Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - How can the Penguins strike back on Saturday night?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hello, welcome back to another episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all on this March 17th. Penguins fell 4 to 2 on Thursday night to the New York Rangers. Here to break that all down, plus preview the game on Saturdays. This is a home-in-home. Will be Nick Zeraris of the Liberty Blue podcast and of Locked on Flames. It's coming up right after this drop. You're Locked-on Penguins.

Starting point is 00:00:31 Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh. Penguins, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello and welcome back to another episode of Lockdown Penguins podcast. I'm, of course, your host, Hunter Hodes. We're going to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes, follow this show's Twitter at and Marshall Penguins. And of course, thank you so much for making this year first listen to the day. We're free and available on all platforms.

Starting point is 00:01:06 Joining me now is The Man, the Myth, the Legend, one of my longtime friends from with the hockey Twitter community. He is dressed in all green for St. Patrick's Day today. It is a very bad day to be a beer. Same thing for Saturday. Co-hosts of the Liberty Blue podcast with New York Rangers with Andrew Choney, who is also a very dear friend and co-host of Locked-on Flames.

Starting point is 00:01:28 Nick, how are we doing today, sir? I'm great. The game was fun to be at last night. This is a great time of year. We've got March Madness on. We've got the Masters in a couple weeks. We're in the stretch run for the playoffs for basketball and hockey. It's the best time of year to be a sports fan. Yes.

Starting point is 00:01:44 The fall is probably my favorite, but spring is right there with the madness. The NBA playoffs start in a month. NHL playoffs start a month from today, actually April 17th. As you said, the Masters, everything is coming up here. And, you know, obviously there was a game last night. Rangers for Penguins too. They strike back after the Penguins took the first two at PBJP's Arena. Interesting kind of game.

Starting point is 00:02:09 The Rangers really came out. firing those first 10 to 15 minutes. Kind of similar to what we saw in game one of the playoffs series last year, the neck penguins pushed back a bit, tied the game, then, you know, they tied the game again in the third period, and then the same usual suspects for the penguins decided to be on the ice for another goal against, and they lost the game. But you were there, what were your main observations that you took away from this one? The penguins were not as tight in the neutral zone.

Starting point is 00:02:36 There was a lot more space. You saw the Rangers generate a lot of rush opportunities, even ones that didn't get to the net, they were able to get through the neutral zone with speed, a lot cleaner in this game. The Penguins forecheck wasn't as good, so the Rangers had time to kind of settle down in their defensive zone, regroup, and then get into those rush opportunities that they like. That's what the entire Rangers, that is what the Rangers are built upon, is getting the puck out of their zone quickly, going the other way with speed, odd man rushes, bang passes off the boards. The Penguins weren't as good as they were on Sunday. Granted,

Starting point is 00:03:09 that you play the same team twice in a four-day span, you pick on, you might identify things. You can do a little bit better. But I thought the Rangers played maybe their best hockey game in at least a month. Maybe since they played Seattle, the first game, Terrasek was a Ranger. That was the last time the Rangers played that well for an entire game. Very encouraging for a team that's kind of been in a weird spot for, I'd say a good two, three weeks now.

Starting point is 00:03:32 Yeah, it feels like the Rangers have just been, I don't know, bored is maybe the ones because it looks like they kind of have a playoff spot locked up. at this point, they're 10 points clear of the Penguins, 13 points clear of the Panthers. Yeah, I mean, they're basically all but locked in at this point. But yeah, the Penguins really started slow on their heels. Tristan Jari, you know, coming off one of his worst performances of the year, he gave them a shot in this game. I don't think any of the three goals that he allowed, just including the empty net,

Starting point is 00:03:58 for obvious reasons. I don't think any of those were his fault. You know, if you look at the numbers at five-on-five, the Rangers, you know, they had the edge in scoring chances, high danger. It fed the goals, though, it was kind of a coin flip. I think the Penguins, they turned it on in the second period for sure, third period. Definitely in the second.

