Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - The Pittsburgh Penguins are going streaking!

Episode Date: November 26, 2021

The Pittsburgh Penguins just keep on winning! On a special Thanksgiving episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter recaps Pittsburgh's 4-1 win over Vancouver as the Canucks looked lifeless. He goes into Evan Rodrigues and how he continues to prove a lot of people wrong. Will he be able to keep this up for a whole season? What stood out about that goal on Demko? He also touches on Bryan Rust & how he basically pointed to the heavens after his goal. Will that be the start of more goals in bunches? Also: Are we getting close to a Sidney Crosby breakout? Hunter gives his thoughts on Sid's performance as it was definitely a mixed bag. All that, plus much more on this special episode of Locked On Penguins.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.StatHeroStatHero is the first of its kind Daily Fantasy Sports platform where it’s YOU vs. the HOUSE in head to head fantasy matchups - winner take all. Sign up for FREE - RIGHT NOW - at StatHero.com/HOCKEY and use promo code HOCKEY for a One Hundred Percent Deposit Match. 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.

Your Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Your team every day. Hello, everyone, and welcome to this Thanksgiving edition of the Lockedon Penguins podcast. I'm your host, Hunter Hodes. Remember to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes.

You can also follow the show as Twitter at at L.O.Ns for Penguins. And, of course, thank you all so much for listening to this episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. First of all, Happy Thanksgiving, I do want to say, I appreciate everyone that listens to this podcast, whether it is one episode, two episodes, 10 episodes, 20, 100, or somehow, if you have listened to all, what is this, 375 now, one, you're a saint, two, you're probably crazy because I've just been blowering about this team

on this podcast for over two years now. And I just, I love doing it. I love sharing my takes with you. all on this crazy hockey team and I'm glad that a lot of you have been along for the ride for a long time and for all the new people that have joined this season and you know last season as well thank you so much for coming along for the ride and again I am appreciative of every listener that listens to this show so again thank you all so much I was going to have an episode on Wednesday but I did have some plans with my girlfriend wanted to give you all a recap episode

today as the Penguins get that fourth straight win four to one over the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver looked absolutely horrid. That's a team I think that's going to make a lot of changes. Should probably start up at the top with Jim Benning. I don't really know what he's been trying to do there for the last eight years. I still think it's kind of crazy that he has been there for the last eight years. But right from the drop of the puck, I think my biggest takeaway,

you could tell that the Penguins were probably going to win this game. I mean, they were very engaged. I know there was some sloppy play, but overall, they were putting a lot of shots on Thatcher Demko, who I think in my opinion is going to be on Team USA. He's probably going to be that third goalie. But just, you know, again, the team was really engaged. I thought, you know, all four lines were humming the defensive pairs.

We're, you know, making the timely pinches. Trishinjari was making some really dazzling saves in the first period. I know he wasn't too busy in that period. But, again, you know, the biggest takeaway I thought, you know, they just, they were really engaged right from the get-go. Another big one, Evan Ron Beez. I mean, I don't really know what to say at this point. He has seven goals and we're not even at game 20 yet. That is absolutely crazy to me.

And something that I know no one really saw coming. I mean, I thought he was going to be a fine depth forward coming to this year. And I said this on my last episode. You know, I know a lot of people did not like the decision to bring back Rodriguez because of what Freddie Goodro did in a fourth line role. I know a lot of people wanted, you know, Goodro to continue with the team. But, you know, after he signed that two-year contract, it was kind of like, okay, you know, I guess it was definitely. definitely in both parties his best interest to walk away. But, you know, seeing what Evan has done this year,

I definitely think that, you know, some people are kind of walking back that take on Freddie Goodrook is that goal that he had on Wednesday night. I mean, what a freaking shot that was. I mean, in all seriousness, that was ridiculous. I mean, the way he was so patient with the puck, waiting on Demko to go down a little bit, the Canucks were not pressuring him for whatever reason,

and he was able to fire that top shot. She's just a ridiculous goal by Rodriguez and goes to show that, you know, just how good of a player that he's been this season. You can put him anywhere in the lineup. I don't really care. You want to put him on the fourth line? Okay. You want to put him on the third line? Cool.

