Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Locked On Penguins Episode 6

Episode Date: October 9, 2019

In this episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter recaps the Penguins disappointing 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets and questions the defensive effort of the Penguins during the game. He also talks about the performances of Matt Murray and some of the other players before ending the show with a tribute to hall-of-fame announcer Mike Lange! 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 your host, Hunter Hodes, and we're going to be recapping the Penguins, very disappointing four-one loss to the Winnipeg Jets tonight. I figured I would do an episode after the game as opposed to before the game since I previewed the game yesterday. And I'll also touch on the tribute to Mike Lang. Very big childhood hero of mine was one of the biggest reasons I actually got into hockey along with my family, so I'll get into that.

But first off, of course, follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the show on Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and on Spotify. All that good stuff, of course. But tonight, the Penguins opened the scoring 1-0. About 30 seconds in, Cindy Crosby, very nice goal from Jake Gensel, gorgeous pass right across the streets and a Crosby sland home.

First 30 seconds were great. Penguins were playing pretty good. Then after that, yeesh. What a giant step down, a massive step back of a performance for the Penguins tonight to fall to one and two on this young season. And none of this was pretty. The Penguins' defensive coverage was absolutely abysmal. I even tweeted during the game. I said, I mean, basically I said, you know, after cleaning up their defensive misused against Columbus,

the Penguins basically said, you know what, screw that. Let's go back to how we played against Buffalo. And to be honest, you could probably make a case for it being worse. The defensive miscues were all over the ice. No one was picking up their man. They couldn't even get the puck out of their own end. Their own end, excuse me. They're lucky this game, honestly, wasn't six or seven to one.

I know Matt Murray did not have a good night. We'll get to him in a little bit. But there was one sequence in the game. Chris Lattang was just trying to regularly skate it out of the zone, and he, like, mis-skated or misplayed the play. puck and Winnipeg had a gore it, Winnipeg had a shot and I can't remember who the Winnipeg player was. I thought, I can probably go on, I can probably tweet it, look it up, but one of the reporters has it. He hit the crossbar.

They were lucky. It didn't, it wasn't that bad right. It wasn't worse because it was just, yeah, it was Jack Ruslovich, rings it off the right post. This was in the first period right before the intermission. So, yeah, it was just that kind of night. The Penguins, the defensive zone coverage was awful. I saw a tweet, came out about 30 minutes ago by the time I'm recording right now. Jesse Marshall of the Athletic, great friend of mine, great writer, even better person,

tweeted out a clip of the Penguins' defensive effort on Winnipeg's third goal. And he's right, the entire, all five skaters on the ice were just puck-watching. when a peck down low. None of them were even attempting to almost make a play on-up. At the time when they was down low, all five of them were just watching it. And then Pooleman was entirely, like Jesse said, unaccounted for and Matt Murray,

let's week fine. I think that was one of the goals that you should have brought back. But that was just not the penguins that we saw against the blue jackets. That was, I'd say, like I said, that's probably a lot worse than the Buffalo game. but I just, I don't understand why that happened. I don't know why they came out playing like this. This is, I know it's the opening of the season,

but you know what? Those plays are just, that's unacceptable because, you know, especially after coming off such a great win against the Blue Jackets, where there was a complete domination, they cleaned up their mistakes, there weren't many turnovers, there weren't many odd man rushes. And speaking of an odd man rush, poor Zach Aston Reese. I mean, I don't know what he was doing on Winnipeg's.

This was their second goal for Nikolai Euler's, is their second or third goal? And no, no, it wasn't their third goal. Second goals. My apologies. And Aston Reese just gives the puck away to Eilers. He's trying to go to the center of the ice and not play it up the boards for whatever reason. No idea why. And he just turned the puck over.

And Matt Murray, he, Matt Murray did not. even move on that shot. He just stood there. I mean, because Eilers just lasered it right past his glove hand. I know people on Twitter like, oh, well, you know, that's a glove hand. It's like, like, that goal wasn't getting saved by

probably any goaltender. I know, you know, kind of stood still like a statue, but that's just a hell of a shot. I mean, let's be real with ourselves. That was a pretty nice shot there. For these, Going back to these miscues, I don't think, you know, if you're trying to blame someone, this isn't on Mike Sullivan, I don't think.

Like, it's like the penguins, like, have these games where they, like, just don't care defensively. I don't know what it is. And then there's other games like the Blue Jets game or, like, other games like last season, where they'll just, like, be so tightened up defensively, like, never missing an assignment. And then there'll be games like this will be saw tonight in Buffalo where, like, they just don't play defense. They're slow in their own end. They can't get the puck up the ice. They can't generate offensive scoring chances.

