After an extended road trip, the Penguins re-open the Consol Energy Center tonight to face the best team in the National Hockey League.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the latest edition of Big Dave's Pens Pregame. Tonight, our Penguins play host to the Montreal Canadiens at Consol.
The puck drop for the game is 7:30pm, but you can start enjoying the lead up in my Pregame now....
Tonight's "Big Dave's Gameday Jam" comes in honor of the recently released James Bond movie, "Spectre." This song was featured in one of the latest Bond films, though not the newest. To be honest, I didn't care for "Writing on the Wall" by Sam Smith. Anyway, this song comes from Daniel Craig's second installment of Ian Fleming's 007, it's "Another Way To Die" by Jack White and Alicia Keys. Enjoy!
The State of the Penguins
The Penguins struggled in the season's opening. Since their three game losing streak to start the season, the Pens have won nine of their last eleven games. They won five straight games entering Saturday's showdown with the Calgary Flames, but fell to the Flames by a final of 5-2 on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Penguins are playing better hockey than they were. They were abysmal the first two weeks of the season, but they played well on their road trip. As a fan base, we ask a lot from this organization, and I think we are starting to see more from this team than we did in October.
To start, the Penguins are scoring more consistently. The Pens couldn't buy a goal the first few games of the year, but they have been better in that regard of late. They scored 14 goals over a four game span entering last weekend, and got four more over those two games. The offense has climbed up from 29th in the league to 25th. While that is still not good for a team with the likes of Crosby, Malkin, Kessel and Letang, it is certainly a step in the right direction.
On the other side of things, the Penguins have played exemplary defense this season. They enter tonight with a 2.00 goals against average on the season, third best in the league. This coming with the likes of Kris Letang playing absolutely dreadful hockey of late. Brian Dumoulin has been outstanding, as has Ben Lovejoy. Rob Scuderi has been better than he started the season and Olli Maatta continues to find his legs after a lost year.
Though the offense is getting better and the defense is great, the Penguins would not be sitting third in the Metropolitan Division to this point without Marc-Andre Fleury. The Flower had a career year in 2014-15 and with the way he's started this year, he very easily could best it. Fleury has seven wins, two shutouts and a 1.93 goals against average already. Pretty solid for a guy many fans have questioned for years.
But it is not all sunshine and lollipops in Penguins nation. Things are trending up, but there are still major concerns.
First, as it has been all year, is the play of Sidney Crosby. The Captain has just seven points in fourteen games. The worst part about it all concerning Crosby is we can't even go to the old excuse of "his linemates aren't good enough." He's had Kessel, Kunitz and Hornqvist and done little. Should Dupuis return to the lineup tonight he will join Crosby again as might Beau Bennett. The Penguins need Crosby to get off the schnide, but the only one who can do it is him. The Penguins have done enough to make him successful, he needs to take command now.
Then there is the power play. Granted, they have scored a power play tally in each of the last five games, but that doesn't mean the problems are fixed. The second unit has two of those five goals and the first unit still doesn't look good at all. Sid is part of the problem, playing out of position on the right half-wall. The other has been the over passing and forcing of that cross-ice pass. The Penguins need to simplify and stay in position, then the power play may actually become something.
The Penguins have remained relatively healthy. Pascal Dupuis missed the last two games after suffering an incident that was related to his blood clot troubles in Edmonton. He is a game-time decision tonight and may be back on the top line. Other than that and Bennett's week missed, the Penguins have been healthy with no excuse for their struggles.
Tonight, the Penguins will look to get going again after losing to the Flames Saturday. The only issue is the Penguins will attempt to get back on track against the NHL's best team, the Montreal Canadiens...
Beasts of the League: Montreal Canadiens
The Penguins opened the home schedule against the Canadiens in the second week of October this year. At that time, Montreal was riding a three-game winning streak. They handled the Penguins and went on to win their first nine games before finally dropping one. That's pretty good.
Since then, the Habs have gone 4-1-1, and that is without reigning Hart Trophy winner Carey Price in net. The NHL MVP from last season suffered a lower-body injury and has missed the last two weeks. Though, you wouldn't notice with the way the Canadiens have continued to play. That play can be attributed to former Wheeling Nailer and current Montreal backup Mike Condon. Condon has played in seven games for Montreal this season and won six of them. His goals against average going into tonight is a mere 1.57 and he has a save percentage of .940. Outstanding numbers indeed.
