Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Locked On Penguins 4/20- Starting a new weekly series, plus Penguins-Flyers on Earth 2?!

Episode Date: April 21, 2020

In this episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter starts a new weekly series by going over one of the biggest moments of the season before it was paused. It came early on in the season with an amazing comeback, plus he talks about The Athletic's Earth 2 series between the Penguins and the Flyers and how crazy it really seemed. You don't wanna miss it. 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, welcome to this Monday 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-U-U-Square Penguins. It is great to be back with you guys on this Monday evening talking Penguins with you guys after a couple episodes last week, where we finished off our best season in franchise history. If you guys like those kind of episodes, you know, let me know, please, you know, let me know on my Twitter, but either Twitter handle you know.

I really don't mind. I thought that was a really cool idea to talk about two of the best seasons in franchise history with Josh Yoey and Chad from Penguins Twitter. Then, of course, Cam came back on and we had Tyler from Penguins Twitter. But this week we're going to be doing something a little bit different. We're going to be relive in some of the best moments of this past season for the Penguins, of course, before it was shut down due to the coronavirus. Today I have a good one up for you guys. This was, I think, honestly, my number one moment of the season in terms of a comeback, just the win. and how it was so big coming out for the playoffs.

So I basically already gave it away. But we'll talk about that. We're coming pretty soon. But I hope you guys are doing well. Hope you guys are staying safe. You know, washing your hands and all that. I'm glad I was able to get an episode in today. Like I said, Monday, Wednesday, Friday is the goal.

I apologize about only having two episodes last week. But, you know, there was just a couple things that came up. But, you know, we're back today, thankfully. I wanted to start off this episode with a message from Mike Sullivan, actually, through the Penguin's Twitter account. He was able to narrate something that was really, really cool this morning at around 10 a.m. So for those that you do not see it, that did not see it, here it is for you guys right here. Spring in Pittsburgh, for the last 13 years, it has brought us together. And while we are physically together this year, we are most certainly all together.

We are used to seeing gold towels, feeling an overtime goal, and cheering for heroes based on their surname. We are seeing that the human spirit can not be broken, feeling the warmth of people helping those in need, and cheering the heroes based on their profession. So, while there may not be hockey this spring, We are all engaged with the playoff intensity to win this battle. We are in this together. Yeah, Mike Sullivan, of course, you know, crushes it. You know, I absolutely love his voice. You know, I would love for Mike Sullivan to maybe read me a bedtime story

or just sleep on a bed made of his voice because, yeah, Mike Sullivan just gives you chills, especially, you know, when those motivational readings. I would love for Mike Sullivan to do more of those. and like I said, please Mike Sullivan just make a bed of like his voice where like when I lay on it and go to sleep every night, I can just hear that voice because it's almost like a Morgan Freeman kind of voice. Mike Sullivan just outstanding coach, outstanding speech there. You know, we're very, very well done, especially for the Penguins. Did you get that got done like I said with Sullivan?

So I thought I would show that with you guys. That was really cool. Before we get into the hockey part for today, though, after this, I do want to say, for those that listen in Pittsburgh and those that go to this place the dirty O was announced over the weekend that it sounds like it's going to be closing um

I that just that sucks um it sucks in so many ways I remember you know at least what my mom tells me when I was such a little kid um that was one of the first places that I apparently I went to I had a hot dog um the french fries you know as I got older I would go back I think that honestly I think the french fries are better than the hot dogs

you all consume me for that take, but, you know, that place was around for 60 years. My grandparents have gone there often. My mom has gone there often. My entire family that is from Pittsburgh has gone there often. I've had a lot of friends that go there. It's not okay. I hope somehow that that place is safe because, you know, that's basically a Pittsburgh staple.

Hell, it's right next to Pitt University in Oakland. That place, it honestly reminds me of the Benny's Pizza Place down where I go to school in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech. because, you know, it's just a place where a lot of, at night where a lot of the college kids go, you know, when they're drunk to go get food, you know, but still, even besides that, it's just such a, it's a Pittsburgh staple, and it absolutely sucks that it's apparently closed and it might not be coming back. I saw a lot of people tweeting about it, you know, especially, just a lot of writers and fans. And, yeah, I share your sentiment.

