Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Locked On Penguins 11/13- Rangers Game Recap, Plus Sidney Crosby's Ailment

Episode Date: November 13, 2019

In this episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter dives into the Penguins 3-2 overtime loss against the New Rangers. He talks about how Matt Murray deserved a better fate than that game, plus hammers Brian Dumoulin and Evgeni Malkin for their mistakes in overtime that led to the loss. He also touches on what Sidney Crosby should do with his reported Sports Hernia injury. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello and welcome to another edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. Today is November 13th. I am your host Hunter Hodes. Of course, follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the show on Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins. Keep subscribing on Apple, Spotify, keep reviewing the podcast, all that good stuff. So the Penguins last night, they did play the New York Rangers. They did lose three to two in overtime.

They got a point without Cindy Crosby. But this game was there for the taking. So let's just get right into it. The Penguins really, really awful first period. The defense was just out to lunch. The Rangers took the lead, won nothing. Who made that stretch pass? I think it was Brendan Lemieux, if I'm not mistaken.

And Marcus Pedersen and Justin Schultz were just both out to lunch. And they let Kako just split them, and they weren't even near where the puck was. And they both just got toasted. And, you know, they beat Matt Murray. Matt Murray was bailing their asses out. all the period long. And that was just a wonderful move by Kako to make it 1-0. He went forehand, back-hand past Murray's path.

Just a really, really nice move. But I think at the time, at that goal, I think the shots were about 9 to 2 in favor of the Rangers. The Penguins were just not skating in all that period. Looked really, really slow to the park. They were barely getting any zone time in the offensive zone. Alexander Gorgiev could have just taken a nap for basically about entire. period, but of course the penguins did wake up the final two periods, but that's how bad it was. He basically could have just taken a nap.

And then, of course, the second goal for the Rangers came when Adam Fox was past the puck and came down the slot wide open and he fired it top shelf past Murray's glove. No chance really there for Murray. I know people are going to say, well, you know glove side, glove side, but I mean, that was a rocket of a shot. And Adam Fox, I mean, wow, that's the first time I think I've watched the Rangers this season. That kid's going to be a number one defenseman in this league if he's not already. I think he's probably the best defenseman that the Rangers have.

Better than Brady Shea, DeAngelo. He's a stud, and he's going to be a number one in this league for a long time. The Rangers really lucked out by getting him because Adam Fox did not want to play in Carolina, it seems. My God, man, he would have made that defensive corpse down in Carolina that much more scary. That's even with Carolina's defense of force being really good. But, yeah, Adam Fox is really, really good to watch, fun to watch. Paco's really, really fun to watch. Panarin was fun to watch last night, but he's always fun to watch too.

But we get to the second period, and then the Penguins, that's when they started taking over the game. Overall, from that period on, the Penguins, they finished with about 54% possession. They led the goals 4 percentage. They led in shot attempts. I think they ended about shooting the Rangers for the game, even though they were down like 9 to 1, 9, 2 in shots during the first period. But the Penguins, of course, you knew they were going to wake up.

The first goal came just a little bit over a minute. And, of course, it's Justin Schultz that scores. It makes it 2-1. Rock of the shot past Georgiev, just top shelf, beautiful. Schultz had all the time in the world, too. I don't know why. No one on the Rangers stepped up. And you look like all the Rangers skaters were just doing their own thing right there for some reason.

And, yeah, that was a bit weird. But he makes it to 1. And the Penguins, they're tilting the ice even more throughout the period. They're getting a lot of chances. Gioria is making some saves. And then they get a powerplay. They already had, I think, two power plays up until that point. Nothing was doing on them.

And then they were tilting the ice, and then they got a penalty. They got power play. And, of course, everyone on Penguins' Twitter, you know, oh, no, just decline it. Just decline it. It was basically like the Facebook comments of the Penguins' Facebook, but everyone just say to client it, don't even take it. And for a while there, they were right. The Penguins, they did not get anything going on their top power play unit.

And then it was kind of a broken play, and Jerry McCann fires the puck, top shelf, glove side on Georgiav to tie the game at two. And there it is, folks, the Penguins streak of 28 power plays without a goal came to an end. The Penguins went one for three on the power play for the night. But Penguins finally broke the power play streak. in the second period to tie the game and what a relief. Hopefully now the goals will keep coming for Pittsburgh. Sometimes when a team breaks a streak like that,

there's a lot of goals that will just keep coming in bunches. So I wouldn't be surprised to see that coming in the next couple of games. But though, it also could go back to being really bad because the Penguins' power play right now has been bad. And, you know, they're missing Phil Kessel on it. You know, I laugh at some of the people on Penguins' Twitter during the off season. I'm not going to really name names.

But some of these people really thought Alex Galenioch would replace what Phil Kessel did on the power player or Penguins would just be able to replace it on their own. It's not how it works. Take out 92 points and a point per game player on the power play with all the power play points that he had. It's not easy. And they're definitely feeling it right now.

