Sights, sounds and the scene from Consol Energy Center …
• Derrick Pouliot moved about the ice effortlessly and participated in all phases of the Penguins’ 25-minute optional skate this morning, a session that included 12 other skaters and both goaltenders in advance of tonight’s Game 4 of the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series with the Rangers.
“Yeah, he’s really close to playing,” Mike Johnston said afterward. “Yeah, he really is.”
None of Sidney Crosby, Blake Comeau, Steve Downie, Patric Hornqvist, Chris Kunitz, Paul Martin, Rob Scuderi, Nick Spaling or Brandon Sutter took part. There were no updates on Christian Ehrhoff or Kris Letang.
Mike Johnston is emphasizing shot volume heading into Game 4 of the Penguins’ playoffs. — GETTY
• The Penguins’ sluggish starts in this series were the primary topic in the locker room.
Ben Lovejoy put together a small list: “Three things: We need to be mentally focused, we need to come out and win battles, and we need to play smart. Last game, we didn’t do any of those things. We were turning pucks over, which led to them being able to use their quick strike offense. We weren’t winning battles. And we came out maybe with our brains turned off. We need to be engaged from the start. We know how big a game this is. They know how big of a game this is. And we need to be ready.”
• Johnston has preached about shot volume since the earliest moments of training camp. The thinking is that no goaltender is capable of stopping 100 percent and that, for the most part, a team will pick up one goal for every 10 shots.
The Penguins’ average through three games: 23.6.
“There’s a difference between shot volume and shot quality, and sometimes they’re the same things, and sometimes they’re completely different,” Daniel Winnik said. “But for us, I think at the start of games we’ve just got to get some shot volume, get pucks to the net and bodies and create some confusion in the offensive zone. … In terms of first periods in general, I mean, we need to be better.”
• Two minutes with Taylor Chorney:
• David Perron has one goal, two assists and a minus-10 rating over his past 17 games, including the regular season, a significant cooling from the nine goals he scored in his first 16 games with the Penguins. He also has taken at least one minor penalty nine of those past 17 games.
He appears to be overthinking on the ice. He’s not one-timing the puck, usually stopping it to pump fake a defender or size up the net. That approach has resulted in many missed nets and blocked shots. He has managed three shots in each game of this series, but Johnston said he needs to keep it simple.
“Well he’s getting chances, at least in this series,” the coach said. “He’s had some really good looks at the net, good chances. His shot totals have to stay up. That’s the main thing for me with him. He’s got to get three or four shots a game. And sometimes when guys aren’t scoring, it’s better just getting the puck to the net.”
Brian Metzer is a freelance writer for DKonPittsburghSports.com.
For all the talent that Pouliot possesses, the way he turned the puck over and his overall play at the end of the season, I am not sure I consider this a major upside for the Pens D right now. I have been pleased with Dumoulin and especially Chorney for keeping it simple. They are not dominant, but nothing takes the air out of a team like a bad mistake. Pouliot's time will definitely be next year.
Our D can't exit the D-zone which is helping to kill our offense. Pouliot at 75% is better than Scuds at 110% - in every facet of the game. As long as his injury isn't concussion related, he should be playing through it in the playoffs. He's been practicing a bunch, so at this point, it can't be a long term risk. "Really close" means a go in April, May, & June. Malkin was rushed back due to dire circumstances. Pouliot should be as well.
Groat2Maz2Strangeglove
4-22-2015, 3:12 pm
"Pouliot at 75% is better than Scuds at 110% - in every facet of the game."
Dude, you shouldn't be toking the ganga during the day.
Scuderi is in no way an offensive genius, but he logged over 9 minutes just in penalty kill time in Game 2 —— the game Pens won. Look at the whole game! Hockey is not just who can get the puck into the offensive zone quicker. I'd like to see Pouliot play, but Pens' defense will not be stronger if he's in.
And someone will have to cover those almost-certain penalty minutes Penguins will foolishly incur.