You want to put him on the second line? You want to put him on Cindy Crosby's line? If, God forbid, Jake Ensor or Brian Russ get hurt, hopefully they do not. That's fine, too. But he's such a versatile player, and he's on such a heater right now that, again, you just take what you get at this point. I mean, he's on pace for well over 20 goals right now. I don't think he's going to hit 20 by the end of the season. I will be more than happy to be wrong.

But, again, he has just been awesome this year, arguably their best forward up to this point, and it's really nice to see him contributing or continuing to contribute to this team. We also finally got to see Zach Aston Reese pot his first one of the season. I know I've talked a lot about Aston Reese on this podcast this year about, you know, how an offensive explosion could be coming at some point. Well, hopefully this one is a start of that. I liked how he shot the puck there on that two-on-one.

Because, I mean, you know, the Penguins' struggles are, they're well documented with, you know, not shooting on two-on-ones. They always have to just force the extra pass for whatever reason. I've never really understood it. But, you know, really nice Cesar be rewarded with that goal after playing really well defensively to start the season. And, of course, I can't forget Brian Ross. I'm not going to really go into the Brockman again.

that's just an empty-knitur. But, you know, Russ there gets a nice one-timer past Demko. You could honestly tell how excited he was because he looked straight up kind of to the heavens and it was like, thank the freaking Lord that I just scored. Again, this was his first goal since opening night.

This was also his first goal on an NHL goalt tender this season. It's almost taken to game 20 for that to happen. That's how crazy it's been for Russ and how much he struggled ever since so many nights. Because, again, the only goal that he has, had was an empty nender when the game was basically over at that point. So the fact that it's taken him this long to score, and basically an actual NHL goal is nothing short of remarkable.

But hopefully this is the start of him really producing a lot more. Because, again, you know, he's definitely been, I think, a bit of a disappointment for a large section, the Penguins fan base, because, you know, he's not his normal self. He's been banged up a lot. So part of me still thinks that he is not 100% just by, you know, his body language and how he's skating and now, you know, he's not really getting to those high danger areas that he's used to getting to. But after what I saw last night, again, hopefully this is the start of something really big for Russ because he is one of their more important players. And again, he can pot 25 to 30 a year.

He's done that the last couple of seasons. He cannot be this cold for a full season. It's just the depth scoring, I'm not going to say it's going to dry up completely, but, you know, some of these guys that are on heaters right now, it's not going to continue to be that way. There's going to be some regression, and you're going to need one of your top players in Ryan Russ to shoulder the load, put the team. I shouldn't say put the team on his back a little bit, but, you know, just play the way that he's played at the last couple of seasons, and then that should be good enough, I think, for the team. When he does that, obviously it be awesome, but we have still yet to see him do that this season.

Again, though, really nice start from Russ last night. You could tell that he really wanted that one. going into some of the underlying numbers from this game, if I can find this here real quick. They deserve to win meter from MoneyPuck. 74% for the Penguins, 26% for the Canucks. If you look at the expected goals, all situations, 3.91 for the Penguins, 1.94 for the Canucks.

So basically that lines up with the eye test. And if you look at the cumulative expected goals, it was even for a while, and then the Penguins just took it to a new level right around the 10-minute mark they started really outplayed them and then right after the first period and then they made a huge jump

at a 35-minute mark the Penguins expected goals mark at that point basically almost at the end of the second period 2.52 compared to 1.22 for the Canucks and then again it got even worse

as the period got on. The Canucks did not have a shot in the third period until, I kid you not until around like the 11 or 12 minute mark that is a team that has definitely given up. And you can just tell by watching them.

And it's sad because, you know, I'll take the L on it. I'll probably get old takes exposed for this. I had Vancouver as a playoff team this year. I mean, I had them finishing, I think, what, third or fourth of the Pacific? I thought their high-end talent was going to be good enough to mask the deficiencies in their lineup, notably their depth and their poorest defense. I knew Dempka was going to be pretty good. But that has not happened because their depth has been even worse than I thought.

And again, Vancouver has been. has a really good core. You look at some of these players, right, J.T. Miller, who's now trade rumors, Brock Bessor, Elias Peterson, Quinn Hughes, Bo Horvac, Connor Garland, Tanner Pearson, Jason Dickinson. There's a lot of really good talent here. It's just the players around them freaking stink. And a lot of that is Jim Benning.