All of that is well and good, but without scoring, it is hard to win. In a shocking turn of events, the Habs went from a team that couldn't score at all in 2014-15 to starting this season as the league's most potent offense. Through sixteen games, Montreal has posted a 3.69 goals per game average. Veteran center Tomas Plekanec has paced the team with 15 points in 16 games. Defensemen Andrei Markov and PK Subban have posted 14 in the same time frame while American Max Pacioretty and third liner Dale Weise have led the team with eight goals each. I wouldn't have believed these numbers from this team entering the season, but I wouldn't have imagined the Penguins scoring struggles either. Hockey is a funny game, and while numbers look one way on paper, they don't always transfer to the ice.
The Canadiens have won two straight, they hope to make it three tonight and 2-0 vs. Pittsburgh to start the season.
The Lowdown on Montreal:
- 13-2-1 on the season.
- 27 points is tops in the Atlantic, the East and the NHL
- Montreal has won two in a row and gone 7-2-1 over their last 10 games.
- They have a plus-30 goal differential and have the league's top offense at 3.69 goals per game.
- The Montreal defense is outstanding as well with a 1.81 goals allowed average, good for second in the NHL.
- The Habs are 6-2-0 on the road this season.
Scoring Leaders:
- C Tomas Plekanec - 15pts (7G-8A)
- D Andrei Markov - 14pts (1G-13A)
- C David Desharnais - 14pts (5G-9A)
- D PK Subban - 14pts (1G-13A)
- LW Max Pacioretty - 14pts (8G-6A)
- RW Brendan Gallagher - 14pts (6G-8A)
Injury Report:
- G Carey Price (lower-body) is OUT tonight. The reigning NHL MVP has been out for nearly two weeks after suffering the injury. He sought a second opinion in New York yesterday and surgery is not necessary. There is still no time table for his return.
- LW Zach Kasian (suspension) is OUT tonight.
- LW Michael Bournival (concussion) is OUT tonight. While the winger has returned to skating, he is not ready to return to full practice or game action yet.
Projected Lines:
- Max Pacioretty - Tomas Plekanec - Brendan Gallagher
- Lars Eller - Alex Galchenyuk - Devanted Smith-Pelly
- Tomas Fleischmann - David Desharnais - Dale Weise
- Paul Byron - Torrey Mitchell - Brian Flynn
Projected D-Pairs:
- Andrei Markov - PK Subban
- Alexei Emelin - Jeff Petry
- Nathan Beaulieu - Tom Gilbert
Mike Condon is expected to start in net for Montreal.
News & Notes From the Penguins
- F Pascal Dupuis (unidentified) missed the last two games but will play tonight. Dupuis, who suffered from blood clots the last two years, was take to the hospital in Edmonton with similar symptoms.
- F Bryan Rust (wrist) still no update on his condition. Rust has missed time over the last few weeks with a wrist injury.
Pens/Habs Matchup:
- Montreal won the first matchup of the season in Pittsburgh in October. The final there was 3-2 Montreal.
- Beau Bennett and Kris Letang scored the two Penguin goals in that game.
- Max Pacioretty scored two goals in that game, including one on the man-advantage.
Projected Lines & Pairs
- Pascal Dupuis - Sidney Crosby - Beau Bennett
- David Perron - Evgeni Malkin - Phil Kessel
- Chris Kunitz - Nick Bonino - Patric Hornqvist
- Daniel Sprong - Matt Cullen - Eric Fehr
Pairs:
- Ben Lovejoy - Brian Dumoulin
- Kris Letang - Ian Cole
- Olli Maatta - Rob Scuderi
Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to start in net tonight.
My 3 Keys to the Game
2. Power Play: The Penguins power play play of late has been... better. But, that doesn't mean it is good by any means. Crosby continually plays out of position. They are too pass heavy and their zone entrances are atrocious. The Pens need to shoot more, collapse on the net and try to hack in second chance opportunities, otherwise their PP will continue to be, well, pee-pee...