Starting point is 00:04:16 A little bit. Go ahead. Yeah, no, definitely in the second, the Penguins were able to kind of, they were able to turn the heat up a little bit, where Schisurgan had to make a couple of really good saves on that second and down the stretch in that third period. That's the best game of Eegro's played in a while as well. It's very cliche, but the Rangers go as he goes.

Starting point is 00:04:33 If he's not right, they're not as good as everybody else on that team is, if Schisterkin's not going. they're not going anywhere. Yeah, I mean, it's kind of been the Rangers. When Hank was there, of course, you know, as far, they would go as far as he would take them. You're just seeing that now with Igor. But yeah, I do think he made a couple of really nice saves in that period.

Starting point is 00:04:53 Same thing with the third period. I also think at the same time the Penguins weren't testing him as much as they should have been. They weren't getting the traffic in front of them, the two goals that they scored. Just beautiful set plays from Sidney Grossey. We'll get to him a little later on. But, you know, for me, it was just, as you said, you know, the Penguins weren't as good in the neutral zone.

Starting point is 00:05:12 They were turning the puck over a little too much for my liking that they gave up way too many odd-hand rush. It's just, you know, making Jari come up with all these saves. Again, he played one of his finest performances of the season. I mean, he's struggled a lot, especially since he's come back from the injuries. It's obviously he's not 100%. But he was able to keep them in it. I was hoping they could squeeze a point out of that one, Nick,

Starting point is 00:05:34 after they tied it half through the third period on. I'm like, okay, if you can survive these next 10 minutes, see if you can get another one. Obviously, that's huge. But with how the Rangers were pushing for, honestly, most of the start of that third period, even though the Penguins tied it, it felt like it was only a matter of time before they would get scored on again. But, you know, still, in a lot of areas, I think for the Penguins, it wasn't good enough, especially with how the playoff race is right now.

Starting point is 00:05:56 And, you know, I think a lot of people in this town are kind of just sick and tired of the same players just costing them games while the top players are just playing their butts off. Oh, yeah, no, absolutely. I mean, the Penguins all year, it's been the Corps 3, Gensel, and that's kind of really been dragging this team along. They've gotten... Jason's got a very nice bounceback season, finally getting healthy for the first time in a few years.

Starting point is 00:06:19 But the main core guys have dragged the Penguins all season. Sid is still as good as he's ever been. He's not as explosive or dynamic, and I know we're going to talk about him later. But that play where he sets up the goal, where he just pressures Miller into the mistake, that's just having a 10th. thousand IQ. Because if Miller just takes an extra second and he gets pressured into the corner,

Starting point is 00:06:40 that puck doesn't end up in front of the net. He banks it off the glass or the boards. It doesn't end up in the back of the net. But because Sid is in the exact right spot at the exact right time, he forces it where the only pass Miller can make is on his back end and it's going to go in front of the net. And it's just, it's an amazing play by somebody who just doesn't need to do it. Like, in all honesty, the elite players in this league today, they don't really give you a lot on defense. You watch Caprizov, Kuturov. The elite wiggers in today's league, they don't really give you a ton of defensively. Even Nathan McKinnon doesn't give you a lot defensively. But Sid, Sid made that play happen entirely on hockey IQ.

Starting point is 00:07:19 Yeah. And we're going to get to that after their commercial break. But yeah, when the Penguins really didn't have much going at that time, he was the one that led the charge. And honestly, he led the charge all night again. We'll get into that in a little bit. But I think one of the first times I think I've seen against the Rangers at least with Galant and Sullivan. I felt like Sullivan was a little out-coached in this one, just because he keeps making the same mistakes with this lineup over and over again. I hate beating a dead horse, but with how good I know he is as a coach,

Starting point is 00:07:52 and we talk about this as one day, there are maybe about five to six, seven good to great coaches in the league. The rest are just, you know, it's interchangeable, yeah. You can interchange, but you can fire someone, someone else comes in. I do think Sullivan falls in that top five, top six, seven. Oh, yeah, for sure. But I just don't understand. How can someone as smart as he is, I know you're from an outsider perspective here, how could someone be as smart as he is and not see these same two players just continuing to cost them game after game? It just reminds me