They're going to have to make a move here, I think, at some point, in my opinion. So overall, this was a win, I think, that, you. You know, the Penguins, they needed to take care of business, and they did exactly that. That's four in a row, eight out of eight points. They're still in a playoffs, about five points out of third in the Metro right now. And they have a sweet rematch going to Long Islander, the UBS Arena, to take on an Islander's team that's not only struggling, but, you know, they have a lot of players out right now due to COVID-19 and injuries. So we're going to get to that a little bit later on in this episode. The Friday episode is going to be a game recap of the Penguins Islanders.

game because that is, I believe, I think that's an evening start. I'm about 99% sure. I don't think it's an afternoon start. But coming up in the next segment, we're also going to get into some Tristan Jari discussion, excuse me, and why I think is each passing gingoes. I get more and more comfortable about him in the playoffs. We're also going to do a preview of the New York Islanders game and a few more tidbits about that game against Vancouver.

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It will be a huge event with all sorts of surprises from BuiltBar. You can go to Built.com and use promo code Lock 15, and you'll get 15% off your order. That's promo code Lock 15 for 15% off at Built.com. Okay, welcome back to this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I'm your host, Hon. Trondiotees, you're going to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. You can also follow the show's Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins. So, I mean, again, Tristan Jari, I don't really know what else to say at this point. He has been a rock for this team this season.

Now, with goal saved above expected, 7.9. He's approaching Connor Hellebuck. So the goalies that are above him, Bobrovsky, Jack Campbell, Fadier Anderson, Igor Shostark, and, Carter Hart, Jacob Marksham, Connor Hullbuck, and Tristanjory. So both goaltenders from the state of Pennsylvania have been dynamite this season. And I'll say it again, as each passing day goes, I get more and more comfortable. This is going to sound scary for some of you. But I get more and more comfortable that he is going to go into the playoffs and absolutely kill it.

Okay. Now, now that I said that, I'm going to take a step back for a second. I understand that once we get to that point, if he's still playing at or near this level, it's all going to be out the door, right? You've got to show up when it matters most, and I think if he continues this trajectory, he should be able to do that.

I would start him against the Islanders on Friday. It makes the most sense. Send him up to Long Island. I know it's not the same arena, but send him up there and let him handle those demons. That's the team that flat out and bearer him just a few short months ago, send them out to the wolves and have him be like, hey, I'm not that goalie anymore, and I'm going to prove that I'm not, and I'm going to go out

here and win this game for my team. That's what I want Mike Sullivan to do. You can start Casey and Smith against the Canadians at home. Montreal is just so bad this year. Anyway, they're probably worse than the Islanders are at this point. I think the Islanders are going to wake up at some point. But again, he was just sensational against the Canucks. These last four games that he started He's only given up two goals. His save percentage is around 975, 980, 983 or something like that. He is just on an insane heater right now. Per Monty Puck, he has a 962 state percentage on unblocked shots.

He also has an expected save percentage of 953 on unblock shots. Goals against average of 2.03. His overall save percentage is 933. He's probably fine with getting this amount of workload. I mean, why wouldn't he be? I mean, he's the starter at this point. He's even said so to the media these last couple of days that he wants to keep starting because he's getting more confidence as each day goes.

That is one of the main reasons why I would start him against the Islanders. But, you know, even when the team was not, well, I shouldn't say not starting out well because they did, but when they were playing dipped a little bit during the game against Vancouver, he was always there to make a key save. there was a breakaway in their first period. I'm pretty sure it was J.T. Miller on that breakaway, if I'm not mistaken. And Jari was able to shut the door there. The game could have been a lot different had he scored on that one.

And the only goal that he allowed was just a beautiful shot from Bo Horvett. I mean, he really, Jari had no chance on that. But overall, just again, another strong performance. And I really hope that he is shutting up quite a few people right now. He definitely is with me at this point. Now, for some other players who I thought were really good against Vancouver, Jason Zucker was around 80% of the expected goals. He led the team in that per money puck.

