Defense MIA - Pens Lose 5-2

Jonathan Farzalo | Pittsburgh Penguins

Mar 18, 07:56 PM | Hype this story!
1 2 3 Tot.
0 2 0 2
 
Tot. 1 2 3
5 2 1 2
 
Summary
This game marked the Penguins countdown to the playoffs, and a span of 10 games that will determine the seeding in the East as many teams, including Pittsburgh, will be matching up against divisional opponents, match-ups the Penguins haven’t done particularly well with this year.

"It’s going to be tight," Head Coach Michel Therrien said. "We’d like to finish in first place. We’re going to give it everything we’ve got. We’re positioned to control our own destiny."

Once again Pittsburgh was without the services of their captain and center Sidney Crosby and after a few days off Ty Conklin got the nod in net.  A team that many counted out, the New York Rangers have had a great few weeks, minus a stop in Florida where they lost 2 straight. They have been holding on to the 6-spot nicely.  While the Penguins who many figured would crumble when Fleury went down, weathered the storm due to the play of Conklin.  Then when Sidney Crosby was lost to injury  people assumed they would falter, but due to the great play of what FSN Pittsburgh is calling the "Steel City Line" of Malkin, Sykora, and Malone, the Penguins have soared to fighting for the top spot.

They didn’t do anything to show they deserved to be fighting for that spot tonight.

From the drop of the puck the Penguins looked tired and actually bored.  They lost almost every battle for the puck, were out hustled, out muscled, and simply outplayed.  Conklin almost gave up an easy goal when the puck took a weird bounce behind the net, he somehow recovered and shut the door on an open net shot.  The Pens failed to convert on their powerplay, something that they will need to start doing if they are to succeed.  Soon after, the Rangers scored 2 goals in quick succession. The first, a weak goal by a good shot, not a great shot, from Avery.  Our defense did it’s typical ‘backing in" and let him wrist it home, however Ty really did have a chance to make the save and did not.  The second, Ty Conklin did his best Marc-Andre Fleury impression and tossed up a nice juicy rebound that was knocked in easily.  The period the Penguins played against the Rangers resembled a team that was fighting to be IN the playoffs, not one expected to excel in them.

In the 2nd, a bad giveaway and change led to a Rutuu breakaway, and anyone who watches this guy take shootouts knows he hardly misses, and he buried this chance as well, going to what appeared to be his patented move, beating Lundqvist badly.  Quickly after, Staal banged home a 2nd chance that materialized from another bad play by the Rangers.  Making it 2-2.  However, just as the Penguins looked to have turned the tide, a horrid play by the Penguins defense, who dilly-dallied with the puck behind the net and then threw it up the center of the ice, led directly to a goal by New York.  About 1/2 way through the period, a Dupuis penalty led to an ‘almost’ goal, and then a solid kill.  Another bad bounce behind the net for Conklin and another "almost" goal that he had to cleanup after….just putrid defense by Pittsburgh at this point.  There is no excuse for the turnovers they handed their opponents tonight.  While they looked ‘better’ in the 2nd, the Penguins just did not play with any hop tonight and it really shows, on the ice, and on the scoreboard.

Anyone hoping that the Pens would come out hungry after playing a lackluster 2 periods were disappointed about 6 minutes into the 3rd.   Another lapse in coverage led to Avery’s 2nd goal of the night, in which he undressed Conklin in front of the net.  Even more hideous defensive zone coverage allowed the Rangers to convert again, making it 5-2.  Conklin played very human tonight and showed that he may not be "the guy" for the playoffs. With many poor goals, some his defense’s fault, some a mixture, leaves me wondering why he wasn’t yanked?!  If Fleury had been in net I’m pretty sure he would have got the boot….I’m hoping Conklin didn’t simply because the game was getting out of hand and there wasn’t a need to put more icetime on the recently recovered ankle of Fleury.

This is the type of game that the Pens needed to win, a divisional game, against a team they could meet in the playoffs.  They perhaps got cocky after notching 14 goals in 2 games, and the Rangers made them pay for it.  Whatever took place (or didn’t take place) in the offensive zone tonight paled in comparison to the downright sickening play at the other end.  You could place blame on the officials for the lack of calls, as they did miss some.  You could place blame on the coach, perhaps he didn’t prepare them somehow.  The problem with doing that would be, the Penguins defense, not just defensemen, lost this game for them…plain and simple.
 