I feel your pain. It absolutely stinks. and, you know, hopefully maybe we can get someone to, you know, somehow bring it back. But as of right now, it doesn't look like it's coming back. And, yeah, that definitely stinks. But to get back to a little bit of hockey, it looks like that the Penguins are actually showcasing game four right now. The Penguins' Shark Stanley Cup Final 2016.

I can't wait for them to show the Eric Farragal because I remember I jumped out of my seat for that. Like I said, it's really great that the Penguins are doing this. They're showcasing all the Stanley Cup final wins that they're. they've had over the last 10, 11 years now, good Lord. We just put 2020 back in the dumpster, I guess, so far. But I really, really do like that the Penguins are doing this. I'm sure on Wednesday it'll be game six. They're not going to show game five, even though that was quite the time.

You know, those two goals in less than 30 seconds to tie the game against the sharks. Seeing the crowd outside the arena, man. I've never seen a downtown Pittsburgh that packed ever. They had to set up another. I remember I think I have the picture on my phone if I could find it. They had to have another screen in Market Square because the whole street leading up to PPG Paints Arena was just felt. And there was just too many people.

So they said, you know what? We got to open up another one and put on Market Square. That one probably filled up in five minutes too. I'm surprised they didn't open up another. But still, game four tonight. Yeah, it's just a massive game, you know, to make it. I think what was the final score of that? Oh, 3-1, I think.

I can actually double check. Yeah, yeah, three-one. I thought first second it was four, too, but, you know, three-one, you know, with Eric Fair goal late in the third period to send it back to Pittsford, the Penguins up three games to one. Just what a goal that was easy. Of course, one of the biggest of the playoffs. You know, who knows what happens if Fair misses that,

the sharks could go down and tie it, but honestly the penguins are just dominant. The penguins, I thought, dominated play for almost that entire series, and it only went in six games. It was because Martin Jones basically sold it. You know, Martin Jones in game five actually had a really, really good game, even though he's been really, really bad for a lot of these last few years, but he was able to steal that game, but still.

After a Wednesday, I'm sure they'll probably kick it back off next Monday with the Stanley Cup final against Nashville. They'll do games one and two, and then they'll go for the next week. They'll do five and six since they got crushed in Nashville in games three and four. So yeah, that gives everyone something to do.

You know, I was starting to watch it on NHL.tv, game one. But I was trying to, like, sync it up to, like, the live broadcast at AT&T Sportsnet. Apparently, they don't do it like that. You can just pick and choose where you start and stop. And it's like, why can't I... I thought you'd be watching it live. I thought it'd be NHL TV just going off live

off of the ATT Sportsnet. feed. So, um, did not know how that works. I'm a little disappointed that that is how it did work, but, um, whatever, I'll still be able to watch the game back. It's just, it was so much fun watching the game one back to hear the Benino goal call because right after that, I went on to YouTube and looked up the Punjabi call and I got immediately happy because, um, those guys are absolutely awesome. But, you know, coming up here in the next few, um, you know, a few seconds, you know, we're going to get into, um, the big, one of the best moments of the season to date, uh, for the, uh, for the, penguins, and I think you guys are really, really going to like this one.

All right, so welcome back here. This moment comes very, very early in the season. This came in early November of the season, November 7th of 2019. Oh, 18th before my birthday, who imagined that? The penguins, they're down 3-0 in the second period. It just all looks bad. The penguins, you know, typical penguins hockey against the Islanders from last spring. You know, they're not playing well defensively.

Matt Murray is allowing a couple of really, really, really bad goals. They just, they looked out of sync. They're not getting a lot of good chances. And then, you know, the third, the third period comes. And it just, it's a totally different game. You know, you have the massive, massive Matt Marisa, which I'm going to play for you guys pretty shortly.

I'm actually just trying to find the, the stuff here. The goals here. So here is the first goal from the third period. Only a couple, not even a couple minutes into it. We will play it. right here for you guys. Slot, they scored. Came from McCann.

They have deflected on its way to the net. The Penguins are on the board here, thoroughly in the third. So, yeah, Jeremy Canne was able to make it three to one, and then I'm trying to actually find the Matt Marie thing as I basically just, where is, where is this? I'm actually really trying to find it.

