Pens Lose, 0-8 on PP

Jonathan Farzalo | Pittsburgh Penguins

Apr 6, 07:33 PM | Hype this story!
1 2 3 Tot.
0 0 0 0
 
Tot. 1 2 3
2 0 1 1
 
Summary

The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the game without Sidney Crosby, who was sitting out via a coaching decision.  Hard to really think that they would do that with the Conference on the line, but perhaps they decided that it was better to have guys healthy than earn 1st.

Early in the game Roberts showed he hasn’t lost his touch, by taking an ill-advised penalty, just like he did before he was injured.  The penalty killers did a good job and Sykora had a nice opportunity right after, but missed the net.  The first two powerplays for Pittsburgh looked horrible and out of sync and the Flyers had more chances on the PK.  With 18 seconds left on the 2nd man advantage, Mr. Post, Jordan Staal, almost put one in, but it stayed 0-0.  With less than a minute to go, Gonchar took a interference penalty, that didn’t seem to be much of a call, but the Flyers took a page from the Penguins playbook and received a Too Many Men on the Ice penalty, leaving it 4 on 4.

In the 1st period, the Penguins worn the crown of giveaway kings.  

To start the 2nd, the Penguins once again handed the Flyers more shorthanded chances and are now 0-4 on the powerplay, never even getting setup in the offensive zone.  The game is a hardhitting, but also uneventful, aside from random penalties.  At the halfway point in the game, Fleury really looked sharp, making some key saves and allowing the Pens a chance to win.  With the Pens 5th powerplay, the Flyers had a 3on 1 shorthanded chance that Marc-Andre shutdown with an amazing save, showing yet again why he is the Penguins goaltender for the playoffs.  On the 6th Penguins powerplay, yet another oddman rush against, yet another killer save by Fleury. 

Upshall scores on the backhand right off a faceoff loss by the Penguins.  Many people have been preaching it could be their demise in the playoffs, this just shows why.  In a 0-0 game, that was a draw you must win, period.  Staal is just not good enough on draws to be taking them in the defensive zone like that.  Why not throw him on wing, put Hall in as center, and after the faceoff have them switch?  Not a typical thing, but let’s be honest, the stats for Staal on the faceoffs are not even close.

At the end of the 2nd period, the Penguins are down 1-0, but it’s not due to lack of chances, as they are 0-6 on the powerplay and have done nothing but let the Flyers have shorthanded shots and given away the puck.  This is not a team with urgency.  Sure, it’s not for a position in the playoffs, but why give the Flyers momentum going into the postseason?  Why allow your team to go in on a loss?

Pens start the 3rd down a man, that’s Ruutu, and he earns another trip at almost 3 minutes in as well.  The remainder of the period and game was more of the same, with the Pens letting chances slip through their fingers, and absolutely ending the regular season on a sour note.  In all honesty, this might have been the most uninspired 3 periods of hockey I’ve seen from the Penguins this season, aside from Marc-Andre Fleury.  Another lackluster hold by Ryan Whitney at the point, led to the Flyers moving through the zone after the Pens pulled the goalie and the game was now in hand 2-0.

So, it’s Ottawa and Pittsburgh again this year, difference is, a better and more experienced Penguins team, and home ice for them as well.

 
Three Stars
# Player Team Pos. Stats
1 Biron Phi G 20 Saves
2 Knuble Phi W 1 Goal, 1 Assist
3 Marc-Andre Fleury Pit G 20 Saves
 
Stat Line
  Shots Faceoffs Power Plays
  1 2 3 OT Total Won Lost Converted Total
Pittsburgh 4 8 8 - 20 25 31 0 8
Philadelphia 6 10 6 - 22 31 35 0 4
 
Scoring Summary
Per. Time Team Goal Assist Assist
1 -
2 18:30 Phi Scottie Upshall Knuble Carter
3 19:07 Phi Mike Knuble Carter
 
Penalty Summary
Per. Time Team Player Penalty
1 04:13
06:31
08:50
11:51
19:10
19:10		 Pit
Phi
Phi
Pit
Pit
Phi		 Roberts
Biron
Richards
Gill
Gonchar
Bench		 Roughing – 2 min
Highstick – 2 min
Interference – 2 min
Roughing – 2 min
Interference – 2 min
Too Many Men – 2 min

2		 00:49
03:30
12:04
14:28
20:00		 Phi
Phi
Phi
Phi
Pit		 Carter
Knuble
Downie
Hartnell
Ruutu		 Hooking – 2 min
Cross Check – 2 min
Roughing – 2 min
Interference – 2 min
Interference – 2 min
3 02:31
05:57
12:02
18:00
18:00		 Pit
Phi
Phi
Phi
Pit		 Ruutu
Kukkonen
Timonen
Coburn
Malkin		 Elbowing – 2 min
Crosscheck – 2 min
Holding – 2 min
Hooking – 2 min
Diving – 2 min

Comments

  1. Michael

    Apr 7, 12:19 AM

    The Penguins intentionally played to lose this game .. and this is downright shameful.

    This shows a blatant lack of integrity.

    They had First Place in the Conference on the line .. with home-ice for the Conference Finals.

    But, no .. they ‘assumed’ that Ottawa would be “easier” to play than the Flyers in the First Round. And that is a questionable assumption. Just maybe .. “just maybe” .. Ottawa will be extra-desperate and will play like a cornered/wounded animal .. ?! Eh??! Could it be that people are__overlooking__this scenario?