Three Stars
# Player Team Pos. Stats
1 Avery NYR W 2 Goals
2 Straka NYR W 1 Goal, 1 Assist
3 Drury NYR C 2 Assists
 
Stat Line
  Shots Faceoffs Power Plays
  1 2 3 OT Total Won Lost Converted Total
Pittsburgh 8 11 3 - 22 16 27 0 1
Rangers 12 9 9 - 30 27 16 0 2
 
Scoring Summary
Per. Time Team Goal Assist Assist
1 11:07
11:47		 NYR
NYR		 Sean Avery
Ryan Callahan		 Jagr
Drury		 Rozsival
Straka
2 01:38
03:11
03:55		 Pit
Pit
NYR		 Jarkko Ruutu
Jordan Staal
Fredrik Sjostrom		 Whitney
Dupuis
– 		Sydor
Hossa
3 05:37
11:29		 NYR
NYR		 Sean Avery
Martin Straka		 Girardi
Drury		 Dubinsky
 
Penalty Summary
Per. Time Team Player Penalty
1 07:32 NYR Gomez Hooking – 2 min

2		 06:27
06:27
08:26
15:20		 Pit
NYR
Pit
Pit		 Malone
Avery
Dupuis
Staal		 Unsportsmanlike – 2 min
Unsportsmanlike – 2 min
Hooking – 2 min
Tripping – 2 min
3 - - - -

Comments

  1. Matt Bodenschatz

    Mar 18, 08:52 PM

    While Conklin, by no means, had great help from his defense, he was fighting the puck all night. It started early when he misplayed the puck behind the net and continued through the reviewed non-goal (which really appeared to be a goal, but had no conclusive evidence). I’m not saying he’s doo-doo or anything, but he’s certainly not the same goalie he was in January.

    With all of that being said, I think tonight could be a solid vote against Conklin filling the starter role.

    Let’s look at stats since Fleury returned:

    Fleury:
    5 starts, 4-1-0 1 shutout
    8 goals-against, 1.60 GAA, .947 Sv%

    Conklin:
    5 starts, 1-4-0, 0 shutouts
    17 goals-against, 3.40 GAA .866 Sv%

    The numbers clearly are showing that, since Fleury’s return from injury, he has been the more reliable goaltender. The fact is, he needs to play until his game falls off — if it does.

  2. Tim

    Mar 18, 10:09 PM

    I have to agree Matt about, Fleury he has been the better goal tender lately. I saw it in the Boston game, and some people might disagree, but I think his confidence slipped. It seemed like once he would be fighting for the starting job he began over thinking everything.

    Does anyone know if Eaton will be able to come back for the playoffs? I presumed he was done for the year is that so?

  3. DaBich

    Mar 19, 03:39 AM

    Such a disappointing game. I kept waiting for MT to yank Conks, but he did not. Bad judgement. Fleury might have changed the outcome of the game. But then, the way the TEAM was playing (or NOT playing), perhaps not.

  4. Matt Bodenschatz

    Mar 19, 06:24 AM

    Tim, Eaton is done for the year and could, possibly, miss some of next year’s training camp (with whichever team he plays for).

    Dabich, I think the reason Conks wasn’t yanked is just as you said: the team wasn’t playing and Conklin wasn’t playing. Why subject Fleury to such a situation? I agree with goalie changes mid-game when the team or the goalie isn’t playing well, but when both aren’t, it’s no point in ruining the psyche of both goalies.

  5. Jonathan Farzalo

    Mar 19, 06:55 AM

    very true about the goalies…I also really do feel it was not done because they didn’t really have a chance, and there was no need to give MAF more icetime with his recent return…

  6. Mike Wilson

    Mar 19, 08:07 AM

    I was hoping Conklin would have been yanked when it was 2-0, that was the only chance the Pens had at turning it around. But I agree with the notion that after it became 4-2, there was no need to put Fleury in on a lost cause.

    I’ve been disappointed with the play of Sydor and Whitney too and can’t wait for Scuderi to come back so one of them can sit.

Commenting is closed for this article.