Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Locked On Penguins 3/5- Taking care of business

Episode Date: March 6, 2020

In this episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter recaps the game against the Sabres as the Penguins get their second win in a row. He talks about Patric Hornqvist's outstanding game, Matt Murray potentially fully getting the net back, plus Sidney Crosby torching the Sabres yet again! 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 a Thursday night evening episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm your host Hunter Hodes. Follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the shows Twitter at L-O-U- underscore Penguins. Before we start, I just wanted to shout out Mika's advantage ad for five goals tonight against the Washington Capitals, helping out the Penguins in a big way. Yes, the Capitals did get a point with the Penguins winning, but still it would have been nice to win that in regulation, but still five goals.

first time, I believe, since Patrick Lone, I thought before I put out of tweet out, I thought it was the first one since Yohan Fronzen scored five. But it was Patrick Lonez for us of people who have told me. I looked it up. I completely forgot about that five-go game from Lone. But yes, I think before the L'A game, it was Yohan Franz.

I think that was in February of 2011. And then I think the Mule had one as Danny was telling me on Twitter. So yeah, just want to say that. Shout out to Mika Zabanajad. I don't know where the Rangers would be without him and Artemi Panera, probably a bottom five team as one of my best buddies was telling me a couple minutes ago. But yeah, before we get, now we just get to what happened tonight, Penguins were able to get another win under their belt this week to go two and no

and perhaps the biggest week of the season, like I said it was going into this week. They beat the teams that they're supposed to beat, and you know, now the fun begins for the penguins. Four-two win tonight against Buffalo. We're going to break it all down here tonight. You know, they started out really, really strong. There was a lot of confusion, I think, for the first goal, like, oh, is that gold tender interference? You know, I even tweeted out, you know, let's play the wheel of fortune here, spinning around, see if it's

goaltender interference or not, because, you know, the league doesn't know what goaltender interferences. The officials most certainly do not know what goaltender interferences. I don't think any fan knows what goaltender interferences, but my opinion on this, and it differs from, you know, some of the people that cover the team, you know, full time and all that, but my opinion was that I didn't think it was gold tender interference, at least, you know, for my perspective. I thought Buxtad was pushed in to the goaltender by one of the Sabres players,

and then of course Patrick Hornerk was just waxed in from his knees to go up 1-0. I thought honestly they were going to take it away because, like I said, I don't think anyone knows what goaltender interference is in the league, but they upheld the goal on the eye. Some people were confused by that. I mean, I'll stand by my opinion. I didn't think it was goal-tender interference. It would be different if Bukstad just rammed into him and was not pushed,

but he was clearly pushed into the Sabres backup goaltender, and I need to look up his name because the fact that I cannot, the fact that I cannot remember his name. I didn't even know that he was on the roster going into today. I thought Carter Hutton, when I sell my podcast yesterday, he was starting. Well, guess I was wrong about that, as usual. But, yeah, so yeah, that was my thoughts on that. Patrick Hornquist gets a goal, his first of two tonight.

He's just, he's had an outstanding season for the Penguin. He picked up his 16th goal. Of course, he got the 17th one earlier. But you know what? This is the Patrick Hornquist that we are used to seeing when he's slowly healthy. I've said this all season. I said it tonight on my Twitter. When he's playing like this, he gives the Penguins that top six flexibility.

We know how much money he makes against the cap at $5 million. We know that's potentially going to be a problem in years ahead with as he ages. You know, a lot of people said, you know, his player was deteriorating after last season. I also, my clap back with him, a few other people is, you know, he had his concussions all season. It was basically hurt. Now you get to see what he does in a fully healthy season. He's playing on the third line. You don't need to play him with Crosby or Malkin.

It's just not a necessity at this point for him in his career, and he's still putting up the numbers. He also had a power play goal tonight to go up 3-1 for the Penguins, just doing his thing in the front of the net. And you know what? He's probably going to have a 20-goal season by the time this season ends. That's another 20-goal season. I think he's had a 20-goal season in every season for the Penguins,

I think except last year. I don't have to go double-check that. But I think it's been just about every season. season that he, ever since he got traded to Pittsburgh, he's had 20 goal seasons. And, you know, that's, that's beautiful production for a player like Hornquist. And, you know, they're going to keep needing that. It's just, for a player that makes $5 million, you want that, you know, you can use him in your bottom six. There's going to be a time where we can talk about, you know, maybe sending him off to Seattle, you know, so they don't take another player. We own up the expansion drive is in a little

bit. That's down the line, though. But as of right now, he's helping this team win. He's been helping this team win all season. And with the way he's playing, that's all you can ask for. He's just, he's been that good. I love it. We love to see it for Patrick Hornquist. Let's see here as I go through the game here. Great to see Marcus Pedersen get on the board.

