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The Pittsburgh Penguins will look to avoid going down 2-0 in their 2nd round series vs the New York Rangers this evening.
The Penguins played poorly at the start of the game and then were able to find their footing and play better as the game went on. The result was hovering around 54% possession regardless of game state. That will wear the Rangers down, that will keep the puck out of their zone, that will lead to more puck luck.
On the roster front it appears that Brooks Orpik will miss yet another game. He skated with strength and conditioning coach Mike Kadar before practice and did not participate in the morning skate.
It appears Brian Gibbons has indeed been cleared for game action, Gibbons confirmed this information to Pittsburgh Tribune writer Josh Yohe. However he was not skating with a normal line at the morning skate.
If Gibbons is indeed healthy there is no reason why he should not be reinserted into the lineup. The Rangers are a speed/skill team these days, so are the Penguins. Why keep using this window dressing of Adams and Glass to give a façade of “toughness…. The longer they play, the longer the Penguins are not utilizing their optimal lineup.
Some keys to tonight’s game for the Penguins
Special teams
The Penguins did not allow a power play goal for the first time in 3 games. During the playoffs they only have 2 games where they have not allowed a power play goal. The Rangers power play is going through its own struggles but if the Penguins continue to allow a guy to freely and openly screen Marc Andre Fleury the Rangers will eventually find the back of the net.
The power play could potentially have a different look than it has the past few games. After a few reps Paul Martin and Matt Niskanen were replaced by Kris Letang and James Neal. It remains to be seen what will be the Penguins true #1 unit this evening. Whoever draws the assignment they cannot afford to put up a goose egg with the man advantage. The Penguins need their power play to be a prime asset during this postseason run. Last game was the first time in 3 games where they did not register a power play goal.
Stay away from bad matchups
Last game the Penguins found themselves on the wrong end of a few matchups despite being on home ice. There were times where Bylsma actively chose to match Vitale, Adams, Glass, and Scuderi up against the Nash, St. Louis, Stepan line on defensive zone faceoffs. That can’t happen. You deserve whatever bad results you get when you have last change and choose to do that. Those are the Penguins 4 worst players on the active roster playing against another team’s top line.
Goaltending
Marc Andre Fleury led off the game with a stinker when Pouliot beat him with a 40 foot wrister, but Fleury played well after that, well enough for the Penguins to win. He needs to continue to give his team a chance to win, he has done that for the most part this postseason. Fleury’s EVSV% of .937% is very acceptable (actually it’s very good), only Rask and Lundqvist have been better. Fleury needs to uphold this standard. It is something he has not done since 2007-2008
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Pittsburgh Magazine's Sean Conboy sums up my thoughts about Sidney Crosby nicely
This "Crosby Thing" isn't about goals. It's not about "leadership." It's not a narrative. It's his skating. He's not flying. That's a fact.
— Sean Conboy (@SeanConPM) May 4, 2014
What the media and fans want to do with that fact is a potpourri of agendas. He's the greatest player in the world. But he's been slowed.
— Sean Conboy (@SeanConPM) May 4, 2014
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Looking for the Ranger's perspective in Game 2? You can find Jan Levine's piece from today here
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This week's Hockey Hurts podcast is up on iTunes, give it a listen and then a review You can find it here. This week's topic is all about the playoffs.
Thanks for reading!
Follow me on twitter Follow @GunnerStaal