    They decided that its “OK” to throw this game. Sure .. it’s OK to continue to be afraid of the Flyers, right? It’s OK to continue to show that they’re intimidated by the mere thought of playing the “almighty” Flyers in the playoffs ..?! Wow. Now that’s really showing a lot of CHARACTER and DETERMINATION and CONFIDENCE .. !!
    Way to go, Pens!! Yeah. Wow.

    The Penguins need to have the courage and the confidence to NOT be afraid of playing their major cross-State rivals.

    This was a shameful, cowardly, unethical TANK-JOB. This stinks to high heaven. I find this to be very disturbing. Looking for an “easy way out” (non-existent) is certainly not the kind of spirit or attitude I want to see from this team as it goes into the playoffs.

    This really kind of puts a damper on these upcoming playoff games for me.

    And this is also showing more reason why Therrien and his staff need to be replaced this offseason.

  2. Ashley Gallant

    Apr 7, 03:41 AM

    You know, Michael, a few weeks ago Matt said something to the effect that it seems like you are posting on FF in order to create some sort of drama.

    I would have to agree with that assessment.

    You could make your argument in such a way that doesn’t attack others – like Therrien. People will take you more seriously if you don’t call the head coach of the Atlantic Division-winning team an “idiot” on a regular basis.

    You could also state your argument once, rather than repeating it in two consecutive articles.

    Just a couple of thoughts..

  3. DaBich

    Apr 7, 06:49 AM

    Michael ~ Just a suggestion here. DON’T watch the Penguins. You obviously don’t like to, so why bother? Could it be you LOVE to complain???? That you’re never happy?

  4. Jonathan Farzalo

    Apr 7, 10:22 AM

    i don’t think they TANKED the game, but i don’t think they were playing all out, which, in all honesty, makes sense…why risk and injury playing balls-out just to get #1 seed, and lose a player for the playoffs? when you can give the game a shot, see what happens, and if you win, great, if not, you have all your players for the playoffs and have a shot at going deeper…

    would i have liked them to win, sure, but, i’d much rather see a stanley cup banner up there…only time will tell

  5. Michael

    Apr 7, 01:26 PM

    Ashley, and Dabich ..

    You don’t seem to understand.

    I’m a huge Penguins fan. I live and die with this team.

    I want them to do their BEST. I want to see them be put into the BEST positions to succeed. I want them to be able to Be Their Very Best.

    So I’ve been very honest about what I see as the problems affecting this team. I hate seeing this team held-back by incompetent, stupid coaching. I hate seeing this team deliberately play to lose a game .. and ordered to do so by its coach .. when winning the game would allow them a great chance to beat their major cross-state rival in the playoffs for the first time (!!), and would also allow them to get First Place in the Conference as well as have home-ice in any Conference Finals. I want to see this team be COURAGEOUS and PROFESSIONAL .. not cowardly and unprofessional.

    Yeah, sometimes I use literary license in using hyperbole .. terms such as “idiot”. This should be expected on a message board such as this one .. sports is emotional .. !! Fans get emotional. I’m human. (Sorry).

    Jonathan .. it’s quite obvious they were playing to lose the game. Come on! Face reality. This was cowardly and unprofessional. Please see my paragraph above .. where I mention their chance to beat the Flyers in the playoffs for the first time. This is what they should WANT .. !! They should WANT to beat the Flyers in the playoffs!! This is an opportunity that should be embraced. Instead, a decision was made to run away and hide from this opportunity, and that is shameful and very disappointing in terms of Big Time professional sports rivalries. I’m simply being honest.

    The “goon” stuff by the Flyers is very much overblown by fans and should not be feared. There is__no way__that this should legitimately make the Penguins actually “afraid” of playing the Flyers in a playoff series.

    Sometimes the truth hurts. It is tempting to look for an “easy way out” .. but that way is not the path of courage and confidence, and that is not the path of professionalism and integrity.

    I try to speak to the truth. If that offends you .. then so be it. But I assert my right of free-speech. And I point-out to you that I am a die-hard Penguins fan.

  6. Michael

    Apr 7, 01:37 PM

    Ashley ..

    I forgot to answer one of your points.

    You make a big deal out of the fact that I posted essentially similar postings in a few temporally-close threads.

    Well .. you see .. I figured there’s the probability that some people might not read all the threads .. ok?

    Also .. I don’t see anything wrong with repeating something for emphasis. Passion sometimes causes people to want to emphasize things via repetition. I’m sure you can understand that.

  7. Nick

    Apr 7, 02:29 PM

    I would have to nominate the Jan 18th game against Tampa Bay as the worst effort for the season. After Sid went down in that game, the whole team mailed it in.

    I think the bigger picture here isn’t that Ottawa is an “easier” team, but that a 7 game blood feud with Philly would lead to a worn down team more likely to fail in round 2.

    Also it worked out to let Roberts, Beech and Hall get some work at game speed. Anyone remember the “Muskegon line” from the early 90s? Over a playoff run, they’ll need more than 20 guys to contribute over what is hopefully 20-25 games over the next 8 weeks.

  8. DaBich

    Apr 7, 02:41 PM

    Michael ~ you give Therrien no credit whatsoever for pulling this team together when Sid went down. You CANNOT give all the credit to the players. A team as young as this one NEEDS guidance and supervision to succeed. I’ve disagreed vehemently on Therrien’s ways many times, but, darnit, I give credit when credit is due. You don’t ever do that. THAT is my major gripe with you…well, that and the fact that you nearly NEVER have anything positive to say.

    Philly is STILL bullies, no matter how you look at it. They play dirty. Period. None of your wishful thinking and protests of losing integrity on the Pen’s part will EVER change that.

    Just MHO, sorry.

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