow night at Consol.

Flexibility - Penguins 2, Hurricanes 1 (SO)

So what happened?

The Pens went to the shoot out for the first time in seemingly forever (the last time was Saturday, November 5th in Los Angeles).

Prior to that, there was a highly entertaining hockey game.

The Pens and Canes traded chances and generally played end-to-end hockey with no whistles for long stretches.  I wouldn't say it had the intensity of a playoff game, but it was certainly close.

The Pens did their thing and out shot the Canes by a margin of 41-26.  Both goalies were excellent, and both teams had numerous chances.

This score could easily have been 4-3 instead of 2-1.

A great job by the Pens to earn another two points and keep their streak going.

Who scored?

Malkin (22)

The Good?

• Malkin, Kunitz and Neal combined for 16 shots and the only goal of the game for the Pens.
• Speaking of Geno's goal, it was a nice steal from Eric Staal (though Staal never had total possession of the puck) and a roof job on Cam Ward, who was on his knees (maybe he was praying?)
• Pascal Dupuis had seven shots and seemingly infinite chances - he just couldn't buy a goal.
• Ponikarovsky was credited with three hits, which is approximately three more than he had in his brief tenure with the Penguins.

The Bad?

• Faceoffs were poor again.  This time the victims were Malkin, Jeffrey and Adams.  The team needs to find a way to get better on these on a consistent basis.

The Ugly?

• Jeff Skinner may find that he has another concussion tomorrow - he was blasted into the middle of next week (on a completely clean hit) by Brooks Orpik.  Skinner left for a bit but returned to action.

Any Surprises?

• I was surprised that Skinner returned.  The guy just came back after missing 16 games with a concussion and clearly his legs were rubber after he was hit.  I don't think there's any way he should have been allowed back on the ice, just for his own safety.  What happens if he had been hit again?

What's their record now?

The Pens are 24-17-4.

Who's next?

The front end of a back-to-back at MSG on Thursday night.

Game #45 - vs Carolina Hurricanes

2011-12 Game 45

Carolina Hurricanes (16-24-7, 39 points) at Pittsburgh Penguins (23-17-4, 48 points)

Every time I see Jeff Skinner it makes me think of Hot Fuzz... "Mr Skinner" (it's a great movie, btw)

Why does it matter?

The Pens need to keep their winning streak going against a weaker team.  They don't get much worse than Carolina this season, even though the Canes did beat Boston on Saturday.  This is the final regular season meeting between these two teams this season.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Two straight wins in Florida may have the team turned around.
• Hurricanes - They won two in a row and then lost a tight one in Washington on Sunday.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens find a way to beat a hot goalie?  This seems to be a weak point this year, and Cam Ward is playing really well right now.
• Will the Pens rev up the shot engine again?  Remember the last meeting with the Canes?  The Pens fired 52 shots!
• Which power play will we see?  The one that looked strong against Tampa or the one that hadn't scored  in the previous five games?  The PK for the Canes is inconsistent.  They haven't allowed a goal in their past four games, but they allowed four against Nashville.

Keys to the game

• Focus on the big guns.  Staal is playing better, and Skinner and Ruutu have had success against the Pens this year.
• Play 60 minutes.  Giving up three goals in five minutes in the third is attributable to a lack of focus.
• Keep the top line going.  Kunitz, Neal and Malkin are playing better than any line I can recall in recent history for the Pens.

No Moore - Penguins 6, Lightning 3

So what happened?

Dominic Moore should have left well enough alone.

The Pens and Lightning were tied 3-3 in the third period.  The Lightning had scored three straight goals in less than five minutes to tie the score.  That's when Dominic Moore chose to start jawing with Evgeni Malkin in the faceoff circle.  They were both kicked out, and the jawing continued on the wing.  The puck wasn't dropped, and James Neal switched places with Geno after things continued to heat up.

From that point on, the score was Evgeni Malkin 3, Lightning 0.  Geno had the natural hat trick.

As a fan, it was a satisfying sequence to watch.

Of course, Bob Errey almost ruined the game.  James Neal had scored to make it 3-0 in the third period.  Bob Errey had no sooner said that the same is / was / should be over than the Bolts scored their first of three goals to tie the score.  If I could have reached through the TV to strangle Errey for clearly influencing the play on the ice, I would have at least considered doing it.

Other than the five minutes in the third period where the Bolts scored three times, the Pens played a terrific game.  They dominated the shots on net in all three periods, and finished with a 44-20 advantage for the game.

Trap anyone?

Who scored?

Neal (23, 24), Park (3), Malkin (19, 20, 21)

The Good?

• Five points for Geno.  He should have had a fourth goal, but the refs ignored an obvious slash when Malkin was likely to score a second empty net goal.
• Neal had two more goals.  That's three in two games after he was snubbed from the All-Star game.
• The team effort in shutting down Stamkos and St. Louis.
• The power play scored twice in five chances.

The Bad?

• Faceoffs.  Wow - lots of them, but the Pens won just 33 out of 79.  Special dishonorable mention goes to Malkin and Jeffrey who combined to win just 15 out of 47.

The Ugly?

• Vincent Lecavalier.  He got into a scrum with Malkin and while both players were completely wrapped up by the refs (and about 5 other players), Vinny clearly threw a sucker punch right into the jaw of Malkin.  It was something you'd expect out of Steve Downie, but not a player of the caliber of Lecavalier.  Very cheap.

Any Surprises?

• I was surprised the Boucher pulled the goalie after Malkin put the Pens up by three with an empty-netter.  Pulling a goalie while down three (without being on a power play) is pretty unusual.

What's their record now?

The Pens are 23-17-4.

Who's next?

Carolina comes to Consol on Tuesday night.

Game #44 - at Tampa Bay Lightning

2011-12 Game 44

Pittsburgh Penguins (22-17-4, 48 points) at Tampa Bay Lightning (17-22-4, 38 points)

Expect to see Malone hanging out in the Penguins' crease.

Why does it matter?

It's a chance to build on something good as the Pens try to beat the Lightning for the first time in five tries.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The ship was turned around with their 4-1 win against the Panthers on Friday night.
• Lightning - 2012 has not been kind to the Bolts, who have lost six straight games (0-5-1).

Questions to be answered

• Will the goal scoring continue?  That's the big question - the Pens need to keep firing the puck.  The Lightning have been flip-flopping between Garon and Roloson, though neither has been very good.
• Can the Pens take advantage of the poor special teams play from Tampa?  The PK and power play for the Bolts are among the worst in the league.
• Any chance of a Brent Johnson showing today?  He could use a boost, and while this isn't quite back-to-back, it is two games in less than 48 hours.

Keys to the game

• Pick on Stamkos and St. Louis.  That sounds strange, but in their losing streak, Stamkos is a -8 despite contributing five points at even-strength.  That means he was on the ice for at least 13 goals against over the six games.  St. Louis isn't much better (at least 11 goals against).
• Protect the goalie.  Expect the Bolts to be ferocious around the net in an effort to get on the board.
• Keep going forward.  This is a great chance to build on the success of Friday night.  Start fast and don't look back.