Pens win big, easily 5-1 against St. Louis, but Gonchar suffers injury?
by Hooks Orpik on Oct 20, 2009 10:10 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
15 comments
Blues vs Penguins coverage - Blues vs Penguins recap - SB Nation Blues' blog: St. Louis Game Time
The first period was one of the most dominanting performances by one professional team against another. Shots were 20-3 Penguins. Faceoffs were 60%-40% Penguins. Hits were 13-9 Penguins. Goals, most importantly, were 2-0 Penguins. Everyone was in on the act, even Eric Godard was getting chances. Tyler Kennedy corralled a puck from Jay McKee and wired one home to open the scoring. Right after that Andy McDonald high-sticked Brooks Orpik and Evgeni Malkin kept with it and buried the second goal.
Second period was more of the same, with Ruslan Fedotenko wiring a wrister on the power-play followed by Matt Cooke with a great tip off a Kris Letang shot. Pittsburgh applied more and more pressure but St. Louis would get one back off some great effort by T.J. Oshie to keep a play going. The Blues in general had a great shift after a power-play, keeping Letang out there for a 2:29 shift. Paul Kariya would tip in Erik Johnson's point shot for the goal.
The last stanza saw the Blues steady themselves. They trotted out Ty Conklin to the net as something of a relief to Chris Mason. He wasn't bad -- far from it -- but he was shelled and deserved a relief. Especially to shock the rest of the team into a better effort. It worked, sort of, as St. Louis stopped the bleeding, save Alex Goligoski getting a pass from Sidney Crosby and regaining the final victory margin of four goals.
- Mentioned above, the Pens got caught on a long shift after a power-play that resulted in St. Louis' goal. Sergei Gonchar wasn't quite on the ice when the goal was scored (he got off just before), but he was out there for a 3 minute and 11 second shift. He wouldn't return, with an "undisclosed injury" according to Versus. Someone say when it's safe to breath again.
- The #1 and #2 best defensive pairs have to play Crosby/Malkin, so that means Matt Cooke - Jordan Staal - Tyler Kennedy are going to see 3rd pairing defensemen. And, for the most part, 3rd pairing defensemen just aren't going to hold under the constant pressure, cycling, physical play and shots those three can create. Tonight the best 3rd line in the league was a combined 2 goals, 2 assists, +4, 9 shots on goal and 8 hits.
- Team balance, part II: 13 of 18 Penguin skaters recorded a point. The only names not on the scoresheet are the ones you wouldn't expect to be (Godard, Orpik, Mike Rupp, etc).
- As much as team balance is a great thing, "your best players have to be your best players" as Barry Melrose likes to say. In addition to his goal, Malkin had an amazing 12 shots on goal, 3 hits, 2 blocked shots. His faceoff percentage remains low but an all-around awesome game from the reigning scoring champ.
- Jay McKee had four shots on goal all season up to this point. Had four shots tonight. Think he was pressing for a goal against his old team? Don't fear, with four blocked shots and the usual stellar play in his own end, it wasn't like he abandoned his job to do seek his revenge.
- Marc-Andre Fleury was never really tested for prolonged periods, and the only one that beat him was a worm-burner of a great low shot tipped from just a few feet out. The fact there was about three Penguins in his field of vision couldn't have helped. Still, nothing else got by and Fleury got 22 of 23 to raise his save percentage to .926. His record is bumped to a perfect 8-0-0 and Fleury's got a GAA of 2.00 or under in five of his last five starts.
The Pensblog twitter is reporting Sergei Gonchar's injury as a broken wrist. If so, that would be tough to deal with losing the #1 defenseman on the team again. Hate to follow that up with a "but", however Goose got a goal tonight, Letang had two assists and Martin Skoula is a NHL caliber defenseman that hasn't even been able to crack the lineup yet. We'll have to wait until tomorrow for the official diagnosis from the Pens', but it doesn't look good.
0 recs |
15 comments
| Add comment
|
Email
Print
Comments
Silver lining is that we get another chance to evaluate how much Tanger and Goose have developed. We may end up with bargaining power in future contract negotiations. While we did lose a lot of games w/o Sarge, the Pens grew from getting Goose ice time. No doubt, we’ll be better on the other side of this when all is said and done regardless of the prognosis.
by ButchersDog on Oct 20, 2009 10:59 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
Players over 35 can receive bonuses that don’t count against the cap on one year contracts. The limit of those is restricted, but I think the Pens could offer Gonchar a base salary of, say, $3.5 million and I know I’ve seen veteran bonuses of $700k.
That would seem pretty reasonable for Gonchar to make in the $4.2 million range next season but also give the team a $1.5 million relief in cap money off of his current contract.
All of that conjecture by myself, they said they’d re-examine contract talks sometime after January so neither side is (or should be) concerned really at this time.
Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*
*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night
by Hooks Orpik on Oct 20, 2009 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t think that Gonchar will take a discount, per se (any more than you or I would take one in our job search), but I do think that all things equal he’d like to stay with the Pens. When you are winning and are surrounded by great talent, you’re more likely to want to stay… unless some other team comes in with a huge offer.
Like with Scuderi and Malone. I’m sure, if they had their druthers (using that word makes me seem like I’m 75), both would still be with the Pens, but the Kings and Lightning threw crazy money at them and they would’ve been fools not to take it.