And I think one of the players that's been on the Tau Privy unit that has just been really bad overall is Alex Kowcheniuk. I mean, this is unacceptable at this point. That's now nine games that he's played, no goals. I think maybe only has a couple of assists on this season. I mean, you can just tell he's just pushing it. Like, he's just, he's overthinking himself. He's overthinking his game.

He's passing when he should be shooting. He's shooting when he should be passing. And he's just, like, I just, I don't know what's going on. He's just, I think he's really just searching for that one goal because if he gets that one goal, maybe there could be more goals. But, I mean, I saw all from. A lot of people on Penn Square, last night including Darren,

Jason, a couple really good follows that, you know, they're done with Gautchenyuk. And I don't know if I'm quite there yet, but, I mean, he's slowly making me die a little bit inside every time, every game that he goes without scoring. Because, I mean, this is the main piece that the Penguins acquired for Phil Kessel and he's not doing anything.

And, you know, could he be a trade asset towards the trade deadline if the Penguins want to bring in a rental forward? Yeah, I mean, if this continues, I could definitely see that. because at this point, it's just, I don't know what's going on. And it's bad because, you know, you're playing with Evgeny Malkin. He's one of the best centers in hockey. I know Malkin had a kind of a mead game last night, including the overtime, and we'll get to the overtime, and we'll finish all recapping the game.

But, man, I mean, Alex Gauchenioch, it's like, come on, man. You have got to start producing. You've got to start performing at the level that I know you're capable of. especially like he showed flashes of a good high level when he was in Montreal he showed a little bit in Arizona but you've been traded twice now you're still like in your age 24 season like if you're not going to really put it all together now when you're with the penguins I don't know when you ever will and yeah I can definitely see him being a trade candidate by the trade deadline and I would definitely I think dangle him if this continues because I this is it's ridiculous at this point man I don't know what else to explain.

I don't know how else to explain it. You got to start playing well or, you know, he could be an NGB. I wonder if he could be a potential healthy scratch. You know, I would think long and hard about it. It might be a little bit of a hot take considering the forwards when they're fully healthy. Is he one of the 12 best? Right now, he's not, in my opinion. Well, I mean, Zach Aston Reese actually had a really good game last night.

He's starting to put together a couple strong games now. So, Chuckie, it's time to get going, man. You got to really, it's time to buckle down. Especially now, you're in an elevated role with Crosby, L, and we'll get to that injury a little bit later. But, yeah, that's nothing really else. One of the needs to be said about that. All right. So the third period of the game, I thought it was a pretty, well, I wouldn't say evenly pay period.

But the Rangers didn't play bad that period. I thought the Penguins had the better the chances. Yor Giv had some really strong saves. Definitely towards the end of the period. Jake Gensel was robbed directly in front. And then, of course, the Penguins took a power play. I think that was with about four minutes left in the period. Gensel was robbed.

and then the Penguins took a penalty. They were able to kill off the penalty, though. Sam Lafferty hit the post towards the end of the game. Nick Bueystad, I think had a couple chances. But, yeah, the Penguins are just getting a lot of pucks on net. I was really liking their game in the third period. They were pushing it up the ice, up tempo. They were giving up a couple scoring chances.

Matt Murray had to come up with some really strong shaves. And Matt Murray had an outstanding game last night. He deserved way better than that. that ending, of course, with the loss with overtime and a couple of other goals because he was saving the penguin's ass in the third period. Actually, not the third period. Excuse me. The first period.

Third period, he robbed what was it, Buchenevich towards the end of the period. He also made that other sprawling save at the end of the third period. I mean, he was just unbelievable against the Rangers. And you know, he always plays well against the Rangers in Madison Square Guard. I think going into it, he had, I think his goals against Iowa, which was a ball. low two, close to what a 930 say percentage. He's been really, really good up in New York. And that was one of his first ever starts.

That was his first ever playoff start. It was actually at Madison Square Garden in game three of the Rangers where he was outstanding. And, you know, it continued last night. He deserved a much better fate on that overtime goal. Let's just get right into the overtime. The Penguins, they had three Rangers gassed on the ice. They were controlling that entire overtime period. Three Rangers gasped

And Dumlin comes up the left boards And just passes it to nowhere And that allows the three Rangers to get off the ice Three first Rangers get on And again he Malkin takes the puck For whatever reason tries to go on like a one on two Splits them Doesn't even get the puck to the net

It goes to the boards And then the Rangers have a three on two Going the other way And Schultz And I'm trying to remember who the other player That's back is But I think actually Yeah it might have been Dumlin

But Malkin's just He's just cruising back. Cruising back. Nothing really, don't really care. And Adam Fox gives it to Caco, and Murray has no chance because no goaltender is saving that shot. It went way too quick. There was no one covering Caco towards the left side of the net. That would have had to be the save of the year if Murray would have gotten to that.

