ELMONT, N.Y. — Again. The Pittsburgh Penguins found infuriating misfortune and a loss against the New York Islanders. No team in the NHL gets more bounces and breaks against the Penguins than New York.
Penguins players were white-hot angry following their 5-4 overtime loss at UBS Arena. They knew they had a the win. They knew they deserved it, but silly mistakes became big goals.
As several Penguins players walked toward the bus after the game, their gaze didn’t waver. There was a palpable fury as they strode out of the arena. The kind of anger that makes others simply step aside and not say a word.
Another game against the Islanders got away from the Penguins.
“(It was) better than last night. I mean, I thought you saw there was more of the game that we want to play, but we’re at the point of the season too, where we need that other point, especially against these guys,” said coach Dan Muse. “(With) where things are with the standings, you walk away disappointed.”
Penguins defensemen, notably Ilya Solovyov offset an otherwise stellar effort by needlessly screening goalie Stuart Skinner of the first tying goal of the third period, which was a shot from near the blue line by Mathew Barzal.
Skinner took full blame for the loss.
“The guys deserved better tonight,” Skinner said, before taking further blame for not communicating with Solovyov that no Islanders were near the net and he needed to let Skinner see.
It is a notable drawback of Solovyov’s game. He often drops back to protect the front of the net rather than covering his man. He becomes a pillar near the net without necessarily being needed.
We’ll find out if whether that’s him adjusting to a new system or a default setting that needs to be corrected.
After a faceplant loss to the Ottawa Senators Monday, the Penguins had a little ax to grind … with themselves. They mostly played well. Like so many games before, the Penguins outplayed the Islanders, only to be served a double shot of bitterness.
Anthony Mantha, Egor Chinakhov, Bryan Rust and Justin Brazeau scored for the goals that earned the Penguins a point.
“I thought the way we came out in the second and responded (from) that first shift, and that first line roll, I thought that was big,” Muse said. “It got us back into the game. But, you know, I think we have to find a way to finish that out.”
Penguins Analysis
If there has been an easy game for the Penguins at UBS Arena, or even the Coliseum, it’s long been forgotten.
Both teams kept their mistakes within the guardrails of the Long Island Parkway, which means there were wild moments and some high-speed flirtations with disaster, but largely, space was earned, not given.
Tactically, both teams play a 1-3-1 base, but the Islanders ferociously attack high in the zone. Through 40 minutes, the game was defined by the Penguins’ deft ability to deal with the Islanders neutral pressure. Still, the Islanders limited the Penguins offensive zone pressure by bottling the Penguins’ defensemen at the offensive blue line.
The Penguins visibly won the territory battle but didn’t necessarily convert their shot advantage and zone time to great scoring chances. The scoring chance ratios clearly showed the juxtaposition between the Penguins play and their results.
“I think it was better, but obviously I think there’s still another gear in here. I think it was better than last night, for sure, but I think there’s more we can give,” Justin Brazeau said. “We had moments of where we were applying our will on the game, but then we had some moments kind of sitting back, letting them get too much speed. So I think we’ve got to kind of figure that out for one more game before the break.”
In the second period, the Penguins outchanced the Islanders 11-3, which would ordinarily be a significant advantage, but the Islanders limited the Penguins to just three high-danger chances, and held an overall 8-5 lead in the category after the second period, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
The Penguins were able to control the puck and pace of the game with well-executed zone exits, but also little chips past the middle layer of the Islanders’ 1-3-1. The Penguins created controlled zone entries with little passes and little dumps between the Islanders’ layers.
Once in the zone, the Penguins went low. They were on the perimeter but by playing down low, the puck was on Sidney Crosby’s stick, and they were able to fight for space in the slot and the net front (the scoring zones).
In fact, the first three Penguins goals were scored off passes from behind the goal line. The fourth was Justin Brazeau’s tip in front after the Penguins again worked the puck low to high for Brett Kulak’s shot.
Penguins Report Card
Team: B-
High energy. Intensity. So many good things, such as holding onto the puck down low and fighting for space in the dirty areas. However, so many turnovers and mistakes. The good outweighted the bad, but just a little less bad and this could have been a statement win.
Stuart Skinner: Rough Go
It was a not a night for Stu. The Penguins needed a couple of saves, or even just one more. It was a soft rebound that Ryan Shea was unable to clear which gave the Islanders their goal to tie it 2-2. The tying goal at 4 was a wrister from behind the circles.
Skinner has been quite good for over a month, but Tuesday was one to forget.
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust: B+
What a difference Rust makes. The line seemingly played below the Islanders’ dots all night. They got the cookie when Rust scored late in the second period, but they were a little loose at times, perhaps pushing too hard.
Crosby and Rust were absolutely furious after the game. Crosby was butt-ended by Jean-Gabriel Pageau after a faceoff, in full view of everyone. Crosby’s frustrations, or intensity, were visible later in the game as he simply skated through Adam Pelech rather than around him while chasing a puck.
Ilya Solovyov: B
He played physical, stay-at-home defense, albeit a bit too “at home.” He executed a center drive and jumped into the play a few times. Except for the screen, he was good.
Justin Brazea & Anthony Mantha: B+
Mantha was dangerous and Brazeau played a big-man’s game.
Irony: Refs told Brazeau that his would-be game winner in the third period wouldn’t have counted even if it crossed the line because they felt Ben Kindel pushed Ilya Sorokin into the net.
I dare say, the Penguins seem to be on the wrong side of every single one of the calls around the net and there what fans and the team have a right to question is the lack of consistency among the calls.
Categorized:Penguins Analysis