All right, well, thankfully I was able to find it. Here is the reply. Here is the sound of the Matt Murray save, just monster save six minutes into the third period which which led um to this eventual goal just play the whole clip here for you guys shot from the line knock you're aculence stop keeps it out russ racing and he scores on the other end that was really really the goal that just got the penguins going in that game you know the mcchan goal okay yeah a little bit of a fluke it deflected in but murray scorpion save and then not even 15 seconds later brian rush streaks down um a little bit of a semi

break away just a little bit but still risks it pass far warm off makes it three to two and you know the penguins like i said they're in business it's like okay we're potentially looking at a comeback here and they're finally able to tie it well ash really shouldn't say finally it only came three minutes later in the third period i'll play this for you guys right here days for his team shot by rickolo the penguins have erased the islanders three nothing lead as if getting Mark and ties it up. And remember, guys, you know, this came during the Islanders' massive red hot start to the season. You know, they're hardly losing games.

It was that massive point streak. I actually need to look up how many games they went without a regulation loss. Okay, yeah, I was actually able, just to find it right now was, yeah, 17 game point streak. Yeah, it ended on November 26th, the 15 and 0-2. It was the longest point streak in Islanders history. So, of course, one of the first, one of the ones. the two overtime losses during that streak did come to the penguins. Well, spoiler everyone, but, you know, at that point, it's like, okay, yeah, the penguins

are able to score the go-ahead goal in this game. I don't care if it comes in regulation or in overtime. This would easily, honestly, I think, be the win of the year for the penguins. There would be no scoring going on for the rest of the third period that the penguins would get their chances. And then this would happen with less than two minutes remaining. in the overtime period. Here we go for you guys. Rust, Rust tries to step off the wall and lost it.

Brock Nelson just plays it away from Malkin. Trying to get possession of the puck, Pallok for Nelson. Russ drips it away, and he scores. Brian Rust wins it in overtime. And that's the end of the Islanders' 10-game winning streak. Yep, knocks off the 10-game winning streak. You hate to see it for the New York Islanders. Two things on that goal.

And I've got any Malkin was just so persistent in the offensive zone getting to that puck. You know, Pellock was able to add it. Then Brian Russ, you know, basically poke checks him, lifts his stick, takes the puck, wraps it around Varlamov, basically goes five hole. And that's all she wrote. And I think people at that point were hopefully starting to take Brian Russ start to the season very, very seriously.

I don't think, of course, anyone expected Brian Russ to be this good this season. And, of course, you know, by this good, I mean 27 goals and 56 points. 55 games, a point per game face, and a player who was easily going to be a 30 goal score had this season not been on the hiatus, and, you know, they still honestly could. He still could, they, he could still be a 30 goal score if the season ever gets put off ahead of head. But, you know, this was, in my opinion at the time, the biggest win of the season for the Penguins, I still think to this day, it's one of the best, if not the best,

win of the season for the Penguins to come back against the Islanders and 3-0-0 down. With one period to go, you know how stingy they are defensively. You know the system that they run with Barry Trots. You know how good Semyon Barlamov had been. To put that in the rear view mirror and just come out in the third period and dominate them, just a heck of a win for the Penguins. Brian Russ with his heroics with the two goals, the overtime winner, Malkin with a tying goal,

Jared McCann getting the one to make a three to one with less than only barely, not even two minutes into the third period. just awesome stuff. You know, I remember, you know, doing this podcast, an episode right after that, basically almost like a breaking news episode. It did pretty good. I was really, really excited to get you guys that one because I had honestly considered just turning that game off.

I won't lie. But I'm glad I didn't because the Penguins were able to roar back in just a lot of fashion. You know, it was good they got a little bit of revenge from that playoff series. Just a little bit of a start of it. I know they had lost the other two years. meetings with the Islanders after that, and both those games were really, really close. They honestly could have went either way, but that game just meant a lot, I think, to the Penguins as a team. And then, of course, the fan base says, we all know what happened that April with how the Penguins just got utterly embarrassed by that franchise and that series with the four games week.

