Pittsburgh Penguins: 5 Thoughts From Hockeyville
The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night in Johnstown, Pa. by a score of 4-2 and despite the star power that was on the ice, this may have been the best highlight.
The broadcast team, as well as both teams involved had a lot of fun with the event but that doesn’t take away from the fact that there was hockey to be played. There were players fighting for their hockey lives as we watch the preseason dwindle down to only two remaining games vs. the Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes.
The fact that preseason is coming to an end and the Pittsburgh Penguins will complete their third game in as many nights tonight at Consol Energy Center, expect roster decisions to be made over the next 24-48 hours and cuts to occur in that timeframe. By the time the Pens face Carolina on October 2nd, Pittsburgh should look similar to what Tampa Bay dressed last night, which was essentially their opening night roster.
Last night was a very telling preseason contest considering the competition. The Pens faced the likes of Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Ryan Callahan, Jonathan Drouin and of course, the triplets line. Lets visit five important observations from last night’s contest and really, the preseason as a whole.
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Sep 24, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings goalie
Jimmy Howard(35) makes the save on Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Sergei Plotnikov (61) in the second period at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Plotnikov Adapting Well to the Pittsburgh Penguins
Sergei Plotnikov hasn’t stood out as I imagined he would through training camp and up to this point, seemed to have a hard time adjusting to the lack of time and space on North American ice.
However, over his last two performances that has changed drastically and he looks to be poised for the start of the regular season.
Unlike many in the media and blogosphere, I don’t see a place for him in the top-six just yet. But, last night was a great indication that he’ll be able to fill a role in that capacity if called upon throughout the season. He skated well with Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist, tallying the game’s first goal just 14-seconds in. He continues to create chances for his line mates with his physical play and bulldog style.
That line accounted for three of the Penguins’ goals last night. Of course, Malkin looked like he was in mid-season form but Plotnikov had a lot to do with that production as well. It’ll be interesting to watch where he ends up in the lineup and how he progresses throughout the season.
Next: Sundqvist Has Done Enough, Again
Oskar Sundqvist. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Sundqvist Has Done Enough, Again
This observation goes hand-in-hand with Matt Cullen‘s performance last night. I was fully on board with the signing and still remain sold that the Pittsburgh Penguins needed Cullen for center depth. However, as I discussed previously, having him doesn’t mean Sundqvist is blocked from an NHL roster spot. It just means he has to earn it.
So far, Sundqvist has proven that he deserves the fourth line center role for the Pens. He has proved his effectiveness both at even-strength and while killing penalties. And, while he hasn’t produced points at a rate like last year’s preseason, he has created chances more frequently and looks much more confident.
Cullen hasn’t shown much throughout camp. He hasn’t stood out in any way to me. All indications are that the Pens plan to start the season with Cullen centering that line but I assume Sundqvist is making that decision tough. The great thing about Cullen is that he’s versatile and can move to wing. He can also be the thirteenth forward, which a veteran that makes only $800,000 is perfectly suited for.
Next: Murray Bounces Back
Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Murray With a Nice Bounce Back
Things didn’t go so well for Matt Murray in his last preseason outing. However, last night was his chance to prove he could handle the NHL. He had the opportunity to face Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov among others in Tampa’s lineup that can light the lamp on a nightly basis. And, he handled it pretty well.
I still hear a lot of folks wondering why Murray isn’t considered the undisputed backup for Marc-Andre Fleury for 2015-16 and I think former Pens Assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald summed it up nicely. He isn’t going to beat Fleury for the starting job, so he needs to be ‘the guy’ in the AHL where he’ll get more starts and continue to develop.
Murray isn’t ready for a full-time NHL role just yet but he will be in the very near future. With Fleury’s extension just beginning in Pittsburgh, will they keep him around to be the goalie of the future? Will they trade him?
Having a promising young goaltender like Murray raises a lot of questions that no one has answers to right now. But, for the moment, it’s nice to know the organization has that kind of depth in the crease.
Next: Derrick Pouliot to the AHL?
Sep 28, 2015; Quebec City, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens right wing
Brendan Gallagher(11) falls on ice in front Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) as defenseman
Derrick Pouliot(51) defends during the third period at Videotron Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
Sending Pouliot to Wilkes-Barre Actually Makes Sense
Derrick Pouliot is a topic that causes much debate in Pittsburgh these days. But, it’s hard to argue his ineffectiveness this fall and the disappointing performance he has turned in thus far.
The writing is on the wall for Pouliot’s 2015-16 fate. Adam Clendening has been very impressive for the Pens and Brian Dumoulin has shown enough to warrant a pairing with Ian Cole. Dumoulin and Cole looked solid again last night alongside each other. Also, considering that Pouliot is the only defenseman outside of Niclas Andersen that is waiver exempt, it’s becoming more evident that he’ll start the season in the AHL.
Injuries will occur and Pouliot will see NHL time this season. Despite the outrage over the idea of sending one of your most highly regarded prospects back to the minors, it simply makes sense for this team as currently constructed. Pouliot will have a long, successful career in the NHL but he just isn’t playing his best hockey right now.
Next: Defensive With a Nice Outing
Is This Defense as Bad as We Feared?
The Pens’ defense struggled mightily in recent preseason contests. But, when faced with NHL-caliber talent last night vs. the Lightning, they played a fairly strong game as a unit and limited one of the more potent offenses in the league to very few scoring chances.
The most glaring reason for the uptick in effort was the absence of Rob Scuderi and Sergei Gonchar. Tampa is one of the younger, faster and more dangerous teams in the league. If the Pens would have deployed Scuderi or Gonchar it likely would have been a completely different game.
Ben Lovejoy had a few lapses in judgement, as he tends to have quite often and he was also exposed by Jonathan Drouin on the following goal…
Taking a bad angle on an attacking forward with less-than-optimal stick position will kill you in this league. Lovejoy has a tendency to do that a lot.
However, Lovejoy is still a respectable third-pairing defenseman. He’ll make his mistakes but he won’t bury you in that role. As long as the Pens pair him with either Adam Clendening or Brian Dumoulin he should be pretty sturdy back there.
If Scuderi and Gonchar are waived or at least consistent healthy scratches, I have a lot of confidence in this group to grow. If one or both are mainstays in the lineup, things could get ugly.
Next: Penguins Lack Metro Style