Starting point is 00:08:26 of that Schultz-Johnson pairing from the bubble that he would continually put out there against the Canadians, and that's when the Canadians would score. And it almost feels like every time any of those two players were out there last night, especially with, you know, Pio Joseph had a cough up, but Carter had that terrible saucer pass. Dumlin against Chris Kreider in front of the net. That goes as you would expect it to go. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:08:47 And then a terrible between the legs pass from Dumlin to spring me because of Benajad, you know, I just, how, why is such a good coach loyal to a fault to these players? I just don't understand it. I mean, my hypothesis in any of these situations is that they value their relationships too much. They won't put their guys in a bad situation because fostering that relationship matters. Even if the guy's not playing particularly well, he's still on the team. You can't freeze them out.

Starting point is 00:09:18 You can't bring somebody else in, especially guys who are making a decent amount of money. You can't sit them. They got to play. And by trying to stick with them, reinforce their confidence, maybe you can get something out of them, you wouldn't expect to get out of them by showing that confidence in them. These are, they're people. You've got to think of it like that, where you've got to manage the relationships. And if a guy is struggling, having a hard time, he knows that.

Starting point is 00:09:40 Those guys who are playing poorly, they know they're not playing well. But a coach sticking with a guy who's struggling is a way of trying to build that confidence back up where even if a guy is not going to play well, he might be able to play a little bit better than he's playing. And that's ultimately your end goal for struggling players to get a little bit more out of them. And that's why you stick with guys who are struggling to reinforce the confidence that, hey, I know you're not playing that well, but I believe in you, the team believes in you, you'll figure this out. That would be my working theory. That's generally what I come back to

Starting point is 00:10:11 when I wonder why guys who aren't that good continue to get wrong. And it does make a little bit sense with Carter because they put him on the fourth line. They're starting to sheltering, but even with those sheltered minutes, he's still getting scored on every time he's out on the ice. I just don't think there's a proper deployment. Then with Duglin, You're putting him on my top hero with Chris Lantang at times. We all know how good Littang is in this league. He can't be just stapled to him the entire time. Thankfully, he's up after this season.

Starting point is 00:10:39 It's going to be the Carter problem. That's really the big one hanging into the all season. But, you know, it's just, it's frustrating to see the Corps' efforts be for not in a game where they could have gotten a point if some of the bad players just stop making bad plays. But a lot more to get to for this episode of the Locked on Penguins podcast. coming up in the next segment, yes, we are going to discuss Cindy Crosby and why he continues to be one of the best players in the league, especially after how he played on Thursday night. But before we get to that, the NCAA tournament is heating up and now is the perfect time to download VanDil, America's number one sportsbook.

Starting point is 00:11:15 If I have Mike Buh, that is not the right one. We have the beautiful Fan Duel promo for you on YouTube because new customers get a no-swet first bet up to $1,000 again. That's bonus bets back if your first bet does. not win. Just download the Fandol Sportsbook app. It's safe, security, and see what it's easy to use. Then you can get out everything from the money line to points of theirs and the re-drained. You know, my bracket right now, it's not looking to, it's not busted, but I lost a couple of bad games yesterday. I'm looking at the Kennesaw State Xavier game. Xavier is one of my final four teams. I am probably about to take a massive L with that. At least Michigan State is winning,

Starting point is 00:11:50 though, for today. And hopefully B.C. you will be able to beat St. Mary's. So it is a bad time right now, Nick with my bracket. But hey, Alabama won, so I'm not out of it just yet. Also, Fandu let you combine your bets for a chance at a bigger payout with the same game parlay. So don't miss your chance to get your no sweat first bet, up to $1,000 in bonus bets. You go to Fandau.com slash Lockdown.com and learn more. Make every moment more with Fandle and official sports spending partner of the NCAA. All right. We're back in this episode of the Locktown Penguins podcast.

