If your day was anything like mine, it was hockey morning, noon and night! Anyway, welcome everyone to the latest edition of the Big Dave's Pens Pregame show. Tonight, our Pens return home for a matchup with their Metro rivals from Brooklyn in the Islanders.
Puck drops on the action at Consol at 7:00pm, but the Pregame is available for your enjoyment now...
Tonight's "Big Dave's Gameday Jam" comes from a solid band with one of my favorite artists. The lead singer of this band, The Almost, is Aaron Gillespie, who was the drummer for my favorite band, Underoath." This was his side project band that didn't play metal music, but more generic 2000s alternative/rock. This is one of my favorite songs by them off their "Southern Weather" album, "Say This Sooner."
The State of the Penguins
The above picture, and his saying, is a good way to sum up the Penguins of late. They are a team that is grinding out wins. They are a team that is finally starting to find its touch. They are a team that are finally acquiring an identity.
The Penguins have gone 2-1-1 since the Christmas break. They have played relatively well in all four of those contests as well, despite disappointing loses in Winnipeg and against Toronto on Wednesday night. Nevertheless, they are a team that is trending in the right direction finally.
If there is one thing that Penguins fans should be ecstatic about at the moment, it should be the play of Sidney Crosby. The captain has posted 3 goals and 8 points in his last six games. More importantly than the points returning, you can see that Sid is getting back to his brand of hockey. The dynamic player is returning and that, my friends, is bad news for the rest of the NHL.
The Penguins are also getting healthy again. Kris Letang, despite taking another rough hit in Thursday's win v. Detroit, is back in the lineup. Marc-Andre Fleury, who has missed the last three weeks or so with a concussion, is closer to a return, possibly within the next week. Ian Cole, who only played 5 minutes of the Detroit game, is expected to be ready for tonight's game. All of which is good news for the Penguins going forward.
This team needs to just keep their head down and keep digging. They have the talent, they have a competent coach behind them now and the belief is beginning to return. While the coaching transition has been less smooth than hoped, the foundation is laid. The results will come, and soon.
Brookly Heights: NY Islanders
The Washington Capitals have been on a real hot streak of late, one that has seen them get 11 points clear in the division. But we are not here to talk about the Caps, we're here to talk about the team that currently sits in second place, the New York Islanders.
Tonight will be the first matchup between the Metro foes in the 2015-16 season. The Isles entered the year coming off a disappointing first round exit to the Capitals, followed by a relatively quiet summer, which only saw them add Thomas Greiss to backup Jaroslav Halak. Otherwise, Garth Snow focused on keeping this core together around John Tavares and coach Jack Capuano at the helm.
The moves have paid off handsomely for the Isles as well. They currently sit second in the division with a 21-12-5 record. Over their last 10 games they have gone 6-4-0, including a 2-1 win over the Sabres on New Years Eve.
New York's success has come from both the expected names, but also several surprising ones. Firstly, John Tavares, the franchise player and captain has led the team in scoring through his 35 games played. He currently has 28 points. His perennial winger, Kyle Okposo, has been solid with 8 goals and 27 points in 36 games. Frans Nielsen, Brock Nelson and Josh Bailey round out the top 5 with 25, 21, and 18 points respectively. The biggest help, surprisingly, has come from the goaltending. Jaroslav Halak has picked up where he left off last year and posted 10 wins and a 2.09 GAA. However, he has been on the shelf for the last few weeks, leaving Thomas Greiss to handle the load, which he has done well. Greiss, the Pens backup netminder last year, has 11 wins, a 2.03 GAA in 18 games this season. He has been key of late to the Isles success.
The Islanders are a playoff team in my opinion. I still don't think they have enough skill to contend for a Cup, but they are only a move or two away from that level I think. It will be interesting to see what Garth Snow does at the deadline, because it could mean the difference in his team being eliminated in the first round again or making a deeper run this spring.
The Lowdown on the Islanders:
- 21-12-5 on the season, good for 47 points and 2nd in the Metropolitan.
- They are 6-4-0 in their last 10 games, including winning two straight.
- The Isles are 9-6-3 away from the Barclays Center this season.