DJ
4-22-2015, 7:02 pm
Wise man (or woman) Mr. (or Ms.) Perino.
unipress_551d71ba8b435
4-22-2015, 1:36 pm
In my opinion, the slow starts are attributed to 2 things:
1. Lack of motivation by the coaching staff
2. That the team is bereft of leaders - captain included
Both of these statements are complete absurdity. You should probably stop watching if you think this is anything but a problem with our depth. Depth issue is injury related on the blue line and management related looking at the bottom 6 forwards.
tired of it all
4-22-2015, 1:53 pm
the pens would rather lose than change, as evidenced by Malkin trying stick handle thru 3 uys, Crosby making those drop or cross ice pases to a spot whether or not there is a guy there and Scuds just dumping the puck. Our D are not passing TO anyone, just getting rid of it. The O is still trying the perfect tic tac toe play without the talent to execute it
Good lord. Fault the player. Make some valid points about why he's not captain material. But name calling? Does it make you feel good to call a guy named Sidney "Cindy?" Wow. If that's the best you can do, I guess that's the best you can do.
Good lord. Fault the player. Make some valid points about why he's not captain material. But name calling? Does it make you feel good to call a guy named Sidney "Cindy?" Wow. If that's the best you can do, I guess that's the best you can do.
Groat2Maz2Strangeglove
4-22-2015, 3:15 pm
Troll alert.
Ignore it and it will die.
Adam
4-22-2015, 4:56 pm
Flyers golf fan alert.
Joe Yinzer
4-22-2015, 2:28 pm
Lovejoy's comments bother me. How can they NOT have their brains turned on at the start of a playoff game? I'm sick and tired of hearing the same garbage from the Pens. They've played like crap for the last 3 months and talk about what they should be doing and yet they continue to make the same mistakes game after game.
How can the Pens play so poorly at home in a playoff game? No wonder there is no enthusiasm or energy around the city for the playoffs.
Between the chronic lousy play from the Pens and the incredible incompetence and what certainly looks like a Ranger bias from the Refs I'm not expecting anything good to happen the rest of the way.
Agreed. I see no reason to put Pouliot out there now; let him sit out the next couple of games, send him to the golf course with everyone else and get prepared to return fresh next season.
bsharp
4-22-2015, 3:29 pm
They didn't play poorly. They lost 2-1 to a better team that made adjustments after getting beat in game 2. Some guys can do more, others are maxing out what they can contribute.
As for the other thing, athletes always talk about needing more effort and focus when they lose, regardless if that's actually true. They're not going to say "we tried our very best but they were better." You should really not read too much into it.
Joe Yinzer
4-22-2015, 5:33 pm
bsharp, they also didn't play well. There was never a sense that they were going to win the game.
This team plays and is coached like they really don't have a game plan.
Scuderi is the last player that should be coming out of the lineup, DP should be in if he's able but Doumlin is the guy that should be coming out.
Sarah
4-22-2015, 4:16 pm
Disagree, Scuderi kills us on puck control, transitions/breakout and on O possession every shift he's out there. The NYR are keying on him and go to his side with stretch or dump in constantly. He cannot make a pass and is often the reason for getting hemmed in the Dzone and turnings the puck over. He's an enormous liability that Despres somewhat masked for awhile.
He's barely even a #7D now, with the exception of PK.
DJ
4-22-2015, 6:55 pm
. . . and he's using up all our stitches.
Radio wave
4-22-2015, 2:41 pm
I originally predicted six games. I'm sticking to it.
The Penguins need to be more selfish with the puck. By that I mean they need to shoot! You see way too many guys passing up opportunities to pass the puck, and then the process repeats itself. Get the puck, and put it on net. Be selfish and SHOOT!
Blows my mind that these guys still talk and act like that they have to "learn" to play a 60 minute game, and have to "learn" to be ready to play at opening faceoff, and have to "learn" to match the other teams intensity.
