Pens at Panthers Grades
Mike Adams | Report Cards
Mar 7, 09:40 AM | Hype this story!
Welcome to a full-fledged goalie controversy.
Offense: D-
The Pens appeared disinterested from the start. And when you give a team coached by a ruiner of hockey a two-goal lead, you know you won’t be getting many good chances. They managed only 27 shots against a team that had allowed 29 in one period and over 90 in its last two games. Oh well, that’s what happens when you aren’t trying. Right now this team isn’t skating. It isn’t hitting. It isn’t working hard. It looks nothing like a playoff team. They did score two at even strength last night. The first was actually a hard-working goal by Malone, who jammed in a rebound of a nice shot by Hal Gill. The second was right after a power play when the penalized Florida player never made it back into the play. Letang just put it on net and it found a hole in Craig Anderson. But that was at the midway point, and the Pens did absolutely nothing after that. They were never in this one.
Defense: F
Geez, how many guys can you leave wide open in one game? This one was embarrassing in how easy the offensively challenged Panthers made it look. First goal, Malkin was lazy on the back check and left David Booth all alone in front. Second goal, Whitney just stands there helplessly as Rostislav Olesz puts home a rebound. Third one, they fumble the puck all over the place, Fleury gives up a rebound, and Orpik just flails at Stephen Weiss. On the fourth goal, they actually knocked Brett McLean down, but he scored from his knees. It was an all-around putrid effort, as the Panthers put 42 shots on goal, many of which were high-quality chances.
Power play: F
Well, some things never change. The power play is back to being awful. I hate to blame it all on Sid being back, but they are having the same issues as before he got hurt. I will say it looked like Malkin was trying to move around more, but to no avail. One problem they have is Sid plays down in the corner, where he is not a threat to shoot. Teams know it and back off, protecting against the Malkin shot and the cross-ice pass to Whitney. I fully understand the need to have a big body in front, but you have got to get Sykora or, eventually Hossa on the power play. Unless you want to put a forward at the point, maybe the best thing is to split up Geno and Sid. Maybe have one unit of Sid, Hossa, Staal and another of Malkin, Sykora, Malone. Keep Gonchar and Whitney as the point guys with both units. Whichever one is less tired starts the power play.
Penalty kill: A
They managed to do something right, and that was to not take penalties in order to protect their penalty kill. They only took two, and killed them both off efficiently. Florida didn’t really get any good chances while up a man.
Goaltending: D
As I said at the start, we have a goaltending controversy now. I imagine Conklin will get the start against Washington. Fleury was just awful last night. He could do nothing about the first goal, but the last two he allowed were just brutal rebounds. I personally would have yanked him after Florida’s second goal, since that was just a careless, lazy, lack-of-concentration rebound. It is the kind he’s infamous for, and the kind that just kills you. There is no excuse for kicking a fairly easy shot from a terrible angle right back into the slot. None. It’s something good goalies just don’t do. That’s why he would have been out at that point if I was coaching. The next one wasn’t much better. It was a high shot that most goalies suck into their chest. But he bounced it right back in front for another easy rebound. That was after he mishandled the puck and gave it away. His head seemed to be about a million miles away last night, and that is unacceptable. Conklin came in and basically shut the door, but the horses were already long gone.
Overall: D-
Just an embarrassing game all around. They looked like they would rather be over at South Beach partying. They looked as if they had too much sun the last couple days. I can see the need for a day off, as they appear very tired, but as punishment for the lack of effort, they should have flown to DC last night so the guys get the day off there instead of Florida. It has now been almost three weeks since they played their last solid all-around game against Buffalo. Since that one, while they have won some games, everything is a struggle. Somehow, they are going to have to find a way to recharge the batteries.
And now, the rest of the story…
Evgeni Malkin: F
He should have been sat on the bench last night, that’s how bad he was. Every pass, every shot went awry. The way he gave the puck to the Panthers at almost every turn, you would have sworn he was playing for them.
Sidney Crosby: D
He wasn’t much better.
Petr Sykora: F
He’s in another goal-scoring funk.
Sergei Gonchar: F
He’s been invisible lately. He’s rounding nicely into playoff form.
The Genius: F
He has all these weapons, yet he can’t figure out how to design a power play that works. Somehow, you just knew that as soon as Sid came back, it would be back to the same old, same old. “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”—Albert Einstein
Jacques Martin, Ruiner of Hockey: F
He is one of several coaches in this category. Others include Jacques Lemaire, Claude Julien, Dave Tippett, and Alain Vigneault. They just suck the life out of the game.
Striped Buffoon Huh? Call of the Game
Once again, a non-call against the Pens draws my ire. David Booth split the defense and was hacked, held, and generally mugged by Gill, yet no penalty was called. What a joke. Something that was a borderline penalty shot ended up not even being called a penalty.
