Checking up on special teams: Power Play - 26th overall, Penalty Kill - 12th

by FrankD on Feb 4, 2010 7:00 AM EST

I figured this massive downtime between games was as good a time as any to do a little check up on special teams.

Last time I went around doing this, it was probably best I didn't. Right around the holidays the Pens were checking in on the power play at 30th overall; the league's worst. I made a joke at the time that a few AHL teams may have had a better PP at the time, but hindsight I really don't think I was joking. The PK on the other hand ranked 11th overall and has at least been the one dimly lit bulb for the special teams as a whole.

Overall it's nice to see improvement. Not like you can get much worse than worst, but 26th is at least going in the right direction. What amazes me right now is that Ottawa, currently riding a franchise best 10 game win streak, is dead last at 30th overall (14.9%). Impressive in a way. Even scarier if they can find a way to make it click.

We've all seen the importance of the PP when it comes to playoff time, but a top-tier PK unit may be just as crucial. At 12th overall, the Pens have some sanctity in knowing they are at least better than half the league. And really the teams in the 7th to 18th range are so close in percentage that one bad outing (or good for your optimists out there) can change things pretty significantly. To clear that up a bit more, Ottawa's PK is 7th overall at 83.6%. Drop down a few spots to the Pens at 12th (82.8%) or the Red Wings at 16th (81.4%) and you can kinda see what I'm talking about.

Overall I really think the PP just looks better. Sure, in the end you want to see a goal to prove they are better than previously ranked, but I'm seeing some crisp passes, nice set ups and even some goals out of the top PP unit. For the few times we've seen the second line out there, even that has shown some promise. I can honestly say that I think the Pens' power play, if it keeps playing the way it has lately, will land in the top 20 by playoff time.

Or is that too overzealous of me?

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Comments

Personally, I think we just need to shoot the puck more. We are trying to be too fancy with our passing. With all of that puck movement, it is giving our opponent to cut the passes off and clear it down the ice.

I guess I’m just still a little skeptic because every power play I watch, the oppenent seems to clear it at least 5 times every power play. I just want to see some shots on net. Sid’s always there for a quick rebound.

by Hegs on Feb 4, 2010 8:28 AM EST reply actions

Yeah, you got it right with the fancy passing. They definitely need to try and put more shots on goal. Malkin has a laser of a shot and needs to use it more as he can put a few in and when he doesn’t Cooke or Crosby could potentially put one in off the rebound.

The PP has looked better as of late though, which is good news. I think Gologoski returing to the PP unit has helped as he is a pretty good distributor.

by packallday555 on Feb 4, 2010 2:40 PM EST up reply actions

You’re right, the PP has looked better as of late and my guess would be it’s because Gonchar is back. Obviously, he isn’t afraid to put the puck on goal. Everyone else just seems to be trying to hard to make that fancy play or highlight real. Who cares how you score.

by Hegs on Feb 4, 2010 3:11 PM EST up reply actions

Detoit, tha past 10 years has had the prototype for a great power play. Accuracy from the point (lidstrom) and half-wall (zetterberg and Datsyuk) and someone willing to clean-up the trash (holmstrom and franzen). We have all those aspect except for one. Any guesses? Guering and Cooke are OK in front of the net, but we need that presence in front of the net that I don’t think we have had since Malone left.

by Ulf Murphy on Feb 4, 2010 8:50 AM EST reply actions

True. They can both run the front of the net well in terms of tips and such but they really don’t have the sort of size needed to bully defenders out of the crease to let shots through. Cooke has proven to be a decent contributor when used in front of the net but he is pretty small compared to the Holmstroms and Franzens of the league. Even Malone wasn’t that big really. He just knew how to position really well and recklessly charge the net like an animal.

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by FrankD on Feb 4, 2010 10:21 AM EST up reply actions

recklessly charge the net like an animal.

I miss that.

by Ulf Murphy on Feb 4, 2010 10:30 AM EST up reply actions

Whenever I see him play with TBL I always think of when he was with the Pens and the scored against Vokoun with like, 11 seconds left in regulation or something like that. I don’t remember the date or what season it was but he attacked the net like a beast and just allowed sheer momentum to slam it home. That is something I sorely miss as well.

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by FrankD on Feb 4, 2010 10:41 AM EST up reply actions

GONCH IS THE KEY

RE: PP – I think it helps to have Gonch back; he is a steadying force on the blue line and he can crack a wicked slapshot. That being said, I’d like to see him do it a little more often. It does seem like we are trying for one pass too many – when it works, we look brilliant, but too often the puck is intercepted and cleared.
RE: PK – This really has been strong overall for us. It helps when you have on of the best defensive-centers in the league (Staal) and Cookie’s been pestering anybody and everybody (like he always does so well). If we can keep guys off of our netminder (be it Fleury or Johnson), I think that we’ll continue to have one of the better PKs.

by Steelerfreak on Feb 4, 2010 8:55 AM EST reply actions

I agree with Hegs

I’m not PP expert in any regard, or a hockey expert in general, but it seems like they do pass WAY too much, and I don’t remember seeing that before. It’s like they’re all shy or something. And when those who should shoot do, it usually ends up in a goal, either Malkin, Sid, or Gonchar.

A bee in a bird's nest never made no honey, and a bird in a hive sang no song.

by AlexStitch on Feb 4, 2010 12:55 PM EST reply actions

A few years back the pens had options on the PP. They had the Geno one-timer, they had the back door play with Whitney and they had just firing the puck on net and letting Malone fight for a rebound. They are now down to one of those plays that has proven it works.
Cooke does some good work in front of the net but hes not much of a screen, most goalies can see over or around him easily. Really surprised Rupp never got a shot to do that when he was playing well. I wish Letang got more 1st PP time because that old back door play would be much easier for a right shot. They just never seem to get the timing right when hes out there.
Hey the PP has been decent lately, not nearly as good as it should be, but lets enjoy it for now.

by genomachine-O on Feb 4, 2010 1:13 PM EST reply actions