Post-Game Notes: Penguins vs. Maple Leafs
Matt Bodenschatz | National Hockey League
Oct 26, 10:08 AM | Hype this story!
With Mike Adams on vacation and an absence of his Game Grades, I’ll attempt to fill some of the void with some post-game notes and opinionated observations.
1. I like the reward system coach Michel Therrien used to promote forward Adam Hall, who has been a great addition to the penalty kill and to the fourth line. But, why is the same system not applied to all players?
Petr Sykora got bumped to third line, despite being, quite possibly, the team’s best pure goal scorer; Mark Recchi stayed on the top line despite having hands of stone, which he demonstarted multiple times last night; and what about Armstrong dropping to the fourth line, despite having success on a super-pest third line with Maxime Talbot and Gary Roberts? Consistency in player treatment is all I ask.
2. The “all the eggs in one basket” method does not work. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin must be split up to create two scoring lines. If Therrien needs a big shut down line build one, but not at the expense of having two scoring lines. Therrien came into last night’s game with a mentality of outlasting Toronto and beating them in a low-scoring duel. He failed miserably.
3. What happened to the intensity the Penguins showed at the end of the second period? They came out in the third absolutely flat and completely disinterested. The lack of effort was proof that this team must be on top of its game to be a top-notch team. So here’s a solution: play hockey for 60 minutes. Not 20. Not 40. 60.
4. Despite poor statistics, I find it hard to fault Marc-Andre Fleury last night. He started the game looking sharp and confident. The defense bailed him out in the first two periods the few times he gave up rebounds. Then, inexplicably, in the third, the defense gave up on him. Of all the goals scored, he is at fault on, maybe, one of them. All of the others either came off of deflections — at least two of which were deflected by Penguins defensemen — or poor outlet passes that were intercepted and converted into scoring chances.
When the team in front of him makes smart decisions, Fleury is able to do the same. But when the team in front of him quits, he is stuck trying to cover for them, and that shouldn’t be asked of any goalie on a consistent basis — yet it was last night.
5. Talbot had a scary moment in the first period when he fell into the boards face first. He didn’t return to the game and was mentioned as having a neck injury — though he did skate off the ice. Losing Talbot for any length of time could be a bad thing for this team. We’ll stay close to this one.
6. Has Rob Scuderi turned into a new player? He’s passing the puck well, skating well, throwing the occasional hit, and getting his stick in the passing and shooting lane. I’m gladly eating my words from earlier this season and preseason, when I said Scuderi is not an NHL-caliber defenseman. He has obviously worked on his game and is playing very solid hockey. And while I’m giving credit, Mark Eaton deserves much, as well. He’s looked great, and is a stabilizing presence on a very shaky blueline corps.
Comments
Ben
Oct 26, 11:32 AM
I actually felt the team really lost their drive after Talbot got injured. They showed a few signs of life in the second period, but nothing really sustained. The timing may be coincidence, but that was really the turning point, from my observation.
Another interesting thing I’ve noticed: when the Penguins are doing well, they’re hitting – backcheck, forecheck, center ice – they’re just hitting everything. When they aren’t doing well, they aren’t hitting. I don’t think the hitting is making them win – rather, I think it’s a symptom of the same problem. They stop playing with what Therrien calls “desperation” – I’d call it “passion.”
When they’ve got their blood flowing, and they’re ready to play, they hit hard, they steal pucks, and they create chances like few other teams can. When they stop having that drive, they stop hitting, they stop getting the puck, and they start giving away the puck. Something’s going on in their heads right now. I’m just not sure what. I just hope they figure it out soon.
Hacker
Oct 26, 11:38 AM
You pretty much sums up my feelings about the game as well.
Recchi on the first line seemes to be the one holy grail Therrien got. Penguins have to find some line consistency and to play players where they have a chance to succeed.
Malkin is due up to center his own line. WHy he´s playing winger nowadays is beyond me. Sykora is not a checker, and should never play as one.