Starting point is 00:12:23 I'm Hunter Hodes. That is Nick Zararos. So, Dick, you know, we were talking, we were texting about this last. night. You were there to see it. Cindy Crosby tried his absolute hardest to will the penguins to at least a point in this game. It looked like they were maybe going to get one when they tied it up thanks to Jake Gensel. But what a pass from Crosby. Just made a fool out of both, I think, Nicola and Adam Fox in that sequence, which is hard to do with Fox. I mean, he's one of the best defensive in the league. And then before that, you touched on it about the seven minute markup today's

Starting point is 00:12:53 show, made an absolute fool out of Keondre Miller. I thought, I think he thought Sid was not going to be there, but Sid has that hockey IQ. You know, obviously you grew up. You're the same age as Maine. I think there probably was a time where you were not the biggest fan of Sydney Crossy guys. I think a lot of other. It's begrudging respect.

Starting point is 00:13:12 It's the same thing as Tom Brady. It's begrudging respect. You hate the guy's guts, but he's one of the best players to ever do. Sid's on the Mount Rushmore, the history of the sport. He's the defining player of his era. There'll be people who want to make an argument for Obechkin, who say, Ovechkin's up there for the modern era, but when you're doing the Mount Rushmore of hockey, it's Gretsky, it's Howe, or it's Crosby. Those are the four guys. That's your Mount Rushmore of the

Starting point is 00:13:37 history of the sport. Sid, at this point, who still be playing at the level he's at. It's comfortable to what LeBron's doing in the NBA. They came in that same first year, that 0405 window. They're both still dominant forces when they're right. I mean, Sid, Sid's ability to just continue to fine tune his game to the point where, yeah, there are weaknesses in his game. He's not as explosive as he used to be. He's not as physical as he used to be. But he's effectively the best grinder in the league because he's the smartest player in the league. And he still got great hands.

Starting point is 00:14:14 He doesn't have the explosiveness, but he's got the IQ in the hands to make almost every single play you would need out of a guy. And to the point where he's dragging that team along. him, Gino, LaTang, when you watch them, even now, you see the flashes. It's not as frequent. It's not as often. But Sid makes plays that only a handful of guys in the entire sport to make. And he does it with a different toolbox now. He's not the dynamic, oh, I'm just going to go around these guys.

Starting point is 00:14:43 I'm going to set this guy up. No, he's going to outwork you. He's going to out-leverage you. He's going to use body positioning where he doesn't even need to take a hit because he's going to take the puck away from you and get it to a more dangerous area of the ice. It's really hard to describe just to see guys reinvent their games as they get older and stand up to father time. You see guys who can't do that, who once they lose that explosiveness, like think of a guy like P.K. Suban, who a couple really bad injuries, lost his explosiveness and tried to still play like he was that same skater and how quickly the wheels came off, especially those last two years in New Jersey, where he was effectively an all-offense guy but couldn't really walk the blue line anymore. didn't have as good of a shot and was really just kind of trying to play like he was still 2016 FK Suban.

Starting point is 00:15:30 Whereas now you look at Sid, yeah, he's not going through people. It's not like 2011, 2012, pre-concussion, Sid, but he's still one of the best players in the entire sport for me. Yeah, and I think what he's doing this season is going very under the radar, underappreciated by a lot of people. I mean, like 83 points, 68 games. Right now he is on pace to hit 100 points as a third. year old player.

Starting point is 00:15:55 Not many in the sport have ever done that. And I think that just goes to show, you know, how great it is. I think I saw one of our mutual followers on Twitter. I think it was fits. You know, he said if there's one series on the line, he's taken Sid every time. And, you know, obviously, Connor McDavid is doing things that the sport has not seen for a long time this year. But I think people forget just how insane Crosby was when he was at his PECD. I think even Pek Sid takes out Pee.

Starting point is 00:16:23 Connor. It's close, but I would probably say, say, especially during that season when he got the concussion, he was on pace, Nick, for I think 60 goals that year. And over 125, 130 points. He was on pace to have what McDavid was going to have this season. So, I mean, do, I obviously know McDavid is going to win the heart. That was locked up in November. No problem with that. He's the best player in the world. But do you think Sid should be getting just, based on the definition of the award, do you think he should be maybe getting more love as like a finalist or maybe

Starting point is 00:16:59 finishing in the top five for it? I think there's a real argument since top five. It's hard when you're trying to figure out who should be what five. I think there's an argument. I said the other day, my five right now would be McDavid winning. I would have Matthew Kachuk in there.

