Pens-Sens (Hey, it Rhymes!): Series Preview

The Pens survived a tougher-than-expected series against the Islanders thanks to a gritty performance by backup goalie Tomas Vokoun and timely goals from surprising sources: Paul Martin, Doug Murray, Tyler Kennedy, and of course Brooks Orpik, whose Game 6 OT winner was the best playoff moment Pittsburgh has known since Crosby lifted the Cup.  The Islanders series will ultimately fade from memory, but it was important test of the team's mettle, and that the Pens were able to hold on by the skin of their collective teeth is either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on who you ask. 

For the glass-half-full crowd (myself included), the series was a much-needed gut check, a necessary spot of adversity that will keep the Penguins humble and committed to improving.  And hey, a playoff series win can never be taken for granted - we've learned that the last three seasons, when our playoffs were ended by teams we were "supposed to beat."  The pessimists among the Pittsburgh fan base, which seems to comprise ever single person I talk to, are concerned that the Pens showed a litany of weaknesses that just didn't seem to be there in the regular season.  The Islanders series should have been an ass-whupping to announce the team's championship intentions, and instead they showed their vulnerability and lack of composure.  To these minds, any positive things that were accomplished in this series were outweighed by turnovers, mental mistakes, and an inability to close the door.  These people are also very concerned about what we'll do with Marc-Andre Fleury, what's wrong with Evgeni Malkin, and whether Dan Byslma's the right  man for the job.

The second round series between the Pens and Sens, beginning tonight at Consol, will likely exacerbate these concerns and add new ones to the pile.  I've got three statements and three questions going into Game 1, as well as predictions at the end of this post.

Game 9: Mr. Pens Go To Washington

It's Super Sunday over here at BOSC.  We call it Super Sunday because that's when they play the Super Bowl.  Thank God for us that the Pens are playing the Caps at 12:30 to spare us at least a few hours of inane pregame football chatter.  While our chili simmers on the stovetop, tempers on the ice will be bubbling over between these fierce rivals.  Timely metaphor, right guys?

To be honest, the Pens-Caps rivalry feels less relevant now than it has since the pre-Ovechkin/Crosby years.    The Capitals, who were always thisclose to being a championship team, have been in a backslide since last season, and their identity as the Southeast team with the dominant scorers that no one wants to play looks to have been usurped by the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Of course, no one has been more emblematic of the Caps' regression to the pack than Ovie, who has had one of the most inexplicable falls from grace that I've seen from an NHL superstar.  Once clearly a top two player in the league, he is now dangerously close to "enigmatic Russian scorer" territory, and there's no clear reason why.  The Caps are on their third coach in as many years, and Adam Oates has led them to a disappointing 2-5-1 record thus far, maybe because he's instructed his players to pass the puck at every chance, and only to shoot if there is absolutely no other option.  (***ADAM OATES HUMOR***)

From Right to Left: Adam Oates, DAN LACOUTURE, Jaromir Jagr.

Regardless of their place in the standings, we fully expect the Caps to bring their best to the table tonight.  We expect Ovechkin to land a big hit at some point, and to spend every power play skating around the top of the left circle with his stick half-cocked, waiting for a one-timer feed to hammer past Fleury.  We expect Mike Green to make a couple nice offsenive plays and more than a couple embarrassing defensive lapses.  We expect the ghost of Mike Knuble to tip in some ugly, tide-turning goal.  

The Penguins enter the game riding high off of consecutive division wins against the Rangers and Devils in which we outscored our opponents by a combined score of 8-1.  Here are some trends to keep track of this afternoon and moving on:

• Crosby showed up yesterday against New Jersey in a huge way.  His snipe job on a 2-on-1 with Dupuis was incredible, but I preferred his assist on the Pens' final goal, where he muscled Krys Barch (cool name spelling, bro) of the puck behind the net and sent a perfect no-look pass to the point for Robert Bortuzzo's first NHL goal.  Sid loves playing against the Caps, and here's hoping he's locked in and ready to start climbing the league leaders board

• The platoon situation is paying early dividends.  After a rough showing from Fleury against the Islanders, Vokoun righted the shift with a near-flawless performance against the Rangers.  He was a black hole, sucking in every puck sent his way and giving up no rebounds.  Fleury was strong yesterday when he needed to be (which wasn't often), and the only goal he gave up was the result of his defense (in the person of, for some reason, Malkin) leaving him out to dry.  Vokoun will be between the pipes against his old team, and let's all agree to put the goaltending controversy to bed for a while and just enjoy the wonderful sensation of having an elite backup.