Icehole of the Game
Wade Belak, for two reasons. One, he’s a former Leaf. Two, for fighting with his jersey pulled over his head. Laraque was his usually gentlemanly self in not pummeling him after he went down, but it would have been nice to see.
Monk Moment
To the entire Penguin team, which somehow managed to find their way from the beach to the arena in time for the game. Sadly, their hearts were still on the beach.
A Guide to the Grades can be found here
Comments
Michael
Mar 7, 11:42 AM
Fleury is again showing why he’s just not a top NHL goalie. He stinks.
And he’s not showing any improvement .. despite having played__over 150__NHL games. Yes, he’s “young” .. but he’s NOT improving. It is time for people to admit that this “darling” of an Overall No. 1 draft pick just isn’t panning-out. Yeah .. Marc-Andre has been a ‘cutey’ .. a fan-favorite with his easy smiles, pleasant laughs, and French accent .. he’s been a ‘darling’ and part of the “core”. But it’s time for us to move beyond this.
I have to revise my thinking .. back to my earlier opinion. Ty Conklin should be THE unquestioned No. 1 goalie now .. not merely given “equal status” with Fleury.
Conklin__earned__the No. 1 spot. He PROVED himself during the LONG stretch of games he played with Fleury out.
Conklin is the main reason (with Malkin a close second) as to why and how the Penguins were able to climb up through the standings from mid-December through February. He had the best save percentage in the entire League! He moves the puck well .. he has much better rebound-control than Fleury .. he has better positioning than Fleury .. he has a much better save percentage and GAA than Fleury. There is__no__legitimate reason for them being “tested as equals” now as we head toward the playoffs .. and this is not in the best interests of the Penguins as they go for a Stanley Cup.
Conklin has__shown__that he’s head-and-shoulders above MAF, and so Ty should be acknowledged and given that respect. But too many people (including the “Jack Adams candidate” head coach) don’t want to believe their own eyes .. they would rather deny reality and keep on parroting and clinging-onto the__unfounded__PRE-CONCEIVED notions about Ty Conklin, rather than simply looking at the empirical evidence.
Go back and read the Mike Prisuta article in ‘The Trib’ of a few weeks ago. Ty Conklin is being MESSED WITH .. and this is just plain wrong. Conklin didn’t even so much as falter at all__until__he began to be messed-with after Fleury’s rehab stint at WBS.
Michael
Mar 7, 11:55 AM
And while I’m at it ..
Therrien .. please get Jordan Staal on Malkin’s WING, and leave him there!
And put Malone on Sid’s wing, and leave him there when Hossa joins them.
Staal is just not panning-out as a center.
He’s not a playmaker and he’s not a good passer. He’s lousy at faceoffs. He’s proven that he plays well with Malkin, on Malkin’s wing. Staal can actually SCORE GOALS on Malkin’s wing.
Yes, Malone played well with Malkin and Sykora. But Staal probably would have played just as well or better with Malkin and Sykora.
Neither Talbot nor Dupuis are top-line players. They are third-liners. Max Talbot should be third-line center with Dupuis on one of his wings.
Matt Bodenschatz
Mar 7, 12:14 PM
Michael, so are we forgetting Fleury’s shutout Tuesday night already? And are we forgetting his 5 game win streak dating back to the time prior to his injury? He has a stretch of good games, then looks bad in one and he stinks? He’s 23. I’m not exactly willing to write off a 23-year-old goaltender.
As for Staal and Malone, I agree that Staal would be nice on one of the top lines, but the long-term plans for him are at center on the third line — not as a playmaker, but as a shutdown forward. Malone has said in the newspaper that he prefers playing with Malkin than Crosby and he is more productive there. I’m not saying one way or the other — but more than just Staal’s current production has to be factored into the equation.
seb f
Mar 7, 12:19 PM
amen!
Jesse Marshall
Mar 7, 01:44 PM
Ty Conklin let up 5 goals to the Ottawa Senators and didn’t play up to snuff. Every goaltender has a bad game. Conklin gave up a horrendous rebound minutes into his relief effort and the only difference is that Steven Weiss wasn’t there to wrap it around him.
Phil
Mar 7, 01:48 PM
I really didn’t want to believe that Therrien would jump right back to Crosby/Malkin/whoever this quickly. If we lose a few in a row, yeah, but he does it cause he can. That whole organization preaches that they want them on separate lines and honestly, I’m with that idea. I don’t think they have a ton of chemistry, and while I agree with the ‘F’ assessment of Malkin, could it be because he’s naturally intimidated of Crosby? Remember, he was THE guy for this team until we won that lottery.
