Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Locked On Penguins 2/12-Tampa game recap, plus a look ahead to the week & trade talk!

Episode Date: February 13, 2020

In this episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter recaps the tough Penguins 2-1 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He talks about Jason Zucker's first game as a Penguin, the mistake by Malkin in overtime, plus looks at potential trade targets if the Penguins need another defenseman. 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's Twitter at L-O-U-U-U-U-Score Penguins. Of course, the Penguins coming off a 2-1 overtime loss last night to the Tampa Bay Lightning when they had a chance to climb within two points of the Washington Capitals. They are now three points behind them. They're still getting closer and closer. But let me just say, I would sign me up for seven games of Penguins' Lightning in the playoffs,

especially when both teams are foliality. Of course, the Penguins were without, you know, the services of the Dumanan Marino, Bukestad Cahoon, and then the Lightning actually lost Sorrelli and Kutra of this game. It looks like they might not even play for their next game going forward. And, of course, they did not have Stephen Stamcoast as well. So they were without two of their best players.

The fact they were able to win that game, I was a bit surprised considering, you know, they got into Pittsburgh at, what, I don't know, 1, 2 a.m. And then they had to play again, go to overtime. And let me just say, about that overtime, I don't know how the Penn is. Penguins didn't win that game, folks.

It's actually just dominating in the overtime for the whole first two and a half minutes, like basically the first half of the overtime. And then, of course, when Tampa gets their first couple chances, and it goes in. So that's just the way it goes sometimes. You know, bad luck. That's a lot of what hockey is. I think at times, I mean, what can you do? You know, I mean, I don't know what you can do.

But I thought the Penguins first period was pretty atrocious, if you ask me. It was bad. I think that's a, that's a. good way to put it. They were just being out shot, outchanced in every possible way. I think the shot attempts for the first period were 21 to 9 in favor of the lightning, the shots. The penguin, they almost doubled up the penguins on shots,

I think, for the first period. It was bad. But then for the final 40 minutes, the penguins played very, very well, I thought. They were actually taking it to the lightning, you know, showing that the lightning definitely played last night. They were a little fatigued. I've got the power play goal. That is now two games in a row with a power play goal for the penguin. So, you know, it's baby steps, baby steps.

I like that. Sidney Crosby was taking a one-timer. He don't really see him do that. I think that often. But you know what? You take it. I think that was fine. You know, of course, the rebound spits out to of Gennie Malkin.

He buries it. One nothing going into the intermission. Then, of course, Tampa scores on one of their power plays. Mikhail Surgichet from the point. Seeing eye shot, Matt Murray really had no chance on that. He just didn't see it. And speaking of Matt Murray, I thought he was absolutely outstanding last night against lightning up.

You know, that's another really, really strong start. I felt bad for him in this game, especially with the barrage that he faced in the first period, keeping the game scoreless, keeping the penguins in a position to win this game. And he did make some strong saves in the second and third periods when Tampa was getting their shots on net. He was just strong all night, looking big in his net, squaring up the shooters. He's just, he's playing like the Matt Murray that we saw on the 2016, 2017 playoff runs. And that's a scary sight right now. I think if you were to have a, like I say, if you were to have, like, a debate as to who should start game one,

I think Murray is probably the guy right now. But, you know, you could easily still go to Trish and Jari. But there's also still, you know, 25 games left somewhere around there. So there's still time. You never know what happens. But right now over these probably these last 10 games, I think Matt Murray has been out playing Trish and Jari. And that's not to say that Trish and Jari is playing back. Not to say that at all.

He's been very, very good. stole them the game against the Panthers, that's for sure. He's going to get a lot more starts going forward, but still, I really, really liked the effort from Murray last night. I just thought he was spectacular. Both goals were really not to blame. The third period, the Penguins were just hitting post after post after post. And let's not forget, I tweeted this during the game.

I have no idea how Andre Vasselowski made that save on the two-on-one in the second period with Brian Rust. that was just unbelievable. I think he got a little bit of a piece of with his blocker, which hit the crossbar of the post, and then, of course, the puck stays out. Under Vastolevsky is just not from this planet. He showed why he's one of the top five best goaltenders in the league at this moment, I think.