But that's just unacceptable from both Brian Duhmline and Evgeny Malkin. Dumblin, you don't really see him make those kind of mistakes. I don't really know what he was doing on that play. Every time I watch it, I get even more and more confused. I think I tweeted last night, I said, whoever that was should never be allowed to play three on three ever again. Of course, you know, I was probably a little upset at the time. And then I watched it back and it was Brian Dewan.

So I was not as much upset, but still, Brian Dumont, come on, man. You can't pass the pot to no man's land. When you have three tired Rangers on the ice, they couldn't even skate to the park. the penguins were just hemming him in their own zone. They got shots off. Gorgive had some really nice things. If you would just kept the puck in the zone, you probably would score. You probably were going to score there.

That was the thing. It just boggled my mind as to what Duman was doing. And then I don't know why Hvgeny Malkin tried that blind pass and then just went into the in the ranger zone and tried to beat them one on three. And then of course, you know, I love Evgeny Malkin, but dude, if you're really going to back check like that, I mean, that's so lazy. That's not even funny, man. I mean, oh, like, I know he's not, like, known for his defensive play.

Obviously, he's not Sidney Crosby with his 200-foot game. I mean, who is going to be Sidney Crosby with his 200-game besides Patrick Spurson, Onzee Copa-Tarra. Brian O'Reilly. But that was just embarrassing, man. I mean, at least if you're going to make a play like that, you know, skate your ass back the other way and try to break up that pass from Alphox de Cacca. Malkin was just skating back. Not really caring. And he was basically just saying the whole way, like, hey, my bad.

Like, sorry, I'm just going to cost us the game. And the Penguins did put out a tweet after the game with Malkin quote. And as you could expect, the replies were really bad. But you know what? It's like, come on, have you any Malken? Like, that was just a really piss-poor effort. It's not a really good game from him in general. He was starting to, he was playing pretty decently, I thought, before this game.

But this game was awful. I definitely don't, I mean, obviously he's not going to be at the level that he was in 2009, 2011, 12. But, you know, with Cindy Crosby, potentially going to be out for four to six months, with sports hernia injury, you got to play a lot better than you played last night, especially in that overtime period, because that was so unacceptable. There's that cost in the game along with Brian Dewan's past. And, you know, I'm glad they got the point out of it.

You know, I'm really liking the way they're playing. That was a good 40-minute effort. The first period, though, was absolute garbage. That's probably the worst period since the, okay. opening game against the Sabres. But, I mean, they're going to need more from Eugenio, especially with Crosby. You're going to be out, like I said, Chris LaTang,

still week to week, Patrick Hornquist, out long term. But they're going to need a lot more from him. And he's going to have to be a lot better defensively if the Penguins are going to win games with Crosby and Lattang out. Because that was just, I couldn't believe my eyes when I watched that goal back. I probably watched it back three, four times now. I cannot for life him you understand why he's skating back so slow. That's an effort that you see in pee-wee-level hockey.

That should not be in an NHL-level game. That was just... I'm sorry for, you know, crushing Evianney Malkin here a lot, but, I mean, that's just unacceptable from an NHL player, any NHL player, especially a future Hall of Fame or one of the best penguins to ever lace them up, and you're going to be one of the best ever players to ever lace them up, if that's, if you really want to go that far.

But, I mean, yeah, just still, I like that they got a point in this game. You go down 2-0-0. You tie the game up. I think that's the fourth consecutive game. They come back from a multi-goal deficit. You're not going to be able to do that every game, but, you know, the play that the Penguins are playing right now,

I still like that the way they're playing. They definitely deserved that deficit, I think, because the Penguins were playing really bad. But they also earned that comeback to tie it up to-two-with-the-way they were playing, and the Pucks that they got past Gourgib. You know, they could have won that game in regulation if Gorgia didn't make some really, really nice saves. But, yeah, the Penguins will be back in.

action Friday night against the Devils but they got into points so they're now 10 and 6 and 2 that ties them I think now for 3rd in the Metro I think they said that um I said the other day that they were in third in the Metropolitan Division that's my apologies folks I forgot that the Flyers won

they were in 4th they think right now they're still in 6th place in the Eastern Conference but still they're in a playoff spot as long as you keep getting points while Crosby's out it's going to be okay but yeah I was just a really poor ending to last night's game, considering how the penguins were playing in the second, third

