Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Locked On Penguins 12/19-Flames Game Recap, Holiday Video, John Marino

Episode Date: December 19, 2019

In this episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter goes into the Flames game recap as the Penguins banked another two points out of this game. He discusses Tristan Jarry again, John Marino's goal, Bryan Rust, etc. He also then goes into talk about the Penguins ew holiday video which came out, plus talk about the NHL's all-decade team from ESPN. 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. I'm, of course, your host, Hunter Hodes. Follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the show on Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins. Apologies for not having a episode of yesterday. I was going to, but for some reason, Audacity decided to delete the file for some reason. I don't know why the file did not save.

I thought I saved it, but I guess Audacity was being weird. But so we'll just have an episode today. So yet again, the Penguins are coming off. a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames. I was not looking pretty for a while. On that first period, I think, was probably the Penguins' worst period of the season, or one of them, I should say. There's just a lot of – I think the best way to describe that first period,

there was a lot of puck watching, I think. I apologize. I got to mute this Discord thing. I'm in a couple group chats. But, yeah, there's just a lot of puck watching. I think the Penguins gave up 17 shots in that first period alone. That's unacceptable. That's not been the norm for the penguins,

but they were able to clean it up in the last two periods. I think they only allowed 17 shots combined in the last 40 minutes to play. But I gave up the early goal to Johnny Goodrow. It wasn't really early. It was just deep into the first period. It was a nice cross-piece pass. I think it was a reader that had the assist on that. I think he had the cross-screeze past to Goddrey.

Johnny Goodro, awesome player. I think that was the best scoring chance of the game for him. but the Penguins were very lucky that they weren't down more than 1-0 after the first period. It very well could have been 2 or 3-0. Tristan Jarley was making save after save after save. That's nothing out of the ordinary for him this season. He just keeps to be spectacular. There's really not much else I can say about that.

He had a 971 save percentage after that game, even though the Penguins gave up 34 shots, he had 33 saves. And you can't ask for more than that. And, you know, I don't think he's going to get back-to-back starts this weekend. I think that would be a little much, in my opinion. But he's definitely going to get one of the two starts. I mean, that's – I know, yeah, Captain Obvious Hunter. But I think if I had to guess, he may go against Edmonton, and then maybe Matt Murray goes against Vancouver.

Edmonton, I think I would want Jari going up against Edmondson, considering, you know, they have Connor McDavid and Leon Drysaddle, two of the best players in the world. And then maybe you can go put Murray out against Vancouver, who started up as he's in pretty. you know they had some good underlying numbers but as of late they've kind of fell flat a little bit and um they're in the playoff race i should say but you know they're not like lighting the world on fire um as they were but um you know i really think that game against the flames it just

it turned i think when that cahoon line came out and it was a big 52 second shift if i'm not mistaken. They got a few shots off, but it was a lot of extended zone time. They were just passing the puck around, getting some shots. I know some shots were bought. They got a couple of pucks at Cam Talbot. And I think Mike Sullivan echoed it after the game. I think the penguins just fed off that.

And that was really, really big. It got them going. The penguins were able to tie the game. I think it was close to halfway through the first period, a second period. It was right after their power play expires. It was about a second after. And John Reno was able to get the goal. for Pittsburgh.

He played, I think he played 27 minutes that game, folks. I think that was a career season high for him. You give him any assignment. He's just going to do it, you know? It's almost as if you should just make a team full of like John Reno clones or something because he's just been so good this season. I just, that's another thing I've just run out of words to talk about because it's just the status quo ho-hum for John Marino.

You can't really do better than that with him. And, you know, he had that beautiful goal. Far side on Cantab. It looked like he had no chance to stop it. Put it in the right place. There was a screen in front, and he let it rip it. And I was able to tie the game. Brian Russ gets his 13th goal this season.

He just continues to be on this 30-goal pace. Actually, if you guys did not see, Dom of the Athletic wrote a great, great, great, great piece yesterday. on Brian Russ. If you guys, please go check it out. I'm not going to spoil all of it, but in one of the tweets. He's on a 53 goal 98 point pace. He's second in the league and average game score. He averages 21 minutes per night over his last 11 games,

and he's helping the Penguins earn a 60% expected goal share with him on the ice on his own. That's absolutely unbelievable. If you guys want to read more, please go check out Dom's piece on The Athletic. I will not try to pronounce his last name because I will fail at it probably every time. but it's just Lazzarral really good.

Numbers on, numbers, analytics on it, and just how good he's been this season. I don't know where the penguins would be without Brian Russ. And the way he just plays, even though when he's not scoring,

you can just see how much of a presence he brings to the lineup, see how much he does, even like I said, with he's not scoring. And he's able to get a nice goal. I mean, it was kind of maybe a weak goal for Cam Talbot to allow, but you know what?