• The defense has been in flux, but seems to be taking form.  The entire corps looked great yesterday, allowing only 16 shots on net and blocking 14 in all.  By now, we know what we're getting from our top guys, especially Orpik (who has been blocking everything in sight) and Letang (who continues to outskate everyone on the ice), but it looks like it's going to be impossible to stem the youth movement encroaching on the sixth d-man spot, with Despres and Bortuzzo making strong claims to what was once (it seems so long ago now) Ben Lovejoy's spot in the lineup.  Both are huge (they're listed as an identical 6'4" and 215 pounds) and strong with the puck, and have made enough good plays to compensate for their to-be-expected rookie miscues.  More importantly, both seem to be at that point in their development where they need exposure at the NHL level more than anything else.  If one or both of them are going to be regular contributors to the Pens this year, it's out-of-the-pan-into-the-fire time.  If there's a silver lining to the Niskanen injury, it's that it has forced Bylsma's hand, pressing the young fellas into extended duty earlier than perhaps expected.

• Hey, speaking of, I wonder if either of these young fellas could man the point on the power play.  After Malkin's non-effort on the Devils' short-handed goal yesterday, I think the need for two defensemen at the point is unavoidable.  Bortuzzo's slapshot looked pretty healthy, or at least healthy enough to get through Marty Brodeur, and let's not discount.  The most glaring hole on the team - yes, more glaring than the need for a couple of top-six forwards - is the lack of a guy who can put a hard slapshot on the net.  This is kind of a useful thing to have on the power play, especially when you've got Kunitz screening the goalie, and Crosby and Neal fishing for rebounds.  If we can add this weapon to our arsenal simply by promoting one of our rookies into a quarterback role, the team will become much more dangerous.  It's certainly worth kicking the tires.  If not, something tells me we could talk the Isles into dumping Lubomir Visnosky on us.  Lu-bo-mir!  Lu-bo-mir!

Chasedowns and Shootouts: Pens Win in Ottawa

Notes from a 2-1 (SO) win over the Sens lat night, that I found oddly watchable:

• The Penguins played a strong defensive game here, which was nice to see.  They blocked a Rangers-esque 24 shots, with Orpik absorbing 9 of those pucks.  He and Martin played a nearly flawless game, shutting down Spezza (who should terrify any Pens fan who has watched these teams play) and company.  It is great to watch Martin win over the fans again, or as it's better known, "pulling a Gonchar."


• The three best plays of this game came from our back end, where Letang, Martin, and Engelland (listed in order of least to most surprising) each made beautiful chasedown efforts to short-circuit possible breakaways.  These plays take persistence, patience, and timing to pull off without drawing a penalty, and in all three cases, that's what happened.

 

• Letang's play was particulary impressive.  Neal got caught pinching on the power play, and a clearing lob sprang Erik Condra on a breakaway.  He had a couple of strides on Letang, but I don't think there was doubt in any of our minds that Letang would catch him, and that confidence is what makes Letang such a strong point man.  But the manner in which he disarmed Condra is what makes Letang a Norris Trophy candidate.  Let's break it down: when the puck is cleared, Letang and Condra seem to be converging on the puck, Condra from the left side and Letang from the right. 