They're hemmed in their own zone. And it's just it's bad hockey. It's a bad product. And I don't know what it is. I mean, we saw I've got any bonk before he got hurt, had some harsh words after the first loss when this happened was very similar. Could we see similar comments from another player? I don't know. I mean, I'd be more surprised.

I mean, I'd be less surprised if it was Sullivan because Solomon has. has this season already been pretty pissed off, I think, with the team, especially at practice, making them carry the puck up the ice on the power play, practice two on ones. I mean, he's got to be pretty miffed about that this keeps happening because it's been happening since last season. And I don't know what the fix is. I think Mike Sullivan is one of the best head coaches in hockey.

I'll die on that hill. But for some reason, they just don't listen to him sometimes. And it's maddening. I don't understand, but I guess we can go into Matt Murray a little bit. Obviously, not a good night for him. The first goal leaked past him. I thought he should have had that. Second goal, like I said, for Eelers.

No chance. That was way more on Aston Reese. But, of course, the defense didn't help him. I mean, they were forcing him to try to make every save. The third goal, though, he should have. That Tucker Pullman shot, he was squared up to. the shooter, no screened in front of him. I will stay on the second goal also to defend

Murray there. He was screened, I think, by Pedersen, so I mean, of course, that's probably one of the reasons that he did not move. But like I said, the third goal, I mean, you got to have that one, I think. It kind of squeaks past you.

Fourth goal, that goal was just weird. That was a weird goal because it looked like the play should have been blown dead. I don't know how the ref saw it in front of all those people. I guess he has eyes in the back of his head. I think Murray has to do a little bit a better job of tracking the puck there. I think he got it lost a little bit. I still think the whistle should have been blown dead in my opinion, but I really wouldn't blame that go too much

on him. The reason why the game was swore wasn't five to one was because Andy Sosier, the penguin's video coach, is a god with off-side challenges. Remember 2016 game six with Jonathan the new end. Yep, I think everyone does. And, of course, the national series the next year, yep, everyone does. He is a very underappreciative penguins staffer,

and I don't think he ever misses an off-sides challenge. He's very good at what he does. I guess that's one pop, maybe a little bit of a positive to take away from this game. So, yeah, just not a good performance from the penguins

at all tonight, a four-one long, They're back in action coming up against the Anaheim Ducks to try to get back to 500. But yeah, for the three games, two of their three games, they've had the same issues plaguing last season. It was important tonight by Bob McKenzie that Penguins are trying to still make a trade for one of their defensemen to maybe bring in some short-term forward help. Getting Malkin and Nick Beekstadter is to be out four to six weeks. We'll see what happens with that. And yeah, it's just like I said, just not a good, um, not. a good performance at all.

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Fans are automatically enrolled in the Vivid Seats Rewards loyalty program and will enjoy credits on all of their purchases as part of Vivid Seats Rewards. All Vivid Seats confirmed orders are backed by a 100% guarantee. All right, so I think another part of this game, I know we'll probably go back to, just to follow up a little about this game. More injuries, guys, if you thought the penguin's injury bug would stay away for the season, guess what? You're wrong, because it's back. Patrick Hornquist exited the game. It looked like he took a puck up high or he took a stick up high. It was one of those two, I believe.

He looked like he was coming back at the end of the first period. He sat on the bench. He took a couple laps around the ice, and then he said, See you because it looks like he is a little bit hurt. Have we had an update from Mike Sullivan yet? Let me check to make, let me check real quick as I'm recording. No update from Mike Sullivan yet. I'm sure he's just going to say he's being evaluated.

Typical procedure with him, maybe lower body injury, upper body. We never really get any injury updates from Mike Sullivan because that's just the way he is. It took Darren yesterday to finally tweet out the malcon injury. Someone inside the penguin's organization leaked it. And, of course, I need to stop having my messages up. Okay, this should be better now that I muted it. I actually remembered to mute it during the broadcast. Anyways, like I said, Sullivan, yeah, he really won't disclose an injury.

Maybe we'll get another insider report about this injury because, I mean, Bob McKenzie finally, I mean, he tweeted during it. He talked about an insider training at Bukstad will miss four weeks. So someone obviously leaked the Bukstad injury to him in the organization. I wished Sullivan would be a little more transparent with injuries, but I mean, I guess beggars can't be choosers with that. Jake Gensel also left the game for a little bit. Was it Jake Gensel?