That was a wicked blast from the point. That was just a beautiful play by Gino to get the zone. The pass back by, I'm trying to remember who passed it back. It was Brian Ross, of course. He gets his 27th assist on the season. just a beautiful passback. Pedersen lets it rip from the left point. Just gorgeous, you know.

It's been a rough few, a couple weeks now for Pedersen, especially some turnovers. You know, you look at the Washington game from a little while back during the losing streak. Not his best effort. You know, it's good. You can see what happens when he gets away from a little bit of Justin Schultz. He's been rough, though I did think Justin Schultz was mostly decent

tonight. We'll get to him in a little bit. But, yes, just very, very nice to see Pedersen chip in. I think that was only his second goal of the season. I think his first goal was, what was it, the second game of the season? If I'd have to miss, if I remember correctly, it was very, very earlier in the season. I think the second game of the season, actually. So yeah, great to see him get a goal, you know, especially, you know, after his play has been struggling.

The Penguins, you know, after they gave up the short-handed goal, like Jake, Jake McCabe, of all people, gets it, just his third goal of the season. I tweeted out, I honestly did not remember the last time the Penguins gave up a short-handed goal because it feels like it was probably like opening night against this team or something. And Seth Rolba actually tweeted this was only the Penguins' fourth short-handed goal they've given up all season. And the last one was December 20th against the Oilers. If I believe that was the West, yeah, that was the Western Canada trip. That was, yeah, yeah, that was when the Penguins were in Western Canada.

And who else put Riley Shan to get that goal because, of course he does. But yeah, just the fourth one, yeah, it has been, it had been over two months. It said the Penguins gave up a shorthanded goal. It just does not happen very often. Just a bad play by Brian Russ. You know, he gets him all again. The Penguins won the game. It's not the end of the world.

But, you know, he'll get a pass on that. But, yeah, he got the puck and then just basically passed it right to him, I think. He was trying to hit, I'm trying to remember what player was on the boards there. If I watch, go watch it back. I think, I believe he was trying to potentially hit Hornquist or I'm going to have to go back and watch the replay. But he was trying to hit a player. He should have just dumped the puck in. But you know what?

It's whatever, you know. I saw some people. I'm like, literally Brian Russ passed it right to Jake McCabe at a full-on breakaway. I'm not going to blame a goaltender for a breakaway goal where, you know, it's either, this is only the thing what happens on the breakways. Either, great shot, oh my God, a hell of a goal, or great save, oh my God, hell of a save. You know, it's just one of those two things. So I'm not going to, you know, some people were, for some reason, we're blaming Matt Murray because, oh, well, he started his second game in a row of Tristan Jari. Well, you know what?

He earned it tonight. We're going to get to Matt Murray in the next segment. but, you know, I'm not really worried about that. But, yeah, let's see anything else. Yeah, Hornquist, you know, the power play was starting to work again, which was very, very nice to see. They got a power play golden night with Hornquist,

just doing his thing, like I said. That got Eddie, Evgeny Malkin. He had two assists tonight, actually. So I believe he has 69 points, as Jed. Jedediah said, that's very nice, very, very nice for Viggeny Malkin, 69 points. He was all over the ice. I think there was a shift in the first period

where he was almost just toying with the sabers straight up toying with them and it was actually really funny to watch. The Penguins came out firing all these shots on the rookie goaltender. He was looking strong to start but the Penguins, you know, they eventually found their rhythm. You know, had a couple little lulls

in the second period where the Sabres came out firing. I thought that was probably their best looks at the game. But overall, just a really dominant performance from Pittsburgh, you know. They did what they needed to do. They finally played the way you're supposed to against a team like Buffalo, who is really, really bad. Of course, their two prior games against the Sabres were just awful,

but, you know, they did what they needed to do tonight, and they banked two points. It sucks that the Flyers were able to get two points, and the cap's got a loser point, but you know what? You're three points out of first, and the fun begins on Saturday. All right, so, you know, the Sabers were also treated again to Cindy Crosby's backhand tonight. You know, he's torched them all throughout his career. I think there was an interesting stat that the Penguins,

