Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - That one felt like a season-ender...

Episode Date: March 21, 2023

Another one bites the bust. Hunter is here to recap Monday's terrible 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators and yes, the Pittsburgh Penguins let another one slip away. Hunter discusses why this one was very similar to last week's loss against the Montreal Canadiens (minus Jarry's struggles) and why these types of losses keep happening. He credits Dylan Ferguson for the win but also goes after the Penguins for not generating enough good looks from the slot/high-danger area. In other words, the Penguins didn't make him work nearly enough as they should have. After that, Hunter brings up the repeated topic of Brian Dumoulin and why Mike Sullivan's job might be tied to this. He breaks down Dumoulin's role for another goal against as he was puck-watching the entire time and didn't come close to making a play on Batherson. Why does he continually get on the ice in these situations? Hunter tries his best to answer it before moving on to Tristan Jarry's performance and why he stepped up when he needed to for this team to have a chance. He then analyzes Mikael Granlund's game and why he hasn't been a good fit since he was acquired at the deadline, plus ponders whether or not this loss is the dagger because of the upcoming schedule. All that, plus much more is on this episode of Locked On Penguins.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Athletic GreensTo make it easy, Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1-year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/NHLNETWORKFanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go to FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expire in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) 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.

In a season that has been filled with some horrendous losses, this one definitely joins the fray as the Penguins fall two to one of the Ottawa senators. And things are looking bleaker than ever right now in terms of their playoff chances. To start the show, we're going to get into just what happened with this loss, how they continue to slide. And will this team be in the playoffs in the next week? That's all coming up right after this drop. You're Locked-on Penguins, your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm, of course, your host, Hunter Hodes.

Remember to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes, follow this show's Twitter at Eleanor So Penguins. And of course, thank you so much for making this year. First Listen of the Day, we're free and available on all platforms. Late Monday Night Recording into Tuesday here, you'll basically get double up. episode to start your day. We'll preview the games ahead with Wednesday and Thursday. I'll touch on the plans for Wednesday episode a little later on today. But Senators 2, Penguins 1, Penguins Fire, almost 50 shots on NIT. The AI drove, making name, goaltender decides to play God. Honestly, I shouldn't even give him that much credit.

He played well, but I didn't really like a lot of the looks at the Penguins had on net. But still, it has another long list of goalies who, you don't really, I know who they are, but they still stone the penguins and they play very, very well. Penguins through 49 shots, outshot the Santer just 4921. Very similar to the Montreal game last week, except I thought Tristan Jari actually played well tonight, and the penguins, and don't even get a point out of this one. I'll show you right now when points are precious. Lose to the Rangers, whatever, but you don't beat the Canadians on home ice.

Don't even take them to overtime. Don't even do the same thing here, especially after you tie the game with, five minutes left in regulation. Don't even get a point about it. Don't even get a point. Panthers win in Detroit. They are seven and two and one in the last ten. They're one point up on the final playoffs right now.

And it's looking bleak. Team is not playing good hockey right now. There is outside of, again, the core players, no one else is getting the job done. Same old story. Night after night, after night. I am almost ready for this. I am exhausted.

This is probably the season where I've been the most exhausted watching this team because the same problems persist on a nightly basis and nothing is done to rectify them. You know, I really like the Penguins process in this game. Underline numbers were great.

Shot attempts, 20 chances, high danger chances. But, you know, the one part I didn't like, you put 49 shots on net. That's great. But how many of those were quality looks? When the Penguins weren't missing high and wide, I felt like they were just playing along the perimeter too much. Getting shots from the point,

getting shots from the right pathboards, getting shots from the left halfboards, getting shots from basically the goal line. How many shots or 20 chances can you recall that they got in those high danger areas? I understand natural static shows the Penguins had 14 high danger chances for even strength, six high danger chances against if you go to all situations, 17 high danger chances for it. It definitely does not seem like that

when you watch that game. And honestly, before they tied it, if you looked at Moneypuck and all that and Natural Statrick, Penguins only had three expected goals on 41 shots. That should tell you everything you need to know. And we can actually even go to Natural Statrick right now. 3.56 expected goals for on 49 shots.

