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Game Two Pre-Game: Shuffle The Deck... |
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The Penguins went one of three on Saturday night. What I mean is that the Penguins played one good period and two very lackluster ones. That is not going to work against the likes of the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings are a group of poised and focused veterans doing what they do...win at all costs. While the Penguins have shown the ability to match that level of intensity throughout these playoffs, the youngsters in Black and Vegas Gold didn't make it happen on Saturday.
What is a coach to do in this situation? Well, you can just stick with the situation as it was in a losing effort, or you can make some adjustments. Michel Therrien has chosen to shuffle his deck a bit in hopes of getting his young superstars going. Therrien has been Old King Midas in these playoffs, as everything he has touched has turned to gold. Every tweak and adjustment has been just the right thing to spur the Penguins to victory. He is hoping that he has hit upon a winning combination once again.
Therrien has broken up the line that has been one of the most productive in hockey since the All Star break in hopes of jump-starting Evgeni Malkin. Malkin, who has been dominant during stretches of the post season, seems to have hit a bit of a wall. Therrien has shuffled out Ryan Malone and inserted Malkin's road roommate and chum Max Talbot. Talbot and Malkin will be joined by long time Malkin wingman, Petr Sykora. Talbot's energy and ability to dig out the puck during dump ins could be the key to getting Malkin's engine going again.
The aforementioned Malone will skate with Sidney Crosby and Marian Hossa. Maybe his big frame will be the missing link for the two super stars, as they generated several great scoring chances in game one that resulted in big rebounds in and around the crease. The problem was that Pascal Dupuis wasn't able to get in there to knock them in. That isn't an indictment of his play, as he was involved in those opportunities, but the bullish mentality of Malone may turn those chances into goals.
The third pairing will be Jordan Staal, Tyler Kennedy and Dupuis. This will most likely be the Penguins transition/defensive unit. The one counted on to provide energy, some scoring chances, but mostly going one on one with the big line of Detroit. What they can match up against it that is. Staal has proven to be one of the best defensive forwards in the league and the Penguins need this future Selke candidate to assert himself even more so tonight.
Gary Roberts will finally be let out of his cage and he will skate along side Jarkko Ruutu and Adam Hall. This threesome needs to be a physical presence when they are on the ice. If they can utilize their 7 to 10 minutes of ice to lay some huge hits and maybe even generate a goal, they could be the difference in this game.
Marc Andre Fleury has also got to get back into his zone this evening. He made some big stops on Saturday evening, but he did allow a couple suspect goals. That cannot happen against the Detroit Red Wings. You cannot give them anything, let alone points on the board and Fleury would love to have back both Samuelsson goals from two days ago.
Overall, the Penguins have the talent to compete with the Red Wings if they play their game. They have to do all of the things that got them to this point: strong forechecking, great defense and most of all, attacking the opposition. They did that during the first period in game one, but could not keep that going for 60 minutes. They have got to shake the fatigue and get it done if they want to compete, let alone win this series.
Other Series Notes:
The Penguins are 28-15 all-time in Game Two of a playoff series, the most wins they have in any other playoff game.
The loss in Game One vs. Detroit was the 12th time in Penguins playoff history they have been shutout.
The Penguins have won seven of their last eight games in the Stanley Cup Final, including four of the last five on the road
Detroit has won 13 of their last 14 games in the Final, including five straight.
Since the start of the 2000-01 season, Sergei Gonchar has more goals in the regular season (111) than any other NHL defensemen. Niklas Lidstrom ranks fourth on that list. Lidstrom has more points (442) than any other NHL defenseman during that time span while Gonchar ranks second (431).
Though the situation is far different than the one the Penguins are currently in, flashback to May 15, 1991. The Penguins lose game one of the Stanley Cup Final at home to the Minnesota North Stars 5-4. The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup.
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