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Pittsburgh Penguins Find a Way to Win Through Injuries While Ottawa Senators Defy Expectations

By Melissa Nelson

May 21, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Streit (32) and center Scott Wilson (23) celebrate Penguins goal against Ottawa Senators goalie Mike Condon (1) during the third period in game five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
May 21, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Streit (32) and center Scott Wilson (23) celebrate Penguins goal against Ottawa Senators goalie Mike Condon (1) during the third period in game five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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On paper, the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals never make it to seven games for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, as the reigning Stanley Cup champions and with a relatively unchanged lineup, were expected to make it far in the 2017 playoffs or even repeat as Cup champs.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins /

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Ottawa Senators, meanwhile, were generally expected to squeak into the playoffs in a wildcard spot. Even though the Penguins did prevail, as expected, the Senators exceeded expectations—largely thanks to excellent goaltending and a smart head coach.

Widespread Injuries

The Pens have become notorious for their abundant injuries. This series was no different, as the team lost key players like Justin Schultz, Patric Hornqvist, and Bryan Rust for extended periods. Schultz had a major impact in his return, scoring the Pens’ second goal of the game; Hornqvist has yet to return to the lineup. Rust was sorely missed as a winger on Sidney Crosby’s line, but he returned for the Pens in game 5, notching a goal and an assist in the Pens’ dominant 7-0 win.

The Senators also had some important injuries to contend with. Captain Erik Karlsson famously struggled with stress fractures in his foot; Derrick Brassard left game 5 with an ostensible lower-body injury, but returned later in the same game.

It is worth noting that all teams struggle with injuries in the playoffs, particularly by the time the Conference Finals roll around. It is also worth noting that while the Senators did have notable players that were injured, neither Karlsson nor Brassard missed a game in the series.

Pens Dominate Special Teams

The Penguins had the upper hand in special teams throughout the series. The Pittsburgh PK held the Senators to just 5% on the power play, with Ottawa managing just 1 power play goal on 20 attempts, and that with a two-man advantage. The Penguins scored 6 power play goals on 19 attempts for a percentage of 32%.

Overall in the playoffs, the Pens have put up 25% on the power play and 85.5% on the penalty kill. Ottawa, meanwhile, had an abysmal 11.5% power play percentage and was 81.3% on the penalty kill.

Senators Stars

Craig Anderson was easily the Sens’ best player; he kept the Senators in the series with spectacular saves. The 36-year-old netminder finished the 2017 playoffs with a .922 save percentage and 2.34 GAA in 19 games played. Had the Senators advanced, Anderson would have been a very strong Conn Smythe trophy candidate.

Head coach Guy Boucher was also one of the main reasons the Senators made it this far. Boucher used the notorious “trap” style—sending in one forechecker and cutting off an opponent’s rush in the neutral zone—to help the Sens make up for their lack of top-six forwards.

The Penguins beat this style in game 2, when coach Mike Sullivan shuffled the lines, adding a physical presence to each line. This change resulted in a 1-0 win for the Pens. After that loss, Boucher changed to a much more aggressive game plan. This change helped the Sens win two more games to ultimately force a game 7.

This sharp coaching, combined with Anderson’s unbelievable goaltending, led the Senators to game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Next: Stars of the Eastern Conference Finals

While the Senators did not have the ending they hoped for, they made it much further than anticipated and played very well. The Penguins, meanwhile, will now seek their second consecutive Stanley Cup against the Nashville Predators.

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