Pens/Wings Game 4 Grades
Mike Adams | Report Cards
Jun 5, 10:56 AM | Hype this story!
It’s a series now
It’s a best of three
Fleury, Malkin, Crosby, Staal
Lead way in Pens’ win
Offense: B
They are still unable to break through on the Wings’ defense, but they did notch two even-strength tallies last night. They were both off tremendous transition plays. First Geno and Sid wrapped Osbad inside out on a two-on-one. Don’t feel bad, Chris, they do it to most goalies. Well, except Hall-of-Famers. Then Sid, Kunitz, and Mr. Kennedy just eviscerated that vaunted Detroit defense for a tic-tac-toe goal that turned Osbad into a pretzel. Just a thing of beauty. The Pens really didn’t have a lot going on until that little outburst. But from then on, it was a different game. They played the Wings on even terms while protecting the lead.
Defense: A-
A brutal giveaway by Reliable Rob gave Superstar Helm Detroit’s first goal. Other than that, they were solid all night.
Yeo play: A
They scored yet another power play goal, this one on a great play by Geno from behind the goal line. His was the last of three shots in a row they had put at the net. Osbad stopped Staal, then Letang missed the net. But Geno picked up the garbage and deposited it behind Osbad. It was a case of great puck retrieval once again. As I said the other day, you work that hard on the PP, and you will be rewarded.
Penalty kill: A
They killed them all, but that was more thanks to Fleury than anything. But they earn the A because Staal’s shorthanded tally turned the game (and hopefully the series) around. Detroit had been dominating to that point, but Staal changed all that with one great rush.
Goaltending: A
Flower was spectacular last night. I’m not sure you can say he stole the game, but it was darn close to that. For the first period plus, the Wings had one great chance after another, and Fleury stood tall. They got two by him, but he didn’t see either one. And once they got the lead, he was a wall. After a shaky Game 1 and a bad goal in Game 2, he has rebounded to play spectacularly.
Overall: A
It’s all tied up! I lost hope for a bit when Detroit went ahead, but Staal changed all that. He got the crowd back into it, and seemed to inspire his mates with the shorthanded effort. The most impressive thing was how well they played defensively after gaining the lead. Detroit had a few good looks, but certainly didn’t take it to the Pens in the third.
And now, the rest of the story…
Sid: A
For the first time in the series, Sid was Sid. A goal and a beautiful assist on the Mr. Kennedy goal. He was just doing everything right.
Geno: A
To think, it was only a month ago I was ripping him for disappearing against Washington. Oh, how he has proven me wrong. He is far and away the best player in this series, and his confidence is growing nightly. He is just dominant on most shifts. You have to wonder, if Datsyuk remains out, does Babcock put Zetterberg on him in Detroit? They have to do something to slow the beast down.
Jordan Staal: A
What an effort on the shorty. They need to get some offense from him to have a chance, and he was there last night. Now, about those faceoffs…
Bill Guerin: F
In Game 3, he perfectly screened Osbad on the winning goal. Last night, he gave Detroit their second goal with a perfect screen on Fleury. And he only has one assist in the Final.
Versus: F
Is anyone else sick of those ads during play that seem to take up half the screen? I hate to tell you, Versus, but I still don’t know what they’re for because I spend the whole time craning my head to try to look around them for the puck.
Striped Buffoon Huh? Call of the Game
Did Brad Watson suddenly morph into Bill McCreary? Or is it that no NHL refs actually understand the rules? Can someone please explain to me how Chris Kunitz was not awarded a goal on the empty net? First, here is the rule:
26.1 Awarded Goal – A goal will be awarded to the attacking team when the opposing team has taken their goalkeeper off the ice and an attacking player has possession and control of the puck in the neutral or attacking zone on, without a defending player between himself and the opposing goal, and he is prevented from scoring as a result of an infraction committed by the defending team (see 26.3 Infractions – When Goalkeeper is Off the Ice, below).
Hmm, seems pretty straightforward to me. Let’s go through the checklist, shall we?
1. Opposing team has taken their goalkeeper off the ice. Check.
2. An attacking player has possession and control of the puck in the neutral or attacking zone on. Check.
3. Without a defending player between himself and the opposing goal. Check.
4. He is prevented from scoring as a result of an infraction committed by the defending team. Check.
Now tell me again why it wasn’t a goal? It’s not as if he didn’t see a penalty, as he called one. I mean, it really doesn’t get any more straightforward than this. And if a ref can’t get a call like this right, tell me why he is officiating in the Final. I would really love to hear Stephen Walkom’s doublespeak on this one. And I would like all the Red Wing fans who are crying that the refs are against them to remember this non-call, as well as the two non-calls for Zetterberg covering the puck in the crease, the next time they go whining about a conspiracy against their beloved team.