I can’t see — as a 35-year-old — the same thing happening with Gonchar. He’s just too old, had a significant shoulder injury last year, and has played many seasons (he’s in his 16th this year).
by RCheli on Oct 21, 2009 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also stuff is floating around that it’s another shoulder injury. It really is all hearsay until the official update expected sometime tomorrow.
I agree with Butchersdog above that it’ll be a huge gap for Al and Tanger to step into….I’m more worried about the even strength minutes that Martin Skoula will have to help fill.
Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*
*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night
by Hooks Orpik on Oct 20, 2009 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is it just me or....
Is the only way a puck is getting by Flower is via the deflection. I remember two against the Canes…another one tonight. He’s stopping everything he sees. He’s definitely focused on something. Team CA or maybe the Vez. Either way, he’s a stud. Goofy as all hell, but a stud nonetheless.
by ButchersDog on Oct 20, 2009 11:09 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
Deflections are about it.
I’ve been impressed by Fleury’s lack of puckhandling gaffes as well. Seemed like he’d give up at least one good scoring chance (if not goal) by a sloppy miscue every game last season….Hasn’t been the case this year.
The team is definitely doing great to block a lot of shots in front of him (and keep the play in the other zone helps too). So far it’s been a brilliant all-around effort, with MAF more than doing his part.
Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*
*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night
by Hooks Orpik on Oct 20, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Fleury is finally coming into his own, he’s been hot and cold the last few years, then stepping it up in the playoffs, perhaps he’s old enough now that he’s taking that step to be a great goalie every game.
I hope so, I’d love to see Fleury keep it up, no end to the cups we could win if he is still getting better.
Anyone notice Crosby, he’s always been phenomenal, but I’m noticing a lot of those passes he used to throw that people couldn’t handle seem to be shots on goal now. It’s just my opinion, and it is really early, but I think we may be seeing Crosby and Fleury both taking their game to a new level, one where Crosby is making his line-mates better and Fleury is finding consistency.
by Phantaskippy on Oct 21, 2009 3:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I pretty much agree, but first Crosby needs to understand that the new one-piece stick is not there for him to take stupid penalties with. It is for scoring goals and passing (not as often as he used to, I see that too) and prompting fans to giggle over juvenile innuendo with their friends. I like that he’s practicing a bit more enlightened selfishness.
I am saying “Stay in the net!” less, which is awesome. Fleury has been absolutely incredible so far. I’ve never been ashamed to have him as a goalie on my team, but I’m downright proud of him so far this year.
"Darling, you say Brooks Orpik 'checked' that guy. He did not 'get under him and put him into the wall'."--Beloved to me, Winter 2007
"Don't beat yourself!"--Darrell Waltrip
by GreenEyedLilo on Oct 21, 2009 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I liked fleury all along, cause he’s a big goofball and I like seeing those guys in sports. I’ve been waiting for him to settle down since he came here, and dang he’s still young. I was willing to settle for the goalie that coasted through most of the season, then went ape during the playoffs, a hot goalie is one of the major keys toa cup run. But if this is him finally settling down, man, Fleury, Crosby and Malkin? that trio could end up the best ever.
Crosby isn’t that great of a scorer. He scores, and he has great ability to, but that isn’t his major strength. I love the Crosby that gets a puck and can hold off defenders and make a sick pass for a scoring chance. The problem is outside of Hossa most of those passes didn’t turn into scoring chances, his teammates couldn’t handle them. Guerin was good at it last year, and this year, it seems like all of those passes are ending up on net. If that is Crosby’s doing, we are seeing an evolution of his game equivalent to Fleury.
If both those are the case, this team is going to be sick for a long time.
by Phantaskippy on Oct 21, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sarge down again
Well IF it is a broken wrist that should keep Sarge out for about 4-6 weeks. If another “upper body injury” uggh. We’ll see. Obviously Gogo has developed well and is a huge + on the ice. Letang taking on more responsibilities and getting to be a #1 D-Man. The Pens will be fine, but losing Sarge again is a big loss, not what I wanted to see. At least it’s still early and hope he’s back soon. Keep up the great team play fellas!
by Dutch71 on Oct 20, 2009 11:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Olympic implications...
If Sarge is seriously hurt, Team Russia’s chances are hugely diminished with Markov already shelved.
by ButchersDog on Oct 20, 2009 11:51 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
Great point…Gonchar and Markov probably figured to be two of (if not the top 2) defensemen for Team Russia. Way too early to rule Sarge out for sure, but that would be a terrible loss for them.
Russia’s got incredible talent, but if they had a weakness, relative to the stacked Canadian talent pool, it’s probably at defensive depth. Canada’s got guys like Dion Phanuef and Mike Green supposedly on the bubble to make the team. They’ll probably be scratching guys who could be first pairing on about any other country’s roster.
Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*
*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night
by Hooks Orpik on Oct 21, 2009 12:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t recall seeing Gonchar get hit or knocked down in any way. It could’ve been off camera of course but I was pretty surprised to hear he wasn’t coming back for the third.
Hope it’s not nearly as serious as some of the rumors suggest.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
by FrankD on Oct 21, 2009 12:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I never thought I’d be “hoping” for a broken wrist. If it is your standard broken wrist, he will be back in early-December.
Let’s just hope no surgery is involved.
by Link_Gaetz on Oct 21, 2009 7:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Join the community and dive in!
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
