Next Four Penguin Games – A Litmus Test

By STH35     March 17, 2011

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The play of the Penguins over the next four games should give us a very good idea of how they might fare in the playoffs.  Rangers and Devils at home, Red Wings and Flyers on the road.  Three playoff-bound teams and maybe four as the Devils are the hottest team in the NHL.  To date the Penguins have not played well against the upper echelon teams.  The Rangers have gotten points in four of the five games so far this season, including 2-0 at CEC.  The Penguins are 1-3 versus the Flyers, and 2-1-1 versus the Devils.  The two wins came before the Devils turned things around. 

The best way for the Penguins to have success against these teams is to be productive on the powerplay.  I’m not sure that they are capable.  ...

Pens Lucky to Have Bylsma – Not Boudreau

By STH35     February 8, 2011

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I am so glad that Dan Bylsma is the coach of the Penguins and not Pillsbury Dough Boy Bruce Boudreau.  He doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut when he should.  I’m guessing it’s because he is not very intelligent.

We got a good look at Boudreau’s coaching personality on the first 24/7 epidsode.  I’m wondering if this was the first time McPhee, the Caps General Manager, got a close-up look at him behind closed doors with his team.  It might have been, because it surely seemed like he had a talk with Boudreau – his unprofessional behavior changed considerably for the next three episodes.  (College students have actually made a drinking game out of this episode — drinking every time Boudreau drops an F-bomb, which happens about every third word.) 

However a zebra can’t change his stripes and sooner or later Boudreau will again prove what a moron he is.  His latest proof came as he berated Cooke for his knee hit on Ovechkin.  ...

Penguins Need to Spend Less Time in the Penalty Box

By STH35     January 14, 2011

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The Penguins have played 45 games this season.   They have played two with their full lineup.  They have still managed to hold a position near the top of the Eastern Conference.  Now that the Front Office has decided to keep us in the dark in regards to Crosby’s status, it looks like it might be a while before the Penguins play their third game of the season with everyone healthy.  Saturday will be the fifth game that he has missed and as far as we know, he is not close to returning.  He is not suffering from a ‘mild’ concussion.  If Crosby is going to be sidelined for a while longer, the Pens will have to learn to win without him. 

Wednesday night in Montreal was a good way to start.  ...

Malkin is on Board for the Penguins

By STH35     December 21, 2010

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I just talked to a media relations director with the Penguins and you will never believe what he told me.   He had a conversation with Malkin around the time that my post ‘Is It Time to Consider Trading Malkin?’ hit the internet.  Geno told him that after reading it, he realized he was not playing up to potential and was letting the fans down.  He knew that he had to get his act together so that he could remain a Penguin.  Funny thing — that was the purpose of writing it in the first place.  I knew that PenguinPoop.com is his favorite blog, and that he reads anything posted by STH35.  So mission accomplished.  Geno is now on board and the Penguins are a better team.  You’re welcome!!! ...

Is It Time to Consider Trading Malkin?

By STH35     December 17, 2010

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Is it time to consider trading 71?  I never thought that I would be able to consider this as a possibility.  After watching the winning streak, the last four games without him. and the two game losing streak with him scoring all three goals, I am open to the thought. 

Bylsma likes his team to play North-South hockey.  Every player on the team tries their best to play that type of game.  Everyone except Malkin.  He likes a game that takes risks at times instead of the simple play.  While thrilling to watch when he executes those plays, the turnovers he causes when he doesn’t, go completely against the way Bylsma wants the team to play. 

The questions are:  Could this team be better without 71?  What wingers might the Pens be able to get in trade or with the $8.7Million cap spare?  ...

The Penguins Are Back Where They Belong

By STH35     November 28, 2010

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     The Penguins enjoyed a fine Thanksgiving weekend picking up four points over two inferior opponents.  It wasn’t long ago that they were a game under .500 and wondering when their game would come together.  Crosby took the reins and the Penguins found themselves where they belong — near the top of the Eastern Conference.  A twelve-game point scoring streak capped off by his sixth career hat trick, and Crosby has led his team to 8-0-1 over the last nine games.

     Even as good as Crosby has been, it takes more than one player to accomplish a stretch like this.  There are several others that have been contributing factors in the better play of late.  At the top of the list is Fleury.  He has been outstanding.  There are better goalies in the league than Fleury — he is still my favorite.  I don’t think there is a better pair than he and Johnson.  After a 17-day layoff, Johnson had another great game on Saturday, stopping 30 of 31 shots. 

      The penalty killing has been incredible.  ...

Are the Pittsburgh Penguins a .500 Hockey Team?

By STH35     November 4, 2010

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As of November 4th, the Penguins are a .500 hockey team.  With the way that they have played so far this season, they are lucky to be at .500.  To put the 13 points that they have so far this season in perspective, they are only four points ahead of the New Jersey Devils in the standings, and the Devils have been absolutely horrible.  Why are the Penguins playing at a .500 level?  What can be done about it? 

In my previous post, ‘The Pens Will Get Better’, I talked about a few of the problems — the powerplay, Fleury, and poor home record.  Though these are probably the biggest reasons for their failure this season, there are others.  Let’s start at the top.  The play of Crosby and Malkin has been subpar.  I don’t really want to link these two together as equal problems, but they are the leaders of the team and have the contracts to prove it.  Crosby has shown some signs of life, but his passing has been suspect, and he is turning the puck over at an alarming rate.  He has zero game-winning goals.  Malkin is another story.  He has been just plain awful.  I’m not sure if the attempted switch to wing is a factor or not, but his numbers tell the story — he has three goals and nine points in twelve games.  That puts 56 players ahead of him in points.  His numbers project to a 20-goal, 60-point season.  Those are the numbers of a $3Million player, NOT a $9Million player.  These two guys have to put the team on their backs and carry it through this tough stretch.  ...