PHILADELPHIA — Sidney Crosby scoring against the Philadelphia Flyers is a story that seems almost as old as the stone buildings and historical parchments around this city, with a hockey team that Crosby has dominated since he was an aggrieved and bloodied rookie. What was different Monday was the Pittsburgh Penguins team.
After being a less-than-impressive win Friday over the Columbus Blue Jackets, and an absolutely embarrassment Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Penguins briefly flirted with their worst demons in the opening minutes before settling into a controlling and resounding 5-1 win over the Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Penguins’ power play scored three goals in four chances, and the penalty kill was generally exceptional. The PK saved the game in the second period, nullifying five of six chances, including a pair of extended five-on-three opportunities.
Yet, the most impressive storyline on Monday was the Penguins’ cleanliness and the total rejection of the self-inflicted issues that have recently plagued them. They took too many penalties, but their 5v5 game was exceptionally clean as pucks moved from tape-to-tape, and possessions had intent.
The game was a complete reversal and a much better version of the team that looked like it was crashing out over the weekend.
Crosby had a pair of goals. Bryan Rust had three points, including helpers on the Crosby goals. Tommy Novak scored a power play goal, which was the team’s third man-advantage tally of the game, and Kevin Hayes deked Flyers goalie Dan Vladar on a breakaway by, in fact, not deking and chipping a forehand over Vladar’s glove.
Those penalties came fast and furious in the second period. The Penguins took a trio of minors in less than three minutes in the second period, which put them shorthanded for four minutes, and shorthanded by two men for a full two minutes.
“I thought we bounced back (from the weekend). I thought those kills were big. Two five-on-threes,” Crosby said. “They got the one, but I thought we were poised. The kill was huge, and they allowed us to regroup, and then our power play was good, so I think special teams and (Tristan) Jarry made some big saves when we needed them.”
Jarry added a little more insight, too.
“We had a day off in between (games), and I think just being able to reset there and kinda watch some film–we all came in, watched some film when we got here, and I think we were able to change some things,” Jarry said. “I think we were able to come out better for it today.”
Game Analysis
The PK’s aggressiveness will be the feature quickly forgotten or overlooked, hiding in the shadows of Crosby’s near-guaranteed scoring in Philadelphia (followed by boos), and the team’s dramatic mental readjustment.
The calls were legitimate penalties, though referees usually aren’t so aggressive when a team is shorthanded.
Tactically, the Penguins confronted the Flyers in all zones. The Penguins’ forwards forced a high number of bland chips out of the zone, while the Penguins’ defensemen were sharp with their up passes, creating speed.
And once the Penguins entered the zone, they decided to do more with the puck than control the perimeter, instead attacking the scoring zones.
The common theme when the Penguins are playing well is not necessarily “finishing,” but how they gain their chances. The Penguins are not a crease team that scores an abundance of greasy goals, but rather, they put up numbers when they are able to get to good spots with speed. Whether it is because they outworked, outskated, or found creases, they are a pretty good rush team, which opens up the net-front play.
“I thought we were hungry trying to get to the front, getting pucks there. The D did a really good job of getting out of our end and making plays so that we could play in the offensive zone,” Crosby said. “So it’s a combination of a lot of things, but when you’re quick to get out of your zone, you have more energy to play offense, and I thought it showed with some of the end zone shifts that we got.”
Defensively, the Penguins breakdowns were kept to a minimum, and the team doggedly hustled back defensively–tracking well.
The defensive engagement was a significant change from the last few games.
The lineup balance helped tremendously, too.
With the addition of Rutger McGroarty Monday, the team had a professional offensive push from all four lines and displayed a level of four-line balance that hasn’t been present since the first few weeks of the season.
Penguins Report Card
Team: B+
The Penguins get docked points for bad penalties. Perhaps it’s a harsh grade on an otherwise ebullient night that saw the winds of change (McGroarty, Boko Imama) sweep away the stench that existed Saturday.
The Penguins were never out of control, even when they put themselves in bad spots. There was a calm and confidence to their game.
Penalty Kill: A+
The PK, especially with Lizotte on the ice, pushed the Philadelphia crowd into boos. Granted, the Philly faithful aren’t slow to anger, but the Penguins’ killers were digging into the ice to get loose pucks, using their bodies to battle for loose pucks, and didn’t miss clearing opportunities.
“I think overall, we were challenging them, being connected as a unit. The best penalty killers have to be a goalie, and Tristan Jarry is quite incredible,” said McGroarty. “I feel like overall he–for all sixty minutes–had an incredible game. I feel like the four-man unit on the ice did a really good job challenging them, closing on the walls. Overall, the PK did a really good job tonight.”
And sometimes that was just a three-man unit.
Blake Lizotte: A+
OK, Garnet Hathaway may not agree after Lizotte cup-checked him with a slash in the first period, but Lizotte was one of the most impactful Penguins Monday.
“He was huge. You know, I mean that first (penalty kill) too–like, he was out there for a long stretch. He had a little bit of five-on-five time for one of ’em, and then it goes right into the penalty kill, and then we end up keeping him out there just based on the faceoff,” Muse said.
Lizotte pounced on loose pucks as if he needed them. That’s not unusual, but Lizotte had a little extra Monday, too.
Bryan Rust: A
From his dressing stall a few feet away, Rust yelled over the assembled media as Crosby was speaking, “You’re welcome!”
Rust put a pair of goals on silver platters for the game’s best, but Rust set up the plays with speed and direction. Rust had his A game.
Edit: The original version listed Crosby as the NHL’s leading goal scorer, but he is third.
Ville Koivunen: A
The first high grade we’ve dished to the Finnish kid this season, and he earned it. Playing with Ben Kindel and McGroarty (The Kids Line? The Young Guns?) unlocked his best. He was dealing in the first period, setting up McGroarty for a glorious chance on a three-on-two, then putting the puck on Kindel’s stick for a pair of Grade A chances later in the first.
The line was also defensively responsible.
What a difference a sharp third line makes to the overall team. Kindel looked better. McGroarty had a pair of golden chances, and Koivunen …. would someone give the kid a goal already?!
Tristan Jarry: Yep
The Penguins continued their puck generosity in the first period, but Jarry held the fort. Philadelphia didn’t want to go quietly, but Jarry gobbled up the chances in the third.
And, a team’s best penalty killer is the goalie. Except for Tyson Foerster’s shot that dribbled through, Jarry was unbeatable. He returned his save percentage to .911 after stopping 28 of 29 shots.
With Silovs’ recent slippage, and Jarry’s increasing steadiness…draw your own conclusions on the Penguins’ goalie platoon.
Kris Letang: C-
Bobby Brink breezed around him on the second shift of the game for a quick breakaway, and he was caught up ice with a bad pinch at the red line, creating a three-on-two midway through the first period.
Then he took a bad high-sticking penalty in the second period. Rough night, though he was perfectly solid after his penalty.
Dan Muse: A+
More to come on the Penguins’ rookie head coach, but the lineup construction fixed so many ills. And, a head coach must get a good bit of credit for the team’s response to absolutely stinking last weekend.
All but Boko Imama played more than 12 minutes as Muse rolled four lines, but kudos to Muse for using Imama against Philly. The temperature rose a couple of times, but Imama was the balance–perhaps too much as the Penguins were the instigators of a lot of feistiness.
The coach looked pretty smart Monday, both in scheme and team temperament.
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