No, it was as, yeah, I believe it was Jake Gensel. I got to start writing these down because this is like really, really. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was really annoying. Jake Gensel, yeah, he missed one shift. It looks like a pair of also. Zach Ashton Reese has a chip tooth and a fat lift after getting hit in the mouth by a puck during the second period. Hopefully he's okay. Jake Gensel, though, looks like they survived to scare with him.

He cannot go down because he's obviously one of their best players. But yeah, everyone, the Penguins injury bug. So now that makes it Hornquist, Bukestead, and Malkin, and Brian Rust. I can't believe I keep forgetting about Brian Rust. Yeah, so the Penguins. could be potentially without if this hopefully the Hornquist entry is not serious but if it is they could be without four of their top nine forwards going into next game three games into this 2019 20 season good lord i mean it's just i just it's just every season no matter no matter

what happens i talked about it yesterday i've talked about it so many times the penguin's injury bug you could you could honestly write a novel i out the Penguins injury bug over the years since they won their Stanley Cup in 2009 and then going into their Stanley Cups in 2016, 2017, just even mostly just before those years because some of the injuries that they have went through, of course, like the Crosby concussions. I mean, that's obviously a little bit different, but some of the knee injuries Malkin had. I mean, I mean, for God's sake, they made the playoffs one season without Crosby and Malkin and lost to Tampa in seven games.

So you can honestly just write a book about that. But I guess going into a little bit of another segment, I guess I want to talk about from the game tonight, is Eric Granson. Not a good night for him. He looked very slow all game. Definitely not living up to that 19 game stint that he had last season where he was just out otherworldly, I would say, for the penguins.

Bob McKenzie said that the penguins could potentially trade him or Jack Johnson. It would not be surprised me if they did one or the other because he's kind of regressing to what he had last year. I mean, well, I mean, his first, his second, his last game wasn't like too, too bad. But also, I think maybe part of that tonight was also because they dressed seven defensemen. John Reno, I made his debut. Definitely did not see that coming. I did not think they would do 11 forward seven defensemen.

I know Mike Sullivan in the past has said, no, no, no, no. I hate doing that, but then he did tonight. I guess he thought Ago Zino was not ready to play for some reason. I guess he wanted John Marino again in the game. When I saw that Marino was going to get in for the game, I thought, oh, maybe Johnson or GoodBenz is going to get stretched. But nope, they went 11-4-7 defensemen. If you're asking me, I don't think that they're probably going to do that the next game.

Like I said, Sullivan's not a big fan of it. He's just, he never has been. I mean, he's talked about it post-game, pre-game. like that. He obviously says it's an option, but I think it's probably like one of his last resorts. But I remember on the first school tonight, I mean, Good Branson just got owned by Shifley on the first Jets goal. I mean, that was obviously a self-inflicted goal. But honestly, like, a lot of the goals tonight were just self-inflicted. He didn't help. Just most of the defensemen tonight were not good. Justin Schultz, that's not good. His play so far,

the season ain't going to cut it. He needs to have a much better season. I mean, I know he had the Jack Johnson excuse for a little bit last season. He also had the broken ankle for a Lamosa last season, which hindered his ability to play. But you know what? You're getting top four minutes now with Marcus Pedersen. There's really no more excuses for him. He's fully healthy.

You're playing with a partner who is, I think, deserves to play in the top four. They need to see what he has in. they have in Pedersen. Splitting them up, I think we'll just hurt Schultz even more. I don't think you can really put anyone else with him. You're not going to put Jack Johnson with him. Obviously, that'll hurt him. Erica Bansen, the same thing.

Muso Regal, I don't think he's ready for top four minutes yet. John Marino, not ready for top four minutes. You have to play Pedersen with Shultz. And Justin, it's time. I know it's three games, but you know what, buddy, you're coming off. You're coming off a fully off season. We're trained hard. It's time to get into gear.

It's a contract year. And, yeah, the Penguins need better from Justin Schultz because he's not too far. I mean, he's not too far off from a great season with the Penguins in 2017, where he put up 50 points for Pittsburgh. But just overall, I mean, I guess, I don't want to pick on a good rant and send too much. I mean, Jack Johnson tonight, I mean, I didn't really think he was bad. He actually, I mean, he actually, not going to lie, I'm not going to crap on him for this. He had a nice defensive play on a three-on-two that he got back.

in his own zone. It looked like the Jets were going to potentially score. It looked like a three-on-one for a lot of it. But Johnson got back credit to him, and he prevented the scoring chance. So I will praise Jack Johnson for that. His play so far this season has been better. I'd say maybe better to start the season than last season. But you know what?