That number should be a lot higher. Should be. That tells me, and that should tell you all the listener, of course, you know, all of you, you come into my show, I hope to try to help you guys learn a little bit more about the sport. And, you know, that should tell you that they did not generate good enough looks in the offensive zone. I thought they didn't get enough traffic in front of Ferguson. I thought they, you know, they fired a lot of pucks from a lot of low danger areas. how many shots did you see come from like, you know, 10, 15 feet out? The Raquel goal was nice, but that was a leaky goal. That was one Ferguson probably stops 99 out of 100 times, or honestly any goaltender stops 99 out of 100 times.

Other than that, you know, he made that nice saves on Gensel. That was nice. I believe he had a couple of saves on Hinen, which were pretty decent. But in terms of grade A quality chances, I don't think the Penguins did enough to test him. And again, great that they put 49 shots on net. Usually that is good enough to win on almost any goalie. But it wasn't their night.

Usually in this situation, I would say they got goalied. I don't know if that's the case. Even though they played well and Ferguson did come up with some good saves, I don't think the penguin generated nearly enough good scoring chances as they could have, especially when they were hemming the senators in their own zone. How many times did they do that, but they just kept cycling the puck, low to high, hide a load, perimeter to perimeter.

It's the same thing I felt like. That's how it looked like to me. But, you know, it was just a total failure on the Penguins part right there. And just, you know, this kind of game sums up their season.

It was the same thing almost last week, too. You outplay the opposition for most of the game. You have a defensive breakdown that leads to a goal. You score to tie the game that you finally break through with it. And then one of a few mainstays who have not been scratched is on the ice for the game-winning goal with two minutes left as you were just pinning the senators in their own zone. And you took a stupid foolish penalty.

And oh, yeah, the power play stone again. This was a full summary of how the penguin season has gone to date. this is how it's been they all play the opposition a lot of these games you know we could add goaltending there but I thought Trishanjari was fine another goalie plays

a little bit better because that's how it's been lately they're able to finally get a goal and then a stupid defensive miscue with a certain someone on the ice and we'll get to that in just a second allows the penguins to lose and they don't even get a point because I thought that game was surely going to overtime after Raquel tied it

But Chattarweedle took that really foolish penalty. You knew the refs were going to call something. Heck, they didn't even call an obvious stripping pony when the Penguins were on the power play with nine minutes left in the third period because they were reffing to the score. Or also, they were reffing to the penalties that were drawn. Penguins at that point had, now as that third power play, if I recall correctly, Senators only had one.

I know people are going to come back to me and say, well, why didn't the Penguins get a power play in New York last week? You know, sometimes the brakes don't go your way. the officiating, but most times, refs will try to look for anything for even-up calls. I know it's late in games, probably in playoff games. You don't see that called from Raviddle,

but you can't give an official any leeway to call that. It costs the penguins. Brian Dumont stunk again are in front of the net, and they come out of this with no points. And this, you know, we got 12 games left. Who knows what the hell is going to happen at this point? It's not good enough. It hasn't been good enough all season.

I think a lot of people are just waiting for this season to end so that hopefully the front office can get canned. But these are some dark times right now. I shouldn't say dark times. These are some tough times with this team. And it's not going to get any easier when you see the back-to-back that this team has later this week. But, you know, this definitely felt like a season. They haven't, their season not fully over yet, but it feels like this was a season-ending loss. obviously it's not the case because they still got 12 games up

there's still only a point behind the panther's but this felt like a season ender with how they were playing not just maybe how they're playing but with how it all went down in that third period just not good enough at all but that wraps up this first segment

coming up in the second segment we're going to get into why Mike Sullivan continues to make the same mistakes late in third periods and a couple other things that I also noticed from this game. But before we get to that, it is time to touch on athletic greens. Our next partner has a product I use literally every day. And I start taking athletic games because I don't really have time in the morning to work out. I want a more energy, you know, better immune system. I don't really like taking pills and vitamins in the morning.

