Happy Friday Penguins fans and welcome to the latest edition of the Big Dave's Pens Pregame show. Tonight, the Penguins finish off the second leg of the home-and-home series with the Boston Bruins at Consol Energy Center.
The puck drops on the action tonight at 7:00pm, but you can begin enjoying today's pregame right now....
Today's "Big Dave's Gameday Jam" is in honor of the release of the newest installment of the Star War Saga. I saw the new movie last night and it is superb my friends, I highly recommend it. For today's song, I went with "Anakin's Betrayal" from the Star Wars, Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith score. The compositions by John Williams are simply breathtaking and this piece is one of his finest. I hope you enjoy it.
The State of the Penguins
The Penguins lost their third straight game, second under new coach Mike Sullivan, on Wednesday night in Beantown. Sitting here thinking on it, I don't think the Penguins were necessarily out-played by the Bruins on that night. The Bruins took advantage of the mental lapses the Penguins had, while the Penguins controlled the flow of the play for much of the game, but were unable to break Tuukka Rask's defenses.
So what were the positives from that game?
First, I thought Jeff Zatkoff performed admirably in net. The goal against Talbot wasn't great, but there wasn't much he could do on the Hayes goal to prevent it. Overall, he was strong in the net and gave his team a shot to get a win. That's all you can ask of your backup netminder.
Next, the new guys made an impact. Trevor Daley, acquired on Monday for Rob Scuderi, stepped right into the defensive mix and played a solid game. Was he flawless? No, but he was probably the best defenseman on this night. He has quick feet, carries the puck and distributes it with great confidence and gets back into positions well when he pinches. I was very impressed with his game and think he will be a valuable asset moving forward. Same can be said for Conor Sheary, who made his NHL debut in front of his home town. The Massachusetts native, despite being a minus-1 on the night, was an impactful player in his debut. He posted three quality shots and added two hits and a takeaway in 16:41. What was immediately noticeable was his speed, blowing away many of his teammates and opponents alike. By the third period, he was playing with Crosby and Malkin, a place I wouldn't mind seeing him tonight.
Finally, the offense was doing good things, but just didn't get rewarded. Pittsburgh fired 34 shots on net, including 28 over the final two periods. While the puck didn't get past Tuukka Rask on this night, it was good to see the Penguins getting good shooting opportunities on the regular all night long.
But with the good, comes the bad and there was certainly bad things to take away.
Firstly, the superstars were almost non-existent. Crosby had more hits than shots on the night and seemed completely unable to create anything for himself or his linemates. I also don't think his line with Kunitz and Perron was a fit. They were completely disjointed from the word go. Same could be said for Malkin. Malkin did little in the offensive zone to note. He only registered one shot and was pretty invisible most of the night. The Penguins are only going to go as far as these two are going to take them, and if they don't get going, the blame for the Penguins failures should be placed heavily on them more than anyone else.
Next, the mental lapses were crucial to the games outcome. The defense as a whole was responsible for much of the bad aspects of the Penguins game on Wednesday. David Warsofsky was terrible, as was Ian Cole. At one point, Mike Sullivan was screaming at the veteran Cole on the bench after the Jimmy Hayes goal. I have no problem with that, the Penguins needed it and probably more often than just that instance. The Penguins looked engaged at times, and absent at others. If their minds can't stay in the game, that is a problem, and one Mike Sullivan won't put up with.
Then there is the power play, which looked even more atrocious than normal. I think they gave up several short handed shots on goal and there were times you were convinced Boston was on the PP, and not the Penguins.
Finally, despite getting plenty of shots, which I do think is a good thing, the Penguins still aren't doing the necessary things to score. They still are over-passing the puck. They need to simplify that. Pass, shoot, score, period. They also need to get bodies to the net. Besides Patric Hornqvist, the Penguins don't have anyone going to the net front and providing screens. David Perron, Chris Kunitz, Fehr, these are three guys that should be doing that every single shift. Yet they aren't, and that is hurting the Penguins. Last of all, there are just the lazy shots at the goalies chest. There were plenty of them on Wednesday too.
The Penguins have plenty to work on. It is unfortunate that they made the change when the schedule has them playing 5 games in 7 days under a brand new coach. There is little time for practice and even fewer opportunities to fix the issues this team has developed over the last year under Mike Johnston. I think it is huge for this team to come out of this stretch with at least 4 points (2 wins), so they don't get too buried in the standings coming out of the Christmas break next week.