He continues to be pretty stellar, I think, this season. I know some people in the Penguins fan base have not thought that just because he hasn't scored a lot. But, you know, he's driving play at 5E5. He's been a really good playmaker. As long as he keeps doing that, I think the goals are going to come in bunches. You know, he's too good of a player to be held off the score sheet while playing like this. This is nothing like we saw from Jason last year. I understand that his contract is quite hefty,

but I don't think, again, this is anything close to what we saw from him last year. Jeff Carter was almost around 80% as well. Cisbury captain, I will say, pretty decent game, had about 65% of the expected goals when he was on the ice for Pittsburgh. It's a step in the right direction, though you still want to see him finish some of these chances. Is that Naskin-Rise? About 62% of the expected goals, Dominic Simone was right there as well. Teddy Bluger with Crystal Tang right there, Brock McGinn,

Denton Hinen, Marcus Pedersen, Mike Matheson, around 50%. The ones that struggled a little bit, again, Sid, I'll keep saying it, everyone. He still has to get his legs back. I thought he was sloppy on a few plays during the game against Vancouver. I mean, he was also robbed point-blank by Factor Demko in a couple of occasions. Just some gorgeous 10-bill saves by Demko. Other times, though, again, I thought he was sloppy with the puck making some ill-advised passes, not taking the puck on his stick like normal.

I do think at some point here, over the next week, I think that's going to be my main prediction, over the next week you're going to really start to see Sid's score or assist in a lot of plays, and they're going to come in bunches. I really do believe that you can tell that he's really, really close to breaking out. I see it in his game. I know he's been sloppy. I know last night probably wasn't the best, but the good plays that he did make, you can just tell that it's, it's kind of.

coming. I think it's going to come sooner rather than later. I think Mike Matheson was fine. Again, he is a player that if you're not talking about him too much, that's perfectly fine. He's a bottom pairing defenseman. It's the same with Trevor Wheatle. If you're not talking about those players that much, that is a okay. That means that they are doing their job. The fact that Mike Matheson hasn't had a screw up in about a week, week and a half, that's the best case. He hasn't really wowed anyone offensively this year. He hasn't had that big play since probably the game against Toronto when he had that amazing wrap around. But, I mean, he'll do that sometimes. But if he's fine in the defensive zone, which he has been for the last seven and ten days, and if he's making the right pinches in the offensive zone and he's not turning the puck over on every shift kind of basis,

he's doing his job. I know his contract has a lot of money, but I think he's been fine lately. And not enough people are talking about that. But, again, I also don't mind that because I don't want to jinx it with him. And yes, I will give Brian Dumlin praise here. He was around 60% of the expected goals on Wednesday night. against Vancouver. This is now his third pretty

strong game in real. You're really starting to see his skating come back to form. His decision making has been a lot better. His plays defensively have been a lot better. And you know, he's a player that it's so funny because he doesn't really have a lot of offensive ability, but he's

still a well above average player in the NHL. And you don't really see that too often with players that don't have a lot of offensive ability. You Usually those kind of players, they're average, they're okay. But Dumlin, I mean, he's definitely against the curve, if that reference makes sense in that capacity. I've noticed that for a large bulk of his career.

You know, the fact that his offense has never really come, and he's still been one of the better top four defenders in the league, just speaks volumes to how good of a player he is. And, you know, I really think that he's really starting to turn the corner here. after a really slow start to the season. Well, overall, again, big win by Pittsburgh. They're still on a playoff spot. The next segment, we're going to preview the game against the Islanders and why they have struggled so much this year.

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I'm your host, Hunter Hodes. You're going to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow this show's Twitter at L0 underscore Penguins. We have been waiting a long time to have this rematch, but Pittsburgh will be on Long Island to play the New York Islanders on Friday. I'm just going to get the start time here, correct. Pittsburgh plays them 7.30, online island. They have a 57.3% chance to win Per Money Puck.

The Friday matinee Black Friday game will be the Rangers versus the Bruins. That will be on ABC. Then I think the 330 game, the Blackhawks Blues game, will be on Hulu and ESPN Plus. I think that's going to be an exclusive broadcast. kind of thing. But as for the Islanders this year, they've been a mess, but a lot of it,

I wouldn't say, is their full, I mean, they're expected goals at 48.3%. That's bad, but 44% of the actual goals, they are really struggling to score, but think about it.