- New York has a plus-16 goal differential entering tonight.
Scoring Leaders:
- C John Tavares - 28pts (14G-14A)
- RW Kyle Okposo - 27pts (8G-19A)
- C Frans Nielsen - 25pts (14G-11A)
- LW Brock Nelson - 21pts (13G-8A)
- RW Josh Bailey - 18pts (7G-11A)
Injury Report:
- G Jaroslav Halak (upper-body) is OUT tonight. He has been placed on IR.
- D Johnny Boychuk (upper-body) is OUT tonight. Boychuk also finds himself on IR with an upper-body injury.
Projected Lines:
- Anders Lee - John Tavares - Josh Bailey
- Nikolay Kulemin - Frans Nielsen - Kyle Okposo
- Brock Nelson - Mikhail Grabovski - Ryan Strome
- Matt Martin - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck
Projected Pairs:
- Nick Leddy - Travis Harmonic
- Calvin de Haan - Brian Strait
- Thomas Hickey - Marek Zidlicky
Thomas Greiss is expected to face his old team tonight.
News & Notes from the Penguins
- G Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion) is expected to return tonight. He has missed the last two weeks with a concussion.
- D Ian Cole (undisclosed) is expected to be available tonight. Cole played only 5 minutes v. Detroit before he was forced to leave the game. He spoke with the media yesterday that he hoped to be back in tonight.
- G Matt Murray has been reassigned to WBS. Murray was solid in his NHL debut and will step right back into the starter role in Wilkes-Barre.
Pens/Isles Matchup:
- First of four matchups between these Metro division rivals.
- The Penguins went 1-3-1 against the Isles last year. Their lone win came in Pittsburgh on 10-18-15 by a 3-1 score.
- 28 goals were scored between these teams last year with the Isles posting 17 over the 5 games.
- Patric Hornqvist, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are the returning scorers for the Penguins from last season's matchup with NYI. Each player posted 6 points.
- Kyle Okposo was the Isles leading scorer in the series with 6 points of his own.
Miscellaneous Notes:
- C Nick Bonino will play in his 300th NHL game tonight.
- The Penguins have gone 4-1-1 this season when they wear their “Pittsburgh Gold” jerseys.
- The Pens PK enters the night killing off 15 consecutive penalties.
- The Powerplay is hot of late, going 7-for-19 (36.8%) over the last 6 games.
- Sidney Crosby has been hot at home this year; he has 5 goals and 17 points at Consol Energy Center in 2015-16.
#AskBigDave
I think you know where I am going to go with this one and I think it is the logical answer.
If I had my way, the 2017 Winter Classic would be between our Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers at Beaver Stadium on Penn State’s main campus. It is the logical choice in my opinion and here is why:
Firstly, it is one of the best rivalries in hockey. We saw another one of the best between the Bruins and Habs yesterday in Boston, Pens/Flyers in the middle of the state would just be graet.
Secondly, it would be a great venue. Beaver Stadium is legendary for decades of Penn State football. The stadium seats nearly 110,000 fans and you know a Pens/Flyers matchup could fill the place to capacity and it would be a relatively “neutral” site.
Finally, it coincides with each team’s 50th anniversary in the NHL. I think it would be a cool treat for both team’s celebrating an anniversary.
That is the easy answer, if I had to pick two other teams; I think I’d like to see the Dallas Stars play the Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field in Denver.
Weird matchup, I know, but why not? The Stars are a fun team to watch with the likes of Seguin, Benn and Klingberg and Colorado still has some really talented players. The two would also allow for some great alumni to play in the game, including Mike Modano, Brett Hull, Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, etc. Finally, Coors Field is a cool setting and it would certainly be cool to see a game in the Mile High City, surrounded by snow.
Hope that answers your question.
From Reedie on the Tweety: "Any blaring errors that you spotted during Murray's poor shootout performance? And do you think the pens still need a defenseman?"
Well Reedie, I did not catch the game with Murray in the shootout, so I cannot tell you why he struggled in the shootout. I think he has played incredibly well, and from what I heard, he stood on his head in that game. Maybe fatigue was a factor at that point, which you can’t kill him for. Overall, I think Murray is doing a hell of a job in place of Flower.