You'll take it and, you know, that's what happens. You know, it dribbled in. But you know what? You'll take those goals. He's not going to continue. I don't think this shooting percentage, which is absurdly high right now. But, you know, 13 goals start the season.

We're not even into the new year yet. He's just come into his own. And, you know, I'm be curious to see how these numbers shake out through the rest of the season. I definitely think there's a chance, folks, so we could be talking about a potential 25 goal score this year in Brian Rust. Otherwise, I thought the Penguins, their defensive game was just outstanding those last two periods. You know, I tweeted this during the game.

when the penguins have their defensive system in place, and it's been that way for most of the season, and when they're playing good defensive hockey, it is a joy to watch, folks. It's really an absolute joy. Mike Sullivan's 1-2-2 neutral zone trap is really just something to behold, I think, at this point. And the way the Penguins have just become, you know,

one of the best defensive teams in the league, you know, limiting high-tanger chances, even though I think in the first period, I think six of their claims chances were high-danger. I was just to show how good Tristan Jari was. Jari also had to make a 2-1-0 save in the game. It was off of the Jack Johnson error. You know, that's nothing out of the ordinary,

even though he's been better defensively. But, you know, Johnson had a really bad error. And then Jari, it was always as if, like, the flames, the two flame shooters were, like, afraid to shoot it because they know how good Jari has been. And they were like, wait, wait, they were just going to pass back and forward. Are you going to shoot it? You're going to shoot it.

Or am I going to pass a pat. And then, like, I think the flames were just kind of shell-shocked because Jari like read the play so well and he got over like in an instant. Milo Nucci, like barely put anything on it. But I mean, it's also Milo Michich. He's not really good anymore. But it was just kind of funny watching that replay a few times and just be like, are you going to shoot it?

No, you're going to shoot it. No, you're going to shoot it. And they just kept passing back and forth. And then Jari, he just read the play the whole way. And, you know, when a goal he's reading a play like that, especially on a 210, you just know how locked in they are. But anyways, back to the penguin's defense system, you know, they're limiting chances to the outside a lot.

They're limiting a lot of high danger chances, like I said, except in that first period. And it's a sight to behold, like when they play this defensive hockey. It's a lot of, this team's a lot of fun to watch, you know, when they're scoring, when they're playing this kind of defense. It's not really boring defense either. You know, they're not trapping like the devils are. They're not being boring like the Islanders are, even though Barry Trots is a good coach.

But, you know, he always a very, very boring system for that team. But you know what? It works, but whatever. But yeah, I think it was just a really good game. Of course, we'll talk about this going into the break, but they got a couple empty net goals. One of them was a very, very special goal indeed for this game. So, of course, I think everyone knows what happened with one of the empty net goals to make it three to one.

Evgeny Monkin got his 400th career goal, only the 99th player in NHL history. to do that, but you know what? He was somehow left off of the NHL's top 100 list a couple years ago, even though he's the 99th player ever in the league to score 400 goals. So yeah, the NFL, you got that wrong. Feel shame for that because he's one of the best players of all time. He's one of the best players of this generation.

When I think of giving any Malkin, I don't think he's one of the most underrated players in Penguins history or one of the best Penguins players in Penguins history because he's easily top five. but I think he's the most underrated Pittsburgh sports athlete, I think, in Pittsburgh sports history. I mean, the way he's just had himself, you know, playing under, you know, he's not the face of the franchise like Cindy Crosby is. He doesn't have to face the media as much as Cindy Crosby does.

The numbers he's put up when Crosby's out, even the numbers he's put up with how Crosby's been in. It's nothing short about standing. I mean, you know, there's not many players in this league, you know, that, you know, can score 400 goals. three times Stanley Cup champions won the Khan Smyth. He's won the heart. He's won the Aunt Ross.

I know he hasn't won the Olympic goal, but he's won basically everything you can at the NHL level. Not on the international level, obviously, but everything almost has a hockey level, he's won. He's been a real treat to watch. And hopefully, you know, the next milestone over him, he'll be 500 goals. I think Robert Rossi was talking about in his piece.

I think he wrote about it, I've been a couple weeks ago, about as is nearest his 400th goal. I think one of his goals going in the season, and he's, for the rest of his career, he wants one more cup, and he does want to get two 500 goals. He said he thought that would be really cool. Obviously, you know, you're not going to catch Alex Novagin.

Basically, no one is at this point, considering he's the best goal score of all time. And, you know, he's just one of a kind. But, no, I think Malkin, if I had to double check, I think he's getting close. Is he top five all time for Russian goals now? I'm going to have to double check that. But I know he's up there. Obviously, he's up there with a lot of Russian records. But, you know, like I said, congratulations to have Genie Malkin.