I mean, my personal opinion, I think he's definitely in the top five. He's paid like it. He plays like it. He's found his groove. And he's just, he's damn good. And I think people need to just recognize at this point. He was a big reason, of course, as to why Tampa won the game last night. But, yeah, the Penguins were just getting, you know, no post, you know, no puck luck at whenever, you know, just hitting two posts.

I think another one was a crossbar in the third period. They were beating Vasilevsky with those shots, but they just weren't going in. I love the play that Dominic Simone had late in the third period with about less than five minutes left, drawing that penalty. Could have made a case to draw a penalty shot, but you know how NHL officials feel about calling penalty shots in this league at the moment. they don't really do it a lot that's for certain they do it usually ones in a blue moon

because for some reason they don't like to call them. I don't not understand why. I've never understood why. And yeah that's that I think. But that power play, the penguins weren't able to do anything. You know, that's kind of a moment where you want to slam the doors shut, I think. I want to try to kick the league, but you know, Tampa had a really, really

good PK. Just, you know, props to them. Of course, the final two and a half minutes. You know, they were just kind of playing for overtime, I thought. Then the overtime came, wow, man, the penguins were just, I think they had three Tampa skaters out there probably for over a minute and a half to two minutes, just skating in circles around them. And then the big thing that I hated was, I don't know why Malk and Rust kind of stayed on there

too long and they tried to beat them just going right at them. You know, when you have three tired guys on the ice like that, you know, take the puck out of the zone, you know, don't let them change, and then come in, do your thing. and then score. You know, if they probably would have done that, you know, I think there's a good chance that they would think I think they would have won the game. That's what I think they messed up.

And then the Tampa, of course, was able to get the puck. They were stopped on the two-on-one, but I think someone, I think it was McCann that went off the ice. Or might have been rust. Someone, I think he was able to get off the ice, and then someone came off really quick, which led to another odd man rush, and then Gianni Gord won the game for Tampa.

And, yeah, apparently that was his first goal in 35. games. I did not know that. You know, which kind of explains his little Stanley Cup celebration that he had on the ice. Good Lord, dude. It's like, it's like guy scores for his first goal in 35 games. It's like he won the Stanley Cup. I just found that really funny, just the way he celebrated that goal. It's like, okay, just a regular season game here. You don't need to celebrate like you just scored in Game 7 of a Stanley Cup final or just a regular playoff series.

You know what? I don't want to sound like a fool here. But, yeah, it was just a nice shot over Matt Murray on his shoulder, top shelf, and nothing really he can do about that. And you know what? The penguins had tired guys on the ice, but the lightning had two, they were able to switch them. And they were having a couple odd man rushes. And that's what happens.

I think for the overtime, I think they led in shots two to one, despite the penguins being, just harassing them on the other end of the ice for basically the first half of the overtime, the penguins only mustered one shot. That's been unacceptable. I know Sidney Krazi was trying to make some magic happen. I would have liked to see him go out there with Jason Zucker, who I thought had a really, really strong game, even though he doesn't seem to think so. I saw the interview after the game where he was basically like, well, yeah, you know, I thought I played horrible,

my hands were bad, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, I'll get better next game. You know, I thought he looked really good, but, you know, we'll get to that in the next segment. But, yeah, I just, I thought Malkin and Russ were just trying to do too much in the overtime and it cost them. And, you know what, that happens sometimes. Three on three is sometimes a crapshoot.

you have three, you hit three posts in the game, you run into a hot goal in Andre Basilevsky, a hot team in Tampa. I know they were without two of their best players, but still, that was a game of the pregnant of Penguins probably should have won. I think they deserved to win the game. I thought they were the better team for 40, at least 40 minutes of that game. Definitely, and we'll actually, if you include the first two minutes of the overtime.

So I think about the first 42, the last 42 minutes of the game, I thought they were the better team. And you know what, sometimes you don't get the result, but still you're getting points. You know, the three points behind the caps, though the Islanders are starting to creep up again, two points behind the penguins. But also the schedule now lightens up a little bit. Thankfully, these next couple of games, you get Montreal this Friday who's up out without Shea Weber for the next four to six weeks. Boy, that could have been uglier if Nick Kiprios's report was accurate, but it looks like it's not.