Tonight, they get a second crack at the Bruins. This time, on home ice in Pittsburgh.
Them Bahstahn Bahstahds
There was nothing particularly flashy about how the Bruins won on Wednesday night, but they got the W none-the-less. The Bruins improved to 17-9-4 on the season with the win, making them 7-1-3 over their last 11 games played. They currently sit second in the Atlantic Division as well.
As I said, there was nothing flashy about their win, it was just hard-nosed, grinding hockey. The Bruins got goals from Max Talbot, Jimmy Hayes and Ryan Spooner (EN) on that night. They were not highlight-reel goals, they were just guys going to the dirty areas and making things happen. Successful teams, playoff teams, have a knack of doing just that. Notice how the Penguins are not one of those teams.
What the Bruins also do, that the Penguins don't is make it hard on their opponents. I won't even get into the Academy Award level acting they achieve in drawing penalties, but I look at the physicality with which they play. They don't let anyone near their goalie, as evidenced by the penalty Zdeno Chara received for sending Hornqvist into orbit on Wednesday. Then their is their knack for screening opposing goalies on every shift. This is not just something they accomplish, to great success, on the power play. No, the Bruins set up in front of the opposing goaltender with every line, on every shift. That is why they are a league leader in scoring. They get to those dirty areas, win battles and score the dirty goals. Finally, there is the hitting aspect of their game. They punish you on every shift. They had 25 hits on the night, and while that was less than the Penguins, every one of them left a mark on the Penguin it found.
I hate to praise the Bruins. I really do, because I have such a dislike for them as a team and of the city in general. But even with the mixed bag of players and the perceived "weaknesses" they still find a way to win hockey games. The Penguins, with all their perceived "strengths" can barely score more than one goal a night, let alone win. If the Penguins played more like the Bruins, they'd be a lot better off. Man, I feel dirty just saying that...
Lowdown on the Bruins:
- Their win Wednesday got them to 17-9-4 on the season and up to second in the Atlantic.
- They have gone 6-1-3 over their last 10 games, but earning points in 10 of their last 11 games.
Penguins/Bruins Notes From Wednesday:
- Bruins won the first game of the home-in-home by way of a 3-0 shutout.
- Tuukka Rask was the winning goalie, stopping all 31 Penguin shots.
- Max Talbot, Ryan Spooner and Jimmy Hayes, all 3 bottom six forwards, scored the goals for Boston.
- Jeff Zatkoff stopped 19 of 21 shots he faced, including all 6 on the Bruins PP opportunities.
- Phil Kessel and Brad Marchand led all forwards with 5 shots each.
- The Penguins are 4-1-1 against the Bruins at home in their last 6 games.
Projected Lines:
- Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Brett Connolly
- Matt Beleskey - David Krejci - Loui Eriksson
- Frank Vatrano - Ryan Spooner - Jimmy Hayes
- Landon Ferraro - Max Talbot - Tyler Randell
- Zdeno Chara - Adam McQuaid
- Dennis Seidenberg - Colin Miller
- Torey Krug - Kevan Miller
Tuukka Rask will start in net again for Boston tonight.
News & Notes Around the Penguins
- No updates on Fleury or Bennett today.
- D Kris Letang (upper-body) skated before the team's morning skate today. I still wouldn't expect him until after the Christmas break.
- C Nick Bonino (illness) is expected to return to the lineup tonight.
- In Wilkes-Barre, goaltender Tristan Jarry (lower-body) was injured in Wednesday game v. Lehigh Valley. He will not play tonight for the Baby Penguins.
Miscellaneous Notes:
- The Penguins announced that Pittsburgh will host two exhibition games next September for the World Cup of Hockey. On Wednesday, September 14th, Consol Energy Center will host a double-header, with Team North America (players under the age of 23 from both the US and Canada) v. Czech Republic at 3:30pm and then Team Canada v. Team Russia at 7:30pm. Notable Penguins that could be part of these games include: Sidney Crosby (Canada), Evgeni Malkin (Russia), Kris Letang (Canada), Marc-Andre Fleury (Canada) and Sergei Plotnikov (Russia).
- The Penguins are 4-0 this season when they where the Pittsburgh Goal jerseys this season.
- Malkin has scored 12 goals at home this season.
- The Penguins are 6-2-0 against the Atlantic Division so far this season.