Starting point is 00:17:15 I'd have Jason Robertson in there. I'd probably have Austin Matthews. I'd probably have Austin Matthews in there. And then if you wanted to put Sid five, if you wanted to have Jack Hughes in the discussion as well. Any of those guys, I'd be fine with. It's McDavid's award. We all know this.

Starting point is 00:17:29 It's just a matter of who's behind him. I think there's Sid's right there. Sid's effectively doing the same thing that Matthew Kachuk is doing, where he's the best player on a team that's not really playing as good as everyone kind of thought it might be doing everything he possibly can. I mean, like you said, 100 points of 35 years old. That's a very rarefied error. No, no, it is.

Starting point is 00:17:50 And, you know, I didn't think he was going to, you know, hit 100 this year. But, you know, he's, he has been something else. Yeah, those two setups that he had last night, you know, you said it. He's, he's thinking the game three to four steps ahead of everyone at this morning. I think, you know, people just people run the league, I think, have just been taking him for granted. Like, you see all these, all these clips like, oh, yeah, the latest Ovetian goal. And yeah, I love it. I hope he does catch Wayne Gretzky.

Starting point is 00:18:18 That will be awesome for the sport. You know, you see this great. Connor McDavid clip when he's blowing past someone. It's fine. But, you know, we can still put clips of sit out there just ho-humming doing his thing like he's been doing for-grinders aren't sexy, Hunter. You can't post grinder clips on Twitter. It's not going to play the same way the McDavid going through everybody or Eric Carlson

Starting point is 00:18:37 or Ovechkin. The flashy stuff is always what's going to play. There are not three-and-dee compilations of NBA players. There is not a Kawhi Leonard defense compilation. That's not going to do numbers. You're always going to air on the side of offense. and flashy plays. For the guys who will genuinely love hockey,

Starting point is 00:18:53 the way you and I do, the way a lot of people do, what Sid's doing is remarkable, and you just gotta tip your cap. Like I said, it's a begrudging respect. You hate the dude for what he's done to my team, but he's made me miserable on more than one occasion,

Starting point is 00:19:06 but you can't hate that level of greatness at this point. It's the same thing with the people who are still hating on LeBron. Like, yeah, LeBron annoys me, but he's easily the best basketball player of his era, and at worst, he's the second best player ever. No, no, I 100% have. agree with that. And, you know, I was kind of the same, like, what you said with Brady.

Starting point is 00:19:22 You know, I couldn't stand him as a kid. As I got older, you know, he kept winning. I'm like, all right, man. We all know how good you are. You destroyed the Steelers too many times in the playoffs for me to just keep hating you at this point. It's the same kind of stuff. But yeah, I mean, that was a great talk. That was a great talk, obviously, about Sid. You know, I think we could also say the same for Malcon as well. He's having another point per game season. Chris Littang has really, you know, found, I wouldn't seem, she didn't even say found the fountain. youth because he's just been doing this his whole career but you know do you have a thought on just the core in general you know continuing to play at such a high level despite you know the age the obvious aging curve the one thing i always tell my friends when i go to games with them especially ones who don't go to a lot of hockey games the ones you want to pay attention to are the guys who make every

Starting point is 00:20:09 single thing they do look effortless and one of the guys who's always held that for me is letting when i ever i've seen letang play in person his skating is so far fluid. He never, ever looks down. He always knows where he wants to go with the puck. The only real hole in his game is occasionally he'll be a little too aggressive with his pinches and his gap control isn't amazing. Other than that, when you're watching Letang work the line in the offensive zone, it is a treat. That dude, like Sid, has the IQ to know what to do so well in so many situations. La Tang is just a treat to watch. That is the mold in which today's defensemen are cut out of the Quinn hues the kale McCar's the Adam foxes those guys are cut from

Starting point is 00:20:55 the latang mold of finesse IQ and positioning not elite speed not elite size just being smarter than everybody else and knowing what to do those guys are cut from the mold of a latang and because of success of guys like letang like Eric Carlson we are seeing this wave of newer defensemen who moonlight as forwards how good their puck skills are. Yeah, and it's awesome that he's been doing that. Just another player, very underrated, very underappreciated. For sure. It's very unfortunate that he doesn't have a Norris trophy to his name.