3. Bottom Six: The Pens have gotten solid play out of their bottom six all year, but especially since Eric Fehr made his debut. With Crosby's scoring woes continuing, goals from these lines becomes all the more imperative. With Hornqvist joining Bonino and Kunitz, I expect that line to be even better than they already were this year. And with Fehr back with Cullen, I think we can see more ice time from that group and more chances as well.
My 3 Penguins to Watch
2. Patric Hornqvist: I think this guy is much better than a third liner, but with Crosby's continued struggles, things needs a mixup. Hornqvist should be right at home with the likes of Kunitz and Bonino and I think this line could very well light the lamp aplenty together. How bout tonight to start?
3. Kris Letang: I had this guy winning the Norris Trophy in the preseason, but he has been absolutely atrocious over the last ten games. He was a minus-four v. Calgary and is a minus-10 on the season thus far. He isn't doing anything offensively and has struggled defensively too. He needs to get going. The Penguins rely on his speed on the breakout and his great hands to generate offense. Hopefully, his play will go up a notch against his hometown team.
What to Know for Attending/Watching/Listening
- Gates open at 6:30pm for a 7:30 puck drop.
- The Penguins will wear their Pittsburgh gold third jerseys tonight.
- The Pens Gear gameday special is the Patriotic Pens t-shirt for $19.99.
- The Penguins will have a Veterans Day tribute video prior to tonight's game. Be sure to be in your seats early to see it.
- Soldiers & Sailors Museum will have an extensive Veterans Day display located in the Highmark Wall of Champions, located behind the Captain Morgan Club, with opportunity to see war relics, uniforms, veterans and the opportunity to have your photo taken with a Medal of Honor which was presented to a Pittsburgh resident for his heroic action in the invasion of Normandy at Omaha Beach & a United States flag which flew from a Landing Craft during the landing. Be sure to stop by to see their exhibit. I've worked with them in the past and they always do outstanding work.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins will auction the camo jerseys worn by the team during Wednesday night’s warm-ups starting Monday, November 16 at pittsburghpenguins.com. Place your bids on the autographed jerseys through November 30! Proceeds benefit the Wounded Warrior Project and the Mario Lemieux Foundation’s “Austin’s Military Playroom Project”.
For those watching the game:
- It is a nationally televised affair tonight, so only NBCSN and Sportsnet coverage tonight. Puck drops at 7:30pm with Doc, Eddie O and Pierre on the call.
- No ROOT coverage tonight.
For those of you listening to the 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 7:30pm.
- Penguins Pregame will precede the game coverage at 6:30pm. Josh Getzoff will host.
- Penguins Hot Line will follow the game action
Pens Points:
- Attending the Game: 50pts
- Concession Purchases: 10pts
- Merchandise Purchases: 10pts
- Pens Radio Keyword: 5pts
- Miller Lite Nite at Johnny's Wife's Place in Irwin - 25pts.
- Miller Lite Nite at Shenanigans Bar and Grille - 25pts
Happy Veterans Day
I would like to take a second to talk about something more important than hockey. Today, of course, is Veterans Day here in the US and Remembrance Day in Canada. A day in which we remember all the brave men and women who fought for freedom across the globe.
Few of you know, but I am a historian and focus primarily in military history. I have worked with Soldiers and Sailors in my undergrad career and worked with Heinz History Center on their WWII exhibit currently on display in my graduate studies. In both cases, it was an absolute honor to tell the stories of the great men and women from the Pittsburgh area who have served. They truly are the greatest generation and all soldiers should be honored for their service.
Many of us have had family members and friends serve in the Armed Forces. Their sacrifice can never be repaid. So I ask of you all, whether you are a supporter of war or not, whether you've had members serve or not, take time today to thank a veteran for all they have done for us. They deserve this day greatly.
Final Thoughts
I will return following the game with a View From Where I Sat. So check back for that late tonight or tomorrow. I will tweet/post the link for the day.
I intend on having Pregames for both Friday and Saturday's matchup. The Pens host Columbus on Friday before heading to New Jersey for Saturday's matchup with the Devils. I will NOT have post games on either night, just an FYI.
That'll do it for me. Enjoy the game and LETS GO PENS!!!