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daily nutritional insurance. All right, I'm back here in this episode of the lockdown on Penguins podcast. I am your host, Hunter Hodes. I'm going to follow me all on Twitter, Hunter Hodes, so all the shows, Twitter, and also Penguins, and of course, thank you all so much for making this, your first listen of the day. Again, be free and available on all platforms. So I know I probably sound like a broken record. People have gone on me about repeating it. I know I know DK on DK's Daily Shot does it as well. The Jeff Carter and Brian Doomone problem slash problems.

That reared its ugly head yet again in this one. Game is tied. One one. Less than 220 left in the game. You're killing off the penalty. I wish Jane Ryan Pilling doesn't have a stick. Brian Rush is hunched over. but Brian Dumlin screwed up in a crucial situation yet again

and it begs the question, why does Mike Sullivan continue to put him in these difficult situations? We saw what he said to the media after that blowout loss against the New York Rangers just a couple of days ago. If I can pull up this tweet here, I have to scroll back just a little bit. I can find this here.

He said, you know, you know, you guys like to pick on certain guys, you go to them all the time, we respectfully disagree with you in a lot of circumstances. When goals are scored, we look at a lot of the details on the house and wise. Reality is, it's more than one person for the most part when goals end up in the back of the net. Okay. Whatever. You know, and then he also said, well, I'll also tell you is that all year long, we put them in difficult circumstances. those guys play against top players in defensive situations all the time.

We saw that again tonight, and yet again, it did not work. Mike, why do you continually put Brian Dumlin in this situation? I don't understand it. He is not the player he once was from 2017. Look what he did on the Drake Bavitson goal that lost the Penguins the game. He is up way too high. in the defensive zone. Batherson is just standing at the front of the net.

Dumlin is looking at the puck here. I believe it was Brady Kachuk at the far wall on the PK. And he somehow allows this pass to get right to Batherson stick, who has an easy tap in Andre. Tristan has no shot at saving that puck. Maybe he could put a stick out there to poke check it away, but I'm sure he was relying on Dumlin to do it. And yet again, he lost a net front battle

because he's looking at the punk and he's not watching Batherson in front of the net. He has been horrendous in front of the net, especially this last week, but mostly all season long. Chris Kreider abused him last week in front of the net. Anders Lee abused him in the Islanders games. This has been a year-long problem, and Mike Sullivan is not doing anything about it. He's not putting him in a position to succeed. He is less of a problem than Carter just because Carter really can't do anything right now, But at least you can shelter Dumlin a little bit more.

I understand injuries are a big concern right now with this blue line. But why is Dumlin the go-to guy on the PK in a situation? Why? Just put another forward out there and leave Crystal Tang out. I don't know why you need to go two forwards and two defensemen. Or heck, just put a different defenseman out there. That's not Brian Dumolin. I get it.

Pedersen, Kulukkah, P.Sri, Ruta are hurt. But you can probably put Mark Freeman out there, and I'm sure he would do the job just fine. I will die on this hill that most players in the NHL can kill penalties. You could probably put Pio Joseph out there. I'm sure he would do a better job. But, you know, I just, I don't understand it at all. You know, like this team gets killed.

He's on the ice. But hey, you know, I and so many of people out there, we don't understand hockey. You know, we're just a bunch of idiots just behind a keyboard. And, you know, I'm never, I'm never going to say that I know more about hockey than Mike Sullivan. He's been around the game longer than I've been alive. He could school basically anyone in this fan base when it comes to this board.

Probably school most people around this board when it comes to his knowledge about the game. We'll never, nobody's an argue about. But he can't be this naive to the fact that this is not working. He got

schooled by Batherson from the net. And it looked like the puck was going right to do him on stick. And he still couldn't get his stick on it to get out of the zone. He had one job there. Jesse Marshall had a great breakdown for it. You know, just as he's even said in his tweet, zero on ice awareness, no head on a swivel. He was just total puck watching. He was just oblivious to what happened. But hey, you know, continue icing him out here in critical situations, Mike. You're only continuing to leave points on

the table. Game last weekend against the Rangers went after the penguins tied it, midway through the third period, who's on the ice for the next criteria goal? Oh, Brian Duhman. Who's on the ice for the goals in New York in New York when the blow? Oh, Brian Duhlin, Jeff Carter. Who's on the ice for the go-ahead goal tonight when you outplay the senator so badly, you more than doubled them up in shots? Oh, Brian Newman.