And then they will play the worst team in the league on Sunday in the Detroit Red Wings before a home-and-home with the Toronto Maple Leafs. and then I believe they go to, they have Buffalo at home. So, yeah, you know, not really the end of the world here, folks, for the penguins. All right, so also last night, I also thought that, you know, Jason Zucker, of course, made his penguins debut. You know, some people had some really funny tweets, you know, putting the nut sign and, you know, just some memes. I thought that was really, really funny, of course. But in all honesty, you know, if we're going to look at his game, I thought he played really, really well. I was curious that they started Zucker and Crosby with Hornquist, considering

I don't think Hornquist, he's just not at the age in his career where he can keep up, I think, with Cindy Crosby and someone like Jason Zucker. And Horquist has had a pretty decent season. You know, when healthy, he's scored. He's scoring usually. He's doing his thing around the net. He hasn't scored in a little bit, though, but he has, in sports this season, I think he's been fine most games. But I think at this point in his career, he's not a top line player. Mike Sullivan eventually took him off the top line and replaced him with Dominic Simone.

And then the line looked really. really good. This is why Mike Sullivan and Sidney Crosby are such massive fans of Dominic Samoa. His playmaking ability all night with Zucker and Crosby was awesome. He was getting the puck to Zucker. He was getting the puck to Crosby. Crosby was also trying to make magic happen with Zucker. And, you know, I like that line going forward. I think they're going to have that line until potentially, you know, maybe they switch it up. I'm not really sure. But I don't know why they decided to start Simone on the fourth line. They never really do that. I was a little surprised to see, but in Mike Sullivan fashion, I knew he was going to bring him up at some point. You know, he loves Dominic Simone for a reason.

Cindy Crosby likes playing with Dominic Simone for a reason. You saw last night why that line was buzzing in the second and third periods. But for Zucker specifically, I thought he had some really, really good chances. I think it was on, I think, the second power play unit, he actually had a shot from about the middle of the ice, about, I don't know, 25 feet away. Really nice save. Drove to that a couple times. He's got some good chances. He said, like I said, Tucker said after the game, well, I handled the puck like a grenade.

You know, I thought he was actually perfectly fine. You know, I didn't really see a problem with his game. I thought defensively he looked good. But, you know, the biggest thing I think that stands out is his speed. I mean, wow, is he fast? And I've talked to a couple people, you know, people have said to me, you know, he looks like a younger Pascal DuPui. I could definitely see it.

But, of course, you know, with a better goal scoring ability because he does put up more production, I think, than Pascal DuPui. ever did. But yeah, I can definitely see the similarities in how they play and how they're both really, really fast, and how they have a good shot. They're both defensively responsible. You know, I'm going to be curious to see how Crosby and Zucker mesh going forward. It looks like, you know, as Zucker said after the game, they were really talking about on the iPad. You're just trying to figure things out. You know, it's always a feeling out process at first when, you know, when you come from a team like Minnesota who is obviously not as offensively gifted

as the Penguins to the new team. It's just, yeah, it's a feeling out process. So it's not the end of the world. You know, I saw some really funny tweets last night. Kailan Adison would have scored by now. Alex Galchernic would have scored by now. And apparently Alex Galchernic actually had 11 minutes of ice time last night for the Minnesota wild. So you know what?

Good on him. Good for Bruce Boudreau for playing him. That's actually really, really good news. But, yeah, I just, I really liked his game. I liked Crosby's game last night. And like I said, when Simone was bumped up there, that line was just great. I love the scoring chances that they created. I love the penalty that Simone drew, which probably could have been a penalty shot, you could have argued.

He was getting a lot of good chances all night. Simone just does a lot of those little things well that no one really talks about. Man, some of his slick passing and all that, his playing-making ability. Man, it just goes under the radar and just like his defensive play as well. I just, like I've said so many times, and I'll say it again right now, like I just said a couple minutes ago. It's no wonder why Sidney Crosby likes playing with him and why Mike Sullivan likes putting Simone on Crosby's line. It's not hard to see. I know, you know, he drives people nuts sometimes.