#AskBigDave
Well Reedie, these are solid questions.
Let me start with the Cole/Bortuzzo trade. I was never a big fan of Borts. He was physical and would fight when necessary, but he wasn't that great on the puck and wasn't above average as a defender. Ian Cole on the other hand has a great shot, quicker feet and is a better defenseman on the whole. While many out there would call me nuts, I'd make that trade again any day. Cole is the vastly superior player.
Now, to why the Pens defense is struggling more this year than last. I honestly don't think the Penguins were playing bad defense this season until about the last three-four weeks. Until then, I thought they played pretty well and were helped out more by a lights-out Marc-Andre Fleury.
If I look at the Penguins of late, I see several problems:
- Letang hasn't been good all year. Letang is a great offensive player and more talented defensively than he gets credit for. However, he has been god-awful this year. I think the main reason for that is his partner. Ian Cole was not the right fit for him and he developed some bad habits in that time before he was put with Olli Maatta. He looked much better when paired with Maatta. The Penguins defensive numbers are skewed in part because of Letang's down season and I think they will be better as the season goes on..
- Then there is the health issue. I don't know what was plaguing Letang, but I'd be willing to bet it was hurting his play. He, like Maatta, is a gym rat. I think they'd both do well to train in the gym a little less during the season to avoid possible injury.
- Ian Cole has been misused. Last year, Cole played well alongside Derrick Pouliot. I was surprised to see him struggle with Letang, since he and Pouliot play a similar game. I think the issue there was Cole wasn't used to playing over 20 minutes a night and he got gassed. Then, he was paired with Scuderi who does his partner little good. I think Cole will benefit from rest next week and a decent puck moving partner going forward, especially if that is Trevor Daley.
Reedie, the best thing that can happen for this Penguins defense is the Christmas break next week. The players will get close to four days off before returning to the ice in game action. In that time, they will get physical rest, which is needed for many of them, but also they will get practice time to get set with their partner. I expect Dumoulin and Lovejoy to remain together, as the two have played very well together to this point. Then, I expect to see Maatta and Letang matched up. Letang plays better with Maatta than he does anyone else. Then, I would have Ian Cole with Trevor Daley. I think those two will complement each other well and Cole's game will be more like what we saw last spring down the stretch than the guy we've seen the last three weeks.
This question comes from Rob A. on the Tweety: "If you could make a deal that involves 87, where would you send him and what would you want in return?"
Hoof, tough question Rob. The thing is, I don't know if I could ever bring myself to trade Sidney Crosby. I feel like he is like a Mario Lemieux or Wayne Gretzky; no matter what you get back, it will never be enough.
But for argument's sake, I'll play the game.
One place I would trade Sid is Chicago. The Blackhawks have several players I really like and would require in a deal for Sid. First would be Jonathan Toews. I love the way he plays, he's got a ton of talent and is a great leader and champion. He'd need to be in the deal. Then I'd also want Nicklas Hjalmarsson. He is a great defenseman that is overshadowed by the likes of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. I'd want him in the deal too. Then I'd take a plethora of picks too.
I honestly just couldn't think of any other places because there just aren't any moves I would make in regards to Sid. I just don't feel you could replace him. The Pens could never replace Mario and look what happened when they had to replace Jagr, half a decade of utter disappointment.
This fun question comes from Jeff W. on Facebook and in honor of the new Star Wars movie: "What color lightsabers would Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr have?"
What a fun question Jeff, let me put my Jedi robes on and meditate on this like Master Yoda...
Mmmmmm...yes......I see....
Right, so I have used the Force and have come to these conclusions on the lightsabers for these players:
- Sidney Crosby would have a green lightsaber. Much like Luke Skywalker, Crosby was the hero that brought greatness back to the Penguins, as Skywalker brought the Jedi out of the shadows. Sid would wield the green saber like Luke in Return of the Jedi because he brought us back out of the shadows and led us to another Stanley Cup in 2009.
- Evgeni Malkin would have the purple lightsaber. You know, deep down, Malkin is very much like Mace Windu. Windu was powerful, talented and tip-toes along the line of the light side and dark side of the Force. Malkin is big, a talented skater and scorer and he often tip-toes the line between smart and on the edge on the ice.