           When it beomes clear that Condra has a step, Letang falls in directly behind
           him, a move which prevents Letang from overcommitting to one side and gives
           him a chance to make a play whether Condra goes forehand or backhand. For
           Condra, having Letang in his blind spot plants a seed of doubt: he can't
           anticipate Letang's play on the puck, and because of Letang's speed, he decides
           to rush a forehand shot rather than try and deke Fleury and risk being
           overtaken.  (Note: he may also have rushed the shot because he is Erik Condra 
           and has a very limited offensive repertoire, but I want to give Tanger some
           credit)

           Letang inevitably catches up with Condra, he doesn't try to sweep the puck
           away with his stick across Condra's body, which would have allowed Condra to
           protect the puck by lowering his left shoulder and get a shot on net and/or draw
           a penalty shot.  Instead, Letang makes a quick move over to Condra's right
           (stick) side as Condra goes into his shooting motion, locks down Condra's stick
           with his own, and the puck slides harmlessly into Fleury's pads.  A Jason
           Bourne-caliber disarming.

• On the offensive side, things were a mess.  for most of the game, it seemed like we couldn't muster a breakout pass, and we had trouble even getting the puick out of our zone.  When we did, the forecheck just wasn't there for us like it normally is, and Erik Karlsson and Gonchar were able to skate the puck past centre ice without challenge.  Crosby, Malkin, and Neal did their yeoman's work, but they are going to need some help, and fast.


• The power play was an especial disaster, going 0-for-5 and making countless half-assed plays around the blueline.   I'm going to assume we were tanking so that Gonchar would take pity on us and come back.  We'll see if it worked.


• Erik Karlsson is a fun player to watch.  He is what we in the biz call "not good" on defense, not good at all, but he is electrifying on the offensive end.  For the entirety of the third period and overtime, it was legitimately scary every time he touched the puck.


• Fleury played a brilliant game, stopping 31 of the 32 shots he faced.  This was one of those games he excels in:  he was getting a lot of shots thrown at him, but the defense in front of him was strong, putting bodies on bodies and clearing out rebound chances.  When Fleury's afforded the chance to warm up like that, his kick saves start popping, and his refles are a sight to behold.  This one easily could have gone in the loss column if not for him.


• Hey, our first shootout!  Shootouts are stupid, first off, but it is nice going into them with the confidence that the Penguins are going to win them more often than not.  Craig Anderson played an outstanding game in net for the Sens, but Neal, Crosby, and Malkin just abused him in the breakway competition.


• A rollercoaster game for Geno, who embarrassed Zack Smith and made a perfect cross-ice pass to set up Neal's goal, then had a turnover and whiffed on a long pass to Jason Spezza that resulted in the Sens' tying goal, and then scored the game-winning goal in the shootout like it was nothing.  Quite a day at the office for him.


• I officially do not understand how boarding is being called anymore.  I can't even get mad at the refs because I just don't know what's going on.


• After this game ended, I switched over to Blues-Preds on NBC Sports, a back-and-forth contest which St. Louis won in overtime, 5-4.  I gotta say, I'm in the bag for this Blues team.  I love their system and how holistically it's been installed, I love their lineup, which is deep and full of small-name players who are fast and fun to watch (increasingly more so now that they've got their rookie Tarasenko tearing up the league), and I love their colors.  They're this year's Western Conference team I will occasionally root for.  Watch them if you have the opportunity.

Game 4: Winnipeg. Bench Fleury (Troll So Hard Edition)!

Tonight, when the Penguins suit up against the Winnipeg Jets, we can expect to see a familiar face in net for the black-and-gold.  A face with a permanent grin and an unfortunate soul patch.  A face that's become, well, a face of this franchise.

That face belongs, of course, to Marc-Andre Fleury. 

It's the wrong face.

When the Pens signed Tomas Vokoun this offseason, it marked the first time in his career that Fleury faced any sort of competition for goaltending supremacy.  Before now, he's had the comfort of knowing that his backup, Brent Johnson, posed no threat to his throne.

With Vokoun behind him, he might be hearing footsteps.  At least, he should be.

It's only three games into this shortened season, but it's time for the man they call "Flower" to plant himself somewhere new.

On the bench.