Hasn't learned a thing. Horrible coaching from Sullivan yet again. I am getting close to the point where I want this whole coaching staff in the front office cleaned out this year. And I don't think I ever thought I would say that about Mike Sullivan because I think he's one of the best coaches in the league. But if he's going to keep doing stuff like this. he can be shown the door as well.

I know I sound like a broken record. I know I've harped a lot on Dumlin and Carter on this show. But I try to be as fair as I can be, guys. Like if you're playing bad, I'm going to tell you you're playing bad. If you're playing good, I'm going to tell you you're playing good. That's how I've always done this show ever since I started it four years ago. That's how I'm always going to continue to do it. He's killing them.

And this coach, for whatever reason, is not seeing it. So really wanted to spend the second segment on that coming up to end the show. We're going to touch on Tristan Jari's performance. Also going to get into Mikhail Granlin and why he continues to be a total no show right now and a couple other things. But before we get to all that, if you're looking for a delicious treat but don't want all the fat and calories, then you've got to try a bill bar. We just got through some of the holidays.

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But now you can get them at Walmart or Sam's Club, cookies and cream, double chocolate, coconut puffs, just name a few. Also, brownie batter and trough. You can thank me later when it comes to that. All right, I'm back here in this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I am your host, Hunter Hodes.

Remember to follow me on Twitter, Hunter Hodes, follow this show's Twitter, Eleos for Penguins. And of course, thank you all so much for making this year first list in the day. We're free and available on all platforms. So, Tristan Jargs for Romans, I thought he was good.

the first goal you can maybe argue was a bit mad that I don't really like how Malkin played on that goal I also thought Riegel could have been a little bit better stepping up on Shabbat just an unfortunate defense of breakdown second one maybe he could have had the poke check there but all in all I thought he was stellar tonight he made some tremendous saves on a lot of odd man rushes

I don't like how the penguins gave those up when they were in control of the game they got lucky that Stutzelah missed a wide open net on one of them but you know he also made a couple of big saves especially one early on that power play before the Senators won the game with about two minutes left. Really nice job to kick that pad up to make that save. They're not even in that position to potentially steal.

It's not even still. To potentially win that game, if not for drawing. So I really liked him. Now, in terms of a more negative standpoint, you know, I said it when he was acquired. I've been trying to give him more of a chance. McHale Grinland has been a ghost out. there. I know so you all said to me, Hunter, give him a chance, see what

he can do. Maybe you'll eat some growth, and I've had no problem doing that. Throughout my time as a podcast host, all my time is covering the team, all that stuff. But I don't see it right now, Yins. Two points, only one goal in nine games, only 13 shots on net.

He's a ghost out there most games. You know, it's crazy to me how the general manager can get lucky. He got so lucky into All that cap space that he opened up for himself, he's very cappering and Brock McGinn and all that, but yet he decided to trade a second round pick for a player

who cannot score to save his life. And yes, I know he had 64 points in 80 games last season, but he also played with much better competition. He's not going to get that here. You know, even if he played with Malkin and Ruster and Brickell, I don't really know how much better he would do on that line. Obviously, he'd be playing with better players, but he's not a sheet first player.

Malkin likes playing with. with those type of players, especially because he's a playmaker on the line. It's not good enough. I said it at the time. It was an instant flop of a trade by the Penguins, and it's continuing to look worse right now. I honestly, if the Penguins say what they were to trade him

or they were to put him on the market, right? Would any team out there, any other team, almost just on a trade-in-lawed-lawed-lawed-other-threat? Would any other team out there trade a second-round pick him and not have the Penguins retain salary. I'll pause to have you think about that. No, right? No way.

They would have to retain salary to get that in return. Just a total clueless trade from Ron Hextall. And that was their big deadline acquisition to get them into the playoffs and have them push for the playoffs. And right now, they're on the outside looking in just a couple of weeks after the trade deadline. just comedy. Like, that's the player they went after. And I know, Nick, when you know, or Dwayneux or other deadline acquisitions are hurt.

