Cam Ward and Hurricanes shut down Penguins 2-1

by FrankD on Jan 20, 2009 10:11 PM EST in Game Recaps Comment 6 comments

It wasn't the most exciting of games to watch, but perhaps our friends Bob and company over at Canes Country would like to keep that statement open for argument. They did, after all, pull out the win.

Let me put it this way - it's a good thing the Penguins didn't face Cam Ward in the previous two meetings this season. I don't know what that guy is eating before games but he looked just as good tonight as he did last night against the Maple Leafs. That's back-to-back starts with a little trek between Toronto and Pitt. Impressive.

The Pens got to him early when Evgeni Malkin picked up the trash in the first period, but from thereon in Ward clamped down and didn't exactly make it easy for Pitt.

Hell, the same can be said of Marc-Andre Fleury as well. While he did cough up one more goal than Ward, hardly anyone can argue with the fact that he single-handedly kept the Pens in striking distance.

And striking distance was more than feasible. After Evgeni Malkin took a high stick to the jaw with 4:15 remaining in the game, the Pens received a four-minute power play to not only secure a chance to tie, but also to win. As any Pens fan knows from watching them with the man advantage this season, one goal is rare enough. Two? That would just cause Michel Therrien's head to explode.

With that said it probably shouldn't come as any surprise that the Pens failed to convert in those four minutes of 5-on-4. Oh and did I mention the one minute-plus of 6-on-4 after the Pens pulled Fleury? Yeah, I guess I'm just trying to forget that.

Sigh.

The Penguins back into the All-Star break with a loss. So be it. Let's hope these eight days off give guys like Dupuis, Orpik and Talbot a chance to heal. Throw Crosby into that mix too. I don't know if he's out there playing hurt or not, but frankly I'd rather he sit out the ASG in favor of some much-needed rest.

The good: Marc-Andre Fleury kept it close, stopping 38 shots in the process.

The bad: There's only so much your goaltender can do.

The ugly: The four-minute power play to close out the third. Fundamentals thrown out the window.

Next game: Wednesday. January 28. Rangers (again).

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End of Game

I only got to catch the last 5min of the game tonight and it was horrible. How do you have a 4min PowerPlay and only take about 3 shots?
I think a problem the Pens are having with their PowerPlay is that they’re not taking shots…everyone just keeps trying to make the perfect pass instead of trying to get a garbage goal here and there. We definately miss Malone and Gonchar on the PP.
I was hoping for the Pens to call a TO half way through the PP to knock some sense into them about shooting the puck!
Hopefully the All-Star break will allow us to get healthy and to figure some things out defensively and special teams wise.

by Teaters33 on Jan 20, 2009 10:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

When you consider the number of times the puck rang off the iron you’d also think the posts were a bit wider for this game.

But you’re right. The story with this power play is that they just can’t get it together. Jordan Staal’s aimless pass to the front of the net around the 1:50ish mark (don’t hold me to that time) was just about as dumb and blind a pass as you can make in a situation like that. Point blank? Shoot. Worst case scenario we have another faceoff in the Canes’ zone when they are down a player – or two at that point if you wish to pull Fleury for the extra attacker.

Like I said – fundamentals. It’s just hideous to watch that unit take to the ice.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Jan 20, 2009 11:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The posts are cheating for Carolina just like the refs cheat for the Pens.

Sure, it may be a rough stretch, but at least it's okay to like Jaromir Jagr again.

by JDunman on Jan 21, 2009 8:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think aimless is a good word for it, seemed a lot worse when Crosby was out and the PP took on Malkin’s frantic identity.

Also I think the switching of the 5th man around (is it Sykora, is it Staal?) doesn’t help, as well as the difficulties with having to use different defensemen. Last year a powerplay would strike and everyone would know it’d be Malone, Crosby, Malkin up front with Gonchar and Whitney manning the points….Well until they put 71 back there, but that’s a whole ’nother can of worms.

This year when there’s a PP you know it’s going to be Crosby, Malkin and Whitney out there, but sometimes Malkin’s been on defense, sometimes he’s up front; sometimes Goose, Letang or Boucher is the other defensemen, sometimes Sykora is in the slot, sometimes Staal is out there.

If they could establish the top unit completely I think that would help. A big factor on the PP is chemistry, playing cohesive and establishing tendencies. The Penguins (largely thanks to injuries) haven’t been able to get that going yet.

by Hooks Orpik on Jan 21, 2009 10:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It seems pretty chaotic in terms of organization and something that has to be settled down. All of these so-called experts are convinced Gonchar won’t bring a punch back to the power play but who are we to argue at this point? If he comes back looking like Whitney they’ll be 100% right.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Jan 21, 2009 11:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, there’s a lot of expectation on Gonchar’s shoulders (no pun).

Also I think everyone should remember that Gonchar, before last season, had always been a notoriously slow starter as well, so even when he comes back in Feburary/March it will be unrealistic to expect him to be in mid-season form.

by Hooks Orpik on Jan 21, 2009 12:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs