Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

GAMEDAY! Revenge after a 5-3 pasting Tuesday?

March 29, 2012, 11:58 AM ET [127 Comments]
John Toperzer
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Pens (47-23-6, 20-14-4 road) at Isles (32-33-11, 15-16-6 home), Nassau Coliseum, 7:00 pm ET
Follow me on Twitter @JohnToperzer


It’s said that loose lips sink ships, but for the Penguins on Tuesday it was loose play rules the day.

Whether it was the Flower playing his worst hockey a day after a Vezina Trophy endorsement from yours truly, or Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby tiring after a crazy two-minute and 20-second shift leading to Michael Grabner’s goal with 3.8 seconds left in the first, the Pens didn’t seem mentally focused against the Islanders.

Perhaps it’s understandable, given that the Pens had won 13 straight games against the Isles in Pittsburgh. Even on Tuesday, the Penguins effortlessly rattled off two goals in less than five minutes to temporarily knot the score at 2-2. Things have come so easily lately that it’s possible the team thought it only needed to show up and turn it on when necessary to beat New York. Sometimes it’s only human to think that way, though a 5-3 loss shows the trouble that kind of thinking can lead to.

For the first time in a while, the Penguins are closer to fifth place (100 points to Philly’s 96) than first. The New York Rangers have 105 points. The Blueshirts have played in one more game than Pittsburgh, 77 to 76, but time is running out. The Pens are no longer in control of their own destiny. They need two points on Long Island if they still are to entertain first-place hopes in the East and for the President’s Trophy as the top team overall (St. Louis has 105 points in 77 contests).

Maybe it’s a good thing if the Pens cool off a bit before the postseason. It’s hard to run the table from January through June. January 11 is unofficially recognized as the date of Pittsburgh’s turnaround, when GM Ray Shero declared his team would make the playoffs after the Pens lost their sixth straight contest, 1-0, to the Capitals. Since then the team has lost only six times in regulation, going 26-6-2.

Focusing on one game at a time is what Pittsburgh needs to do Thursday night. Crosby tussled with PA Parenteau on Tuesday. That needs to stop. Usually opponents target Evgeni Malkin as a means to get the star off his game, but Crosby obliged Tuesday. His two-minute minor cross-check of Parenteau – bad acting not withstanding – was indicative of the Pens’ lack of focus.

For that reason, the rematch takes on additional meaning. Can Pittsburgh simply play its game and put away a lesser opponent? Will the leaky glove of Marc-Andre Fleury firm up? Are the Pens going to limp into the postseason or continue to at least challenge for first place?

Six games remain on the regular-season ledger with only 10 days left. It’s an exciting time of the year to be a Penguins fan. Tightening up the ship will go a long way toward securing Pittsburgh’s longest playoff run since winning the Stanley Cup in 2008-09 and it all begins Thursday night. The talent is there.


*****


Pens-Isles: By the Numbers

Goals For/Against

Pens: 3.25-2.59 (per game)

Isles: 2.34-2.93


5-on-5 For/Against Ratio

Pens: 1.18

Isles: 0.75


Power Play

Pens: 18.2 percent, 24-for-132 (road)

Isles: 16 percent, 19-for-119 (home)


New York ranks ahead of Pittsburgh in overall power-play percentage (19.2 to 19), but its 16 percent rate at home is good for just 20th in the league.


Penalty Kill

Pens: 87 percent, 120-of-138 (road)

Isles: 81 percent, 85-of-105 (home)


Hits-Blocked Shots- Missed Shots-Giveaways-Takeaways

Pens: 974H-477B-481M-243G-258T (38 road games)

Isles: 913H-619B-371M-458G-534T (37 home games)


Record When Leading After 20 minutes, 40 minutes//Trailing After 20, 40

Pens: 22-5-4, 28-0-3/9-12-1, 8-18-2

Isles: 15-1-8, 17-1-8/6-22-2, 2-28-2


Record Scoring First//Trailing First

Pens: 31-7-4/16-16-2

Isles: 21-8-8/11-25-3


Shootouts

Pens: 9-3 overall/5-0 road

Isles: 7-4 overall/1-2 road


Faceoffs

Pens: 50.3 percent, 2321W-2297L

Isles: 48 percent, 2044W-2210L


*****


Treasure life & Let's Go Pens!
JT
Join the Discussion: » 127 Comments » Post New Comment
More from John Toperzer
» To Bylsma or not to Bylsma, that is the poll question
» Game Night: A light-hearted approach to Game 4
» Pens better in Game 3 but still unable to beat Bruins
» Game Night: Pens need Wednesday win to keep dream alive
» History suggests Pens-Bruins series not over