The Pittsburgh Penguins’ two-game litmus test to indeed learn if they were playoff worthy could not have gone better. With the impending end of the regular season careening towards them, the Penguins scored seven straight goals to vanquish the New York Islanders 8-3 Monday, then scored the first three goals to put themselves inexorably ahead of the Detroit Red Wings.
Detroit should have been desperate, but the Penguins’ precision breakouts and puck possession kept their skates striding forward at full speed and the puck on their stick. They took the life from Detroit in a 5-1 Penguins win at PPG Paints Arena.
Not only did the Penguins win, but the momentum from game to game and the surge toward the playoffs is becoming palpable on the ice and in the room. You can feel a different type of excitement. The pensive hope and sullen prayers that cast a pall over the last few years have been disinfected by the sunshine of a lot of eager optimism.
The win buoyed the Penguins’ playoff chances to a high probability. In fact, they got a clean sweep on the scoreboard Tuesday when all their pursuers lost in regulation. Carolina beat Columbus, Buffalo beat the Islanders, Florida beat Ottawa, and of course, the Penguins beat Detroit.
According to Moneypuck.com, the Penguins are now at a high-water mark of 94.1% to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Detroit and the Ottawa Senators are the first teams outside the playoff seeds; Ottawa’s and Detroit’s losses inflated the Penguins’ playoff cushion to six points. Each of Ottawa and Detroit has a game in hand, which means the Penguins’ lead is at least four points.
With seven games left , at least a four-point lead is not a bad position for a team that has missed the playoffs three years running. Since Ottawa currently has one more regulation win, the Penguins’ magic number is down to 11.
The Penguins also had a mix of good and bad news on the injury front, as Evgeni Malkin returned to the lineup, but after taking warmup, Bryan Rust was deemed out.
Momentum
On the ice, the game was clearly a momentum carryover from the night before. The Penguins immediately continued from where they ended against New York the night before.
“When you get back to back, especially, I think it’s an opportunity–we liked our game yesterday, and I really liked our back half, but I thought (Monday) was a strong effort for us, and we wanted to keep building on that and take another step,” Muse said. “That’s the opportunity. That’s not an easy one, though. So it’s a credit to the players–you’ve got to travel and it would be easy to say, ‘All right, we’re a little tired’ and but I thought we dug it. The guys dug in and they wanted to keep that going. They wanted to keep that feeling going … it’s a huge credit to them, because it’s not always the case, especially on a back to back.”
After 40 minutes, the Penguins had allowed just 15 shots, but that total was inflated by a four-shot Detroit flurry in the last minute of the second period. At the start and the end of the second period, the Penguins relied on Stuart Skinner.
While Skinner downplayed his performance in a team-first appreciation, defenseman Ryan Shea had a more pointed take about the netminder who appears to be taking the Penguins’ No. 1 job.
“I think he’s just super calm, and he’s a great guy. He’s honestly one of the best guys I’ve played with. Just seeing him–he had his kid around today–just seeing him as a dad too, it’s pretty special,” said Shea before offering a little red meat. “And obviously in Edmonton, when you kind of get dragged through the mud like he did, and he comes here, you could just see his smile rejuvenate. And we’re playing our hearts out in front of both our goaltenders, and hopefully they can feel it when they’re in the crease.”
Six point lead. Thirteen goals in two games. Who woulda thought?
Penguins Analysis
The center of the ice. When opposing defenders control it, the Penguins can score, but it requires a greasy game at which they do not excel. Fortunately for the Penguins, the Detroit Red Wings did not take away the center ice. In fact, they essentially rolled out the red carpet and lit the runway, allowing the Penguins to reach full gallop through center ice.
The Penguins took advantage of Detroit’s softer defending and attacked with their speed game, and allowed few high-danger scoring chances.
Once the Penguins had possession in the middle of the ice with speed, Detroit reflexively backed in, further allowing the Penguins puck possession and, more importantly, pressure.
The first period’s shot clock was 14-6 for the Penguins.
“The effort is incredible right now. From our forwards, it’s making it easy for our D to get gaps (from forecheckers). And when that happens, and we’re clean on breakouts, we have the skill to play with anyone in this league,” Shea said. “You’re seeing it right now. Guys are stepping up when guys are out, but now we’re getting back to fully healthy. And yeah, I think our team’s just in a good spot.”
Detroit made adjustments for the second period, and the Penguins got sloppy as Detroit took away the center of the ice. Often, Detroit brought their F3 forward to patrol the middle laterally, nullifying easy center-up passes and forcing the Penguins to scrap forward.
Detroit found out what the Islanders found out Monday: The Penguins are learning how to win different kinds of games in different kinds of ways, playing different kinds of styles.
It took most of the second period before the Penguins settled into their tighter game, and did so with some grinding help from the fourth line, including increasingly physical Elmer Soderblom. The Penguins’ fourth line stabilized the game, allowing the Penguins to retrench and hit the second intermission with a 4-1 lead.
Another facet that boded well for the Penguins and poorly for Detroit, which is trying desperately to break a nine-year playoff drought (but it’s not looking good), was the pair of net-front goals the Penguins scored.
The Penguins won the net-front battles for a trio of goals, beginning when Anthony Mantha pulled the puck out of a crease scrum to snap it over Gibson in the first period. Justin Brazeau gained position to deflect Connor Clifton’s point shot later in the second. And the Penguins’ fourth line put up a goal when Noel Acciari chipped in a rebound in the third period.
Acciari’s goal was his second in two games. The man known as “Cookie” deserves a few extra double stuffed Oreos.
“I had a few before the game,” he lobbed back.
By the third period, it sure looked like Detroit accepted their unenviable fate not only for the game, but in yet another disappointing season. Detroit put Cam Talbot in net for the second period, but it was no help.
Penguins Report Card
Team: A-
The only thing that kept the Penguins from a sterling A+ grade was the second period. The Penguins seemed to ease up too much. Had Detroit pushed harder, or a bad bounce gone against them, the game could have been different. Instead, the Penguins regrouped and coasted to a season-affirming victory.
Stuart Skinner: A+
Stu! The Penguins’ goalie made a few saves look much easier than they were, such as a nifty glove save on Lucas Raymond’s point-blank shot later in the second period that was a shorthanded two-on-one. Skinner stuffed Alex DeBrincat on the doorstep early in the second. Skinner’s glove was working well.
Evgeni Malkin: B+
Malkin was flying. He backed up the Detroit defense frequently and created space for linemates Tommy Novak and Anthony Mantha. His timing was a little off, but he played quite well. The re-addition of Malkin to the Penguins’ lineup made them even more dangerous from top to bottom.
Worthy of Praise
Ben Kindel: He didn’t get an assist on the fourth goal, but he raced into the offensive zone to stop Detroit’s breakout like his pants were on fire. Pure speed and need. Kindel very much raised his game over the last two games.
Anthony Mantha: Well, duh. The Penguins’ big winger is controlling the puck, the game, and the scoresheet. He scored his 30th goal of the season, which is a career high. Had he scored a second goal, PHN’s headline in waiting was: Moe-Town, Penguins Pound Detroit.
Elmer Soderblom: He gets more physical each game. He is dominating the walls and creating matchup nightmares for defensemen. The Penguins’ fourth line is spending more and more time in the offensive zone. Despite seeing significant time against Detroit’s top lines, the Penguins’ fourth line had a 9-8 scoring chance advantage.
That’s a lot to do with Soderblom.
Parker Wotherspoon: His game was a bit shaky last week, but Wotherspoon has quickly rebounded to play a tough game. He is also playing with the puck and appropriately taking space in the offensive zone.
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