Not a high bar to cross, fellas. It's not a big bar here to cross. But, you know, we'll see how long Jack Johnson's even a penguin for. Yeah, just not, like I said, like I've been saying all episode, not a good night at all. So, but hopefully for Goodbanson, you know, they ditch this seven-paring seven defensemen garbage. I don't really like it either. I think it's just, like, I know you have an extra defenseman, but like you're down a forward. Like, I don't like mixing these, the forward lines.

I would rather just have 12 forwards in the lineup. I know there's injuries. Six defensemen and a goal. Like, that's just, that's how I do it. I'm hopefully Sullivan will go back to that for the next game and hopefully people, the players will get back on track as the ducks will come to town and John Gibson, who is a top five goaltender. We will get to that in a little bit. One thing I also wanted to get into tonight was Mike Ryan. Penguins honored him tonight with an amazing pregame celebration.

He was 40. He was 45th year calling the games for the Penguins. and wow. What an honor for him. I tweeted this before the game. I don't know if you guys didn't see it. Of course, follow my Twitter on Hunter Hodes. I remember my family and I, we took a trip to Pittsburgh. I was only about 7, 8 years old.

We went to this place up on Mount Washington. I'm trying to remember the restaurant that it was. Now I did. Yeah, no, I did. The Georgetown, and it used to be up there, they closed it down. I was like a childhood restaurant. I'd always go there with my, family, my friend, just a bunch of my family, my grandparents, a couple of my aunts and uncles,

my mom, my dad, my sister. And I remember they had the penguin game on there. This was about 2005, so right, like I said, seven, eight years old. And I was hearing the announcer. I think this was before Paul Staggerwald came on TV, before he replaced him. And I heard him. I was like, and I went to my mom because she had got me into hockey a little bit. I turned to my mom, I said, mom, who is this? And she just gasped at me. She's like, what? I'm like, what?

She goes, that's Mike Ling. So she pulls out her, when we get home, she pulls out her computer at the time. And she says, hey, it's Hunter, watch these videos. I said, I remember I was like, a little kid. I was like, what? I was like, okay. I, when I heard Mike Ling, it's like slap me silly, like getting a fastling, grandma, Elvis has just left the building.

I was hooked. Like that, that made me fall. in love with this game and this team so much more. It was just, it was awesome. And he's one of the best announcers, not just in hockey. He's obviously one of the top five best announcers in hockey. I honestly put him at my top three, probably close to number one. He's one of the best announcers in all sports. The way he calls the game, he sees the game, his catch, his phrases that he uses when he's calling it it's it's the best and i i he's what he's an amazing person um i've just read so much about him that says he's just a great person he's had a hell of a career and i know

he's not doing as many road games now because of his travel and he was sick a lot last year but you know what i hope he keeps going forever um when i can't watch the game i will turn on any of the games at home um i will turn on the game and i will turn on the radio and i will listen to him and it just it does not get all when he does does his signature his signature goal call and I'm not going to imitate it because that would be a little

disrespectful to him I want to believe that to him but Mike Lang I think I speak for all of Penguins Twitter Penguins fans I love you, we all love you keep going forever He taught me, I mean, I think he definitely taught me so much about the game.

And I'm just, I'm so thankful that he's been the voice of the penguins for almost 50 years. And he probably belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Fitzford Sports. I know maybe, I don't think that's hopefully too much a hot of a take. I know Sydney Crosby of Gany Malkin, Yager, Lemieux, Clemente. It could be up there. Big Ben, obviously. Mingo, Troy. But, I mean, even though he's an announcer, he's one of the biggest reasons I think a lot of people are Pankhamins fans.

I mean, I know he is for me. He's absolutely spectacular. And his speech tonight was, it was something. And I just wanted to take a segment to just share my thoughts on Mike Lang. The day that, I will say, just to wrap this up, the day that he calls this quits is going to be a day that will be very emotional, I think. Not just me, I don't think, but a lot of Penguins fans just because, like I said, he made so many people fall in love with a sport. And he taught so many people, like, about the game and, like, how it's played. And just to, just to, like, always, like, when you listen to him broadcast the game, you're always in a good mood.

No matter if the team is getting blown out, no matter what. And, you know, Mike Lang, you're one of a kind, you're a national treasure. Keep up the great work, man, because you're spectacular. But this wraps up this edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. Not a good night for the Penguins, 4-1-Lost-Wing Peg Jets. They'll be back in action, like I said, on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks and John Gibson. And there will be another episode coming tomorrow. I will be previewing the game against the Ducks,

and we'll probably have a couple other segments in there besides the game preview. All right, guys. till next time.