Starting point is 00:21:31 I mean, I've always said when he was in his peak years, like, especially, you know, 2012 to 2016, especially 2016 when Mike Sullivan took over, I have always said that there were not five defenses in the league who were better than him, just because of how he, his play. affects the team at both ends of the rank. So I'm glad that, you know, we have the Latang cult here on this show. Although Chris is Tang hate on. I see all the time.

Starting point is 00:21:56 It's just nuts. But that does it for this segment. Coming up to end the show, we're going to preview the Saturdays game and what the Penguins need to do to strike back and what the Rangers need to do to finish off this season series with a split. So it's coming up right after this commercial break. All right. We're back here in this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast.

Starting point is 00:22:16 I'm Hunter Hodes. That is Nick Serrars. excuse me so nick Saturday night 8 15 start yeah because the Knicks play at 1 and they need the extra hour to change over the ring from basketball

Starting point is 00:22:27 to hockey that's why it's an 8 not a 7 that makes sense yeah always got to accommodate the Knicks good scheduling get there everybody no I'm just messing around but 815 start ABC ESPN I assume it's going to be their top team yeah Sean McDonough yeah I saw

Starting point is 00:22:43 the ESPN ESPN PR account tweeted today it'll be done and I think Emily Kaplan with Ferraro and then P.K. Chelios and Messier in the studio. Oh, yeah. Listen to Mark Messier talk is like watching your waterline. It's nothing but cliches.

Starting point is 00:22:59 He only speaks in cliches. It's very painful to listen. It was not great. I was watching the animated broadcast on Tuesday, not the Steve Levy, Mark Messier. It's brutal. But, you know, fourth and final meeting of between these two teams, probably for the rest of the season.

Starting point is 00:23:16 Probably. Probably. going to play in the playoffs at all unless both would have to win in the round one and then you play in round three that's really go me way if the penguins get if the penguins get wild card one and the rangers stay in a two three it could happen yeah but um probably unlikely but at least looking right now but 815 start um i would assume tristanjari will be in net again played very well on thursday um don't really think any other players will be coming in that lineup for the penguins which is a little fortunate just because the same couple of players keep uh just uh just drag and down the bus. From a winger's perspective, Nick, what do you think they need to do to just finish off this season series on a high note? Exactly what they did on Thursday. Get the puck out of danger, make smart plays, and don't overthink it. Whenever they've gotten into ruts and stretches of bad play, it's overpassing in the neutral zone, it's forcing one to extra pass in the offensive zone. It's banking the puck off the glass as opposed to skating into open space.

Starting point is 00:24:16 night was the best the Rangers have done at breaking out and getting to offense quickly in quite a long time. I haven't I haven't been home, obviously. I'm at one of my friends' houses, so I haven't had a chance to look on all three zones for the microscats for the game from last night. But anecdotally, that's the best the Rangers defense going to have played in transition, and maybe all year in a single game. And that's been the biggest problem for them all season is they can't get from defense to offense quickly enough. So with all that high end forward talent, If you can't get to the offensive zone, it doesn't matter. If you're in your own end 45 seconds a minute, minute and a half,

Starting point is 00:24:51 you're going to eventually wear it out where even if you don't concede a goal, you're going to take a penalty, you're going to end up in a situation where you're getting hemmed in for an extended period of time and the guys that get out there get run down for the Rangers in this game on Saturday, come out with the same enthusiasm and energy you did to start the game on Thursday. That's the best start the Rangers had. I know I've repeated it a couple times. that that's the best the Rangers have played in quite a while.

Starting point is 00:25:17 It's true that every facet of their game was really good on Thursday. Reiterate what you did on Thursday. I imagine the Penguins will be a little tighter in the neutral zone, so you're going to have to really work. You're probably going to have to work harder for offense. Those odd man rushes, like the bank pass that Zabinich had scored on, that's probably not going to be there. The Mott goal, that break away, that's probably not going to be there.