So, sweep. So to do that was just absolutely outstanding. And that will definitely conclude, I think, this segment of one of the best moments of the season. have more coming throughout the week here. I think this might be going on for the next couple weeks, but really wanted to share that with you guys. That was also the moment where I thought, you know, okay, this team might finally be back a bit this year after coming off the very disappointing sweep against the I-owners. And, you know, they would not stop that pace. They kept off that pace all the way up until February, you know, early March when, you know,

I would honestly say mid-to-A February where, you know, the injuries really started to take a toll, of course, because, you know, not having Brian Jimlin and John Marino and Cindy Crosby and all these other injuries, just, you know, it finally took her toll because, you know, you can't have Jack Johnson having top pairing minutes. But still that win, I think the win of the season, the comeback of the season, the best moment of the season to date. And I was really, really glad that I was able to get you guys that content for today. For this last segment, there's, man, I have really struggled to find things to talk about

for those podcasts, man, because it is just, it's a, it's a. it's a dead zone for sports stuff. But I do like one thing that the athletic is doing. If you guys are not subscribed to the athletic, they are doing a free trial right now, I think the next couple months or something. Do get on that. I really do like how Dom, you know,

like I said, I will never be able to pronounce Dom's last name because it is just ridiculously long. But they're doing like this playoff simulations on Earth 2 where there are playoffs. And the penguins are meeting the flyers in the first round. And apparently from last week on the Penn Ultimate podcast, they talked about how Rob Rossi was basically the coach for the penguins. Not good, by the way. And Charlie O'Connor was the coach of the Flyers, which is better.

Apparently, the Penguins were down to the Flyers. They actually dropped both the games at home. I'm actually going to try to look up this article right now. I really just wanted to see what the lineups basically are. So, Raul Rossi, he put, okay, did he really put Dominic Simone on the first line with Sidney Crosby and Conrerasieri? I guess he was not taken into account. Okay. I think he was doing this because Jake Ansel is still hurt.

Yeah, this was as if, like, the team is fully healthy. Patrick Marlowe, Jared McCann, Patrick Hornquist, Zachaston, Nees, Teddy, Blugger, Brandon Tannib. Okay. Not a lot of too many problems there. I do think Dominic Simone on the top line has been interesting. Zucker with Malkin and Rust. Don't really understand that. I really do not think Mike Sullivan would do Jason Zucker with Evgeny Malkin, but hey, I mean, I'm not Rob Rossi.

I would honestly flip those two. The defense, Pedersen, Marino, Dumlin-Latang, Johnson, Schultz with Matt Murray, and net then for the Flyers. It's Juru Kuturier, Voracek, Fairby Hayes, Kine, Van Reevesdike, Lawton, Tyler Pitlick, Raffel, Grant, and then Abu Kuh, I can't pronounce his name. The Flyers actually won game one. Six to one. What? Man, Matt Murray must have really had a bad game on Earth, too. So a 6-1 win.

In game 2, it was a 2-0. It's actually another 6-2 win for the Flyers lost, 6-1 and 6-2. So you know this is really on Earth 2, and the Flyers are blowing out the Penguins in the first two games in the series, and they're not just blowing them out, they're out-scoring them by a 12-3 margin. So, yeah, you know this is on a completely different planet, and it's basically dreaming, but still I always love to read this. Game 3, let's see here, let's see here.

Oh, well, the Flyers take a commanding 3-0 series, and Gensel apparently came back. Wow. I can't believe we're doing this on this podcast. But the Flyers were able to take a 3-0 series lead. Jake Gensel was actually able to come back to this game. This must have been a, when the four-month minimum. So, well, I guess that.

Game four, I can't wait to see for game four here. And, oh, my God, I'm reading this. Evony Malkin said his first period hatcher chased Carter Hart before 15 minutes and the Penguins 12 to 4 win in Philadelphia. I'm actually just trying to see if I read this correctly. 12 to 4. Wow. Okay.

So the Penguins are down three games to 1 in La La Land because 12 to 4 win. I don't even know how that's possible. I love like the fake quotes that they give L.A. and Vigno. Not his fault. We were so bad defensively. I didn't want to keep Carter Hart in. This is honestly hilarious. he is. I can't stop laughing

at this. Game 5, what's going to happen here? Oh, Pittsburgh Clause back to make it a 3-2 series. So, oh, my God, if the Penguins were able to somehow reverse sweep here, that'd be so fun. I'm looking to see what the final score of this game is. And, oh, my God, wow, this game, so this game in La LaLan

goes to four over times. Chris Latang was able to get it. 71 shots faced. I love, like I said, I love these fake quotes. Their goalie stopped how many breakaways, LaTang said. I was at the end of a shift. I was going to dump the puck when I got into the zone. I saw heart leaning because the defenseman had, I think, a bad gap.

