All photos courtesy Getty Images and AP Photo
All of that has gone out the window, as the Penguins seem hell-bent on forcing us to relive the Philly series we so desperately want to forget. Each game since the first has been a track meet, with the Pens' take-a-penny-give-a-penny approach to scoring resulting in blown leads in every game (including two last night) and a total of 14 goals against. With a chance to take a stranglehold on the series last night, the Pens instead played like had learned nothing from the previous two games, like there were no improvements that needed to be made, like the team that we watched all year was some carefully-orchestrated mirage designed to piss off Pittsburgh residents. Well, it worked, and today, fingers are being pointed every which-a-way.
So, ignoring the fact the the Pens are now engaged in a best-of-three against a team that they are still expected to defeat, let's talk about who is to blame for reminding us why liking sports sucks.
Special Teams
Okay, you're off the hook. The power play has been outstanding, and the penalty kill has been shockingly effective - the combination of both enabled us to steal Game 3. Moving forward, we'll need to avoid taking unnecessary penalties (ahem, Geno), and continue putting in work to draw penalties (so maybe don't CROSSCHECK A REFEREE, Kris Letang!).
Forwards
Stop me if you've heard this one: the offense isn't the problem. The Pens have scored a robust 17 goals through four games, and the people we expect to score have been scoring. But after a hard-hitting, overwhelming attack in the first game, the forward corps has devolved into an army of cherry pickers, not finishing checks, not helping in their own end, not dominating possession in any zone. Malkin is a perfect example: last night, he was absolutely outstasding on the offensive zone and the most dynamic skater on either of the team. He also took three penalties of the selfish/revenge variety (including a super-obvious, arm-fully-extended hold after he was knocked down by a clean body check), seemed disinterested in even trying to win his faceoffs (he went 4-for 11), and was beyond lackadaisical in his own end, doing a lot of the aimless gliding that has characterized his "defensive" efforts, and coughing up the turnover that became the game-winning goal (one of the three Islanders' goals he was on the ice for). And Geno was still our best player last night. Crosby disappeared after taking a puck up high in the first, and somehow ended up besting (worsting?) Malkin with a 4-for-18 showing in the faceoff circle. But it isn't really worth singling out bad performers, because as a team, the Pens stopped forechecking AND backchecking, failed - with the notable exception of a fantastic lead pass from Iginla to Malkin to set up his 2-on-1 goal - to execute a good breakout, and could not sustain pressure in the offensive zone. Far too much standing along the boards waiting for a pass that the Islanders' forecheckers know is coming.
So what can they change? Not a whole ton. There have been calls to move Iginla to Crosby's wing, and shuttling Kunitz down to the second line. The people suggesting this are thinking about the offensive potential, but I could see Kunitz's forechecking and strong neutral zone play covering for some of Malkin's defensive inadequacies in a way that an older Iginla can't, while Dupuis' presence on the top line can cut Iginla some slack.
I'd also like to see - and I can't believe I'm writing this - Tyler Kennedy get some run, maybe in the place of Tanner Glass. We've seen the Islanders baffle the Penguins with speed and bad-angle shots, and shit, that's exactly what Kennedy brings to the table. Despite his shortcomings, TK is a playoff-tested guy who can add speed to the fourth line, kill penalties, work the cycle, and yeah score the occasional big goal (he had three game-winners in our Cup season). Besides, in desperate times, it doesn't hurt to throw in a guy who's playing for his job.
Defense
What a disaster. After spending the regular convincing fans that they had made huge leaps since last year, Letang, Nisky, Eats, et al have spent the last few games convincing us that they were actively working for the opposition. I've never seen so many passes directly to the other team. We hoped that getting Orpik back would tighten up the group, but nope. Letang, who was just nominated for the Norris Trophy and is ostensibly playing for his next contract, has been stupefying. We always knew that he had the occasional brainfart, and that his temper could get the best of him, but he's always more than made up for it with his play. He can still get to that point, but he might want to stop with the passes to no one, the ill-timed shorthanded pinches, and the crosschecks to the linesmen. For chrissake.
What can be changed? Ain't shit, really. It's on Letang and Orpik to turn this group around (Paul Martin, who has actually played very well, might want to take a leadership role. Murray, too, for the fear factor). They need to exercise some composure. I can't tell if they're panicking from pressure or heightened pace, but they can't give the Islanders free access to the crease, or second chances on every puck. I....I don't know. I'm sick of shaking my head at plays that should be simple, at pucks that should be on their way out of the zone, but somehow aren't. They need to help out their goaltender, or else...
Goaltending
This is awkward. At least the team made this easy for me by announcing that Vokoun will be starting Game 5. I've always hated blaming systematic problems on goalies, and I wrote a sarcastic "Bench Fleury" post in anticipation of such finger-pointing early in the season. I also think that Flower played exceptionally well this season, and has made some big saves in this series. But he let in three inexcusable goals last night - Brian Strait's weak wrister, Kyle Okposo's bank shot, and Cizikas' death blow - each a gut punch that totally deflated the team. There is little more exciting than a last-minute flurry with the goalie pulled (the Senators scored against Canadiens with their goalie pulled last night to force OT, and Max Talbot's tying goal in the 59th minute of Game 5 of the 2008 Finals is still one of my favorite hockey memories), and Fleury robbed us all of any last shred of hope. Fleury is certainly not the only one to blame, but we're running out of excuses for him. We said he was getting a raw deal when he had to face a whopping 78 shots between Games 2 and 3, then in Game 4 he lets in 6 goals on only 24 shots. The fact of the matter is that in the regular season, goalies win games; in the playoffs, goalies need to steal games. Fleury isn't doing that, and we need to see if Vokoun can.
Coaching
I'll admit, I find it very difficult to isolate a coach's influence on a team. With a veteran team like the Penguins especially, I have a hard time blaming Bylsma when the team comes out looking flat, or make a bunch of mental errors. Crosby, Malkin, Iginla, Letang, Fleury - these guys don't need to be motivated, they don't need to be told the importance of these games, and they don't need to be schooled on the fundamentals of the game. The players need to execute, plain and simple. And yet, as a wise woman once said: "Your team is like a family, and a family takes on the characteristics of its leader." That woman was a character on an episode of Criminal Minds I watched last night, because my life outside of hockey is sad and empty, but her point is well taken. I appreciate Bylsma's even-keeled temperament, but maybe he's a little too laid-back. If he showed a little bit of urgency on the bench, the team might do the same on the ice. Or maybe television has told me wrong - there's a first time for everything. But if there is something a coach can do to turn a team around, Bylsma better figure it out and do it, or his seat's about to get VERY hot. If I can suggest something: take what you did between Game 1 and Game 2, and do the opposite.
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