So I feel really bad about that when it comes to the deadline. But the main guy you acquired, the one, the player who you said was going to, you know, get this thing rolling. You say he's the top nine forward, all this other stuff. He has been invisible in most of the games he has played so far. Maybe that changes for the final 12 games.

I'm highly skeptical about it. But he has not been nearly as good as they've needed him to be. And it is a problem, not just for this season. He's got two more years left at $5 million per. Good luck. Whoever the next GM is, whether it's run Hextall in the summer, if he doesn't somehow get fired or it's someone else that comes in. Good luck.

Goal up trying to make improvements to the team while he is on that salary cap. So there's another one that bites the dust there. you know, look, I said coming into this week, the Penguins needed to go three and one, in my head at least, to keep their playoff spot. You're already off to a bad start. You needed to win this game. You're playing against the Senators team

that had lost five in row coming in. They were not playing well. The Penguins brutally outplayed them in this game. Didn't get the result. Now you face a daunting task. You go to Colorado on Wednesday. Dallas on Thursday. Good luck.

Honestly, right now, I would be stunned if they got a point in either of those two games. Surprise me. I hope that, just because I said that, I hope they go out there and somehow sleep both of those teams, the two of the best teams on the West. Please, be par for the course for me, at least. But, man, and then they got Washington on Saturday.

That's another must win. Time's taken. 12 games left. The playoff streak is in the balance. the court can only do this so many times. If you were to tell me right now, if I was waking up from a coma, that both Sydney Crosby and the Guine-Malkin had played in every single game this season

and were at a point per game or better production, and this team would have a minus goal differential and be out of the playoff spot, 70 games into an 82-game season, I would have told you to just get lost. I would have said you're lying. Nope. That's where we are right now.

And that, my friends, squarely on the front office and the coaching staff for assembling this roster the way it has been. I probably fired off too quick in which week tonight saying that, like, you know, some of these guys just don't want it. You know, I think every player probably wants, obviously wants to win in this league. It's probably a little too far for me. Even I sometimes go a little overboard. But the problem is, as my buddy tweeted, the GM, you know, assembled this roster of two-thirds of the roster will players who don't know how to win. it's like against their DNA. So that's where we're at right now.

It's bad times. It's bad times. Something's got to give. I know the team has really hurt defensively. Marcus Pedersen being out is a killer. He's been arguably their best defenseman this season. Yes, I can't say arguably in there because he has been just as good, if not a little bit better than Crystal Tang.

I have no problem saying that Pedersen's been a rock. Petrie being out hurts, Ruta being out hurts. but got to win this kind of game. No excuses this time of year. We're going to see what they're made of these final 12 games. They don't get in. You're looking at a lot of major changes this summer.

Not to the core, but I think to a lot of the supporting cast, I'll say that. But thank you all so much for listening. I really, really appreciate it. For Tuesday show, we're going to preview the back-to-back, especially against Colorado and against Dallas.

Wednesday, I'm going to try to have an episode. That will be a game that I actually have to miss. I am going to Columbus for a concert. If any of you all know the band, Steel Panther, just kind of like an 80-spoof band. That is where I will be. I got these tickets a long time ago. Really excited for that.

I will try to have an episode up for that day as like a recap, something like that. And then for Thursday, we'll obviously have the Dallas game and stuff, and then we'll go through the week with Friday going for the Capitals game with Saturday. But it's going to be a weird week with podcast episodes this week, but we'll definitely have an episode tomorrow,

preview in the back-to-back, especially the game against Colorado, and then we'll try to have some recaps for the game against the AF, try to go through, watch it on rewind from ESPN Plus, and then watch the Dallas game on Thursday. So again, thank you all so much for listening. Really appreciate it. I know times are tough, but, you know, just got to stick through it.

Let's see what happens on Wednesday when they go to Denver. Also, last thing, 27 subscribers away on the YouTube channel from 1,000. If you are not subscribed yet, be awesome if you could smash that like button and subscribe to the channel as we are closing in on a major, major milestone for the channel. channel, obviously those on audio, really always appreciate you guys. We actually were top 10 among all locked on NHL shows for the last week or two. So really appreciate that too. Again, thank you all so much for listening. Let's do another one of these on Tuesday. You'll be hearing it in about 12, 14 hours from now.