Starting point is 00:25:37 So for the Rangers, it's going to be a matter of finding the details and sticking with what worked and adapting. The penguins are one of the better teams than we get adapting on the fly. So if those long passes aren't there, are you going to stubbornly pass into the defensemen like you did in games three and four of the first round series last year that have resulted in you conceding seven two games in a row? Or are you going to find the way that if those long passes aren't there, are your forwards going to be able to come back in your own zone, receive shorter passes, and then the forwards are going to be able to skate through the neutral zone and have to dump and chase and go get it? Or are you going to stubbornly do what doesn't work? Yeah, I think that's obviously very good. From a penguin's perspective, you know, obviously they got to do a much better job defending in front of their goaltender.

Starting point is 00:26:21 They made Tristan Jari make way too many high danger. 14 high danger saves was the number from the Thursday night's game, 14 too many, to say the least. But that has to be better. I also want to see the penguins get back to their speed game on Sunday. The Penguins were skating circles around the Rangers, I thought, for those first 40 minutes. Granted, the Rangers also played. the day, the night before. So maybe they were a little more gas than the Penguins,

Starting point is 00:26:47 but also the Penguins have played really bad on second half of back-to-back, so I'm not really sure. But I want to see the Penguins get back to that, because usually, you know, they have matched up well against the Rangers these last couple of years. I never lost three or four in the regular season last year, but when they made the adjustments in the playoffs, you saw them do well, at least for the first half of it,

Starting point is 00:27:07 stuff happened after with the goal-tening and some bad defensive collapses. But, you know, I like the matchup overall coming into the season, Same thing. Want to see them, you know, get back to that. You know, and you're right. I don't think that Carter Saucer pass to POJ, which leads to a Tyler Mount Breakaway is going to be there. I don't think Brian Duman is going to go between the lakes for another pass again. That would be pretty foolish. But that's what I'm really looking for. Also, got to get more traffic in front of Shisterner. I imagine he will start. They honestly made it way too easy for him on Thursday night. He made some good saves. Yes, one of the three best goaltenders in hockey.

Starting point is 00:27:43 I will always say it's like a 1A, 1C with Shisterkin, Fasilewski, and Sorokin. I think Sorokin's definitely right up there, in my opinion, with how he's played. But you've got to do a better job with him. You know, you can't just be giving him clean lines of sight to every shot. He'll just glove those down, blocker them away like it's nothing. He was gobbling a lot of those up last night. He did still make some good say, especially one of them was on Zucker, but want to see more traffic in one of them.

Starting point is 00:28:08 And that's really what I'm looking for in that one. obviously a better start you can't play the way you did in the first 10-15 minutes the things were lucky honestly neck that they were not down two or three goals heading into the first intermission that they did not play that well in that game um i don't expect this one to be nasty thursday night was pretty tame between these two teams that's how i kind of want it for this one to save everyone from eating each other alive but i was talking about this with danny the other day these are not mean teams like these guys are not there are not tough guys on either of these teams. But for whatever reason, when they get together, it turns into everybody

Starting point is 00:28:43 wants to be a tough guy. It makes no sense. It's weird. You know, whoever it is, honestly, you know, Truba, Vince Trochik, Evgeny Malkin going after him. You know, but that's just, you said it to me, Beth Nick, if your star player is not going over the edge sometimes, you know, it's just limiting, yeah. It limits you as a player. The one last thing I would say for you guys, if you want to win this game, you've really got to try and get Crosby out there against Zabinajad, because that's been the one line the penguins have had the last couple of years that's been able to kind of whoever's playing on that other wing with Zabinibin, whether it be Crider, whether it be Tarasenko, whether it be Kane, whoever it is that's been the one counterbalance the penguins have is been able to have is. Zabinajad's really good when he has the puck. But when it's time to like get the puck back, for as good as he is defensively, he's not great in his own zone in terms of getting the puck back.