Just really awesome. And as I'm actually recording this, we'll just shift gears. Apparently, Mike Sullivan has confirmed that Justin Schultz will be week to week with a lower body injury. That is the third injury this season for Justin Schultz. I feel bad for him because every time it looks like he's starting to make a little bit of headway, he gets hurt in this game. And in a game against the flames, he went out after, I believe, the first shift of the game. It looked like it was a knee injury.

He, like, kind of collided. The Penguins had to play with five defensemen the whole rest of the game. Yesterday after the game, he said that he was day-to-day with a lower body injury. He would have more information on the coming days. And, of course, today now, like I said, it has been announced that we could be with a lower body injury. Rob Rossi said it might be a knee injury. Apparently, he was grimacing with his knee. So that's not good.

Hopefully, it's not too long. But, you know, just another injury. That's two of the Penguins' top four defensemen. that are now hurt for the foreseeable future. Duman, obviously, of course, is out eight weeks with an ankle injury, and now Justin Chultz is week to week. But, you know, that's why you have Chris LaTang. He's hopefully going to stay healthy.

And, you know, the emergence of John Marino should be able to help that, and hopefully Marcus Pedersen continues his play as well. But I think they're probably going to have to put Jack Johnson on the top four for a little bit, which, you know, is not going to be pretty, I don't think. But, you know what? I don't really think they have many options. But I guess at this point, the good part of his folks, is that they can finally put Yuso Wicola in.

I don't know why the penguins have decided to hide him so much and not play him. I think one of the biggest mysteries to me about Yusurigula is just why the penguins not play him. I mean, maybe it could be bad he's bad, but you know what? You never know unless you play him, and I really think the Penguins would be wise here. You know, for the foreseeable future with Shultz and do one out. See what you have in this kid. I mean, I said it going into the season. You need to see what you have in this kid.

He barely played last season. I know maybe he's nothing more than the number eight, number seven defensemen, number nine defensemen, whatever, whatever. But at least you would know if he is just that. I mean, just play. I'm like, you have no other options right now at this point. I'll be curious to see how he goes up against Edmonton and Vancouver, but I'm sure you're just going to get sheltered bottom-paring minutes.

I don't really think he's going to get any other big minutes. So I just wanted to fill you guys in on that breaking news. all the other empty net goal from the game Krista Tang, that was gorgeous. I know it was just an empty net goal, but the way he like grabbed that fuck, shot it all the way down from behind the net, all the way down to the other side of the net.

That was really cool to see. Tang gets the goal and the Penguins. You know, that's two more points. They're just going to keep banking points. They're 20 and 10 and 4. They're tied for third in the Metropolitan Division. They don't play until tomorrow night where they will host...

They already hosted the Edmonton owners. They will play in Edmonton and play Cicicroft. Play Cicerox. Play Connor McDavid. I am so used to saying Cindy Karazi versus Connor McDavid that when these games come up that I'm just, you know, I'm using my words. You know, I'm a writer and I do a podcaster and I can't speak the English language, so that was pretty bad. But the Penguins will play in Edmonton and play Connor McDadevian Leon Dry Seidel. Two of the best players in the world.

If you guys definitely start out of Terry David and watch Conner McDavid, you know, we don't really get a chance to see a lot of McDavid since he's out on the world. West Coast and all their games out there start at 10 o'clock, you know, 1030, 930. But, I mean, it's so great to watch him play. It's only one of the only times, like I said, I bet you can see him play. He's just awesome to watch. He's going to be the best player in the world very soon, if not already. And it's unfortunate that there will be no Crosby in this game, but McAvon will look to get his second win all time against the Penguins.

His first win against the Penguins game this past year when they beat the, when they beat the Penguins in over time. time two to one after the penguins just completely obliterated them during the game, but it was because Mike Smith had basically the game of his career, which led to the Oilers winning the game, so the Penguins tried to get them back. My guys have for the goalie rotation, I would expect Jari to go in this game. I think you could go to Murray, but I think they could be a little dangerous, you know, especially having him go out against McDavid and Drysad, although Drysadle has struggled a little bit

lately. He's not producing as much of 5V5, but Powerplay has been really good, but it's really good, but still, he's one of the league leading points leaders. He's very dangerous. He can get you at any time. So that will be a good game to watch. And then, of course, on Friday night, just to wrap up this road trip, they will be in Vancouver.

I've always said about this Western Canada road trip. I think it's my personal favorite. This is definitely, I think, of, like, actual road trips. I think this would be the one that I really, really, really want to go to first because just seeing how gorgeous Calgary is during the winter, the snows right by the mount. I know it's cold, but you know what? Who gives a shit?

I don't really care. It's already cold here in Virginia, though. I know it's a lot colder up there in Calgary. Vancouver, I've heard just so many good things about it. I had a friend, Josh, who moved from Vancouver to Toronto recently. He said that if Vancouver is one of the most gorgeous cities he's ever lived in. I've seen pictures of it. It's beautiful.