I think it was the Penguin's official Twitter account that put it. out. Yeah, yeah, I just found it now, of course. Sunni Crosby has recorded at least one point in 37 of 42 games played against Sabres, and he has 63 points in those 42 games played against Sabres. That's tied for the most he's touted against any non-Metra opponent. So, yeah, he's made a fool of the Sabres. You know, the Sabres have also been really, really bad for a lot of the time that Crosby has been a penguin, but yeah, he just came down, just roasted Dahlene in the process,

just smoked past him, like, there was nothing. it was like Dalina almost all a ghost. But yeah, just backhand, beautiful shot on 2-1-1. Yeah, it was almost the shades of the goal. He scored against Robin Lanner, you know, and Lainer was the Sabres goal journey, where he basically went one on four and just backhanded that one-handed over Lanner.

That's got to be still one of the top five sending Crosby goals of all time. But still, yeah, that goal was just beautiful. That got the Penguins to the 4-2 lead. Basically put the game away at that point, considering Marcus Johansson got a goal early in the third period. The Penguins didn't want, of course, to, you know,

just allow for any pushback or anything or potentially let the game tie. But, yeah, the Penguins, they did what they were supposed to do. That was just a bully. I thought defensively they were mostly pretty good. Jack Johnson was Jack Johnson, you know, had some. Jesse Marshall brought this really, really great video analysis today during the game of what Jack Johnson made a really bad play. Basically just skated almost past the blue line,

just dumped the puck to the opposing blue line, and then basically gives up a breakaway in the process where Matt Murray just has to bail Jack Johnson out. And it was like Jack Johnson, bro, like, what are you doing, man? I mean, just dump the puck. I know they were on a line chains, but, you know, that's the stuff that can get you killed in big games like these, especially in playoff games. You do that in playoff games. You know, playoff teams will make you pay.

I know the sabers probably won't make you pay because the sabers are just really, really bad. But, you know, anyone you're going to play, like Philly Washington, they will make you pay. You just can't do that kind of stuff. Really, really great to see that, Jesse, put that out. But to Matt Murray, Matt Murray played outstanding tonight. There was a flurry, like I said, in the second period where it was save after save, after save. The 2-0 save in the second period was just lights out, man. I mean, I know the Sabres really didn't get a lot of elevation on that shot, a player who shot it,

but, you know, still, just a gorgeous save. You know, the first goal, we really can't do anything about that. It's the shorthand-breakway. The second goal probably would have liked to have it back, but, you know, Matt Murray, just a really, really solid game. I thought for the Penguins. That was the second consecutive start. You know, like I said, I know some of the fans on Twitter were like,

oh my God, oh my God. Matt Murray is getting another start. Why? Why does it get another start, guys? We had to blow 900 Sabres in its last game. The team won seven to three. Who cares? I really don't understand.

Some people in the Penguins fan base make my brain melt. But, yeah, the goalie situation is going to be interesting, I think, this weekend. I'm being here to see what Sullivan does. I think he might go to Murray against Capitals again. I think, you know, in a perfect rule, you probably would want Jari to see the Capitals at least once, though.

I mean, I think you're potentially starting to see Matt Murray start to separate himself for getting the starting job. On Nutrition Jare has had a hell of a season. It's continued all season. You know, there really hasn't been too many lulls in his play. But, you know, when Matt regained his form, it just, it lights out because that is Mike Sullivan's guy. It has always been his guy, you know,

just look at the 2017 room when Mark Andre Fleury had a, you know, bad game. Matt Murray was healthy. He goes right to him because that's his guy. It has always been his guy. He is going to be the guy when game one rolls around unless his game deteriorates here in the final four weeks. But, yeah, just I thought he was a really, really good game. Like I said, I think he might get the game against Capitals. I think it would be smart.

The thing that's that that monster game for the Penguins, if they can get two points in regulation, there'll be two points. There'll be one point behind them, one point potentially behind the fly. If all things go according to plan, I know the flyers can't seem to lose for some odd reason. They've won eight in a row. Apparently, I saw a stat the flyers. I think I've actually scored four plus goals and eight straight games. That's going to stop.