It has driven me nuts sometimes to you, but, you know, it's not hard to see. But defensively, you know, they were definitely feeling the loss of Dumlin and Marino last night again. Getting up 21 shot attempts in the first period, that's unacceptable. But also, you know, you're playing with the hand that you're dealt, you know, two of your top four defensemen. or out. Hopefully they can get Brian Jumlin back in a timely manner. I think what I'm going to be talking about soon is maybe in the next segment. I think they may have to go out and get a rental defenseman from some team. I think the penguins are my estimation.

It's a cap-friendly I looked at. I think they're going to have $4 million in cap space with Jake Ensle and LTIR. So you can absorb a contract. You don't have to, you know, dump a salary like you did with Gauchenio to make Zucker work. I mean that it's only about, what, $600 more $1,000? dollars added to your cap. So you can fit another contract in.

Just make sure it's not like highly, highly priced. But also, Jim Rutherford did say he is going to make that decision within, I believe, 48 hours of the trade deadline. He said, I think he was talking to Rob Rossi on Monday. And he's like, yeah, we're not going to make any rash decisions until we know where they stand. So it sounds like they'll probably get to get a checkup on Dumlin and Reno probably in the next couple weeks, as the deadline is 12 days away. But, yeah, I just, who else?

I thought Chris LaTang looked pretty good last night. I know being next to Jack Johnson is not good. But also, I think we really need to talk about is Uso-Refila. Jesse Marshall, great friend, a really great writer of the athletic. He's going to be on this podcast really soon. Hint, hint, hint. I'm going to try to get him on, hopefully. Maybe by the end of this week, maybe me next week to talk some trade talk,

about, you know, this subject in particular. Like I said, shout out to Jesse Marshall. He had a really, really good tweet this. morning about how Yusovicola has been playing. So when he's been in the, it's the last month that he's been in the lineup. So his possession relative to teammates in the tweet says it's plus 12%, which is best on the team.

That's really, really good. So his possession is, when he's relative to teammates has gone up. His scoring chance of four percentage has gone up plus 20%, which is first. And then the goal is four percentage relative to teammates plus 21%. I echo Judge Zsue's tweet. I do not understand why Sullivan has been hesitant to play Ricola.

Those are outstanding numbers. Like I said, that leads the team. I did not realize that he's been that good the past month for the Penguins. And I even asked the question him this morning. I'm going to ask him that question when he comes on the podcast. Should he be in the lineup when this team defense is fully healthy? And I think you can make an argument for it. You know, obviously they're going to go Duman-Latang.

They're going to go Pedersen-Marie. know they're going to have hopefully Schultz on the bottom pairing and then you have that left side to figure out sure you could go Jack Johnson that's probably what they'll do knowing the coaching staff but I think like I said there is a very very good case like I said as well to have Yusel on the top pairing when his underlying numbers and his possession numbers are that good I think he should probably be in a lineup over Johnson in my opinion especially with those numbers I think he brings more offense he's not a defensive black hole like Jack Johnson does he doesn't bring down his teammates relative to possession and scoring chances for

percentage and all that like Jack Johnson does. Do I think it's going to happen? No, but I really like Briegelo's game these past couple of games that he's been in the lineup. He's looked really good like Sturroodil on his regular side and, you know, hopefully he's playing for a place on the lineup. I think that that would be a really interesting way when the defense is fully healthy if they give him a shot. If they give him a shot in spite of Jack Johnson, like I said, I don't expect.

him to get that shot but you know you never know he can play himself into that and that would be awesome you know he's been more he's been more than serviceable this season which has just been you know excellent to have he's he's been a really good solid bottom pairing defenseman and you know like i said i hope that he can get a shot to be in the everyday lineup once the defense hopefully gets healthy now if the defense does not get healthy this is where it's going to get interesting um uh elli at elliott freedman had his 31 thoughts today it doesn't really look at like he had too much on defensemen, though there was the trade

before that came out a few days ago, I think from his own, Craig Custins, I believe, that had at the 2.0. Has some defensemen on there that the penguins could absorb, i.e. maybe a Brendan Dillon. I think his cap hit is really not that big. I think it's below $4 million. He'd be a fine pairing on the,

a fine defenseman on the third parry. Left-handed shot, so you can put him on the left hit, of course, on the left side of the ice. I'm, like, fumbling my words here. But I think that would be a good, ad. You know you could look at Alec Martinez, though I looked at some of his underlying numbers. They're not really as good as Brendan Dillon. I also saw this morning, I'm actually courtesy of Ryan Wilson from Hockey Buzz, who actually would have a couple, another good target to maybe go after