It doesn't take a genius to recognize that Vokoun is a better goalie in every measurable way.  You want to talk career save percentage?  Vokoun takes it, .917 to .909.  How about goals per game average?  Sorry, Marc-Andre, Vokoun outpaces you, 2.55 to 2.68.

But in the playoffs, when it matters, Fleury steps up his game, right?

Wrong.

Fleury's numbers actually go DOWN from his regular season averages, to a paltry .909 save percentage and 2.68 goals per game.  As for Vokoun?  His numbers improve in the playoffs, to a sterling .922 and 2.47.

Last time I checked, letting in fewer goals helps your team win.  And isn't that what we want?

In the playoffs last year, the "Flower" looked more like a wilting lily, allowing the Flyers to score at will.  He went from head of the class in the regular season to head case when it mattered.

A French-Canadian goalie who's a head case?  Holy Patrick Roy, Batman!

Pens fans spent all summer, and most of fall, making excuses for why Fleury couldn't get it done in that series.  He played too many games during the regular season, they screamed.  Funny, I never heard Martin Brodeur complain about playing too much.  Oh, and in case you hadn't heard, he's won three Stanley Cups and took the Devils to the finals last year, in his twentieth season.  If anyone has the right to feel exhausted, it's Brodeur, not Fleury.

The defense let Fleury down, they complained.  Well, now Zbyněk Michálek's been run out of town on a rail, having taken the fall for Fleury's shortcomings.  I hope you don't mind a little blood on your dainty petals, "Flower."

Why is the Penguins organization so reluctant to pin any modicum of blame where it belongs?  Could it be because they've invested a number one pick and a contract that pays $5 million a season for the next three years to this supposed "franchise goaltender?"  Because benching him, or better yet, trading him would be tantamount to admitting that we put our eggs in the wrong basket?

Like my dad told me about driving when I was 16, being a starting goalie in the NHL is a privilege, not a right.  Fleury seems to think he's entitled to his place in net, because he was the number one overall pick. 

Think again.

You think, if we had to do it all over again, we wouldn't have picked Eric Staal (#2) over Fleury?  Tomas Vanek (#5)?  How about Ryan Suter (#7), Zach Parise (#17), or Ryan Getzlaf (#19)?  Or Mike Richards (#24), Corey Perry (#28), or Shea Weber (#49)?  If we had a do-over, Fleury wouldn't even be in the top 10.

Talk about a bust.

As for Tomas Vokoun?  Well, you'd have to scroll pretty far down the draft board to find him.  He wasn't picked in the first round, that's for sure.

Or the second.

Or the seventh.

Try the ninth round, pick number 226 to be exact.  Think some of the teams that passed on him would like a do-over?

Vokoun had to work his tail off to earn a starting job in the NHL.  That's right, Marc-Andre, he earned his keep.  And his reward?  Two All-Star games and the respect of players, coaches, and fans around the league.

What has Fleury "earned" in his career?  A single, solitary All-Star berth, and a nickname that probably has Gump Worsley spinning in his grave.

But this isn't a career comparison, you whine.  Let's talk about this season then.  Fleury beat the hated Flyers in the season opener, a win which starts to feel pretty hollow when you realize the Flyers are a sorry 1-3 on the year.  His next game, against the league's perennial laughingstock, the Toronto Maple Leafs?  Five goals allowed, one embarrasing loss at home in what is supposed to be the new Hockey Mecca.

Hockey Mecca.  In that case, maybe Fleury is a false idol.

As for Vokoun, he has only seen action in one game, versus the team that won our conference last year, the New York Rangers.  Vokoun skated onto the greatest stage in the world, Madison Square Garden, and skated away with an impressive victory.

Vokoun earned that win, the same way he's earned everything that's come his way in a Hall of Fame caliber career.  Flower has had everything handed to him, and his sense of entitlement shows.

It looks like we've got a bad seed on our hands.  Maybe it's time to plant a new crop.

Maybe it's time to let Vokoun blossom in our net, tonight in Winnipeg, Sunday in Ottawa, and for the rest of this shortened season.

Sorry, "Flower," but the bloom has fallen off the rose.


(Note: Satire.)