Power-less Play Haunts Penguins Yet Again
Jesse Marshall | Pittsburgh Penguins
Jan 11, 11:45 PM | Hype this story!
This isn’t an article diagnosing the problems the Penguins are having on the power-play.
I am not going to sit here and give you my opinion on what ails the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Rather, I sit here, minutes after a loss to the Minnesota Wild, dumbfounded.
How is it possible that a team with this much offensive firepower sees it’s power-play get worse by the second?
With 6 opportunities to get the extra goal, one late in the third period, the Penguins repeatedly failed to create scoring chances and get the puck on the net.
It’s as if taking a shot on the power-play is costing these players half of their salary.
There are three words that come to the forefront of my mind when discussing the Penguins power-play: pathetic, absurd, and most importantly, unacceptable.
The Penguins have managed to ice a power-play that not only avoids shooting the puck at all cost, but a power-play that features absolutely no movement from it’s players whatsoever.
It’s fairly easy to defend against a unit that constantly feeds the puck to Sergei Gonchar and stands around watching.
So what to do? At this point, is anything short of a massive change acceptable?
You can blame Mike Yeo, but with him having been hospitalized recently, shouldn’t Dan Bylsma bear the brunt of this recent regression as well?
The Penguins are slumping. The key to getting out of slumps, is to pot goals when the opportunities present themselves. The power-play is key. Until it gets fixed?
Well, let’s just say we might have to bear with this slump a little longer than we’d hoped.
Whatever the solution might be, the Penguins need to find it right now. With all the fire power they have, this has gotten to be downright unacceptable.
Comments
Stoosh
Jan 12, 12:12 AM
Couldn’t agree more.
This isn’t going to necessarily be a problem that prevents the Pens from qualifying for the post-season. But anyone who thinks the Pens can advance in the playoffs while the powerplay redefines the term “inept” is whistling past the graveyard.
A powerplay converting at a sub-15% rate is going to leave far too many goals on the ice in the playoffs to get by the likes of Washington or New Jersey. Hell, it might not even be enough to get them out of the first-round if they draw a matchup against a team that can skate with them (Buffalo, Boston, etc) and has any sort of balanced scoring.
The powerplay in 2003-04 was clicking at 18%. That speaks absolute volumes about how bad this one has been.
Pens1967
Jan 12, 07:34 AM
I have to wonder how much of Sarge’s 5 min interference penalty was the result of him being completely frustrated by the PP. This is one of the most gentlemanly players in the league and he does that?
It is just brutal to watch this PP. They don’t move, they don’t move the umbrella closer and closer in, they don’t pass the puck quickly, they don’t move through the slot, they don’t go behind the net, the player with the best slap shot is on the wrong side of the ice to maximize it, their best playmaker limits himself to about a 10’ diameter of ice in the attacking zone, no one except Matt Cooke stands in front of the net…geesh.
Maybe at the next home game, the Pens can pick 10 fans at random and have them write down what they’ve observed about the PP. Maybe that would help the coaches see the forest for the trees.
DaBich
Jan 12, 08:45 AM
All I’m gonna say is, I’ve been harping on the PP since LAST SEASON!
Casey
Jan 12, 09:02 AM
Does the first line play too much? It seems like it always Crosby and Malkin with a rotating winger. Do the Pens even have a real 2nd line PP?
nick
Jan 12, 09:24 AM
I LOVED the gonch hit, LOVED it. I recorded it on my phone, way to be Gonchar. Think what you will it made that game worth watching
ppirilla
Jan 12, 10:09 AM
The solution at this point might be to bench the expected powerplay unit entirely.
Eaton and Lovejoy on the points, and Talbot, Rupp, and Kennedy up front. It might succeed just from the sheer confusion of the opposition.
Shlim
Jan 12, 10:52 AM
Staal centering Kennedy(shoots all the time! love it) and Rupp, with Rupp glued to the net. Gonchar & Eaton on the points.
Honestly, give Geno the right halfwall back (use that one timer instead of Sids dumb passing), put Sid down low next to the net (maybe work it from behind the net once in a while?), and Geurin/Kunitz/Cooke on the other side/in front of the net (OMG a screen/garbage goal?!?!?!).
Pens1967
Jan 12, 11:00 AM
I wouldn’t mind seeing Crosby work from down low and/or behind the net either. He’s a threat to try a wrap around, pass out to Malkin for a one-timer or otherwise make a scoring play. At least one d-man would have to be turned around watching or chasing Sid and that would help break down the box, too.
Chris A
Jan 12, 11:42 AM
I’m hoping that the PP will benefit from the Olympics. I find it difficult to continue laying blame for the PP on Yeo and I now firmly believe it is the fault of some combination of Sid, Geno and Gonch.
All three of those guys will be at the Olympics playing for powerhouse teams and I really hope that playing there with different superstars will remind them how to play on the PP.
REBEL
Jan 12, 01:24 PM
I agree the powerplay is unacceptable. Yes, there is no movement and it is entirely too predictable. I suggest splitting up Crosby and Malkin, and putting Staal in front of the net on the first unit. Rupp or Cooke can take the front of the net on the second unit. Eaton does have a good slap shot—at least it’s hard and may lead to rebounds, so perhaps he should be paired with Gonchar on the first unit. Try out any other winger for the 5th man, even Caputi.
Natty Lite
Jan 12, 03:54 PM
It’s mud, nothing else to say about it. Start from the ground up.
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