I’m not resenting Crosby in any way, but Malkin knew there was nobody ahead of him when Sid was hurt, and I told everyone who said we were done cause Sid went down that Malkin plays otherwordly when he’s ‘the man’.
Putting Sid in Geno’s spot (no. 1 center, faceoff ability be damned) makes Geno feel like a second fiddle. If you’re going to lose a game why not lose it trying the things that are proven to work rather than what “makes sense”? On paper, a line with three 20 goal scorers is incredible…except that half of Malone and Sykora’s goals were thanks to Sid, and the other half to Crosby.
Where do all of Sid and Geno’s points come from? Either themselves or from the powerplay, not each other. They both want the puck, don’t want to support each other (but they’ll do it cause they’re competitors and teammates) as much as they want to be in charge. That’s not a knock on them either, I would want my two best players to want the puck all the time. Unfortunately that can’t happen on the same line. That’s my point.
Hopefully this will sort itself out when Hossa comes back. I just really hope that Therrien doesn’t forget the three guys not named Conklin who carried the team through Sid’s 21 missed games. Don’t subtract from that line to add to another. Hossa-Sid-Staal/Dupuis/Talbot/I don’t care. I think Kennedy or Taffe would look good there too. Energy guys that can shoot. That’s what Sid needs now that he has his scoring winger. Someone to get the puck for him.
Jonathan Farzalo
Mar 7, 02:27 PM
i would like to see talbot on that top line honestly…i liked they way he and sid worked, and i don’t want to split up malone and malking at all. That leaves staal, but, he belongs on the 3rd line center, or on malkins wing. I don’t like him with Sid, so, in this case, leave him where he has been all season, no sense changing it now.
Hossa-Sid-Talbot
Malone-Malkin-Sykora
Dupuis-Staal-# of players
Ru-Taffe-# of players
Tim
Mar 7, 02:55 PM
Every team losses. It seems like every hockey fun is ready to jump off a bridge. Ottawa is slumping and they are having goalie issues. Montreal gave the keys over to Carey Price with the playoffs only weeks away. Boston has gotten destroyed there last few games. It’s the end of the year and teams are tired. I want to see Fleury play a few more games and see how he is looking. He had a couple months off and is coming back from injury.
I will say his rebound control is an issue and that is something that needs to be fixed. Conklin and him hopefully can be adults about the situation and support each other. This team needs a few games for everyone to get on the same page.
Am I upset they lost? Of course! Am I looking for the nearest pool to drown myself in? Hell No.
GO PENS
DaBich
Mar 7, 06:23 PM
Anyone who can’t see that the Malone/Malkin/Sykora line should be kept intact isn’t seeing very well.
Max Talbot is on a tear right now, play him with Sid. Simple.
Start Conks Sunday, then see how it goes, give Fleury another chance. That’s why we have 2 goalies.
Gary
Mar 7, 08:29 PM
Yes, Dabich, anyone living on Planet Earth as opposed to Planet Therrien.
I’m glad to see you call out Orpik, Mike, but I think he deserves even more of the blame, and Fleury less, for the third goal. OK, the rebound wasn’t ideal, but it wasn’t right out in the slot. It only got there by the immortal Weiss, he of the 10 goals going into last night, took it around the sprawling Orpik. If Orpik just takes an angle slightly more to the slot, he knocks Weiss on his wallet and takes the puck away. If Weiss stops and goes the other way, he’s shooting from a bad angle.
In his second game back from a two-month layoff, Fleury has a bad game that’s not close to being entirely or even mostly his fault. He was under siege due to the complete lack of defense, and that includes the forwards (I’m looking at you, Malkin!) As for Conklin being “messed with,” Therrien has stated that he will go with the hot hand. If either goalie doesn’t understand that, he’s in the wrong business. Conklin’s back-to-back duds weren’t as likely due to being “messed with” as to his tiring from carrying the load for the last two months. He had to play nearly every game, as Sabourin showed he couldn’t get it done.
Denie
Mar 7, 08:59 PM
I agree, once again, with everything Mike said. It was the worst game I’ve seen in a long time. I know I’m being too critical, but weren’t they doing much better before Fleury and Crosby came back? I don’t think Malkin and Crosby should be on the same line. I like Malkin/Sykora/Malone. It’s worked for weeks and will continue working if Therrien keeps it that way. Crosby’s skating great and handling the puck well too, he just can’t seem to connect with scoring goals. Nobody looked like they wanted to be there last night. What about Sabourin? Didn’t I hear that they were keeping all 3 goalies? Hopefully, their next game will look better and Therrien leaves well enough alone with how it worked while Crosby and Fleury were gone.
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