I mean, the PDO regression is going to be real when that team does not score like that. Because you can't score four plus goals like that much that often. Like, it's just, it's an anonymily, you know. And yes, they're a lot better than I thought they were going to be going into this season. that's excuse me but um where was i oh crap yeah uh yeah i'm basically saying you know i almost lost my train i thought here for a second but yeah we all know the flyers are a lot better than probably a lot of us thought they were going to be myself included but you know they're not going to keep 24 goals every game when we know their lineup is better we know they've gotten decent goaltending from carter

heart you know we know they got kevin hayes you know pro-brod they're i think they have like 44 goals from defensemen from this season which is what tops in the league um They're going to cool off. They're not going to keep up this pace forever. The penguins are trying to get hot. They're now 2-0 in March. Also, the penguins are 2-0 since switching Crosby and Marlowe in the lineup. We're basically, like, you know, they're coming out for pregame and everything.

They're 2-0 since that. We all know how superstitious in the Crosby is. We all know that's going to continue for as long as they keep winning. And as they keep going, unless they go on another losing streak, that'll probably just switch it up again because we all know how superstitious Crosby is. You know, you're not going to get it over again you're going to, you know, three-year Super League, you know, that's just that's not going to happen. But, yeah, just really, I'm trying to think of other things I saw tonight.

You know, John Marino, you know, just doing what he does best. He's so good in the defensive zone. Brian Dumlin, it's just, it, this is the second executive game. I'm probably going to keep saying this and sound like a broken record. But, man, is it good to have these two defensemen back because they are super good in their own end? They bring offense. They're so good at skating the puck out. Countless times tonight where I saw, you know,

But that wouldn't happen if Jack Johnson and Justin Schultz were on those two pairings. You know, it just wouldn't happen. And, you know, they were that good. We all know Nick Bukstad made his return tonight. That's what I was going to talk about. I thought Nick Rick looked really good tonight. I know, obviously, he's missed a while. I thought he re-injured his potentially core injury when he went into the Buffalo goaltender.

He came up a little shaking up. But he was able to finish the game. He looked perfectly fine. Man, watching him skate is so fun. You know, he's really, he's a big body, big with the puck. Can really skate it in. I'm going to be curious to watch him and McCann on the same line. It's really going to be fun to watch that line down the stretch.

And, you know, hopefully he could contribute some offense. You know, we just, we haven't seen another Nick Buick's dad to really know how much he fits into this penguin system. That's the thing. You know, he played down the stretch last season, but then, of course, this season, he gets hurt, like, what? 10 games into the season, 15 games into the season. And we haven't seen him since, you know, my birthday, November 15th. You know, we finally got to see him. Hopefully his play, he played, his play, good play.

continues. Hopefully he stays healthy. That's the big thing. Brandon Tannanav, of course, came back tonight. He was his usual self. Sam Lafrey came out for him. Yeah, Tanev, you know, it's just, we all know, I think when Zach Ashton Reese is ready and looks like he's going to be ready pretty soon, he's already starting to skate from his week-to-week injury. We all, I think Evan Rodriguez will probably come out of the lineup. They're going to reunite the TANv and Blue-Gir line with Ashton Reese. I have all, I've kept saying, you know, the interesting situation is going to be when

Dominic Simone comes back. I'm not really sure. who's going to come out of the lineup. Might be Bukstad, might be McCann if he doesn't break this goal of Shrout, though. I don't think all of it is his fault because he's not getting a lot of puck luck. But yeah, two injured guys come back. Really, really great. You know, this lineup is looking really, really nice.

You know, except for Jack Johnson. I'm sorry. Couldn't resist myself there, but, you know, Matt Murray played really good. And you know what? That's all you can hope. That's all you can ask for as the Penguins get their second win in a row in the month of March. For this last segment, you know, I'm not really sure. honestly, you know, what much else talk about from this game,

since the Penguins mostly just took care of business. Going around the Metropolitan Division tonight, just looking around at the scores, the Islanders are at a full, full free fall, folks. So the Penguins are now six points clear of them. They don't have a game in hand on them or anything. The good part for the Penguins is they do have a game in hand on the Flyers and the Capitals, but, you know, it's going to go way after this weekend

because the Penguins have the back-to-back. because the Penguins, of course, they have the capitals coming up. You know, like I've said so much already this episode, this weekend is where the whole fun begins for the Penguins. The real season, this starts now. You want to win the Metropolitan Division tonight. Saturday is where you start against the Capitals. The Penguins win that game.