Starting point is 00:29:34 So that would be my one suggestion for Mike Sullivan if he's listening. want to get Crosby out there against Zabinijad. And then you probably are going to end up riding a lot of Malkin versus Trochec, which you can live with. But I think the more important matchup for sure for the Penguins is going to be limiting that to Bensinette's line because that was the best line in the game on Thursday. Yeah. And usually I felt like in the playoffs series that Sullivan would put the Crosby out against

Starting point is 00:29:57 his division line. And he was he was taking the Bidichad's lunch. Yeah. It was like 60.30 in scoring chances when they matched up before Crosby got injured. And I think it was game five. But before the injury in game five. It was 60-30 and scoring chances. I want to say 55-45 and expect the goals.

Starting point is 00:30:13 It was not close. Yeah, I will be curious to see how that takes place. And then lastly, just a small one for me. If anyone on this team wants to stop Chris Kreider, aka Jesus Christ, when he plays the Penguins, that would also be nice. He's turning into some Anders Lee, Jordan Eberley. You forgot Brock Nelson.

Starting point is 00:30:33 Come on. Yeah, especially Brock Wilson. Oh, anytime, literally, anyone that goes on Fiandle, anytime goal score Chris Cryder on Saturday night, you will probably win free money. So what I had last night, I did Rangers any time. I did Rangers money line, Crider anytime goal scorers just 13 saves. Paid for two beers. There you go.

Starting point is 00:30:51 I mean, I felt like the Penguins were probably going to lose that game. I was hoping they would get a point out of it. But, you know, this one, you know, playoff race is heating up a little more now. Panthers just scored nine goals, seven of which were in the first period against the Canadians. Yeah. I think that's the team you want to watch out for a lot of these other teams are not playing well but um nick this was a lot of fun i will forgive you when you did the mount rushmore where was the mariel lemieux reference on their shame on you didn't apply long enough unfortunately for

Starting point is 00:31:20 consideration he he's got extenuating circumstances he's in the next grouping he's not in the he's not on the mount rushmore but he can have a memorial somewhere he can be like lincoln and have his own memorial somewhere okay is that a fair consolation oh maybe maybe a little bit that's that's next worst take he's ever had on the show guys marillamue is the greatest hockey play to ever play the game. Until Conna McDavid retires 15 years from now and then we can talk about that then.

Starting point is 00:31:45 But until now. Just giving you a hard time a little bit there. But no, I really appreciate you coming on. Of course. It's been a long time coming. Yeah, this Saturday's game

Starting point is 00:31:54 should be a lot of fun. If you're heading out this weekend, obviously stay safe. Have fun. Stay safe, yeah. Yes, bad time to be a beer or any alcoholic beverage. Just be responsible, have fun.

Starting point is 00:32:06 And yeah, this should be a lot of fun. But Nick, tell everyone where you are not because some of your duties have changed since the last time you're on the show. Oh, yeah, no. Co-hosting on Locked on Flames twice a week. Jess is actually going on vacation from Saturday until next Friday. So I'm riding solo all five days next week. I'll be hosting Locked on Flames all five days. Liberty Blue Podcasts live every Monday, trying to get little more content out, other conversation-style stuff.

Starting point is 00:32:32 Hunter was on during the week. Danny Shirey was on during the week. So as the playoffs will come in the first. focus, talk a little bit more with teams that are looking at towards the playoffs, get a better understanding of where they're at and keep the people in the loop. That's always been the goal of any of my content, make you a little bit smarter so that when it comes time for you to talk with your friends about, whatever you're talking about, you have something good to say to them. That's a perfect way of saying it, honestly. And yes, please support your fellow content

Starting point is 00:33:00 creators. Everything helps here, especially with what we're doing. It's a ton of fun, but, you know, We don't get anywhere without your support. So go check Nick stuff out. He does amazing stuff with those shows. And there's also a great follow on social media if you were on Twitter. Thank you all so much for listening. We'll be back with another episode on Monday to recap this game against the Rangers and get you all set for that huge matchup against the Ottawa Senators

Starting point is 00:33:24 before they go out to Colorado to play the avalanche and Dallas to play the stars. I'll talk to you all then. Have a great weekend.

Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - How can the Penguins strike back on Saturday night?

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.