Brock Nelson's hurt right now. I think he's out for the next few to four weeks. Ryan Pollock, their second best offense, but I think Peluk is a bit better than him. He is hurt. And there's a whole lot more. Kiefer Bellows is day-to-day with COVID. Zanan,

Charnas also on the COVID-this. Josh Bailey is out. Actually, I did not realize that Alan Pelick is hurt. So he's day-to-day at this point. Andrew Green is also day-to-day, and Anders Lee is out right now as well. So that is basically nine regulars, oh, no, eight regulars for the Islanders at this point. That is how bad it has been for the Islanders this season. There are lines right now coming into this game.

Richard Ponick is going to be on the top line with Matt Borsell and Zach Perise. Kyle Palmieri with Jean-Gabriel Pomeri with Jean-Gabrio Pais. Pajon and Anthony Bavillier. Their third line has two players that I've never even heard of with Oliver Wallstrom, and then their fourth line is intact with Matt Martin and Calcutterbug, dumb and dumber, as I like to call them, and then Casey Zazekis, who always basically carries them. Their defense without Pelich and Poolech, if both of them are not available, I know Pellick is day-to-day, but Pooleck will not be in.

Robin Selo with Scott Mayfield, Thomas Hickey with Paul Ladoo. I don't even know who that is. Sebastian Aahoe, the other one with Grant Hutton. That honestly might be the worst offensive corpse. in the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins should be able to win this game, but I could honestly see just the Islanders having a marked dunk kind of thing. Their power play ranks close to dead last in the league.

I think a lot of Islander fans are just waiting for the assistant head coach that runs that unit be fired, but I don't really think Barry Trots is going to do that. The math right now from New York is not good. I think that I think a pro-DOM's model, they have around a 20% chance to make the playoffs right now, and obviously they are going to. going to get basically all of these guys back at some point.

And I think they're going to start to win some more games. It's just, will it be too late at that point? They're already 10 points out of the playoffs, but right now. I know it's only, what, a month, month and a half into the season. Still, though, I know there's a, I could just said, there's a long way to go, but it's a steep hill to climb. If there's any team that can do it, it's probably the honors just because Trots is such a good coach. but they really have been banged up for a lot of this season.

I would expect Sorokin to probably start that game, but they could also go to Varlamov as well. But, I mean, yeah, just, again, looking at the underlying numbers and everything for the Islanders to do, they only have 46% of the shot attempts at 5E5. That's also close. I mean, it's not last, but it's closer to last than it is to the top 15. That's for sure.

It's just been a really hard season. goals 4 per 60, 1.99. That's also one of the worst marks in the lead. They're expected goals for per 60, 2.38. Matt Barzel, I think, only has 8 points in 16 games this year, if that sounds right. He has not been the same Matt Barzell that we're used to seeing. They're expected goals against per 60, 2.53. Their actual goals against per 60, 2.53. So that's been staying in line, but those aren't Islanders kind of numbers.

Usually, we're used to seeing that number below two. And the fact that it's not at that point this year just goes to show that they have struggled defensively as well. But again, they have 8 to 9 regular players out right now due to a mix of COVID and injuries. It has just been a really rough start of the season for them. But this is still not a team that the Penguins should take

lightly. They embarrass them. Well, I shouldn't say they embarrass them in the playoffs. Pittsburgh outplayed them. It was Tristan Jari that gave that game away. And again, I would start Tristan Jari if I were Mike Sullivan and I think he will. And remember, before I let you all go, stay tuned for Friday. I am

hoping that the little birdie comes through with a nice little jersey drop, or a third jersey drop that is, on the Penguin's social media. We'll see if that comes to fruition. Again, I appreciate all of you taking time out of your day to listen to this podcast. Happy Thanksgiving. We'll have another one of these on Friday to, as a game recap

of the Penguins Islanders game before, they also will play on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, and then they will have that big, big Western Canadian road trip. But I hope you'll have an amazing Thanksgiving. Stuff your faces with all that food and drinks. And I'll talk to you all again on Friday.