Faceoff Factor

Pens/Flyers Game 5 Grades

Mike Adams | Report Cards

May 19, 11:15 AM | Hype this story!

Perfection!

Offense: A

They got four even strength goals past a wilting Martin Biron. The Pens came out flying early and never let up the entire 60 minutes. They drew a Mike K-nob penalty just a couple minutes in, leading to the key first power play. Once they got the lead, they kept looking for more. Ryno set up the next one with a great play on a wandering Biron. He didn’t hit the Flyer goalie, but he crowded him. Biron tried to punch or push Malone and lost his stick in the process. He also lost his net and the puck, and Geno stuffed it in short side on him when he couldn’t locate either. But Biron’s travails were just starting. In the second period, Sid (after a wonderful backcheck) came up the ice and fed Hossa, who zinged a one-timer past Biron on the short side. The formerly inept Jordan Staal put the dagger through the Flyers’ heart with just over a minute to go when he backhanded a loose puck over a stunned Biron. Dupuis iced the cake with a deflection of a Hossa shot early in the third, and that was that for a dominating performance.

Defense: A

It was another tremendous defensive effort by the Pens. As they have done so often in these playoffs, they got the lead and gave the opponent next to nothing the rest of the game. There were few second chances. Well, in fact, there were few first chances. Team defense is a wonderful thing when every single player buys in. And these Pens sure have bought in to The Genius’s system. It is working to near perfection. The neutral zone defense (please don’t call it a trap says the Genius) is nothing short of superb. Again yesterday, they never allowed the Flyers to get their wheels moving, meaning the Flyers rarely came with any speed into the zone. The Pens just have sticks everywhere. They let almost no plays at all work. This whole series, and really, these whole playoffs, have been a thing of beauty. Not since Kevin Constantine has this team shown such a commitment in its own end. That group had to because they had little talent, especially on the blue line. This team just does it because they know it wins.

Power play: A

Once again, the Pens got few power plays, but they capitalized on those they did get. And again, they scored the key goal while up a man. That was on the first PP of the game, right off the draw. Sid appeared to be taking a shot from the top of the right circle, but instead slapped a pass to Malone along the goal line. Ryno tipped it past a helpless Biron for a lead the Pens never relinquished. Malone notched another power play marker in a similar fashion in the second, deflecting a Sarge wrister past Biron. The Pens ended up 5 for 18 on the PP in the series, and most of those five were huge goals. As it has been throughout the playoffs, the “loaded” power play put together by The Genius was a difference-maker.

Penalty kill: A

The PK was back to its usual sterling self yesterday. The Flyers really only had two chances (the other ones being a six-seconder and one at the end of the game), but the Pens killed them both effortlessly. They gave the Flyboys only three shots, and Flower was never really tested when the Pens were down a man. The Flyers did have a lot of zone time, but the Pens kept everything to the outside. Again, sticks and bodies were always in the proper lanes. They had a lot of quickness while killing, too. They were able to put pressure on the Flyers all over the zone so that they were never able to get set up and find an open guy for a quality shot.

Goaltending: A

Another sterling performance by the blossoming Flower. He wasn’t tested too often, but he did come up with some absolutely brilliant saves. Two in particular come to mind. Well, three, actually. First were the back-to-back toe saves when it was 2-0 and a Flyer goal could have totally changed the momentum. The last came with about 5 minutes to play, just as Doc and Edzo were talking about how good he has been. He went left to right, fully extended, to stop a Carter one-timer. That was pure brilliance. He has certainly erased the demons of pressure games past with his performance in these playoffs. It has gotten to the point that you are shocked anytime a puck eludes him. That’s how good he has been.

Overall: A

Who could have imagined this back in November, when this team was struggling so mightily? Who could have foreseen this on November 22, when they fell behind Ottawa 2-0 after losing to New Jersey at home the previous night? They were 8-11-2 and going nowhere. But they came back to win that Ottawa game, and it was indeed a turning point. They are an amazing 51-18-6 since then, with long stretches without Flower and Crosby thrown in. They played a near perfect game yesterday. Well, you know it was when I cannot find one thing to criticize. And it has been that way for a while now. Oh sure, there is the occasional Game 4 lapse, but that’s about it.

And now, the rest of the story…

Marian Hossa: A

So, I think we can put to rest those thoughts that Marian Hossa is not a playoff performer. I have to admit, I bought into it too. Early on, against Ottawa, I was calling him “Choke-sa.” How wrong I was. He was once again a monster yesterday, and not only because he had four points. He was just everywhere, as he has been throughout the playoffs. Forechecking. Backchecking. Scoring. Passing. He’s just been doing it all. This guy is a far better player than I ever imagined, and the deal to get him is looking more lopsided by the day. Oh, by the way, he’s tied for second in playoff scoring.

Sidney Crosby: A

That backcheck that led to the goal neatly encapsulated exactly what Sid is all about. Talk about leadership.

The Genius: A

Everything he did turned to gold. He really did have this team ready to play yesterday, and kept them engaged the whole game.

Craig Patrick: A

Boy, you know good things are happening when I give him an A. But let’s not forget who brought The Genius into the organization.

Jordan Staal: A

Six goals in 14 playoff games. Can you say big-game player?

Sarge: A

He has been a force at both ends of the ice, and is another guy shedding his playoff demons.

Rob Scuderi: A

Do you realize he almost had goals in back to back games? But, alas, he got none. That shot off the upright would have made for a nice extra point. Instead, the Pens had to settle for just the touchdown.

Martin Biron: D

He wasn’t the reason the Flyers lost the series, but he wasn’t very good either. A 3.62 GAA and .876 save percentage simply ain’t gonna get ‘er done.

Flyer Goonism: F

But I have to give them full credit. They could have come out in the third and really just been headhunting. But they didn’t. They basically were good little boys and played out the string.

Monk Moment

Flower gets it again for that save on Carter, and the toe saves back to back. They were just brilliant.

Icehole of the Game

Let’s go back and re-award this to Steve Downie just on principle. But thanks, Stevie, for handing the Pens two games.

A Guide to the Grades can be found here http://www.faceoff-factor.com/grading-the-pens/979/a-guide-to-the-game-grades