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Actually, this morning, so last night, this morning, whatever. And basically, so Rossi, one of the Penguins Beat Riders for the Athletic, has been told by multiple NHL and Penguins sources that Crosby has been dealing with a sports hernia injury. He's been dealing with it since training camp. He's played through the season with it and during the game against Chicago, not when he blocked the shot with his foot,

but when he had that awkward play with Air Gustafson going into the offensive zone, he aggravated it. That's why you saw Crosby wince a little bit. Of course, he left the game. And the Penguins, they've been, as usual, not very, what's the word of milking? forward to here. They're not very, they don't really tight-lipped, I'd say they're very tight-lived with their injuries. They just keep saying, oh, he's being evaluated. If we'll have more

information, we'll get it to you. The typical Mike Sullivan answer that, I mean, no one likes, no fan likes, no media likes, because, I mean, I just want to know what the injury is. I'm glad, though, that we finally know what he's dealing with. I don't think Rob Rossi would be fabricating this or anything, or, you know, it got leaked, obviously, but, I mean, you know, this is a big-time injury to obviously their best player. I've never really dealt with a sports hernia injury. I don't really know too many people in my life that have, but it looks like after reading Rossi's article that Cindy Crosby has two options.

One, to do the surgery now or two, to wait and do the surgery at another point in the season or after the season, and that's what he's deciding on right now. He went and saw a specialist in Philadelphia. I think it's apparently one of the best known doctors for diagnosing hernia injuries and basically saying, what? what the next step is. But if I were to give my opinion on what Crosby should do, not that it matters, but I think he should just get the surgery out of the way now.

Rossi said that apparently, according to sources, he would be back in about a month. He said four to six weeks, but apparently he's been told that Crosby would be back within a month if he had the surgery now. I think that would be the best course of action. It gets you back right before Christmas or right around Christmas time whenever he gets the surgery. you still have the whole second half of the season to be fully healthy to get the penguins in a long run to get to the playoffs.

I really think they can keep stacking points up until that point because they still have them getting them all in the lineup and they have a lot of their forwards in the lineup. I think Chris LaTang hopefully will be back before Sunniu Krasby comes back as well as Patrick Hortquist.

So if you have both of them back at some point before Krosby comes back, you should still be able to get even more points. I know replacing Cindy Crosby is not the easiest thing in the world. Definitely not. But, and apparently the reason why Crosby did not decide to have surgery before the season was because the penguins are dealing with a lot of injuries, you know, Brian Russ. And then, of course, then again, he Malkin goes down.

And apparently, Sidney Crosby basically said, you know what? I'm going to keep playing because my team needs me. But it sounds like he really, really aggravated it against Chicago. And he's trying to decide what to do. But like I said, just get the surgery out of the way, man. I would want him to just rest for two weeks, and then the injury kind of goes away, and then he aggravates it even more to the point where it's like maybe January or February, or even maybe March or whatever, and that's when you need the surgery,

and then you're out for the biggest home stretch up until the playoffs. And that's when the penguins usually will go on their runs. December, January, onward. That's the penguins when they play their best hockey. it's still November, you're still in the playoff spot, you're 10 and 6 and 2, just get it out of the way now. I know I sound like a broken record. It's just, I think it's the best course of action for the penguins.

But, you know, we'll see what Cindy Grosby does. Apparently, there's been reports from Dave Molanari from the D.K. Pittsburgh Sports that a decision is likely coming soon from Crosby. So look out for that. The Penguins do not practice today. So we may get an update tomorrow. Apparently, he met the team up in New York. And then Sullivan did not officially rule him out, though, for the devil's games, since, I mean, I think right now he's with the team.

So we'll see. I mean, I would expect an announcement of some sort tomorrow during practice or by Friday against the devil's game, what he's going to do. If I had a guess, I think he's going to have the surgery. Just get out of the way four to six weeks. Come back in a month for Christmas. You're fully healthy. You're back for the stretch run December, January, which is when the penguins always heat up. You're back for February, March, and April for when the penguins hopefully extend the league's long.

longest playoff streak. So, you know, that's what I would do if I was Cindy Crosby. But anyways, guys, thank you guys so much for listening to this episode of Locked on Penguins. Well, but another episode coming tomorrow. Probably preview the game against the Devils. The Devils have had a really bad start to the season. We'll talk about Taylor Hall a bit. You know, he's, you know, I really wanted him to come to Pittsburgh. He's a UFA after the season. Apparently, Elliot Freeman said that he and his agent met with Ray Shiro. Nothing really going on. And usually, the agent that Hall has usually pushes his players to

not resigned with the team during the final year, so that could be a messy situation coming in New Jersey, and they're probably going to sell by the deadline. I don't really think the Devils have anything going for them this year. And then the Penguins will also play the Maple Leafs on Saturday. We'll have a preview of that game probably coming on Friday after we talk about the Devils game. And we also have some other, I think, things coming for the show this week,

a couple of ideas that a couple of my friends have given me for the show that I'm going to, I think, hopefully do at some point this week, if not this week, and hopefully next. next week. I'm really excited for a couple of these ideas. But thank you guys so much for listening. Follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Keep subscribing and all that. And we'll talk to you guys soon.