MAF should not be blamed for this loss. He was nowhere near the problem in this game!
Matt Bodenschatz
Oct 26, 11:47 AM
Ben, good point about the Talbot injury draining the team. That could very well have been the turning point, though they still managed some very solid and productive shifts after it happened. And I’m with you in regards to the muck and grind mentality. When the team has it, they are dominant. When they don’t, they are pushovers. Interestingly, we saw both mentalities/styles last night.
Hacker, I hope your nickname is just that, a nickname, and not a title, haha. But seriously, what was Therrien thinking last night? It’s beginning to become very obvious that he has no clue how to construct lines and, when he does conjure up something that looks good, he has no patience to let it work. It’s really becoming a major problem.
Hacker
Oct 26, 12:42 PM
It´s actually my surname ;)
My big question is: how to evaluate something when you´re splitting it up before it´s given a chance to see if it´s working.
The onlything we can evaluate is playing Recchi with Crosby and now it´s the time to conclude that this is a failure!
And why play Malone RW? Malkin RW? Recchi LW?
I´m actually all for giving Christensen a shot as Malkins RW, as he tried in the preseason. He must be on a scoringline to be effective, and he needs to find a confidence that he will never find playing in a role that´s doomed to fail.
DaBich
Oct 26, 01:01 PM
A few thoughts…
I wonder what was said/what went down in the locker room after the second period? It sure looked like a different team came back out in the third.
Talbot will be a HUGE loss if the injury is worse than it seems. That guy adds a spark to the whole team. I thought I saw him skate out AFTER the first onto the ice a bit…I lost track of him after that…
This is the Rob Scuderi I saw last season. No one believed me! Seriously, when he’s on his game, he’s very good…as he showed us last night. I’ll defend him till I’m blue in the face. Facepaint, anyone? ;)
And last but not least…IMPEACH THERRIEN!!!
ryan boyle
Oct 26, 01:03 PM
Hey all,
Did i see evidence of a defense on both teams for 2 periods or were the offenses just slacking?
Of course i’m happy with the win especially when you see the potential the leafs have if they can keep the GA down. I’m speechless about Tlusty, i mean first NHL game and he scores the go ahead and game winning goal within seconds of each other.
oh well i don’t want to rub it in as it’s most likely just a false hope of potential that i’ve become very used to as a leafs fan.
oh also did anyone notice how crappy the telecast was, it was insanely bright to the point where it looked like the players were just floating…..?
Matt Bodenschatz
Oct 26, 02:10 PM
Hacker, I can breathe a sigh of relief. As for your question about judging the lines without giving them a real look, I have no clue. It makes absolutely no sense. Every team in the NHL has set lines that may change slightly on occasion, but not from game to game or shift to shift. It’s ridiculous, to say the least.
Dabich, I was wondering the same. The team during the third period was not the same team that played the first two periods. And, like you, I saw Talbot on the ice before the second period. I think holding him out was more precautionary than anything. As for Scuderi, I always new the defense was in him. He’s always been good with that aspect of his game — his problem areas were his skating and puck movement. But he’s improved significantly, and I’ll eat dirt.
And no impeachment of Therrien yet. He just needs a little talking to.
Ryan, you sure did see a defensive game for two periods. And, while the Penguins fans here are tangled up in Therrien and whatnot, the fact is, Toronto has a very good offense right now, and they turned it on in the third. Tlusty looks great, and he could turn out to be a heck of a player short term and long term.
As for the telecast, it wasn’t bad in Pittsburgh — then again, Bob Errey does commentate, so maybe I should take back that statement.
DaBich
Oct 26, 02:29 PM
“ As for Scuderi, I always new the defense was in him. He’s always been good with that aspect of his game — his problem areas were his skating and puck movement. But he’s improved significantly, and I’ll eat dirt.”
Want kethup with that? lol
Haha on the Errey comment.
Ryan, I was definitely impressed with Tlusty!
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