Now, for your second question, I don’t know if they need to add another defenseman at this precise moment. Perhaps by the deadline, yes, but right now, no.
What the Penguins need most is practice under Mike Sullivan with the current group and a healthy group. That means Letang practice/playing in games. That means these guys learning the system Sullivan wants and creating chemistry together. We need to see what exactly we have before we go tinkering more.
If after the next 4 weeks it becomes clear the Penguins need an upgrade, then they should definitely make a move. I think one of the best moves they can make is calling up the kid in Wilkes-Barre by the name of Derrick Pouliot. If they want someone with more experience, then you look to the market.
Hope that answers your question.
Projected Lines & Pairs
- Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - David Perron
- Matt Cullen - Evgeni Malkin - Phil Kessel
- Connor Sheary - Nick Bonino - Patric Hornqvist
- Kevin Porter - Eric Fehr - Sergei Plotnikov
Pairs:
- Kris Letang - Olli Maatta
- Ben Lovejoy - Brian Dumoulin
- Ian Cole - Trevor Daley
Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to return from IR and start in net for the Penguins tonight.
My 3 Keys to the Game
2. Superstars: The Penguins superstars are starting to emerge. Crosby has been very good of late. Malkin is still producing and Letang is healthy again. Those three, joined by Phil Kessel, need to continue to produce at higher levels if this team is going to make a run. Otherwise, this team won't make the playoffs.
3. Smart Defense: The Pens defense has still been a little shaky of late. I'd like to see them clean things up a little bit, be a little cleaner in their zone and pick their spots better when they decide to pinch offensively. If they do that, the Pens should get a win.
My 3 Penguins to Watch
2. Phil Kessel: Phil the Thrill has had his moments this year, but he has yet to thrill us night in and night out. I'd like to see that change here soon. There is no questioning the talent is there and the speed as well, now he just needs to put it together and start playing like the elite sniper he is. I have a feeling we may see a classic Kessel goal tonight. Watch for it if he streaks down the right wing...
3. Nick Bonino: This guy may be one of the biggest disappointments thus far. He has done little offensively and just looks absent most nights. That needs to change otherwise he should be the piece on the move at the deadline. Bonino needs to start producing points and he certainly has the talent to do it. If Kessel is on his line like previous games, he has no excuse about a revolving door of wingers.
What to Know For Watching/Listening/Attending
- The puck drops on Pens/Isles at 7:00pm. Gates at Consol open at 6:00pm.
- The Penguins will wear their "Pittsburgh Gold" jerseys tonight.
- The Pens Gear Gameday special is 20% off Reebok Center Ice Collection!
- This year's "Pens and Paws" calendar is now available. You can pick one up behind section 120 or 217 tonight or order online. To purchase online, use the following link: http://pittsburghpenguinsfoundation.org
- Also just in time for the holidays, you can purchase a copy of Eric Fehr's children's book "The Bulliest Dozer" at the Pittsburgh Penguins Silent Auction stand behind the First Niagara Club for just $20. You can also purchase the book by using the Foundation’s mobile bidding app at bidpal.net/pens.
Here is what you need to know if you're watching tonight's game:
- ROOT Sports has the coverage tonight. Paul Steigerwald and Bob Errey with the call beginning at 7:00pm. Dan Potash will have the interviews.
- Penguins Pregame will precede the game coverage beginning at 6:30pm.
- Penguins Post Game will follow the game action.
Here is what you need to know if you're listening to tonight's game:
- 105.9 The X, the Penguins app, the Penguins website and iHeart Radio app are all places you can pick up the game tonight.
- Mike Lange and Phil Bourque will have the game call beginning at 7:00pm.
- Penguins Pregame will precede the game coverage at 6:00pm. Josh Getzoff will host.
- Penguins Hot Line will follow the game action.
Pens Points:
- Attending the Game: 50pts
- Concession Purchases: 10pts
- Merchandise Purchases: 10pts
- ROOT Sports Pregame Keyword: 5pts
- ROOT Sports Post Game Keyword: 5pts
- Pens Radio Keyword: 5pts