I just put it on net. I don't know if he saw it good off my stick. I don't care. It counts. This is honestly one of the funniest things I've ever read from the athletic or just any piece in general. So let's see here. Game six, so are the penguins in Lala? Are they able to make this going to seven games?

Wow. The penguins are actually able to tie this series in another world to send it to a all-decider game seven. And I need to remind you guys, I actually did not remind you guys. I did not know this. So Trish and Jari was actually playing in this game because Matt Murray was really, really bad in the first two games. The Penguins were able to win this game five to three. So, I mean, I guess that's good that Rod Rossi was able to replace Matt Marie as the starter after game two when he gave up 12 goals in two games.

So the Penguins in this other world are able to come back from 3-0 down to tie the game going into game seven. I swear to God, man. If the Penguins were able to win this series in seven games, I'm just going to laugh my ass off. off. I also still can't believe I'm doing a segment on this for the Locked on Penguins podcast. This is probably one of the most embarrassing things I've ever done on this podcast. This is honestly one of the most embarrassing things I've probably ever done in my life. But, you know, it's content. And oh my God, wouldn't you know it, guys, game seven, the Penguins are able to pull off the comeback.

This is one of the funniest signs from the article. Cindy Crosby, he was laughing. His face was as red as the goal light. He had lit four times. And apparently the crowd was doing a go-home flyer. along. It was the Penguins 4-2 victory. He says we remember for a lot of seasons. Crosby outscored the Flyers by himself. He scored four goals, five ways. He capped in the Penguins to a successful rally from a 30-series deficit. In this series, the beginning Malkin had five goals

and 11 points. Cindy Crosby, six goals in 13 points. Well, if this were in real life, I probably would have honestly shit the bed every game in this series. But, you know, I love it that it happened into the flyers and Earth 2 that the penguins were able to come back from 30 down. Some of these quotes are just really, really funny. I'm trying to go here and see what I can look at. Oh, man, you know, this is a really funny quote from Carhart. Frankly, this still hasn't fully sunk in yet. You keep thinking you're going to wake up in its game game.

We're going to have one more chance to get that fourth win. Oh, man. Okay, this was truly one of the greatest article. goals I've ever seen. So here are the final scores of all seven games guys. Flyers 6-1 in game 1. Fires 6-2 in game 2. Game 3, 4-2, Philadelphia. Game 4-12-4-4-12-4

the Penguins. Game 5, 1-0, Pittsburgh. Game 6, 5-3, Pittsburgh. Game 7, 4-2 Pittsburgh. Okay, like 12 goals. I can't get over that, man. But I guess that's that wraps up this episode of Locked on Manguins. I really wanted to get that in here. I did not

know that that is how this would go. I can't wait to listen to the Pan Ultimate podcast later tonight. If you guys absolutely hated this, please tell me, especially as I basically almost live, did this live as I read an article to you guys live and looked at the results live and read fake quotes live about a fake playoff series that never happened. That is what we are into now, folks. I am literally giving you guys scores of games that never happened for a website that is doing simulations of playoff games that will never happen. There will not be a 3-0 comeback, most likely this season for any team, even for the Penguins. And the Penguins will not score 12 goals in an actual game, probably for a very long time. But you know what?

Quarantina's got the best in me. I thought this will be a really, really cool thing to do. I hope you guys enjoyed it. If you didn't, please tell me, you know, if you hate it, you know, I probably won't on do this again. But you know, the Penguins are moving on in the Earth 2 playoff series. I wonder if we'll be playing the Washington Capitals. We'll be able to talk about that then. But, you know, until the next episode, this is as, you know, it's been fun. You know, this was a lot of fun to do,

especially this last segment because I probably embarrassed myself a lot of times. But, you know what? Whatever. You know, maybe we'll do this again if the Penguins and the capitals do it. I'm sure I'll probably read through it for you guys. But, you know, we'll be back on Wednesday for another episode to talk about a great moment. during the season for the penguins and who knows what else. You know, maybe I'll talk about just whatever comes up to mind. But thank you guys so much for listening and we will talk to you all that.