There'll be one point behind them. The Flyers do not play tomorrow. I believe the Flyers play on Saturday, if I'm not mistaken. Yes, they play Buffalo at home, which is probably going to be a win. But if the Flyers win that game, the Penguins win on Saturday, like I said, there'll be one point behind the caps. Then the Penguins also play the free-falling hurricanes who lost tonight to the Flyers, who are just, they're ravaged by some injuries, of course. Their goal-tending, you know, it's just, it's been a really rough season, I think, for the hurricanes. Penguins beat Carolina, they'll leapfrog the Capitals, be tied with games played with them and the Flyers,

and there'll be one point behind the Flyers from the Metropolitan Division Crown if the Flyers win. And now the Flyers lose on Saturday, and the Penguins win against the Caps, and then the Penguins win the Sunday game. They'll be in first place, which is awesome. They'll be at one point ahead of both those teams. You know, this is a big back-to-back. Thank God it's a home-and-home back-to-back. You know, they play both games at home.

The Penguins have been virtually unbeatable at home this season. I think their 23, 24 wins is tops in the league. But, yeah, you know, it's going to be big for the Penguins, you know, this weekend. But yeah, like I said, the islanders are in free fall. They lost again, they lost to the senators tonight. That's not good. They've lost nine out of 11 now. And since that 17-game points to weekend, they're 19 and 20 and 6.

Is that bad, folks? That's bad. That is very, very, very bad. And with the Rangers beating the Capitals in overtime tonight, they are now two points behind the Islanders for that final playoff spot. So, I mean, I mean, I know the Islanders have a game in. hand in them. I know the jackets. They're still in the first wild card spot, but, you know, the Rangers are coming. You know, I've said, you know, I didn't think the Rangers would do anything this year.

Without the play of Panarin and Zabanajad, they're probably a bottom five team in hockey. It's almost like Dry Seidel and McDavid. It literally is almost like that for the range. I know, you know, I know comparing Panarin and Zabanajad to Drysail him, or David is probably going to sound stupid, but, you know, the way like both teams of both players have carried their respective teams in the ways that they have. It's just nothing short of outstanding. Mika Zabanajad, you know, that trade that the Rangers made for him. Oh, that is a bad return for the Senators.

That looks even worse by the day, you know, five-gold night, like I've said. So, yeah, the Rangers are coming. You know, they may not make it this year. You know, they might be still too late, but, you know, they have a very real shot. I don't think they can do a lot of damage in the playoffs. You know, if they have to rely, keep relying on both those players. Obviously, I don't think, kind of McBunquist, he's even going to play. in the playoffs, but, you know, they've gotten good

goaltending from, you know, Georgiev and Igor, who, of course, you know, is hurt because of the car crash, really hope he's doing well. But, yeah, Gouros going around the Metropolitan Division. Not really too much else happened tonight, you know, besides those big games, you know, the hurricanes, yeah, they're in free-falling.

The hurricanes, the penguins are now, nine points clear of them. They're eight points clear of the ninth-place rangers. So the penguins, they're getting close to locking themselves into a playoff spot. like I said, and they still have a game in hand on the Rangers too. But, oh, yeah, and they still play the Rangers three more times. So that's going to be interesting if they want to create more separation. The schedule moving forward, you know, after this weekend, you know, Washington, Carolina, New Jersey next week.

There's a massive three-game road trip next week for the Penguins, New Jersey. Columbus on the road, they're fighting to getting Carolina. And that's actually a back-to-back next weekend. Right after St. Patty's Day, they play the Islanders back in Pittsburgh. then they have the home and home against the Rangers, then the Capitol. I know I'm looking really far ahead, but these are the games now that you want to win just each night,

and you want to win these games in regulation. You don't want to keep giving loser points to teams like the Rangers, because at the end, you only gain one point on them as opposed to two. So that's such as this weekend against the Capitals. You want to win that game in regulation. You want to get the two points, get within one of them, and then you want to beat Carolina. and regulation on Sunday

and then potentially you're in first place if all goes according to plan though will the flyers lose to the sabers I'm not really sure who knows at this point but I think that's going to do it for this episode of Locked on Penguins I hope you guys really enjoyed this one

we'll be back tomorrow for another episode you know probably do a mailbag I think maybe some other stuff as well I'm still trying to think about that but you know what like I always say I'll come up with it on the fly so thank you guys so much for listening to this episode please be sure to like subscribe you know

follow my Twitter app Hunter Hooties, follow the show's Twitter at LO underscore Penguins, and we will talk to you all tomorrow.