- Mario Lemieux's lightsaber would be blue I think. I see Lemieux in a similar light as Obi-Wan Kenobi. In his youth, Obi-Wan was perhaps the most talented Jedi but his powers were overshadowed by the likes of Yoda, Mace Windu, etc. However, in his prime and older age, he was the one of the most powerful Jedi and a guiding light for the future. Mario Lemiuex is ver similar. He was one of, if not the most, talented players in NHL history. Unfortunately, because of injuries, he is often overshadowed on the national level by the likes of Wayne Gretzky. I think however, he is very much the best ever. In his older years, he became a guiding light just as Obi-Wan did for Luke. He rescued the Penguins from bankruptcy, kept the team in Pittsburgh, mentored a young Sidney Crosby and brought the Cup back to Pittsburgh.
- Finally, I think Jaromir Jagr would have the red lightsaber. Jagr would likely be painted the Darth Vader in Penguins history. Anakin Skywalker was supposed to be "the Chosen One;" the one to bring balance to the Force. He was a powerful young Jedi that was swayed and joined the Dark Side in the prime of his life. This of course is when he becomes Darth Vader and becomes a servant of evil. Jagr, like Anakin Skywalker, was a talented young prodigy, expected to take the place of Lemieux and be the ultimate force of the Penguins. Instead, he asked to be traded and has been cast as the villain for the last 15 years. Though cast in that light, people still love him and wish him to return to fulfill his role that he did not in the past. I think Jagr therefore would wield the red saber.
Jeff, this was such a fun question. Thank you for asking it!
Projected Penguin Lines & Pairs
- Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Conor Sheary
- David Perron - Evgeni Malkin - Phil Kessel
- Sergei Plotnikov - Nick Bonino - Patric Hornqvist
- Kevin Porter - Matt Cullen - Eric Fehr
Pairs:
- Olli Maatta - Trevor Daley
- Ben Lovejoy - Brian Dumoulin
- Ian Cole - David Warsofsky
Power Play Units:
- Warsofsky (point), Malkin (left half wall), Crosby (right half wall), Hornqvist (slot) and Kunitz (net)
- Daley (point), Kessel (left half wall), Maatta (right half wall), Bonino (slot) and Perron (net)
Jeff Zatkoff will start in net tonight for the Pens.
My 3 Keys to the Game
2. Full Focus: Mental lapses have cost the Penguins in both of their losses under Mike Sullivan. He is not a fan of it and neither am I. The Penguins need to keep their full focus on the game for 60 minutes. Every time they have a lapse, the Bruins will take advantage; as they did on Wednesday. Full focus, 60 minutes, period.
3. Special Teams: The PK was great against the NHL's best power play on Wednesday. Porter, Cullen, Fehr and Plotnikov were outstanding and created several shorthanded chances. I'd love to see more of that tonight. The power play on the other hand, that needs more work, much more work. It looked abysmal on Wednesday night, worse than it has looked during this season as a whole. I would like to see the guys simplify the power play. Fire shots from the point, collapse and try to get a dirty goal of a rebound. If they don't do that, they won't succeed.
My 3 Penguins to Watch
2. Nick Bonino: Returns to the lineup after missing Wednesday's game. Bones has been... lackluster, to say the least this season. Though he has had a revolving door of wingers, he really hasn't made much of an impact with the Penguins, which is concerning. Granted, most of the team has struggled, but we really haven't even since glimpses of the scoring threat we saw out West. I hope we see that guy come back soon.
3. Sergei Plotnikov: Plotnikov has really stepped up his game over the last three weeks or so. He still hasn't gotten that elusive first goal, but with the way he has played, it is not far off. Tonight, he will skate with Bonino and Hornqvist on the third line. I see him and Horny crashing the net and scoring a dirty goal. I think tonight may be the night he gets that first one.
What to Know for Attending/Watching/Listening
- The puck drops on Pens/Bruins 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 buy more, save more! Enjoy $5 off your purchase of $25, $15 off $50 or $40 off $100!
- 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.
- Finally, be sure to set your DVRs before heading to the game tonight. Following ROOT's post game coverage, the newest episode of "In The Room" will air.
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
- Miller Lite Nite at the Clubhouse in Gibsonia: 25pts
Thank you all for stopping by.
I will tweet my post game thoughts after the game tonight. So no View From Where I Sat on the blog tonight.
Pregame will return tomorrow for the Pens matchup with the Canes. Should be up around 11am. Check for it all day on Twitter and Facebook.
Enjoy the game. Enjoy Star Wars. LETS GO PENS!!! May the Force be with you all!