Faceoff Factor

Crosby Will Need Help To Even Series

Jesse Marshall | Pittsburgh Penguins

May 5, 12:03 PM | Hype this story!

I think I know what Mike Yeo’s next job will be.

It’ll be with either Hoover or Bissell, because his power-play is an absolute momentum-suck for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

As a fan, I’ve never seen a stronger vacuum than the Pittsburgh Penguins power-play in key situations.

In the playoffs, it isn’t always about just getting goals on the power-play, it’s about how timely said goals are.

You could score a power-play goal when you’re up 3-0 or losing 4-2 with 30 seconds left and it will never be as important as tying the game or taking the lead late in the third when handed a man-advantage.

On Saturday, the Penguins failed to convert two late chances while trailing. Last night, they managed to lose the game after getting handed a power-play with the match tied halfway through the third.

Imagine that, the power-play was ultimately the death knell of the Penguins.

When you’re on the road in the playoffs, the power-play can be a true momentum changer. The crowd is taken out of the game, the home team goes on their heels, and goaltenders are tested repeatedly.

Last night, the Penguins managed employ a power-play that had the opposite effect.

Evgeni Malkin took a stupid penalty at the tail end of an atrocious power-play opportunity and Alex Ovechkin rubbed it in his face just seconds later.

The Penguins, for the second time in as many games, cocked the gun, pointed at their foot, and pulled the trigger.

What’s most dumbfounding about last night’s contest is how dominant the Penguins were for the first eight minutes of the third period. It wasn’t until the Penguins were handed the man advantage that the Capitals were able to finally flip the game and take over. Folks, that is the most unexplainable thing I’ve ever typed; the Penguins power-play is actually giving the opposition momentum.

In the end, it was the swan-diving Alex Ovechkin that took the momentum the Penguins were supposed to get from their own power-play and turned it against them.

Regardless, it’s all moot if the other players on the team not named Sidney Crosby don’t decide to show up. At this point, simply ‘having a good showing’ isn’t enough. Contributions have to be made. David Steckel made one and it wound up changing the entire game.

Sidney Crosby, as valiant as an effort as that was, is fighting Alamo-like odds right now.

The rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins have disappeared into the night.

Evgeni Malkin has not scored in five games; the dominance that Jordan Staal’s third line has showed throughout the last month has dissipated, Petr Sykora hasn’t scored since the 8th grade picnic, and Chris Kunitz has not scored a playoff goal.

Sidney Crosby is trying to go one against the world.

As far as the defeatist attitude I smell in Pittsburgh this morning, the series isn’t over until one team wins four games. The Penguins are now in a position where they must win four of the next five games. If you don’t think that is feasible, I don’t know what to tell you.

Not only have the Penguins controlled the play for the majority of their two losses, they could have easily won both games if they could get an iota of secondary scoring.

All the Capitals did was hold serve. The Penguins now have the chance to even the series at home.

However, none of this makes a bit of difference if the rest of the team doesn’t show up on the score sheet.

Anyone out there not named Sidney Crosby is more than welcome to participate in this series.