If they don't know these things after playing hockey and sports all of their lives then there are much bigger issues with this team than can be fixed by anybody.
Random factoids
1. Team which scored the second goal has won the first 3 games of this series
2. Pens have scored only 1 goal in five of the last 6 playoff games against Rangers
3. Rangers have won 3 of the last 4 playoff games vs Pens by a score of 2-1
4. Since 2007, Pens have been in this position 4 times (07-Sens, 08-Wings, 09-Caps & Wings). The two times they won game 4 at home to even series, they went on to win series in 7. The two times they lost to go down 3-1, they lost the series.
All signs point to the fact that Pens need to get that elusive second goal to win tonight
So Pouliot is "really close?" I suppose he will be ready about the same time Letang, Matta, and Erhoff will be...next season. Unfortunately, "really close" doesn't do this years Pens any good if they happen to lose tonight! This would have been a perfect chance for him to gain valuable playoff experience. Let's Go Pens! Win tonight and who knows where this series turns! Maybe then "really close" will matter!
If 51 returns, 4 should be the one who sits. The man is a spectator out there, 44/8 play with some passion. The definition of psychotic is trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
April 22, 2015
Coverage: Pouliot ‘really close’
by Brian Metzer • Coverage • Penguins
BY BRIAN METZER
Sights, sounds and the scene from Consol Energy Center …
• Derrick Pouliot moved about the ice effortlessly and participated in all phases of the Penguins’ 25-minute optional skate this morning, a session that included 12 other skaters and both goaltenders in advance of tonight’s Game 4 of the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series with the Rangers.
“Yeah, he’s really close to playing,” Mike Johnston said afterward. “Yeah, he really is.”
None of Sidney Crosby, Blake Comeau, Steve Downie, Patric Hornqvist, Chris Kunitz, Paul Martin, Rob Scuderi, Nick Spaling or Brandon Sutter took part. There were no updates on Christian Ehrhoff or Kris Letang.
Mike Johnston is emphasizing shot volume heading into Game 4 of the Penguins’ playoffs. — GETTY
• The Penguins’ sluggish starts in this series were the primary topic in the locker room.
Ben Lovejoy put together a small list: “Three things: We need to be mentally focused, we need to come out and win battles, and we need to play smart. Last game, we didn’t do any of those things. We were turning pucks over, which led to them being able to use their quick strike offense. We weren’t winning battles. And we came out maybe with our brains turned off. We need to be engaged from the start. We know how big a game this is. They know how big of a game this is. And we need to be ready.”
• Johnston has preached about shot volume since the earliest moments of training camp. The thinking is that no goaltender is capable of stopping 100 percent and that, for the most part, a team will pick up one goal for every 10 shots.
The Penguins’ average through three games: 23.6.
“There’s a difference between shot volume and shot quality, and sometimes they’re the same things, and sometimes they’re completely different,” Daniel Winnik said. “But for us, I think at the start of games we’ve just got to get some shot volume, get pucks to the net and bodies and create some confusion in the offensive zone. … In terms of first periods in general, I mean, we need to be better.”
• Two minutes with Taylor Chorney:
• David Perron has one goal, two assists and a minus-10 rating over his past 17 games, including the regular season, a significant cooling from the nine goals he scored in his first 16 games with the Penguins. He also has taken at least one minor penalty nine of those past 17 games.
He appears to be overthinking on the ice. He’s not one-timing the puck, usually stopping it to pump fake a defender or size up the net. That approach has resulted in many missed nets and blocked shots. He has managed three shots in each game of this series, but Johnston said he needs to keep it simple.
“Well he’s getting chances, at least in this series,” the coach said. “He’s had some really good looks at the net, good chances. His shot totals have to stay up. That’s the main thing for me with him. He’s got to get three or four shots a game. And sometimes when guys aren’t scoring, it’s better just getting the puck to the net.”
Brian Metzer is a freelance writer for DKonPittsburghSports.com.