Shovels And Brooms
Jesse Marshall | Pittsburgh Penguins
Dec 18, 01:10 AM | Hype this story!
A lot is made of the Philadelphia Flyers fans home chant of “Crosby Sucks” with the hum of each organ prompt inside the Wachovia Center.
Some say it’s that chant alone that drives Sidney Crosby to put up such ridiculous numbers in Philadelphia.
Ever since the stick to the mouth courtesy of Derian Hatcher his rookie season, Crosby has been an absolute terror against the Flyers, dispatching them in regular season games and playoff series alike.
I’ve got a different point of view.
It isn’t the Flyers organ and fans that make Crosby play better, it’s the simple fact that the Flyers are defensively inept.
Crosby continued his utter dominance in the series last night, netting another goal, sealing the game up in the shootout, and sending the Flyer faithful home feeling jaded yet again.
It was the 22nd goal of the year for Crosby, who is poised to shatter his personal goal scoring records all whilst weilding that shiny new Reebok composite stick.
The snipe that Crosby had over the glove of Boucher in the second period is the future of Crosby’s place with the Pittsburgh Penguins. I’m not stating that Crosby will ever catch Ovechkin or Carter in terms of pure goal scoring, but one would be remiss to say that the stick hasn’t had a super positive effect on the way Crosby fires the puck. The extra flex is improving Crosby’s natural abilities and putting more mustard on the puck.
Scary to think about the potential there, isn’t it?
That all ties in with the next piece of good news: Mike Yeo is off the whipping boy hook, at least for the weekend. The Penguins power-play looked considerably better these past two games.
It was an utterly gutsy call to try out a new system against a Flyers team that takes liberties shorthanded, but chances were converted, and you have to like what Bill Guerin has done in the slot so far.
The puck movement has been quicker, the player movement has been more noticeable, and players are attacking the net with ferocity.
Honorable mention in this home and home goes to two guys that did everything but score goals. Tyler Kennedy and Chris Kunitz served their roles well and played some fantastic hockey. Both returning from injury in the last two weeks or so, Kunitz and Kennedy didn’t seem to carry any rust at all. If they each continue to play this way, the goals will come. Kunitz’s brutal check on Carter will be a hallmark of this home and home.
As for the Flyers, hindsight is 20/20, but wouldn’t it have made sense to make a play on Dwayne Roloson?
As for the Penguins, they were able to seal the deal courtesy of Marc-Andre Fleury’s acrobatics in goal. Reminicent of Game 4 against Philadelphia last year. Fleury went in to salvage a win in a hostile environment while the team in front of him offered up too many odd man breaks.
Finally, let’s close on a fairly humorous note. For those not in the Pittsburgh market or unable to watch the game, FSN Pittsburgh ran a special on Mario Lemieux’s experience in coaching the 16 age Junior Penguins.
Mario was mic’d up for the game, and shared a rather hilarious moment with a youth who had a broken stick.
The youth approached Lemieux, presented the broken stick, and explained the situation as Mario inspected the blade.
In that dry, almost grandfatherish sense of humor that Mario has, the following conversation occured:
Mario: “Do you have another stick?”
Child: “Yeah, but it’s in the car.”
Mario: “...you keep your spare stick’s in the car?”
Said with a smile, of course.
Comments
henkesweden
Dec 18, 05:56 AM
sorry guys i couldnt keep away …...
=)
anyways i have a Q
I feel like pens have a defence decision dilemma upcoming next season….
Like someone wrote earlier here(sorry cant remember his name ….:( )
I dont think Gonchar will be traded this season….
but what about next season what happens then….
I know its early but its interesting to see what u all think will happen…..
I hope that pens can resign Eaton and McKee i feel they are hard to replace …. ?
Their paycheck will naturally decide what will happen with them, hopefully if the caphit increases to next season that would help pens with the resignments.
And of course resign Letang to longterm contract even if he will demand 3-4 millon per season he is a defenceman pens need to keep i.m.o.
so then we have …
Orpik,Goligoski,Letang,Eaton,McKee,Lovejoy and…..
well here lays the dilemma
Gonchar what to do…...
I have a feeling that pens cant afford to resign him cause its seems he wont take any discount to his paycheck….
I do feel that pens need to replace him somehow….
with a younger offensive d man …..
or a scoring winger ,if it will be the later scenario they hopefully can sign a good Ufa d man.
d man that could replace “Sarge “are …...
well let me know who u think is possible for pens to sign next season …..
Scoring winger instead of “sarge” are …..
well the some procedure as mentioned….
Well i am curious and i had some time to spend here and write this maybe to much freetime ehhhh ?
=)
so long good people see u after christmas holidays take that as a threat or a promise u choose…...
ohh and once more merry christmas all !!
bye …
Pens1967
Dec 18, 07:34 AM
Despite scoring 2 goals, the PP still isn’t all that good. Malkin is defensively scary at the point and the team continues to mostly stand around and pass the puck rather than moving and shooting.
Casey
Dec 18, 08:35 AM
@Pens – Give Malkin a little more time to settle in. He says he is more comfortable at the point now then he was last time, which counts for a lot.
Pens1967
Dec 18, 09:03 AM
I’m not criticizing Malkin, just the fact that despite what he said, he looks uncomfortable there. Personally, I’ve seen Crosby operate on the PP on the left side and think a PP with Sid on the left half wall and Malkin on the right would work. Or just have keep 2 d-men at the points and have Malkin or Crosby roam around through the box, behind the net, etc.
The PP problem isn’t who’s on the ice where, it’s that the players simply don’t move enough.
Matt Bodenschatz
Dec 18, 11:10 AM
@Henke, you’re back, and we like that — even if it means breaking out our crystal ball for the 2010-11 season :)
To answer our questions, it is my belief that the Penguins are in “win-now” mode, meaning they will do whatever it takes to win now and in the immediate future. What happens four, five, or six years down the line is not on the minds of the Penguins’ management.
So, if it comes down to keeping one of Gonchar and Letang, I believe Letang will be traded. The team’s numbers with and without Gonchar are staggering in showing just how important he is to the lineup. Letang is a very promising young player with a strong career ahead of him, but for the now, he doesn’t help the team nearly as much as Gonchar does.
But let’s make this clear. No one of significance will be traded before the season ends unless there is a significant player coming in return.
@Pens, I’m with you. The movement (or lack thereof) is not impressive, and they continue to give up regular chances against while up a man. That’s not good.
Nate
Dec 19, 11:15 AM
@Matt,
I’m not so sure about Letang being traded. I think we have seen a glimpse of a Sarge on the downhill slide. It may be lingering effects of his wrist, but the last couple weeks Sarge has looked slow and rundown. There has been more than one game where Sarge has been caught out of position and was unable to recover as he has in years past. The second thing I believe management will look at is any contract offered to Gonchar will fall under the 35+ category. Shero has looked very timid of late to get caught with an aging veteran signed for more than a year at a time. Hopefully both can be had, Letang with a longer, back loaded “Blackhawks” contract and Sarge with a 2-3 year front loaded contract that makes the team, players and cap all three happy.
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