And then Edmond's, you know, just to see McDavid on ice would just be awesome. That would be a great road trip. I always love watching this road trip And the Penguins will return home for the holiday break And then they'll get ready to play a home at home with the Nashville Predators So that's a look ahead for the Penguins You know if they win you know if they split one of these two games and get back to Pittsburgh taking out like four maybe five out of six points

I think that'd be really good You know every point matters but you know the way they're playing right now They've won six out of seven you really can't ask for much more with their play Especially with all the injuries but um they're going to try to go in and win every game. So, you know, it's been great stuff for penguins, and, you know, they'll just have to keep it up. So this last segment, I don't really know I have too much to talk about,

but they were a couple things yesterday. The Penguins, you guys, released their annual holiday video. If you guys have not checked it out, please go to their Twitter and do so. Penguin's holiday video is something I look forward to every year. They basically, for those who, like, have not watched it before, or not on Twitter or social media, Facebook, book. You know, they do their holiday video after a famous Christmas movie. They've done one after Home Alone. They've done one after a Christmas story. They've done one after Elf, a few more.

And it's really just funny to see how the Penguins players just, you know, they act for like some of the first times. It's really good. They give them lines. And Josh Getsoff, who calls the Penguin games on the radio because Mike Lane doesn't really do the away games anymore because he's getting a little older. You know, he's cutting back on his schedule a little bit. And sometimes some home games. if Mike can not make it. But he narrates it a little bit. It's just a really, really fun listen and a really funny thing to watch. Crystal Tang was one of the stars in the thing yesterday,

and it was just really, really funny. But, you know, Crosby, I thought one of my favorite things from the holiday video was Jake Gensel referring to Cindy Crosby as his dad. It looks like the Penguin social media. You know, definitely sees what people are on Penn Twitter saying, because a lot of people have called, you know, said, uh,

Gensel's dad. So, you know, I thought, I thought that was a little funny, but, you know, just a great video to watch.

Um, also yesterday, there was some talk, you know, about maybe bringing Ilya Kovochuk to Pittsburgh, you know, maybe to work on the power play.

And, you know, I was, I was like, okay, you know, maybe, but, I mean,

but after, um, Greg Wajinsky talked about at a VSPN, um, um, um, Brown McKenzie said,

the penguins do not have any interest in it. I mean, the penguins do not have any interest in him. And, you know, can you really blame them? I mean, would he even really be one of their 12 best words right now? A little skeptical about that. I mean, you're not going to just use him on the top powerplay and basically be like, nope, yours bench the rest of the game. I mean, I know he hasn't been good at even strength this year,

but also I don't really think anyone on the Los Angeles Kings has been any good on even strength this year. The Kings are just so barren. at him scoring and all that. But I'll talk about that. And then, of course, Greg Wojinsky also wrote a VSPN. Shout to him. We had a really good piece on the NHL's all-decade team for those who did not know.

Sinney Crosby, of course, was number one. Chris LaTang was at 23. Ha-ha, take that, Penguins Chronicles, you stupid account. And then, Evgeny Malkin was at number six. Bill Kessel, I think, was down in the 30s. But still, you know, that's exactly where I figured they would be. Chris La-Lang has always been underrated by so many people. But, you know, it's good that he gets the national media recognition that he deserves.

He gets a lot more national media recognition than he does with the Penguins fan base. Yeah, that just goes to that show that tells me a lot about the Penguins fan base. And a lot of people that just have not watched enough hockey, I think, to truly realize just how good this player is and how good he's been for a long time. And that health is the main reason why he has not been a Norris finalist. Because if he stayed healthy for most of his career, he would have many Norris. finalists on his resume, potentially even a Norris trophy on his resume.

He's that good. But yeah, I thought I heard it. Just end the podcast with that. Not too many too much. Also, Penguins had a really, really cool practice yesterday. It was right out. It was outdoors. The mountains were in the background.

Penguins had this gorgeous shot of like, from like up top, just looking down on the ice. And it was just beautiful. The sun's out. Basketball hoop there. Chris, El Tang was shooting a couple of into the net, Cholengate Jake Ens on Twitter.

I thought that was fun, but it was just gorgeous to see them all having fun out there. And it just looked like gorgeous hockey outside weather. You know, that's so much fun to play. When it's just frozen outside, you know, it just brings me back to my days. It's kind of a little kid. I played a little pawn hockey and just, you know, just playing outside in the cold because, you know, that's just so much fun to do that. But thank you guys so much for listening to this episode of Lockdown Penguins.

We'll have another episode coming tomorrow. Probably before the game, I think after the game would be a little too hard. we'll have one coming tomorrow. So thank you guys so much for listening, and we will talk to you all soon.