Analysis
I've had quite a few people walk up to me in the past two weeks and ask that question. My typical answer is an abrupt "Nothing!" and then I will walk away in frustration.
There seems to be an expectation that the team would pick up where they left off in June and go on a tear through the league naturally ending up with the Stanley Cup taking a tour of Pittsburgh next summer. Well I hate to crap on everyone's victory parade down Fifth Avenue but it is way too early to start celebrating. And, like the optimist that I am, it is also premature to count the flightless birds out at this point in time.
I have had that feeling of watching Evgeni Malkin on a breakaway only to stop and take a slapper from 10 feet out. In other words, it's just not natural. Pittsburgh is sitting at 4-2-1 with 9 points, in second place behind the Rangers who went on a tear to open the season. Nothing is wrong with that. They are in a much better position this early in the season then, ummm, maybe the FLYERS!
I think the bottom line of what's been going on is just the fact that half of the forwards on the roster had never skated together before the first game three weeks ago. Hockey is a game of intensity, skill, knowledge, sight and chemistry. The Pens have all of that, but the chemistry is still developing. Chemistry takes time. Chemistry takes effort. Most of all, chemistry comes only after experience. The lines have to stay together, play together and most of all lose together before they can win.
Milestones
Sid Crosby scored a milestone hat trick of sorts on Saturday against the Leafs. He marked his 200th assist and his 100th goal giving him 300 career NHL points. What a way to do that in style!
Evgeni Malkin racked up his 200th career point as well this past week. Way to go Geno!
Dare I say...both Sid and Geno will top 400 and 300 points respectively by the end of this regular season.
Injury Update
Gonchar and Whitney are both still out indefinitely. Speedy recovery to both!
News of Note
After starting out the season 1 for 18 on the power play after the first two games in Sweden, the Penguins power play has found new life. Since coming back from Europe, Pittsburgh has converted on 11 of 46 opportunities. That's a 20% rate. Much improved!
The Igloo continues to be sold out for all home games. They have recently topped seventy consecutive sellouts with no end in sight. While this is terrific for the team and it's fans, there are many fans that no longer have the opportunity to pick up tickets at reasonable prices. Small price to pay, I guess, for having a successfully team to watch.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
What's Wrong with the Penguins?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Peace, Alexei Cherepanov
New York Rangers first round draft pick, Alexei Cherepanov, collapsed and died Monday during a Continental Hockey League game in Moscow, Russia.
See Yahoo Sports story here.
Pens Drop Last Two...Looking for Power Play
The headline says it all. Two for Eighteen on the power play so far through three games. That's 11.1%. Truly pathetic for a team that looked to lead the league before play started last week. And where is the offense in general. Two goals per game average through the New Jersey game on Saturday.
Not looking a whole lot better on defense either. The Pens are tied for 27th in shots per game at 37. If not for the stellar play of Marc Andre Fleury they may not have any of the three points they have earned so far.
Don't get me wrong, I am not calling for the Michel Therrien's head on an over sized puck - he is famous for starting out slow. But for a team that was expected to compete, from the beginning, to get back to where they were last season, this effort has been lackluster, even downright discouraging.
Now, while all of these issues are glaring at this time, all is not lost. The trip to Europe had to have a bad effect, as well as nearly a week off after. Training camp was shortened due to aforementioned trip. And there is the fact that nearly one third of the roster was not on the ice for game 6 of last years Stanley Cup Final. So, while the Penguins have stated out in an unexpected situation all is not lost. More effort on D, a renewed concentration on converting power play opportunities into goals and an overall improvment in team chemistry can go a long way to righting this ship before it is too late and they are looking up from the bottom
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The Sweden Bowl - Game 1
The Pens won game one of The Sweden Bowl, and the first game of the season, 4-3 in overtime. Pittsburgh will take on Ottawa again today at 2:30 pm EDT. Pens goals scored by Scuderi (that's right!), Malkin got a shorty and the #1 star of the game, Tyler Kennedy, got the opening goal and the OT winner.
The Pens showed no glaring team deficiencies. They did play a solid two-way game and looked like they picked up where they left off last season. Therrien's line combinations could use some time to gel but the promotion of Tyler Kennedy to a scorning line looks like a stroke of genius this morning.
What really astounded me is the level of aggressiveness that both teams played with. Ottawa was an entirely different team than the one the laid down for the Pens to tramp over on their was to the Finals last spring. My guess is that this still stings with the hold over Senators players. Ottawa's Chris Neil made a general pest of himself with several cheap hits on Penguins players.
All of this physical play raisies the overall enthusiasm ofr this afternoons second game. Tune in on Versus or FSN for game 2 at 2:30.