his Marco Scandala and his underlying numbers this season, both in Buffalo, who are just a absolute mess and Montreal, his underlying numbers are actually pretty, pretty good. That's surprising considering that Buffalo is an absolutely horrible team this year, both offensive. and in their own zone. And then Montreal, of course, is not that good. And, oh, yeah, they just lost Shea Weber for the next six weeks. And, you know, at this point, I don't even know if you want them to come back, considering that the habs are just, they're not even going to make the playoffs this season.

They're probably going to settle the deadline, though. How much will they sell? I'm not sure. If I were to remember up to it, I maybe give a call about Marco Scandella. You could probably get them for a pick. I mean, I know they don't have a first or second round picking this year's draft, but I don't think you're going to need one of those to trade for Scandella. Like I said

So Brendan Dillon in the Trade Bay 2.0 There's Trevor Daly is out there But his cap hit is a bit much Yes, I know he knows the system But are his legs good still? He's kind of gotten a little bit older These last couple years

He kind of started to go downhill In the second cup run He was really, really good In that first time, of course, his skating and everything was just awesome But the next year, it kind of went a little It kind of started to go downhill but then, of course, he wound up getting paid by the Red Wings,

and I think they're probably going to try to move him for a draft. I'm sure someone will take on Trevor Daly's contract, but you never know. It's going to be hard for Steve Eiserman to make moves, considering just how bad that team is. I'm trying to think of other options for defense. Sammy Vattenen's on the market, but he's also right-hand. I think he's a right-handed shot. I can have the fact that I don't even know that he's a right-handed shot.

that's actually pretty pathetic. I actually do not know that he is a right-handed shot. And okay, yeah, my memory serves me correct. I had to double check, so I really wouldn't want to put him on the offside besides, I don't really think the devils would trade with the Penguins at this point. I think they're more

interested in mostly hockey deals. Anyway, I'm just going honestly through the list right now of the trade board. Josh Manson, though, Elliot Freeman did say, though, today that he doesn't think the ducks are going to move a lot of their core players like Ricard Raquel, Manson, Lynn, home, Cam Fowler. Apparently he said, like, you would have to really move the needle there for them

to move them, which is, you know, expected. Bob Murray, unless he probably gets a crazy offer, I don't think he would do it. Jeff Petrie, I don't really see Montreal doing that. He's also a right-handed shot, so I don't really put him on his offside either. And then, you know, Andy Green, he's a left-handed shot, but he's also kind of old and he's not really that good anymore. So, like I said, a lot of the defensive market is not that good for the trade. board this year, but I think a couple that I would look at, especially like Ryan Wilson said, Marco Scandella, his underlying numbers have been really good, has actually put it up some a little bit of offense this season. And then I think Brendan Dillon would not be bad either,

especially with his cap hit. I think the payments could be able to absorb that cap hit relatively easily. They will just have to give up a draft pick or prospect for it or whatever. But that's if, that's if, of course, if Dumlin and Reno are not on schedule, but, you know, that Jim Rutherford is going to make this decision within 48 hours of the deadbone. So not this coming Saturday, but the next Saturday, it sounds like it's when Jim is probably going to meet with his staff, the scouts and all that, be like, okay, let's get the plan going and whatnot. So thank you guys so much for listening to this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. We'll have another episode coming tomorrow.

May preview the game against Montreal on Friday, and then I'll have another episode Friday, where we talk about the game after the game and whatnot, recap how the Penguins played. and also preview the game on Sunday, which is Hockey Day in America, and the Penguins will play at 12 o'clock against the Red Wings on national TV on NBC. So, like I said, thank you guys so much for listening. Hopefully the Penguins can start creeping up on the Capitals a little bit more. The Capitals are not playing that good of hockey right now. And so if the Capitals potentially lose tomorrow night,

I think they're actually in Colorado. The Penguins have an opportunity to potentially get within a point of the Capitals on Friday against the Montreal Canadians, but they have to lose in regulation first. So thank you guys so much for listening. And we will talk to you all tomorrow.