Free Cookie
He splattered Lidstrom into the end boards. Oh, okay, so it was interference. But he still splattered him.
Kunikaze
Brian Rafalski felt his wrath.
Icehole of the Game
Gee, Kirk Maltby wins it again. This POC has no business even playing in this league. He is nothing but a hack at this stage of his career. First, he skates by the Pens’ bench and hits guys’ sticks, trying to incite them. Doesn’t work, Kirk. Maybe it did in the dark ages, when you could actually play a little. Then he either speared or slashed Sid right behind the knee (and right in front of McCreary, I might add) with no call. What a piece of crap he is.
A Guide to the Grades can be found here
Comments
Pens1967
Jun 5, 11:23 AM
Phil Borque on the radio post-game show said that Mikael Samuelson was busy giving two-handers to any Penguin he could reach near the end of the game. Borque called him a “dirty, dirty player”.
Also, someone on one of the post-game shows said the game of keep away the Pens played on the game-ending PP was designed to send a subtle message to Detroit.
thrilla
Jun 5, 11:33 AM
Z was mathed up with malkin more than sid last night
emo
Jun 5, 02:44 PM
I initially thought it should have been an awarded goal too, but now I’m not sure. You found rule 26.1, but I think you stopped reading too soon. Here’s rule 26.3 from the NHL Rulebook (http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26310):
26.3 Infractions – When Goalkeeper is Off the Ice – Refer to the Reference Tables – Table 14 – Summary of Awarded Goals (When Goalkeeper has been Removed for an Extra Attacker) for a list of the infractions that shall result in an awarded goal being awarded when the goalkeeper has been removed for an extra attacker (see specific rule numbers for complete descriptions).
Here’s the aforementioned Table 14:
Table 14 – Rule 26 – Awarded Goals
Summary of Awarded Goals When Goalkeeper Has Been Removed for an Extra Attacker
Description Rule
(i) Delaying the game Rule 63
(ii) Handling the puck Rule 67
(iii) Illegal substitution Rule 68
(iv) Interference Rule 56
(v) Leaving the players’ or penalty bench Rule 70
(vi) Throwing stick Rule 53
(vii) Tripping Rule 57
Kronwall was assessed a hooking penalty on the play, and that isn’t one of the criteria on the list. Why it isn’t I have no idea, but from reading this it seems McCreary might have actually made the correct call.
That didn’t stop me from yelling “That’s a goal, mustache!” repeatedly at the top of my lungs last night, but it’s all irrelevant now; the important thing is that the Pens won. =)
Ray aka WildcatRay
Jun 5, 03:08 PM
Add Cleary’s (intentionally?) tripping of Orpik with less than 10 seconds left in the game and the wing dings a man down to the list of cheap or dirty plays. “Your 2 goals and a man down. You ain’t gonna win. Act like a mature person and concede the game like they now do in college basketball.”
(For those unaware of college basketball, when the shot clock is off and the lead is large enough, the defensive team will back off of the ball handler and let the clock run out. I’m not sure, but would not be surprised that the same is true in pro basketball, too.)
Kudos to Jordan:
JORDAN STAAAAAAL!
He swatted that wing ding (Rafalski) like a gnat before beating Osgood like a rented mule!
Oy and double oy!
Did anyone else hear about the unconfirmed reports of infighting emanating from the wing dings locker room after the game? It would not surprise me because they have looked to be a tired bunch that past two games while the Pens looked quite refreshed last night. The Pens need to keep that edge in tomorrow night’s Game 5.
Mike Adams
Jun 5, 03:25 PM
@ EMO,
Man, does that mean I have to cut McCreary some slack? I guess if you go by the letter of the rule, he got it right. Not sure that’s the intent of the rule, though. LIke you, I’m baffled by how they include tripping but not hooking in there. The intent, I imagine, is to call a goal when a guy with an open net is prevented from shooting, and that’s exactly what happened. Garage league.
emo
Jun 5, 04:04 PM
@Ray:
Craig Custance (sportingnews.com) made mention of the Wings’ allegedly bickering, which I found courtesy of Kukla’s Korner:
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/penguins_take_note/
While I suppose that’s a good sign for the Pens, Detroit has too much of a veteran presence and experience for something like that to carry over to Game 5. They might very well be wearing down, but I’d be absolutely shocked if this was the beginning of a meltdown for that team.
@Mike:
Agreed on the intent of the rule. Really odd that while the goalie’s pulled, a hook on the player carrying the puck towards the open net doesn’t get you an awarded goal, but an illegal substitution (which I don’t even think will get you a 2 minute minor) would.
As for McCreary, he missed Maltby’s (BTW, no idea why Babcock dressed that hack instead of Abdelkader, but whatev) hack on Sid and a pretty blatant high stick on Fedotenko. I don’t think you have to cut him anything.
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